Dance presented by Irvine Barclay Theatre on Saturday, July 28, 2012 featuring the finale of the National Choreographers Initiative, Molly Lynch, artistic director.

Be there for the birth of four new ballets created as part of the intensive 3-week process of the National Choreographers Initiative. Director Molly Lynch invites four choreographers of note, as well as sixteen professional dancers from ballet companies across the country, to participate. NCI is a southern California project with national influence. NCI has brought 32 choreographers to California to develop new works. Many of the pieces begun here have gone on to be performed elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad. The project culminates in a public performance that showcases the excitement of new creation. It’s also an opportunity to hear the choreographers talk about their concepts and ideas and for you to participate in the discussion.

This has become the must-see dance event of the summer.

Tickets: $30 ($20 students)

Preservation Hall Jazz Band presented by Irvine Barclay Theatre on Friday, July 06, 2012.

Of all the styles of American music, none is more iconic than jazz: born of hard times, the music is a defiant celebration of freedom and individuality. It has taken many forms over the years, and continues to evolve, but New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band proves nightly that there’s plenty of adventure left in its original form: the rich musical interplay known as Dixieland.

A French Quarter legend, Preservation Hall opened its doors in 1961, inspired by years of informal jam sessions that had taken place in the early 1800s building. Several of Preservation Hall’s original members honed their talents playing alongside jazz originators such as Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton. Their craft, in turn, has been passed on directly to successive generations of band members. Not everyone can go to New Orleans, but the seven-piece band is only too glad to bring it to you on the Barclay stage.

Tickets: $33, $38, $45

JoAnne Artman Gallery, presents in the Main Gallery:

“Force Bloom” New Works by James Verbicky
July 1, 2012 – July 31, 2012

Opening Reception: July 5th, 2012 from 6-8pm to coincide with Laguna Beach Art Walk

Please RSVP: 949.510.5481 by July 1st, 2012

Join us to sniff and schmooze with other dogs and their owners during Yappy Hour, our monthly cocktail party for canines and their companions. Kick back and relax while your pup kicks up some dirt on The Dana Lawn. Dogs will enjoy lapping up libations, thanks to water in his favorite flavor—bacon, chicken, cheese, beef or liver—while you enjoy wines from Mutt Lynch Winery.

Featured Mutt Lynch Wines by the glass include:
Unleashed Chardonnay
Merlot Over and Play Dead
Chateau D’og Cab Sauvignon

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a local animal rescue organization.

Canines are complimentary; no host cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for their companions.

Yappy Hour: Season 2
Thursdays,  July 5, August 2 and September 6

Savory Spice Shop, the purveyor of quality, unique, organic and exotic spices, is hosting an exciting Spanish Tapas demonstration this month at their Corona del Mar location.

Chefs Linda Elbert and Michael Bretall, owners of The Basement Table at the Laguna Culinary Arts Cafe, will be creating a Spanish Tapas-style dinner, highlighting some of Savory Spice’s most intriguing spices.
Chefs Elbert and Bretall’s demonstration and menu will include a white gazpacho soup with tomato bread, orange and fennel salad, chicken brochettes with spices and honey, vegetables with saffron rice and will finish with dark chocolate cake.

Cost to attend this class is $40 per person and includes learning how to prepare these dishes, generous tastings of each item and the recipes to recreate the delicious dishes experienced at this class.

Event attendees are required to bring their own beverages, space is limited and reservations can be made by calling 949-717-7776.

Check out one of the hardest-working ladies in the Southern California live music scene, Tricia Freeman, when she performs in concert at the illustrious Coach House on Saturday, June 22. 8 p.m. $15.

Also performing is Janiva Magness.   

Talented Vocal Babe*
Freeman has a bold, humorous stage presence that will have you rolling with laughter between songs.  This is why being compared to Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstad, and Melissa Etheridge, among others, has been “trumped” with other fan’s and critic’s opinions that she is much more like the multi-talented Bette Midler.  Indeed, Ms. Freeman has that “Midler” appeal. 

