Marie Case Named Newport Beach 2024 Citizen of the Year
By Robyn
Grant | Special to the NB Indy
Marie Case, Newport Beach’s favorite Italian gal about town, was announced as the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Citizen of the Year on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at a surprise gathering at VEA Resort & Spa.
The award, presented since 1949, honors long-term, continuing commitment to the community.
VEA General Manager Debbie Snavely, the 2018 Citizen of the Year and recently named “Top General Manager for Marriott North America,” ushered Marie into the hotel’s newly renovated Reveal Room for a Tattinger champagne toast with civic leaders including Chamber
President and former Mayor Steve Rosansky and former Citizens of the Year
David Beek (2022), Mayor Pro Tem Joe Stapleton (2020), former Mayor Nancy Gardner (2019), Seymour Beek (2005), Paul Watkins (2015), Nancy Skinner (2014), Tom Johnson (2011), and former Mayor Tom Edwards (2000).
Rosansky said of Case, “Marie’s contribution to the Newport Beach community makes all the difference, she is a ‘doer’ and consistently contributes her expertise, imagination, and ‘we can’ attitude”.
This isn’t Case’s first time to be recognized, having won the Chamber’s Silver Anchor Award in 2016 for participating in the betterment of
the business, residential, civic and recreational environment in our community.
The Commodores Club, an arm of the Chamber, marked its 60 years of service in 2020 and named Marie its first female skipper that same year. Case took decisive action creating “Commodores Cruising in Cars Getting Coffee” to bring people together during the pandemic-forced cancellations of public events.
Also, the Newport Beach City Council invited Case to the January 2024 Council Meeting to receive a Proclamation in appreciation of her many contributions to the city.
CASE Page 9
“MARIE’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEWPORT BEACH COMMUNITY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, SHE IS A ‘DOER’ AND CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTES HER EXPERTISE, IMAGINATION, AND ‘WE CAN’ ATTITUDE”.
Mayor Will O’Neil Hosts
Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neil will hold his next Coffee with the Mayor event on Thursday, Aug. 29 at A Market from 9 to 11 a.m.
The Coffee with the Mayor event is open to the public, and Mayor
STEVE ROSANSKY
O’Neil is providing coffee and pastries to all attendees.
Coffee with the Mayor is an opportunity for residents to meet Mayor O’Neil in a friendly, relaxed environment and ask questions about matters concerning Newport Beach.
A Market
This is the third in a series of Coffee with the Mayor events being held by Mayor O’Neil, whose term as mayor concludes at the end of 2024.
A Market is at 3400 W. Coast Hwy., adjacent to A Restaurant.
By Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
The Newport Beach Fire Department (NBFD) continues to provide mutual aid to help combat the wildfires burning throughout California. The NBFD had 10 staff members deployed throughout the state as of Friday, August 2.
• Six NBFD firefighters are deployed to the Park Fire, which has become the 5th largest wildfire in state history. The Park Fire continues to burn aggressively, spanning Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties. The fire has consumed more than 392,000 acres, destroyed 480 structures, and is 18% contained.
• On Wednesday, July 31, the NBFD joined efforts to combat the Nixon Fire in eastern Temecula, deploying the station’s Type 3 fire engine, which has off-road capabilities designed to fight wildfires in remote areas inaccessible to other types of fire engines. A 4-person engine company from the Newport Coast Fire Station joined a strike team from the cities of Anaheim, Orange, and Laguna Beach. This marks the first out-of-county deployment for the City’s Type 3 fire engine.
Even as the Department shares resources and staff for critical statewide needs, the NBFD remains fully staffed, ready to respond to local emergencies and to ensure our community is wellprotected.
These fires offer a timely reminder for Newport Beach residents to be prepared for fires and other emergency situations. For more information on wildland safety tips and preparedness, please visit the Newport Beach Fire Department webpage at newportbeachca.gov/government/ departments/fire-department.
By NB Indy Staff
Grace Leung, Newport Beach City Manager
The Ultimate Real Estate Guide for Homebuyers & Owners in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach
Citizen of the Year honoree Marie Case (center) surrounded by past Citizen of the Year honorees. Photo by Robyn Grant
Mayor Will O’Neil
LOCAL FOCUS
Hundreds of Residents Attend National Night Out on Aug. 6 at Bonita Canyon Sports Park
By NB Indy Staff
The Newport Beach Police Department invited Newport Beach families to join them in celebrating National Night Out on Aug. 6 at Bonita Canyon Sports Park.
This annual community-building campaign promotes policecommunity partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.
National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing
back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.
At the Newport Beach National Night Out event, the NBPD provided information on crime prevention, home security, child safety, the Citizen’s Police Academy and Volunteers in Policing.
They featured displays from CSI, SWAT, K9 Officers, Animal Control, and the Mounted Unit.
Officer Joe De Julio was at the
event with his K9 partner, Goose. Joe started at the Newport Beach Police Department as a cadet in 2007 and graduated from the Police Academy in 2011. He joined the Canine Unit in August 2021. K9 Goose is a Slovak Malinois and the first female K9 at the NBPD department.
Food was provided by TK Burgers, plus games, crafts and other activities for kids along with a visit from McGruff “The Crime Fighting Dog.”
Newport Beach Resident Dotty MacDonald, 95, Raises $40K in Restaurant Gift Cards for Newport Beach Police Department
Johnson & Johnson MedTech Employees Volunteer for Beach Cleanup in Newport Beach
By NB Indy Staff
Every year, Johnson & Johnson MedTech hosts a Week of Caring, with more than 600 employees participating in diverse volunteer activities with various local charities that totaled 1,235 hours of volunteer service.
of the activities undertaken
this year was a beach cleanup in Newport Beach on Friday, Aug. 9. Nearly two dozen employees picked up trash along a 2.5-mile stretch of beach.
During Week of Caring, employees volunteer during normal business
By Christopher Trela | NB Indy
Newport Beach resident Dotty MacDonald, 95, is on an annual mission to collect donations on behalf of the Newport Beach Police Department so she can purchase gift cards from local quick-service restaurants to hand out to members of the police force.
On Wednesday, July 31, Dotty presented the Newport Beach Police Department with a large symbolic check for $40,000, the amount she raised from neighbors and friends this year to purchase gift cards from Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza, In-N-Out, Chick-Fil-A and Chipotle.
“Dotty is the angel of the Newport Beach Police Department” said her friend Kimberly Fleer. “Each year,
Dotty dedicates her time to raising money to support ‘her cops’ and providing them with gift certificates to various food outlets to use while on patrol.”
Fleer noted that Dotty is remarkable woman in the Newport Beach community and is well known at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club where she still volunteers on the race committee during regattas.
When asked her thoughts on raising $40,000 from community members for gift cards, Dotty – a former volunteer with the Newport Beach Police Department – replied “All of these people in Newport Beach support the police department and that’s the best part.”
Top left to right: Newport Beach Police mounted patrol; Officer Joe De Julio and his K9 partner Goose; Police SWAT team shows off its equipment and SWAT vehicle; Crime Scene Investigator Miles Persons demonstrates how to dust for fingerprints. Photos by Chris Trela
Dotty MacDonald (holding check for $40,000) and members of the Newport Beach Polie Department. Photo by Chris Trela
Johnson & Johnson MedTech at their Newport Beach cleanup during
Cole Tapper of Australia Bests Jeffrey Petersen of USA to Win Governor’s Cup Youth Match Racing Championship
By NB Indy Staff
Cole Tapper (AUS), Jack Frewin and Hamish Vass representing the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia came back from a 2-0 deficit against defending two-time GovCup winner Jeffrey Petersen (USA) and crew Daniel Pegg and Enzo Menditto of Balboa Yacht Club to win the best-of-five finals 3-2 in the 57th Governor’s Cup Youth Match Racing Championship hosted by Balboa
Petersen and Tapper were preregatta favorites having finished first and second in 2023. In the roundrobins stage they finished tied on 20 wins and 2 losses, advancing to the semi-finals. Petersen dispatched Josh Hyde (NZL) and crew, Tom Pilkington, Zach Fong, Cody Coughlan 3-0, and likewise Tapper swept Justin Callahan (USA) and crew Trevor Davis, Michaela O’Brien
and Spencer Kreigstein 3-0.
