Portfolio

Grow’n Up in Orange

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The “Mayor” of the Plaza

Like all good barbers, Hank Mascolo has a lifetime of compelling stories to tell. The 91-year-old resident, who owned Hank’s Barber Shop in the Plaza for 65 years, entertained his customers with tales of time spent as a fisherman and his World War II military service. An Italian immigrant and commercial fisherman, Hank’s father taught his son how to catch a livelihood from the sea. It was during a fishing expedition near Point Ferman when he was 18 years old that Hank spotted a Japanese submarine under the water. A short time later, American warplanes bombed the submarine out of the water. That experience excited young Hank, and he joined the Coast Guard a short time later.

Hank Mascolo’s given name was Gennoro. When he was a child his teacher couldn’t understand his name. She smiled and said, “We’ll call you Henry.” “Henry” morphed into “Hank.” Inset: Hank joined the Coast Guard during World War II. At 91-years-old, he still has the smile he had as a seventeen-year-old boy.

After the war, Hank settled in Orange, returning to his life as a commercial fisherman in San Pedro. Looking for a career closer to home, he decided to learn another trade, so he attended barbers college. After working for local barber Charlie Caster for a few years, Hank took over his shop in the Plaza and re-named it Hank’s Barber Shop. Over the next six decades, Hank cut the hair of everyone from sports figures to politicians to movie stars. During those years, in 1983, his eye fell on Renée Andreo, owner of Renée Jewelers on Glassell. “I used to watch all of the pretty girls walk by as I cut hair,” Hank smiles. “She was the prettiest!” Renee won his heart, and they married in 1985. A part of the Old Towne fabric, Hank is one of the City’s most recognizable figures. So recognizable, in fact, that he was named “Honorary Mayor of the Plaza” in 1990 by Mayor Don Smith. And when his wife held a 90th birthday surprise party for him, over 100 people came. Though he’s technically “retired,” nowadays, Hank still enjoys visits from his former customers and doling out stories about his times as the Plaza barber.

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Jon Haverstick

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”838″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]View the photographic work of Jon C. Haverstick and one prevailing theme overrides—humanity. With his camera, Haverstick strives to communicate as much as possible about his photo subjects. “The human interest element is critical for me,” says Haverstick, an award winning professional photographer and photography instructor based in Santa Ana. “While there’s certainly a lot of interesting photography without a human element, my interest is in portraits. For me, it’s about telling people’s stories.”

Faces of Freedom

It is this desire to open a window to the soul of those he photographs and his respect for the U.S. Armed Forces that led the photographer to undertake his “Faces of Freedom” project pictured in this issue. Consisting of portraits of veterans, the project that he started in August 2011 has about 50 photos and counting of men and women who have served the country in various wars, such as Vietnam and World War II. “Many veterans don’t have good portraits of themselves that depict their service to the country,” says Haverstick, who gives participants complimentary portraits. “This project provides a way to honor veterans and serves as a reminder of those who have given up so much so that we have what we do.” Haverstick has several relatives who have served, including his father, father-in-law, nephew and son, who is currently in the Army. One participant of the Faces of Freedom project is Pastor Frank Orzio, a retired Marine Sergeant and two-time Purple Heart recipient, who is founder of The Wounded Warrior Ministry (http://thewoundedwarriorministry.com). “Jon is a great guy who goes out of his way to honor veterans and preserve their legacy,” says Orzio. “He doesn’t do any of this for personal gain. As we say in the Marine Corp, he has uncommon valor.”

Healthcare and Photography

Haverstick attributes his sensitivity to people and affinity for capturing them on camera to growing up in the 1970s with a disabled foster sister and being surrounded by a family involved in community service and healthcare. Haverstick himself spent more than 20 years in the medical field as a genetic counselor and in healthcare education prior to opening his photography company in 2011. Though healthcare seems light years away from photography, the skills he learned help him take the candid shots he does today. “In healthcare, I learned how to talk to people in a vulnerable state and be sensitive to their concerns and emotions,” he says. “Those people I photograph also often feel exposed and nervous.” Photography student Heather Rollins considers Haverstick her mentor and comments on his ability to put photographic subjects at ease and share their personalities through their portraits. “Jon has a way of catching the character in people, which isn’t always easy to do,” says Rollins. “He has a gift for building rapport with his clients and making them feel comfortable.”

Drawn to Photography

Though he didn’t open his photography business until later in life, Haverstick was drawn to the art form from a young age. During high school, he shot photos for his school newspaper and yearbook and worked as a second shooter for a wedding photographer. At the time, he bought his first professional camera, a Nikon F2AS Photomic, which he used until he went digital in 2005. As an adult, he took many photos of family and friends and began teaching photography classes in 1999 at schools such as Santiago Canyon College, where he still teaches. “Teaching is a great outlet for me,” says Haverstick, who developed his own digital photography classes. “I’m passionate about passing on knowledge.” A desire to become a better photographer inspired Haverstick to leave his healthcare job nearly three years ago and open his photography business. With encouragement from his wife, Chiaki, and children, Cat and Conner, Haverstick quickly became successful. He does a wide variety of photographic jobs, including weddings, senior portraits, commercial and corporate work and fine art photography. With all of his work, Haverstick makes sure to interject the human element. “I shoot for Mercedes Benz and try to get a person in the photo whenever possible,” he says. “And when I do corporate work, instead of standard headshots, I like to show personality by photographing people interacting with their workspace.” To view the Faces of Freedom project, go to http://jonhaverstickstudio.com/faces-of-freedom-project/nggallery/page/1/.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Cook’n in Old Towne

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”836″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For Old Towne baker Marty Colleary, getting back into the restaurant business is a piece of cake. Marty, who currently owns Creative Cakes in Old Towne and previously ran a popular café and bakery in Villa Park, has just opened a new restaurant on North Tustin called Colleary’s Bistro & Bakery. Known for his famous white-chocolate curl cake, Marty is equally adept at preparing delicious, homemade Italian food, as evidenced by his new restaurant located in the Target shopping center across from Orange Mall. For breakfast, Colleary’s Bistro & Bakery features items such as Italian Eggs Benedict and Lemon Ricotta Italian Pancakes. The lunch menu highlights fresh Italian pastas, salads and soups like homemade tomato-basil bisque. “I was looking around the area to get back into the restaurant business, because I enjoy the community so much,” says Marty. “When this space opened up, it was perfect. The produce is from local vendors and all the recipes are mine.” Open seven days a week beginning at 7 am, the bistro is gearing up for nightly dinner service Tuesdays through Saturdays as soon as the liquor license is complete. The dinner menu will include fresh seafood and pasta, chicken dishes and savory entrées served with homemade Italian sauces. As he did for his daughter’s shop, CocoRose, in Old Towne Orange, Marty has put his interior design skills to good use, creating a warm, bistro-like feeling in the space and showcasing original art by his sister-in-law, an accomplished artist from New York. He also added a community bulletin board in the back for local non-profits to promote their events. The family-friendly restaurant is already attracting a loyal following. “It’s so much fun to see the overwhelming number of friends and patrons coming into the restaurant to see what we’re doing,” says Marty. “My former employees from the old restaurant wanted to come back and work for us. We’re all like family. The warm welcome from the community has been terrific.”

