Gina - Girls Weekend
SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP
Fashionistas will find a shopper’s paradise in Costa Mesa. International shopping destination South Coast Plaza offers everything from high-end designers like Prada, Hermes and Louis Vuitton to JCrew and Madewell and fast fashion brands H&M, Zara and Forever 21. SOCO and The OC Mix offers local boutiques, interior design inspiration and eateries. For off-beat finds, head to The CAMP where you’ll find artisan jewelry and accessories, women’s clothing and the perfect souvenirs from SEED Peoples Market.
PARTY TIME
Nightlife abounds in Costa Mesa’s Central, SoBeCa and Westside neighborhoods. Dance all night at Time Nightclub or Mansion OC, Orange County’s contemporary nightclubs. Take on trivia night at Kitsch Bar or Barley Forge Brewing Co. or catch local live music at The Wayfarer, which hosts local residencies on Monday nights, a mix of touring artists and even karaoke nights throughout the week. For late-night bites and laid back live music, Mesa is the perfect place to relax with friends and a cocktail, particulary when the retractable roof reveals a star-filled sky.
CHOW DOWN
Going for Instagrammable but still worth the trip? Try Taco Brat, Costa Mesa’s Mexican-German fusion hotspot with unexpected menu offerings like the Germexican nachos. Playa Mesa’s vibrant and airy dining room, wrapped around an exceptional tequila bar, perfectly matches its fresh take on traditional Mexican fare by Chef Ronaldo Rubalcava. Or, opt for the traditional at ARC Food & Libations, which meticulously cooks everything from pork cheeks to steaks to quail and duck over an open wood fire. With a pre-fixe lunch and decadent dinner, Terrace by Mix Mix will tide you over for your shopping spree at South Coast Plaza on its peaceful outdoor patio.
RELAX & UNWIND
Find some relaxation with wine tasting at The Wine Lab, located in the artsy epicenter of The CAMP shopping center, where flights are served in test tubes for the perfect adult chemistry experiment. For a bit of pampering, Nordstrom Spa offers a range of services from massage to facials and mani pedis. Treat yourself to a night at the theater to see the latest Broadway show at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. If getting your creative juices flowing helps you unwind, try your hand at a pottery class at Costa Mesa Ceramics, which offers both hand-building and wheel-throwing classes.
