Life and Leisure in Orange County

First and Ten: Ten Tales from the Super Bowl’s Legacy

Ah, the Super Bowl. America’s un-official holiday. An event so deeply ingrained within our personal psyche, it still manages to arouse a slight shred of curiosity among those of us who do not even care for football. Indeed, we watch this annual gridiron battle between the AFC and the NFC regardless of team allegiance because it has forged such an organic gravitas about its existence; so much so, it feels less of an athletic competition and more like living, breathing history.
To be certain, this intrigue that has long surrounded the Super Bowl has enabled it to naturally develop its own folklore, complete with obscure facts, quirky statistics, and other random items that almost seem implausible when viewed through the lens of time. These various odds and ends started to develop the first time the old, established National Football League tangled with the renegade American Football League in 1967, and have served to grandly enhance the mystique of the Big Game, thus furthering its undeniable historical context..... Read More >>  

Stepping Up to High Art

What to Look For When Buying that First Piece of Laguna Beach Artwork

One of the joys of living in Orange County is dropping by Laguna Beach and exploring their abundance of art galleries. In fact, the only thing better than going from venue to venue to admire the various creative talents is to plunk down some cash and purchase a piece. After all, there are few luxury items in life that make you feel truly successful than seeing an original or a limited reprint hanging somewhere in your home. Every time you walk buy the piece, it strokes your ego by serving as a reminder that you have, in fact, been rewarded for your accomplishments. Not to mention that the right piece of art will make you feel like a bit of a bad-as... Read More 

 But What Do They Mean? Inside a Diamond’s Four C’s

The four Cs. It is a term that you have undoubtedly heard of if you have entered a jewelry store and looked at diamonds. You may have even heard it spoken about with some kind of grand importance and significance. The elements that make up this vital quartet are simple enough to memorize; carat, clarity, color, and cut. And throughout the years of looking and purchasing various kinds of diamond-studded necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings, you have gathered that they collectively form the measuring stick that separates a good diamond from a great diamond.... Read More  

Bonding with James - Several Car Brands Can Help You Find Your Inner Spy

Bond.  James Bond.

That sound of that three-word phrase is simple yet elegant, and its utterance instantly evokes images of high adventure and an unmatched feeling of sleek style.  It also makes us think of the virtual army of slick cars that the film icon has driven since Sean Connery first set foot in a Chevrolet Bel Air convertible in Dr. No; a vehicle that almost seems modest compared to some of the rides that have graced the film series since...Read More >>

Finding a Winner in the Battle Between South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island...
One is enclosed, the other is wide open.  One is positioned as an entryway to extravagance, the other sits in the midst of surrounding luxury.  One is freeway close, while the other nearly hugs the coastline. Chances are these things are the first differences that come to mind if asked to describe the difference between South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island.  From there, any contrasts that are discussed between the two legendary shopping centers may be a little bit tougher to dig up, if only because there are so many things about the two complexes that are so similar.  Both opened to the public in 1967.  Both contain an abundance of experiences that are geared specifically toward those who enjoy life’s most indulgent pleasures.  Both are marketed to Orange County with impossibly attractive people wearing faces of varying sultriness.  Neither damages your social status if you admit to shopping there on occasion..…Read More » 

Getting’ Sporty: The art of the sports car, OC, and Pacific Coast Highway

We’ve all had the dream:  A beautiful Orange County day, drenched in the gorgeous glow of the Southern California sun, tooling down Pacific Coast Highway (observing the speed limit, of course), appropriate scene-setting music blaring from the radio.  Since we live in OC, it’s a pretty standard scenario to imagine; if it isn’t, please make it one as soon as possible, as it is quite therapeutic.... Read More >> 

 Exploring the Myths of Luxury Boxes

The stadium luxury box is a fascinating concept.  With a DNA made up of equal parts meeting space, buffet, and sports den, it is a wonderful way to take in a game, provided that the other amenities that are available in these special cabins do not distract you from remembering that there actually is a game occurring.  It is also the source of a host of myths that range from its practical to its professional use; tall tales of woe that may prevent the company executive to pull the trigger on spending the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to secure its magic for a full season ...Read More >>   

Hot Date: Faking Your Way Through the Wine List

You finally get the chance to take out just about the hottest girl you know in real life, and of course, you will take her somewhere nice. Unfortunately, nice usually means the waiter is going to hand you a wine list at some point. Girls go crazy for guys that know wine, and although you could wax poetically about the virtues of a good IPA, you know diddily about grape juice. Here is a quick guide to faking it, ordering a bottle to impress, and most importantly, landing the second date… Read More »  

Panning for Liquid Gold: California’s Wine Regions

It is no secret that the world, for the most part, carries a healthy fixation for California wines.  More often than not, this global lust for what could be the state’s most delightful export tends to be wrapped up in the kinds of terms reserved for hardcore or semi-serious wine aficionados, such as varietals or appellations.  Yet even the casual wine drinker that does not have a clue as to who Robert Parker is or has no idea that the word “vintner” exists in the English language can nonetheless recognize the complete and total pleasure that a wine coming from the Golden State can bring.  The reason for this is simple:  No matter your level of wine sophistication, the fact remains that California wines are for the most part pretty dang tasty...Read More >> 

