Biz News: Food Network’s Giada De Laurentiis to be at South Coast Plaza on Saturday

Williams-Sonoma at South Coast Plaza will host chef Giada De Laurentiis from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday as the Food Network star promotes her latest book, “Giada’s Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita.”

It will be her only West Coast appearance.

Tickets are $30 and available at eventbrite.com by searching for “De Laurentiis.”

O.C. Market Place to have ‘reopening’ event

The Orange County Market Place will hold a “grand reopening” event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Spectra, the operator of the weekend swap meet at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, will host a ribbon cutting, Easter activites, music by the Costa Mesa High School band, a car show and a fundraiser.

For more information, visit ocmarketplace.com.

Grocery Outlet opens new store in H.B.

Grocery Outlet is opening a new store in Huntington Beach, creating 35 jobs, according to a news release.

The store, at 16672 Beach Blvd., is the eighth for the Emeryville-based chain.

New owners of Costa Mesa drive-through mart complete remodeling

The new owners of Eastside Mini-Mart in Costa Mesa said they have completed an interior remodel, brought in custom furniture and done a rebranding. They now call it “a boutique country market with a curated offering of snacks, pantry items, lunch options and dairy,” according to a news release.

Business partners Deborah Talanian and Jeanine Scalero bought the drive-through convenience store at 1712 Santa Ana Ave. in December.

“Residents wanted more than another convenience store,” Talanian said in a statement. “The surrounding area has evolved over the last 10 years. People are eating healthier, packing more activities into their days, yet still seeking a human connection they cannot get from online shopping. We needed to deliver on all those fronts. We needed to push the mart forward to keep it relevant.”

The store had been owned for years by Pat and Lila Patel as L&M Dairy. They sold it in 2015.

Festival of Arts names new security director

Laguna Beach’s Festival of Arts has named Randy Querry as director of safety and security.

Querry is a retired police lieutenant in Newport Beach. He will be in charge of security for festival visitors, staff, artists, volunteers and property.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with a team dedicated to offering world-class art and stunning cultural live performances” Querry said in a statement. “To be able to contribute to the festival and help enhance the experience for its patrons, volunteers, exhibitors and the community is an honor.”

Surfline data comes to Amazon’s Alexa

Amazon and Huntington Beach-based Surfline have partnered for Amazon’s voice-activated virtual assistant Alexa to provide Surfline’s daily reports, including surf conditions.

Alexa will know water temperatures and wind and tidal conditions for spots around the world.

“We are excited ... to begin exploring the myriad ways Surfline and the voice interface fit together,” Ross Garrett, Surfline senior vice president of corporate development, said in a statement. “Working closely with Amazon has been great, and we’re excited to continue to evolve Surfline’s voice offerings.”