Colleary’s Bistro & Bakery

2143 North Tustin Street, Orange, CA 92865 / 714-633-8650

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Home Tour History

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When Barbara Sayres of Santa Ana visited her first home tour in 1971 in Arcadia, the member of CHOC’s Jack & Jill Guild knew she was onto something. “The Guild had been looking for a good fundraiser, and at the time there didn’t appear to be any other home tours in Orange County,” says Sayres, who chaired the first home tour in 1972, which raised $5,000. “Back then the docents wore formal gowns, and the members underwrote the printing costs for the event’s brochures.” Since that first home tour, the Jack & Jill Guild, now celebrating 50 years, has raised over $4 million for CHOC Children’s Hospital Of Orange County, many of those funds coming from home tour proceeds, says the Guild’s publicity chair, Donna Buxton. Almost two decades after the Jack & Jill Guild’s home tour in 1988, the Old Towne Preservation Association (OTPA) started their home tour. Back then the OTPA ran on a shoestring, and members realized that a home tour could be a good money maker, says Patty Ricci, whose home was on the original tour and who chaired the event in 2009. “At the time in 1988, Old Towne had just started attracting attention, and many homeowners were refurbishing,” she says. Though home tours have proliferated over the years and become more sophisticated, their appeal hasn’t waned. “People will always be curious about how other people live and want to gather unique ideas that they can apply in their own homes,” says Sayres. There’s always an interest in what other homeowners have done with their houses, agrees Annalisa Goode, communications director for the OTPA and a member of the board. “It’s also interesting for visitors to see what is possible in historical homes in a historic district.” As a home tour participant twice, Ricci notes how satisfying the experience is for the homeowner. “When you’ve worked on your house stripping woodwork and digging in the yard and people come through and admire your handiwork, it’s especially gratifying,” she says. “My favorite part of the Old Towne home tour is how it shows that though the homes are historical, they’re also viable, livable and functional.” Those involved in years of home tours all agree that a good tour includes a variety of homes encompassing various architectural styles, ages and sizes. “We strive for a diverse group of homes and owners,” says Goode, who notes that this year’s tour includes traditional homes as well as more Avant–garde residences. “In one eclectic home, the art objects are electrifying,” she says. This year’s Jack & Jill Guild Holiday Home Tour and Gift Boutique is on Friday, November 18th from 10 am to 5 pm, with boutique hours from 9 am to 5:30 pm. The tour features a variety of homes, including a Mid–Century Eichleresque home, a historical Lemon Heights Spanish Revival and an Italianate–style home built in 1880. Tickets are $45 presale, including a catered lunch or $45 the day of the event with lunch sold separately. For tickets, visit CHOC.org/Events, or call (714) 669-3060.

Historic Lemon Heights home featured in this year’s CHOC Jack & Jill Guild Home Tour.

The OTPA’s home tour will feature five of the area’s architecturally–significant homes on November 5th and 6th from 10 am to 4 pm. Purchase home tour tickets, which are $20 per person, at OTPA’s online store at OTPA.org or pay on the days of the tour. For additional information, call (714) 639-6840.

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Talk of The Towne Join Smoqued Barbeque in Celebrating One Year

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”830″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Walk down North Glassell in the Plaza any time of the day or night and you’ll smell the tantalizing aroma of authentic barbecue. Open for Sunday brunch, lunch and dinner, Smoqued Barbeque features slow-cooked specialties like pulled pork and beef brisket. If you enjoy the Old Towne restaurant’s finger-licking food or want to sample it for the first time, the folks at Smoqued Barbecue have some good news for you. On September 14th, they are holding a one-year anniversary party. Free to the public, the bash will include complimentary servings of two 100-pound smoked whole hogs.

“We’ll serve the pork along with a slice of white bread Texas-style, so you can make your own pulled pork sandwich,” says owner Mike Hernandez. “We’re throwing the party as a thank you to our customers and the City of Orange for a great first year.”

Also featured at the event will be several California craft beer anniversary selections. “California makes some of the best beer in the country,” says Hernandez, noting that the restaurant serves 12 rotating California craft beers on tap. At the event, you’ll find several anniversary beers at $5 a glass from brewers like Bootleggers Brewery and Cismontane Brewing Company. Hernandez reports that business is booming for Smoqued, which opened September 2012. “People are picky about barbecue, but we’ve gotten great feedback,” he says, crediting the positive response to the fact that the restaurant employs a full-time pitmaster to man their wood-burning smoker.

“Billy Lundergan works long days preparing the meat, tending the fire and checking the brisket as it cooks,” says Hernandez, who notes that they generally smoke 500 to 600 pounds of meat at once and a typical brisket takes 14 hours to smoke.

“Every piece of meat has its own character,” he says. “Billy keeps the smoker stocked with wood so there is a nice smoke ring around the brisket, and he gives each brisket the love and attention it requires.”

The anniversary celebration on September 14th starts at noon. Pork will be served while supplies last, and there will be specials throughout the night. Smoqued is located at 128 North Glassell St.; 714-633-7427; SmoquedBBQ.com

Enjoy one FREE Appetizer with the purchase of a Two Meat Combo at Smoqued Barbeque, through Oct 31, with the coupon on page 9 of the printed Plaza Review!

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Talk of The Towne PamParr’d Kids

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”828″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When people see that Amber Miller’s daughter has mastered the alphabet and is writing her name, they usually assume that the 3 ½-year-old is advanced because her mother is a kindergarten teacher. Miller is happy to set them straight and explain that Kennedy is well on her way academically because of PamParr’d Kids, the Santa Ana preschool she attends. “Pam Parr does such a good job of preparing children for kindergarten that I don’t have to work with Kennedy,” says Miller, who teaches at La Veta Elementary School. “Pam lays a strong academic foundation, which leads to lifelong learning, and she has a great teaching style. She cares for each and every one of her students, and the kids adore her.” Pam Parr, who refers to herself as the school’s “director of fun,” strives to give her young students, who range in age from infant to 6, the necessary tools to excel academically and socially. “My philosophy at PamParr’d Kids is to help children develop to their fullest potential while experiencing a fun way of learning in our exciting environment,” says Parr, who opened her school, which has a 500-square-foot classroom and large backyard, in 1995 when her daughter was young. “Learning through sensory activities, abstract thinking, problem-solving and language development makes learning enjoyable,” she says. “The program also teaches children respect and compassion for one another and how to verbally solve problems with peers.” In addition to using effective academic programs, such as the tactile Handwriting Without Tears technique and the Sullivan Reading Readiness program, Parr includes a variety of social skill building, such as her “fine dining” lunches that teach manners. “When young children get to clear their own dishes and pour milk that teaches etiquette and builds self-esteem,” she says. And in order to encourage compassion, she uses her “little buddy” system. In many of her classes, Parr will enroll an infant or toddler student so that the older children can learn to effectively interact with a younger child. Jackie Turner is an Old Towne licensed marriage and family therapist whose two daughters attended PamParr’d Kids. “Both of my girls were well-prepared for kindergarten after attending Pam’s program,” says Turner. “Even more important to me was the welcoming atmosphere at the school. As a parent, you want your child to be someplace where she not only learns, but is totally enveloped in love. Pam really cares for each and every child and treats them as her own. She teaches her students to learn in a kind, creative and gentle way.” For more information please e-mail or call PamParr’d Kids at (714) 240-9223.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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David Currey

