Orange County Blog

Looking for something unique to do this summer?  Try San Clemente’s Art Walk on the last Thursday of the month from 6 – 9 pm.  Stroll through the downtown of “The Spanish Village by the Sea” enjoying the work of San Clemente’s talented artisans.  Discover local artists’ paintings, art for sale, as well as live entertainment.  The San Clemente Art Gallery will be open with demonstrations.  The art walk is sponsored by San Clemente Art Association and San Clemente Downtown Business Association.  For more information, visit: http://www.orangecountyresourceguide.com/san-clemente-useful-links.html

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.  ~Mac McCleary

Yes, patience is a necessity to drive in Orange County.  Also a necessity is the new 511 Motorist Aid and Travelers’ Information System.  Have you heard about this yet? 

511 is a free traveler information service that provides information about traffic, transit and commuter service information in Southern California via a toll-free phone number and website. By calling 511 or visiting Go511.com, all the information you need to make smart traveling decisions is readily available.

Take a look at www.WelcomeToOC.com to get the scoop on the new 511 system!

According to the Urban Dictionary, glamping is defined as “Shorthand for glamorous camping; luxury camping”.  The roots of glamping can be traced back to Africa decades ago.  Tourists yearning for safaris, but not willing to give up the comforts of home , found an entire industry willing to cater to their needs.  They could enjoy the wild setting while enjoying high tea.  Now glamping has risen to a whole new level with luxury camping resorts, safari camps, eco-resorts and campgrounds complete with 5 star amenities.

Take a look at http://www.welcometooc.com/ and discover whether camping or glamping is in your future.

 

Seriously, it’s time to fill the gas tank again?  Prices are on the rise and there’s not much we can do about it.  Right?  Well, the answer to that is both no and yes.  No, we can’t do much to lower the price of gas, but yes, we can take steps to reduce the number of times we visit the cost consuming gas station.

Here are a few helpful hints to reduce the frequency of the Needle on Empty Syndrome:

1.  Take care of your car!  Besides the issue with gas prices, a car is a huge investment.  Checking the tire pressure and replacing the air filter on a regular basis will do wonders for improving your car’s efficiency and therefore it’s MPG.

2. Remember that when the traffic light turns green, it’s not a green light to jump on the accelerator – settle down Speed Racer.  Accelerate moderately so as not to waste fuel.  A perfect partner to this hint is to take a tip from the truck drivers on crowded freeways.  They keep their speed constant as they know it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving.

3. Try roughing it and turn off your air conditioner.  At lower speeds, you will save fuel.  But on the flip side, at higher speeds the A/C will be more efficient than the open windows because of wind resistance.

4. Resist the urge to “pimp your ride”.  If your tires are wider than the stock tires, chances are they'll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy

5. So many of us fall into the category of being cleanliness impaired when it comes to our cars.  It takes little to acquire an extra 40-50 lbs. of stuff in our trunks.  Extra weight equals more fuel to burn to get from point A to point B.

6. One last tip for the carpool parent: Avoid Long Idles - The bottom line is idling burns more gas than restarting an engine. If you wait in line at the kids’ school, you know what a long idle means!

Now that you know how to stretch your tank of gas, stretch your gas dollars by learning where the cheapest gas stations are in your area http://bit.ly/47pekN

California Wine Festival
The Quintessential Wine Experience
April 22 -24, 2010  Dana Point, California

Wine, food, music, sea and sun. These elements create a unique wine tasting experience at every California Wine Festival. A sunny seaside setting with hundreds of California's best red and white wines from 58 wineries along with 5 brewing companies for discriminating beer drinkers make Dana Point the place to be April 22 – 24th.  The dozens of top chefs and specialty food purveyors will be complemented perfected by the live music performed by the band Upstream.  Upstream is known for their energetic eclectic style of Reggae and Soca.   Experience one of California’s most popular wine festivals. http://www.californiawinefestival.com

Creating an incredible dinner is an event that for most us just doesn’t quite happen. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t recognize the importance of cooking beyond that basic need to fill our empty stomachs. We know it can be so much more.  At the dinner table, real conversations can take place and we can get to know each other better.  We can connect or even reconnect with people important to us.  Cooking can be such a creative outlet.   Antoine’s Café in San Clemente helps us to discover our inner chef.  Take a look at a sample menu and get all the information to create your own epicurean delight at www.WelcomeToOC.com

Serving the Least, the Last, & the Lost in Orange County

Orange County weekend events should include community service.

The mission of The Orange County Rescue Mission is to “minister the love of Jesus Christ to the Least, the Last, and the Lost of our Community through the provision of assistance in the areas of guidance, counseling, education, job training, shelter, food, clothing, health care and independent living communities”.  Take a look at just a few of the services offerred and how you can help at www.WelcomeToOC.com

When looking for an Orange County dentist, it is imperative to search out one who utilizes the most up to date technology.  Dr. Bin Hoang is one such dentist.  Dr. Hoang can restore damaged teeth in a single appointment using a high-quality ceramic material that matches the natural color of other teeth using CEREC®. For more infomation visit: www.welcometooc.com

Easy Steps To Finding More Time - Using A Concierge Service

In today’s fast paced world, the dream of rest and relaxation stays just that, a dream. You want to be in control of your life, but how?  Work, family, friends, volunteer work, there just isn’t enough time in the day.   With all the choices available you today, there is one choice that will help you carve out time in your day.  A personal concierge service is just what the doctor ordered. Learn about the many services a concierge offers on www.WelcomeToOC.com

Orange County weekend events sometimes need to start at home. It’s time to get organized!  The piles of Christmas decorations yet to be put away and future garage sale items still sitting on the garage floor are getting harder and harder to ignore. It is easy to turn the other cheek to the whole idea of cleaning out and organizing your garage when there is ANYTHING better and more fun to do! After all, when you live in Southern California, you don’t have the cold and snow to force you to face the “inside” chores that simply must get done.  Eventually, something usually inspires us to want to organize and clean! Be inspired by our blog at www.WelcomeToOc.com