For many, Memorial Day weekend signifies the start of summer.  School is drawing to a close, the weather is warming up, and our thoughts turn to family fun.  Here are two of many activities occurring over the weekend that are sure to please!

KSBR Birthday Bash – The annual KSBR Birthday Bash returns to The Village Green and Norman P. Murray Community Center in Oso Viejo Community Park on May 30th. The Bash is a 4-hour concert which features more than 25 contemporary jazz artists in a freewheeling jam session.  It is a once in a lifetime concert experience for both the artists and the audience.

Garden Grove Strawberry Festival - The Festival is held at the Village Green, between Euclid and Main Street Streets in downtown Garden Grove.  The festival is a charitable event benefiting local organizations.  In the past 50 years over $4.5 million has been donated to hundreds of non-profits. It features music, carnival rides, entertainment, and of course, strawberries!  Fun for all ages.

But it would be remiss to not highlight the true meaning behind the holiday weekend.

Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service.  It is just one day out of the year to honor our loved ones, our ancestors, and our friends who died in conflicts and wars.  It is not to honor war, but those that died in those conflicts and wars.   Here are some ideas on how to commemorate the patriotism of those who have died as a result of their service:

• Visit cemeteries and place flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
• Visit memorials.
• Fly the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
• Fly the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
• Participate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day.
• Renew a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabledveterans.

So while enjoying the weekend, time with family, and a day off of work, please also take time to remember our military and their dedicated service to our country.

Maybe it’s the gorgeous weather here in Orange County, but we have been finding ourselves daydreaming about the weekend. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? 

Feeling adventurous?  Not ready to fly to Hawaii or Costa Rica? We think that zip lining in Catalina might fit the bill. Participants have the opportunity to travel on five separate lines above the Descanso Canyon, the native chaparral and through a eucalyptus tree canopy.  Experience the exhilarating thrill of being suspended above the canyon floor and zipping along at speeds topping 40 mph. in this two hour zip line tour.

Want to stay a little closer to home?  Maybe get in touch with your inner farmer? There is so much going on at Tanaka Farm, but let’s highlight their walking tour.  On the tour you get to pick and then later prepare your own veggies, Tanaka will cook for you while you enjoy an appetizer salad.  Dessert? Yes, go into the field and pick your own strawberries to eat and take home a one pound basket as well!

From the Aquarium of the Pacific to hiking our local trails to zip lines in Catalina, there is no shortage of day trips available to the residents of Orange County.  Now if we could just fast forward to Saturday!

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.

But are you a camper or a glamper?  Here are some examples of glamping:

A camp with solar panels for hot showers.
Tents are provided with king size beds, art on the walls and a personal butler.
Tents are rigged with electrical power which means appliances, reading lamps, and even climate control becomes possible.
Meals are provided, often multi-course meals on china.
Transportation is provided for daily excursions.
Upon return from excursions, the glamper’s laundry has been completed.
Saunas and hot tubs are on site.
Remote-controlled propane wood stoves.
Private bathrooms.
Summer concerts, massage treatments, and yoga classes are available.

Anyone who has been camping realizes that there are a few kinks in the experience, usually in the back from sleeping on the ground.  And don’t forget the bugs, the so-so bathrooms and the unpredictable weather.  Still many would say that the genuine camping experience can’t be beat.  Watching deer wander through the site, catching your own fish for dinner, the smell of the campfire, the togetherness, the joy of hiking through God’s country and the assurance that you can leave luxury behind and get back to your roots are beyond appealing! 

Our state and national parks have so much to offer the camper in all of us.  But if you truly need a more glamorous experience, then perhaps glamping is for you.  Just be prepared…all that luxury comes with a price tag!

Do all your homework before Sunday so you can spend the day with her.

Clean your room without being asked!  You know she will like this!

Think about the chores your mom does each day, and do them for her.  Help her to relax knowing that Monday won’t be a “catch up” day for celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday.

Wash the car and don’t forget to vacuum out the inside too!

Play a day of fun.  Mom is usually the one to do all the planning so it will be such a treat to just sit back and enjoy your thoughtful preparations.  Need some ideas on where to go?

Plan the menu – and then for teens- actually go to the store to buy the ingredients.  Follow through with cooking and don’t forget to clean up the kitchen!

Not adept in the kitchen.  No worries, pick up the phone and make reservations at her favorite restaurant.

If you play an instrument, put on a mini concert for her.  She loves to hear you play! 
 

Encourage her to lock her door and relax in a hot bubble bath.  Remind her to take her book with her.

Hide notes of love and appreciation all over the house.  Mother’s Day may turn into Mother’s week before she finds them all.

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 your kids’ schools, 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

We all know how important it is care for our environment and there is a big push to purchase products that are “green”.  But do you know how to determine if a product meets the green guidelines?