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”825″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When David Currey joined Chapman University as the school’s Director of Athletics in 1990, the former football coach had officially retired from coaching. After 20 satisfying years coaching the football teams at Stanford University, Long Beach State, the University of Cincinnati and UCLA, Currey decided that the athletic directorship at Chapman–which had no football team at the time–would provide him with the opportunity to spend more time with his family. Currey was therefore surprised in 1994, when President James Doti called him into his office and said he wanted to start a Chapman football team. “My first reply was, ‘You’re crazy,’ ” says Currey. “At that time in the early 1990s, many of the colleges in the area (Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, U of Pacific, Santa Clara, St. Mary’s, etc.) were dropping college football, and President Doti wanted to start a team. I didn’t know how Chapman, which didn’t even have a goal post, could start a football team.” Despite his initial misgivings, Currey caught the pass and ran with the idea. “The response to forming a team was overwhelming,” he says. “That first season, over 130 players turned out. At that time, Georgia Frontiere was a trustee, and the Rams were headquartered in Anaheim. We had so many players that we had to get shoulder pads from the Rams.” Today Chapman has Orange County’s only NCAA four–year university football program. When Currey started, there were nine sports and 143 athletes. In comparison, today the school features 21 sports and over 550 athletes, including top–ranked teams in men’s baseball, women’s softball, tennis and basketball. The various teams participate in over 380 athletic events annually. This year, Chapman became the ninth member of the prestigious Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). Including intramurals and club sports, about one in four Chapman students participate in sports. Though building a football team and well–rounded sports program at Chapman challenges Currey at times, he thrives amidst the leadership opportunities. “There’s nothing more rewarding than offering a coach his first job and seeing him grow and mature,” says Currey, whose department experiences little turnover. Mike Bokosky is head coach of Chapman’s basketball team and assistant athletic director. He has worked under Currey since 1992. “David is a people person and that shows through in his leadership,” says Bokosy. “People gravitate towards him–he has charisma and makes everyone feel comfortable in any setting. He doesn’t micromanage, and that attitude has guided us through the many changes we’ve experienced in the sports department.” Though Currey always likes the game, it’s the chance to influence the lives of young athletes that he finds the most fulfilling. “As coaches we are similar to parents in many ways,” says Currey, who has two children of his own, one of whom attended Chapman. “Athletics is a ministry to young people. I find it very rewarding to help them make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives.” Douglas Aiken was a baseball player and student worker in Chapman’s athletic office while an undergraduate in the 1990s, and he is currently the school’s sports information director. “David has always been a bit of a father figure to me,” says Aiken. “I have gone to him over the years for life advice, and on many occasions he has listened and been a huge supporter. He’s a very caring boss. He’s also committed to the Division III philosophy that emphasizes the student, and he has done a great job of hiring coaches who are committed to a satisfying student athlete experience.” Currey started playing football and baseball when he was eight years old and over the years learned how powerful a coach’s influence can be. “My high school football coach, Ray Solari, always supported me and encouraged me to look into teaching or coaching,” he says. “I was even more touched when I was 30 and he asked me to be the Godfather of his son.” Today, those who know Currey would agree that his “failure” to retire from coaching was a blessing.

Erin J. Lastinger Sports Complex

When Chapman University decided to start a football team in 1994, the decision ignited a dream to create a state–of–the–art sports complex. The wish finally came true in the summer of 2008 when the Lastinger Athletic Complex opened. Named after the center’s main benefactor, former Chapman Student–Athlete Erin J. Lastinger, the $20.5 million complex includes the 2,000–seat Ernie Chapman Stadium and the Holly and David Wilson Field, the latter of which features a multi–use synthetic athletic surface. Beneath the stadium is a 900–space underground parking structure, and the center also houses the two–sided Raj Bathal Press Box and the Riach Stadium Terrace, which looks down on the 500–seat Frank E. and Mary O’Bryan Aquatics Stadium and the Zee Allred Olympic Pool. The complex also includes the Baldwin Family Pavilion containing coaches’ offices, classrooms, the Phillip H. Case Athletics Director’s Office and the Jamie Case–Babson strength facility. For information on how you can attend this season’s football games, visit ChapmanAthletics.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne Trading Post 1908

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When faced with a cancer diagnosis on her 29th birthday in February 2014, Kelly Rogers found herself analyzing her life and how she spent her time. Up until that defining moment, Rogers, who has a Ph.D. in educational studies and a MBA, worked in the educational realm, including teaching at her alma mater, Chapman University.

“I thought about what I wanted to do,” says Rogers, who is now cancer free. “The classes I usually taught weren’t offered the next semester, so I considered my various interests, one of which is antiques. In November 2014, I opened a booth selling antiques in the Plaza. I also participated in antique markets and was shocked to discover how poorly show promoters treated vendors.”

This behind-the-scenes view of antique shows compelled Rogers to consider creating a vendor-friendly show. “My business background told me that I could do the shows more efficiently and in a unique way that would be good for the attendees, vendors and our company,” she says. “I knew that if we selected high quality vendors, and promoted the market as well as the individual vendors, that we had the foundation of a stellar show.”

Rogers teamed up with marketing expert Jennifer Kerstner, and the duo conducted focus groups in order to determine what customers and vendors desire from an antiques market. Taking all of the information to heart, they created Trading Post 1908, an antique, vintage and handmade market that provides venue space for selected artisans and curators. “You will find exactly what you’re looking for at our markets,” says Rogers, whose own interest in antiques began when she inherited her great grandmother’s rustic farmhouse style furnishings that date back to the early 1900s—hence the 1908.

Trading Post 1908 has held several shows to date, with each being more successful than the prior one. “We have more than 300 vendors in our Trading Post 1908 community of juried vendors, and we’ve been averaging around 150 vendors per show,” says Rogers. “Our upcoming show at the Anaheim Convention Center in April will feature 250 to 300 vendors.”

In keeping with her educational roots, Rogers also provides training to vendors to increase business, including courses on social media, websites, marketing and business promotion and development. They recently held a networking event at the Potting Shed in Old Towne for the vendors, which is “unheard of,” says Rogers.

Trading Post 1908 vendors have been impressed with their experience, such as Audrey Rivera, owner of Orange-based Anything Rustic. She carries vintage and architectural pieces that she up-cycles into every day, functional objects for the home.

“At the first event, we had record sales,” says Rivera. “Trading Post shows run efficiently, and Kelly and her partner are really savvy about marketing. The vendor quality is also high—you’ll find many unique pieces. Kelly understands what it’s like to be a vendor. They even provided us with snacks, waters and brought in certified massage therapists.”

Lynette Warren, owner of Sirènes, which features handmade seashell and driftwood art, has also benefited as a Trading Post 1908 vendor. “One of my favorite experiences so far was seeing all of the early birds line up at the gate at my first show,” she says. “Kelly and Jennifer manage the shows so well that there is a smooth flow and a really great vibe. All of the vendors are super helpful and friendly. I’ve really appreciate being a part of the Trading Post 1908 vision.”

• The next Trading Post 1908 show will be at the Anaheim Convention Center April 8th and 9th. For more information, visit www.tradingpost1908.com

• Find trading Post 1908 on Instagram: @tradingpost1908 and Facebook: www.facebook.com/tradingpost1908

• Find Sirènes on Instagram: @sireneseaart

• Find Anything Rustic on Instagram: @AnythingRustic

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Talk of The Towne The Wall That Heals

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”821″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Father’s Day Weekend (June 15th-19th) Orange will make history and welcome The Wall That Heals. This half–scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will stand at Yorba Park from Wednesday evening until Sunday evening. Since 1996, this moving memorial has traveled to over 300 communities across the United States, touching Americans with its message of honor and healing. The wall is scheduled to be in California just once this year. “It’s a true honor to welcome the wall to Orange,” says Mark Wayland, a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of motorcycle riders and other concerned citizens from across the nation whose mission is to honor and remember those who risk their lives for America’s freedom and security. “This is the only Moving Wall associated with The Wall in Washington DC,” says Wayland, who served as a corporal in the U.S. Marines in Vietnam and oversees a flag–lowering ceremony in Plaza Park every Wednesday evening. On the first Wednesday of the month during the moving and inspirational flag ceremony, Wayland reads off the names of individuals who have died in defense of our country, to remind everyone of the sacrifice. “These are not just names and numbers,” he says. “It’s important that Americans understand and honor that.” Each Wednesday there is also a moment of silence to remember those lost the previous week. The local Patriot Guard Riders will oversee The Wall That Heals memorial, which includes a museum and information center. For more information, visit Vision2Victory.com For more information from the City of Orange For updated information from the City of Orange[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne Halp Luke

