Looking for great Orange County weekend events?  Then read today’s post from Lance Perkins, Chairman of Chocolate – The Event:

Have   you heard? Everything’s coming up “Chocolate” this summer in Southern  California and we’d be particularly honored were you to be a part of it!

Starting  on Friday evening, July 29th as part of the opening festivities, VIP guests  are invited to a sumptuous dinner hosted by the world-famous Bruno Serato’s   “White House Restaurant”. Bruno is delighted to offer the kind of five-star   cuisine that his celebrated establishment has become famous for. In fact,   these award winning dishes, along with his work with numerous children’s   charities have been recognized across the globe, and he was recently honored   by CNN as one of their “CNN Heroes“. Bruno feeds 300 underprivileged kids every   single day of the year!

Then  on Saturday morning, July 30th we’ll kick off the fun early at 10 am with an   extravagant “Chocolate Walk” down The Center Promenade Plaza. Afterward and   throughout the day, there will be live music, street performers and a whole   myriad of epicurean and chocolate delicacies to tantalize and delight the   palate! Major Celebrity Hosts, Live Bands, Top Chefs and Chocolatier’s   featured at the festival including: Tamra Barney (The Real Housewives of OC),   Judy Tenuta (The Love Goddess), Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson of Little House   on the Prairie), Adam Gertler (TV Food Networks, “Kid in A Candy Store”), Chef   Meg Hall (Extreme Chef), Chef Emmanuel Delcour (Chef Masters), Chef Jill Davie   (Sunkist’s Spokeswoman), Chef Stef Candy (Belmont Shores Best Chocolatier),   Randy Fuhrman, Chocolatier Jonathan Graham (Chocolatier to the Stars featured   on Oprah) and Chef Susan Irby (aka The Bikini Chef). There’ll be a variety of   entertainment and top bands including; the Adam Lasher Band, The Go-Sheilas,   ACIDIC with many more TBA. Even a dynamic fashion show with notable hosts   Daniel DiCriscio (Messiah of Makeover”), Joe Exclusive (Fashion Stylist to the   Stars) and Project Runway’s Season 8 designer Michael Costello! So not   only will those in attendance enjoy scrumptious chocolate of all   sorts, there will be savory wine tastings, gourmet coffee samples, live   concerts, a celebrity chef challenge, and extra special–extra fun–surprises   for the entire family to enjoy! (not to mention some of the hottest   entertainment around.)

Then,   on Sunday July 31, we will be having a “Grand Closing Gala “–a curtain call   if you will, to the entire event. We will have a feature screening of Charlie   and the Chocolate Factory at UltraLuxe CInema http://youtu.be/8MDbu8nMLNE in   GardenWalk, Anaheim next to Disneyland. This will close the sweet fun of the   festival with a celebrity star studded red carpet, surprise celebrity guests,   chocolate awards, movie memorabilia displays, “Golden Ticket” giveaways, Wonka   movie character look alike’s and chocolate tastings.

“Chocolate-The   Event” is a fund-raising effort for both the MUZEO’s Eniro programs for   access to the Arts for at-risk youth and children throughout the region, along   with the Downtown Anaheim Association, as well as other charities which are   being added daily. One of the main features of the event in addition to the   amazing chef talent at the expose is Chocolate: The Exhibition. This national tour runs June   9th – September 10th. At the event you’ll explore the plant, the products, the   history, and the culture of chocolate through the lenses of botany and   ecology, anthropology and economics, conservation and popular culture.

Already promising to be the “Can’t Miss” premier   celebration of the 2011 summer season, “Chocolate: The Event” is designed to   appeal–not just to chocolate lovers, but to anyone of any age who enjoys a   plain old terrific time!

And for other great activities here in the fabulous OC, take a look at this helpful Entertainment Guide.

New Year’s Day would not be complete without watching The Rose Parade!

Each New Year’s Day, the world focuses its attention on Pasadena, home of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. The Tournament of Roses has come a long way since its origin in the winter of 1890. The Rose Parade’s elaborate floats now feature high-tech computerized animation and exotic natural materials from around the world. With needing nearly a year to complete, the construction of the floats is no small undertaking.

This year the 122nd Rose Parade themed “Building Dreams, Friendships & Memories”, will take place on Saturday, January 1, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. (PST) featuring spirited marching bands from throughout the nation, majestic floral floats, and high-stepping equestrian units.

There are several ways to enjoy the parade:

Volunteer to decorate a float – It’s surprisingly hard work, but definitely a great time.  And on New Year’s morning, you have a sense of ownership when you spot the float you worked on and can say that you contributed to its overall beauty.

Take a sneak peak – Get a backstage glimpse of the floral floats in their final stages of preparation at three different locations.  See a variety of fruit, seeds, bark, grasses and of course, flowers being applied to the floats by experienced professionals as well as hard working volunteers.

