where GUESTBOOK
ORANGE COUNTY
WELCOME TO ORANGE COUNTY
THE ULTIMATE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AN EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF 250 BOUTIQUES AND 30 RESTAURANTS Alexander McQueen · AllSaints · Anthropologie · Apple · Bottega Veneta · Brunello Cucinelli · Cartier · Céline Chanel · Christian Louboutin · Coach · Dior · Dior Men · Dolce&Gabbana · Furla · Gianvito Rossi · Givenchy · Gucci Harry Winston · Louis Vuitton · Maje · Max Mara · Microsoft · Porsche Design · Prada · Roberto Cavalli · Rolex Saint Laurent · Sandro · Stella McCartney · Tiffany & Co. · Valentino · Weekend Max Mara · Williams Sonoma The Capital Grille · Din Tai Fung · Hamamori Restaurant & Sushi Bar · Terrace by Mix Mix · Vaca · Water Grill partial listing
San Diego FWY (405) at Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA
SOUTHCOASTPLAZA.COM 800.782.8888
@SouthCoastPlaza #SCPStyle
Come visit us in Newport Beach
ETHOS CONTEMPORARY ART 3405 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, CA 92663
949 791 8917 ETHOSCONTEMPORARYART.COM Representing Living Masters
Call ahead for free VIP parking.
Located in the first block of the Balboa Peninsula across from the new Lido House hotel.
CONTENTS
16 SPIRIT OF PLACE
26 SOLES WITH SOUL VANS HEADQUARTERS Famed shoemaker celebrates 50 years with return to Costa Mesa.
CASA SAN MATEO A sprawling bluff-top home showcases local history and aesthetics.
BY BENJAMIN GINSBERG
BY ROGER GRODY
BY ROGER GRODY
24 GORJEOUS GORJANA REIDEL The young designer’s jewelry is carried at 1,000 boutiques, including seven of her own.
32 THE ART OF PLATING DISHES THAT DAZZLE Chefs at several dining destinations emphasize presentation. BY BENJAMIN EPSTEIN
BY KAT DE ANGELIS
38 WORDS AND PICTURES STORIED LOCALES Lavish new books elucidate Disneyland and South Coast Plaza. BY LIBBY SLATE
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42 PACIFICA COAST
PHOTO ESSAY Statues and sculptures that reflect the character of their surroundings.
48 THE POWER OF PASTA BRUNO SERATO Owner reopens his restaurant after a fire, redoubles his efforts to feed underprivileged children. BY STEPHANIE SANCHEZ-BROWN
FROM LEFT, COURTESY GORJANA, JULIE CHUNG, COURTESY G2 DESIGN COLLECTIVE
O.C. ESSENCE
PALM DESERT 760.773.3303 FASHION ISLAND 949.640.0025 MKGRAYSE.COM
CONTENTS
10 FIRST LOOK MUST-SEE DESTINATIONS County-defining attractions include theme parks, beaches and museums.
50 NEIGHBORHOODS CITY GUIDE A dozen noteworthy communities, from Anaheim to San Juan Capistrano.
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55 SPENDING TIME SHOPPING Profiles of major shopping destinations and select boutiques and galleries.
63 CHOW TIME DINING A guide to recommended restaurants, from landmarks to the latest.
81 PLAY TIME ATTRACTIONS Get out! Performing arts, beaches, museums, nightlife and tours.
92 PARTING SHOT BOARD MEETING The Wedge, Newport Beach.
FROM LEFT: BENJAMIN GINSBERG, ERIC LAIGNEL, THIERRY BROUARD/PREMIUM PARIS
O.C. ESSENTIALS
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ORANGE COUNTY ON THE WEB: SOCALPULSE.COM PUBLISHER Jeff Levy EDITOR Benjamin Epstein ART DIRECTOR Carol Wakano PRODUCTION ARTIST
Diana Gonzalez
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER
Heidi Schwindt
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Joseph Elliot, Roger Grody, Zoe Lorenzo Kat De Angelis, Stephanie Sanchez-Brown, Libby Slate CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Dale Berman, Julie Chung, Ryan Furuya Benjamin Ginsberg, Edwin Santiago ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Kerry Brewer ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Christine Penning, Heather Price, Tim Egan, Joel Gilliam Brooke Knetzger, Walter Lewis, Jessica Levin Poff BUSINESS MANAGER Leanne Killian Riggar CIRCULATION MANAGER Whitney Lauren Han MARKETING/PRODUCTION MANAGER Dawn Kiko Cheng DIGITAL EDITOR William Yelles ADMINISTRATION
Stephanie Busto, Jennifer Salas, Eva Scattergood MVP CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER Haines Wilkerson NATIONAL SALES Joy Lona HONORARY PRESIDENT
Ted Levy
3158 RED HILL AVE., SUITE 140 COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA 92626 PHONE: 714.825.1700 FAX: 714.825.1710 EMAIL BUSINESS JLevy@SoCalMedia.com EDITORIAL Benjamin.Epstein@SoCalMedia.com ART Art@SoCalMedia.com PRODUCTION Ads@SoCalMedia.com CIRCULATION Whitney.Han@SoCalMedia.com Where GuestBook Orange County is published by Southern California Media Group under license from Morris Visitor Publications. Where GuestBook publishes editions for the following U.S. cities and regions: Amelia Island, Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Beverly Hills, the Big Island, Bonita Springs, Boston, Boulder, Cambridge, Captiva Island, Charlotte, Chicago, Clearwater, Colorado Springs, Dallas, Denver, Fort Myers, Fort Worth, Greater Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Kaua’i, Los Angeles, Marco Island, Maui, Memphis, Naples, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, O’ahu, Orange County, Orlando, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Ponte Vedra Beach, Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, San Antonio, San Diego/La Jolla, San Francisco, Sanibel Island, Santa Barbara, Seattle/Eastside, South Florida, Tacoma, Tampa, Tucson, Wailea, Washington, D.C., and Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point. Copyright© 2018 by Southern California Media Group. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, without the express prior written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility to any party for the content of any advertisement in this publication, including any errors and omissions therein. By placing an order for an advertisement, the advertiser agrees to indemnify the publisher against any claims relating to the advertisement. Printed in the United States. Circulation audited by Alliance for Audited Media.
A MAGGIE AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION BEST CONSUMER ANNUAL
ON THE WEB:
socalpulse.com WHERE GUESTBOOK
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where
sunshine
m e e t s the sea
i n n e w p o rt b e a c h
Ne i man Marcu s, Blo om in g da le’s, No r d st rom , M ac y ’s and ove r 20 0 spe cia lt y sto r es a n d r estau ra n t s o n t h e c oas t .
ShopFashionIsland.com Copyright © 2002-2018 The Irvine Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
firstlook THE COUNTY’S TOP MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS: BEACHES, THEME PARKS, MUSEUMS, PERFORMING ARTS . . . VISIT AT YOUR LEISURE.
Beaches PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Orange County’s coast is among the world’s most beautiful. Half a dozen cities—from Dana Point and San Clemente at the south end to Seal Beach in the north—present an array of beach experiences, from intimate coves to sandy expanses, many visible from Coast Highway. Laguna Beach features distinctive beaches such as Victoria Beach, which has a tower fit for Rapunzel; Thousand Steps Beach actually has 200-plus steps, and they offer plenty of exercise. Huntington Beach boasts two of California’s cleanest beaches; Huntington State Beach hosts the U.S. Open of Surfing. Newport Beach, seen here, has a vibrant boardwalk, and the Wedge is a world-renowned bodysurfing mecca; explore tide pools at picturesque Little Corona Beach in Corona del Mar.
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Disneyland Resort
Disneyland, the original Disney theme park, looks to the future with a Star Warsthemed land that enhances the existing eight. “If you can dream it, you can do it,” Walt Disney once said; his dreams and those of countless visitors have come true at Disneyland. Adjacent sister park Disney California Adventure recently unveiled Pixar Pier, a boardwalk themed to Pixar Studio films and characters. Reimagined attractions include the Incredicoaster and Pixar Pal-A-Round, which offers the park’s grandest views. Guardians of the Galaxy— Mission: BREAKOUT! is also new; Soarin’ Around the World and spectacular lightand-water show World of Color never get old. Between the two parks is Downtown Disney, an admission-free promenade filled with fine restaurants as well as new shopping and entertainment venues such as Disney Home and Splitsville Luxury Lanes. 1313 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.781.4565, disneyland.disney.go.com
Segerstrom Center for the Arts The center offers the best in the performing arts. This season, Segerstrom Hall, its largest venue, offers Broadway shows including Dear Evan Hansen and Come From Away and dance troupes such as the American Ballet Theatre. The Cesar Pelli-designed Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall is home to the Pacific Symphony and its music director, Carl St.Clair; touring ensembles including the Russian National Orchestra, and instrumentalists such as pianist Beatrice Rana, presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County; and the Pacific Chorale and new artistic director Robert Istad. There’s jazz in both halls. More intimate presentations—cabaret and chamber music— take place in the Judy Morr and Samueli theaters. A TOP, EDWIN SANTIAGO; BOTTOM, DALE BERMAN. OPPOSITE AND PREVIOUS SPREAD, BENJAMIN GINSBERG
fountain, a cafe and a stage for free year-round performances were recently unveiled on the plaza. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787, scfta.org
Bowers Museum
Bowers develops blockbuster exhibitions with renowned venues around the world, among them the Shanghai and British museums. This year’s exhibition highlights include the return of China’s landmark Terra Cotta Warriors. The county’s largest museum is also its most diverse. More than 130,000 artifacts and works of art make up collections of pre-Columbian art, Asian art, art of the Pacific, art of Africa and Orange County history. Spirits and Headhunters: Art of the Pacific Islands and Ancient Arts of China: A 5,000-Year Legacy are ongoing. The world’s indigenous peoples, and cultural art, remain the focus, yet many consider the California-themed exhibitions to be the highlight. Bowers Kidseum is nearby. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.567.3600, bowers.org
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South Coast Plaza
The center has been dubbed the ultimate shopping resort. The nation’s highest-grossing planned retail venue also has its highest concentration of shopping’s iconic names—you’d be hard-pressed to name elite retailers that aren’t here. At 3 million square feet, it includes high-end anchors such as Bloomingdale’s and hundreds of boutiques, among them new Alexander McQueen and Givenchy and, left, a spectacularly redone Louis Vuitton. More than 30 restaurants include renowned dumpling destination Din Tai Fung and new Terrace by Mix Mix. South Coast Plaza is within walking distance of the county’s major performing-arts venues. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 800.782.8888, southcoastplaza.com
Fashion Island
and sophisticated shopping experience as can be imagined. Boutiques such as new Piajeh for evening wear, Gorjana for jewelry and Robert Talbott for men—not to mention the first Anthropologie in California with a home store— complement anchors Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Swimwear options are impressive, among them new ViX by Paula Hermanny and SwimSpot, the nation’s largest dedicated swim retailer. Best of all? Complimentary personal shoppers, no obligation and no tips. Sushi Roku, Fig & Olive and Red O also make it a fine-dining destination. The Lot, the new luxury cinema, has dining options, too. Trolleys circle the parking lots. 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.721.2000, shopfashionisland.com
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TOP, COURTESY LOUIS VUITTON. BOTTOM AND OPPOSITE, EDWIN SANTIAGO
The outdoor coastal center offers the most relaxed
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Listen to the mission bells. View museum exhibits. Take any of a number of tours, including audio tours downloadable to your smartphone. The jewel of the California missions, the birthplace of Orange County, was founded by Spanish padres in 1776, the seventh of the state’s 21 missions. The Great Stone Church was begun in 1796, completed in 1806 and destroyed by an earthquake in 1812. The Serra Chapel is the oldest church in California. You can visit all of those sites, as well as the padres’ quarters, soldiers’ barracks and cemetery, and wander about 10 acres of lush gardens and fountains. A few descendants of the indigenous Juaneño tribe still work at the mission. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, missionsjc.com
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SPIRIT of
PLACE Three-dimensional creations—statues and sculptures—that reflect their locations. P H OTOGR A PH Y BY BENJ A MIN GINSBER G
Voyager UNFETTERED FEMALE— BY LINDA BRUNKER (2003), IN TREASURE ISLAND PARK, LAGUNA BEACH—TAKES ITS CUES FROM THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF ITS COASTAL LOCATION.
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Ultimate Challenge EDMOND SHUMPERT'S NUDE SURFER (1976) IS ON PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY AT HUNTINGTON CITY BEACH IN HUNTINGTON BEACH, AKA SURF CITY USA.
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“Ben and all of us are lifeguards for life and, in this case, lifeguards forever.” —Newport Beach lifeguard captain Rob Williams, Los Angeles Times/Daily Pilot.
Ben Carlson Memorial Statue STAINLESS-STEEL WORK BY JAKE JANZ (2016) NEAR NEWPORT PIER IN NEWPORT BEACH HONORS A LIFEGUARD WHO DIED SAVING ANOTHER.
AT SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN COSTA MESA, TRIBUTES TO THE ARTS IN THE CITY OF THE ARTS.
Fire Bird RICHARD LIPPOLD'S GOLD, SILVER AND RED STAINLESS-STEEL WORK (1986) PIERCES THE FACADE OF SEGERSTROM HALL.
Connector RICHARD LIPPOLD'S 65-FOOT, 360-TON SCULPTURE (2006) IS THE CENTERPIECE OF JULIANNE AND GEORGE ARGYROS PLAZA.
With that arts center, “I think Henry Segerstrom, who comes from a farming family, had decided to grow people.” —Producer Nigel Lythgoe, PBS documentary Henry T. Segerstrom: Imagining the Future
COPPER STATUE BY BLAINE GIBSON (1993) AT DISNEYLAND IN ANAHEIM DEPICTS FOUNDER WALT DISNEY HOLDING THE HAND OF HIS MOST POPULAR CHARACTER, MICKEY MOUSE.
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PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Partners
“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” —Walt Disney
Gorjeous
Gorjana Reidel started out making jewelry on her apartment floor in Laguna Beach. Now it’s carried at 1,000 boutiques around the world—including seven of her own— and 200 major retailers. by KAT DE ANGELIS IT WAS 2004 WHEN GORJANA
then age 22, surmised that a 9-to-5 office job wasn’t for her. Perhaps the years she’d spent as a model, traveling to countries across the globe, helped her realize how much possibility lay before her. She applied at Neiman Marcus in Newport Beach, where the only opening was as assistant sales manager in the jewelry department—an innocuous origin story for what would become her namesake and wildly successful jewelry line. It was there, however, that the Serbian-born beauty fell in love with jewelry. She left to work for a nearby fine-jewelry designer—where she came to another realization. “There was fine jewelry but not much that was of quality, beautiful and approachable,” Reidel recalls. “I started making a couple of pieces for myself and then for friends and family. The response was so great that we thought, Why not? Let’s make and sell jewelry!” The “we” refers to her husband,
DAVID TOSTI. EARRINGS COURTESY GORJANA
REIDEL,
Jason. Then newlyweds, the two had met when both were pursuing marketing degrees in college. Coincidentally, both had also been modeling and acting. Reidel began making pieces on their apartment floor. “In Serbia, I grew up with grandmothers who made everything by hand,” she says. “I crocheted—it felt really natural for me to create things with my hands.” The only hitch: They had no business plan or, in fact, any notion of what to do next. Jason picked up the phone and began cold-calling local boutiques and shops. “He called Michael Nusskern, an upscale boutique in Newport Beach, and said something along the lines of ‘Hi, my wife makes jewelry; would you like to buy some?’ ” Gorjana recounts, laughing. “They asked if he had a line sheet or if we were at market, and Jason hangs up the phone and says, ‘So we need to figure out what a line sheet and market is.’”
A line sheet is wholesale-industry speak for a mini-catalogue that displays product images so that buyers can easily learn about a brand. Market refers to a fashion trade show where companies exhibit their wares for prospective buyers. The Reidels learned that, and everything else, on the fly. The pair logged more than 50,000 miles that year crisscrossing the country by car to take jewelry to shops and boutiques in Texas, New York and Florida. “During one of our power road trips, we had made it to Tampa, Florida, and I ran into a Peet’s Coffee to wash my face and change my clothes, then headed straight into appointments with buyers and store owners,” she says. “We had no idea what we were doing, but we had faith that this was our path. I couldn’t have done any of this without my husband.” They sought out shops that carried brands and designers they were fans of. Their connections from their modeling days also paid off. “We had both modeled for Lisa Kline, so she was one of the first to carry our jewelry line,” Reidel says. Reidel can be credited with pioneering delicate, interchangeable jewelry that can be layered to create multiple looks, all at approachable price points of $30 to $200. “My design philosophy has always been that jewelry should make you shine and not outshine you,” said Reidel. Celebrity fans include a long list of starlets and influencers, among them Bella Hadid, Keira Knightley, Jessica Alba, Jamie Chung and Mandy Moore. Several early pieces remain top sellers. Traditionally gold or silver, the line has expanded to include
gemstones such as turquoise, lapis and rose quartz for a pop of color. A leader in the contemporary jewelry category, Reidel has enjoyed a longtime partnership with retail juggernaut Nordstrom. In 2016, she opened her first brickand-mortar store in the couple’s home base, Laguna Beach. Now there are two boutiques in New York, two in Los Angeles and two more in Orange County at Fashion Island in Newport Beach and Irvine Spectrum Center. There is also one in La Jolla and there are several more in the works, including in San Francisco and Scottsdale, Arizona. Despite the brand’s success, Reidel doesn’t feel like the couple has “made it” quite yet. Though she no longer has to sketch her designs with a Sharpie on a napkin, as she did in a bar once—there are 3D renderings now—or drive across multiple states to hawk her creations, she remains a hands-on creative director overseeing a team of designers and everything that goes on in the stores. CEO Jason ensures that branding and marketing efforts are aligned. “We are really proud of the team and the company culture that we’ve created,” Reidel reflects. “We’re grateful every day.” CARMEN TASSEL EARRINGS
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KNOWN FOR ITS STICKY SOLES, VANS WAS ORIGINALLY THE VAN DOREN RUBBER CO. RIGHT: VANS HQ RECEPTION AND A RED STAIRCASE THAT DOUBLES AS A MASSIVE SCULPTURE.
SOLES WI
TH SOUL
ONE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S MOST ICONIC COMPANIES HAS NEW HEADQUARTERS, A COLLABORATIVE COMPLEX IN THE HEART OF ORANGE COUNTY THAT REFLECTS THE BRAND’S FREE SPIRIT. BY ROGER GRODY
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ABOVE: STEVE VAN DOREN IRREVERENTLY WRAPPED THE BLACK GRANITE FACADE WITH BLACK CHECKERBOARD. OPPOSITE FROM TOP: AN ON-SITE BARISTA DISPENSES ORGANIC FAIR-TRADE COFFEE IN THE COMMONS; THE APPEAL OF VANS SHOES TRANSCENDS ECONOMIC STRATA, ETHNIC IDENTITIES AND GENERATIONS.