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”818″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When Luke Mysse suggested to his wife, Dalia, they close up his Old Towne office, pack up the house and she and their two kids follow him in an RV as he rode his bike across country to support his campaign StopSAM (Severe Acute Malnutrition), he expected her to dismiss the idea as crazy. “Luke was surprised that I said yes, but the truth is, I’d been wondering for some time how I might contribute,” says Dalia. “I’m really happy that we’re involved with such a great cause. StopSAM has become a passion for us as a family. My 9-year-old son Andrew has already raised $200 toward the cause by making and selling rubber band bracelets.” The couple plan to head out this spring with Andrew and his five-year-old brother Ayden for a three-month, 4,700-mile trip up the California coast from San Diego to Oregon and across to New York. On the way back, Mysse plans on riding in the RV with his family, stopping along the way for speaking engagements about StopSAM. A designer and branding professional for 19 years, Mysse teamed up with his friend Mike Levison in 2013 to form the nonprofit organization after hearing about an affordable way of stopping SAM—an often fatal condition that affects as many as 20 million children worldwide. With just one round of a nutrient-rich food known as RUTF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food) that contains milk, peanut butter and micronutrients, a child can be spared a death from malnutrition. Mysse’s mission is to distribute as many RUTF as possible to organizations like World Vision and UNICEF that can deliver the life-saving packets to children in countries such as Africa and south Asia where the rate of SAM is especially high. Each lifesaving treatment costs $50. “The good news is that RUTF works,” says Mysse. “Most children who go on the therapeutic treatment don’t have to repeat it. It gives their bodies a jumpstart and enables them to sustain themselves on whatever food is available.” The seeds for Mysse’s journey to StopSAM were planted six years ago. “Though I was doing well in my career, I worked long hours and I had sacrificed my health (he weighed more than 300 pounds) for something I realized I didn’t really care about,” he says. Worried about his health, Mysse began cycling and dropped 135 pounds. In 2012, he heard about a group of medical students that ride across America for world health issues, so he rode with them for four days. “At the time, the crazy idea of traveling across country popped into my head, but I pushed it down,” he says. Mysse had planned to juggle his career and StopSAM, but the idea to devote his time to riding across country dogged him. “The noise in my head became so loud that I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I knew that if my child was starving, I would want someone to do something about it,” says Mysse, who in 10 years hopes to save 1 million children from SAM. “Many people feel overwhelmed by the problems in the world and feel like they can’t make a difference, but with StopSAM they can.” In addition to his trek across the U.S., Mysse holds various fundraising campaigns for the cause, including PBJ For Good. The 2013 event involved the sale of peanut butter and jelly sandwich interpretations of 15 Orange County chefs, including Greg Daniels, Executive Chef/Partner at Haven Collective, who has known Mysse since 2009. “We’re completely supportive of Luke’s charitable efforts,” says Daniels. “Luke is selfless in that he has put the well-being of children around the world before himself. I don’t know many people who would give up the business they started, pack up their family and go trekking across the country without knowing what happens when the trip is finished. It takes guts to make a move like that, and Luke is making it happen without looking back.” On Monday, March 10th at 6:30 pm, Provisions Market will host a kickoff to the Mysse family’s cross-country journey. Come out and meet the family and show your support;

143 North Glassell St., 714-997-2337, provisionsmarkets.com.You can also follow the Mysse’s adventure on their blog at CycleCause.com. For more information about StopSAM, visit stopsam.org. Also like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StopSAM.

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Talk of The Towne the Vogelvang Spring Boutique

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”816″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Visit the Vogelvang Annual Spring Boutique and Charity Fundraiser in Old Towne March 20-22nd, and you’re likely to walk away with much more than unique gift items. In the sprawling 5,500-square-foot 1895 Victorian mansion on North Olive St., lives Anke Vogelvang, whose huge heart embraces all who enter. The Dutch transplant, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1963, has made it her lifelong mission to give back to the community. One of her many philanthropic endeavors includes opening her home every spring to sell unique handcrafted gift items with proceeds going to local families and causes in need. “There is so much pain and suffering in the world, that I like to do whatever I can to help,” says Vogelvang, who has lived in Orange for 38 years. “This year the money brought in will go to Choc Children’s Hospital for diabetes treatment and research and to help Dani Mendenhall of the Dragonfly Shops and Gardens, who is suffering with ALS,” she says. For the show, Vogelvang’s house and yard will be decked out with vendors carrying unique, handcrafted items, such as doilies, tea cosies and other tea items, aprons, jewelry, baked goods, candy and clothing, including vests, scarves and children’s sweaters from Holland. Vogelvang will also have on hand her Snowflake Princess handmade dress-up kits for little girls that include butterfly wings, halo, skirt, wand and miniature boa. There will also be opportunity drawings. Guests are treated to Vogel-vang’s Dutch hospitality with a chance to eat sandwiches, sip tea and sample Vogelvang’s famous Dutch chicken soup and Dutch apple cakes. “We have some faithful people who always come to support the current causes, as well as new visitors,” she says. “I like to spoil everyone with tasty food, which they can enjoy sitting out in the garden.” She even arranges with the city to get temporary parking passes that she hands out to boutique visitors. Though the merchandise is lovely at the boutique, it’s the atmosphere at the Vogelvang house that makes the event so successful, says Vogelvang’s friend Ans Varenhorst, who is also from Holland. She helps with the boutique, including selling her tea merchandise and making the sandwiches. “There is a Dutch word, gezelligheid, that sums up the warm, welcoming atmosphere at Anka’s home that makes it the perfect setting for the boutique,” says Varenhorst, who immigrated from Holland to the U.S. in 1958. (Though there isn’t a comparable word in the English language, gezelligheid is described as a cozy, quaint atmosphere and a togetherness that leads to warm feelings.) “Another special treat about going to the boutique is the chance to see the Vogelvang house,” says Varenhorst, “It’s remarkable and gives you a wonderful glimpse of the true spirit of Orange.” The Vogelvang Spring Boutique will be held at the Vogelvang’s Victorian Mansion, 288 North Olive St. in Old Towne, Friday-Sunday, March 20-22nd. Hours are 10 am-5 pm Friday and Saturday and 11 am-4 pm Sunday.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Celebrating Huell Howser

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”813″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”814″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Fans of the late Huell Howser and his iconic TV show “California’s Gold” are invited to a free Open House at Chapman University on Saturday, March 29th from 9 am to 6 pm. The event will include live appearances by various stars of Howser’s public television programs and tours of the university’s permanent collection “That’s Amazing! Thirty Years of Huell Howser and California’s Gold,” which celebrates the life and work of the public television legend. Housed in Chapman University’s Leatherby Libraries, the custom-designed Howser exhibit, which is sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, features a replica of Howser’s office where he edited all of his shows, plus a quote wall, career artifacts, pieces from his eclectic personal art collection and fan gifts from his travels throughout the Golden State. There’s also a viewing room where visitors can watch any of the more than 900 TV episodes Howser donated to Chapman when he left his life’s work to the university as his legacy. Throughout the day, there will be screenings of the world premiere of an hour-long movie about Howser and the making of “California’s Gold,” created by Chapman film professor Jeff Swimmer. “A Golden State of Mind: The Storytelling Genius of Huell Howser” examines the man and his work and delves into Howser’s love for California and belief that every person in every walk of life has a story to tell. Also on hand that day will be the many people who made Howser’s shows so memorable, including the experts, food vendors, artisans, collectors and characters who appeared over the years on “California’s Gold” and who, along with Howser, expanded appreciation for the beauty and diversity of the state. Auto Club representatives will also be present to give out free copies while supplies last of the “California’s Gold Guide Map,” which marks locations throughout the Golden State where many favorite episodes were filmed. In the last several years of his life (he passed away in early 2013), Howser forged a strong personal bond with Chapman University and its students and made many generous donations of his work and resources to the university. One of his wishes was for the university to digitize all of the episodes of his shows and make them available free of charge to the public online, which has been done. They can be accessed at www.huellhowserarchives.com. He also endowed the California’s Gold Scholarship presented to selected Chapman undergraduates who display a positive outlook and are actively pursuing ways to improve society.

The exhibit and personal appearances by the stars of California’s Gold are FREE. The movie screenings to be held in Memorial Hall are ticketed: $12 online in advance and $15 at the door. Auto Club (AAA) members will receive a discounted movie price of $10. Choose from 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm screenings. For more information about this event and to buy movie tickets, go to www.huellhowserarchives.com and click “Purchase Tickets.” Questions: 714-744-2176.

