Orange County Blog

 

Have you jumped on the Food Truck Frenzy yet?  No? Well, here is your chance.

Every Wednesday, from 5:30 – 9:00 at the OC Fair & Event Center enjoy sampling from a variety of food from gourmet food trucks.  The trucks change weekly so there is always the opportunity for something new.  While admission and parking are free, prices for the food vary from truck to truck. 

Or if lunch is more your thing, the Food trucks also roll into the OC Fair & Event Center every Thursday from 11:00 – 2:00.

To see each week’s offering, visit http://www.ocfair.com and click on Food Truck Fare.

Farmers Market opens January 13 with fresh produce, food and entertainment
The new Mission Viejo Farmers Market opens at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 13 in the Civic Center Courtyard boasting fresh produce, homemade food products and living products produced by Gary Matsuoka. Gary was the longtime owner of Laguna Hills Nursery in Lake Forest and is well known for his rose selection, fruit trees and other unique plants.  He also makes a distinctive blend of potting soil that is sure to enrich the local residential garden.

The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday and will feature live entertainment the first Friday of the month.  The grand opening day will include the talents of singer/songwriter Phillip Bardowell, who was influenced early on by songwriting greats – The Beatles, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, The Eagles, Queen, Earth Wind And Fire, and Bob Marley. In his youth he formed a band with actor John Stamos and later backed the legendary surf duo Jan and Dean as their bassist and vocalist.  Mike Love of the Beach Boys hired Phillip to serve as lead guitarist and vocalist in his Endless Summer Beach Band.  His talent and energy are sure to entertain market-goes.

For more information about the Mission Viejo Farmers Market or to find a farmers market in your community, please visit the Farmers Market Quick Link on the home page of this OC Resource Guide.

Tick, tick, tick…time is zooming by.  Do you have plans to ring in the New Year yet?  Here are two ideas of fabulous ways to celebrate the arrival of 2012!

The OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party http://ocfair.com/blockparty/index.php
Brought to you by the folks who bring you the annual OC Fair
“Unlike other New Year's Eve celebrations, the New Year's Eve Block Party is offering great fun in a casual setting. No black ties here! “
Saturday, December 31
7:30 pm – 1:30 am
The OC Fair New Year's Eve Block Party will offer live tribute bands and DJ entertainment by the decade – from the '60s to the '90s.
Be sure to visit the website to see pictures and videos from last year’s celebration and to get all the ticket information.

San Clemente Historical Society
~New Year’s Eve under the dome presents:
“Ole”
Enjoy dinner, dancing, and live entertainment at the historical “Casino” San Clemente!
$125/ticket –Spanish inspired attire optional
December 31, 2011
7 p.m. til 12:30 a.m.
Get your tickets now! (949) 498-0116 http://www.sanclementehistoricalsociety.org/events.html

 

Special Event: Weekend at the Nix Center, Native American Toys and Games

First, a little history about this beautiful region…The Native Americans of the Orange County region call themselves the Acjachemen (A-ha-che-men) Nation. For more than 10,000 years, they lived a prosperous lifestyle on the coastlands of Orange County. They were among the over 250,000 people that inhabited California before Spanish contact. At one point in history, their nation’s territory consisted of numerous villages, and spanned from Long Beach to Oceanside, as far east as Lake Elsinore, and westward to Catalina and San Clemente Islands.

“Join OC Parks and the Laguna Canyon Foundation on Saturday, November 12th from 1:00pm-4:00pm for a special Weekend at the Nix Nature Center - American Indian Stories, Toys and Games. Join the talented Acjachemen performer, Jacque Nunez, as she transports you into the traditions of the Acjachemen people - and into the world of our shared past.

Make your own American Indian toys and games to take home - or to give as gifts for the holidays! This amazing event will be fun for the entire family. Space is limited. For more information and to sign up www.lagunacanyon.org.
The Laguna Canyon Foundation is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, enhancing, and promoting the South Coast Wilderness Area. This 20,000-acre area of includes Laguna Coast and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Parks, Crystal Cove State Park, and the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve. We work to Keep It Wild!

