Pacific Coast Magazine: Summer/Fall 2018
Tomahawk steak at The Country Club in Costa Mesa | Credit Alan De Herrera
Buzz: Dining
New Eats
Being the foodie paradise that it is, numerous restaurants have been opening up all over Orange County. The first on our list is Olea in Newport Beach—sister restaurant to Ironwood in Laguna Hills and Vine Restaurant & Bar in San Clemente—which started serving wine country cuisine in late November 2017. Next came The Country Club, a former watering hole in Costa Mesa that reopened in December of last year as a luxurious restaurant and bar serving traditional American fare to its 21-and-older guests. Then, in January, Mexican eatery Puesto opened a fifth location, in Irvine, where diners can try its signature, artisanal tacos. Over at Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Mina opened the newest location of his contemporary steakhouse concept, Bourbon Steak, to much fanfare in March. Also in Dana Point, the more casual Parallel Pizzeria debuted its creative, wood stone-baked pizzas in May, as presented by chef and restaurateur Ryan Adams of Three Seventy Common Kitchen & Drink in Laguna Beach. Adams didn’t stop there, as he also opened another fast-casual, takeout restaurant, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, in Orange this past June, where they specialize in, you guessed it, buttermilk-fried chicken. (Olea: 949-287-6807; oleanewportbeach.com) (The Country Club: 949-281-2582; countryclubcm.com) (Puesto: 949-608-9990; eatpuesto.com) (Bourbon Steak: 949-234-3900; michaelmina.net) (Parallel Pizzeria: 949-441-7406; parallelpizzeria.com) (Buttermilk Fried Chicken: buttermilkfc.com)
A chef among smoke at the Orange County Signature Chefs Auction | Credit Dolly Russi
Philanthropic Food
Chefs across Orange County are not only dedicated to providing exquisite fare to their diners, but also to helping those in need by participating in charitable culinary events that raise money for reputable causes. In March, guests of Table for 10 were treated to a five-course meal with wine pairings and helped raise $450,000 to benefit SoCal-based charities Vocational Visions and The Teen Project, which support adults with disabilities and teens transitioning out of the foster care system, respectively. Also in March, OC Chef’s Table brought in 32 top chefs to cook for guests and ultimately raised $1 million for Illumination Foundation, benefitting its mission to end homelessness in Orange County. The Roosters Foundation focuses on Orange County, as well, by feeding hungry children in the area using funds from its annual Orange County Food & Wine Celebration, a two-day event consisting of Passport to Wine varietal tastings and chef-prepared meals at Passport to Chefs, which raised a total of $225,000 this May. Taste of the Nation, held in May at Montage Laguna Beach, offered guests bite-sized fare presented by some of the state’s most prestigious chefs and raised nearly $250,000 for a similar goal to aid No Kid Hungry, a charity working to end child hunger in America. Later this year, on Oct. 18, Orange County’s Signature Chefs Auction will include food tastings and a live auction of unique culinary experiences to raise money for March of Dimes, which aims to improve the health of premature babies and their mothers. (Table for 10: tableforten.org) (OC Chef’s Table: ifhomeless.org) (Orange County Food & Wine Celebration: ocfwc.com) (Taste of the Nation: nokidhungry.org) (Signature Chefs Auction: signaturechefs.marchofdimes.org)
The interior of a guest room | Courtesy of Skyview Los Alamos
Buzz: Travel
A Retro Respite
Though the sign outside reads, “Motel,” Skyview Los Alamos is not your average roadside lodging. This new boutique hotel, which was opened in May by the team who brought San Luis Obispo’s Granada Hotel & Bistro to life, is situated on a hilltop that boasts incredible views of the Santa Barbara wine country below. It also just so happens to be on the site of a historic motel from the 1950s, which is played upon with its classic midcentury feel and contemporary rustic aesthetic. The property comprises 33 guest rooms, including two suites and 16 deluxe accommodations with private balconies, fire pits and outdoor showers, as well as a vintage-style pool and even a working vineyard that grows pinot noir, which is used in the hotel’s house wine. Enjoy vistas of rolling hills while sipping on fine varietals or herb-infused cocktails and taste farm-fresh California cuisine from its western-influenced restaurant and bar, Norman, serving lunch and dinner daily as well as a weekend brunch, with seating options inside or poolside. (805-344-0104; skyviewlosalamos.com)
Surf Air offers all-you-can-fly memberships | Courtesy of Surf AIr
Take to the Sky
Frequent flyers, whether it be for business or pleasure, should undoubtedly check out the all-you-can-fly membership with Surf Air. The company’s flight-sharing model offers monthly subscriptions that give members unlimited access to its premier aircrafts, allowing them to travel within California as well as to Texas and Europe. Packages range from $1,950 to $2,950 a month and includes basic routes to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Carlsbad, plus many more for the preferred and premium options. The membership also includes notable luxuries, such as streamlined booking, the ability to arrive 15 minutes before your flight, a ticketless welcome, limited security checks, private terminals and aircrafts, seats that are both a window and aisle, as well as baggage claim minutes after landing. Surf Air also offers a pay-as-you-fly option, for which members will pay an annual fee of $2,500 plus $545 per flight and be given access to all of the available routes. Companies and families may opt for the group package, which starts at $5,000 a month for 10 flights within California or to Texas and allows for an unlimited number of fliers. (surfair.com)
Casa Palmero | Credit Noah Webb
Modernized Mediterranean
In anticipation for Pebble Beach Resorts’ centennial anniversary next year, the property’s boutique “resort-within-a-resort,” Casa Palmero has been given a facelift by the renowned Santa Monica-based design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates. Known for its sumptuous Mediterranean feel, lush gardens, trellised walkways and other detailed design elements, enhancements at the resort aimed to preserve this signature style while implementing technological upgrades and touch-ups on the interiors. This has included introducing more earth tones to complement the existing color scheme, adding plush fabrics with ornate stitching and patterns, as well as bringing in 55-inch, high-definition televisions to several of the 24 guest rooms. Though the design may be changing, guest perks will still include standout amenities such as the personal butler services, access to Pebble Beach Golf Links (which will play host to the 2019 U.S. Open) and Forbes Five-Star Award-winning The Spa at Pebble Beach, as well as complimentary breakfast and happy hour, plus much more. (800-877-0597; pebblebeach.com)
A Wellness Room at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills | Courtesy of Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Wake Up to Wellness
Staying healthy while on vacation can be challenging, but the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is working to combat this through its Wellness Rooms, presented in partnership with Delos, a company putting health and wellness at the forefront of urban living. Health-conscious travelers can book one of five guest rooms or two suites with this wellness theme, which strive to improve both their emotional and physical states. These rooms feature an “eco chic” design and amenities including access to sleep, stress and nutrition programs from Cleveland Clinic academic medical center, wholesome in-room menu items, Alo yoga mats, guided meditations by spiritual icon Deepak Chopra, as well as circadian lighting (which is said to improve one’s sleep, mood and overall health), state-of-the-art air purification systems and much more. This is in addition to the hotel’s personalized in-room fitness programs and various other healthy dining options, such as a juice bar by celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder and the new Cabana menu by plant-based chef Matthew Kenney. (310-273-2222; fourseasons.com)