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Talk of The Towne An American Celebration

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”811″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Every time Barbara Parker attends an American Celebration event and the performance comes to a close, the Chapman ’64 alumna wishes that the show wouldn’t end. “American Celebration is mesmerizing and absolutely wonderful,” says Parker, a committee member for opening night of the wildly popular, fully-staged Broadway-style singing and dancing extravaganza, which is backed by a live orchestra. “Two years ago I sat next to a couple who regularly attend Broadway show openings, and they said they’d never seen anything better than the Chapman performers.” In its 31st year, the American Celebration to be held on November 2nd and 3rd is Chapman University’s largest single annual fundraising event, with proceeds going to Chapman’s Scholarship Fund. “The second night of the show known as Gala night is the largest one-night fundraising gala in all of Orange County in terms of money raised,” says Chapman’s Director of Communications and Media Relations, Mary Platt. “For the past two years, Gala night has broken the $2 million mark, and overall the event has raised more than $20 million for the Chapman scholarship fund.” More than 200 students audition for about 75 spots in the themed show each year, says Dale Merrill, Dean of the College of Performing Arts and artistic director and producer of American Celebration for the past seven years. Junior Mandy Dray performed in the show her freshman and sophomore years and will audition again this year. She has found the show to be the most rewarding experience in her 19 years of dance. “American Celebration is my favorite concert in which to perform,” says the singer and dancer, who is majoring in dance performance. “It is such a great learning experience and we have so much fun-especially when we hit the stage in our flashy costumes and perform under the bright, exiting lights. I love knowing the audience is experiencing a fun night of wonderful entertainment and that we’re raising money for scholarships.” Dance major and junior Chelsea Henriques performed in last year’s show and comments, “American Celebration is a great opportunity to perform with students in different departments and break away from the norm of what we usually do in class.” For Merrill, showcasing the talents of all students in the College of Performing Arts is his goal with American Celebration. “The departments of theater, music and dance have few opportunities to work together, and this is a magnificent opportunity to collaborate,” he says. This year’s show theme is “Making Stars,” and the guest of honor is actor Richard Dreyfus, who will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. “Besides being a well-acclaimed actor who starred in movies like ’American Graffiti,’ in recent years Dreyfus has made it his mission to encourage young people to appreciate American history and civics, and what better way to do that than with a traditional American Broadway Review show,” says Merrill, who notes that the cast will perform a “rip-roaring tribute” to Dreyfus, singing “Yankee Doodle Dandy” from the musical “George M!” “It’s going to be a big, upbeat show, and people are sure to leave singing and dancing.” Tickets for opening night, which includes an elegant dessert after the show, are $50. The black-tie Gala Night features a lavish evening of dinner and dancing after the show and tickets start at $2,000. View information on tickets for opening night[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne Change Comes to Immanuel Lutheran

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”809″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For Orange resident Terri Krause, Immanuel Lutheran School of Orange holds a special place. It was here that she attended 6th through 8th grade and where her children spent their preschool through middle school years. So when the decision was made to close all but the preschool recently, she was understandably saddened. “We’re really sorry to see the elementary and middle school close,” says Krause, who is Immanuel’s school secretary. “My son and daughter, now both in high school, really liked the school’s close–knit feel.” “The decision to close the school, which has been in existence since the church opened in 1923, was a difficult one,” says Bob Bartels, executive director of Immanuel, who cites shrinking enrollment as the reason for the closure. “We spent most of this past year considering and decided that closure, at least for now, was the prudent thing to do.” Immanuel Lutheran’s preschool will remain open, serving two to four year olds throughout the year. “We have a fully accredited, high–quality preschool program in a safe Christian environment that prepares children academically and socially for kindergarten,” says Dale Hartmann, a 35’year member of the church, who is a retired professor of Concordia University in Irvine. Bartels and Hartmann also stress that this is not necessarily the end of the road for the elementary and middle school portion of the school. “We are not officially ending, but are suspending the school for now,” says Bartels, whose grown sons also attended Immanuel. “Reopening is something we’ll be looking at possibly doing in the future.“ Immanuel Lutheran Church, which has a membership of 400, opened in 1923 as an offshoot of St. John’s Lutheran Church. “Former parishioners of St. John’s moved three blocks east to the ‘edge’ of town, bought a half–acre of Orange groves and built a church and school,” says Hartmann. For information regarding Immanuel Lutheran’s Preschool program, call the school’s office at (714) 538–2374 or visit ImmanuelOrange.org.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne City of Orange to Host Special Olympic Athletes

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When history is made this summer and the Special Olympics World Games come to Los Angeles, Orange will do its part as a Host Town. From July 21-24, Orange will house, feed and entertain 100 Special Olympians from Canada and Senegal. “This is the first time the Special Olympics World Games are coming to Southern Califor-nia,” says Old Towne resident Priscilla Selman, one of the lead volunteers in the hospitality effort for the Host Town Orange Com-mittee. “Anaheim is also hosting Special Olympians, as are other cities up and down the coast. The experience is meant to give the athletes a taste of California.” “The fact that Special Olympians from around the world will be visiting Orange is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence,” says Joann Waldron, a longtime volunteer for the year-round sports training and competition program founded in 1968 for individuals of all ages with intellectual disabilities. Waldron is the mother of Pete, now 57, who competed in the 1971 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Alaska. She is currently on the Leadership Training Board for the Special Olympics Orange County.

Hosting athletes as Orange will do this summer is an important task, says Waldron. “Their visit here will give them a chance to get acclimated and limber up so they’re ready to go when the games take place. The visit will also give the community of Orange a chance to meet these athletes who have worked so hard to get to where they are,” says Waldron, who has seen the organization do great things for Special Olympians and society as a whole. “The visit and attending the world games gives people a chance to see that developmental disabilities are common around the world and that those with disabilities are capable of many achievements,” says Waldron. “When Pete was born, the doctors told me to institutionalize him. Back then individuals with disabilities were closeted away. The Special Olympics has brought developmentally disabled people out into the sunshine and allowed them to develop into contributing, tax paying members of society. Pete has worked for 30 years as a fulltime employee of the state of California.” The Special Olympics teaches those with developmental disabilities valuable life lessons, agrees David Armendariz, Regional Director for the Special Olympics Orange County. “It’s not just about mastering a sport. They develop self-confidence and self-esteem and improve communication skills.” Plans for the athletes’ stay in Orange are still being firmed up. So far organizations that will be extending hospitality to the Special Olympians include Taco Bell, the Kiwanis Club and the Knights of Columbus. In order to make the experience as memorable as possible, the Host Town Orange Committee is seeking donations. Donate through the Community Foundation of Orange website by clicking on the Donate tab: www.communityfoundationoforange.org “We want to make these special folks feel welcome and celebrated,” says Selman. “It is a real achievement for them to have met their challenges and to have risen to the top of their sports. And for many, it will be their first visit to the United States.” The Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015) will run from July 25-Aug. 2. For more information, visit www.specialolympics.org