Hyde and Callahan then squared off in the petit-final (consolation for 3rd and 4th). This was arguably the best series of the regatta with Hyde and Callahan trading blows in the first two matches, with multiple last-minute lead changes. In the end Callahan prevailed in Race 3, taking the petit-final 2-1.
The first two races of the finals were an epic battle of wits and
boat handling between Tapper and Petersen, with multiple lead changes. Petersen won both.
Now 2-0 in a best-of-three finals, Petersen was one win away from a record-breaking third GovCup title. Tapper, however, came back strong showing superb light wind boat speed, and an ability to sniff out the shifts in the light, patchy 5-7 knot south-westerly breeze. Tapper tied the series at 2-2 and had momentum on his side.
In the fifth and final match, Tapper extended an early lead by forcing Petersen left and gaining the favored right side of the course. Indeed, the wind shifted to the right and Tapper went on to win with a proverbial horizon job, taking his first Governor’s Cup title.
Both Tapper and Petersen have now aged out of the GovCup which is limited to those under 23.
The “GovCup” is the oldest and most prestigious youth match racing championship in the world and was sponsored again this year by Terry Causey / Call of The Sea, Dr. Rob Bray / DISC Sports and Spine Center, and the Croul Family. Visit https://www.govcupracing. com for more information.
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We have been serving the flavors of Italy in Newport Beach since 1989.
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A genuine Mediterranean setting coupled with experienced and knowledgeable waiters add to Sapori’s authenticity.
Yacht Club.
Jeffrey Petersen, Dylan Sih and Siene Nichols, all USA teams, in the GovCup. Photo by Jim Collins
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Newport Aquatic Center Welcomes Beyond Blindness for an Inclusive Summer Camp Outrigger Outing
By Jasmine Jenkins | Special to the NB Indy
On August 1, the Newport Aquatic Center welcomed Beyond Blindness, a nonprofit in Santa Ana providing support for visually impaired children and their families, to their facility as part of Beyond Blindness’ inclusive summer camp, taking the campers on outriggers in the Back Bay.
This six-year partnership through the NAC’s Makapo program provides the opportunity for the children to play in the water with the proper accommodation.
Makapo is the name of the NAC’s outrigger paddling program for those with disabilities, named for the Hawaiian words maka (eye) and po (night).
The project began in 2006 when a group of five blind men, under coach Billy Whitford, became the first all-blind team to complete the Queen Liliu’okalani Outrigger Canoe race in Hawaii. Whitford, now the executive director of the NAC, continues to support disabled athletes and community members through his work.
He asserted that Makapo is “absolutely one of our top programs because of what the place was built for: to give back to the community.”
“It’s unbelievably humbling,” said Whitford about the Beyond Blindness partnership. “It’s rewarding, yes, but it’s just so humbling to be able to help the kids and to show them that there’s so many opportunities out there for special needs kids. All you gotta do is look at their faces, look at the parents. Everybody is so happy. The vibe is so cool when these programs are down here.”
The inclusive summer camp is only one of many services Beyond Blindness offers for visually impaired children. Between infant/ toddler classrooms, a preschool program, various therapies, and even a teen social group, Beyond Blindness offers comprehensive care for people with a wide range of disabilities.
According to Jacob Garcia, family support associate and teacher of the visually impaired at Beyond blindness, “The Beyond Blindness inclusive summer camp provides children with a unique opportunity to participate in activities they might not typically engage in. They are also able to participate in a safe and inclusive environment that promotes their confidence and independence.”
HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL
District 2
left to right: Kristin McKay, a Beyond Blindness board member and parent of Charlie, being interviewed about her family’s experiences; Kristin McKay and her son, Charlie, aboard the outrigger canoe. Photos by Chris Trela
Ashley Yee, MSW, director of family support at Beyond Blindness, said the inclusive Summer Camp has a positive impact on children with visual impairments and their families.
“The camp provides a space for families to send their kids to enjoy a typical camp experience with inclusive and accessible activities,” said Yee. “The kids can also interact with other peers who share similar challenges and opportunities. The camp helps them develop confidence and social skills in a fun and supportive environment. We design our activities with tactile and sensory elements that enable the participation of campers with different degrees of visual impairment and blindness.”
Kristin McKay, a Beyond Blindness board member and parent, spoke on her family’s experiences and how Beyond Blindness changed her son Charlie’s life. Charlie has a genetic disorder called Hunter syndrome along with cerebral palsy and cortical vision impairment, which is blindness caused by damage to the parts of the brain that process vision.
AQUATIC Page 9
District
INDY
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Steve Strickbine
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Nadine Johnson
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ADVERTISING & CIRCULATION:
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MAILING ADDRESS: 900 Glenneyre St., Suite B Laguna Beach, CA 92651 Tel: 949-715-4100; Fax: 949-715-4106 www.newportbeachindy.com
A publication of
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CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR
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rebrandmediainc.com
Sherman Library & Gardens’ Annual Summer Garden Party Raises $77K for Education Programs
By Christopher Trela | NB Indy
“I went to a Garden Party to reminisce with my old friends.”
Those lyrics from the classic 1972 song written by Rick Nelson certainly apply to the Sherman Library & Gardens’ Fifth Annual Newport Beach Summer Garden Party held on Saturday, Aug. 3, with the 300 “old friends” who attended the sold-out soiree helping to raise more than $77,000 to fund the Sherman Library & Gardens’ Habitat Explorer Program.
The Habitat Explorers program provides free bussing and field trips to Sherman Library & Gardens for elementary school students in public schools within Orange County. According to press material, education is the glue that binds Sherman Library & Gardens’ three pillars: history, horticulture, and the arts.
Last school year, Sherman reportedly became a classroom for more than 1,600 elementary students who participated in the Habitat Explorers Field Trip program. The program delivers science-based student experiences designed to enhance STEM curricula. Sherman also awards
transportation subsidies to improve access for schools from low-income areas of Orange County.
During the event, Sherman Library & Gardens Executive Director Scott LaFleur received a special proclamation awarded to Sherman Library & Gardens by Newport Beach councilmember Lauren Kleiman.
“Raising funding for our Habitat Explorers Program allows us to support and expand this offering which is of no cost to the school
or student,” said LaFleur. “We’re grateful for the generous support of the community and our donors whose contributions allow us to enrich the lives of youth right here in our community.”
Guests enjoyed live music by David Aguiar & The Garden Party Players in the central garden, along with a delicious light supper from 608 Dahlia and Chef Jessica Roy.
Back by popular demand was the garden party hat contest, with prizes awarded for Best Garden Themed
Hat, Best DIY Hat, Best Men’s Hat, Best Children’s Hat, and Most Outrageous Hat. Special thanks were given to the event’s Presenting Sponsor, South Coast Plaza, for their impactful contributions and support.
