Travel Costa Mesa Blog
Become a Pastry Chef in a Day! Baking and Pastry School at ST Patisserie Costa Mesa
Do you aspire to be a pastry chef, but you don’t have the nerve to share your creations outside of your own kitchen? Costa Mesa has its very own baking and pastry school at SOCO and The OC Mix! We’re sure you’ll feel more confident about sharing your homemade dessert creations after taking a class with world-famous French Pastry Chef Stéphane Tréand of The Pastry School and ST Pâtisserie Chocolat. This may sound intimidating, but The Pastry School offers a variety of classes designed to teach beginners, and seasoned professionals, the techniques to take their pastry techniques to the next level.
It’s a great way to turn a vacation to Costa Mesa into an Eatcation!
Chef Stéphane recently offered a sneak peak of his classes when he was featured on an episode of the California Dream Eater. The show’s host, Chase Ramsey, dropped in on Chef Stéphane to congratulate him for being selected as part of Visit California’s #DreamEats program. Chef Stéphane took that opportunity to show Ramsey a few of the secrets to making amazing desserts.
Classes at The Pastry School vary from 5-day weeklong sessions to a single day, depending how intense one wants to get with the craft. The one-day classes are also a great opportunity for a date, or outing with girlfriends. For those who are seriously thinking about developing their skills, and can dedicate more time, a Master Series is also available. These have been making waves online, being mentioned on articles like https://educationspeaks.org/gordon-ramsay-masterclass-review/ have increased their visibility in a marked way. Reviews like that don’t come often and they have to be pleased by it for sure.
Chef Stéphane teaches “the joy of baking and arts” and has been doing so in the U.S. since 2012 when he relocated from Paris and opened his first pastry school in Southern California. Within a few years, he moved his school from San Clemente to Costa Mesa’s SOCO and The OC Mix where he opened ST Pâtisserie Chocolat in two locations to share his delightful creations with visitors.
Chef Stéphane is just one of four artisans in the U.S. with the prestigious title of Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF), which is awarded by the French Ministry of Labour in Paris and given to artists and chefs competing to create their perfect masterpiece.
To learn more about the California Dream Eater and Costa Mesa being designated as a #DreamEats destination, see our blog about Costa Mesa’s Amazing Aged Steaks.
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Springtime Family Events and Easter Brunch
Springtime has arrived and brings great weather, beautiful blooms, and maybe a weekend escape! If you’re looking for a spring break getaway with the kids, or you just want to get out and enjoy the warm weather and sunshine, head to Costa Mesa for your springtime activities. We’ve got a roundup of free events you won’t want to miss this month, especially if a visit with the Easter Bunny is on your list.
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On Stage this Spring in Orange County
Don’t miss the award-winning lineup of arts and theater this spring in Costa Mesa! Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located in Orange County’s arts and theater district, with a schedule of some of the best Broadway and stage performances in the country. Visitors will find shows or concerts most every weekend throughout the spring season in one of four theaters on the campus conveniently located in the city of Costa Mesa.
Whether you’re a theatergoer who enjoys the latest Broadway performance, someone who seeks cultural experiences in symphony or opera, or an upbeat concert is what you live for, the performers at Segerstrom Center for the Arts offer something for everyone. If you haven’t already, start planning your next (or maybe your first!) visit to Orange County’s theater, because tickets to these shows will go fast.
The Academy Award® winning film Finding Neverland comes to life on stage for the first time and tells the story about how Peter became Pan. Performances now through April 2.
An American in Paris, the four-time Tony Award®-winning musical about an American soldier and a mysterious French girl will also make its Orange County debut April 25 – May 7, 2017.
If you loved the Oscar®-nominated Warner Bros. film The Bodyguard, revisit the love story of the superstar and her bodyguard along with some of the biggest selling songs like “I Will Always Love You.” Starring Grammy® Award nominee and R&B Superstar Deborah Cox, the Broadway performance runs May 30 – June 11 at Segerstrom Hall.
Kids looking to be entertained this spring will find interactive events during the children and family theater programming offered by Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Doktor Kaboom: LIVE WIRE! is a one-man show combining the creativity of theater arts with the wonders of science exploration. Doctor Kaboom uses his comedic personality to entertain while demonstrating mostly successful science experiments for this audience. It’s educational and entertaining. Tickets are on sale for April 1 and 2, 2017.
Marvin, a mouse, longs to be the “cool” rat and wants to adventure to the moon to show that he too can be a hero. Through dance, puppetry and 3D theatricals, this performance of Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey demonstrates how everyone can celebrate their differences without being bullied. Performances are April 22 and 23.
Show attendees are encouraged to arrive an hour before the performance time to experience free creative activities.
With an already highly applauded schedule of performances this theater season, the performing arts scene is going to continue to heat up in Costa Mesa. Its no rumor, Hamilton the Musical, which dominated the Tony Awards in 2016, is headed to Orange County for the 2017-18 season. We can’t wait!
But, until those tickets go on sale, there are plenty of popular Broadway and theater performances to enjoy this spring.
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Posted in Events, Misc, Music & Art
50 Years of Fashion and Firsts at South Coast Plaza
For 50 years, visitors have arrived in Costa Mesa from neighborhoods around the corner, and from countries around the world. They come to shop at South Coast Plaza, one of the premier shopping destinations in the United States, celebrating its 50-year anniversary in 2017. In its early days, the center was anchored by May Company and Sears and opened the first Nordstrom outside the Pacific Northwest. Within the first 10 years, designer boutiques Courrèges and Halston opened. Most recently Les Parfumes Louis Vuitton and Dior Homme have joined the expansive shopping experience, continuing the legacy of being on the forefront of fashion.
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5 Costa Mesa Restaurants to Visit During Orange County Restaurant Week
It’s Orange County Restaurant Week, one of the best reasons to dine out and try a new restaurant, or enjoy your favorites with specially featured menus and pricing all week long.
From $15 prix fixe lunch menus to $80 exclusive Luxe menus, Orange County Restaurant Week offers popular menu items at a great price, with appetizers and desserts included.
Between now and March 11, 2017, restaurants throughout Orange County are participating in this annual restaurant week event, and in Costa Mesa, you’ll find 16 restaurants featuring some of the best dining experiences. We picked 5 top OC Restaurant Week menus to share with you.
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