Laguna Beach Coves: A Shore Delight

It’s no secret that one of Orange County’s biggest selling points is its beaches.  After all, the OC is in proud possession of a whopping 42 miles of undulating coastline, and its dipping, darting squiggle that stretches from Seal Beach to San Clemente typically finds itself awash in the kind of glorious sunlight that has pulled generation upon generation westward.  Yet for most of us county denizens, when we take a moment to ponder our ocean shores, we have a tendency to conjure up base images of flattish stretches of sand that are wedged just a few steps from the din of cars zooming down PCH or crowds clamoring around coastal storefronts.  And for a good chunk of the populace, this bustling juxtaposition of serene ocean fronts beset by the cacophony of progress is the exclusive descriptor of what the OC shore is like... Read More >>

Goin’ Fishin’ in the OC

Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day.  Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for the rest of his life.  So the saying goes.  And its underlying message is most certainly true, even though the tidy little phrase quite conveniently leaves no space to describe the level of gutting, cleaning and scaling that is essential to the latter half of the adage.  Of course, setting aside the killjoy aspects found in such gory details, fishing is one of the more rewarding outdoor activities in which to partake.  Indeed, the art of casting rod and spinning wheel does contain certain inalienable properties that are rather valuable at their core, from the important life lesson of patience that it teaches to the mind-clearing natural serenity that is rather inescapable. ... Read More »

Getting into the Swing: Unofficial Golfing Rules for the New and the Rusty
There was a time in my life where I played golf.  Then again, it may not have been golf.  Yes, the object of the sport I used to partake in involved the swinging of clubs at hard dimpled spheres, with the intention of propelling them onto fairways of varying slopes and tightly trimmed greens.  However, the level of ineptitude that befouled my game was so high, to call what I did “golf” may be construed as an insult to people who actively pursue the endeavor with full gusto.  Seriously, watching me try my hand at golf was like observing a flautist attempting to play “Wipeout” on the drums while using cellos as drumsticks.   Hell, it was possibly even worse than that… Read More >>

 Barbecues Boring?
Try a Summer Supper Club Typically, when one associates summer and food, their thoughts instantly begin to circulate around the barbecue grill, and with good reason...Read More »

Looking Back: A View of OC’s Old Towns
Old Town. Just the sight of those two words constructively strewn together gives you a sort of warm, fuzzy feeling, no? Heck, if it doesn’t, you may very well be lacking in the soul… Read More »

Cinc –OC –de Mayo
Much like St. Patrick’s Day, the vast majority of us have no clue why Cinco de Mayo is celebrated. Sadly, I have to include myself into this category; considering that I grew up in a… Read More »

Little Saigon
35 years ago this month, the conflict in Vietnam finally came to an exhausting, tumultuous close after a decade and a half of destruction and controversy. People of my generation, which were born in… Read More »

Earth Day
When the concept of Earth Day was hatched in April 22nd 1970 (and not April 21st, like that annoying Dramarama song would have you believe), it is fair to say that it was viewed by m… Read More »

A Little Bit of Orange County History...
Whenever I find myself in a local bookstore, I invariably gravitate toward the few shelves devoted to local history, sites, and other random miscellany. Most of the time, I will mere… Read More »

A Day at the OC Museums
When I wrote about how thankful I was that I live in Orange County and not in Los Angeles County a couple months ago, I had a few denizens on the opposite side of the Orange Curtain… Read More »

Cut for Success? What Your Hairstyle Says About You By Jessica Lothstein Interview suit dry-cleaned? Check. Shoes shined? Check. Mohawk perfectly sculpted with extra pomade? Hold on a second there, cowboy. This is a job interview, where you’re supp... Read More »

 Dining by Sunset: OC’s Best Venues
It’s no secret that the sunset is one of the best ways to capture the essence of why Orange County is such an entrancing place to live and play. All one needs to do is take a look at the postcard ... Read More »

 Summer's BEST Sangria Recipes
Celebration Champagne Punch AKA Sparkling Sangria So many Champagne Punches to choose from, this one is easy and fruity. Serving a punch like this at any party is a fabulous way to celebrate any o... Read More »

Cooking With Truffles
Truffles are hypogenous (underground) mushrooms that resemble stones and vary in size from a marble to a large ball. Few truffles are poisonous. However only a small number of truffles are consider... Read More »

Gas Grill Tips And Tricks
Turning your gas grill into a raging barbecue machine may not be as difficult as you think. All the hype about good barbecuing has always revolved around charcoal grills and wood burning barbecues.... Read More »

Wine and Cheese For Beginners
There is a great deal to know about wine besides the difference between red and white. Wine can be a very enjoyable experience as long as you pick, store and serve it correctly. The ability to pair... Read More »

Choosing the Ideal Summer Wine
If you plan to go on a picnic during the summer, packing a dependable wine bottle is a must in order to enjoy what the season has to offer. This is especially true if you plan to around some exotic... Read More »

Something to Drink About..NIKA
NIKA water, an eco-friendly bottled water company that donates 100% of its profits to poverty alleviation and clean water and sanitation projects around the world, is hoping to make noise in Orange County as it expands its market. The San Diego-based bottled water company offers free shipping to the greater Orange County area when five or more cases of water are purchased on its website...Read More>>

Don't Be a Kook - Surfing Etiquette For Beginners
Surfing etiquette - the rules for all in the ocean Beginner, intermediate or experienced surfer, everyone manages to get in someone else's way now and again. If you don't want to look like a kook, ... Read More »

Orange County Local reaches for the Stars in Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Star Launch Search
Writing her first song for Aliso Viejo’s Saint Mary and All Angel’s 8th grade graduation at the tender age of 12, Orange County native Stevi Madison has always known that performing music and ente... Read More »