South Coast Plaza and the Segerstrom family began the tradition of the Summer Food & Wine event back in 1985, when the first Food & Wine event was held at South Coast Plaza Village.  Over the years the event has evolved and changed, and this year’s event is being held at one of Costa Mesa’s hottest restaurants at South Coast Plaza, Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s.

The exciting evening will showcase award-winning wines, including over 100 fine wines from California’s Central Coast and Napa Valley, paired with gourmet cuisine from Charlie Palmer.  Executive Chef Seakyeong Kim and his staff will be serving decadent bites like seared tuna summer roll with miso white peach, foie gras torchon with cherry compote, chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce and the ever-popular Charlie Palmer signature Kobe-style beef sliders. A variety of sweets—macarons, madeleines  and chocolate raspberry moelleux — will be served with coffee drinks prepared to order by Nespresso Boutique at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza.

Participating wineries include ZD Wines, Frank Family Vineyards, Paul Hobbs Winery, Cain Vineyard and Winery, Captûre Wines, Iron Horse Vineyards,  St. Clement Vineyard, Domaine Carneros Winery, Cass Winery, Staglin Family Vineyards, Landy Family Vineyards, Amizetta Estate Winery, Macphail Family Wines, Vinos Santa Ursula and E. Guigal Winery.

The evening’s musical entertainment will be provided by KCRW 89.9 DJ Jason Bentley.  The event will also include a silent auction featuring amazing jewelry by David Yurman and Mikimoto, a Ferragamo Britta handbag, a 5-course tasting with wine pairings at Marché Moderne, a Bloody Mary Sunday brunch for 4 at Charlie Palmer, and dinner for 6 at AnQi featuring Chef An’s famous Roasted Crab and sommelier sake pairings.

The Summer Food & Wine event is hosted by South Coast Plaza, so that every dollar generated will directly benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County‘s programs to feed the hungry in OC.  Charlie Palmer’s Next Vintage Wine Shop will offer a 10% discount on selected wines by the case to guests, and also donate 10% of total retail sales to Second Harvest Food Bank of OC.

Would you like to go to this event? Leave a comment on our blog about the food or wine you really want to try and you’ll be entered into a drawing for you and a friend to be on the guest list!  Winner will be notified Monday, May 14.

Silver Trumpet Restaurant & Bar

Show mom the very best this Mother’s Day at Silver Trumpet Restaurant’s lakeside champagne brunch!  A decadent treat overlooking Costa Mesa’s peaceful and secluded lake, Silver Trumpet offers dishes made with the freshest locally grown ingredients of the season. Enjoy made-to-order omelettes, a premium seafood bar, prime rib carving station and pastries and breads crafted by an in-house pastry chef. Featuring live jazz entertainment from Sharon Marie Cline and her jazz ensemble. Enjoy $10 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys.  $35 for adults, $17 for children 6-12, and free for children 5 and under.  From 10am to 2pm. Reservations are recommended.

Seasons 52

Seasons 52 is ready to assist in a memorable Mother’s Day.  Of course she’d appreciate a card or flowers, but what about fresh, seasonal cuisine with each dish under 475 calories, including decadent Mini Indulgence desserts? Try amazing dishes like the signature flatbreads or the oak-fired buffalo burger. Reservations are recommended.

Bristol Palms California Bistro

Come celebrate Mother’s Day at Bristol Palms, inside the Hilton Orange County, with an amazing menu of food and the largest Bloody Mary bar in Orange County!  Feast on an amazing buffet by Executive Chef Chad Krahling including made-to-order omelets, Waldorf salad, crab legs and claws, poached Pacific shrimp, seafood chowder, garlic and herb roasted prime rib and so much more.

Adult price is $59, children under 12, $24. Price includes tax, gratuity and free self parking!  Reserve your brunch spot now.