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and Lee jeans, Dickies workwear, and outdoor apparel brands North Face and Timberland, also have major cultural significance. Vans’ first stand-alone retail store was in Costa Mesa; after moving from Anaheim to Santa Fe Springs to Cypress, it was fitting to return there in 2017, opening its HQ not long after the company’s 50th anniversary. According to Cheryl Van Doren, vice president of human resources and daughter of co-founder Paul Van Doren, the company had been seeking a suitable location in Orange County, preferably not far from the beach, which is integral to the company’s heritage. “Costa Mesa is a community with a passion for the action-sports lifestyle,” she says. The availability of a freeway-convenient, campus-like setting with sprawling central courtyard made the move a no-brainer. Minimalist and art-laden, the building houses more than 500 employees. It consists of a collection of stylish collaborative spaces and possesses a hip quotient worthy of Vans’ place in the region’s cultural heritage. Rapt Studio, an architecture firm that created work environments for other brands such as HBO and Fender Guitars, provided Vans with a unique sense of identity honoring its renegade roots. Located on a 15-acre site opposite the South Coast Collection retail and dining center, the 182,000-square-foot facility accommodates the four pillars of the Vans corporate psyche: art, music, action sports and street culture. “Rapt was able to translate all of our input into a workspace that is able to enhance creative thinking and collaboration,” Van Doren says. All working areas are designed around a central courtyard featuring a prominent red staircase that doubles as a massive sculpture. Notes Van Doren, “That staircase connects us visually and reminds employees they have access to everybody in the organization.” “The staircase is not just to connect the floors but to bring people out, into the open, to be seen, and to see—to run into people they normally wouldn’t—to interact with ‘the family,’” says Rapt Studio CEO and chief creative officer David Galullo. Conversations about projects or marketing campaigns that begin on the stairway can be continued in the courtyard, at an umbrella-shaded table or on cushy lounge chairs flanking a surfboard-shaped coffee table. “The storytelling of the brand through the years has been powerful, of-the-moment and totally immersed in the current street culture,” Galullo explains. “The design
ALL PHOTOS ERIC LAIGNEL EXCEPT P. 30 JAM ROOM AND P. 31 MURALIST, GENEVIEVE DAVIS
T
HE 1950s and ’60s may be distant memories, but rock ’n’ roll, surfing and skateboarding still represent the essence of the Southern California lifestyle, and no single brand captures that ethos better than Vans. Reflecting the spirit of SoCal in a shoe, the appeal of the company’s products transcends economic strata, ethnic identities and generations. Vans recently passed the halfcentury mark. Attesting to the timelessness of the designs are its Old Skool sneaks, which despite debuting in 1977 as “Vans #36” are currently favored by Stella Maxwell, Kendrick Lamar and virtually the entire Kardashian clan. Also still offered are the iconic black-and-white-checkered slip-ons worn by Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) in the 1982 classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High and an extensive collection of stock and custom products that resonate with celebrities including Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Gigi Hadid. For a company founded when LBJ was in office, Vans has maintained a surprising degree of street cred throughout the years. Founded by brothers Paul and Jim Van Doren with partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia in 1966, the company initially dispensed shoes to customers from a small manufacturing space in Anaheim. Throughout its history—from rapid expansion to bankruptcy, subsequent renaissance and global prominence—Vans has diversified but has never forgotten its Orange County roots, now represented by distinctive new headquarters in Costa Mesa. Known for its sticky soles and originally known as the Van Doren Rubber Co., Vans now has wide-ranging lines of shoes, apparel and accessories accommodating the needs of skateboarders, snowboarders, BMX racers and surfers. Though celebrities have adopted the brand, so have soccer moms, millennials and aging boomers who haven’t touched a board in decades. Collaborations with organizations as diverse as Marvel Entertainment and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam result in vibrant, relevant new designs that only enhance the brand’s worldwide following. Vans’ parent company, North Carolina-based VF Corp., which acquired the shoemaker in 2004, also owns a myriad of other iconic brands. Some, such as Wrangler
DAZZLING ORANGE COUNTY
make for a retail landscape like no other. Stunning
SEE
recent additions include Lido Marina Village in
Anaheim Packing House,
Newport Beach, Pacific City in Huntington Beach and the Outlets at San Clemente. I love following the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Anaheim Ducks, two of the nation’s
the county’s premier food hall, is in the Sunkist citrus packing house built in 1919.
most vibrant sports franchises. I love watching the I love how luxury resorts line the South County coast, the perfect counterpart to family-friendly North County, and how, like a string of emeralds,
DO The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve coastal wetland in
one of the world’s great collections of golf courses
Huntington Beach boasts
stretches from one end of the county to the other.
more than 200 bird species.
I love the galleries of Laguna Beach, the antique shops in Old Towne Orange and the antiquities at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. I love Disney’s Soarin’ Around the World and the parks’ digitally delivered MaxPass. I love new
TASTE Foie gras torchon at Leatherby’s Café Rouge,
HangTime (actually, I’m petrified) and all the other
at Segerstrom Center for
coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.
the Arts in Costa Mesa.
The summer nights are forever, too. I love the cocktails and sunset views from the Bungalow in Huntington Beach and Rooftop Lounge in Laguna Beach and the cool clubbing at Anaheim GardenWalk and the Triangle in Costa Mesa. I love that our rock history includes Dick Dale, Social Distortion and No Doubt—and that we can hear Justin Timberlake and Sam Smith at the Honda Center. I love that so many of the county’s finest restaurants are in shopping destinations and hotels, big pluses for visitors. There are reasons celebs such as Justin Bieber and sports legends Kobe Bryant and Teemu Selänne have homes here; you’ll likely discover many of those reasons during your visit. In fact, you might consider extending your stay. Enjoy your summer here in the O.C., whatever season the rest of the world thinks it is. I hope that this time and next, you’ll find it all as amazing as I do. — Jeff Levy, Publisher
FROM TOP: DALE BERMAN, EDWIN SANTIAGO, JULIE CHUNG. PREVIOUS PAGE, BENJAMIN GINSBERG
U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.
CLOCKWISE: DRUMS IN EMPLOYEE JAM ROOM; PRESIDENT'S OFFICE; WALL PHOTO COLLAGE; MURAL BY TODD FRANCIS.
of transportation throughout the building, encouraged by smooth concrete flooring. Rapt reports, in fact, that this project is the first in the firm’s portfolio that includes a skateable concrete bench in the reception area. Reinforcing the sense of community is a glassensconced corridor that rings the courtyard on each level, allowing free flow of traffic without disrupting workers. Rapt refers to the areas within the circulation ring as “working neighborhoods.” More formal workrooms accommodate brainstorming and conferencing. For private conversations, staff members retreat to a huddle room, for silence to the fashionably appointed library. The essence of the brand’s value of expression is respected in the design. Conference rooms are named after Vans-sponsored athletes and filled with their personal memorabilia, such as a rookie-year pair of shoes or an old surfboard. Walls by the second-floor marketing department are lined with vintage wooden skateboards from the 1950s and ’60s, a museum-like collection that extends into a large conference room. A mock retail store—a place for testing out new shelving or window displays—is designed to elicit feedback from colleagues. For recreation, there is a space for employees to make their own music—drums, for instance, and keyboard provided. As part of the “Shoebox Series,” says Van Doren, “we showcase up-and-coming musicians, and employees can go in there and jam for a while.” They can also just let their hair down with a game of darts and selections from a vintage jukebox. In addition to recharging at the Commons on the ground level, there is a second-floor coffee area and newly created rooftop terrace for work or leisure. The rooftop is where Steve Van Doren—Cheryl’s brother, vice president of events and promotions and son of co-founder Paul Van Doren—might be found barbecuing for staff or guests. In the parking lot, a vert ramp accommodates freestyling skateboarders between business meetings. The building is LEED Platinum-certified, a designation reserved for the most eco-friendly structures. Providing about 50 percent of the building’s energy needs are 4,000 solar panels; 38 electric-vehicle charging stations in the parking lot encourage employees to reduce their carbon footprint. To conserve water, a prominent fountain was drained and converted into a pedestal for a sculpture designed as a tribute to skateboarding. As Vans’ vice president of global creative, Jamie Reilly is responsible for the look of its retail stores, website and advertising. He was on the team that formulated the con-
cept and aesthetics for the new digs. “The challenge was how the headquarters design could represent who we are but also be a collaborative space in which to showcase the creativity we’re known for,” he says. Visual arts are integral to the company’s identity; Vans had embraced street art and its creators long before it became fashionable. Reflecting on this corporate heritage, Reilly says, “Every subculture eventually gets broader, and the term ‘street art’ is now on the tongues of a lot of regular folks.” Suggesting that the same can be said for the skateboarding culture that elevated Vans as a brand, he says, “It’s now widely accepted in America as suburban moms drop their kids off at skate parks.” Nevertheless, he notes, in some of the company’s markets, such as China, the activity remains largely underground. “Like moving into a bigger house, we’re still in the process of decorating and are constantly looking for artists that align with our values,” Reilly says. There are plans to exhibit art created by employees as well. A diverse collection of art has been assembled, including murals by longtime collaborators Todd Francis and Jay Howell as well as nature- and mathematics-inspired artist Katy Ann Gilmore. Other contributors include photographer Edward Colver, who documented the L.A. punk rock scene in the ’80s, and graphic artist John Van Hamersveld, who created the movie poster for the epochal surfing film The Endless Summer. Emerging markets are not forgotten in the curation of art. “We want our brand to be consistent around the world, but relevant to local customers.” Human resources executive Van Doren suggests that new cultural and ethnic influences are part of the natural progression of the brand. That diversification, while staying true to its SoCal roots, is reflected in the corporate headquarters building. “People feel good in the space; they feel like the space is theirs, and they feel really proud of it,” Van Doren says. Though the existing architecture, notably the black granite facade, could not be entirely transformed, Reilly reports with a sense of satisfaction that Steve Van Doren conceived a quintessential signature. “He thought the building looked a little serious for Vans, so he irreverently wrapped the top with black checkerboard!” Also mounted on the building housing a timeless, worldwide fashion phenomenon are words that resonate most with locals: “AN ORANGE COUNTY ORIGINAL SINCE 1966.”
TOP: A MUSEUM-LIKE COLLECTION OF VINTAGE WOODEN SKATEBOARDS FROM THE 1950S AND '60S LINES SECOND-FLOOR WALLS ABOVE: MURALIST JAY HOWELL
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text by BENJAMIN EPSTEIN { photography by JULIE CHUNG
THE ART OF
PLATING DISHES AS DAZZLING AND DRAMATIC AS THEY ARE DELICIOUS.
“Too pretty to eat?” Never. But that’s just one of the buzz phrases tossed about on social media to describe the meticulous culinary presentations showing up at many fine-dining destinations these days. Others include “edible art” and, our favorite, “tweezer food.” The latter refers to the utensil favored by the chefs who create these ephemeral masterpieces. How else to precisely place that roe and microgreen to maximum effect? Edible art can also venture well beyond prettiness to more conceptual realms. Here are visually stimulating dishes from three restaurants we’ve enjoyed of late. / Cured Hamachi / Tomato tom yum, pickled shiitake, cucumber and apple butter. “I thought about the color green—the basil, the cucumber, the oil,” recalls Karlo Evaristo, who created this dish at Studio, the fine-dining room at the Montage Laguna Beach. “I thought about Thai flavors, the tom yum broth. My father was an illustrator. I’m not good at drawing, but food is more abstract— shapes and colors that just have to be arranged a certain way. The first time I plate, it’s spontaneous— I plate it once and that will be the look of it.” Evaristo now creates pop-up dinners for Adia restaurant.
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PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
/ Salmon Roe, Asparagus, Mushroom, Mint / Smoked salmon roe, fresh asparagus and white asparagus ice cream, dehydrated mushroom meringue and crumble, mint and lemon jam. This dish at prix-fixe Journeyman’s Food + Drink in Fullerton is a metaphor on several levels. “I wanted it to seem like the dish is coming up through the bottom of the concrete plate,” says chef Zachary Geerson, “a breakthrough, the concrete broken from beneath.” The new restaurant and its postmodern cuisine represent personal breakthroughs for Geerson. And, he adds, “the ingredients, mushrooms to asparagus, epitomize a transition from the cold winter months—well, the idea of cold winter months, we’re in California—to the fresh vibrancy of spring.”
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/ Watermelon Salad / St. Germain-compressed watermelon, cucumber ribbons, yellow and red cherry peppers, micro basil, whipped feta, pickled red onion and black-garlic vinaigrette. “I plate my food in a very abstract manner, with lots of white space,” says Vana Er-Sahakian, sous chef under executive chef Greg Stillman at Leatherby’s Café Rouge in Costa Mesa; Leatherby’s is the sophisticated steakhouse inside the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. “I add small touches, with lots of variation in height and sizes,” she says. “It’s never whimsical, it’s always abstract.”
/ Harry’s Berries Strawberries / Olive-oil cake, Opalys white-chocolate mousse and yuzu sorbet. The inspiration is strawberry shortcake, according to Keara Wilson, pastry chef at Studio in Laguna Beach. Local strawberries get several treatments, among them a gel and a strawberry meringue topped with a crumble of freeze-dried strawberries. Olive oil appears as a cake and a powder. For Wilson, plating is a very intuitive and very organic process. “I have a little idea, I think of fun shapes I can use,” she says. “Then I let my second nature take over. I let it happen. It changes a lot.”
THIS YEAR AND EVERY YEAR, VISITORS COME TO Orange County from all over the world to experience the Disneyland Resort, the beaches and surfing and … shopping? A resounding yes: Orange County is home not only to the world’s most famous theme park, Disneyland in Anaheim, but a retail mecca, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, that re-defined the shopping center as a haven of luxury, fine dining and art—and whimsy. Like Disneyland, South Coast Plaza has a carousel—actually, two! Two recent books—from publishers themselves noted for quality and imaginative design—combine richly detailed narratives with photographs and concept art to chronicle the histories of these two icons. South Coast Plaza: 50 Years of Quality, by Kedric Francis (Assouline, 2017), celebrated South Coast Plaza’s 50th anniversary in 2017; Walt Disney’s Disneyland, by Chris Nichols (Taschen, 2018), explores the inspiration for, and results of, one man’s dream. Disneyland and South Coast Plaza, as these volumes reveal, have much in common. The sites for both were agricultural. Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, Matterhorn Mountain and Star Tours are on land once part of 160 acres of orange groves and walnut trees. South Coast Plaza’s 270 shops and restaurants have replaced most of the 2,000 acres where
FROM LEFT: WALT DISNEY WITH 1958 MAP OF THE PARK; TASCHEN’S WALT DISNEY’S DISNEYLAND; COUSINS HAL AND HENRY SEGERSTROM AT FUTURE SITE OF SOUTH CAST PLAZA; ASSOULINE’S SOUTH COAST PLAZA. BELOW: DESIGN BY MARY BLAIR FOR “IT’S A SMALL WORLD” AT 1964 NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR.
lima beans, alfalfa and dairy farms once flourished; 50 acres nearby, however, still bear those beans. And both institutions were cultivated by visionaries. Walt Disney, already an Academy Award-winning pioneer in film animation, wanted to create a world where families and individuals of all ages could revel in fantasy, explore the frontiers of the Western past and the scientific future, travel to exotic lands and experience the flora and fauna—some real, some manufactured—of those environments. Disney assembled a multifaceted team of designers, sculptors, model makers and engineers—later collectively known as Imagineers—and Disneyland opened July 17, 1955. It now shares its setting with a sister park—Disney California Adventure, which opened Feb. 8, 2001—retail district Downtown Disney and several hotels. South Coast Plaza was conceived and is still owned by the Segerstrom family, whose forebears, husband and wife C.J. and Bertha, emigrated from Sweden in 1882, settled in Southern California in 1898, about nine years after Orange County was formed, and bought 40 acres of land to farm. Family members eventually purchased more than 2,000 acres in what is now Costa Mesa. After World War II, they began investing in and successfully marketing commercial
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real estate, led primarily by C.J. and Bertha’s grandson Henry. In the 1960s, when May Co. and Sears expressed an interest in building stores on its land, the family began to envision what it called an “urban center.” But other shopping centers in the area were not enclosed, and the Segerstroms wanted to protect their customers from the weather, which, as farmers, they knew could cause problems. South Coast Plaza opened March 15, 1967, the region’s first indoor, air-conditioned shopping center, designed by the inventor of the indoor shopping mall, architect Victor Gruen, and company partner Rudi Baumfeld, with the family’s input. Gruen had earlier proposed a “city of the future” concept elsewhere that influenced Walt’s idea for EPCOT, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Both Walt Disney’s Disneyland and South Coast Plaza: 50 Years of Quality are treasure troves of behind-the-scenes anecdotes, insights into the creative process and beautiful illustrations. Both set the scene for why these ventures couldn’t have been built anywhere but Southern California—with its boundless optimism, adventurous spirit, unconventional outlook, burgeoning industries and innovative architecture, not to mention developing freeways—giving readers a sense of history and place that is in itself fascinating. Disneyland focuses on how the theme park and attractions for each of its lands—Main Street, U.S.A., Fantasyland,
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GETTY IMAGES/ALLAN GRANT/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION; TOMORROWLAND COURTESY DISNEY; CAROUSEL COURTESY SOUTH COAST PLAZA; COURRÈGES SPREAD COURTESY ASSOULINE; STAR WARS ART, RICHARD LIM. PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: WALT DISNEY, SAN MCKIN/ COURTESY 2018 DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.; COVER COURTESY TASCHEN; COUSINS, SEGERSTROM FAMILY ARCHIVES; SLIPCOVER, ERIC KIEU; INTERIOR, ADRIEN GAUGT
Tomorrowland, Frontierland and Adventureland and later, New Orleans Square, Bear Country and Critter Country— came to be; Walt began thinking about his park 20 years before it came to fruition. We meet the designers who had made Disney’s films look so distinctive and turned their attention to the park; one noted architect told Walt that only his own veterans, not outsiders, could carry out his vision. Such names as Mary Blair, John Hench, Yale Gracey and first female Imagineer Harriet Burns come alive through their bearers’ accomplishments: Gracey figuring out how to use a plastic sheet product more effectively than real water to simulate a rainstorm in the Enchanted Tiki Room; Blair’s playful drawings of children and bold colors for It’s a Small World; and Hench’s use of color, point of view and character development to turn attractions into threedimensional reality. There are photos of the designers consulting with Disney; colorful concept sketches galore; and images of the park day and night. A photo of cars approaching the entrance builds anticipation for the rest of the book just as the early Disneyland sign nurtured arriving visitors’ excitement—and readers, like park guests, will not be disappointed. Similarly, South Coast Plaza spotlights its designers. Besides Gruen, they included then-fledgling architect Frank Gehry, designer of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los
ABOVE: RENDERING OF NEW STAR WARS-THEMED LAND AT DISNEYLAND. LEFT: IN SOUTH COAST PLAZA, PRE-OPENING RENDERING OF SOUTH COAST PLAZA’S CAROUSEL COURT, TOP, AND ANDRÉ COURRÈGES AND MODELS IN 1976 AND COURRÈGES ENSEMBLE IN 1962. OPPOSITE: AT DISNEYLAND, SLEEPING BEAUTY CASTLE IN FANTASYLAND IN 1983, LEFT, AND ASTRO-JETS AND ROCKET TO THE MOON IN TOMORROWLAND IN 1955.