Sherman Library & Gardens is a nonprofit organization that has been rooted in the community for nearly 60 years. Founded in 1966 by Arnold Haskell, and named for his
• ROOFING REPLACEMENTS/REPAIRS
• BALCONY DECK STRUCTURAL RECONSTRUCTION
• ROOFING WATERPROOFING
• EXTENSIVE DRY ROT/TERMITE REPAIRS
• SHEET METAL FOR HARSH COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
• IN DEPTH SPECIFICATION/STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
• INTERIOR DAMAGE REPAIRS
• BALCONY RAIL SYSTEM DESIGNS/GLASS/CABLE
• PROFESSIONAL PAINTING SERVICES
• DOOR & WINDOW REPLACEMENT
• STUCCO/PLASTER RECONSTRUCTION
• RAIN GUTTERS/CHIMNEY CAPS
• SKYLIGHTS/ATTIC VENTING SYSTEMS
clockwise: City Council Member Robyn Grant, NB Indy editor Christopher Trela, Barbara Foster; Hat Walk; Chris Gialanella, Jeanne Reiss, Keith Richardson, Jackie Rose, Debra Gunn Downing, Molly Downing
THE COACH HOUSE
9/19 THE
IN
(J ohnny C ash T ribu T e )
9/20 WILD CHILD (T he doors T ribu T e )
9/21 DON WAS & THE PAN DETROIT ENSEMBLE
9/22 JANE MONHEIT
9/25 ANA POPOVIC
9/26 DEBBIE GIBSON Acoustic Youth
9/27 DAVE MASON
9/28 ORIANTHI
9/29 RICHARD STEKOL BENEFIT
ft Honk/Missiles/133’s/Funky Kings
10/1 DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO
10/3 ZEBRA
10/4 DAVE MASON
10/5 KIMBERLY PERRY (of The Band Perry)
10/6 DAVE HAUSE
10/9 AL DiMEOLA The Electric Years
10/10 HENRY KAPONO
10/11 HENRY KAPONO
10/12 PABLO CRUISE
10/13 JIMMY WEBB
10/16 JIMMIE VAUGHAN
10/17 GROUNDATION
10/18 GARY PUCKETT & THE UNION GAP
10/20 THE YOUNG DUBLINERS
10/25 MIRAGE (F L ee T wood M a C T ribu T e )
10/26 STRYPER 40th Anniversary Tour
10/27 FREDDY JONES BAND
10/30 THE MUSICAL BOX
10/31 OINGO BOINGO FORMER MEMBERS
11/1 OINGO BOINGO FORMER MEMBERS
11/2 VENICE
11/3 THE WINEHOUSE EXPERIENCE
11/7 MATTHEW SWEET Acoustic Trio
11/8 COMMON SENSE
11/9 TYRONE WELLS
11/13 JOHN HIATT
11/14 THE SWEET
11/15 RONSTADT REVIVAL
11/16 JOSHUA RADIN & RON POPE
11/22 SPACE ODDITY ( d avid b owie T ribu T e )
11/23 RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
11/26 LEONID & FRIENDS (C hi C ago T ribu T e )
11/27 LEONID & FRIENDS (C hi C ago T ribu T e )
11/29 THE PLATTERS
11/30 LEE ROCKER of the Stray Cats
12/4 LIVINGSTON TAYLOR and LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III
12/6 WHICH ONE’S PINK? ( p ink F L oyd T ribu T e )
12/7 WHICH ONE’S PINK? ( p ink F L oyd T ribu T e )
12/8 SANDRA BERNHARD
12/11 DAVID BENOIT
12/12 KY-MANI MARLEY
12/13 ABBA Holly Jolly Christmas
12/15 THE GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA
12/19 A VERY WHITNEY CHRISTMAS
12/21 AMBROSIA Holiday show
12/22 GARY HO-HO-HOEY
12/27 BEATLES VS STONES
12/29 L.A. GUNS
12/31 THE ENGLISH BEAT
1/10 TOMMY CASTRO & The Painkillers
1/11 AC/DC vs OZZY
1/12 BURTON CUMMINGS
1/17 Dada
1/24 GENE LOVES JEZEBEL / BOW WOW WOW
1/31 DESPERADO ( e ag L es T ribu T e )
2/1 DESPERADO ( e ag L es T ribu T e )
2/8 LED ZEPAGAIN (L ed Z eppe L in T ribu T e )
2/16 INCENDIO w / a rdeshir F arah ( o F s T run Z & F arah )
3/6 ALTAN
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Hoag Compass Pioneers the Next Generation of Proactive Care
By NB Indy Staff
Hoag has launched the next generation of primary care and consumer health technology with Hoag Compass.
The new program takes a proactive approach to healthcare that goes beyond standard sick care offered in traditional primary care. The wellness program offers expanded lab testing, nutrigenomic DNA testing, health coaching, mental health support and integrated connection and referrals to Hoag’s renowned specialists.
“We designed Hoag Compass to create impactful, accessible care that traverses the physical and digital spheres to provide personalized health information and achievable goals to empower participants to live healthier, longer lives,” said Thomas Katavic, Head of Digital, Hoag Digital Health.
With Compass, patients get tested for more than 100 biomarkers across areas of the body, including heart, inflammation, blood, metabolism, stress regulation, kidney health and more. Patients then discuss their results with their dedicated Compass primary care provider, and work with a health coach to create a unique care plan with intentional interventions. The care team maps actionable interventions to four essential lifestyle pillars: sleep, movement, nutrition and emotional health.
“Treating symptoms is an important aspect of primary care, but Compass also focuses on wellness optimization: preventing disease before it starts, effectively treating chronic conditions and using data-driven insights to give you knowledge about your health and develop your individualized care plan,” said Tracy Pantig, M.D., Hoag Compass physician. “This includes expanded diagnostics that leverage the capabilities we have today and provides patients with
access to Hoag’s leading-edge technology and innovations.”
New studies are finding an association between app-enabled health and better health outcomes.
McKinsey & Company reported in January 2024 that demand for products and services that support healthy aging and longevity is on the rise, propelled by a shift toward preventative medicine.
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that when patients are given tools to improve their understanding of their own health, 69 percent made the kind of choices that improved their life expectancy.
Orange County is ranked No. 36 on the list of healthiest counties in the U.S., according to MarketWatch.
“Our goal is to make Orange County a top 10 healthiest county in the country by focusing on proactive health,” said Katavic. “People want to live longer, make more memories with their children and grandchildren, care for their aging parents, check off bucket list items and do so with vitality. Compass offers unique insights into a patient’s longevity to enhance their lives.”
Compass is offering a paid subscription service available to anyone 18 or older, which includes preventive care services to augment primary care offerings. The subscription includes:
• Access to nutrigenomic (DNA), testing and advanced labs to establish overall health baseline and determine optimal, biomarker ranges.
• Individualized care plans with lifestyle interventions created collaboratively by the physician, nurse practitioner and health coach.
• Clinical follow-ups and retesting for abnormal labs every three
Hoag Compass building
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to six months to review progress towards goals and monitor abnormal results.
• Ongoing health coaching to monitor care plans and keep patients on track.
• Clinical therapy access with Hoag’s on-site psychologists.
• In-app messaging with each patient’s entire care team.
• Care coordinator support for specialist referrals, prescriptions, appointments and more.
• Virtual or in-person appointments for immediate concerns as needed.
The result is a better model of preventative care that connects people to some of the most experienced clinicians in the country at the click of a button.
The Hoag Compass clinic is located at the Hoag On-Demand Care & Innovation Center (4699 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach). Patients can book appointments using the Compass app (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store), or by calling 949-557-0951 or emailing compass@hoag.org.
For more information, visit hoag.org/compass.
MedTech
PAGE 2
hours as a team, underlining the company’s recognition of the significance of both professional and philanthropic endeavors.
Employees are empowered to contribute meaningfully to social causes while recharging and reinvigorating their spirits.
Week of Caring also reflects the company’s commitment to building healthier and more vibrant communities by fostering a culture of volunteerism.