The Laguna Canyon Foundation fulfills its mission by managing and supporting park volunteers in Laguna Coast and Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Parks, providing educational and recreational programs and activities, coordinating land acquisitions, coordinating habitat restoration programs, and providing supplemental funding to our partner parks.” www.lagunacanyon.org

 

Did you know that approximately 24,000 parents and their children are homeless in Orange County on any given night?  Enter HomeAid Orange County –

HomeAid Orange County is the founding chapter of a national non-profit organization with the mission to build and maintain dignified housing where homeless families and individuals can rebuild their lives.  Their vision is to be a vital force in eliminating homelessness.

And now HomeAid Orange County’s Project Playhouse has arrived in Irvine Spectrum for its 20th anniversary.  The Playhouse Village will remain on display for five weeks in the Edwards Courtyard. Take a sneak peak at the amazing creations at Playhouse Photo Gallery www.projectplayhouse.org/cat5.php The Playhouse Village Tour tickets will be available for purchase at the Playhouse Village during operating hours from 12:00 – 6:00 pm every weekend until Sunday, November 6th. Tour tickets are only $2 for both adults and kids. 

With the support of the community, HomeAid has renovated or constructed 47 housing developments in Orange County providing refuge for homeless men, women, and children. (The Coto de Caza News, Oct.7, 2011)
For more information, please visit:
http://www.homeaidoc.org/
http://www.projectplayhouse.org/

 

 

Dana Point Turkey Trot Celebrates National Running Day with Opening of 2011 Registration and Call for Sponsors

In honor of National Running Day on June 1, registration for the 34th annual Dana Point Turkey Trot will open to let runners and future runners everywhere celebrate by committing to participate in the nation’s sixth largest turkey trot and “one of America’s best Thanksgiving Day runs,” according to Fitness Magazine. Known for its scenic routes, beautiful Southern California weather, and family-friendly activities, the Dana Point Turkey Trot has become an Orange County tradition, attracting more than 16,000 participants, including friends and family, to its 5K, 10K, Kids’ Gobble Wobble, and two-day health and fitness expo and finish line festival.

“The Dana Point Turkey Trot offers something for everyone,” said Laura Ouimet, Executive Director, Dana Point Chamber of Commerce. “Whether working toward your fitness goals, encouraging your kids to get active, checking out the latest advancements in health and fitness at our two-day expo, giving back to the less fortunate, or bonding with thousands of like-minded runners, the Dana Point Turkey Trot is a can’t-miss event this year. We pride ourselves on listening to our participants’ feedback and continuously making enhancements to make this year’s race the biggest and the best to date.”

This year’s Turkey Trot enhancements include wave starts based on anticipated race times to alleviate congestion, stroller-specific wave starts, and widening of the lane for the finish-line shoot. Through its “Miles for Meals” campaign, a portion of proceeds from the Dana Point Turkey Trot will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, an organization working to eliminate hunger in Orange County. For every dollar donated from the Turkey Trot, Second Harvest can provide three meals to a person in need. Ouimet added, “Our work with Second Harvest makes it easy for community members to give back in a big way during the holidays. Just by registering, participants are helping to feed the hungry throughout Orange County.” Annually, the Dana Point Turkey Trot helps raise over $60,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

In conjunction with the opening of its registration on June 1, the Dana Point Turkey Trot is calling for sponsors for this year’s event, ranging from the title sponsorship to Friends of the Turkey Trot sponsorships. Organizations will reach tens of thousands of runners, athletes and community members, and millions more through media impressions, all while making a vital impact on the local economy.

For more information about the 34th annual Dana Point Turkey Trot, visit http://www.turkeytrot.com and follow the event on Twitter at http://twitter.com/turkeytrot and Facebook at http://facebook.com/danapointturkeytrot. For more information about National Running Day on June 1, 2011, a day for runners everywhere to share their passion for a lifestyle that is one of the best, and simplest, ways to stay fit, visit http://www.runningday.org.