Angeles; Corita Kent, nun, artist and advocate for social justice; pioneering environmental graphic designer Deborah Sussman; Gere Kavanaugh, who created the pyramid-shaped restaurant-table umbrellas for South Coast Plaza now ubiquitous; Marion Sampler, who designed the spectacular stained-glass dome over Jewel Court, commissioned by the Segerstrom family; and Kathryn Gustafson, who created a distinctive bridge to a new wing across Bear Street that opened in 1986. The book traces the influx of luxury brands, beginning in the mid-1970s, when the Segerstroms realized they needed to set their shopping center apart from others. Courrèges, Halston and Yves Saint Laurent opened the first such boutiques there; Saint Laurent and other brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Dior now help make South Coast Plaza the global shopping destination it is today. The book presents the advertising artwork that introduced South Coast Plaza. It also recounts its relationship to the arts; nearby are Isamu Noguchi’s landmark sculpture garden, commissioned by Henry Segerstrom, and a performing-arts complex whose very name—Segerstrom Center for the Arts—is a testament to the family’s devotion to the arts. And this is one book you can judge by its cover: It comes in a slipcover bearing a gorgeous image of Jewel Court’s stainedglass dome.
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PACIFICA COAST A SPRAWLING HOME ON A BLUFF IN SAN CLEMENTE SHOWCASES SOUTH COUNTY’S HISTORY, LIFESTYLE AND AESTHETICS. BY ROGER GRODY
PHOTOS COURTESY G2 DESIGN COLLECTIVE
A
T THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF Orange County, just before crossing into San Diego County, is the laidback burg of San Clemente, home of President Richard Nixon’s “Western White House” and some renowned surfing. The median home value in this upper-middle-class community hovers around $1 million, but prices for estates with oceanfront exposure are stratospheric. One such property is the 12,854-square-foot Casa San Mateo on Calle Isabella, which at time of publication was on the market with a $44 million price tag. The residence is strategically located by Trestles, a series of beaches whose waves challenge professional surfers, and a couple doors from La Casa Pacifica, Nixon’s home-state retreat. The bluff-top residence, in gated Cotton Point Estates, sits on 2.6 acres—an unusually large seaside lot for the county, with 450 spectacular feet of ocean frontage. The property was in fact originally part of La Casa Pacifica, which Nixon purchased for $1.4 million in 1969 from the widow of Hamilton Cotton, a founder of San Clemente. A subsequent owner subdivided the Western White House’s 26 acres, creating this parcel and several other luxury-home sites. A portion of La Casa Pacifica’s three-hole golf course was on the subject parcel. Built in 1927, La Casa Pacifica has been on the market several times in recent years, for as much as $75 million and most recently at $63.5 million. The historic presidential compound has about 15,000 square feet of living space on the more than 5 remaining acres. The initial impression of Casa San Mateo may suggest a historic vintage, but the home was actually completed in 2007. Its aesthetics reflect Colonial Spanish architecture with Italianate sensibilities; the home’s stone-clad facade is a refreshing departure from the increasing obsession with modernism along the county’s coast. Though the expansive glass walls of sleek minimalist homes maximize coastal views, the large arched windows of this structure frame ocean vistas to great effect. Dark and austere are oft-heard criticisms of European-inspired residential design, but this home is flooded with light and capitalizes on its oceanfront site inside and out. The home was built by former technology executive and venture capitalist Martin Colombatto and his wife, now empty nesters whose only reason for selling is to downsize. “The family grew up, and the kids moved out, and this is a pretty big home for two people,” explains Colombatto, who plans to remain on the coast. “We’ve
had a lot of great memories in this home. Now it’s time for another family to create their own memories here.” The Colombattos purchased the raw land in 2001, captivated by its proximity to surf and sand and delighted with the lot’s generous proportions. “What I loved most was the location and the views, and because there’s nothing but open space on one side,” Colombatto says. He notes that this is the southernmost private home in Orange County, pointing to a wall along his property built in the 1920s that marks the county line. On the other side is a huge expanse of undevelopable government-controlled land in San Diego County that includes the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base, providing a genuine sense of privacy. Residences of this size and price point are rarely characterized as family-oriented homes and are often ostentatious expressions of wealth. But Casa San Mateo is unusually tasteful and understated, consisting of a collection of intimate spaces instead of majestic rooms designed primarily for show. The couple commissioned San Clemente-based building designer James Glover, who specializes in large luxury homes, to create a residence that would accommodate
THIS PAGE: THE FOYER, ABOVE, AND THE LIVING ROOM OPPOSITE: THE FRONT ENTRANCE, JUST INSIDE THE GATE
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THE LIVING ROOM IS MARTIN COLOMBATTO’S FAVORITE. “I LIKE TO COME IN HERE AND READ, OR JUST ENJOY THE VIEW,” HE SAYS—AT FIRST. “TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, MY FAVORITE ROOM IS THE OUTSIDE.”
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their love of entertaining and reflect the architecture of coastal Spain and Italy. Glover, who also designed the Colombattos’ previous home, had the advantage of already knowing the family’s preferences for daily living and entertaining. Glover delved into the design of Casa San Mateo on a flight from Italy back to the States, inspired by a seaside hotel in Tuscany exhibiting the very spirit of design he believed would suit the Colombattos’ oceanfront lot in Orange County. “For me, it lit up my mind, and I immediately started on some concept sketches,” recalls Glover, who shares his clients’ passion for coastal Mediterranean architecture. “I wanted to sprawl the house over the large lot yet ... create a residence that was intimate,” the designer says of his core concept for the home. He envisioned a home that functions with integration of indoors and out and between formal and informal spaces. This multifaceted integration is a Glover signature. In a family residence, he views the kitchen as the hearth, a nucleus around which everything else revolves. This home’s kitchen, with Old World touches such as a limestone range hood, opens up to both indoor and outdoor dining spaces with ocean views.
More structured spaces such as the formal dining room and living room feel separated from other common areas, but not detached—a subtle but critical distinction. “Even with the formal spaces the clients requested, we wanted to minimize the visual separations,” explains Glover; his approach resulted in a winning compromise between a traditional floor plan and an open living concept. Floors, ceiling beams and counters are more likely to be honed vintage surfaces that age with character than highly polished materials with mirror finishes; a deft blend of different stones and brick creates nuanced shading and considerable warmth. Instead of one grand staircase, there are several artfully conceived stairways providing access to the second floor. Space dedicated solely to circulation tends to be filled with light and views. “We wanted every room to have a view, so we oriented the house on the lot in a way to encourage and maximize exposure to the ocean,” Glover says. “My goal was to grab the outdoors and bring it inside as much as possible.” Though the Colombattos enjoy entertaining, the objective first and foremost was to create a family home that was comfortable and user-friendly. Not all of the entertaining has been low-key, however. The Colombattos once hosted 900 guests for a fundraiser featuring a live performance by rocker Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam for the Surfrider Foundation. The downstairs media room, whose walls fold back entirely to integrate the yard and panoramic ocean views, has been used for everything from dances to memorials. “Every space gets used,” Colombatto says. There are multiple locations—some casual, others more struc-
tured—for alfresco dining or simply enjoying the ocean view. It may not have the retractable glass walls of some modern houses, but the design seamlessly blurs lines between indoors and out, encouraging a resort lifestyle. “And every space has a purpose and a killer view,” he adds. The living room, with its soaring timbered ceiling, 16th-century Tuscan limestone fireplace, antique French chandeliers and prominent arched window, is his favorite. “I like to come in here and read, or just enjoy the view,” he says—then reverses his decision. “To be perfectly honest, my favorite room is the outside.” The master suite is generously proportioned, with an indoor seating area and an intimate outdoor terrace with a spectacular view with which to enjoy the day’s first cup of coffee. The master bath is impressive but not overly
flashy, as its Pacific views are more precious than any of the high-end finishes incorporated into the space. The grounds, what you might expect of a Tuscan farmhouse, include a vegetable garden, chicken coop and fruit orchard. Recreational amenities include an elegantly tiled 55-foot-long swimming pool as well as tennis and bocce ball courts. Stairs descend from the bluff to one of the few private beaches on the entire California coast. A surfer himself, Colombatto enjoys his access to Trestles, one of the Golden State’s premier surfing destinations. Only a handful of oceanfront properties of this size in the county are likely to come on the market anytime soon. At $44 million, Casa San Mateo may be out of reach for most homebuyers—but the Orange County lifestyle it represents is available to everybody.
ABOVE: A MAGICAL SETTING FOR A SWIM OPPOSITE FROM TOP: THE FORMAL DINING ROOM; THE BEAMED KITCHEN AND BREAKFAST ROOM
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The
POWER of PASTA OUT OF THE ASHES: CHEF-RESTAURATEUR BRUNO SERATO’S IRREPRESSIBLE SPIRIT. By STEPHANIE SANCHEZ-BROWN
THIERRY BROUARD/PREMIUM PARIS
THE ANAHEIM WHITE HOUSE
had established itself as from God,” recalls Serato. “We felt very welcome. It felt like home.” one of north Orange County’s premier restaurants, a special-occasion To date, more than 2 million meals have been served by Caterina’s destination, when fire devastated the landmark the night of Feb. 3, Club. 2017. Its storied run, which had begun in 1981, came to a end—or at Caterina’s Club also provides security deposits and first month’s rent least it appeared to. so that low-income families can move from dilapidated motels—where Bruno Serato has been chef-owner at the restaurant for about 30 of six or more people might be squeezed into a single room—to decent those years, and his ebullient personality contributed to its lofty repupermanent housing; 170 households, more than 1,000 people, have tation. The tragedy only fortified his resolve. been relocated. Chef Bruno’s Hospitality Academy, which trains at-risk The blaze occurred just as Serato and staff were preparing their teens for careers in the restaurant/hospitality industry, is yet another Romeo and Juliet menu for Valentine’s Day, one of the busiest nights of program of Caterina’s Club. the year for the venue. Despite suffering what was deemed a complete Serato easily relates to these kids. “I grew up poor but had no idea loss, the restaurant reopened 15 months later, largely on the strength I was poor because I always had pasta on my table,” he says. Caterina of its owner’s character. herself, who first had the idea of cooking pasta for the hungry children, An Italian immigrant who started out as a dishwasher, Sir Bruno passed away three years ago, poetically on the anniversary of the death Serato is much more than a restaurateur: He of Mother Teresa. founded Caterina’s Club, which feeds thouSerato never forgets his early days as an sands of underprivileged children every single impoverished immigrant, arriving from Italy night, in 2005; was named a CNN Hero in with $200, unable to speak English. 2011; and was knighted by the Italian consulWhen young Eddie Meza arrived with his ate in 2013. He tells his story in The Power of family from Mexico in 1988, Serato found Pasta (Select Books, 2017). him an entry-level position in the White Most of the book was written prior to House kitchen. Recognizing Meza’s passion the fire and $2.5 million rebuilding. In it, for cooking, work ethic and desire to learn, Serato presents the inspirational story of his he promoted Meza to executive chef in 2000. journey in America, focusing not on loss but “He’s like family,” says the boss. “We’ve on hope and revival. The Power of Pasta worked together as brothers for 30 years.” also portrays a man who consistently pays it The Anaheim White House reopened forward—attending to the needs of those less May 8, 2018, its new facade painstakingly fortunate—regardless of personal challenges designed to honor the original 1909 Colonialhe faces. style mansion but with an even more opulent The fire not only delivered a crushing blow fresco-filled interior. “The 15 months we to the restaurant’s loyal clientele—those priviwere closed felt like a lifetime,” Serato says. LOBSTER RAVIOLI AT THE ANAHEIM WHITE HOUSE, leged enough to enjoy Serato’s veal osso buco, “Now that we’re open again, it feels like we RECENTLY REOPENED AFTER A DEVASTATING FIRE. pappardelle Bolognese or salmon with whitenever closed.” The following month, pasta OPPOSITE: OWNER BRUNO SERATO IN ONE OF THE chocolate mashed potatoes. It destroyed the preparation for Caterina’s Club returned to RESTAURANT’S FRESCO-FILLED DINING ROOMS. very same kitchen used to prepare dinners for its kitchen, redesigned to accommodate everlocal needy children. increasing numbers of beneficiaries. That practice began when Serato and his mother visited the local “There’s love in the air; you can feel it,” Serato says of the “new” Boys and Girls Club. After meeting kids accustomed to eating potato restaurant. He still gets a thrill when a customer tells him how special chips for dinner, the restaurateur began caring for disadvantaged chilhe made a birthday or anniversary—or weekly Tuesday night dinner. dren through a foundation he named for his mama, Caterina’s Club. “But what really warms my heart,” says Serato, “is each time we add Serato began making pasta for 72 kids five nights a week, a program another [Caterina’s Club] location and I know more kids are being that expanded to 2,000 meals daily at 70 sites in Orange and Los fed.” Angeles counties—and since the fire, somewhat miraculously, to 3,500. Serato recently added the Ellis Island Medal of Honor to his many The fire not only didn’t slow the effort, but fueled it, thanks to prestigious tributes—in good company with seven U.S. presidents, the media attention that followed the conflagration. While the White Rosa Parks and Muhammad Ali—and says the photographs of immiHouse kitchen was out of commission, meals for the kids were pregrants arriving at the legendary port of entry resonated with him pared at Christ Cathedral, the landmark formerly known as Crystal deeply. Cathedral, whose bishop generously offered assistance. “It was a gift “Love always prevails,” he is fond of saying.
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Neighborhoods
ANAHEIM Disneyland, which recently marked its 60th anniversary, put Anaheim— and Orange County—on the global map. Disney California Adventure shares the spotlight, thanks to attractions such as the water, light and sound show World of Color. Between the parks is pedestrian shopping, dining and entertainment zone Downtown Disney. Nearby are the Anaheim Convention Center and Anaheim GardenWalk, an eatertainment center boasting the flagship House of Blues. The historic Anaheim Packing District includes Center Street shops and iconic Anaheim Packing House food hall. Angel Stadium is home of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball; the Honda Center hosts Anaheim Ducks ice hockey, Disney on Ice and pop acts such as Justin Timberlake.
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BUENA PARK Roller-coaster, fried-chicken and boysenberry-jam enthusiasts flock to Knott’s Berry Farm, above, which predates Disneyland as the nation’s first theme park. Ghost Town recently turned 75. What started as a berry stand along Highway 39 centers on attractions for thrill-seekers—the Xcelerator coaster and new HangTime—as well as Camp Snoopy. Enjoy chicken dinners just outside the park. There’s Knott’s Scary Farm in the fall and water park Soak City in the summer. Also on Beach Boulevard is a family entertainment row that includes Medieval Times and Pirate’s Dinner Adventure. Buena Park Downtown combines the enclosed Buena Park Mall and open-air Krikorian Courtyard entertainment center.
COSTA MESA The county’s premier performingarts venues, some of the region’s finest dining destinations and one of the nation’s most successful retail centers arguably make Costa Mesa the county’s heart and cultural soul. South Coast Plaza’s several hundred stores and boutiques represent the highest concentration of elite retailers anywhere. The center’s owners donated the land and most of the millions to build Segerstrom Center for the Arts—home of Segerstrom Hall and the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and future home of the Orange County Museum of Art—and South Coast Repertory theater. Isamu Noguchi’s California Scenario sculpture garden, above, is nearby. The city’s other draws include South Coast Collection and its OC Mix, and a trendy shopping and dining stretch featuring the Lab and the Camp.
DANA POINT Among the most picturesque cities in California, Dana Point combines Cape Cod style with a surf and yacht lifestyle. It’s best known for its harbor, above—2,500 yachts are in its two marinas—and as a departure point for whaleand dolphin-watching excursions, sport-fishing expeditions and trips to Catalina Island. Doheny State Beach is popular, too. The town, and spots such as the Killer Dana surf break, are named for 19thcentury seafaring writer Richard Henry Dana, who described the headlands in his book Two Years Before the Mast. Classes at the Ocean Institute take place aboard a replica of the tall ship Pilgrim, on which Dana sailed.
FROM LEFT: EDWIN SANTIAGO, RYAN FURUYA, BENJAMIN GINSBERG, SANTIAGO
ORANGE COUNTY IS MADE UP OF MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. HERE ARE THE MOST VISITED.
FROM LEFT, DIANA GONZALEZ, BENJAMIN GINSBERG, ASHERA J. PHOTOGRAPHY, GINSBERG
FULLERTON Fullerton used to be the city that visitors passed through on their way to Disneyland; these days, they might pass through Disneyland on their way to Fullerton. Music spills out from the bars; dining options are many and varied; the shopping is distinctive and vintage. The city blends historic architectural styles and a savvy vibe, thanks to its university and city college. Plummer Auditorium presents concerts and shows. Fullerton Museum Center offers intriguing exhibits, including one devoted to native son and electric-guitar pioneer Leo Fender. Fullerton Arboretum, above, is the county’s largest botanical garden. To the north is the beautifully renovated Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum in Yorba Linda.
HUNTINGTON BEACH Surf City USA has a surfer statue, a quirky surfer museum and a surfer walk of fame and hosts the U.S. Open of Surfing every summer. Pacific Coast Highway has undergone a spectacular transformation, thanks to luxury hotels and the Pacific City shopping and dining destination—but the beachy vibe remains. Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach are two of the cleanest beaches in California, drawing the fun- and sun-loving throngs each summer. The pier is one of the longest on the West Coast; also along Pacific Coast Highway is the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, restored wetlands that attract birdwatchers. Main Street intersperses restaurants and surfwear shops. There are more attractions inland: Its Central Park and library are among the county’s finest; Bella Terra is a Tuscan-themed shopping destination; 5 Points Plaza is a winning neighborhood center.
IRVINE Irvine Spectrum Center, where the 405 and 5 freeways meet, is a shopping, dining and entertainment magnet with Moorish architecture that claims more visitors per year than Disneyland; you can’t miss its giant Ferris wheel from the freeways. You’ll find more dining options at the Los Olivos Marketplace and TRADE food hall, above. Irvine has been the nation’s safest city for a decade and its largest planned urban community, all of it impeccably manicured. Look for the tethered orange balloon to find the Orange County Great Park, a work-in-progress whose attractions include rides in the balloon and a farmers market. The University of California’s Irvine campus is also huge.