1. Is the product made with recycled, salvaged or agricultural waste content?

 Products with pre-consumer recycled content
 Salvaged products
 Products with post-consumer recycled content
 Products made from agricutural waste material

2. Does the product conserve natural resources?

 Products that reduce material uses
 Products with exceptional durability
 Certified wood products
 Renewable products

3. Does the product avoid toxic or other emissions?

 Natural or minimally processed products
 Alternatives to ozone-depleting substances
 Alternatives to hazardous products
 Products that reduce or eliminate pesticide treatments
 Products that reduce storm water pollution
 Products that reduce impacts from construction or demolition activities
 Products that reduce pollution or waste from operations

4. Does the product save energy or water?

 Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads
 Equipment that conserves energy or fuel cell equipment
 Renewable energy or fuel cell equipment
 Fixtures and equipment that conserves water

5. Does the product contribute to a safe, healthy built environment?

 Products that do not release significant pollutants into the building
 Products that block the introduction, development or spread of indoor contaminants
 Products that remove the indoor pollutants
 Products that warn occupants of health hazards in a building
 Products that improve light quality
 Products that help control noise
 Products that enhance community well being

Now that you know what makes a “green” product, take a look at these OC businesses  who have a made a commitment to Going Green by clicking HERE.

Source: U.S. Green Building Council, Green Building Inc., NAHB, Energy Star

“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.”
— Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)

At home:

1.  Make your own window wash: Mix 3 tablespoons vinegar with 2 cups of water. Spray right on your windows and wipe away.  For windows that have been tinted, this is a must as cleaners with ammonia can harm the tinting. 
2.  Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot. This also keeps your clothes in top shape for longer.
3.  Lower the temperature on your hot water heater.  Simple, simple, simple.
4.  Five-minute showers – make it a goal for yourself.  Reward yourself with extra time in bed.
5.  Make your own sink and toilet cleaner:  Drizzle your sink and toilet bowl with vinegar, lemon juice. Sprinkle with baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Wipe sink down with a sponge/Scrub with toilet brush.
6.  Turn off vampire electronics.  Unplug appliances, and don’t leave chargers plugged in when nothing is being charged.  Plug your TV, DVD, computer, and printers into UL-certified power strips and then switch off the entire group each night to prevent overnight electrical draw.

While out:

7.  Stop using disposable bags and purchase some reusable bags.  It’s an affordable onetime expense.  Many stores are providing a 5 cent discount on your purchase and many Trader Joes offer a raffle ticket for an opportunity to win a $25 gift card when you bring your own bags.
8.  Buy a reusable water bottle, and stop buying plastic disposable bottles.
9.  Support your local economy and shop your local farmers’ market.
10.  Purchase products from companies that environmentally friendly.  For example, brew coffee that has been shade grown or is labeled “Free Trade”.  The tasty snack, SunChips has launched a line of chips in a fully compostable bag.  And right here in OC, many OC Businesses are committing to being green.

Small changes make for big results.   In honor of Earth Day, start making your changes today!

THE TOLL ROADS CELEBRATE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF SPRING NATIVE HABITAT TOURS
Restoration specialist will lead free tours of areas set aside with construction of The Toll Roads

The public is invited to experience nature at its best during the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) 10th annual series of guided spring tours. A hike through the scrub and oak wooded Upper Chiquita Canyon kicks off the series of free tours offered in April and May. The tours focus on the various native habitats that were restored, protected and preserved with the construction of the 73, 241, 261 and 133 Toll Roads. All of the tours are led by biologists and scientists who oversee the conservation areas. This year’s annual spring tours include:

Upper Chiquita Canyon – April 24
Wildflower & Bird Watching Tour, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This 1,182-acre conservation area located near Coto de Caza was set aside with construction of the 241 Toll Road. A moderate four-mile hike gives participants a peek at an area rich with coastal sage scrub, oak woodland, grassland, and natural drainage habitats. Specific techniques that were used to restore this popular site, set aside for the conservation of the federally threatened California gnatcatcher, will be the focus of the hike.

Participants will also be able to view and hear about an extensive cactus salvage and transplantation that recently occurred within the west canyon of Upper Chiquita, part of the mitigation for the construction of the Santa Margarita Water District’s Upper Chiquita Reservoir. Large rooted cactus plants were removed from the reservoir area in early 2009 and transplanted into three sites in the adjacent valleys. The cactus sites are intended to increase suitable habitat for the cactus wren, a small bird whose population has been declining in the Central and Coastal Reserve of the Natural Community Conservation Plan of Orange County. By August 2009, six new cactus wren nests were found in two of the transplanted sites. TCA continues to monitor cactus growth and wildlife use.