The Golden Truffle

Chef Alan Greeley will be offering a very special 3-course menu for Mother’s Day, Sunday from 10am – 2pm. Choose starters like sweet snap pea soup with pancetta crème fraîche or smoked salmon, and incredible entrées like ham and eggs benedict and blueberry French toast with Vermont maple syrup.  For dessert, how about warm Sicilian doughnuts? $48 for adults, $18 for children under 12 years.

Nello Cucina

On South Coast Plaza’s Bear Street side, Nello is serving a champagne brunch buffet from 11 am to 3 pm.  Featuring a carving station and made-to-order omelette station, the decadent brunch also offers smoked salmon, chicken parmigiana, pork chops with carmelized onions, and mini pizzas. Each adult receives a glass of complimentary champagne, with refills just $4/person. Price for adults is $24.95, children under 12 $12.95. Reservations can be made by calling 714-540-3365.

Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza

Charlie Palmer is serving brunch all day long – until 7 pm!  The specially created 3-course menu includes starters like a creamy clam chowder or truffle sweet corn risotto with mushroom escabeche and pecorino romano cheese. Choose a decadent main course like mushrooms and grilled filet mignon with a blue cheese crust or pan-seared Alaskan halibut with cavatelli pasta. For dessert, delight in three different offerings: a carmelized nut tart, fresh berries with Chantilly creme, or a marshmallow molten cake with chocolate chip mint gelato and chocolate sauce. $75 per person; $15 for children under 12. For reservations, call 714-352-2525

Hope you all have a great Mother’s Day celebration!

Pat Welsh is an Emmy-award winning garden writer was born in England, took up gardening at the age of three, and has been gardening all her life. Pat’s professional career began in the mid-1970s teaching courses in home gardening at UCSD and Miracosta College. Pat was the first Garden Editor of San Diego Home/Garden Magazine.  She also hosted two garden videos for Better Home and Gardens and instructed many in demonstrations on HGTV. Pat is a big advocate of organic gardening.

We got to sit down with Pat for a few minutes to talk about the Spring Garden Show and get some tips on Southern California organic spring gardening from the master!  For pictures on this great event, check out our Pinterest page!

“I’ve been participating in the Spring Garden Show at South Coast Plaza since it started 23 years ago,” Pat told us. “The South Coast Plaza team is great and turns the whole event into a delightful atmosphere.  You wouldn’t think the center could turn into a garden…but it really does!”

South Coast Plaza expects 100,000 visitors to the largest garden show on the West Coast! There are over 80 unique plant and green garden vendors, competition gardens, complimentary childrens’ arts and crafts, and 4 days packed full of events including a speaker series featuring gardening experts – more Spring Garden Show event information can be found on the website.

For April and May activities, Pat tells us now is the time for blooms!  ”April is the very best month to plant azaleas, wisteria and orchid cacti. Azaleas and orchid cacti like partial shade,” Pat says. “Also, the cacti and wisteria are easy to start from cuttings.”

Getting us ready for fall, Pat tells us that September 1 is a great time to start vegetable planting in Southern California. “Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and swiss chard are wonderful to plant at this time,” Pat says. “Don’t let them grow too big!  Cut and come back.  You’ll get to harvest again through the winter, maybe 3-4 times. Brussels sprouts are great at this time too – I find fertilizing with humic acid helps their growth.  Of course, remember to use organic fertilizers!  The time for organic gardening is here. We don’t want to pollute our groundwater, or poison our pets our ourselves with chemicals and pesticides.

“Southern California gardening is different than anywhere else in the country,” says Pat. “Understanding the climate we live in, and the plants we grow – it’s not only enjoyable, it’s theraputic.”

Thanks to Pat for the tips and hope you all can make it to the Southern California Spring Garden Show this weekend. Post a comment on our blog about the event, or gardening in general – all commenters have a chance to win Pat’s book, Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening, Month-by-Month.  The winner will be selected on Monday!