* This term of endearment has been respectfully linked to Ms. Freeman.

The Laguna Playhouse is hosted by the Newport Beach Vineyards & Winery for a Summer Solstice event. Enjoy a wine-tasting soiree, hors d’ oeuvres by the Hyatt Regency Irvine, and featuring Shakespeare short vignettes. Proceeds will help Laguna Playhouse continue its work in producing and presenting great theatre and entertainment.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
$90 per person, payable in advance online.

Jazz Wednesdays is great jazz music and great food in the outdoor Rose Garden at the Hotel Laguna, 425 So. Coast Hwy..

The summer jazz series is every two weeks, June 13 –September 5, 2012. with a variety of the best jazz musicians. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.; food and beverage are available for purchase. The show starts at 6:00 p.m. with intermission.

Cost is $12 online or $15 at the door. Reservations for 1 or more are accepted if prepaid online. Sorry, no refunds or exchanges but you may turn in your ticket for tax donation. Reservations are accepted until noon on day of concert.

Laguna Beach Live! presents Inside World Music with the Turkish-French collaboration of Senem Diyici and Alan Blesing and the Mavi Yol 4tet. Think of traditional and classic Turkish music and European jazz by Senem Diyici (“...a voice blessed by the gods…” –VSD) and Alan Blesing, once part of the progressive French rock scene, then jazz, and now cross cultural experiences. Hear some music at http://vimeo.com/30486781.

Yappy Hour at The Ritz-Carlton

Join us to sniff and schmooze with other dogs and their owners during Yappy Hour, our monthly cocktail party for canines and their companions. Kick back and relax while your pup kicks up some dirt on The Dana Lawn. Dogs will enjoy lapping up libations, thanks to water in his favorite flavor—bacon, chicken, cheese, beef or liver—while you enjoy wines from Mutt Lynch Winery.

Featured Mutt Lynch Wines by the glass include:
Unleashed Chardonnay
Merlot Over and Play Dead
Chateau D’og Cab Sauvignon

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a local animal rescue organization.

Canines are complimentary; no host cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for their companions.

Yappy Hour: Season 2
Thursdays, June 7, July 5, August 2 and September 6

As lead singer of Chicago, Peter Cetera enjoyed string of top-10 hits, including “25 or 6 to 4” and “You’re the Inspiration.”  After launching his solo career, Cetera’s success continued with “Glory of Love” (the theme to “The Karate Kid, Part II”), “The Next Time I Fall” and “Restless Heart.”

Tickets start at $25.

Contact the Box Office at: (714) 755-5799, or visit us online.

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday-Sunday 11a.m. - 5 p.m. or by appointment. Call 949-510-5481.

A contemporary dance event that will leave you moved. A rare and powerful collaboration between nationally-recognized experimental choreographers and under-served youth, which yields work that is original, inventive, and distinctive. “It practically takes your breath away” – Orange County Register.  Leave your expectations at the door and experience contemporary dance that breaks down the stereotypes of who can ignite and create art.  A performance every bit as meaningful for the audience as it is for the dancers.

Vegetable and herb seedlings, locally grown using organic products. Many varieties are from heirloom seed.

Our booth is located at the back of the Farmers Market on Local’s Lane.

Southern California Hospice Foundation (SCHF), will host its fifth annual Charity Golf Tournament on Wednesday May 23rd, 2012 at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast. Golfers will tee off at 11 a.m. on the South Course where they will enjoy sponsored beverage carts, liquor holes, fun activities, and hole-in-one games - including a chance to win a BMW convertible!

Following the day on the links, golfers and their guests will join us in the Mar Vista Ballroom at Pelican Hill Resort which boasts 180 degree, sweeping ocean views.  Watch the sun set with us as you take in a hosted happy hour, a deluxe Italian dinner, a raffle, and exciting live and silent auctions. 