And of course, be a spectator – Whether curbside or from the comfort of your own couch, the grandeur and pageantry of the Rose Parade is not to be missed.

Click HERE for information on volunteering, tickets, parking, and other pertinent information.

Welcome To OC  presents Guest Blogger Craig Carbonniere, President|Orange County Coastal Concierge, with a timely post on a perfect holiday in Orange County.

The sun is shining on a chilly winter morning and the air is clean and crisp.  The family gets wrapped up in their scarves and is geared up and ready to drive up the coast to start your annual family holiday outing.  Don’t forget your sunglasses!  Although the temperature may seem brisk, this is a perfect beautiful morning on the Orange County Coast. 

 Alongside the famous PCH, you stumble across Nick’s Restaurant in Laguna Beach.  Nick’s is a small eatery serving Classic American comfort food.  My recommendation would be to order their Café Breakfast (2 Eggs, Hash Browns or Fresh Fruit and Toast) which is a great deal for $7.  Feeling a little daring?  If you feel like you’ve made the “naughty” list this year,try their exclusive Oatmeal Brulee served with fresh berries and topped with sealed caramelized sugar.   Imagine… breaking into a crunchy sugar shell before delving into the freshly made oatmeal. 

As you finish your filling breakfast at Nick’s you certainly need to “walk it off.” From the patio of the restaurant you spot Main Beach and the famous Laguna Beach Lifeguard Tower.   You decide to take a walk to the ocean and remember that you forgot to send out holiday cards for the season! There is no better place to take a family photo then in front of the Lifeguard Tower.  The tower has been themed for the holiday season with decorated wreaths.  Just like that-you can take the Christmas card photo off of your list.  On your way back to the car, don’t forget to stop by the Candy Baron.  The kids will think they’ve hit the jackpot walking into this dream of an unending variety of candy.  Take your time picking through yourfavorite flavors of Salt Water taffy, hard candies, imported chocolates and more!

Everyone is ready to go back in the car to explore further up the coast.  You’ve arrive in Costa Mesa, another hidden gem of the OC.  Your beach rendezvous has made you hungry and the cold weather tricks your stomach into wanting something spicy to warm you and the family up.  Santouka Ramen is where you can find the best spicy dish called Spicy Miso Chashyu Ramen. The broth is decadent with thin slices of pork cooked to perfection making this light lunch absolutely irresistible.  You take the family around to see the sights in Costa Mesa, perhaps even get a little jump on holiday shopping.

Shopping has been checked off your list as you’ve checked it twice and now everyone is ready for dinner.  You’ve already set up reservations to dine at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen in the Downtown Disney District of Anaheim.  Starting off with an appetizer of Southern Garlic Cheese bread made with large slices of mozzarella sandwiched in between each slice of roasted garlic bread.  Squeezing a little lemon over the bread also enhances the flavor and heightens the experience.  Your family has never had garlic cheese bread like this before!  You have a variety of options for your main entrée from Pasta Jambalaya to a New York Strip served with truffle compound butter.  Don’t worry, there’s also a kids menu that offers items such as Cornflake Crusted Chicken or Macaroni and Cheese.  You skipped dessert at dinner and your family is wondering why?

Now, this is your opportunity to create one heck of a memory your family will never forget.  You surprise the family with something they would never expect.  Little do they know… you’ve pre-purchased tickets to go to Disneyland Park to spend the rest of your evening!  “We’re having dessert inside of Disneyland!” Suddenly, the cheers from the surprise are captured in your camera and you are headed off into the turnstiles of the most magical place on earth!  It is a winter wonderland as make your way to Blue Ribbon Bakery.  The sights and smells cinnamon and spiced pastries and desserts are tempting.  The family cannot take their eyes off of the giant cinnamon roll (they’re so big that everyone can share). A cup of freshly made hot chocolate or coffee to accompany it is the perfect match.  Now that you have your dessert, you grab a seat on a bench at the end of Main Street waiting for the Fireworks show and towards the end of the show you find that winter is truly here. 

Whether a Vacation or an annual family day, it is so much easier with proper planning. During the holidays it is difficult to squeeze all of your tasks in such a small amount of time.  From restaurant dining reservations to pre-purchasing theme park tickets, let Coastal Concierge of Orange County do that work for you.  Taking the opportunity to let us plan your events or itinerary can create more time you can spend with your family.

From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!

On Saturday November 27th 2010, the San Clemente Downtown Business Association, along with the City of San Clemente, proudly presents Puttin’ On the Glitz, San Clemente’s premiere holiday gala, from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.  Free to the public, this family-friendly event is the perfect way to begin the holiday season.  It is a magical event that invokes the small-town holiday spirit in one of the only true downtown seaside villages of Southern California.