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40 O’ Years in the Plaza

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”804″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When Ted Robinson walks into O’Hara’s Pub in the Plaza, he knows he’s somewhere where everybody knows his name. “When I was young, I worked across the street at Wally’s Market,” says Robinson, now retired and a regular visitor to the pub. “The bar is like a little community. Everyone knows everyone else. I have a stool I usually sit in and the bartender has told people it’s my place and asked them to move.” A Plaza fixture since 1972, O’Hara’s Pub is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The Old Towne destination is a favorite for longtime locals like Robinson, as well as Chapman University students, says the pub’s owner Christine Thompson. “The pub reflects the young people of today, especially on nights when school is in, and it also attracts an older crowd of folks who have fond memories from when my Aunt Gail ran the place,” she says. Thompson’s aunt, Gail Hewitt, opened the pub along with her parents, Winnie and Al Hewitt, in 1972. “That was back in the day when there was very little here in the Plaza,” says Thompson. “The original lease was $125 a month, and my Aunt couldn’t afford to hire anyone initially, so she ran the bar and worked in the back office, while my grandfather Al performed handyman chores and my grandma Winnie did the cleaning and cooking.” For many years, the pub also served food, including sandwiches and chili. Even though the Plaza was quiet when they first opened, Gail Hewitt used the skills she’d learned working as a bookkeeper to turn a profit in the bar and make it viable. “My Aunt had always wanted her own business, but the funny thing was she was a teetotaler,” says Thompson. “She saw potential in the Old Towne area and realized what a nice little business a bar would be and made it a success.” Thompson was 15 when the bar opened, and when she became older she served as a sounding board for her Aunt. “When my aunt died in 2001, it turned out that she had left me a portion of the pub,” says Thompson, who decided to leave her 25-year career in the dental industry and buy the business from the estate. “We explored selling, but I felt that my Aunt had dedicated her life to the pub, and it was very well run and organized,” says Thompson. “I decided to keep with the family tradition and run the pub, and I’m glad I made the decision to do so.” O’Hara’s Pub 150 N Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866 | 714-532-9264[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne I, Miss Orange

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”801″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you think that beauty pageants are nothing more than a sea of pretty faces, then you’ll want to attend this year’s Miss City of Orange Scholarship Pageant. At the event to be held on September 17th, you’ll quickly discover that while the participants are indeed beautiful, their talents and drive and determination run much deeper than you might think. The contestants do compete in an evening gown and physical fitness swimsuit contest, but they also perform a talent for the audience and answer an onstage question. The winner of the pageant takes on the commitment of becoming an ambassador for the City of Orange for the following year. Rachel Berry won Miss City of Orange in 2010. “When people met me during my year as Miss Orange, they were always surprised at how involved I was in the community and how well–rounded I am,” says Berry, who graduated from Chapman University last year. “I considered my reign as Miss City of Orange as a part-time job, and one of the reasons I ran for the title was that I wanted to get to know more about the city and meet the leaders. Once people understand how the pageant works, they respect the program and how it empowers young women.” “Many of the girls who have gone through the process will unabashedly tell you that the program changed their lives,” says Connie Benson, Executive Director of Miss City of Orange for the past nine years. “During her year of service, Miss City of Orange attends numerous local events and puts on the ‘Queen for a Day’ leadership workshop for 2nd through 6th grade girls,” says Benson. “The pageant winner learns to handle herself extemporaneously in front of audiences and organizations. She also gets the opportunity to represent a charitable organization of her choice. And the scholarship money is of great assistance. The pageant awards over $5,000 each year.” The winner of Miss City of Orange gets a chance to compete in Miss California. Berry, whose mother owned a dance studio, competed in 2010 and made the top 10, winning in the talent category for her tap dance routine. She went back this year, placing in the top 10 again and winning overall in the interview category. This year Miss City of Orange 2009, Noelle Freeman, won the Miss California title. In its 76th year, the Miss City of Orange pageant was once a strictly community event and not affiliated with the Miss California/Miss America program, says Benson. “In the 1980’s, the then Executive Director Elsa Olson got the program a franchise under the Miss California Scholarship Pageant, and it was at that point that our Miss City of Orange began competing at Miss California,” she says. Berry got so much out of the Miss Orange pageant that she encourages other young women to give it a try. “It’s worth competing in the pageant even if you don’t win,” she says. “The competition process helped me discover what works for me as a person and what’s important, and the training in public speaking and networking is invaluable. I’ll use the skills I learned for the rest of my life.” The Miss City of Orange 2012 Scholarship Pageant will be held on Saturday, September 17th at Chapman University Memorial Hall at 7 pm. Tickets are $15 with a student ID and $25 for all other attendees. The contestants will do an opening dance number, and Noelle Freeman will share the talent she’ll be performing at the Miss America Pageant in January. The Chapman University Dance Team will also perform, along with the school’s Men of Harmony, and “Queen for a Day“ participants will do a number with Berry. The Miss City of Orange pageant is a non–profit, all–volunteer organization, and the girls do not pay an entry fee to participate. Each contestant receives some scholarship money. For information, visit the pageant’s website at MissCityofOrange.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Farmers Market Fresh Garden Clippings

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”799″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This year as you prepare for Thanksgiving, take a page from Lisa Gilmore’s recipe file and consider making your favorite holiday dishes fresh from the farmers market. Gilmore, who is the Orange Home Grown Farmers Market Culinary Enthusiast, enjoys browsing the wholesome and flavorful offerings at the market and then using them to cook her favorite recipes. “Picking fresh produce from the market is a lot like harvesting fruits and veggies from the garden,” says Gilmore, who holds cooking demonstrations at the farmers market every second Saturday of the month. “The produce at the market is much tastier than you’ll find in most grocery stores.” The key to an enjoyable and delicious Thanksgiving is to prepare ahead, says Gilmore, who is also known in Old Towne as the “Big Cheese,” since she won Provision Market’s grilled cheese contest last April. Gilmore offers these tips for ensuring that Thanksgiving meal prep runs smoothly: • Purchase ingredients ahead. “Visit the farmers market the Saturday before Thanksgiving,” advises Gilmore. • Do all of your chopping, dicing and shredding a day before, and store the produce in the refrigerator in Ziploc bags. • Add salt, pepper and herbs to taste, as you cook. • Set the table the night before. Also take out serving platters and label each one with a sticky note designating what dish goes in each platter. Gilmore enjoys consulting recipes that she tweaks to her own tastes. This method results in her making easy, yummy dishes, like the following homemade stuffing she’ll be cooking this Thanksgiving. Herb and Apple Stuffing 16 cups of bread from OC Baking Co. (white, whole wheat or French) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick) 2 cups chopped onion 2 cups chopped celery 2 apples (Granny Smith) unpeeled, cored and chopped into large chunks 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream 3 eggs ½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped 1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2) Place bread on cookie sheet and toast in oven to a light golden brown. Once toasted, cut the bread into large cubes. 3) In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and add the onions and celery. Sauté the mixture for 10 minutes or until items are soft. Add apples. Sprinkle in parsley, thyme, salt and pepper, to desired taste. 4) Combine above ingredients with bread cubes. Add chicken stock and cream. (If the mixture is somewhat dry, add more chicken stock, until the mix is completely moist.) 5) Add eggs and almonds to the mixture and stir to combine. 6) Place mix in a 13 x 9-inch buttered pan. 7) Bake for 45 minutes or until a fork comes out clean when inserted. For more recipes and cooking tips, visit www.orangehomegrown.org/farmers-market/culinary-enthusiast-lisa-gilmore. See Gilmore do a cooking demonstration making the recipe above and other Thanksgiving dishes on Saturday, November 12th from 10 am to 10:30 am. If you have questions or comments for Gilmore, email her at Fam2table@gmail.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne The O Bar

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”797″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If you think Orange Hill Restaurant offers an elegant meal overlooking a breathtaking view, then you’re partially right. While the hilltop restaurant has always delivered delicious food and dazzling vistas, recent changes made Orange’s landmark dining establishment an even bigger draw. As part of an overall plan to offer a more complete dining and entertainment experience, Orange Hill recently opened The O BAR. While the redesigned bar still has breathtaking views as a backdrop, the space shines on its own. Decorated in vibrant oranges, browns and black, and including custom details such as hand–blown glass chandeliers, this sleek, modern lounge offers intimate, comfortable seating, soft, inviting lighting, delectable drinks and appetizers and live piano music. “Orange Hill has always been considered an incredible view location,” says John Tallichet, president and CEO of Specialty Restaurants, which owns Orange Hill. “And while this is an especially good label, we took a cue from other great restaurants throughout Southern California and decided to pull all of the elements together and deliver a more complete experience. The O BAR is one of the last pieces of the puzzle.” Completing the puzzle has been successful, says Ishbak Vasquez, assistant general manager. “The response to the O BAR is phenomenal,” he says. “We’re seeing a wider range of guests–from more Orange locals, to younger and even older crowds.” While the pianist plays at the O BAR’S custom lacquered orange piano, guests sit back in the plush surroundings and indulge in a wide variety of appetizers, including their “O–Rings’, “Four–Cheese Flatbread”, “Lamb Chops”, “Prime Rib Tacos”, and signature cocktails such as their “Orange Crush Appletini”, “Lemon Drop” and “Hibiscus Martini.” Wine–tasting flights to choose from include their “Forbidden Sins”, which features three zinfandels. Opened in September 1972 by John Tallichet’s father, David Tallichet, Orange Hill has earned a place in Orange County history. “When we opened, the area was still considered the end of Orange County – you would pass orange groves on your way up to the restaurant,” says John Tallichet, who has enjoyed preserving his father’s legacy.

