Greer’s OC: Tradition continues with CdM Christmas Walk
A favorite holiday tradition, the 33rd annual Corona del Mar Christmas Walk returns from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
It’s the time when thousands gather to celebrate the festivities, which include specials at participating merchants, a dozen bands performing, foods from the Fireman’s Grill BBQ, local restaurant tastings, and complimentary tacos from Rasta Taco mobile taco cart. Bella Bella Salon will be offering complimentary treatments and coupons for future haircuts.
Kids will love pictures with Santa Claus, bouncy houses, bungee jumping, holiday characters, and petting zoo. A beer and wine garden is in Bandera’s lower parking lot with the local band “Pinch Me” performing, and enter an opportunity drawing to win more than $15,000 of prizes.
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Artist lecture
Join acclaimed artist Arie Galles at Soka University at 5 p.m. Sunday for a lecture and slide show on his current “Heartland” series of reflected-light paintings of aerial landscapes.
The beautiful paintings are a visual exploration of color and light. Galles works with fluorescent colors painted on vertical aluminum rods mounted on white canvas. The images created are actually shadows of reflected light and color.
Galles, an art professor at Soka, is also an accomplished artist who’s had solo shows across the country. Galles is generously donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales to support “Patient 13,” a groundbreaking documentary on diabetes that I helped make.
Prices range from $1,100 for a colored pencil work, to $15,000 for a large painting. The exhibition runs through Jan. 6.
Founders Hall Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Soka University of America is at 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo.
For more information about Arie Galles art, visit https://www.ariegalles.com. For more information about the film, visit https://www.voxpopfilms.tv/patient13.
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Step Up for private shopping
Donna Karan New York at South Coast Plaza invites you to a special breakfast and private shopping event in support of Step Up Women’s Network. The event will take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 8.
I’ll be co-hosting the event along with Natalie Umbert, Nicole McMackin and Grace Gutierrez. Step Up gives high school girls in underserved communities opportunities to gain confidence, become college and career-ready through after-school and weekend programming and mentorship.
Enjoy breakfast and 10% off all Donna Karan purchases. RSVP to [email protected] or call (213) 382-9161.
For more information about Step Up Women’s Network visit https://www.suwn.org. Donna Karan Collection is on Level 2, near Nordstrom at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.
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Party benefits Team Kids
Oakley’s world headquarters in Foothill Ranch will open its doors from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday for a special holiday shopping party to benefit Team Kids.
The “Wonderful World” event offers guests 50% off shopping, fine wine, delicious food, and a chance to spend time with friends. You can find great deals on Oakley gear, and it’s a fantastic way to support Team Kids’ mission of empowering the next generation of compassionate leaders.
The event is hosted by Team Kids Board Member Laura Baden, and her husband (and Oakley Chief Executive) Colin Baden.
Tickets cost $100, or $150 for couples. You can order tickets at https://www.teamkids.org/wonderfulworld/index.html.
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Support St. Jude
Family-owned and Costa Mesa-based Anna’s Linens is supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital during the holidays through its annual Thanks and Giving campaign.
The store is asking customers to “give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not” by contributing money to the hospital. The campaign is bringing awareness and raising funds to support St. Jude’s fight against pediatric cancer.
Anna’s Linens specializes in offering extreme values in home accessories, and prides itself on mostly carrying American-made textiles and supporting the domestic industry. In Orange County, Anna’s Linens can be found in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Lake Forest, Santa Ana and Westminster.
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Nail salon and spa opens
Celebrate the opening of the upscale Oh My Nails! Salon and Spa at Parkview Center in Irvine by saving 20% to 50% off services from Friday through Sunday. Also, customers can enter to win a spa treatment giveaway over the weekend, and champagne and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The extensive menu at Oh My Nails! includes manicures and pedicures, facials, waxing, and makeup applications. Just in time for holiday gifts, the spa and salon provides gift certificates and pre-purchased spa packages, as well as hosts private events.
The salon is at 5325 University Drive. For more information, call (949) 786-NAILS (2457).
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A new taste for Taco Tuesday
When it comes to Taco Tuesday, just try outdoing Raya’s Taco Tuesday at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Each Tuesday, the restaurant’s acclaimed Chef Richard Sandoval and Chef Marissa Gerlach collaborate on a taco menu unlike anything you’ve tasted before.
The taco menu changes weekly, tacos cost $4 each, and you can order as many as you want. The tacos can include lobster with black bean purée, chile de arbol salsa, avocado, and cilantro on a flour tortilla; Korean fried chicken with dragon sauce, kimchee and a lettuce cup; and smoked swordfish.
Raya was named “Restaurant of the Year” by Riviera Orange County, and it’s well-deserved. The delicious Pan-Latin coastal cuisine is sourced from small local sustainable seafood farms, organic produce growers, and natural and organic meats.
Since being named Raya’s executive chef earlier this fall, Chef Gerlach, a Dana Point local and Orange Coast College culinary grad, has been passionate about including Chef Sandoval’s use of unique ingredients such as togarashi, an Asian seven spice; huitlacoche, a sweet fungus found on corn; and pilonillo, a smoky unrefined Mexican cane sugar with seasonal items to create new dishes.
We highly recommend the chimichurri jidori chicken breast with Cinderella pumpkin, caramelized apple, wild rice, cavalo negro kale, pipian sauce and lime-pomegranate-pine nut salsa; or the succulent 24 Hour braised wagyu shortribs with Oaxaca cheese mashed, gochujang leeks, huitlacoche and dragon sauce; and the vintage natural New York sirloin with Dungeness crab potato purée, grilled pickled onions, chipotle hollandaise and truffle chimichurri.
Raya is at Ritz-Carlton at One Ritz-Carlton Drive in Dana Point. For more information, call (949) 240-2000.
GREER WYLDER writes Greer’s OC for the Huntington Beach Independent each Thursday and the Daily Pilot and Coastline Pilot each Friday. She’s the founder and president of greersoc.com, a free daily email service that provides the latest in Orange County fashion, dining, music, events and trends. Her blog can be viewed https://www.greersoc.com and she can be contacted at [email protected].