Around Town: Rossmoor Spring Garden Tour coming up May 16

The Rossmoor Spring Garden Tour and Outdoor Marketplace returns Sunday, May 16. Hours for the event are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Masks and social distancing will be required.

The self-guided tour will showcase landscaping, pools, outdoor kitchens and other design elements in five private yards in Rossmoor, an unincorporated enclave between Seal Beach and Los Alamitos. The event is sponsored by the Rossmoor Woman’s Club.

A marketplace will offer plants and outdoor decor, other wares and refreshments.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $15 from any Rossmoor Woman’s Club member. Tickets will also be sold the day of the tour at the Outdoor Marketplace set up in the parking lot behind Farmers & Merchants Bank in the Shops at Rossmoor, 12535 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach.

A third option is to purchase tickets in advance online at rossmoorwomansclub.com and pick them up the day of the tour at the Outdoor Marketplace. This option costs $16 per ticket, which includes a $1 handling fee. The tickets include the addresses of homes on the tour and a map.

USA Pickleball National Championships series begins in Newport Beach

The Tennis Club at Newport Beach will be the site for the first event in the USA Pickleball National Championships series, the organization announced this week.

The USA Pickleball Newport Beach Championships will be held from June 28 to July 3 at The Tennis Club, kicking off the series. It will be the first of four national qualifier events leading up to the sport’s most prestigious event, the USA Pickleball National Championships.

The series culminates with the USA Pickleball National Championships, which will be held at Indian Wells Tennis Garden this fall.

Sherman Gardens holding story time for youngsters

Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar has begun holding a “Little Seedlings” story time each Friday from 10 to 10:30 a.m.

The event, designed for preschool age children and their caregivers, offers kids the chance to join in as employees share their favorite stories, picture books and poems.

The “Little Seedlings” story time happens Fridays on a drop-in basis, and is free with garden admission.

Point, click—win. OCC photography professor named Guggenheim Fellow for film/video

Orange Coast College photographer professor Richard Kraft was recently named one of 184 recipients nationwide to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship for 2021. The only community college professor to receive the prestigious honor, he was awarded in the category of film/video.

Each year, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation offers to support “exceptional individuals in pursuit of scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form, under the freest possible conditions,” according to a release issued by the school.

This year’s winners include professors from 73 institutions of higher education. One-third of recipients are independent working artists with no university affiliation.

“For artists, a Guggenheim Fellowship is an extraordinary endorsement,” Kraft said in a statement. “In addition to the substantial financial support that comes with the fellowship, it is a recognition for work already made and, crucially, what is still to come.”

Sand Sports Super Swap rolls in to O.C. fairgrounds May 22

A one-day opportunity for off-road enthusiasts to “swap” their sand toys and equipment — motorcycles, tires, engine parts, helmets, etc. — comes to the Orange County Fair & Event Center May 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pre-sale tickets cost $6.50 and may be purchased online until May 21 at sandsportssupershow.com/sand-sports-super-swap. Day-of tickets cost $11.50 but must be purchased online in advance of attendance.

Vendor booths (20 feet by 25 feet) may be pre-registered for $75 ahead of the event, while on-site booths will be available on the day of the event for $85.

The Orange County Fair & Event Center is located at 88 Fair Drive, in Costa Mesa. For more from the venue, visit ocfair.com or call (714) 708-1500.

Costa Mesa’s Alex Cochran named to Reimagine board

Officials with Reimagine, a nonprofit organization that offers specialized therapies, enrichment services and independent living support to people with disabilities, recently named Alex Cochran, vice president of investment firm Hirtle Callaghan, to its board of directors.

A Chapman University graduate and father of two who lives in Costa Mesa, Cochran brings nearly 15 years of experience as an adviser to endowments, foundations and philanthropic families.

In a May 1 statement Cochran said he was thrilled to embark on the next phase of Reimagine’s journey to support Orange County residents in need of services and assistance.

“We have built a world-class facility that is focused on enriching the lives of individuals who are often overlooked,” he said. “I look forward to building a community that can grow and provide an invaluable service to individuals and families living with disabilities.”

To learn more or help, visit reimagineoc.org.

Rainbow Radio hosts Audrey Prosser, Rita Conn

Laguna Beach Pride 365 president and Rainbow Radio host Craig Cooley will have Audrey Prosser and Rita Conn as his guests for the show at 9 a.m. Saturday on KXFM 104.7.

Prosser and Conn will preview an event for Women for American Values and Ethics (known as the WAVE movement). Cooley will also interview the duo to find out what they are passionate about and why.

The WAVE event, “Light the Way for Change,” will focus on the issues of political extremism and uniting the nation. It will be held virtually at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. Speakers will include Megan Phelps-Roper, Dr. Pete Simi (Chapman University) and Dr. Megan Squire (Elon University).

To purchase tickets for the event, go to wave4all.org.

Peter Blake to be featured in Laguna Beach Business Club Speaker Series

The Laguna Beach Business Club will host Laguna Beach city councilman and art gallery owner Peter Blake in the next installment of its speaker series on Thursday, May 20.

The breakfast event will begin at 7:30 a.m. with Blake speaking on the topic of “Why this town needs me.” It will take place at Nirvana Grille, 303 Broadway, Ste. 101.

Blake opened his gallery in 1993 and was elected for his first term on the Laguna Beach City Council in 2018. His art gallery is known as a leader in exhibiting West Coast Minimalism. The gallery has participated in art fairs such as The Armory Show, Art Los Angeles Contemporary, Design Miami, EXPO Chicago and the Seattle Art Fair.

Admission for nonmembers to this Laguna Beach Business Club event is $25, which can be paid in cash or by check at the door on the day of the event.

Tickets on sale for Laguna Beach Music Festival

The Laguna Beach Music Festival, a celebration of classical and contemporary music, is scheduled to take place from May 12 to 16. American composer-pianist Conrad Tao is the artistic director for the festival. Live concerts will be presented at the Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Dr, Irvine.

Concerts will be held with a limited capacity, and health and safety protocols adhering to county and state guidelines will be in place to ensure a safe environment.

Laguna Beach Live! and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County have partnered together to put on the Laguna Beach Music Festival.

Featured performances include a brass quartet, the Westerlies, the JACK Quartet, violinist Stefan Jackiw and dancer and choreographer Caleb Teicher. For more information on the festival and to purchase tickets, visit philharmonicsociety.org.

Laguna Beach Unified plans Staff Appreciation Week

The Laguna Beach Unified School District announced Thursday that the coming school week will be “Staff Appreciation Week,” as the district looks to show its gratitude to its more than 350 employees.

In a statement, the district noted that staff was able to put students first, even as the coronavirus pandemic required many to adapt to significant changes across the board, including in instruction, office support, maintenance and food service.

“I’m honored to be working beside the quality and professional learning community that we have here in Laguna Beach Unified,” District Supt. Dr. Jason Viloria said in a prepared statement. “The POWER OF LBUSD is stronger than ever! As we end the 2020-2021 school year, we encourage our staff to Recharge, Renew, and Reimagine and enjoy the praise you get during this week as we celebrate the awesome staff of LBUSD.”

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