The O Bar

6410 East Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA 92869 / 714-997-2910

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Talk of The Towne Well Run Games

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”795″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Though Villa Park Elementary parent Sarah Jarrell volunteers in many capacities at her children’s school, coaching at the annual Community Foundation of Orange Foundation Games is by far her favorite activity. “The Foundation Games are so well run, and the camaraderie built across the different grade levels is amazing to see,” says Jarrell of the free annual track and field championship open to all public and private elementary and middle school students in the Orange Unified School District. “I love being at the games and seeing 5th graders cheering for 1st- and 2nd-grade runners,” says Jarrell. “It’s great to see all of the kids’ hard work pay off. The event also creates a great sense of community.” Dating back to 2004, the Foundation Games have grown exponentially over the last 13 years, says Susie Cunningham, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Orange (CFO). “We had about 600 kids when we first started. Last year there were 2,000. Our meet is a qualifying one for the Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation (SCMAF). Kids who place in the top four qualify to go on to the regional meet.” Unlike other similar meets, the Foundation Games are free. “The kids don’t have to pay anything to participate,” says Cunningham. “Everyone gets ribbons and t-shirts, and medals go to the top four in each competition.” The focus of the community event, which draws a large crowd, isn’t necessarily on winning, but rather on teaching children to be good sports and try something new, says Cunningham. “Children have a chance to try friendly competition and to set and meet personal goals. It’s about character building and instilling confidence, pride and camaraderie amongst the kids.” CFO President Gary Remland agrees. “The Foundation Games give elementary and middle school students the opportunity to experiment in the track and field arena. We’ve had some great success stories where kids have gone through the program and found a passion for athletics, while other children have benefited from stepping outside of their comfort zones and trying something new.” So successful have the Foundation Games been that the event was recognized with the Award of Excellence from the California Parks and Recreation Services on March 15, 2013. The Foundation Games dovetail nicely with the purpose of the Community Foundation of Orange, which is to preserve and enhance a sense of community. “The support from the community is incredible,” says Remland. “We rely on 300-400 volunteers, and their assistance is really appreciated.” The CFO also counts on financial support, including from local business sponsors, to make the Foundation Games a reality. “This is our biggest expense of the year,” says Cunningham. “It’s thanks to donations that we are able to hold the Games.” The Foundation Games will be held on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22. The games starting at 5 pm on Friday are open to children born from 2002-2004. The Saturday divisions are for kids born from 2005-2010. Also on Saturday are the police and fire and parent relays. Information: www.communityfoundationoforange.org/foundation-games-2017.html. Select to view 2015 Foundation Games article[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne The Twin Pianos

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”793″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the 12 years that John Dieball held the popular Orange County Classic Jazz Festival in Costa Mesa that lured lovers of ragtime jazz from across the globe, one event in particular, the twin piano concert, drew standing room crowds. “We’d have 1,200 people packed into the Hilton’s ballroom,” says Dieball, an Orange resident and chairman and CEO of Jadtec Security Services in Orange, who ran the annual four-day festival with Connie and Larry Baker, from 1999 to 2011. Given the popularity of the twin piano concert, Dieball decided to bring the excitement of the event back to Orange County this April at the Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. A Concert of Twin Pianos will feature American Jeff Barnhart and Louis Mazetier of France, two of only 20 pianists in the world accomplished at Harlem Stride Piano, a music style evolved from ragtime that originated in Harlem during World War I. This will be the first time the duo plays together at the Segerstrom Concert Hall and the seventh time they’ve played in a twin piano concert together. One of the few times you’ll see two pianos played during the same concert, twin piano performances showcase the work of two pianists, who play the same tunes simultaneously and often respond to one another through the music. “Watch a twin piano concert between Barnhart and Mazetier, and you might think that the musicians rehearsed for hours, yet the truth is that they often play something they’ve never played before,” says Bruce M. Gast, who has run jazz concerts in New Jersey for the last 25 years. “There is no sheet music up there, and they don’t talk to one another or hold up signs,” says Gast. “They communicate by glancing at one another, and they often challenge each other, which adds to the fun. It’s also a visual delight for those in the front row, because their fingers move so swiftly over the keys.” The performances are engaging, because the audience hears the music and enjoys the interplay between the pianists, adds Don Jones, publisher of The American Rag, a tabloid-sized newspaper covering ragtime and traditional jazz from the 1890s to the 1950s. “Neither pianist has any idea of what the other will do, so there are a lot of delightful surprises.” To add to the caliber of the concert, Barnhart and Mazetier will play on two matching 9-foot Hamburg Steinway grand pianos. The fact that they are playing on matching pianos is significant, because they must be tuned to mirror one another. Given that the Stride music features tunes from nearly a century ago, the twin piano concert offers an opportunity for everyone. “For those who grew up in that era, this is a rare chance to hear the music,” says Jones, “and for younger people it’s an opportunity to experience music like they’ve never heard before.” A Concert with Twin Pianos will be held April 7th at 2 pm at the Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. For ticket information, visit scfta.org, Onstage/Jazz. Or their box office is open 7 days a week 10am to 6pm (714) 556-2787. Tickets are $20-$40-$69.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne Big Orange Book Festival

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”791″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mention Orange County and many people envision amusement parks, the beach and reality television shows. Certainly not literature. At Chapman University’s 2nd Annual Big Orange Book Festival (BOB), show organizers and attending authors are working to alter that stereotype. Inspired by the <=”addressregion”>Los Angeles Times <=”event”>Festival of Books, the free three-day literary event will feature national, international and local authors and include programs, panels and special activities appealing to readers, writers, film buffs and families. “In the midst of post-citrus urbanism, the intellectual life of Orange County is often overlooked, but Southern California is a much richer literary territory than the image would have you believe,” says Tom Zoellner, who participated in the festival last year. He is associate professor of English at Chapman and a bestselling nonfiction author of several books, including A Safeway in Arizona.

“We have many authors and readers here, and Southern California is fertile ground for great storytelling,” says Zoellner. “I teach the class “Writing Southern California,” and we cover the work of literary giants who came out of this region, including Raymond Chandler, Joan Didion and poet Wanda Coleman, who appeared at last year’s festival. BOB is a wonderful way to showcase this continuing literary heritage.”

Select to view the Chapman University Happenings blog on this year’s Big Orange Book Festival.