Upper Laurel Canyon – May 8
Wildlife Undercrossing Hike, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This rigorous six-mile hike begins in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and leads participants up through an oak woodland canyon, toward the 73 Toll Road. It continues through a wildlife undercrossing where participants can look for tracks and identify wildlife using the crossing. The hike reaches a scenic point overlooking Shady Canyon, Laguna Canyon and beyond. The plant ecologist who oversees the restoration of native habitat along toll road slopes will describe restoration techniques used to create sustainable habitat for the California gnatcatcher, a threatened songbird. Come prepared to walk along steep and sometimes narrow trails.

Bonita Wetlands – May 22
Restoration Hike & Bird Watching Tours, Bird Watching: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Restoration Hike: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The 21-acre Bonita Channel is the main wildlife link from Upper Newport Bay to the San Joaquin Hills and was restored with the construction of the 73 Toll Road. Bonita Creek habitat was restored from an underground culvert to a viable wetland. This easy hike will be primarily on a paved path. Bird watchers will see wetland and coastal sage scrub bird species.

Space is limited so reservations are required.  Call (949) 754-3405 or e-mail lmorgan@thetollroads.com to sign up.
ABOUT TCA

More than 2,100 acres of open space have been protected or restored in association with construction of the 73, 241, 261 and 133 Toll Roads. The Toll Roads are operated by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, two joint powers authorities formed by the California state legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct, and operate Orange County’s 67-mile public toll road system. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete, including the San Joaquin Hills (73) Toll Road from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano; and the Foothill/Eastern Toll Roads (241, 261, 133) from the 91 Freeway to South Orange County. Nearly 300,000 people a day use the toll road system

Last Month Welcome To OC invited its readers to participate in a contest held by So-Cal Solar on “How Green Are You?”  Take a look below to read about the winners and their great ideas on being green.

Green Contest Winner…The Komar’s Impact

March 18th, 2010
So-Cal Solar Inc. ran a contest last month on how green are you. After many entries we are happy to announce Nick and Brooke Komar as our winners. This couple really has made saving our planet a priority in their household and together their contributions make a positive impact on our environment. Below is their story on how they work together to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“Reduce: For the past 6 years I’ve been reducing the amount of plastic bags in our landfills by shopping with fabric grocery bags. If I forget them in the car, I ask the grocer to put my cart aside and I run and grab them (they’re only 50 feet away! no biggie!); at malls I reduce shopping bags by asking subsequent stores to place their merchandise in my initial bag; I do all my shopping on one day to reduce emissions; we keep our A/C and heat as low as possible and just put on or take off layers to regulate our temperature; recently I’ve learned my hubby limits himself to just a few squares of toilet paper per bathroom pit stop!

Reuse: I’ve always been a fan of reconstituting items. As an artist, I will repurpose objects and make them into new things (clothing into a purse, curtains into a canvas, wine corks into a trivet); our wedding day was even green! Our e-vites/RSVP were virtual & I went to antique stores to purchase the centerpieces (candelabra’s) and have used them to decorate our home since then. My wedding dress will be re-worn by a friend and then I’m having it turned into a quilt!

Recycle: I began recycling in 4th grade after I completed a school project on ozone layer depletion and greenhouse gases. It impacted me greatly. I thought I wouldn’t live to see my 18th birthday because of pollution! Thankfully I am still here, and our earth is here too! But that made a big impact on how I live my life. My husband and I thankfully now live in a town/city that encourages living green! Plano, TX accepts all plastics, papers, glass, and metal and they collect them at our doorstep biweekly! However, before that, I lived in Germany (where they enforced recycling) and in Indiana where I would have to take separate recyclables myself and then transport them in my car to the local recycling plant.”

Recycling, reusing, and recycling are a great way to start your quest to care for our planet.  There are many Orange County businesses who have gone the extra step and have “greened” up their business practices.   Check them out HERE!

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.
Harriet Van Horne

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. 

Happily, Antoine’s Café in San Clemente helps us to discover our inner chef.  Every month, chef and caterer Caroline Cazaumayou comes to Antoine’s to offer cooking classes, dinner, recipes, and wine.  Look at the epicurean delight that was the March class:

“Gourmet Mediterranean”

Menu
Steamed Artichoke with Lemon-Tahini Vinaigrette
Butterflied Leg of Lamb Stuffed with Spinach and Mushroom
Carrots and Apricots in Sherry Vinegar Glaze
Couscous with Currants, Zucchini and Toasted Pine Nuts
Tangerine Flan with Light Caramel

Call today to reserve a seat at the table: 949.492.1763.
Recipes, dinner and a glass of wine are included.
No corkage fee if you bring your own wine.

Mmmmm, don’t delay in signing up to create your own culinary masterpiece in April or in the months to follow!

Antoine’s Cafe

218 South El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
949.492.1763
www.antoinescafe.com

For more nice restaurants in Orange County, visit the Dining Guide