FOOD + DRINK
Summer Menu at Seasons 52
Through Mid-Sept. Dive into summer with fresh new menu features from Seasons 52. The South Coast Plaza outpost offers selections like a tender 11-ounce Piedmontese all-natural bone-in strip steak served “steakhouse style” with a red wine reduction and cremini mushrooms, grilled jumbo asparagus and fingerling potatoes; chilled lobster and shrimp spring rolls; organic tomatoes with warm crusted mozzarella; and grilled jumbo shrimp cavatappi pasta. Season 52’s Master Sommelier George Miliotes rejuvenates the “Drink These Before They Become Famous” list with a selection of handpicked, must-try wines for the season. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.437.5252. seasons52.com
Pandor Artisan Boulangerie and Café
New to Newport Beach is Pandor Artisan Boulangerie & Café, a 30-seat eatery specializing in French artisan breads, Viennoiseries, pastries, tartines, paninis and salads. The chic European-style boulangerie takes its name from the French words for golden bread, pain d’or. Pandor delivers a culinary experience that revolves around sustainable, local and seasonal ingredients complemented by complex textures and global flavors. 1126 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach, 949.209.5099. pandorbakery.com
SPORTS
Angels vs. Dodgers
June 22-24. Southern California’s favorite rivalry is on again as the Angels play the Dodgers. Often referred to as the “Freeway Series,” expect the stands to be a tempestuous sea of Angel Red and Dodger blue! Stay for a fireworks show after the game with Angel Stadium’s weekly Big Bang Friday event. 2000 Gene Autry Way, 714.940.2000. losangeles.angels.mlb.com
MUSIC
Vans Warped 2012 Tour
June 22. Established as one of America’s premier music and lifestyle festival, the Vans Warped Tour brings an eclectic mix of up-and-coming indie talent and major established artists from genres ranging from rock to hip-hop, electronic, reggae and pop to the Irvine Great Park. Artists on the lineup this year include Rise Against, Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory. The festival not only fuses music with skate and action sports culture but also supports a variety of non-profit organizations. 7000 Trabuco Canyon Road, Irvine. vanswarpedtour.com
Lit
June 23. Alternative rockers Lit return to the House of Blues Anaheim supported by Julien-K and We Are The Arsenal. The band, which got its start in neighboring Fullerton, is known for hits such as “My Own Worst Enemy,” “Miserable,” and “Zip-Lock.” Get there early and enjoy a soul food-inspired dinner at the House of Blues’ restaurant Crossroads. Menu highlights include chile-braised short rib, shrimp and grits, buttermilk-fried chicken and jambalaya. 1530 S. Disneyland Dr., Anaheim, 714.778.2583. houseofblues.com
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
A Taste of Greece Festival
June 22-24. Orange County’s 34th annual “A Taste of Greece” festival brings the fresh flavors of Greece to St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine. The three-day festival features traditional Greek cuisine, wine tasting, live music, authentic Greek dancing with lessons and boutique booths modeled after the Plaka, a well-known historical neighborhood of Athens. Guests can also enjoy a variety of games as well as a full-scale carnival. 4949 Alton Pkwy., Irvine, 949.733.2366. irvinegreekfest.com
Long Beach Bayou Fest
June 23-24. Enjoy all of the jazz of New Orleans and festivities of Mardi Gras in Long Beach’s Rainbow Lagoon Park. With two stages and a spacious wooden dance floor, guests can take part in complimentary dance lessons to blues, zydeco, jazz and Cajun music. The French Quarter marketplace features Cajun and Creole classics such as gumbo, crawfish etoufee, hush puppies, red beans rice. A daily Mardi Gras parade, crawfish and watermelon eating contests and children’s activities in the Kids’ Bayou Tent add to the fun. Rainbow Lagoon Park at Linden Ave. and Shoreline Drive, Long Beach, 562.424.0013. longbeachfestival.com
Dana Point Concours d’Elegance & Beach Cruisers Car Show
June 23-24. The 30th Annual Dana Point Concours d’Elegance offers a beautiful display of collectible cars and motorcycles on the luxurious golf links of the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort. Surf culture fanatics will enjoy the Beach Cruisers Car Show in nearby Sea Terrace Park. Celebrating the Surf Automotive Culture, this extension of the Concours d’Elegance features live music, wine tasting, craft-brews sampling and a Kids Fun Zone. St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, 949.433.1303, danapointconcours.org; Sea Terrace Park at Niguel Road and Pacific Coast Hwy., Dana Point, beachcruiserscarshow.com
Pups and Pinot
June 24. A fun night for dogs and their owners alike, Pups and Pinot offers an evening of good food and good wine benefiting a great cause. Attendees can enjoy live entertainment, catch a Pooch Pageant and sample food and wine from local restaurants such as Red Table, Sandy’s Beach Grill, Lazy Dog Café, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Brewbakers and Orange Coast Winery among others. The event’s live and silent auction features prizes ranging from a custom pet portrait to a weekend stay at a Napa Valley cottage. Pups and Pinot benefits A Leg Up Rescue and Four Paws & A Tail. Newland House, 19822 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach. http://www.pupsnpinot.com/
Summer Solstice Festival
June 24. Celebrate the arrival of summer at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center with a fun-filled day of top-notch performances by traditional ethnic music and dance groups. Enjoy art workshops, house and gallery tours, an arts and crafts fair, a children’s play area and delicious food vendors. Relax with live performances from The Brombies, Modal Tease and Sligo Rags among others. The festival coincides with the Fullerton Sister City Association’s International Taco Festival, which offers a wide array of unique tacos from every corner of the globe. Selections include Swedish meatball tacos, Alaskan smoked salmon tacos and even curry goat tacos. 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, 714.738.6595. themuck.org
THEATER
Les Miserables
Through June 24. Acclaimed theatrical producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boubil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, Les Miserables, complete with glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Enjoy this beloved Broadway production for a limited engagement at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Mrs. Honey B.: Certified Life Coach
Through June 24. The Laguna Playhouse introduces the world premier of Ask Mrs. Honey B., Certified Life Coach, from Maripat Donovan, the creator and star of the popular Late Nite Catechism series. Mrs. Honey Buczkowski, a self-proclaimed expert on living the good life, recently retired from a career of teaching home economics and health and has since dedicated her energy to a new career as a “certified life coach.” Enlisting the help of her regular clients, Angie and Frank Travertino, Mrs. Honey B. demonstrates her first-rate coaching skills with a hilarious, interactive production. 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.2787. lagunaplayhouse.com