Gardens
PAGE 5
friend and mentor, Moses Hazeltine Sherman, this iconic institution serves as a guardian of regional history and artifacts, a living library of plants both native and exotic, and a conservator of artistic works influenced by and produced in the Pacific Southwest. Sherman Library & Gardens is recognized as a world class cultural hub and includes a premier botanical garden and outstanding research library. The organization recently announced its Grow the Gardens campaign which will pave the way for the future of the organization.
For more information, visit https://thesherman.org.
Newport Beach Nonprofit Tias Arms Presents an Afternoon of Jazz for the Children Aug. 18 at Campus Jax
By NB Indy Staff
Newport Beach-based Tias Arms presents an afternoon of Jazz for the Children on Sunday, Aug. 18 at Campus Jax, 3950 Campus Dr. in Newport Beach from 1 to 4 p.m.
The event will be “hittin’ all the right notes” while raising funds for the children of South Africa.
Tickets are $75 and includes a welcome glass of bubbly, small plates, and two glasses of wine. Black and white attire is courage. Music will be provided by jazz quartet Rabbi Blue. Fundraising auction to include a South African photo safari.
Since 2001, Tias Arms has raised over $1.4 million with 93 cents of every dollar going directly to the care of the children and their caregivers in South Africa.
Tias Arms is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization that believes in providing a dignified, nurturing, and compassionate environment for orphaned or abandoned children affected by HIV/ AIDS in South Africa.
For tickets and more information, visit tiasarms.org.
Assemblymember Diane Dixon Holds District Advisory Meetings
By NB Indy Staff
Assemblymember Diane Dixon of Newport Beach held several Advisory and Working Groups with thought leaders throughout her 72nd district during the summer break.
“Summer recess has been very productive. I met with several groups to better understand complex policy issues and priorities to kick off planning for the 2025 Legislative Session,” said Assemblymember Dixon.
These groups focused on important issues related to insurance, local government, law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services, the environment, education and industry specific issues.
“Meeting with different advisory groups provides an opportunity to learn how I can help local leaders implement and address their priorities as they serve the communities in my District,” said Assemblymember Dixon.
Each group discussed areas of concern and raised key issues for
Diane Dixon
future consideration. Discussions focused on the stress caused by the uncertain insurance market for California homeowners and business owners, in addition to how the current State budget deficit will impact cities.
Additionally, local leaders provid-
ed reports on crime levels throughout the district and highlighted the growing trend of retail theft and how to best use resources and emergency personnel. Discussions also focused on how to address pollution and trash on our beaches and in our rivers and flood channels.
“Thank you to every individual for sharing their insight and expertise on issues important to Assembly District 72,” said Assemblymember Dixon. “I am grateful for your continued service to our communities in Orange County.”
Thought leaders provided the following feedback about the meetings:
“The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) was pleased to meet with Assemblymember Dixon to discuss challenges our firefighters face every day,” said Olina Wibroe-Benson, Legislative Affairs Program Manager for the OCFA. “The advisory group was a productive meeting to discuss potential legislation that will help all
LIFESTYLE
FIVE DECADES LATER: My Return to Peru to Explore the Amazon
Story and photos by Richard Simon | NB Indy
It had been 57 years since I had first muddied my boots in the muck and tangles of the Amazon jungle, north of the river-locked city of Iquitos, Peru.
TIME TO REVISIT.
The heat and humidity still press down. The ebbs and floods of the Amazon and Napo Rivers remain both predicable and extraordinary. The varied cries, hoots and shrills of the mostly unseen birds continuously break the air, while the symphony of buzzes and chirps from countless insects — mostly invisible unless you look carefully amongst the bush tangles, leaf litter, or crawling up your pant leg — blend their own rhythms nonstop.
And the most reminiscent sounds of all: the loud slaps of open hands smacking foreheads in the hopes of flattening into insect pancakes those inexhaustible legions of blood sucking mosquitoes whose sole purpose in life is to make one miserable.
In that half century, much – and little – has changed. There are improved mosquito repellents, and an incredible evolution of the Iquitos-based Explorama Lodges, which over 57 years since my first visit have germinated into four unique locations along nearly 100 miles of the Amazon and Napo Rivers or their tributaries.
Explorama was founded in the mid-1960s by Peter Jenson, a Hamline University graduate Archeologist/ Geologist, who had completed a twoyear Peace Corps stint in the Peruvian highlands, teaching the country’s archeologists how to scientifically excavate sites.
Upon completion of that assignment, he decided to visit the River that had fascinated him as a child. There, Jenson immersed himself in the cultures of the river peoples, especially the Yagua tribe, where upon he started taking curious tourists by boat to meet the Yaguas in their communities.
With an entrepreneurial spirit based on education and environmental preservation, he founded his first ecobased wilderness lodge, best described by this early visitor as nothing more than a modest, wood-sided bunk house featuring rough, ceiling-less rooms open to the intricately palmthatched roof above. It was a yawning invitation for anything that flew or crawled to join me outside my mosquito netting, And they did.
Today, Explorama Lodges comprises four facilities: the ultra-modern Ceiba Tops Lodge, 24-miles upriver from Iquitos (a great place to unwind and “cool” down from the sweat- saturating experiences at Explorama’s other
jungle locales); Explorama Lodge (the original lodge, built in 1964 but recently and comfortably updated); ExplorNapo, a fundamental yet comfortable facility adjacent to the pristine Sucusari Forest Reserve, where the forest is as it was for eons and how it should remain far into the future (when nature calls, prepare to walk — or dash — some distance to the hole-in-the-board toilets); and the Amazon Conservatory of Tropical Studies, a research way-station in the rainforest open to those who wish to share in visiting scientists’ natural life discoveries.
EXPLORAMA REDISCOVERY
Tentative as she was about creepy, crawly, chomping, snapping and lunging deadly things, whose constant threats were minimized by primitive head-hunters lurking around every bend in a trail, my wife, Katherine, agreed to join me on my Explorama re-discovery.
Much to her relief, we didn’t see one snake on the jungle floor, although one village Shaman did find, snag and show us a poisonous Fer de Lance he briefly kept in a box for release behind the ExplorNapo Lodge. It then slithered to freedom under the moist leaves, to join the other poisonous serpents in the area: the bushmaster, parrot snake, and coral snake. Fortunately, they remained obscure.
Additionally, we were introduced to a 20-foot-long constricting anaconda, brought home by two brothers who captured it after the reptile snared their dog while out hunting, unfortunately fatally squeezing it. However, the
Top clockwise: Author and Amazon explorer Richard Simon; Sloths Amazon; Yagua village above a Black Water lake ; A long span of the treetops walkway; Amazon 14: Fishing for Piranha
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When the McKays lived in Orange County, Charlie attended the Beyond Blindness daycare program. However, at that time, the preschool program was shut down due to COVID. The McKays moved to Los Angeles County, and just a month later, the preschool reopened.
“I was trying to go back to work, finally, and I had called around to all these places, all these daycares, preschools, everywhere, no one could take him,” explained Kristin. “Beyond Blindness was the only place that not only could take him but took care of him well and loved him.”
“A lot of–well really, all–preschools or daycares…they don’t have the staffing, they don’t have the knowledge, they don’t have the equipment, so they just say no” to children with more complex disabilities such as Charlie.
Left with nearly no other childcare options, Kristin drove 40 miles each way four times every day so that Charlie could attend the preschool in Santa Ana and receive the support he needed to thrive.
Christmas Boat Parade, Ring of Lights, Sandcastle Contest and Art in the Park.
With a background in advertising, Case runs her own marketing services company, Case Communications. A Newport Beach resident since 1987, she joined the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce in the 1990s and was elected to the Commodores Club in 2010.
McKay shared how Charlie grew leaps and bounds from before they found Beyond Blindness to now. In the past, Charlie’s conditions prevented him from interacting with other people, but now “he loves being around other kids. He can interact with people in a different way than he used to be able to.”