Anne’s Boutique Wines

Anne’s Boutique Wines specializes in small production wines, hard-to-find wines and excellent half bottles. Their selections of wines are handpicked from hundreds of wines tasted weekly, with only a lucky few making it to the shelves. Anne’s Boutique Wines holds blind wine tasting events multiple times a year (a great date night idea!) where patrons can let their palates, and not the labels, dictate their favorites. Need another reason to visit Anne’s? Several Costa Mesa area restaurants will let diners bring their own wine from Anne’s Boutique Wines and will waive the corkage fee!

Click here to see scheduled tastings and what wine is this week’s featured sample.

270 E. 17th Street, Ste. 14
Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Hi-Times Wine Cellars

Hi-Times Wine Cellars has one of the largest underground, temperature-controlled wine cellars in the U.S. This 3,000-square-foot underground temperature-controlled cellar now includes a selection of 10,000+ wines from many different wineries and vintages. Hi-Time’s wine bar is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Wine Stations are open daily and use a tasting card where customers can select a taste, half glass or glass of featured wines. There is also a beer tasting on the third Wednesday of every month and cheese classes on the second Wednesday.

250 Ogle Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Wine Lab at The CAMP

Wine Lab has expanded from its original Newport Beach location and has recently opened up its first Costa Mesa wine shop at The CAMP. With three wine-tasting flights (from test tubes!) and over 30 wines by the glass, patrons can also dine on small cheese plates and freshly baked bread from the Sadie Rose Baking Company. What makes Wine Lab really unique? Not only are the wines chosen for their freshness and quality, they are usually made by artisan wineries especially for wine-focused bars and their wine is on tap!

2937 Bristol St. Suite A101B
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery

Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery sits on three-and-a-half acres of land perched on the Upper Newport Bay. Over 1,200 Bordeaux-style grape vines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec) are harvested, crushed and fermented each September to produce award-winning red wine. Tours of the 1,000-square-foot underground “Wine Cave” are given upon request. Book a private tour and tasting in their wine cave (8 to 20 people) for $35 a person. The tour includes four tastings of Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery’s California Meritage red wine blends and includes a generous cheese board with nuts, fruit and fresh-baked bread.

2128 Mesa Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660

Orange Coast Winery

Calling themselves an “Urban Micro-Winery,” Orange Coast Winery’s tasting room is open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 5 PM. For only $10.00 you can taste any six wines and keep the Logo Wine Glass.

Using the finest grapes from renowned wine growers across several California wine-growing regions, Orange Coast Winery produces wines such as California Beach Blend White, California Sauvignon Blanc, Beach Bubbly, California Merlot, California Zinfandel and Lodi Petite Syrah.

869 West 16th Street
Newport Beach, CA 92663

After your tasting, you can use your newfound wine knowledge to impress your guests the next time you’re having dinner at a Costa Mesa restaurant!

Talbert Nature Preserve is located on Victoria Street in Costa Mesa between Pacific Avenue and the Santa Ana River. The Talbert Nature Preserve is divided into two sections; the North Talbert Preserve is roughly 91.5 acres and the South Talbert Preserve is approximately 88.5 acres.

Costa Mesa’s nature preserve is unique among Southern California parks, as it is divided into six separate plant groups (also known as zones), based upon what would exist there naturally – the progression of plant groups and changing climate conditions found along the Santa Ana River. The cultivation of native vegetation in the Talbert Nature Preserve is an attempt to recreate plant communities similar to those that existed in the Costa Mesa area before much of the land was put to use for agriculture, housing, or industry.