LAGUNA BEACH The beaches and coves along this stretch of the coast are stunning, chief among the lures that first drew artists to the now sophisticated village. Today the city boasts the county’s most expensive real estate, but art remains its soul. Galleries are everywhere. Laguna Art Museum offers fun and provocative exhibitions. Crowds jam the town each summer as they head to the art festivals along Laguna Canyon Road. At the Pageant of the Masters, volunteers remain motionless to re-create artistic masterpieces of the past. Laguna Playhouse presents theater fare from comedic to profound. Fine restaurants and one-of-a-kind boutiques abound.
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ORANGE Plaza Square, the picturesque traffic circle—actually an oval— is at the center of Old Towne Orange, bustling with antique shops. Older buildings are steadfastly preserved, so the historic district appears often in movies and commercials. Homes date from the late 1800s to the 1940s. Chapman University, founded in 1861, offers the on-campus Musco Center for the Arts and the off-campus Hilbert Museum of California Art. To the west is the Outlets at Orange, where the likes of Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue have upscale discount venues. Farther west, in Garden Grove, is spectacular Christ Cathedral. To the east is the equestrian neighborhood Orange Park Acres.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO Orange County’s birthplace reveals a vast panorama of history: the Shoshone tribe of Indians; the founding in 1776 of the jewel of California missions by a Spanish expedition; the Mexican rancho era in the 19th century; the area’s development in the 20th century into an agricultural center that preserved its heritage; and the charming, sophisticated but still laid-back burg of the 21st century. Los Rios Street is much as it was two centuries ago, and the original families still own many of the homes. Downtown retains the distinctive flavor of the rancheros. Homes in the $10 million-plus range and lavish horse stables dot the hills above downtown. FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY, SEE WHERE ORANGE COUNTY MAGAZINE OR SOCALPULSE.COM
SANTA ANA Long known primarily as the county seat, the city now has a hip factor and a vibrant night scene. It’s dedicated to the arts: Bowers Museum mounts blockbuster exhibitions in collaboration with museums around the world; downtown has a thriving contemporary art scene amid its restaurants and bars. Colorful East End Promenade along Fourth Street includes the Yost Theater, a livemusic venue. The Civic Center’s Old County Courthouse, above, has been used in dozens of movies. MainPlace is a million-square-foot shopping center. The Discovery Cube science center is nearby. Santa Ana is Orange County’s only city with its own zoo.
FROM LEFT: BENJAMIN GINSBERG, EDWIN SANTIAGO (2), RYAN FURUYA
NEWPORT BEACH A harbor lined with gorgeous homes with docks for yachts ... wide, sandy beaches ... huge homes on the bluffs and hills with endless ocean views.... Newport Beach is an oceanfront paradise. Balboa Peninsula and seven manmade islands house the rich and often famous. Summer beach visitors along the Newport peninsula number more than a million. There’s distinctive shopping at new Lido Marina Village, on charming Balboa Island and in lovely Corona del Mar. Up the hill in Newport Center are relaxed and sophisticated Fashion Island, one of the county’s premier retail destinations, and nearby Corona del Mar Plaza. To the south, in affluent Newport Coast, is Crystal Cove Shopping Center.
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SHOPPING ORANGE COUNTY OFFERS AMERICA’S GREATEST SHOPPING EXPERIENCE. THERE—WE SAID IT. THE REASONS? THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, MOST BEAUTIFUL AND MOST PLEASURABLE RETAIL DESTINATIONS ANYWHERE. HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST.
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SHOPPING BELLA TERRA Open-air Tuscan-themed center with cobblestone walkways boasts an attractive roster including outdoorsports and activewear specialists REI, Huntington Surf & Sport and Diane’s Beachwear, plus Whole Foods Market, a 20-screen cinema and Solita for tacos and margaritas. 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, 714.897.2533, bellaterra-hb.com
A WIDER SPECTRUM Shopping, dining and lifestyle destination Irvine Spectrum Center has completed a $200 million reinvestment, further elevating its retail experience. Through 2019, Irvine Spectrum Center unveils 30 stores and restaurants in four new buildings and new and enhanced outdoor spaces including courtyards, rolling lawns and lush landscaping. Highlights: the Concrete Rose, Denim Lab, UnAffected and Brigade LA boutiques, SST&C for Italian menswear, Gorjana for jewelry, Stance for socks and Drybar for blowouts. Dining draws: the first-ever Hello Kitty Cafe, Robata Wasa, 85°C Bakery Cafe, and Afters Ice Cream, known for its glazed-doughnut ice-cream sandwiches. Luckey Climber is a 50-foot-long climbing structure for kids that is part jungle gym and part sculpture. The center, home to Nordstrom and 150 other tenants, attracts 18 million visitors annually.
BREA MALL The county’s second-largest mall is home to Nordstrom, Macy’s and Macy Men Children & Home; more than 175 other retailers including Guess, Everything but Water, Kiehl’s Since 1851 and Pink; plus the Spa at the Glen, Kayla’s Cake and a children’s play area. 1065 Brea Mall, Brea, 714.990.2733, simon.com THE CAMPCL0000022718 The outdoorsy center is geared to action-sports and dining enthusiasts. Hip spots set amid woods, Airstream trailers and pleasant nooks include eco department store SEED People’s Market, 2nd Street vintage boutique and Active Ride Shop and dining venues Old Vine Café, Ecco Pizzeria and Vitaly. 2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.966.6661, thecampsite.com CENTER STREET PROMENADE Innovative owners of the Lab and the Camp work their hip retail magic with J.Mac Jewelers; Rare by Goodwill; BarBeer Shop, a barbershop serving beer; and casual dining favorites Pour Vida Latin Flavor for tacos and vegan Healthy Junk. Center Street and Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim, 714.966.6661, centerstreetanaheim.com
CORONA DEL MAR PLAZACL0000022719 Boutiques reflecting the area’s casual yet sophisticated coastal lifestyle include Gail Jewelers, Jack’s Surfboards, Diane’s Beachwear, Marmi for footwear and Tommy Bahama. Other draws: Tommy Bahama’s Island Grill and Sprinkles Ice Cream. 800-984 Avocado Ave., Corona del Mar, 866.491.7864, shopirvinecompany.com CRYSTAL COVE SHOPPING CENTER Exclusive boutiques and restaurants reflect the gorgeous coastal community. Find Atelier 7918, Coastal Cool and Piajeh boutiques plus fine-dining options Bluefin, Mastro’s Ocean Club and Marché Moderne. 7845-8085 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.494.1239, shopirvinecompany.com H FASHION ISLANDCL0000022722 The sophisticated outdoor center has been Southern California’s premier coastal shopping experience for 50 years. Draws include O.C.’s only Neiman Marcus, spectacular Traditional Jewelers, the West Coast's largest Anthopologie and new Rodd & Gunn for men, Zadig & Voltaire for women and ViX by Paula Hermanny swimwear. Dining options include Sushi Roku, Fig & Olive and Red O. 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.721.2000, shopfashionisland.com H 5 POINTS PLAZACL00274 Surf City center boasts Loft, Vans, Charming Charlie jewelry, Cloudmover Day Spa, Hashigo Sushi and new Duck Donuts; there’s a barking lot for dogs! Main Street at Beach Boulevard, Huntington Beach, 5pointsplaza.com
IRVINE SPECTRUM CENTERCL0000022724 Outdoor center has ornate walkways, courtyards, campaniles and fountains inspired by Moorish architecture. Nordstrom anchors about 150 stores, restaurants and entertainment venues including the nation’s most popular cinemas and Imax theater. Thirty stores and restaurants are new, part of a huge expansion. The Giant Wheel is visible from nearby freeways. 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine, 949.753.5180, shopirvinespectrumcenter.com THE LABCL0000022725 Alternative retail center offers the kinds of youth-skewed boutiques and hip environment you might find on L.A.’s trendy Melrose Avenue: Urban Outfitters, Eye Society and Crew Salon; dining includes Habana, vegan Seabirds Kitchen and Hana Re for sushi. Sibling destination the Camp is opposite. 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.966.6660, thelab.com LIDO MARINA VILLAGE The harbor-side pedestrian-friendly shopping village offers a fascinating mix: boutiques including Elyse Walker for couture to contemporary, Sweaty Betty for athleisure, Labo for fragrance and Sugar Paper for stationery, plus Alchemy Works gallery and Nobu restaurant. Circle Hook and Malibu Farm eateries are new. 3434 Via Lido, Newport Beach, 858.587.8888, lidomarinvillage.com MAINPLACECL0022726 The million-square-foot center offers 150 retailers including Coach, Forever 21 and Disney Store. Among eateries are Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que and Cinnabon. 2800 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.547.7800, shopmainplacemall.com
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DESTINATION SHOPPING
THE OUTLETS AT ORANGE Huge shopping, dining and entertainment center at the confluence of the 5, 57 and 22 freeways. More than 120 value draws include DKNY, Neiman Marcus Last Call and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th. Also there: Lucky Strike Lanes for bowling, Vans Skatepark for indoor boarding, lots of dining options—and a very popular Krispy Kreme. 20 City Blvd. W., Orange, 714.769.4001, simon.com H OUTLETS AT SAN CLEMENTE Browsing meets ocean breezes along Interstate 5 at this sibling of the landmark Citadel Outlets in Los Angeles. Suggesting a Spanish village, the beautiful center offers scores of retailers including Guess, Vans, H&M, Calvin Klein, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, White House Black Market, Oshkosh B’Gosh and new MadaLuxe Vault. 101 W. Avenida Vista Hermosa, San Clemente, 949.535.2323, outletsatsanclemente.com PACIFIC CITY Beautiful center on 30 acres with beach views from every plaza, deck and patio. Tenants include boutiques Kin, West of Camden and the Wearhouse; Cherry Hills Market; Heirlooms & Hardware; Bluegold restaurant and its hidden, acclaimed LSXO; Lot 579 food hall; and the Bungalow lounge. 21010 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.930.2345, gopacificcity.com
attraction also boasts the nation’s highest concentration of elite retailers. Among hundreds of such boutiques are spectacularly redone Louis Vuitton and new Alexander McQueen and Givenchy; the center also includes high-end department stores Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, and more than 30 restaurants. It’s within walking distance of major performing-arts venues. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 800.782.8888, southcoastplaza.com
EATERTAINMENT H ANAHEIM GARDENWALK Destination near the Disney Resort features a spectacular House of Blues, Mission Escape Games, Go VR Gaming, the O’Neill and Harley-Davidson boutiques, Bowlmor bowling lounge, Heat Ultra Lounge and restaurants Grasslands Meat Market, Roy’s and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. 400 W. Disney Way, Anaheim, 714.635.7410, anaheimgardenwalk.com H THE DISTRICT AT TUSTIN LEGACYCL900687 Sprawling lifestyle destination offers impressively redone AMC theaters, Whole Foods Market, restaurants (the Winery, J Zhou Oriental Cuisine, the Halal Guys and new Joon Shabu Shabu) and curated dining and retail at Union Market (Hatch, Kettlebar, Portola Coffee, Central Bar). 2437 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.259.9090, thedistricttl.com
SOUTH COAST COLLECTION0000022726 Called SoCo for short. Twenty interiordesign-skewed showrooms, such as Pirch and Lightopia, and creative studios. Centerpiece OC Mix features diverse vendors Miel boutique and the Mixing Glass for cocktail ware as well as nationally acclaimed Taco María. 3303-3323 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, 949.760.9150, socoandtheocmix.com
H DOWNTOWN DISNEYDISTL0000022721 Twenty-acre esplanade adjacent to theme parks is undergoing a transformation. Boutiques include the Disney Dress Shop, Disney Home, the Lego Store and Sanuk; Splitsville Luxury Lanes and virtual reality venue the Void are new. Among dining options are Catal Restaurant and Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen. 1580 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.300.7800, downtowndisney.com
H SOUTH COAST PLAZACL0000022726 The “ultimate shopping resort” is the highest-grossing planned retail venue in the U.S.; the state-designated tourist
THE TRIANGLECL900692 Entertainment and dining on a triangular block. Entertainment includes new Keys on Main dueling pianos, plus
PENDANTS AT JOHN HARDY, NEW AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA
Time Nightclub, Costa Mesa 55 Tavern + Bowl and Starlight Cinemas. Dining: La Vida Cantina, Black Knight Gastro Lounge and Yard House. 1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, 949.650.0732, go2triangle.com
SHOPS & BOUTIQUES H ADAM NEELEY FINE ART JEWELRYCL9000006886 Modern lines and sensuous forms showcase rare gemstones and precious metals in creations fusing fine jewelry and fine art. Specialties include custom design, appraisal and advanced goldsmithing; Adam Neeley developed Iris gold, a color gradient of gold. 352 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.0953, adamneeley.com A’MAREE’SCL9000006934 Lofty boutique—haute couture in a no-pressure, no-pretense setting since the 1970s—run by mother and three daughters in expansive stand-alone quarters overlooking Newport Harbor. 2241 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.642.4423, amarees.com
ANASTASIA Chic boutique offers fashion-forward designer clothing—ready-to-wear as well as streetwear from Europe and Japan—plus jewelry, accessories and objets d’art. Breakfast in the cafe. 460 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach, 949.497.1212, anastasiaboutique.com ANTHROPOLOGIE & CO. The Fashion Island location of the boho-chic womenswear, shoes, beauty and accessories destination is the chain’s first store in California to have a home department; it features a dozen decorinspired rooms. 823 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.720.9946, anthropologie.com AREO06876 Areo offers out-of-the-ordinary gifts, a beguiling mix of jewelry, books and housewares, all appealing to the artistic eye. Wrapping is free and beautiful: corrugated boxes wrapped in blue ribbon and sealed with French gold wax. 207 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach, 949.376.0535, areohome.com
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BEACH BUNNY SWIMWEARCL9000006888 All sexy, all the time! Each lingerieinspired or otherwise provocative suit here gets its own mannequin; a former swim cover model founded the line. 2210 Newport Blvd., Suite 104, Newport Beach, 949.873.5711, beachbunnyswimwear.com BRIONICL9000006888 Known for the Italian craftsmanship and sartorial excellence of its men’s suits, Brioni has dressed countless Hollywood personalities, business leaders and heads of state—even James Bond in some films. Entrylevel suits run about $5,000; custom suits run up to $48,000. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.427.0945, brioni.com
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DIOR HOMME The exclusive men’s boutique offers items reflecting the elegance and heritage of the Christian Dior label. Merchandise ranges from dress apparel to leisurewear, shoes to fragrances, all accompanied by world-class service. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 657.900.4887, dior.com
C. DOBBS Owner Carol Dobbs presents handpicked, handmade, high-end cuttingedge fashions for women and men from labels such as Sergio Hudson, James Carletons and Hotel Particulier. The sunny boutique also offers artworks for sale and jewelry for rent. 2823 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, 949.427.2321, c-dobbs.com
ELYSE WALKER Second location of a Pacific Palisades celeb destination presents 12,000 gorgeous square feet of boutique. Designer and on-trend contemporary apparel as well as jewelry, footwear and handbags—and there’s still room for a jewelry vault and a hair salon. The marvelous contemporary art on the walls is also for sale. 3444 Via Lido, Newport Beach, 949.612.2646, elysewalker.com
CHANEL The boutique features gold wall panels, silk curtains, rock-crystal chandeliers and the latest from designer Karl Lagerfeld: clothing, accessories, shoes, jewelry, watches, cosmetics and fragrances. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.754.7455, chanel.com
FETNEH BLAKECL9000006891 The namesake owner, known for seemingly effortless chic, showcases forward-thinking designers at her sleek runway-to-portal boutique, curating fashion through a prism of style, femininity and strength. 427 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.494.3787, fetnehblake.com
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTINCL9000006890 A glimpse of the red-lacquer soles of the Parisian designer’s sexy pumps, sandals and boots, or handbags, can set a fashionista’s heart aflutter. The boutique is among the county’s most stylish. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.754.9200, christianlouboutin.com
GORJANA Gorjana Reidel’s jewelry is understated, lightweight and timeless. It does well layering (necklaces) or stacking (silver rings); top sellers include gold cuffs and rose-gold earrings. Fashion Island, 265 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.662.6101; Irvine Spectrum Center, 864 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, 949.585.9128; 190 Beach St., Laguna Beach, 949.715.8166. gorjana.com
DAINESE The go-to place for stylish motorcycle enthusiasts. The Italian line offers
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fitted leather garments such as gloves, pants and racing and touring jackets for men and women as well as sleek AGV helmets. 1645 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa, 949.650.2300, dstoreorangecounty.com
H GRAYSE Marie and Kelly Gray, who a decade ago helmed St. John Knits, offer sequined and embellished tops and dresses, Italian silk-printed tunics, and detailed leather jackets. Fashion Island, 231 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.640.0025, shop.mkgrayse.com HARLEY-DAVIDSONCL9000006896 Virtually all merchandise bears the bar-and-shield logo: hats, jeans, T-shirts, poker chips, belt buckles— even teddy bears. The boutique also exhibits vintage bikes; the design of the interior suggests a motorcycle engine. Anaheim GardenWalk, 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.399.0080, losangelesharleydavidsonofanaheim.com H THE HEARTHSTONECL0000022734 Venerated fireplace specialist offers the finest French, English and American antique, reconditioned, contemporary and original components. Huge showroom displays custom fixtures in brass, bronze, steel, chrome, aged silver plate and wrought iron. 1635 Monrovias Ave., Costa Mesa, 949.673.7065, orangecountyfireplace.com JACK’S SURFBOARDS Boarders—surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders—come for the extensive inventory of surfboards, wetsuits, clothing, sunglasses, footwear, swimwear, skateboards and surfing accessories for men, women and kids. Five locations include 101 Main St., Huntington Beach, 714.536.4516; Corona del Mar Plaza, 900 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach, 949.718.0001; 34320 Pacific Coast Hwy., Dana Point, 949.276.8080. jackssurfboards.com JAEGER-LECOULTRE Since 1833, this Swiss watchmaker has been known for its elegance and technological innovation. Iconic watches include the Grande Reverso, the technologically advanced Duomètre and a line using dazzling jewelry. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.955.4048, jaeger-lecoultre.com