She acknowledged that the Beyond Blindness staff also taught her to “challenge him and let him explore new things,” particularly in the way that they adapt activities to include all abilities.
She continued, “the world can accommodate my son, and he shouldn’t ever have to hear the word ‘no’ just because he has disabilities.”
About the Newport Aquatic Center, she was relieved that “they’ve done this before, they love making those accommodations, and they’re ready to go. They’re all set for all the kids because they’ve seen them before.”
For more information, visit https:// newportaquaticcenter.com and https://www.beyondblindness.org.
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Case’s leadership around town transcends her work with the Chamber having included serving on the Board of Leadership Tomorrow and supporting the efforts of nonprofits like the Sherman Library & Gardens, Balboa Island Museum, and the Newport Beach Library and Arts Foundations. Her commitment is year-long with many of the town’s signature events including the
Her career spans the country having developed strategies for multi-national resort properties and sports endeavors, with stints in Aspen, Colorado, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and here in Newport Beach, where she has consulted to a variety of clients including Catalina Island, Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau, Surfer Magazine and the Orange County Register.
Case also co-founded Board-Trac,
a firm that specializes in marketing and research in the action sports space and has been widely quoted in national and international media. Molte Grazie Marie Case! Robyn Grant is a member of the Newport Beach City Council. First elected in 2022, she represents the 4th District. She can be reached at rgrant@newportbeachca.com or @ robynbgrant.
Affair Affair
FESTIVAL OF ARTS & PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2024
Experience the glamour of a Met Gala-inspired evening at the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters!
This night features fine art, a concert with Matt Mauser and his Frank Sinatra Big Band Tribute, and a performance of the Pageant of the Masters’ “À La Mode: The Art of Fashion,” introduced by actress, writer and producer Kirsten Vangsness, best known for her role as “Penelope Garcia” on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. Expect a night full of exciting surprises, photo ops, and a raffle drawing for a 2025 Volvo XC60 PHEV Black Edition or $20,000 in cash
Loge Center Pageant ticket holders will be treated to a special one-hour early entrance, where they will be greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne from 4:30 to 5:30pm.
KIRSTEN VANGSNESS
Scan the QR code or visit foapom.com/gala
Tickets start at $75 (includes $10 per ticket fee). There is limited and open seating for Matt Mauser’s performance and assigned seating for the Pageant of the Masters. Tickets are required for this event. Festival of Arts grounds will be closed to the public.
MATT MAUSER
STEPPING OUT
Noted Newport Beach Bassist Murphy Karges Pens ‘Basics for Bassists’ Book
By Simone Goldstone | NB Indy Soundcheck Columnist
When Newport Beach resident Murphy Karges, a founding member of the band Sugar Ray, sat down to write his memoir, something unexpected happened.
Instead of chronicling the unfathomable highs of stardom, the lows of lonesome nights on tour away from family, and the tell-all of being in a successful 1990s rock band, he found the love of music and his instrument cutting through that.
“When I was writing my book, I wasn’t thinking ‘this has to be good.’ I was thinking ‘this has to be helpful.’ That’s most important—don’t focus on being good, focus on being helpful,” Karges says, having now penned a book that will help future bassists and musicians for decades to come.
“Basics for Bassists: or How Not to Suck at Playing the Bass” is one quarter toolbox, one quarter tales of being a rockstar, and half how to believe in yourself, appreciate music, and overcome fear.
Funny, informative, and jampacked with bass tips from a great player, it’s essential for every musician.
It takes a special kind of person to play the bass. Someone that doesn’t care too much for the spotlight and leaves space for other instruments to be heard. Someone that is invaluable, content to keep the rhythm, who isn’t in it for fame or fortune, but for the love of music.
Murphy Karges is one of those rare musicians.
I spoke to the former Sugar Ray bassist about his book, his bass style while in Sugar Ray, and some of the highs and lows of being in the band.
NB INDY: What part of your book are you most excited for people to read?
KARGES: I had a lot of fun writing the fourth phase of the book which, after all the technical parts and diagrams, was all the other stuff. Confidence, and playing live, and DIY songwriting and sharing yourself.
Understanding the importance of people. People should read “be a music fan” first. It has nothing to do with notes or scale but being a huge music fan is the most important thing you can do. It’s not about tabs or perfect pitch, it’s about being a huge fan. Look at the Beatles, look at Taylor Swiftshe’s probably a monster fan of Carole King. The Beatles were huge fans of Buddy Holly. If you listen to a lot of good music and become a huge music fan, that’s where it all comes from.
NB INDY: How did you find your bass style in Sugar Ray?
KARGES: When I play bass, I like
forming a really solid connection with the drums and really riffy stuff, like the stuff that was in the 90s. We grew up on AC/DC and the Beastie Boys and Hip Hop was coming up, and I liked the Sex Pistols and the Ramones. I did a lot of big riffy stuff. That’s what we did back then. I wrote a lot for our band. I had all these ideas and wasn’t afraid to say them. That’s all there is to being a writer—you just gotta have the guts to put it out there and not be afraid of laughter or rejection. You have to not give a crap. That’s gonna be really healthy for you. And for my style of heavy, riffy, to me it was something in the realm of hard rocking riffs meets funny or bizarre lyrics, and then it changed, but that’s how it got going.
NB INDY: What were some of the highs and lows of your time in the band?
KARGES: The highs were definitely having the original guys stay together for so long, and having that pay off by having the record label hand us gold albums after selling so many records. Being a musician you have to give up a lot of stuff. But what’s cool is that you can look back at your family and see the stuff you gave them. Also touring, and meeting people around the world. I’ve played golf in England, been to Australia, Japan, every state in the nation. I’m grateful to see some of the world.
The lows would be missing your family. When you’re gone for months and months, you’re missing a lot of life. You cherish it while it’s around. But also, living in excess. When you’re out there on the road you are the boss, you are the company.
NB INDY: A lot of bands go through break ups or struggles, from the Beatles to the Smiths. What’s your biggest tips for moving on and changing your perspective?
KARGES: Your own perspective on life keeps you going on. You gotta get excited about the next project. You get busy living or get busy dying. You get excited for the next project and put your heart and soul into it, and you put skill into it and attempt to make it great, that’s all you gotta do. Stay positive, keep good people around you, and keep moving. It’s so easy to look back and say woe is me.
NB INDY: Who is a bassist you would have loved to meet, and a question you would ask them?
KARGES: Paul McCartney! He’s the greatest songwriter. His bass lines are so underrated. He came backstage one time, it was very brief, but I’d
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first responders throughout the state provide the best service to the communities we serve.”
“It became very apparent that the restaurant industry is facing some challenges. Between the PAGA lawsuits, employers are responsible for providing their employees with classes for sexual harassment, violence in the workplace, more paid time off, and continuous increase in minimum wage a 6 percent bottom line is becoming unattainable,” said Jim Walker, owner of The Bungalow in Newport Beach. “I am grateful Assemblymember Dixon can champion our industry challenges, which is crucial for positive change.”
“California’s insurance market is at a major crossroads,” said Kari Eisenacher, a Huntington Beachbased Allstate Agent, “I’m happy to have played a part in Assemblymember Dixon’s Insurance Advisory Group which is focused on confronting the crisis and at the same time, knowing that her office is diligently working to address it.”
Laguna Beach Police Chief Jeff Calvert said, “I appreciate Assemblymember Dixon’s proactive collaboration and our discussion on how we can continue investing in technology in her District to ensure we remain diligent in preventing crime and identifying those responsible for committing crimes. I am genuinely thankful for her dedicated efforts in Sacramento to introduce and uphold pro-public safety legislation, ensuring that unsound legislation is brought to light and doesn’t undermine our unwavering commitment to preserving the safety of Orange County residents.”