• Zone 1: Intensive Use Area
• Zone 2: Border Planting
• Zone 3: Coastal Strand
• Zone 4: Native Grassland
• Zone 5: Alluvial Woodland
• Zone 6: Wetland Zone

With nine different trails stretching over nearly 3 miles (6 miles round trip); the Talbert Nature Preserve is one of few open space areas left in Central Orange County. With only 100 feet in elevation, the Talbert’s trails are great for beginner hikers or families with younger children. Hikers can continue through the Nature Center to reach the Santa Ana River Bicycle Trail, which continues on to the Pacific Ocean and nearby Newport Beach. Wildlife in the preserve consists mostly of birds, including great blue herons, snowy egrets and mallard ducks. You might also see small animals like squirrels and rabbits – and beware of coyote visits at night.

Visit the Talbert Nature Preserve today and see Costa Mesa’s natural scenery at its finest.

Talbert Nature Preserve
1298 Victoria Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 923-2290 or (949) 923-2295
7 AM – Sunset

To learn more about the recreational activities in Costa Mesa, and other great activities for you and your family, visit http://www.travelcostamesa.com.

Charlie Palmer

Charlie Palmer’s at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza is where the beautiful people meet for happy hour in Orange County.  Their happy hour is every day from 4:00 to 7:00 PM and again from 9:00 PM to midnight, and features 1/2 off select glasses of wine and specialty cocktails, as well as bottled beers for just $4-5. Enjoy one of Charlie Palmer’s signature cocktails like the Stairway to Heaven (Drambuie, Cava, bing cherry, vanilla) or the Too Haute to Trot (Ketel One Citron, house lemonade, pomegranate, Serrano syrup)…and get there early to grab a spot on one of the sleek leather couches in their sleek, cosmopolitan bar.  See our visit with My Traveling Lens to Charlie’s great happy hour.

Mesa

Mesa is a lounge specializing in modern American cuisine and cocktails. Reminiscent of a stylish Westside Los Angeles nightclub with an open-air retractable roof and fireplace, Mesa attracts a chic Orange County crowd.  With an extensive and impressive beer, wine and specialty cocktail menu, no two happy hours at Mesa ever have to be the same.  Care to try The Clash cocktail, which is vodka infused with tangerines and arbol chilies, cilantro, lime and Tuaca liqueur? Or maybe you would prefer The Morning Glory, which is chilled Brut sparkling wine with elderberry liqueur? Or maybe you just want to stick with the Dogs Head 90 Minute IPA? Whichever is your drink of choice, Mesa has you covered.

Memphis Café Costa Mesa

How can you not love a restaurant that has a whole menu dedicated to happy hour? Want to celebrate Mardi Gras on a Tuesday of your choice? Go for the chicken and shrimp gumbo bowl with a Memphis mint julep and get your New Orleans on! Happy hour is everyday from 3:00 to 6:30 PM at Memphis Café and on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9:30 PM to midnight they offer $1 off beer and wine by the glass.

Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Bar

Mi Casa might be a family restaurant, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a killer happy hour!  Their famous $3 happy hour with beers, tacos, quesadilla and more can be found in the bar Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 PM, and Tuesdays the bar offers $1 tacos. “Margarita Mondays” means patrons can get $4 house margaritas at the bar to welcome the new week.

Yard House

Happy hour at the Yard House goes from 3:00 to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Enjoy half-priced appetizers like blue crab cakes or the onion ring tower and specialty pizzas including spicy Thai chicken and ham & pineapple. Shock your taste buds and go for the ahi slider! Enjoy one of the best and most extensive selections of domestic, imported and craft pints in Costa Mesa and order the six-pack sampler if you can’t narrow it down to just one.

Wine Lab at The CAMP

This Orange County wine bar just opened its second location in Costa Mesa March of 2012, and it’s already a big hit with locals.  Located in the bustling CAMP shopping center, the 1,270-square-foot space serves wine from a MicroMatic wine dispenser.  Its offering of 8 wines on tap is a first in Orange County!  Happy hour offers at the Wine Lab include $5 glasses of wine, $8 cheese platters, $8 pizzas and $1 off beers. You can get snacks like chips for as low as $1 and sample locally grown olives, artisan cheeses and fresh, locally-baked breads by Sadie Rose Bread Co. The Wine Lab has a retail shop where customers can purchase the wine, cheese, bread and honey they try at the store.