JAMES PERSE James Perse, whose father operated influential L.A. boutique Maxfield, offers his own collections for women, men and children with a minimalist aesthetic. The women’s line features well-tailored jackets, skirts and dresses with a chic simplicity. 1803 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, 949.722.1601, jamesperse.com JOLIE Chérie D’Sa offers clothing, jewelry, shoes, handbags, eyewear, accessories and homewares at her new boutique, a neighborhood favorite adjacent to Lido Marina Village. Top lines such as A.L.C., Helmut Lang and RtA appeal to stylish women of any age. 3400 Via Lido, Newport Beach, 949.723.0091 LOUIS VUITTONCL9000006891 Architect Peter Marino has transformed the boutique, Architectural Digest says, “into a kaleidoscopic wonderland of fashion, art and culture.” It boasts Louis Vuitton’s largest single retail floor in the Americas and adds a second-story atelier. All lines—and a new home and travel collection—are carried; an artisan hand-paints travel pieces with custom motifs. 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.662.6907, us.louisvuitton.com LUGANO DIAMONDS Exquisitely cut diamonds and other precious gems are given classic or custom-designed contemporary settings in gold, titanium or platinum. 620 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.720.1258; Montage Laguna Beach, 30801 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.6235. luganodiamonds.com H OC GOODWILL BOUTIQUE A curated collection of discounted designer clothing, accessories and housewares—an elevated thrift-store experience where 92% of proceeds benefit life-changing programs in the community. 18631 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, 714.274.0120; 502 E. 1st St., Tustin, 714.716.2126. ocgoodwill.org
SHOES AT LULULEMON, FASHION ISLAND
OC MIX South Coast Collection centerpiece features 30 shops and vendors under one roof: Miel, Cloth & Metal and Eva’s Trunk and Denim Bar as well as the Cheese Shop, the Mixing Glass for cocktail enthusiasts and We Olive & Wine Bar. Dining options include acclaimed Taco María, the L.A. Times Restaurant of the Year. 3313 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, 949.760.9150, socoandtheocmix.com OMEGACL9000006927 It took 162 years for the luxury Swiss watch manufacturer, now part of the Swatch Group, to open its first boutique in Orange County. The brand is known for its world-record accuracy, the Moon Watch—the only watch worn on the moon—since 1969, and the first diver’s watch. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.850.0558, omegawatches.com ON QUE STYLE Stylist Kirsten Prosser’s “walk-in closet” boutique studio, a luxury
consignment and resale store, is the place to find distinctive couture pieces as well as remarketed luxury designer and vintage clothing and accessories. 2900 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, 949.717.7795, onquestyle.com RED FOX GOOD CLOTHES Eclectic, well-edited mix at intimate spot nods at trends, with classic and bohemian styles comfortably coexisting alongside tailored simplicity. Quality is the common thread: Owner Jeremy Scruggs is a retail veteran of Armani, Donna Karan and Tom Ford. 3500 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, 949.612.7720; redfoxgoodclothes.com RODD & GUNN 006891 Menswear offers contemporary style but also timeless qualities that suggest the beauty and spirit of the brand’s native New Zealand. A sporting tradition is paired with a sense of refinement, presented in a rustically elegant boutique. Fashion Island, 1129 Newport Center Drive., Newport Beach, 949.706.2677, roddandgunn.com
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FOREST & OCEAN GALLERY Fine-art gallery representing about 30 artists is dedicated primarily to photography but also other media; it serves as the resident gallery for the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. Among the venue’s featured artists are Robert Hanson, Andrew C. Ko and Tom Lamb. 480 Ocean Ave, Laguna Beach, 949.371.3313, forestoceangallery.com JOANNE ARTMAN GALLERY0000022751 Aptly named JoAnne Artman offers an eclectic mix of photographs, pastels, watercolors, oils, acrylics and sculpture by award-winning artists based in Laguna Beach and New York shown and collected by museums here and abroad. 326 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.510.5481, joanneartmangallery.com
ROLEX Business is brisk at Rolex—which opened its first boutique in the United States at South Coast Plaza—never mind price tags venturing well into six figures. The boutique showcases one of the world’s largest selections of Rolex, more than 1,000 of the timepieces. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.241.8088, rolex.com TRADITIONAL JEWELERS Luxurious store, prominent for more than 30 years, in a stunning contemporary space offers exquisite jewelry by Stephen Webster, Marco Bicego and Mikimoto, timepieces from Patek Philippe, Cartier and Rolex. Fashion Island, 817 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.721.9010, traditionaljewelers.com VIX BY PAULA HERMANNY Celeb-favored swimwear combines Brazilian sexiness with the casual elegance of coastal California: daring bikinis, flattering one-pieces plus sandals, wraps and jewelry. Fashion
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Island, 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.600.4490, vixpaulahermanny.com
GALLERIES
DAWSON COLE FINE ARTCL0000022745 The gorgeous venue features sculptor Richard MacDonald, whose pieces include The Flair, honoring the 1996 Olympics, and Momentum, marking the 100th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The gallery and marvelous sculpture garden also display works of Robert Heindel and Henry Moore. 326 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, 949.497.4988, dawsoncolefineart.com h ETHOS CONTEMPORARY ART Gallery specializes in large-scale abstract expressionism, monumental steel and bronze sculpture, American impressionism and art glass. Established contemporary artists from across the nation present “fine art for luxury development”—original art and prints, fabrication, installation, large-format printing, lighting
LEN WOOD’S INDIAN TERRITORY Gallery specializes in Hopi kachinas, Zuni fetishes, Navajo textiles and Mission Indian baskets and artifacts. Also for sale: Navajo, Zuni and Hopi jewelry as well as books and weaponry. The Museum of the First People within the venue displays weavings dating to 1870 and baskets from 1850 to 1929. 36 Argonaut, Suite 120, Aliso Viejo, 949.497.5747, indianterritory.com MARTIN LAWRENCE GALLERIES0000022751 Premier fine-art gallery presents paintings, sculpture and limited-edition graphics by 20th-century masters including Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso, living artists such as Takashi Murakami and Philippe Bertho, and the best of emerging artists. The gallery has lent hundreds of works to the museums of the world for their exhibitions. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, 949.759.0134, martinlawrence.com
NAT GEO FINE ART GALLERY Limited-edition fine-art prints by the professional photographers who document the world for the National Geographic Society and National Geographic magazine. Behind every one of the gallery’s iconic images is an amazing story. Print provenance verified by trusted.com. 218 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach, 949.627.8232, natgeofineart.com PETER BLAKECL0000022751 The prestigious modern and contemporary fine-art gallery has been a definitive resource for art, mostly abstract, for more than two decades. Historically edgier than most Laguna Beach galleries, Peter Blake displays paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography; among the showcased artists are Lita Albuquerque, Tony DeLap and Ed Moses. 435 Ocean Ave., Laguna Beach, 949.376.9994, peterblakegallery.com SUSAN SPIRITUS GALLERY00022751 Owner Spiritus has shared her passion for fine-art photography for four decades. Her catalog presents luminaries including Ansel Adams as well as contemporary artists such as Camille Seaman, with strong overseas representation. 20351 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach, 714.754.1286, susanspiritusgallery.com WYLAND GALLERIES Preeminent showcase for marine-life art offers works in a variety of media—originals and reproductions including oil and watercolor, abstracts, Sumi-E, Chinese brush paintings, photography and sculptures—but the subject is always the sea and its creatures. Wyland is well-known for his Whaling Wall murals; one is outside the gallery. 509 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.376.8000, wylandgalleries.com
FOR MORE SHOPPING LISTINGS, SEE WHERE ORANGE COUNTY MAGAZINE OR SOCALPULSE.COM
COURTESY ETHOS CONTEMPORARY ART
and design. 3405 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, 949.791.8917, ethoscontemporaryart.com
DAKOTA PRATT CHERRIES, ETHOS CONTEMPORARY ART IN NEWPORT BEACH
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COURTESY BOURBON STEAK
DINING THERE ARE SUPER-TRENDY SPOTS AND ENDLESS ETHNIC POSSIBILITIES, BUT THE FOCUS IN ORANGE COUNTY IS ON TIMELESS SOPHISTICATION AND MARKET-DRIVEN, SUSTAINABLE AND OFTEN ORGANIC CUISINE. HERE ARE MANY OF ITS BEST RESTAURANTS.
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DINING
Prior to the 20th century, all food was farm to table or farm to fork—or farm to fingers, as the case may be. In the 21st century, many restaurants are once again promoting fresh, local, seasonal
ANDREACL9000006861 Italian. Elegant but unstuffy setting offers one of the county’s most spectacular views, of elysian vistas and the Pacific beyond. Pasta and gelato are handmade in dedicated rooms. L (W-Su), D (daily). The Resort at Pelican Hill, 22701 Pelican Hill Road S., Newport Coast, 844.445.2183, pelicanhill.com
H AGORA CHURRASCARIACL9000006236 Brazilian. Choice cuts cooked over a fire pit with rock salt. Waiters dressed as gauchos offer 16 sumptuous cuts, from picanha (a sirloin specialty) to coração (delicate chicken hearts); it’s carnivore heaven. An elaborate hot and cold bar features vegetable and seafood specialties. L (M-F), D (nightly). 1830 Main St., Irvine, 949.222.9910, agoranow.com
ANDREI’S CONSCIOUS CUISINE & COCKTAILS American. Elevated fare and cocktails amid contemporary decor at the Nature Conservancy’s “favorite green restaurant” and outside on a citrusand-herb garden terrace featuring fire “tornadoes.” L (M-F), D (M-Sa). 2607 Main St., Irvine, 949.387.8887, andreisrestaurant.com
ingredients, and several of the best among them in Orange County use the word “farm” in their name. Farmhouse—its herb-roasted Jidori chicken seen above—is the culinary centerpiece at Roger’s Gardens, a spectacular nursery in Corona del Mar. Heirloom Farmhouse Kitchen is the stylish fine-dining
ANAHEIM PACKING HOUSE Food hall. Historic citrus hub hosts two dozen foodie vendors including Urbana for Mexican, Adya for Cal-Indian, Georgia’s for Southern, Hammer Workshop & Bar for cocktails, Black Sheep for grilled cheese sandwiches, Popbar for gelato on a stick. L, D (daily). 440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714.635.1350, anaheimpackingdistrict.com
destination at new Marriott Irvine Spectrum. Malibu Farm, which has locations in Malibu, Miami and Lanai, has opened harbor-side at Lido Marina Village in Newport Beach. Then there are The Ranch in Anaheim, a sophisticated spot whose produce can be harvested same-day from its own impressive farm nearby, and Harvest, which grows ingredients on-property at the Ranch at Laguna Beach.
H ANAHEIM WHITE HOUSE Italian. Housed in a 1909 manor, Sir Bruno Serato’s Italian steakhouse reopens after devastating fire with even more opulent fresco-filled decor and an upstairs bar with its own globe-trotting menu. Elaborately presented non-steak signatures include the rainbow-seafood rice doughnut, lobster ravioli and Jackie O dessert. D (nightly). 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714.772.1381, anaheimwhitehouse.com
ANEPALCO’S Mexican-French. Chef Daniel Godinez brings French technique and artistic presentations to traditional Mexican ingredients, with sophisticated results. Innovative cocktails are also a draw. L, D (daily). 3737 W. Chapman Ave., Orange, 714.456.9642, anepalco.com ANQICL9000006860 Vietnamese fusion. Small plates in sexy setting with back-lit bar and glass catwalk over running stream. Garlic noodles at noodle bar. Garlic crab Tuesdays. Lovely cocktails. L, D (daily). Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.557.5679, houseofan.com H ANTONELLO RISTORANTECL002659 Italian. Top-notch northern Italian for more than 35 years. Don’t miss the lobster ravioli, osso buco, ricotta gnocchi or Non Plus Ultra, O.C.’s largest steak (50 ounces). Separate
Enoteca Lounge and bar. L (M-F), D (M-Sa). South Coast Plaza Village, 3800 S. Plaza Drive, Santa Ana, 714.751.7153, antonello.com ARCCL0000022660 American. Noah and Marin Blum present “flame, flavor, finesse” cuisine—e.g., duck leg with lentils, egg and parsley; Butcher’s Love for four, arguably O.C.’s best steak— amid rustic apothecary decor. Cocktails are among the county’s best, too. L, D (daily). South Coast Collection, 3321 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, 949.500.5561, arcrestaurant.com AVEO TABLE + BARCL00260 Mediterranean. Coastal bounty amid cool chandeliers and expansive ocean views. Eggs al forno breakfast, porchetta sandwich, paella, spectacular desserts. Cocktails beneath vaulted ceiling showcase house-grown herbs. B, L, D (daily). 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, 949.234.3900, monarchbeachresort.com H THE BEACHCOMBER American. Spot in historic cottage on the sand at Crystal Cove State Park. Huli huli tofu; braised short ribs with walnut Gorgonzola ravioli; Gimme S’mores. Outdoor Bootlegger Bar. Shuttle from Los Trancos parking lot. B, L, D (daily). 15 Crystal Cove, Newport Beach, 949.376.6900, thebeachcombercafe.com BLUEFINCL0000022661 Japanese. Venerated chef Takashi Abe offers exquisite sushi and hot entrees. Toro tartare with osetra caviar; roast duck breast with sansho pepper sauce. Opt for omakase. L, D (daily). Crystal Cove Shopping Center, 7952 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Coast, 949.715.7373, bluefinbyabe.com
H STARRED LISTINGS ARE FEATURED GUESTBOOK ADVERTISERS. 64
WHERE GUESTBOOK
DARIN MEYER
BACK AT THE FARM
A RESTAURANTCL9000006302 American. Stylish spot—“classically hip since 1926”—with red leather booths. Chef Jon Blackford’s menu includes spicy yellowfin tuna, Imperial wagyu coulotte and, at the bar, a superlative burger. Cafe/market is adjacent. L (M-F), D (nightly). 3334 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.650.6505, arestaurantnb.com
Fresh Italian Cuisine ● Happy Hour ● Banquets ● Full-Service Catering ● Kid Friendly South Coast Plaza Village
(714) 751-7153
3800 South Plaza Drive Santa Ana, CA 92704
www.antonello.com
South Coast Plaza
(714) 754-0300
3333 Bristol St #1201 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
www.quattrocaffe.com
South Coast Plaza
(714) 557-5232
3333 Bear St. #2887 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
www.antonello.com
H CHART HOUSECL0000022665 Seafood. The architecture alone— three circular pods atop a bluff overlooking the harbor—is worth a visit. Lobster bisque; crispy wokfried whole fish; hot lava chocolate cake with Godiva liqueur; porthole cocktails. D (nightly). 34442 Street of the Green Lantern, Dana Point, 949.493.1183, chart-house.com
THE SIGNATURE AT MIX MIX KITCHEN BAR IN SANTA ANA
H BLUEWATER GRILLCL9000006300 Seafood. Seafood so fresh—grilled Australian barramundi, farmraised Mississippi catfish—that the menu changes daily. Waterfront patio. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 630 Lido Park Drive, Newport Beach, 949.675.3474, bluewatergrill.com H BOURBON STEAK CL0000022661 Steak. Tableside presentations and coastal sunsets at Monarch Beach Resort. Osetra caviar parfait; broiled and lemongrass-tea-sizzled seafood platter; hay-smoked rib-eye; martini cart; and remarkable old- and newschool interpretations of other cocktails. D (nightly). 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, 949.234.3900, michaelmina.net BROADWAY BY AMAR SANTANA American. Original spot of former Bravo Top Chef runner-up Amar Santana. (The other is Vaca in Costa Mesa.) New American cuisine, great cocktails amid New York-themed
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decor. D (M-Sa). 328 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, 949.715.8234, broadwaybyamarsantana.com H BUBBA GUMP SHRIMP CO.CL00543 Seafood. Casual, kid-friendly spot near Disney Resort and convention center offers shrimp every way imaginable: coconut, drunken, fried, in pasta or po’boy sandwich. Plus ribs, burgers, fried chicken and crab legs. L, D (daily). Anaheim GardenWalk, 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.635.4867, bubbagump.com CAPITAL GRILLECL9000006868 Steak. Elegant steakhouse offers dryaged beef amid portraits of local historic figures. Pan-fried calamari with cherry peppers, bone-in kona-crusted dry-aged sirloin. 5,000 wines; classic cocktails. L, D (daily). South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.432.1140, thecapitalgrille.com H CATAL RESTAURANT000022665 Mediterranean. Elegant dining room and sprawling balcony with
CUCINA ENOTECAL0000054534 Italian. Cal-Ital fare and wine shop amid whimsical decor. Vasi (minimason jars), guanciale bucatini, squash-blossom pizza. Wine: retail plus $10. L, D (daily). 951 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.706.1416; Irvine Spectrum Center, 31 Fortune Drive, Irvine, 949.861.2222. cucinaenoteca.com DIN TAI FUNG Chinese. Taiwanese restaurant renowned for meticulous xiao long bao, pot stickers and other dumplings. The New York Times tapped the original for its world’s Top 10; the late Jonathan Gold had L.A.’s in his top 101. L, D (daily). 3333 Bristol St. Costa Mesa, 714.549.3388, dintaifungusa.com DRIFTWOOD KITCHEN + BAR0000022665 American. Overlooks the sand. Santa Barbara uni with hamachi; dramatically presented whole fried Texas redfish (order a day in advance); cozy, edgy Stateroom Bar. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). Pacific Edge Hotel, 619 Sleepy Hollow Lane, Laguna Beach, 949.715.7700, driftwoodkitchen.com FARMHOUSE86 Californian. Field-to-fork centerpiece of spectacular Roger’s Gardens
nursery is a hit. Chicken liver paté; panko-, dijon- and citrus-crusted Icelandic cod with dehydrated oranges. L, D (daily). 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, 949.640.1415, farmhouserg.com FIG & OLIVECL0000022670 Mediterranean. Ode to olive oil offers sophisticated fare from crostini and crudos to creme brulee cheesecake in an olive-tree-studded setting. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 151 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.877.3005, figandolive.com FIVE CROWNSCL0000022671 Continental. Venerated Lawry's spot in replica of England’s oldest inn has an evolving menu—but the prime rib isn’t going anywhere. SideDoor gastropub is adjacent. D (nightly). 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, 949.760.0331, lawrysonline.com GABBI’S MEXICAN KITCHENCL0000022673 Mexican. Chef-owner Gabbi Patrick draws on Mexico’s rich culinary heritage to offer dishes that rarely fail to fascinate, e.g., pozole verde with sea bream and littleneck clams. L, D (daily). 141 S. Glassell St., Orange, 714.633.3038, gabbipatrick.com GRATITUDE0006928 Vegan. Chic flagship of SoCal chain chain features elaborate plant-based dishes with affirming names such as “Welcoming.” Creative cocktails. B, L, D (daily). Westcliff Plaza, 1617 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, 949.386.8103, cafegratitude.com HABANACL0000022673 Latin. Palatial new second location of hip Nuevo Latino spot adds breakfast, teatime and bakery. Ropa vieja; tamale pie. Great patios and brunch. Costa Mesa: L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). Irvine: B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). The Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.556.0176; Irvine Spectrum Center, 708 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, 949.419.0100. restauranthabana.com
JULIE CHUNG
panoramic Downtown Disney views. Specialties include tapas, Catalan seafood stew, lobster paella, suckling pig, grilled steaks and excellent cocktails. B, L, D (daily). 1580 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.774.4442, catalrestaurant.com
At THE RANCH Restaurant, Executive Chef Michael Rossi and his brother, Pastry Chef Dave Rossi, create seasonally-driven dishes inspired by THE RANCH’s very own local organic Farm. Open nightly for dinner, the menu features Country Fried Texas Quail, Heirloom Beets Salad, and the famous 58-ounce Cowboy Ribeye. THE RANCH Cellar boasts 10,000+ bottles and 500+ labels of the finest wines, including Madeiras dating back to 1834, and Ports as far back as 1966. A team of over a dozen Certified Sommeliers will guide your selection to pair perfectly with your meal, or choose from an exclusive list of whiskey and local craft brews. Next door, THE RANCH Saloon is voted “Best Place for Country Music and Line Dancing” in Orange County. Open Wednesday - Sunday, age restrictions vary by day.