Decked out in twinkling lights, historical Avenida Del Mar becomes a festive pedestrian mall, closed to traffic for the evening as children enjoy rides on a motorized mini-train and an enchanting horse-drawn fantasy carriage.  Face painters, balloon artists, and magicians are on hand to captivate one and all.  Entertainment includes carolers in Victorian costumes, a barber-shop quartet, bagpipers troupe, live music and much more.  The charming shops and windows which line the avenue are decorated for the season and open through the evening to accommodate holiday shopping lists, with many offering treats & refreshments.  Organizations and vendors such as the Boy Scouts of America offer up hot apple cider, fire roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate, snow cones  and cotton candy as you stroll the quaint downtown village.

Sirens signal the arrival of Santa Claus perched upon a fire truck, as he leads a fanfare procession down Del Mar to the Community Center.  Mrs. Claus & their elves are there to greet him and take Santa to his awaiting fireside chair where the children come to profess their hearts desires and make a lasting memory with a photo.

This year, let San Clemente become one of your holiday traditions by attending Puttin’ on the Glitz.  Be sure to pick up the San Clemente Downtown Business Association’s limited edition Surfing Santa ornament at the DBA booth before they are sold out.  Free shuttle service is provided from the San Clemente High School parking lot, located just East of the freeway on Avenida Pico. Once you have been to the Glitz, you will never miss it again!

For other great things to do with kids in orange county during the holidays, click HERE.

Welcome to OC presents guest blogger Craig Carbonniere, President of Orange County Coastal Concierge

It’s a beautiful summer day in July and you are visiting Orange County, what should you do? This is where Orange County Coastal Concierge comes in to give you and your family personalized recommendations on how to maximize your vacation’s potential.
 
You start out your warm summer day at Break of Dawn restaurant for breakfast and order the freshly baked Cinnamon Bun. Each gooey, soft, sweet bite of the Cinnamon Bun is a surreal experience!  Break of Dawn was founded by a remarkable chef who previously amazed Guests at Laguna Niguel’s own Ritz Carlton Hotel.

After your breakfast you spend the rest of the morning at “Surf City, USA”, Huntington Beach where you can watch the incredible surfers at the Pier. Now you are anxious to see if you would be any good at surfing so you enroll you and your family into Corky Carroll’s Surf School. You spend incredible family time playing in surf and your children obtain a memory that they will keep for the rest of their lives.

You have built up an appetite of course from your Surfing lesson and you want to pick up something quick for lunch. You shower off at one of the private showers at Bolsa Chica State Beach, and head up to the City of Orange for lunch. You stop at Mattern Sausage & Meats and eat a Reuben Sandwich that is piled high with their popular corned beef.

You and your full stomach are ready for your next adventure in the OC.  As I mentioned earlier, it is summer, and Orange County’s own “Boys of Summer” (Angels Baseball) season is in full stride. You purchase $9 outfield tickets and take the family out to the ball game.  The Angels sweep the Yankees and your appetite is back!

Just across the freeway east of Angels Stadium is Lazy Dog Café. The atmosphere of Lazy Dog Cafe is great for families who will truly feel comfortable in this restaurant. You will spend the next 45 minutes enjoying a blue cheese burger with bacon. Don’t forget to order the famous Cajun Fries!

As you make your way back down to the Laguna Beach hotel you stop at Joe’s Italian Ice, Garden Grove. As you enjoy your JoeLatti (layers of Italian ice and soft serve) you and the family reminisce on what an amazing day in which you just had.

Family Vacations can be such an important event in you and your family’s life.  We couldn’t agree more at Orange County Coastal Concierge!  We specialize in making our welcomed Orange County visitor’s vacations memorable. We understand that a perfect vacation can be so much more than the hotel or home in which you sleep in therefore we work day and night to find the best activities for your needs.  Take the work out of itineraries and planning by letting us assist in providing you our excellent services.
 
Please contact us at info@occoastalconcierge.com to arrange your next Orange County vacation!

Halloween is just a few days away…do you have plans for your kids yet?  Let us help:

Aliso Viejo – Halloween Fair and Haunted House

Labor Day is almost here. Don’t be caught with a boring barbecue!  According to a recent poll by The Recyler, carne asada is the meat of choice for the carnivore connoisseur. 35% chose carne asada, 25% chose steak, 10% chose chicken, and 10% chose other. But it’s more than just the meat wouldn’t you agree? 

Bourbon Whiskey BBQ Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup bourbon whiskey, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon salt, 2 cups ketchup, 1/4 cup tomato paste, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste.

Directions
In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and whiskey.  Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent.  Mix in the ground black pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Run sauce through a strainer ifyou prefer a smooth sauce.