These are only a few of the great happy hours in Costa Mesa to help get you through the week. If you are interested in learning more about the Costa Mesa bar and nightlife scene, visit the bars and nightlife section on TravelCostaMesa.com.

Anthropologie

Anthropologie has plans to open an 11,000-square-foot store in the former Borders space at South Coast Plaza. Anthropologie, which is owned by Urban Outfitters, sells women’s apparel and accessories, home furnishings, “found objects” and decorative items in over 150 locations around the world.

Diane von Furstenberg

Renowned for her iconic wrap dress and signature prints, Diane von Furstenberg and her fashion company have grown into the global luxury lifestyle brand. DVF is now sold in over 70 countries worldwide and has over 60 freestanding shops, the latest of which will be coming to South Coast Plaza (an Orange County exclusive) in Spring 2012. The DVF accessories line includes shoes, handbags, small leather goods, scarves, eyewear, fine jewelry, watches and luggage. If you just can’t wait for Diane von Furstenberg to come to Costa Mesa, be sure to follow her LA store on Twitter.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Jaeger-LeCoultre is a high-end watch and clock manufacturer based in Switzerland, maker of the Atmos mechanical clock. The ultimate luxury clock, the Atmos does not need to be wound as it runs on small temperature and atmospheric pressure changes and can run for years without human intervention. Right now Jaeger-LeCoultre watches are available for sale in Costa Mesa at TOURNEAU and Watch Connection, but a company boutique at South Coast Plaza is scheduled to open in Spring 2012.

Roger Vivier

Just about every woman in Orange County (if not the world) owes homage to Roger Vivier, the French designer responsible for the stiletto heel. Roger Vivier’s first West Coast location will be a stunning 1,400-square-foot boutique and is scheduled to open in Spring 2012. The store will reportedly be designed to look like the late Vivier’s apartment in Paris, mixing contemporary and vintage design.

Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin, a Swiss luxury watch maker, has plans to open a boutique in South Coast Plaza this year as well. Vacheron Constantin watches are currently available at 6 local Costa Mesa-area locations, but this boutique will be the second American store for the company, the first being their New York City location. One of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world, past customers include Napoleon Bonaparte, Pope Pius XI and Harry Truman.

Fine Dining

Did you know that Costa Mesa, CA was named a “Best in Food” finalist in the Rand McNally/USA Today “Best of the Road 2011” contest? Orange County has some of California’s most loved and respected restaurants run by award-winning chefs. What’s a special date night without a special and exciting menu to compliment it? And if you’re planning your romantic getaway for this summer, Costa Mesa Restaurant Week is gearing up for its second year, Aug. 17-24. Take the opportunity to try a new Costa Mesa restaurant at special prices, every night during your stay!

And if you’re still looking for that je ne sais quoi that only a romantic evening in Paris can bring, why not have a lovely, romantic dinner for two at one of Costa Mesa’s French restaurants.

See a Show

Why not take the traditional dinner-and-a-movie date night and add a little pizzazz? Nothing like a live theater performance, dance show or night at the symphony to make for an extraordinary date night! Costa Mesa has earned the well-deserved title of City of the Arts™, thanks to our renowned Theater & Arts District. The incomparable Segerstrom Center for the Arts campus features top Broadway performances in its theater halls and world-famous performing artists in its concert hall. With independent plays at  the Tony® Award-winning South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa is the best place to see a live show in Southern California.

Newport Beach Gondola Cruise

What is more romantic than a private gondola ride for two? A Newport Beach gondola cruise is the perfect setting for a marriage proposal, anniversary celebration, birthday surprise or just for an extraordinary date night! With five different cruises to choose from, including a chocolate cruise, dessert cruise and grand dinner cruise, you can’t get more romantic than a gondola ride.