St. College Blvd.
Harbor Blvd.
1025 East Ball Road Anaheim, CA 92805 714.817.4200 | theranch.com
Ball Rd.
S. Lewis St.
Located less than two miles from the Disneyland® Resort! Call ahead for reservations.
PERFECTION MAKES THE BEST
IMPRESSION.
HANA RECL0000022673 Japanese. Exterior belies transporting omakase and serene minimalist environment within. “Short” tasting Tu-Th. D (Tu-Sa). The Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.545.2800, hanaresushi.com HARVESTCL0000022673 Californian. Dining room has golf and dramatic canyon views. Much is house-made and grown in the garden and orchard. Half Mary’s Chicken; popcorn panna cotta dessert. B, L, D (daily). The Ranch at Laguna Beach, 31106 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.499.2271, theranchlb.com HAVEN GASTROPUBCL9000006859 Brewpub. Adventurous fare—from Jidori chicken-liver toast to whole roasted suckling pig—as well as superlative burgers and palateprovoking beers. B (Sa-Su); L, D (daily). 190 S. Glassell St., Orange, 714.221.0680, havengastropub.com
Whether it’s a private dinner or a grand reception for hundreds of guests, every request that you and our team plan together will be executed flawlessly. Within walking distance of: Anaheim Convention Center Downtown Disney • Disneyland California Adventure Park Contact salesanaheim@ruthschris.com to learn more about private dining and catering at Ruth’s.
Anaheim • 714.750.5466 • 2041 S. Harbor Blvd.
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HEIRLOOM FARMHOUSE KITCHEN022673 Californian. Stylish and relaxed fine-dining room at new Marriott Irvine Spectrum. Ancient Breads trio and charred-nopales starters; brick-roasted Jidori chicken; elegant cocktails. B, L, D (daily). Marriott Irvine Spectrum, 7905 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, 949.759.0200, heirloomfarmhousekitchen.com THE HOBBITCL0000022675 Continental. Special-occasion seven-course prix-fixe affair at homey hacienda includes aperitifs upstairs, hors d’oeuvres in the wine cellar and new Continental classics in elegant dining rooms. Menu changes weekly. Reservations essential. D (W-Su). 2932 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, 714.997.1972, hobbitrestaurant.com H JOE'S CRAB SHACK Seafood. Lively spots with beachthemed decor and fun atmosphere are known for peel-and-eat shrimp, steam pots and crab buckets. L, D
(daily). 12011 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, 714.703.0505; 2607 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.650.1818. joescrabshack.com H JT SCHMID’SCL0 Brewpub. Popular spots known for beers brewed on-site and extensive menu: wood-fired pizzas, prime aged steaks, pastas, burgers, sashimi, blackened-fish tacos and jambalaya. L, D (daily). 2610 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.634.9200; the District at Tustin Legacy, 2415 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.258.0333. jtschmids.com LAS BRISAS0000022678 Mexican. Window-lined cliff-top spot with superb coastal views. Highlights: chili garlic mussels; two-mole Mary’s Chicken; snapper Veracruzana. The patio has its own menu and cocktail list. B, L (M-Sa); D (nightly); Br (Su). 361 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, 949.497.5434, lasbrisaslagunabeach.com= LEATHERBY’S CAFÉ ROUGE22686 Californian. Chic and sleek Patina Group dining room at the glittering Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Curvilinear glass sets the scene for sophisticated pre- or post-performance cuisine. D (Tu-Su for center events). 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.429.7640, patinagroup.com H LIGHTHOUSE BAYVIEW CAFÉ American. Lighthouse-shaped with harbor-view. King’s Hawaiian French toast with mango compote; balsamic portobello mushroom sandwich; chile de arbol seafood pasta; beignets. B, L (M-F); D (nightly); Br (Sa-Su). Marina Park, 1600 W. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach, 949.933.1001, lighthousenb.com LSXOCL0 Vietnamese. Intimate restaurant within Bluegold restaurant offers Saigon cuisine, intoxicating décor and servers clad in black eveningwear. Standouts include assemble-yourself
NAMED #1 RESTAURANT IN ORANGE COUNTY MONARCH BEACH RESORT 949.234.3900 | MONARCHBEACHRESORT.COM/BOURBON-STEAK
Orange County’s Most Sophisticated Hot Spot Featuring Locally Sourced Contemporary American Fare
imperial rolls; bo kho hot pot; peanut butter and jelly cheesecake; and spectacular cocktails. B, L, D (daily). Pacific City, 21016 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.374.0083, dinebluegold.com LMARCHÉ
MODERNECL9000006303 French. Chef Florent Marneau and pastry-chef wife Amelia, who have offered one of SoCal’s finest bistro experiences for a decade, are in stunning new quarters. Braised veal and crayfish blanquette; lamb couscous royale; caramelized peach financier cake. L, D (daily). Crystal Cove Shopping Center, 7862 Pacific Coast Hwy., Newport Coast, 714.434.7900, marchemoderne.net H MASTRO’S OCEAN CLUBCL0 Seafood. Seafood flown in daily served in majestic proportions at bluff-top, ocean-view spot. Start with Seafood Tower; end with warm butter cake. Glass-topped grand piano in the O Bar. D (nightly). Crystal Cove Promenade, 8112 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Coast, 949.376.6990, mastrosrestaurants.com H MASTRO’S STEAKHOUSECL0000022682 Steak. Portions at swanky spot are larger than life: wet-aged hand-cut bone-in filet; excessively good sides such as the lobster mashed potatoes and crab gnocchi; and the warm butter cake. White-jacket service. Fine live music and fine cocktails in the bar. D (nightly). 633 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, 714.546.7405, mastrosrestaurants.com
watertablehb.com
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MAYOR'S TABLECL0000022673 Californian. Dining room, raw bar, chef’s counter serving seafood and “vegetable-forward cuisine” at new beachy-chic hotel. Crispy California avocado with Calabrian chili mayo and puffed corn; petite filet mignon with cream-free creamed corn and foraged mushrooms. B, L (M-F); D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). Lido House, 3300 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, 949.524.8500, lidohousehotel.com
H MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’S82 Seafood. Daily-changing menu of regionally inspired fresh seafood and steaks; the casual bars are acclaimed for their happy hours. Irvine: L (M-F), D (nightly). Anaheim: L, D (daily). 2000 Main St., Irvine, 949.756.0505; 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.535.9000. mccormickandschmicks.com MIXCL0 Californian. Hilton Anaheim executive chef Frederic Castan oversees the globally influenced menu at the strikingly redone atrium lobby restaurant and lounge and the impressive chef’s table in the kitchen. B, L, D (daily). Hilton Anaheim, 777 Convention Way, Anaheim, 714.740.4412, hiltonanaheimhotel.com MIX MIX KITCHEN BARCL0MNIX Filipino fusion. Ross Pangilinan’s first spot, widely considered O.C.’s best new restaurant of 2016. Yellowfin tuna ceviche, ribeye with sweetpurple-potato espuma, Silly Rabbit cocktail. D (Tu-Sa), Br (Su). 300 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.836.5158, mixmixkitchenbar.com H MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSECL85 Steak. Classy bastion of beef offers service-plus, colossal portions and mahogany booths. Double filet; Cajun rib-eye; filet Oscar. Show-and-tell tableside menu recitation. Bar 1221. Santa Ana: L (M-F), D (nightly). Anaheim: D (nightly). South Coast Plaza Village, 1641 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, 714.444.4834; 1895 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, 714.621.0101. mortons.com NAPA ROSECL0000022687 Californian. Disney Resort ode to the wine country is a celebration of beauty in the bottle—there are dozens of sommeliers—and the bounty of nature as showcased in sophisticated seasonal dishes. D (nightly). Grand Californian Hotel, 1600 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.781.3463, disneyland.disney.go.com
H NAPLES RISTORANTE00265 Italian. Family-friendly restaurant and pizzeria features southern Italian and other regional dishes; branzino (Mediterranean sea bass) is the specialty. Observe lively Downtown Disney from the patio. L, D (daily). 1510 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.776.6200, naplesristorante.com NOBUCL0 Japanese. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and actor Robert De Niro open an outpost of their globally renowned chain. Gorgeous lounge centers on an oval bar and spills out onto a patio overlooking a harbor canal; fullmenu dining and sushi are offered at sushi bar and at tables upstairs. Cocktail omakase on the patio. L (SaSu), D (nightly). Lido Marina Village, 3442 Via Oporto, Newport Beach, 949.429.4440, noburestaurants.com OAK GRILL1 Californian. Contemporary fare with classical influences in an oak-laden dining room and on a striking patio shared with Aqua Lounge. Fifty wines by the glass and superb cocktails. B, L, D (daily). Fashion Island Hotel, 690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.760.4920, oakgrillnb.com OLD VINE CAFECL0000022665 American. Regional, seasonal and a pleasure any time of day, be it for chef Mark McDonald’s caramel apple French toast, his beef-tongue panini or any of several ever-impressive fourcourse tasting menus with wine pairings. B, L (daily); D (Tu-Sa). The Camp, 2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.545.1411, oldvinecafe.com OOTORO SUSHICL0000022673 Japanese. Every bite surprises, and earns rapt attention, at this bustling omakase-centric spot; rare fish, trios (such as three types of yellowtail belly), A5+ Kobe beef plus elaborate cooked dishes. Fine-dining anchor for Trade food hall. L, D (Tu-Sa). 2222 Michelson Drive, Irvine, 949.222.0688, ootorosushi.com
PACIFIC HIDEAWAY0000022665 Californian. Share plates with Southeast Asia or Latin American influences amid decor including vibrant mural of Frida Kahlo. Lao sausage wraps, whole crispy snapper, Kite Surfer cocktail. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). Kimpton Shorebreak Resort, 500 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.965.4448, pacifichideawayhb.com PARK AVE RESTAURANTCL9000006304 Steak. Creative takes on American classics using produce meticulously grown on-site amid Googie architecture and midcentury decor. Il Garage for Italian adjacent. L (Tu-F), D (Tu-Su). 11200 Beach Blvd., Stanton, 714.901.4400, parkavedining.com PIZZERIA MOZZA CL0000022693 Italian. Spot from Mario Batali, Nancy Silverton and Joseph Bastianich serves transcendent pizzas. Start with squash blossoms with ricotta or bonemarrow al forno; end with caramel coppetta with marshmallow sauce and Spanish peanuts. L, D (daily). 800 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.945.1126, pizzeriamozza.com
AN UNPARALLELED
DINING EXPERIENCE The Finest Prime Steaks | The Freshest Seafood Exquisite Wines ⅼ Genuine Service Live Entertainment Nightly | Private Dining
COSTA MESA
633 ANTON BLVD | 714-546-7405
NEWPORT BEACH
8112 EAST COAST HWY | 949-376-6990
PUESTO Mexican. Ceative blue-corn tacos such as zucchini-and-cactus at two Irvine locations: striking at Los Olivos Marketplace, eye-popping at Park Place. Start with nogada guacamole with pomegranate arils and candied walnuts; agave spirits beyond tequila and mezcal. L, D (daily). 8577 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, 949.608.9990; 3311 Michelson Drive, Irvine, 949.608.7272. eatpuesto.com RALPH BRENNAN’S JAZZ KITCHENCL0000022695 American. Creole cuisine and New Orleans jazz. Pasta jambalaya, Gumbo Ya-Ya, bananas Foster. Beignets at Jazz Kitchen Express; casual meals downstairs; romantic dining upstairs. B, D (daily); L (M-Sa); Br (Su). Downtown Disney, 1590 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.776.5200, rbjazzkitchen.com
FOR ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS, VISIT WWW.MASTROSRESTAURANTS.COM MASTROSRESTAURANTS @MASTROSOFFICIAL
WHERE GUESTBOOK
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RAMOS HOUSE CAFÉCL0000022696 American. Captivating ramshackle abode in historic district offers delectable contemporary daytime fare with a Southern accent befitting the alfresco setting and rumble of passing trains. B, L (Tu-F); Br (Sa-Su). 31752 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano, 949.443.1342, ramoshouse.com H THE RANCHCL00543 American. Sophisticated restaurant with adjacent super-fun saloon. Chef Michael Rossi offers fried Petaluma quail and a glorious cowboy rib-eye, a chop with a 20-inch bone; finish with brother David’s pecan pie. Most produce is picked daily from the Ranch’s own farm. D (nightly). 1025 E. Ball Road, Anaheim, 714.817.4200, theranch.com H RED O Mexican. We go for the sexy Moroccan-inflected design—not to mention the taquitos stuffed with crispy Sonoma duck, the pork-belly sopes, margaritas and that peachcolored habanero salsa! L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). Fashion Island, 143 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.718.0300, redorestaurant.com
Taste of Mexico
Happy Hour
l
Weekend Brunch
l
H RUSTY PELICAN3 Seafood. Contemporary American menu includes crab cakes, swordfish with Cajun spices and Kentucky bourbon sauce, pastas, prime rib and steaks. Romantic waterfront patio. L, D (daily); Br (Su). 2735 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.642.3431, rustypelican.com
Live Music
Fa s h i on Isl a nd - 1 43 Newp o r t Center Dr ive | 949.7 18.0300
redorestaurant.com
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H RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE3 Steak. USDA Prime steaks and chops sizzling with black-truffle butter or shiitake demi-glace on a 500-degree plate; blue-crab cakes sizzle, too. Soaring ceilings, colorful glass at New Orleans-inspired Anaheim location. Anaheim: D (nightly); Irvine: L (F), D (daily). 2041 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, 714.750.5466; 2961 Michelson Drive, Irvine, 949.252.8848. ruthschris.com
SELANNE STEAK TAVERN Steak. Ice hockey legend Teemu Selänne proves to be an all-star restaurateur, offering several distinct settings within a historic cottage and a distinctive menu. Pacific diver scallops, scarlet beet ravioli, Lord Stanley cut wagyu steak for two and the monkey bread dessert. D (Tu-Su). 1464 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.9881, selannesteaktavern.com H SILVER TRUMPET9000006916 American. Creative fare, stylish design near performing arts. Crispy cheese-filled squash blossoms, achiote skirt steak with chimichurri sauce. Seductively illuminated lounge; lakeside-view patio. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 3350 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, 714.442.8593, silvertrumpetrestaurant.com SPLASHESCL0000022700 Californian. Indoors by the fireplace or on the patio steps from the sand, crashing waves and stunning sunsets at this posh spot provide the backdrop for alluring menu and gorgeous memories. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). Surf & Sand Resort, 1555 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.376.2779, surfandsandresort.com STUDIOCL0000022704 Cal-French. Bluff-top bungalow with gorgeous azure Pacific view oozes offhand luxury befitting its premium resort setting. Menu goes far beyond the predictably posh. D (TuSu). The Montage, 30801 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.6420, studiolagunabeach.com SUSHI ROKUCL0000022704 Japanese. Gorgeous spot from Cal-Japanese sushi pioneer. Fluke kumquat sashimi, premium tofu three ways, blue-crab tartare, Prime rib-eye steak Japonais, spectacular zen s’mores dessert; sake tasting flights. L, D (daily). 327 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.706.3622, innovativedining.com
®
®
®
TACO MARÍA Mexican. Carlos Salgado, two-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award for best chef in the West, serves up meticulous, always fascinating “Chicano cuisine” at OC Mix. Memorable, distinctive tacos at lunch; dinner is a four-course prix-fixe that changes weekly. L, D (Tu-Sa); Br (Sa-Su). South Coast Collection, 3313 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, 714.538.8444, tacomaria.com
F E AT U R I N G
Contemporary California Cuisine Handcrafted Brews Wide Screen TVs Outdoor Patio
HAPPY HOUR
*
Mon - Fri 3-6:30pm THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT!
*Mon - Fri, 3pm-5pm when there is an event at the Honda Center or Anaheim Stadium
TUSTIN 2415 Park Ave. I At The District in Tustin ANAHEIM 2610 E Katella Ave. I Across from The Honda Center
Anaheim Resort Transportation ART OF CONNECTING THE DOTS
TANNER'SCL0000022660 American. Pool and ocean views, open-fire fare—plus stunning rooftop Treehouse Lounge with a superb cocktail list—at Paséa Hotel & Spa. Poke omelet, grape-and-burrata, roast salmon with coconut forbidden rice pudding. B, L, D (daily). 21080 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.698.6130, tannershb.com TERRACE BY MIX MIX00022660 Eclectic. New. Chef Ross Pangilinan of acclaimed Mix Mix Kitchen + Bar in Santa Ana offers small plates—mostly on a covered terrace, also at a wine bar and lunch counter—at South Coast Plaza. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 657.231.6447, terracebymixmix.com h TORTILLA JO’S0000022665 Mexican. Festive south-of-the-border spirit fills this Downtown Disney favorite. Chile relleno de lentejas, Barbacoa nachos and seafood del mar enchiladas; 100 tequilas. Terraces and balconies with views. L, D (daily). 1510 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.535.5000, tortillajos.com
Buy One Adult Pass Online & Receive a Child Pass FREE! Coupon Code: WMKID
The carefree way to get around the Anaheim Resort Discover the great dining, shopping and attractions along ART’s convenient routes. Affordable and easy for the whole family!