“We can’t grow complacent. We must protect and preserve our natural resources, and there’s a lot more we can do to encourage change,” said John Villa, Executive Director of the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy. “I am glad the Conservancy could partner with Assemblymember Dixon in putting a spotlight on the issue of trash in our oceans, on our beaches and in our wetlands and waterways. We can do better.”
This month, Assemblymember Dixon is back in Sacramento to wrap up the 2024 Legislative Session and advocate for her bills to be signed by the Governor. She plans to hit the ground running in September to start preparing her legislative package for next year’s Session.
For more information on Assemblymember Diane Dixon, visit https://ad72.asmrc.org.
Dixon represents the 72nd State Assembly District, which includes Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo, and Laguna Beach. She was a former mayor and city council member of Newport Beach.
Top: Former Sugar Ray bassist Murphy Karges.; below: “Basics for Bassists” book cover and Murphy Karges in action.
hunters would soon return the snake to the swamps where it was found, understanding (albeit sadly) that fido’s demise was simply part of the Amazon’s circle of life.
As for head-shrinking, that practice is probably 150-years in Peru’s (and Ecuador’s) primitive past, and more Hollywood production than recent reality.
For the tribespeople, the Amazon is veined with rivers and streams that form the most convenient transportation corridors. It’s shifting waters are chock full of jammed logs thrusting skyward like spears, tangled branches and floating vines and grasses, every one of them capable of holing a speeding boat — of which there are many hauling both people or goods — or slamming on the brakes to an outboard engine’s propeller.
Probably the most carefree watercraft are the efficient, hand-wrought canoes, whose freeboard is but a couple of inches above the waters’ surfaces, causing paddlers to constantly bail out the bottoms. But they are whisperingly navigated across the shallowest of streams or ponds as their owners fish or hunt along steep or overgrown banks. A skipper’s keen eyes seldom leave the water in front of them.
EXPLORAMA LODGE: RUSTIC, MODERN, BASIC
Explorama Lodge is the perfect introduction to the Amazon, a rustic cross between modern and basic. Ceiling-less rooms under the high thatched roof of a longhouse, but with ensuite shower and toilet, make for comfortable lodgings. Bring flashlights or headlights, for camp electricity is turned off at 11 p.m.
Still, ambient light allows for some visibility, enough to see the occasional bat flittering about — somewhat unnerving while answering nature’s call in the darkened bathroom. Though one craves illumination, turning on the headlight could well be an invitation for a party on your skin, so one instinctively rushes the job, then beelines for the security of the comfy foam mattress under the fine mosquito netting. All the while, jungle sounds remind you of the life thriving outside, and may actually help lull you to sleep. Or not.
It’s always fun to see what critter greets you on the netting when you awake for a 7 a.m. breakfast in the mess hall.
And breakfast is worth getting up for. Though basic, it is plentiful and wholesome, most always consisting of eggs of your choice in many varieties, potatoes, wheat and white toast, cereals, mandarin oranges, melons, bananas, the freshest of juices, and an explorer’s favorite beverages: coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Though the mornings can be comfortably cool, not soon after sunrise
one is perspiring up an appetite for lunch and dinner.
A typical luncheon might include carrot/tomato/onion and olive salad, followed by meat selections and vegetables of many kinds including a memorable lime-saturated broccoli. Various sauces also accompany every service. Desserts always included more fruits such as watermelon, papaya, pineapple and local fruits.
Seven o’clock dinners spanned the selections of meats and fish (including a piraña if you caught one), varied veggies, and rice of several varieties (one being green). Only if you chose to would you go hungry. I venture to guess that if everyone in Newport Beach followed the Explorama diet, there’d be fewer cardiologists in town.
THE AMAZON BASIN
The vast Amazon Basin is peopled by more than 400 tribes that have survived many hundreds of years in isolation, according to Wikipedia. A guesstimated 4,000 to 6,000 Yagua live in 30 communities covering 70,000 square miles, mostly along the Amazon. Their primary livelihood is hunting, fishing and farming; and now for some, tourism.
Of course, with commerce along the waterways, modernism has flowed into many of their communities over the past 100 years. It is not unusual to see water purification towers spiking skyward like Catholic Church steeples bringing a new level of health to the villages. These purification systems have been donated by the nonprofit CONAPAC (Conservation de la Naturaleza Amazonica del Peru, A.C.).
“CONAPAC was started by the owners of Explorama 34 years ago in order to work more closely with neighboring communities,” explained Pam Bucur, Explorama’s CEO, “and now works with 50 partner communities along the Amazon and Napo Rivers.” Another tribe, the Maijuna, people the Napo River region — the area of the ExplorNapo Lodge.
Though modernization is evident, the Yagua are not about to sacrifice their history and culture. Dressed traditionally, they regularly bring their dance and crafts to Explorama’s visitors. Interestingly (at least to me), my wife bought a woven bag similar in style and knots to some head-draping bags that were given to me by former headhunters with whom I hiked in the mountains of Irian Jaya (New Guinea) some years back.
One of the traditional survival “crafts” associated with the Yagua is the hunting blowgun, one of which I was able to obtain for my collection of primitive hunting weapons. The craftsman negotiated a very fair price, for it took him more than one month to make — not including the kapoktailed darts sans Curare stored in an intricately woven quiver. By the way, while hiking one afternoon with our bi-lingual Yamamomo guide, Nacho, he spotted a collection of tiny poisonarrow frogs. He picked one up for a
8/16 @ 9 PM ROCKET MEN ELTON JOHN TRIBUTE
8/17 @ 9 PM SON OF A GUN GUNS N' ROSES TRIBUTE
8/18 @ 12:30 PM TOM DANTE QUARTET JAZZ BRUNCH
8/18 @ 5:30 PM EINSTEIN BROWN REGGAE
8/18 @ 7:30 PM JAHGUN AND JUSTIFYAH REGGAE
8/22 @ 7:30 PM KOKO AND FRIENDS
8/23 @ 9 PM NICK I & A.D.D. BAND
8/24 @ 9 PM EARTH TO MARS BRUNO MARS TRIBUTE
8/25 @ 12:30 PM TOM DANTE QUARTET JAZZ BRUNCH
8/25 @ 5:30 PM EINSTEIN BROWN REGGAE
8/25 @ 7:30 PM ERROL BONNICK & THE LIONZ REGGAE
8/29 @ 7:30 PM KOKO AND FRIENDS
8/30 @ 9 PM DSB JOURNEY TRIBUTE
8/31 @ 9 PM RED CORVETTE PRINCE TRIBUTE
9/1 @ 12:30 PM THE SUNDAY GOSPEL BAND BRUNCH
9/1 @ 7:30 PM PATO BANTON REGGAE
9/2 @ 7:30 PM 133 BAND
STEPPING OUT
Newport Beach Film Festival Celebrates 25th Anniversary October 17-24
By Christopher Trela | NB Indy
What started as a modest film festival more than two decades ago (with festival founders Gregg Schwenk and Todd Quartararo hoping audiences would show up) has now become one of the largest film festivals on the West Coast and one of the top luxury lifestyle film festivals in the United States.
The Newport Beach Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary this October with an abundance of cinematic and culinary experiences. Committed to championing the work of original storytellers from
around the globe, the Festival will celebrate contemporary screen culture and artistic excellence, engaging the community in compelling conversations with filmmakers and artists.
According to press information, The Festival’s renowned Opening Night Film and Gala will return to Fashion Island on October 17, featuring an as-yet-unannounced movie and signature tastings from more than two dozen of the area’s top restaurants plus live entertainment and curated activations.