First Thursdays Art Walk

If you and your significant other are art lovers, then Laguna Beach’s Art Walk is the perfect way to end your day at the beach. The first Thursday of every month is the First Thursdays Art Walk, when local galleries and the Laguna Art Museum stay open from 6 to 9 PM.

If you decide to turn your romantic evening into a weekend getaway, check out these great Costa Mesa hotels or visit www.TravelCostaMesa.com for more information.

AnQi Bistro by Crustacean: An’s Famous Roasted Crab

Available at AnQi only on Tuesdays during dinner service, AnQi’s Master Chef “Mama” Helene An travels from Crustacean Beverly Hills with dozens of 2.5 lb. Pacific waters Dungeness crabs to prepare this must-eat dish. Cooked in her “secret kitchen,” which is a separate space from the main kitchen and only accessible by chefs who have worked with the company for at least ten years, Mama An prepares the crab in a savory Asian style with lots of oil, garlic and pepper.

Due to high demand, AnQi recommends that guests call 714-557-5679 at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a roasted crab dish for an exceptional Tuesday dinner!

Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s: Blackened Pork Tenderloin

Is it any surprise that the blackened pork tenderloin comes from one of Charlie Palmer’s award-winning restaurants? This Costa Mesa hot spot is one of the best around! Can’t make it to Charlie Palmer anytime soon?  Click here for some of the restaurant’s best recipes and give them a try in your own kitchen.

Hamamori Restaurant & Sushi Bar: Uni Shooter

Who would have guessed that uni shooters with fresh sea urchin would be one of the OC’s best dishes? See for yourself why this unique dish from Chef James Hamamori is such a popular choice among sushi and seafood lovers, and why Hamamori Restaurant & Sushi bar is one of the best sushi restaurants in Costa Mesa.

Marché Moderne: Tagine of Seafood

This cosmopolitan French bistro is known for creating culinary juxtapositions, mixing rustic with urban, simple with complicated. Their tagine of seafood features scallops, cumin, roasted eggplant, zucchini, chermoula, raisins, almonds and harissa for an explosion of flavors like no other.

Royal Khyber: Khyber’s Nectar

One of the best Indian restaurants in OC, Royal Khyber’s specialty lamb dish has been cooked for over 14 hours in Khyber’s secret sauce to release the marrow from the bone. This dish is rumored to have been a favorite of India’s royalty for centuries as an aphrodisiac, making it the perfect dish for a romantic evening with your significant other.

Scott’s Restaurant & Bar: Cheesecake-Stuffed Beignets

One of the most delectable desserts in Orange County, the cheesecake-stuffed beignets from Scott’s Restaurant & Bar come with fresh strawberries, sliced almonds, caramel sauce and powdered sugar and go great with Scott’s A.B.C. wine flight.

TravelCostaMesa.com congratulates these six great South Coast Plaza restaurants for making it onto such a prestigious list! Your spectacular dishes show just why South Coast Plaza is the best shopping (and dining) center in Orange County.

The first-ever OC Tastefest will be held on May 4-5 in conjunction with the 2012 OC Marathon. The event will feature food and wine tastings (similar to the Taste of Newport), along with live music, cooking demonstrations, and a VIP tent.

With restaurants including Cucina Alessa, Marrakesh, Port Restaurant, Salt Creek Grille, Slater’s 50/50, Ten Asian Bistro, Wahoo’s, Wingstop and Zov’s Bistro, among others being added daily, the OC Tastefest offers the chance to sample foods from some of the best Orange County restaurants. Over 20 OC cities will be represented at the festival.

The OC Tastefest will not be held on Sunday, May 6, as the OC Marathon will be the main event at the OC Fairgrounds. All registered participants for the marathon will receive one free entry into the OC Tastefest.  The price of admission is $12 for a one-day advance purchase online ticket, and $18 for both days.

Here’s where you can buy tickets!