So now you have your meat, you have your sauce, do you have your barbeque?  Let’s get grilling!

Many Orange County weekend events revolve around going to the beach.  This makes the following information even more important.  Welcome to OC is happy to hear that our oceans are being so closely monitered for water quality!  The following information came from the County Connection Newsletter.

For eight weeks this summer, the Health Care Agency’s Water Quality team is undergoing a demonstration project to test for bacteria in ocean water using a new rapid water quality monitoring method. The new testing method yields results within a mere two – three hours after sample collection as opposed to 24 hours with the traditional method. Health Care Agency is first in the nation to Use Rapid Water Testing Project.   

This means faster, more meaningful water quality advisories to keep surfers, swimmers and all other beach-goers better informed of water conditions.  “We are very excited to be the first in the nation to use the rapid water quality testing method because it is one step further in protecting public health,” said Environmental Health Director Richard Sanchez. “Since Orange County is known for its beaches and its water quality research, we are motivated to stay abreast of the latest technology possible in keeping the public safe.”

The water samples are collected around 7 a.m. from nine sampling sites along Orange County’s coast and bay areas. At each site three liter samples are taken and then dropped off at the closest water quality lab by 8:30 a.m. and testing results are sent to public health officials by 11 a.m. Public notices typically go out around noon of the same day the sample was collected.

The new water quality method is a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) that measures the presence of DNA from specific bacteria through a rapid heating and cooling process that enables bacteria to multiply exponentially within minutes. The qPCR machine then feeds the data to a computer for an almost-instant analysis. In contrast, the currently used method requires bacteria to grow overnight in an incubator. The traditional 24 hour growth method is still being performed daily alongside the new rapid method for comparison throughout the demonstration period.

If bacteria levels are over existing regulatory thresholds set by public health officials, notices are then posted on HCA’s beach information web site at www.ocbeachinfo.com as well as on a Twitter feed at www.Twitter.com/ocbeachinfo.

In addition, any warnings or closure information is remotely sent to five new video display monitors at major beach locations, including Doheny State Beach entry, Huntington State Beach Magnolia Street entry, Newport Pier and the Fuji Grill at Big Corona State Beach. The electronic monitors were provided by the Miocean Foundation and show results as red flags for closures, yellow for warnings and green for open.

The rapid testing project is a possibility thanks to a collaborative partnership between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, which provided the equipment and training. In addition, the Orange County Sanitation District and South Orange County Wastewater Authority are participating in the demonstration.

Take a look at a comprehensive list of Orange County Beaches and plan your day enjoying surf and sand!

Looking for Orange County weekend events?  Love the outdoors?  Want to relax and exercise at the same time?  Love to explore?  We just discovered this wonderful website for the OC Hiker –

http://www.oc-hiking.com/index.php

Here is some info taken from their website…

“Hike Everywhere/OC Hiking Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to getting men, women and children out into nature through social hiking, backpacking and peakbagging activities.

Get outdoors with OC HIKING CLUB!  Welcome all walkers, hikers, backpackers, peakbaggers, campers. Come enjoy the great Southern California outdoors.

- Membership is FREE!
- Reconnect with nature
- Beginner to Advanced hikes
- Largest regional hiking club in California
- Hikeminded people – over 100 hikes monthly
- Kids programs: Get Up, Get Out!, Taking Teens to the Top
- Educational Events – learn to backpack and more
- All ages welcome (kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)

Your soul is whispering, “Get outdoors, go hike!”  Beginner to advanced including easy beginner walks,intermediate conditioning hikes, advanced peakbagging, in-town-hikes and walks, out-of-town day hikes,overnight backpacking and peakbagging, Sunday brunch/hikes, yoga hikes, peaceful mind hikes, photography hikes, dog walks, beach walks and more outdoor fun!”

We are ready to lace up our hiking boots, how about you?

Today is June 21^st, the Summer Solstice, known as the longest day and the shortest night of the year. Ancient Pagans celebrated Midsummer with bonfires, when couples would leap through the flames, believing their crops would grow as high as the couples were able to jump.  Today, we associate summer solstice with the end of school, the start of summer, and a plethora of Orange County weekend events. 

Looking for some family fun at bargain prices?  Try these local events:

Mission Viejo 4^th of July Street Faire located at  Marguerite and Olympiad, 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Niguel: Grab your blankets, chairs and picnics and join us for a community favorite, the FREE Summer Concert Series! A fun and energetic lineup of music is scheduled and sure to please all ages!

Summer Movies in  Aliso Viejo – Bring your blankets and low-back chairs to enjoy a movie under the stars. Movie will begin at dusk.

Of course, this is just a few activities on a long list of summer fun. For an easy way to peruse the events in your community, click HERE