In partnership with Variety, the
Festival will host a Cinematographer Celebration on October 19 at the newly remodeled Lido Theatre, including “10 Cinematographers to Watch” and “Billion Dollar Cinematographer” moderated conversations and a “Masters of the Frame” panel.
The annual invite-only Honors and Variety’s “10 Actors to Watch” will return to the Balboa Bay Resort on October 20.
The Festival will host nightly special events, world premieres, awards contenders, Sunset Series receptions, International Spotlights,
Centerpiece screenings, Special Programs (Action Sports, Art, Architecture + Design, Culinary, Environmental, Music, and Family Film Series), curated shorts program and the launch of a new automotive short program.
Past Film Festival honorees and previous guests include William Shatner, Will Ferrell, Regina Hall, Todd Haynes, Ron Howard, Stephanie Hsu, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Rita Moreno, Burt Bacharach, Keke Palmer, Aubrey Plaza, Joseph Quinn, Eddie Redmayne, Mark Ronson, Adam Sandler, Aaron Sorkin, Jeffrey Wright, and many others.
Last year, the Film Festival screened several award-nominated and award-winning films such as “American Fiction” (Oscar winner for best adapted screenplay), “May December,” “Nyad,” “Radical,” “Rustin,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” and the Festival’s closing night film, “The Holdovers,” which went on to win two Golden Globe Awards: Da’Vine Joy Randolph for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, and Paul Giamatti for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy).
The Newport Beach Film Festival is sponsored in part by UCI Health, Los Angeles Times, Kia, Fashion Island, Visit Newport Beach and the City of Newport Beach. Festival dates are October 17-24, 2024. For Festival passes and tickets, visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest. com.
National Tour of Peter Pan Flies into Segerstrom Center Through August 18
By Jasmine Jenkins | Special to the NB Indy
The National Tour of Peter Pan flew into Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa on August 6. A childhood classic with modern references sprinkled throughout (e.g, Wendy’s TikTok account), Peter Pan never grows old, and the touring performance is certainly a testament to the story’s timelessness.
Making his national tour debut at just 17 years old, Orange County resident Nolan Almeida plays Peter Pan perfectly. He so clearly loves to perform, it’s impossible for the audience not to love him back. With
PAN Page 14
Film Festival marquee at Lido Theatre, from a previous Newport Beach Film Festival screening. Photo by Chris Trela
“I Won’t Grow Up!” Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan (center) and the cast of Peter Pan. Photo: Matthew Murphy
OFF THE MENU
Sweetgreen Brings Healthy Dining Cuisine to Fashion Island
By Christopher Trela | NB Indy
Sweetgreen is a relative newcomer to Orange County. There are more than 200 Sweetgreen locations around the country serving a chef-crafted menu of seasonal salads, bowls, plates and sides. Orange County has three Sweetgreen locations: Tustin, Irvine Spectrum, and Huntington Beach.
Wait—make that four locations.
Sweetgreen opened a restaurant on August 6 in Fashion Island, and this location is different than most Sweetgreen eateries in that it adds automation to the experience.
It’s one of only a handful of locations in the country that features the restaurant’s new Infinite Kitchen technology which takes on the process of assembling meals. Sweetgreen’s Infinite Kitchen is designed to increase consistency, efficiency, and productivity while also enhancing the team member and customer experience.
Here’s how it works: The bowls are ordered at a kiosk (a human helper is available to assist), and then filled mainly by an automated assembly line that has more than 50 tubes filled with various ingredients. A bowl is sent down the assembly line to automatically be filled with ingredients for a particular order. Proteins or other hot items are added by a team member at the end of the line. And for the bowls of salads, they can even be automatically shaken once dressing is applied.
It’s estimated that the new Infinite Kitchen method can process up to 500 orders per hour—a 50 percent increase over the manual method at a regular Sweetgreen.
This is farm-to-table fast food taken to another level. The bowls come out
looking picture-perfect and ready to enjoy. They are served in recyclable containers ready to consume on the spot or take back to your office or home.
The new automated system will not take away jobs. Sweetgreen said their team members remain the heart and soul of the operation. Whether it’s the fresh prep in the open kitchen, customer assistance at the ordering counter, or putting finishing touches on each customer’s plate or bowl, the Sweetgreen team is there to help.
Wanting to experience the process in action, I paid a visit to the Huntington Beach location prior to the Fashion Island opening and ordered the chicken avocado ranch with blackened chicken, avocado, pickled onions, apples, tortilla chips, white rice, chopped romaine, and green goddess ranch. The bowl quickly glided along the processing line, stopping momentarily at the appropriate tubes to gather ingredients before moving – and rotating – down the line until it came to the end and was completed by a team member.
The bowl was tasty with the green
goddess dressing a fun, flavorful touch. I also had the rosemary focaccia bread and hummus, which I found addicting—I’d order this every time in addition to a main course.
Sweetgreen will be active in the Newport Beach community by supporting events such as the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Pacific Wine & Food Festival, held every fall at Newport Dunes.
“Since we opened in Orange County last year the warm welcome from the community has been amazing. We can’t wait to offer guests their favorite Sweetgreen dishes like our iconic Harvest Bowl and Miso Glazed Salmon Plate when they visit Fashion Island,” said Jonathan Neman, CEO and cofounder of Sweetgreen.
The new Sweetgreen is at 853 Newport Center Dr. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. seating 24 diners indoors and 16 on the patio.
Visit order.sweetgreen.com to order for pickup or to-go. For more information, visit Sweetgreen.com.
Bassist
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definitely want to meet Sir Paul. I would just hang out with him. I’d ask him about the writing process and Ringo and George and George Martin and Lennon and how they wrote together as a band. I’d ask him what made him fall in love with music? The way I did listening to his music. What was his biggest catalyst? Their music felt like life. It didn’t feel like they were writing music for pop, they were able to put love and joy and emotion into music.
To end our conversation, we chatted about the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic.
“It’s gonna introduce Dylan to a whole lot of new people, and that’s gonna be really cool,” he said.
“I’m worried the audience isn’t going to know about the good stuff, the really deep cuts like ‘Farewell Angelina,’ or ‘Nobody ‘Cept You,’ I tell Karges. He laughs.
“They don’t have to. You just gotta tell a little story there or here, and let that shine a light on something that’s a part of something cool. That’s how my book came about.” Karges says, and then he echoes the words of Neil Young: “I’m glad this stuff will be remembered. It’s just so cool to pick up the drum sticks or the guitar [or the bass!]. It might wane, but rock and roll will never die.”
For more information and to order a copy of “Basics for Bassists,” visit murphykarges.com.
Sweetgreen salads.
Sweetgreen assembly line.
Peter Pan
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boyish charm and a soaring tenor voice, Almeida is the driving force on the stage.
While Almeida’s Peter Pan is the ideal hero, Cody Garcia as Captain Hook is delightfully villainous. His cartoonish physical comedy, mixed with just enough flamboyance, had the audience in stitches.
If there’s one thing Peter Pan cannot happen without, it’s flying. Flying sequence choreographer Paul Rubin and projection designer David Bengali worked together to create the illusion of flight. Peter, Wendy, John, and Michael soared over rooftops, past the second star to the right, and all the way to Neverland in a fantasy made reality by Rubin and Bengali.
Anna Louizos, the scenic designer, brought Neverland to life through masterfully designed set pieces. Transitions from location to location happened seamlessly, further contributing to the show’s magic.
Peter Pan at the Segerstrom is a must-see, ideal for younger viewers but enjoyable for people of all ages. The show runs through August 18, with tickets available at www.scfta. org.
Clockwise: “I Gotta Crow.” (from L) Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan, Hawa Kamara as Wendy; Cody Garcia as Captain Hook; “I’m Flying.” (from L) Micah Turner Lee as John, Reed Epley as Michael, Hawa Kamara as Wendy, Nolan Almeida as Peter Pan. Photos by Matthew Murphy
City Manager
PAGE 1
JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM
Congratulations to all the City of Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard Program participants and instructors upon the successful completion of the summer 2024 season!