Last year, the charity tournament netted over $65,000 and SCHF hopes to beat that number this year. Proceeds from tournament are used to provide community education about end-of-life issues and will directly benefit caregivers, families and patients who are confronting the final stages of life.  SCHF strives to fulfill unmet needs that are not covered by insurance.  Sometimes assistance is as practical as providing groceries or paying utility bill that a patient can’t afford.  Sometimes it’s making a wish come true that lifts the spirit and the heart.

Most recently, SCHF received a request to help a 12 year-old boy suffering from terminal bone cancer to fulfill his wish of meeting the Angels baseball team. “For just a day he and his family didn’t have to think about cancer.  He was just a kid, going on a great adventure and having the time of his life!  The boy just could not stop smiling and it was magical to watch.” said SCHF Executive Director, Michelle Wulfestieg.

It’s not too late to support SCHF through the Golf Tournament. Donations begin at $10 dollars, good for one ticket to the 50/50 drawing that will be split between the foundation and the lucky winner. (You need not be present to win.)  Golfing in the event costs $375 per person, and group sponsorships are priced between $2,500 - $10,000, which includes golf, meals and full participation in all activities during the tournament.

Drive, Play and Stay at The St. Regis Monarch Beach this Memorial Day weekend.

Enjoy a complimentary pool view upgrade and valet parking. The Summer Kick-Off starts over Memorial Day weekend, which means you will be able to enjoy the FIRST Monarch Butterfly Release of the season, Fireside Storytime and S’mores, and Kids Night Out –- movie, games, ice cream and fun! Families can also enjoy the world-class golf, renowned Spa Gaucin, and the fine and casual dining options at The St. Regis Monarch Beach.

Call 1-800-722-1543 to book the Drive, Play and Stay package for Memorial Day, or visit us online.

One Monday per month, ‘Three Seventy Common Kitchen + Drink’ will welcome a guest Chef to prepare a special menu for the evening.  The menu will be a pre-set menu showcasing the Chef’s talents and will be offered throughout the evening. On May 21, we welcome Chefs Alfonso Ramirez and Luis Perez of Santa Ana hot-spot ‘Lola Gaspar.’  Six-course menu $52/pp + $30/pp for booze pairings.

Sunday, May 20, 2012, 4:00 pm. Laguna Beach Books is pleased to welcome Corie Skolnick, author of “Orfan.” There is no charge for this event.

What happens when Jimmy Deane, a half-white, half-black infant, born amidst simmering racial tension on Chicago’s south side in 1969, is adopted by Carter and Susie Deane, a well-meaning South Florida couple who orphan Jimmy yet again before he even sets foot in kindergarten? This quintessential orphan tale tracks Jimmy’s trajectory from the wintry night of his inauspicious birth in Chicago, through the trials of a lonely biracial youth in South Florida, to his eventual touchdown in the City of Angels.

With a large dose of humor and warmth, Orfan lets the reader in on the loss, grief, trauma, and isolation that children experience when the foundation of a loving parent is pulled out from under them, and they are placed in homes where they are not loved or appreciated, or even safe. While Orfan has a fantastical side that allows us to reach in and enjoy the story of Jimmy, it also illustrates the searing pain of aloneness and how important it is that our communities support all our “orfans” to have stable, permanent lifelong families. As we see with Orfan, families can appear in all shapes and colors and from the most unlikely places. Orfan is an old-fashioned page-turner with real heart and an insight into love and how people authentically come together as family.

About Corie Skolnick:
Born in Oak Park, Illinois, and raised on Chicago’s south side, Corie Skolnick has lived her entire adult life in Southern California. She is a California licensed marriage and family therapist and a “sometimes” psychology instructor at California State University, Northridge and Moorpark College. Among the many courses she has taught at both colleges, her very favorite is The Psychological Aspects of Parenthood. She has two grown children, both of them in the arts, and she is married to the social psychologist, Paul Skolnick. Orfan is her first novel.