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rideart.org RIDE
DINE
SHOP
PLAY
h UVA BAR & GRILL0 000022665 Cal-Med. Breakfasts, salads and burgers at lunch, exceptional snacks all day at this striking outdoor bar on the esplanade. Cocktails and craft beers; house-made ice-cream sandwiches for the kids. B, L, D (daily). Downtown Disney, 1580 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.774.4442, uvabardowntowndisney.com
VACACL0000022708 Spanish. Tapas, paellas, house-made charcuterie, 50-day-aged steaks and superlative cocktails (Vaca Tonic) in striking space near South Coast Plaza from Amar Santana, former Bravo Top Chef runner-up. L, D (daily). 695 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.463.6060, vacagroup.com WATER GRILL Seafood. The county’s best oyster bar, wild Barents Sea red king crab, 1-pound Prime rib-eye, indulgent desserts in dramatic space opposite South Coast Plaza. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su). 3300 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, watergrill.com WATERLINECL0000022670 Seafood. Water-to-table experience showcases local seafood at every meal, e.g., crab eggs Benedict, crabcrusted salmon with truffle caviar and seafood foam. B, L, D (daily). Balboa Bay Resort, 1221 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.630.4145, balboabayresort.com h WATERTABLE American. “West Coast comfort food with attitude” in “living rooms” and on ocean-view patio. Bar Jars; wagyu burger with lamb-belly confit; stuffed branzino. B, L, D (daily). Hyatt Regency Resort, 21500 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.845.4776, watertablehb.com THE WINERYCL9000006911 Californian. Seafood, game and prime steaks, cigar patios, extensive wine cellars at striking spots, one overlooking Newport Harbor. Tustin: L (M-F), D (nightly); Newport: D (nightly), Br (Su). The District at Tustin Legacy, 2647 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.258.7600; 3131 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.999.6622. thewineryrestaurants.com
FOR MORE DINING LISTINGS, SEE WHERE ORANGE COUNTY MAGAZINE OR SOCALPULSE.COM
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
AGORA CHURRASCARIA
MENU HIGHLIGHTS Table-Served Side Dishes Fried Bananas Brazilian Cheese Bread Tomato Vinaigrette Salad Bar Selections Caesar Salad Baby Greens Eggplant Salad Hearts of Palm Sliced Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella Marinated Artichokes Pickled Shiitake Roasted Beets Selection of Cold Cuts and Cheeses Salmon Gravlax Shrimp Cocktail Hot Dishes Chicken Stroganoff Baked Salmon Feijoada (Black Bean Stew) Mussels Sauteed Collard Greens
“Agora Churrascaria, a meat lover’s paradise, is the next best thing to dining in Brazil.” —The Orange County Register Agora Churrascaria, located in the heart of Irvine, is a traditional Brazilian steakhouse where restaurant patrons are offered a fixed-price menu. It includes a selection of the finest beef, lamb, pork and chicken cuts, which gaucho-dressed waiters carve tableside. All of the meats are prepared and cooked as they have been for centuries: seasoned with rock salt to accent the individual tastes of each cut and slow-roasted over an open-flame mesquite charcoal pit. Also included in the fixed-price menu are the tableserved side dishes, the sumptuous salad bar and a selection of hot dishes. A salad bar-only option is also available. Agora’s full bar features classic and specialty cocktails along with an extensive wine list. Valet and public parking available in the adjoining lot. Reservations are recommended. L (M-F), D (nightly).
1830 Main St. (at MacArthur Boulevard), Irvine
949.222.9910 agoranow.com
Meats Beef Tenderloin Brazilian Pork Sausage Coração (Chicken Heart) Tri-tip Lamb Chops Pork Tenderloin Picanha (Top Sirloin Cap) Skirt Steak Beef Ribs Leg of Lamb Beef Wrapped in Bacon Chicken Drumstick Desserts Chocolate Mousse Cake Brazilian Flan Tiramisu Acaí Cheesecake Passion Fruit Mousse Gelatos and Sorbets
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BEACHCOMBER AT CRYSTAL COVE
LIGHTHOUSE BAYVIEW CAFÉ
On the beach and the toes in the sand destination. The Beachcomber offers spectacular views of the coast and Catalina Island from either the scenic patio deck or the cozy historic dining room patio. Located inside the Crystal Cove State Park in a historic cottage, the ambience of the celebrated retreat rekindles the nostalgia of a 1930’s beach resort, when the county’s Gold Coast was virtually undiscovered. In the morning for breakfast, enjoy dishes such as a avocado toast, coconut-macadamia pancakes, brioche French toast, and steak chilaquiles. The lunch menu features grilled shrimp tacos, Maine lobster club, and prime rib sandwich. At dinner, while watching the sunset over the Pacific, diners begin with calamari or mini ahi tuna tacos before moving on to braised short ribs, pan seared Alaskan halibut, or filet mignon. The Beachcomber’s Bootlegger Bar turns out legendary cocktails including the Pimm’s cup and Catalina Sunset, perfectly suited to the laid-back beach scene. B, L, D (daily).
This amazing restaurant sits on the water’s edge of Newport Harbor. The two-story restaurant with roof top deck is architecturally stunning and a beacon for boaters as well. Executive Chef Ryan Sumner, offers fare as diverse as lobster thermidor omelet and corned beef & fingerling potato hash for breakfast, burgers and blackened mahi-mahi tacos at lunch, and Hokkaido scallops and filet mignon at dinner; cinnamon beignets are a specialty any time of day. The Lighthouse is perfect for any meal, and the weekend brunch is a must try with Brioche French toast, traditional benedict and avocado toast just to name a few, all while enjoying a favorite cocktail or glass of wine while boats sail by. Speaking of boats, take advantage of dock space or call ahead and have your appetizer or meal brought to your vessel or tie up and come in. B, L (M-F); D (nightly); Br (Sa-Su). Open at 7 a.m.
15 Crystal Cove, Newport Coast
1600 W. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach
949.376.6900
949.933.1001
thebeachcombercafe.com
lighthousenb.com
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
BLUEWATER GRILL
SILVER TRUMPET RESTAURANT & BAR
Bluewater Grill is the place for fresh and sustainable seafood! The popular restaurant serves up to 40 varieties of sustainably caught or Seafood Watch-approved seafood and shellfish daily, such as locally harpooned swordfish or snapper, Alaskan halibut and wild king salmon in season. It also features delicious salads, burgers, pasta and steak, and has a fresh oyster bar and lively bar scene. Sit on Newport’s waterfront terrace, or visit the location in Avalon on Catalina Island. L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su).
Just steps away from the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and South Coast Plaza, Silver Trumpet gets a standing ovation for its symphony of seasonal, sustainable flavors. This restaurant features modern American cuisine sourced from the local market using fresh and free-range ingredients and housemade pastries, pastas and desserts. A local favorite and popular pre-show stop for theater-goers, the elegant dining room hits a high note with its warm modern décor and seamless glass windows providing fabulous lake or city views. It’s complimented by the contemporary bar and unmatched outdoor dining experience on the patio. B, L, D (daily); Br (Sa-Su).
630 Lido Park Drive, Newport Beach
949.675.3474 306 Crescent Ave., Avalon
3350 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa
310.510.3474
714.442.8593
bluewatergrill.com
silvertrumpetrestaurant.com
*Does not apply to food and retail locations. HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s18) ©2018 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. 18-ADV-24939
play time
EMA PETER PHOTOGRAPHY/MUSCO CENTER FOR THE ARTS
ATTRACTIONS THERE ARE LEISURE OPTIONS IN ORANGE COUNTY TO SUIT ANY ITINERARY. THEME PARKS OR PERFORMING ARTS, GOLF COURSES OR GARDENS, MUSEUMS OR NIGHTLIFE ... IT'S ALL HERE.
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ATTRACTIONS
The county is renowned for the beaches and coves along its more than 40 miles of coastline, each with its own personality, each seemingly more picturesque than the next. Among the most photogenic is Victoria Beach, at Victoria Street off Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. It has a tower fit for Rapunzel and, above, a man-made high-tide swimming pool circa 1926. North of Laguna, Crystal Cove State Park offers sandy beaches and coves below bluffs and a historic district with beach cottages, the Beachcomber cafe and outdoor Bootlegger Bar. A steep paved path at Ocean Boulevard and Poppy Avenue in Corona del Mar leads down to Little Corona Beach, a hidden cove and tide pools filled with anemones and starfish. To the south, Salt Creek Beach Park in Dana Point offers a wide, sandy beach and equally pristine grassy areas below the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel and Monarch Beach Golf Links.
DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURECL0000022603 Disneyland’s state-themed counterpart has unveiled boardwalk-themed Pixar Pier, featuring the Incredicoaster and iconic Ferris wheel Pixar Pal-ARound. Guardians of the Galaxy— Mission: BREAKOUT! is a recent addition; the World of Color water/ sound/laser spectacular and Soarin’ Around the World never get old. 1313 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.781.4565, disneyland.com
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC CL0000022606 Venue with focus on Pacific Ocean sea life boasts 11,000 sea animals of nearly 500 species. The sea dragon and jelly exhibits are fascinating. Draws include Shark Lagoon (pet sharks and rays!) and Lorikeet Forest (feed the birds!). 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, 562.590.3100, aquariumofpacific.org
DISNEYLANDCL0000022602 The only theme park completed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Main Street continues to look back with Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln; Tomorrowland looks to the future with Star Wars—a Star Warsthemed land is coming at light speed. A mountain range of thrill rides includes Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain. 1313 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 714.781.7290, disneyland.com
CHRIST CATHEDRALCL0000022600 The stunning glass edifice formerly known as Crystal Cathedral and its campus are now owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Adjacent architectural treasures include Richard Neutra’s Tower of Hope and Richard Meier’s International Center for Positive Thinking. 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove, 714.971.2141, christcathedralcalifornia.org DISCOVERY CUBECL0 More than 100 hands-on displays: Create a tidal wave; make music with lasers; lie on a bed of nails. The iconic huge tilting cube looming next to Interstate 5 houses the Boeing Rocket Lab. (Also see listing for Discovery Cube’s Ocean Quest below.) 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.542.2823, discoverycube.org
H FLIGHTDECK FLIGHT SIMULATION CENTER F-16 flight simulators that deliver the ultimate “Top Gun” adventure. Takeoffs, aerial maneuvers and landing on an aircraft carrier provide exhilarating experiences in the “cockpit” that few civilians can imagine. Minimum age 11. 1650 S. Sinclair St., Anaheim, 714.937.1511, flightdeck1.com FULLERTON ARBORETUMCL9000006937 The county’s largest botanical garden at 26 acres, sets more than 4,000 plant species, and the Victorian-style Heritage House, amid ponds and streams. 1900 Associated Road, Fullerton, 657.278.3407, fullertonarboretum.com
HONDA CENTERCL0000022604 The entertainment and sports venue hosts blockbuster concerts by acts such as Justin Timberlake and Elton John, the latest Disney on Ice show, Anaheim Ducks home hockey games and L.A. Lakers basketball exhibition games. 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.704.2400, hondacenter.com KNOTT’S BERRY FARMCL0000022605 More than 165 attractions at the world’s first theme park include top-notch roller coasters such as Voyage to the Iron Reef, Xcelerator, Coast Rider and HangTime, first dive coaster on the West Coast. Camp Snoopy skews young. It’s Knott’s Scary Farm in fall; Knott’s Soak City water park is open in the summer. Dine at iconic Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner. 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714.220.5200, knotts.com K1 SPEEDCL9000006940 Indoor electric kart racing offers challenging track for speed enthusiasts. 17221 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, 949.250.0242; 1000 N. Edward Court, Anaheim, 714.632.6999. k1speed.com LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA CL0000022606 Theme park, miniature park, aquarium and water park south of Orange County are the setting for more than 60 rides, shows and attractions inspired by the Lego toy brand, among them Dune Raiders and the Land of Adventure. 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, 760.918.5346, california.legoland.com MEDIEVAL TIMES CL0000022607 Dinner theater show presents jousting knights, Pure Spanish stallions, swordsmanship and falconry as well
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BENJAMIN GINSBERG
SHORE IS PRETTY!
ANGEL STADIUM CL0000022599 Home of Major League Baseball team the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 2002 World Series and often American League Western Division winner. The halo atop the 23-story “Big A” in the parking lot lights up for wins. Saturday night fireworks. Tours Tu-W 9:30 am, 11 am and 1 pm when the team is away, off-season on Tuesdays. 2000 Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, 714.634.2000. Tours: 714.940.2070, angelsbaseball.com
CtrCityAnaheim.com
H SAN DIEGO ZOOCL9000006922 The venue provides habitats for 4,000 creatures from around the world modeled after their natural homes (e.g., Elephant Odyssey). A longtime leader in care and conservation, it recently marked its 100th year. 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park, 619.231.1515, sandiegozoo.org
MONARCH BEACH GOLF LINKS IN DANA POINT
as a four-course feast; the engaging pageantry unfolds in an 11th-century castle setting and arena. The gift shop offers elaborate swords and knives. 7662 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714.523.1100, medievaltimes.com MISSION ESCAPE GAMES9000006940 Work as a team using subtle clues to escape from a locked room in less than 60 minutes. Games include Escape the Hydeout and Escape the Darkest Hour: Torture Chamber. Anaheim GardenWalk, 400 W. Disney Way, Anaheim, 657.234.5625, missionescapegames.com MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO The jewel of the California missions, founded in 1776 and the birthplace of Orange County, is a destination for architecture, gardens, history and exhibitions. Priests celebrate Mass in the Serra Chapel, the oldest church in California, where father Junípero Serra once presided. Free audio tours can be downloaded to your smartphone.
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26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.234.1300, missionsjc.com ORANGE COUNTY GREAT PARKCL90000 The huge fledgling park includes the Palm Court Arts Complex, Farm + Food Lab and a tethered orange balloon ride that goes up 400 feet. Sand Canyon Avenue and Marine Way, Irvine, 866.829.3829, ocgp.org PIRATE’S DINNER ADVENTURE2610 Join the crew of an 18th-century Spanish galleon on an adventure including daredevil stunts, cannon blasts, the Port of Call Feast and swashbuckling, musical fun. Legend of the Lochness Monster is the latest show. 7600 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714.640.1497, piratesdinneradventureca.com RICHARD NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUMCL0000022611 A glimpse into events and people that shaped, and were shaped by, the 37th president. A $15 million renovation added 70 exhibits including a replica
H SAFARI PARK3 Southern California’s Serengeti! More than 3,500 animals—elephants, giraffes, gorillas, lions, antelopes, zebras and rhinos—roam the 1,800acre grounds, designed to resemble natural habitats such as savannas, forests and lakes. 15500 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, 760.747.8702, sdzsafaripark.org SHERMAN LIBRARY & GARDENS2 Ten themed gardens on 2.2 acres tucked behind Coast Highway include patios and conservatories linked by brick walkways, flower beds and burbling tile fountains. The library is devoted to the Pacific Southwest. Café Jardin offers a Cal-French lunch. 2647 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, 949.673.2261, slgardens.org H UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOODCL0000022350 The world’s biggest motion picture/ TV studio features rides, shows and a behind-the-scenes studio tour. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is spectacular. Other rides include Despicable Me Minion Mayhem; the tram tour takes in Fast & Furious Supercharged and King Kong 360 3-D. The VIP guided-tour experience allows you to skip lines. 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 818.622.3801, universalstudioshollywood.com
H WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR Three-hour excursion on electric carts through the studio responsible for such classics as Casablanca and TV shows including The Big Bang Theory and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The tour changes daily based on where the action is. 3400 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank, 877.492.8687, wbstudiotour.com
PERFORMING ARTS IRVINE BARCLAY THEATRE CL0000022615 Eclectic offerings at this cultural gem range from an annual flamenco festival to string quartets to hip-hop. The intimate hall wins loyal audiences for its intriguing programming; it also hosts emerging local ensembles. UC Irvine, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine, 949.854.4646, thebarclay.org LAGUNA PLAYHOUSECL0000022616 One of the West Coast’s oldest continuously operating professional theaters presents works ranging from the profound to the hilarious. Season highlights include Heisenberg and the musical 1776. 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.2787, lagunaplayhouse.com MUSCO CENTER FOR THE ARTSCL0000022614 Gorgeously designed and featuring acoustics by renowned Yasuhisa Toyota, the new Chapman University hall, which opened in 2016, combines concert hall, theater and dance venue. It boasts seating for 1,044 on three levels and a stage suitable for both spectacle and symphonic sound. 1 University Drive, Orange, 844.626.8726, muscocenter.org SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTSCL0000022614 O.C.’s premier performing-arts venue offers Broadway musicals such as Dear Evan Hansen and dance troupes including American Ballet Theatre in Segerstrom Hall, concerts by Pacific Symphony, Pacific Chorale and touring orchestras in Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Intimate events
COURTESY MONARCH BEACH GOLF LINKS
of President Nixon’s Oval Office and another focusing on his China trip. You can arrange to listen to Nixon’s infamous White House tapes. Garden tours Saturdays. 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, 714.933.5075, nixonlibrary.gov
are in Founders Hall and Samueli Theater. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787, scfta.org
changing exhibits are displayed. 600 E. Bay Ave., Newport Beach, 949.675.8915, oceanquestoc.org
SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER4 Los Angeles Times music critic Mark Swed declared Soka’s “the best concert hall of its size in Southern California.... It seems an exception to the laws of physics.” The acoustically marvelous venue’s season includes concerts by touring orchestras and the Pacific Symphony as well as a jazz series. 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, 949.480.4000, soka.edu
FULLERTON MUSEUM CENTER History, science and art exhibits, often with a pop-culture bent. The Leo Fender Gallery celebrates the native son and legendary electricguitar maker. 301 N. Pomona Ave., Fullerton, 714.738.6545, cityoffullerton.com
SOUTH COAST REPERTORYCL0000022617 One of America’s foremost producers of new plays, the Tony Awardwinning SCR now begins its second half-century. The venue has germinated such acclaimed productions as Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit and presents a wide range of classics as well. The more intimate Julianne Argyros Stage often hosts world or West Coast premieres. 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.708.5555, scr.org
MUSEUMS BOWERS MUSEUM CL0000022619 Cultural-arts venue hosts blockbuster shows in partnership with museums around the world and houses art and artifacts of indigenous peoples. This season, China’s Terra Cotta Warriors returns. Permanent exhibits: Ancient Arts of China and Spirits and Headhunters: Art of the Pacific Islands and several that are California-themed, among them California: The Golden Years. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.567.3600, bowers.org DISCOVERY MUSEUM'S OCEAN QUEST Museum, formerly ExplorOcean, is housed in two facilities near the Balboa Fun Zone: the Richard and Betty Steele Model Pavilion, with its superb collection of model ships, and the East Wing Gallery, where
HILBERT MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA ART The Chapman University venue is actually off campus, across from the train station. It houses a permanent collection of works by 20th-century artists—oil paints, watercolors, sketches and lithographs of the state’s urban and industrial scenes, the coast, farms and ranches and landscapes— and changing exhibitions. 167 N. Atchison St., Orange, 714.516.5880, hilbertmuseum.com HUNTINGTON BEACH INTERNATIONAL SURFING MUSEUM Think of a Dick Dale guitar riff and you’ve got this shrine’s good vibe. The intimate venue includes photos, ukuleles and surfboards, including one that belonged to Duke Kahanamoku, who popularized surfing in the 1920s. 411 Olive Ave., Huntington Beach, 714.960.3483, surfingmuseum.org IRVINE MUSEUMCL0000022622 Modest venue in an office building focuses on California Impressionism. Artists include Franz A. Bischoff, Anna Althea Hills and Granville Richard Seymour Redmond. Guided tours Thursdays. 18881 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, 949.476.2565, irvinemuseumcollection.uci.edu LAGUNA ART MUSEUMCL0000022623 With roots dating to 1918, this may be O.C.’s oldest cultural institution, but the eclectic museum attracts a younger and edgier set with exhibits that celebrate pop culture: video games, custom cars, comic books,
SHOP. DINE. PLAY. AMC Tustin 14 | Bowlmor Lanes Bar Louie | J Zhou Oriental Cuisine Luna Rossa Ristorante | RA Sushi Prego Mediterranean | The Winery Whole Foods | Union Market Tustin
TheDistrictTL.com EASY ACCESS OFF TUSTIN RANCH ROAD, NEAR BARRANCA IN TUSTIN
@DistrictTustin
@TheDistrictTustin
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IRVINE Where Tech Meets Trek.
surfing and tattoos. Plus California art of the late 19th century. 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, 949.494.8971, lagunaartmuseum.org LYON AIR MUSEUM940 Some of the world’s rarest operational 20th century aircraft, e.g., the Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress,” and other historical vehicles such as Adolf Hitler’s 1939 Mercedes-Benz, displayed on the perimeter of John Wayne Airport. 19300 Ike Jones Drive, Santa Ana, 714.210.4585, lyonairmuseum.org MARCONI AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM940 $30 million car collection features rare historic race, exotic and muscle cars in pristine condition, Ferraris as well as the “Louie the Lizard” dragster and an Ahrens-Foxfire fire truck. 1302 Industrial Drive, Tustin, 714.258.3001, marconimuseum.org MUZEOCL9000006940 Museum and cultural-arts center hosts three traveling exhibitions with children’s programs each year. Anaheim: A Walk Through Local History is displayed in the Carnegie Gallery; Muzeo Express, featuring holiday model trains, is an annual highlight. 241 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714.956.8936, muzeo.org
GOLF ANAHEIM HILLS GOLF COURSE Course features hillside vistas, graceful valleys and a stream that meanders past stands of stately oaks and sycamores. Fees include a cart and a GPS system. The 30,000-square-foot, Mediterraneanthemed clubhouse adds to one of the county’s best golfing values. 6501 E. Nohl Ranch Road, Anaheim Hills, 714.998.3041, playanaheimgolf.com
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MONARCH BEACH GOLF LINKSCL0000022629 The Robert Trent Jones-designed course next to the Monarch Beach Resort offers sweeping ocean views.