 

The KSBR Birthday Bash began in 1989 as a small informal end-of-the-membership-drive party in the lounge of what was then the Dana Point Resort.  After the first couple of Bashes, the crowds got so big that the festivities had to move to the lawn of the resort.

In 1996, the Bash made a brief stop at Saddleback College for a (very) hot jam session on the campus softball field. In 1997, the date of the Bash moved to the Memorial Day weekend and the event began a magical 11-year run at the Mission San Juan Capistrano.

The growing popularity of the event sent the Bash looking for a new home in 2008, which fortunately was the same time that the City of Mission Viejo completed the beautiful Village Green and the expansion of the Norman P. Murray Community Center.  The Bash moved to its present home in that year, and based on its overwhelming success, the City and KSBR entered into an agreement that assures the event will have plenty of room to grow for the next five years.
There is nothing else like the KSBR Birthday Bash Jazz Festival. Make plans now to experience what happens when more than 30 distinguished musicians - including lots of surprise special guests - join forces to support south Orange County's community radio station.

For more information, go to www.ksbr.com/bash.html and for other great OC Entertainment options, take a look at the Entertainment tab on the homepage of this Orange County Resource Guide.com.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a lifechanging event which brings people together to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and empower individuals and communities to fight back against a disease that takes too much.

Teams of 8-15 members gather with tents and sleeping bags to camp out at a local high school, park, orfairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events, and each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times.

What Makes Relay so Unique?

Relay For Life gives us an opportunity to celebrate, remember, and fight back. We celebrate cancer
survivors by inviting them to participate in the Survivors Lap, the first lap around the track. The Luminaria Ceremony is another highlight of the event. A Luminaria is a small bag filled with sand, containing a candle that makes it glow. Each Luminaria bears the name of a person who has battled cancer. At dusk, we light all the candles along the path. They burn into the night, honoring and memorializing those who have faced cancer, lighting a path of hope. The event closes with the upbeat fight back ceremony, which reminds us that we have the power to change the course of this disease.

How Can I Get Involved?
To get information on volunteering, becoming a sponsor, or forming a team, call the American Cancer
Society’s office at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit http://www.relayforlife.org..

To see a complete list of Relay events in Orange County, take a look at the Relay for Life Quick Link.

Event Complete's Taste of Ladera, now in its 7th year running, features a celebration of the finest local eateries, specialty vendors, musical performances and fun for the entire family to take place Saturday, April 30th, 2011 and Sunday, May 1st, 2011 North of Corporate Drive on Windmill in Ladera Ranch. The hours of the festivities will be from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Saturday, April 30th and from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday, May 1st.  Live entertainment with the "Ladera's Got Talent" will be announced in April.

This annual festival will have rides, slides, and activities for the entire family with event proceeds benefitting local nonprofits, schools, and youth programs. Special pricing will be available online for Ladera Residents. General admission pre-sale tickets and a limited number of VIP tickets and suites are available starting March. VIP tickets and suites include access to party pit at main stage, private VIP pavilion with bars, seating and bathrooms.

Taste of Ladera is produced by Event Complete. Event Complete is an event marketing firm specializing in strategizing with clients to bring customers to seminars, charitable events and large-scale productions. For more information about ticket and booth sales, sponsorships and volunteering, please visit www.EventComplete.com or email info@eventcomplete.com.

A Holiday Family Favorite

South Coast Repertory presents the classic A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
adapted by Jerry Patch

19th-century London comes to life when your family joins the SCR family to celebrate Hal Landon Jr.’s 31st season as everyone’s favorite curmudgeon (“The quintessential Ebenezer Scrooge!” according to the Daily Pilot). Recapture the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas with this timeless Dickens classic and all your favorite characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come—and, of course, Ebenezer Scrooge himself.

Performances: December 3 – 26, 2010
No children under age six will be admitted to A Christmas Carol. Regardless of age, everyone must have a ticket, sit in a seat and be able to sit quietly through the performance.

Box Office
Phone: (714) 708-5555

655 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626