Join Executive Chef Andres Jimenez Saturday, May 19 for an Herbs, Flowers and White Wine Culinary Demonstration.

It’s spring thyme! The demonstration-style class features Chef Andres’ Signature, Pan Seared Halibut, Creamy Fresh Herb Chimichurri Butter and a refreshing Hibiscus Kir Royal. Learn how to impress your friends with this elegant meal.  The Culinary Demonstration is $109 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity, and includes a three-course lunch with accompany beverage following demonstration.  The demonstrations is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Reservations can be made by calling Resort Services at 949-240-2000.

Linda Ramos, owner of Bella Bella Salon, is working with iHOPEoc to promote their Spring Rummage Sale on May 19 - 20 at their resource center in San Clemente. iHOPEoc is a non-profit organization helping the homeless and the working poor with basic needs and resources.

IHOPEoc accepts the following new or gently used items for donation:
• Furniture, lamps and accessories
• Collectibles or antiques
• Sporting goods, books, records, toys and games
• Clothing (child and adult sizes)
• Electronics (in working order)
• Household items
• Glassware, dishes, cups, etc.

iHOPEoc cannot accept recalled items, large appliances like refrigerators, washers and dryers, or children’s car seats. Items can be dropped off between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  at the iHOPEoc resource center in San Clemente on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday prior to the rummage sale. Before bringing a donation, it is requested that people call (949) 973-2360 or (949) 500-0494 to arrange either drop off or pick up of their items.

Al fresco documentary films including “Vanishing of the Bees” (May 18) and “Urban Roots” (May 25).

“Vanishing of the Bees”
Friday, May 18
Filmed across the US, Europe, Australia and Asia, this film examines the alarming disappearance of honeybees and the implications of Colony Collapse Disorder on global food supplies. Honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet, bringing forward questions in an industry responsible for producing one out of every three bites of food on our tables.
90 min

Click here for directions to OCGP.

“Urban Roots”
Friday, May 25
Urban Roots follows the emergence of urban farming in Detroit. The film shows dedicated Detroiters working tirelessly to fulfill their vision for locally-grown, sustainably-farmed food, setting an example for community engagement as a solution to the problems posed by a collapsing local industry. Following the inspiring stories of several agricultural programs, Urban Roots shows that the people tilling the soil and picking the harvest have fantastic stories to tell.
93 min

RAYA Chef de Cuisine Marissa Gerlach features a Foie Gras Tasting Menu on Friday and Saturday evenings through June.  The tasting menu is $95 per person or $145 per person with wine pairings.

Menu
Soy Peanut Foie Mousse CookieSandwich
White Truffle Foie Custard, Corn Salsa, Popcorn
Almond Crusted Fried Foie Dumpling in a Nest, Apple Spiced Compote
Chile Seared Maple Leaf Duck Breast, Foie Truffle Ravioli, Blue Foot Mushrooms, Blackberry Sauce
Foie Butter Cake, Vanilla Roasted Pineapple, Seared Foie Ice Cream, Pineapple Caramel

The menu is subject to change each week.

The elegant Encore Dinner Theatre & Club in Old Town, Tustin extendsits current original musical revue, Swing into Spring, through July 1, 2012.

Swing into Spring is a delightful journey back to the era when the sound of Big Band Swing and a 13-piece orchestra dominated the dance floor and captured the pulse of the nation. Swing into Spring features a live big band orchestra, professional swing dancers and tap dancers, vocalists, and video projections designed to transport audiences back to the 1930s and 40s.

Tickets are $49-$69. Discounts available for children, seniors and groups. To purchase tickets or for more information, call (657) 210-3200 or visit the website.

From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., savor the true flavors of Italy with a prix fixe rustic Tuscan menu that includes your choice of appetizers, entrees and desserts created by Chef Luca. Wine pairings for each course available.

$100* per person, or $150* with wine pairings, plus tax and gratuities.

Contact phone and email: 949-467-6800 |  reservations@pelicanhill.com