The seventh hole traverses Salt Creek twice; the third and fourth holes play adjacent to the soft-sand beach. Fees include cart. The pro shop was named one of America’s best by Golf World Business. 50 Monarch Beach Resort Drive N., Dana Point, 949.240.8247, monarchbeachgolf.com OAK CREEK GOLF CLUB7 This graceful Tom Fazio design, with its rolling doglegs and fairways lined with California wildflowers and other native vegetation, has wide fairways and large, open-fronted greens. Fees include a cart. 1 Golf Club Drive, Irvine, 949.653.5300, oakcreekgolfclub.com PELICAN HILL GOLF CLUBCL0000026134 Two gorgeous courses are the setting for some of the best golf in the United States. The Tom Fazio-designed layouts, adjacent to the Resort at Pelican Hill, are on coastal bluffs. The courses and the clubhouse, on a terraced hillside, looks out onto sweeping ocean panoramas. Fees include a cart. 22800 Pelican Hill Road, Newport Coast, 949.467.6800, pelicanhillgolfclub.com STRAWBERRY FARMS GOLF CLUB Eighteen-hole course developed by former Angel third baseman Doug DeCinces boasts rolling greens, a picturesque canyon, wetland vistas, O.C.’s longest hole—and a barn and windmill. Fees include a cart. 11 Strawberry Farms Road, Irvine, 949.551.1811, sf-golf.com TUSTIN RANCH GOLF CLUB The course presents more than 6,800 yards of classic, resort-style Ted Robinson Sr. design. The layout’s meticulous, challenging greens include cascading falls and lakes; the signature 11th hole requires a solid iron shot to a green with water on all sides. 12442 Tustin Ranch Road, Tustin, 714.730.1611, tustinranchgolf.com
NIGHTLIFE AQUA LOUNGE9000006943 Stylish spot at the Fashion Island Hotel has a waved ceiling, 360-degree bar, huge patio with pedestrian access, a street-food-inspired menu, excellent cocktails ... and group cocktails! DJs Th-Su. 690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.760.4920, aqualoungenb.com BOWLMOR LANESCL9000006943 State-of-the-art, glow-in-the-dark bowling lounges known for their sports bars and global cuisine. The District, 2405 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.258.2695; Anaheim GardenWalk, 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.783.2810. bowlmor.com THE BUNGALOW9000006943 Nightlife guru Brent Bolthouse creates a second edition of his Santa Monica nightspot. The Pacific City version is an inviting indoor-outdoor lounge with superhip decor where a beautiful crowd enjoys music by the county’s hottest DJs and food from Bear Flag Fish Co. 21058 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.374.0399, thebungalow.com COSTA MESA 55 TAVERN + BOWL State-of-the-art bowling alley with 10 lanes, sports viewing and a menu that goes beyond typical bowling-venue fare. The Triangle, 1875 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, 949.438.2320, tavernbowl.com HEAT NIGHTCLUBCL9000006909 Las Vegas-inspired nightclub near the Disney Resort is known for its plush decor, state-of-the-art lighting and sound, its VIP sections and a luxurious indoor patio. Anaheim GardenWalk, 400 W. Disney Way, Anaheim, 714.776.4328, heatoc.com HIVE AND HONEYL9000006945 Spacious and stylish rooftop bar with 360-degree urban views atop the new Marriott Irvine Spectrum
features light bites and on-trend, often honey-kissed cocktails. 7905 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, 949.759.0200, marriott.com HOUSE OF BLUES ANAHEIM CL0000022649 The first new House of Blues to be built in the United States in a decade is nothing short of spectacular. Live music is presented in four entertainment venues: the main music hall, the intimate Parish, the exclusive Foundation Room and the House of Blues Restaurant and Bar. Roof-raising Gospel Brunch on Sundays. 400 W. Disney Way, Anaheim, 714.778.2583, houseofblues.com THE IMPROV Comedy showcase and dinner theater. Pros bring down the house, amateurs launch careers. Pre-show diners get priority seating. 120 S. Brea Blvd., Brea, 714.482.0700, breaimprov.com; Irvine Spectrum Center, 527 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, 949.854.5455, irvineimprov.com KEYS ON MAINCL9000006940 Audience members at dueling-piano club request songs from classic rock to current pop by bid; two performers respond at twin baby grand pianos. The Triangle, 1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, 714.619.9850, keysonmain.com THE ROOFTOP LOUNGE It’s a local favorite, the county’s first such venue when it opened, a frontrow seat for spectacular sunsets and ocean views. Enjoy cocktails, lunch and appetizers atop La Casa del Camino hotel. Heat lamps and blankets available. 1289 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.497.2446, rooftoplagunabeach.com SKYLOFT9000006942 Scenic rooftop dining, local brews and live music atop the historic Heisler building; Coast Highway and partial ocean views. 422 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.715.1550, skyloftoc.com
From Happy Hour to After Hours WE’VE GOT YOU C OVERED
Your Eatertainment Destination Eateries House of Blues Restaurant & Bar FiRE + iCE Interactive Grill + Bar Grasslands Meat Market BBQ & Churrasco Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Roy’s Restaurant Snowopolis McCormick & Schmick’s Grille California Pizza Kitchen Johnny Rockets P.F. Chang’s The Cheesecake Factory Sockerbit Sweet & Swedish
Entertainment House of Blues Anaheim Mission Escape Games Rumba Room Live Bowlmor Lanes Go VR Gaming Billy Beez S. Preston Art + Designs GardenWalk Gallery Kip Barry’s Cabaret
Experiential Dining I Live Entertainment I Concerts I Events
400 West Disney Way Anaheim, CA 92802
@thegardenwalk | #eatertainment
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SPLITSVILLE LUXURY LANES9000006942 New bowling venue with midcentury vibe has 20 lanes on two floors, two kitchens, two bars, and a covered patio with a stage featuring live music daily. Downtown Disney, 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, 657.276.2440, splitsvillelanes.com TIME NIGHTCLUBCL9000006942 Vibrant dance club (formerly Sutra) in impressive space presents intriguing musical acts and big-name deejays that have included Ludacris, Nelly and Snoop Dogg. Smartcasual attire. Th-Sa. The Triangle, 1875 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, 949.722.7103, timenightclub.com
ALL SYSTEMS GO
Fly to the edge and live to talk about it.
THE FLIGHT IS SIMULATED THE EXPERIENCE IS REAL.
TOPSIDE0006945 It’s “collared shirts preferred” at the city’s only rooftop bar, offering celebration-worthy bay and ocean views atop the new beach-housechic Lido House Hotel. The menu is designed for Champagne pairings. 3300 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach, 949.524.8500, lidohousehotel.com
Flight Experiences starting at $59 8 Fighter Jet Flight Simulators A Boeing 737 Flight Simulator Less than 2 miles from Disneyland Reservations Required
714 937 1511
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O N E O F T H E FI N EST S EL ECT I O N S O F FI R EPL AC E FI X T U R ES I N CA L I F O R N I A
TREEHOUSE LOUNGE 0006945 Very stylish rooftop bar atop Tanner’s restaurant has stylish cocktails to match, an elaborate tree sculpture as its centerpiece and ocean views. Paséa Hotel, 21080 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714.698.6130, tannershb.com
BEACHES & PARKS ALISO AND WOOD CANYONS WILDERNESS PARK 3,350-acre park is home to superb mountain-biking terrain and hiking; its canyons have an idyllic feel unmatched in Orange County. 28373 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Niguel, 949.923.2200, ocparks.com
The Hearthstone Fireplace Fixture Warehouse 1635 Monrovia Ave., Costa Mesa (949) 673.7065 www.orangecountyfireplace.com
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CORONA DEL MAR STATE BEACH Large, sandy beach—with volleyball courts—below beautiful homes. Lifeguards, fire pits and all amenities. Waveless cove adjacent. Fee
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for parking. Ocean Boulevard and Marguerite Avenue, Corona del Mar, 949.644.3151, parks.ca.gov CRYSTAL COVE STATE PARK Hiking and biking trails, sandy coves and beaches. Historic district with cottages, the Beachcomber cafe and outdoor Bootlegger Bar on the sand. Amenities include lifeguards and restrooms. The Irvine Coast Marine Life Refuge is offshore. Fee for parking; shuttle down to the beach. East Coast Highway between Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar, 949.494.3539, crystalcovestatepark.org DOHENY STATE BEACH Popular swimming beach, protected tide pools and interpretive center. All amenities including picnic area with barbecues and fire rings. Fee for parking. Dana Point Harbor, along Del Obispo and Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, 949.496.6172, dohenystatebeach.org HUNTINGTON STATE BEACH Expansive, sandy beach adjacent to Huntington Beach Pier is the site of the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing. Amenities include fire pits. Bolsa Chica Wetlands are opposite. Fee for parking. Along Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Ana River and Main Street, Huntington Beach, 714.536.1454, parks.ca.gov LAGUNA COAST WILDERNESS PARK Sycamore-shaded canyons and high ridges at 7,000-acre natural habitat offer spectacular ocean views, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and a nature center. 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.923.2235, ocparks.com LITTLE CORONA BEACH Steep paved path leads to picturesque cove and tide pools filled with anemones and starfish. Ocean Boulevard and Poppy Avenue, Corona del Mar, 949.644.3151, visitnewportbeach.com
HOLLYWOOD MADE HERE
BOOK ONLINE AND SAVE a© & TM WBEI. WONDER WOMAN and all related characters and elements are © & TM DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s17) HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & TM Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s17)
MAIN BEACH Large popular beach close to shops and restaurants is known for great people-watching, basketball, volleyball and chess. All amenities. Metered parking. Broadway and Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, 714.834.2400, visitlagunabeach.com NEWPORT BEACH MUNICIPAL BEACH Popular golden strand with numerous fine surfing spots. All amenities, including fire pits. Metered parking. Along Oceanfront at Newport Pier, Newport Beach, 949.673.3371, visitnewportbeach.com NEWPORT DUNES RESORT Beach at RV park on the Back Bay has lifeguards, giant inflatable in-water novelties and water vessels for rent; Back Bay Bistro is adjacent. 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach, 949.729.3863, newportdunes.com
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sdzsafaripark.org/walkabout
SALT CREEK COUNTY BEACH Pristine stretch below the RitzCarlton, Laguna Niguel; adjacent is beautiful Bluff Park and a basketball court. All amenities. Off Ritz-Carlton Drive, 33333 S. Coast Hwy., Dana Point, 949.923.2280, ocparks.com THOUSAND STEPS BEACH More than 200 concrete steps lead down to a small beach—and are a workout on the way back up. Free street parking. Ninth Avenue and South Coast Highway, South Laguna, 714.834.2400, visitlagunabeach.com UPPER NEWPORT BAY NATURE PRESERVE Coastal wetlands, aka the Back Bay, is one of the finest birding sites in North America. Interpretive center open Tu-Su, 10 am-4 pm. 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach, 949.923.2290, ocparks.com VICTORIA BEACH Laguna’s prettiest beach has a tower fit for Rapunzel and a man-made, high-tide swimming pool circa 1926.
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Metered parking. Victoria Street off Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, 714.834.2400, visitlagunabeach.com THE WEDGE World-renowned bodysurfing and bodyboarding spot. Dangerous break; just watch unless you’re an expert. Free parking lot. West Jetty View Park, Balboa Peninsula, end of Channel Road, Newport Beach, 949.644.3309, visitnewportbeach.com
TOURS & TRANSPORTATION ANAHEIM REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION INTERMODAL CENTER (ARTIC) Architecturally spectacular hub for Metrolink and Amtrak trains, OCTA buses, Anaheim Resort Transportation, shuttles, taxis and charter buses. Upper levels house restaurants and shops. 1750 S. Douglass Road, Anaheim, 877.99.ARTIC, articinfo.com H ANAHEIM RESORT TRANSPORTATION (ART) Don’t worry about traffic or directions: Routes serve Disney Resort, Angel Stadium hotels, shopping centers and performing arts. Passes available at hotels, kiosks and Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC). 714.563.5287, rideart.org BALBOA BOAT RENTALS AND PARASAIL Boat, kayak, stand-up-paddleboard rentals. Parasailing (choose your altitude!) offers panoramic beach and harbor views. 510 E. Edgewater, Balboa, 949.673.7200, boats4rent.com BEST-VIP CHAUFFEURED WORLDWIDECL9000006936 Experienced chauffeurs, an extensive fleet and customized first-class service; pickup from hotels and airports. 7472 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach, 866.323.2378, best-vip.com BEVERLY HILLS RENT-A-CAR Breathtaking driving experiences for
rent: late-model exotic, luxury and sport cars including Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches. Pickup service available. 620 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1100, Newport Beach, 949.250.4386, bhrentacar.com CA SURF N PADDLE Surf and paddleboard lessons, rentals of beach chairs, surfboards and other beach and water equipment. 689 S. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, 949.497.1423, casurfshop.com CAPTAIN DAVE’S DOLPHIN & WHALE SAFARI Dolphin- and whale-watching aboard a catamaran with underwater viewing pod; look for blue whales, fin whales and Minke whales. Departures daily; charters available. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.577.8403, dolphinsafari.com CATALINA EXPRESS Round trips from Dana Point and Long Beach to Catalina Island. For a surcharge, the Captain’s Lounge adds plush seating, beverages, snacks and privacy. Dana Wharf Sportfishing, 34675 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point; 320 Golden Shore, Long Beach, 800.481.3470. catalinaexpress.com CATALINA FLYER West Coast’s largest passenger catamaran, the fastest way to Catalina Island. The Flyer departs at 9 am daily at Balboa Pavilion from March through November and returns at 5:45 pm. (Winter months more sporadic.) 400 Main St., Newport Beach, 800.830.7744, catalinainfo.com DANA WHARF WHALE WATCHING The harbor location makes it ideal for accessing spots where whales are year-round. In addition to whalewatching trips, tour options include 2-hour luxury catamaran cruises and sunset whale-watching cruises. 34675 Street of the Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 888.224.0603, danawharf.com
h HORNBLOWER CRUISES Dine aboard a luxury yacht on a relaxing cruise. Take in the beautiful harbor views, feast, then dance under the stars on the deck. Choose from dinner or Champagne brunch options. 2431 W. Coast Hwy., Suite 101, Newport Beach, 949.631.2469, hornblower.com h JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT The pleasant ambience and ease of departure and arrival at Orange County’s airport makes it vastly superior to LAX. The Thomas F. Riley Terminal has vaulted ceilings, skylights and Jura stone marble flooring with fossils. Local art is displayed throughout the airport; The Flight of Ideas is suspended from the ceiling in Terminal C. 18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana, 949.252.5200, ocair.com
H u nti n g to n Be a c h , CA
SA L E S - R E N TA L S - TOU RS (S E L F- G U I D E D)
Enjoy a couple hours or a full day on a Pedego Electric Bike. This 19 mile round trip selfguided tour will be the highlight of your California stay.
LIDO MARINA VILLAGE ELECTRIC BOAT RENTAL Posh surried watercraft up to 22 feet long accommodate as many as 10 people. Perfect for intimate parties and picnics. Noiseless; no boating license required. 3424 Via Oporto, Suite 101, Newport Beach, 949.612.8248, eboatsrental.com h PEDEGO ELECTRIC BICYCLES Electric bicycles for sale or rent. Built-in electric hub motors allow cyclists to cruise coastal bluffs and scenic trails with ease. 301 5th St., Huntington Beach, 714.465.2782, pedegohb.com SKYTHRILLS Aerobatics in biplanes. Receive instruction, assume control of the aircraft, execute maneuvers such as a loop, roll or spin over the coast—no experience necessary! Gentler flights in open-cockpit 1930s biplane. Includes recorded DVD. 230 Dale Place, Fullerton, 866.484.7455, skythrills.com
FOR MORE ATTRACTION LISTINGS, SEE WHERE ORANGE COUNTY MAGAZINE OR SOCALPULSE.COM
You can pedal normally (or not), and get assistance through the ocean breeze. Our bikes give you the freedom to go farther and explore more—with or without working up a sweat—your choice! You’re empowered to conquer hills and headwinds with ease. We also rent regular Pedal Bikes, the best at the beach!
Pedego Huntington Beach 301 5th St. Huntington Beach, CA 92648 www.pedegohb.com (714) 465-2782 Open Daily: 10am
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PARTING SHOT
Board Meeting THE WEDGE, NEWPORT BEACH PHOTO BY BENJAMIN GINSBERG
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Skip the long lines. Go straight to high-speed thrills. Come experience our 53-acre driving playground complete with gripping corners and an acceleration straight. One that is sure to send your heart racing. The Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles. Learn more at porschedriving.com Š2018 Porsche Cars North America, Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of traffic laws at all times.