Finishing its 40th year in operation, the program is a beloved Newport Beach institution and rite-of-passage for generations. This year, more than 1,430 junior lifeguards completed the seven-week season filled with swimming, body surfing, and learning critical beach and ocean safety skills.
The summer 2024 season wrapped up on Thursday, August 1 with a graduation ceremony attended by thousands.
One of the program’s signature events, the Monster Mile running and swimming competition, drew about 1,200 participants and more than 2,500 spectators, making it the most well-attended Monster Mile in program history.
Special thanks to the dedicated volunteers from the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) who assisted with this year’s Monster Mile event.
Summer 2024 marks the second year of the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard Scholarship Fund, which brings ocean education and safety to youth experiencing financial barriers of entry into the junior guard program. After another successful fundraising year, the program was able to award full scholarships to 15 participants. Thank you to all the organizations and community members who contributed to the scholarship fund.
This year’s program was very special for all involved, as it was the first to operate out of the new Junior Lifeguard Building at 901 E. Ocean Front near the Balboa Pier. The 5,400 square-foot facility is the first permanent home for the Junior Lifeguard program after decades in temporary trailers.
I’d like to thank all those who participated in the summer 2024 program, along with our seasonal instructors and administrative team, led by Lifeguard Captain Gary Conwell, Lifeguard Officer Carly Christian and Program Coordinator Cynthia Haritatos.
Residents can stay connected to the junior guards throughout the year by visiting the program website and following its social media channels.
NBPD CELEBRATES TEEN ACADEMY GRADUATION
The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) recently celebrated the latest graduates of its Teen Academy, a seven-week program held once a year during the summer. It was the program’s 21st graduating class.
Teen participants gain valuable knowledge directly from NBPD personnel in areas such as SWAT, K9, narcotics, major crimes, patrol operations, traffic laws, firearms, DUI enforcement, and more.
Throughout the Teen Academy, students attended engaging lectures and participated in practical demonstrations that provide handson experiences.
Teen Academy sessions are held over seven weeks, with one threehour class each Wednesday. Students can earn up to 25 community service hours to help fulfill graduation requirements. Registration for the next Teen Academy will begin on April 1, 2025.
OVERNIGHT CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON PCH AUGUST 12
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is scheduled to begin a pavement rehabilitation project on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach starting Monday, August 12 through midOctober.
The project will include northbound and southbound lanes on PCH between Jamboree Road and the northern Newport Beach city limit (Santa Ana River). Work is expected to be conducted overnight on weekdays, Monday through Friday, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Please note there may be loud noise due to construction. Please obey all posted signs and traffic instructions for the safety of all workers and motorists. Electronic changeable message signs will notify drivers of the closures.
The work schedule is subject to change due to traffic incidents, weather, availability of equipment/ materials, and/or construction-related issues.
For more information and updates, contact the Caltrans District 12 Public Information Office at D12PIO@dot. ca.gov.
FALL CAMP REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Registration for fall activities is now open. Residents should be on the lookout for the latest edition of the Newport Navigator arriving in their mailboxes. You can also view the digital magazine for all the exciting in-person and online programs and events this Fall 2024. To register, visit newportbeachca.gov/register and filter by the fall 2024 season under the “when” drop-down filter.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR NEWPORT COAST PICKLEBALL FALL LEAGUE
Newport Beach residents are invited to compete in the City’s upcoming fall Pickleball League beginning the week of August 24.
League play provides teams of 2-4 players a chance to compete in a
10-week season, including playoffs. Beginning and intermediate levels are offered in women’s, men’s and co-ed divisions.
For more information on fall league dates and registration, please contact pickleball@newportbeachca. gov or visit newportbeachca.gov/ sports.
BE WELL MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE
The Be Well mobile crisis response team operates in Newport Beach 12 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to mental and behavioral health crises. The mobile unit is staffed with mental health specialists and works closely with the City’s police and fire departments.
This week, the Be Well team:
• Transported two people to the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
• Transported two people to crisis stabilization units for treatment.
• Transported three people to homeless service providers.
• Transported a person to a bus stop to return home.
The mobile crisis team is dispatched through the Newport Beach Police Department. To request service, dial 911 or call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 949-644-3717.
HOMELESSNESS UPDATE
This week, the City’s homeless outreach and response teams:
• Enrolled three new clients into services.
• Referred a client to Working Wardrobes to prepare for job interviews.
• Continued to shelter people. 26 people who had been experiencing homelessness in Newport Beach are sheltered in the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter.
Lifestyle
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closer inspection, careful not to touch its colorful back from where the poison secretes. I was satisfied just to look. Piece of advice: if you ever buy a blowgun, make sure it’s shorter than a pair of skis. United Airlines charged me $232 because the ticket agent said the blowpipe was 12 inches too long. That’s absolutely the last time I pack a blowgun to fly anywhere.
EXPLORNAPO LODGE
On our fourth day in the forest, we boarded a fast boat for a two-andone-half hour dash to the ExplorNapo Lodge, off the Napo River and up into the forest-fringed Sucusari River. Once settled into our open-air quarters there (reminiscent of a very basic summer camp for kids) Nacho guided
us on an afternoon hike along a wellmarked trail. That man’s eyes are so keen, he could count the eyelashes on a newt from 50-yards away at midnight. While Katherine and I were scanning ahead and downward to avoid the tangled latticework of boot-snagging roots sabotaging the trail, Nacho was spotting enough birds, reptiles, simians and insects to pack a Peruvian zoo. Not counting the gray and pink dolphins cavorting in the rivers en route to ExplorNapo, he pointed out such creatures as a whip snake, various poison-arrow frog species, countless butterflies (the most beautiful being the iridescent blue morpho), scarlet macaws flying high, blue-and-yellow macaws fleetingly skimming the trees, three-toed sloths just hanging around, howler and squirrel monkeys, blackmantled tamarins, lizards aplenty of many varieties, iguanas, and more—all reason enough to suffer the heat and humidity.
An American scientist studying the renewal of “wild meat” since the Maijuna tribe kicked out all timber exploiters from their lands 15-years ago shared some footage from “trail” cameras that the locals had placed for him throughout wide areas of the forests. The “film” starred such critters as peccaries, agouti, paca, deer, tapir, anteaters and that most elusive megastar, the jaguar.
In those years of jungle rejuvenation, his studies reveal that the animal population has rebounded to normal numbers in all classes, meaning the locals were no longer starving on a forced diet of “songbirds and frogs.”
This camera footage has served as the foundation for a game management program for their reserve, and it influenced the regional government to recognize an Area of Regional Conservation — a joint reserve between four Maijuna communities and the adjacent Kichwa tribal community upriver — all of which now encompasses nearly one million acres of ancestral lands, mostly primary rain forest.
Though contributing to the region’s (and the Amazon Basin’s) health in many ways, this conservation success unfortunately remains almost invisible to the world at large.
It’s one thing to stalk along jungle trails; it’s an entirely different experience to inch your way almost 100-feet above the jungle floor along a onefoot-wide suspension bridge spanning 14 different towers and many trees.
Only then can you appreciate the expanse of the jungle from the vantage point of monkeys, birds and tree-slithering snakes, or whatever else seeks either protection or dinner high up with a view to die for.
Explorama finishes off the week at their upscale Ceiba Tops Lodge, complete with pool sans pirañas, a comfortable preparation for the flight home to Newport Beach.
Because of the way in which Explorama takes care of guests throughout the visit, I can guarantee I’ll not wait another 57 years to return.
For information, contact Explorama Lodges at https://www.explorama.com.