Attending the event is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the many talented authors right in our own backyard, agrees the event’s co-director Char Williams, manager of Administrative Operations, Strategic Marketing and Communications at <=”name”>Chapman. “We have a wide variety of talented authors coming to speak and are adding speakers every day, such as Marcia Clark, who was the head prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson murder case,” says Williams. Clark’s book about the case, Without a Doubt, was a bestseller in 1997. More recently, she has written a crime novel series. Also attending and speaking are romance novelists Susan Squires and Tessa Dare, humorist Kevin Fagan, creator of the nationally syndicated cartoon strip, “Drabble;” science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson and fiction/nonfiction author and scriptwriter Michael Cassutt, whose television credits include “The Dead Zone.” Event organizers are repeating the popular show format from last year, which consists of various literature tracts, including romance and crime and science fiction and steampunk. They added at the request of last year’s attendees a home and family tract and panels on the business side of writing. They’re also including an author’s pavilion where local and self-published authors can sell their books, as well as do readings. Old Towne novelist and Chapman English professor James Blaylock, one of the creators of the steampunk genre, spoke to a crowd of more than 200 people at last year’s festival with fellow steampunk pioneer Tim Powers “I enjoyed our panel and the others I attended, as well as the booths selling books and the readings,” says Blaylock. “I heard Mary Badham (Scout in the movie “To Kill a Mockingbird”) speak, and she was incredibly good — very down-home and authentic. I’m anticipating an even better festival this year.” The Big Orange Book Festival will be held from October 11-13th. For more information, visit bigorangebookfestival.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Womans Club of Orange

The next time you drive into the Plaza, consider this. Nearly one hundred years ago, the City of Orange paved the road—not with money from city forefathers, but with funding from the Woman’s Club of Orange. The same group rallied their resources in 1924 and raised a whopping $30,000 to fund the building of the group’s chapterhouse, which still stands on South Center St. in Old Towne.

“Back then the ladies didn’t work outside of the home, so this was a phenomenal undertaking,” says the club’s current president Suzanne Vaugine. “They also furnished the house with the money raised and a few years later bought the property next door, which is now the garden area.”

Celebrating 100 Years

The powerhouse club founded in 1915 just celebrated its 100th birthday on February 16th and is still thriving, says the group’s publicity chair, Mary-Ellen Manning. “We have 200 members and are proud to be a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs International and the affiliated California Federation of Women’s Clubs, which is one of the largest woman’s organizations in the world. The Woman’s Club of Orange is the second largest club in California.”

Today, a century after founding, the Woman’s Club of Orange sticks to its mission to promote friendship and service in the community and the world.

“We are a philanthropic, friendly organization that raises funds to help people in need, as well as provides scholarships to local students. Along the way, we have a lot of fun,” says Manning, who became a member in 1998 when she retired from a 23-year career as a school secretary. “I’ve lived in Orange 47 years, and I love this city, so it feels good to do something worthwhile. Many club members have become dear friends.”

Vaugine, who joined nine years ago after a 34-year career as an elementary teacher, echoes Manning’s sentiments. “I’m proud to be a member of a civic-minded group that is making a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, and it’s wonderful to make new friends and have a fun and meaningful life after retirement.”

During each two-year presidential term, the president chooses one or two charities for the club to focus on helping. Vaugine selected for her 2013-2015 term Project Hope Alliance, which assists Orange County’s 30,000 homeless, including those children living in hotels, with education, community services and housing.

78th Annual Flower Show

For 78 years, the Woman’s Club has held their Annual Flower Show at the chapterhouse. The show actually started in 1916, but was suspended during wartime years. This year’s event, “Strolling Through the Garden,” will be held on Thursday, April 16th from 12-5. Luncheon will be served and a variety of vendors’ booths, including the club’s Sweet Shop, will be open in the courtyard. Admission is free and flower entries, which are professionally judged and awarded ribbons, are open to all amateur gardeners. There will also be opportunity drawings.

“The Flower Show is an enjoyable community event,” says the club’s corresponding secretary, Nancy Hedrick, a member since 1997. The longtime Orange resident has deep ties within the community. “My father, Jerry Shryock, was a member of the Orange Police Department from 1941-1961. I also took tap dancing lessons at the chapterhouse as a little girl and attended Orange High School dances there in the late 1940s.”

It wasn’t until Hedrick was a member of the Woman’s Club for a couple of years that she discovered an incredible connection. “A member who served as the club’s historian at the time told me that a woman named Daisy Showalter was a member in the 1920s. She was my grandmother! It was wonderful to find that I’d essentially come full circle.”

For more information, visit www.orangewc.com/index.html. Get Flower Show entry forms at the chapterhouse, 121 S. Center St., or call 714-538-2226. For membership information, call 714-750-1300. General meeting luncheons that include entertainment are held on the third Monday of each month from September-June.

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Talk of The Towne Cholame Vineyard

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”787″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When Orange Park Acres landscape professional David DuBois and his wife decided to buy property in 2005 in San Miguel, he found the land well suited to growing wine grapes, so he prepared 10 acres and planted the best grape varietals for the location. “It took me four years to plant the acreage, and we had our first harvest in 2010,” says DuBois, founder and vintner, with wife Donna, of Cholame Vineyard. “Initially, I planned to just grow grapes and sell them to winemakers, but during a conversation with accomplished winemaker Andrés Ibarra, I discovered that it would be a good idea to barrel the first phase so that winemakers would be able to taste the quality of wine the grapes would produce.” With Ibarra doing the winemaking, their first vintage blend turned out so well that they bottled it, and the wine won a gold award in the Sunset International Wine Competition. Cholame has continued to bottle and garner awards ever since, including their 2012 Chardonnay, which won a Double Gold at the 2015 San Francisco International Wine Competition. Early Awards Unusual Winning awards is uncommon for new vineyards, notes Ibarra, who is now Cholame’s winemaker. He started out in 1980 pruning and picking grapes and in 1989 began making wine in Santa Barbara County. “Successful winemaking starts with a vineyard that dedicates time and detail to grape production and follows that with making and bottling superior wine,” he says. “We are blessed to be getting noticed for our wines.” DuBois agrees. “With a vineyard, it’s all about the quality of the soil and the resulting grapes. When you plant the right grape varieties for your environment, you get the best harvest. That coupled with the skills of a superior winemaker results in the finest wine possible. Andrés never strays when it comes to winemaking. I like to joke that compromising is for relationships, not wine, and he will not compromise. Every decision we make is to ensure the highest quality.” Wine consultant Troy Evans has enjoyed Ibarra’s wines for several years. “Andrés is a rock star when it comes to winemaking,” she says. “He creates wines for people with refined palates, who enjoy wine. When I drink his wines, I can’t stop thinking about them.” Cholame wines are superior, agrees Kelly Jordan, who lives in Villa Park and hosted a wine tasting party for Cholame. “I love to cook ‘gourmet’ meals and find the right wine to pair with the food, and that’s easy to do with Cholame wines.” Off the Beaten Path In order to help ensure that Cholame, which is considered a small production vineyard, stood out in a crowded wine market, DuBois chose to grow some lesser known grape varieties. “We wanted to offer something different, so we grow grape varieties like Tempranillo, which is widely grown in Spain,” he says. They also have varietals of Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Zinfandel. Wine bloggers David and Tonya Landry of Winery Explorers (http://wineryexplorers.com) comment on the unique nature of Cholame wines. “Their red wines come from their vineyard in San Miguel, which immediately makes them unique,” says David. “Add experienced winemaker Andrés Ibarra to the mix and the passion that both him and David have for wine comes through with each bottle produced. These wines are of superb quality and offered at reasonable prices.” Orange Park Acres resident Anne Cilani notes how she appreciates the Cholame approach. “I really admire David’s philosophy of blazing his own trail and creating new taste blends rather than doing the same old thing.” Harvest Celebration To showcase their wines, Cholame hosts offsite wine tasting events, such as their upcoming Harvest Celebration. Attendees enjoy appetizers and wine tasting of current and new vintages. DuBois and Ibarra are generally on-hand to chat and answer questions. As a community service, DuBois also provides Orange Lutheran High School’s Lancer Alumni Association with a private label wine. Proceeds from those wine sales go to the school’s financial aid fund. As Cholame wines continue to be enjoyed by more and more people, DuBois feels immense gratitude. “When I see photos on social media of families breaking bread and drinking the wine, I feel like I think musicians must feel hearing their music enjoyed,” he says. “It’s a lot of work to run the winery, but it’s so rewarding to see people appreciate the results.” Upcoming Cholame Vineyard wine tasting events: • Cholame Vineyard Harvest Celebration: November 7th from 2 to 5 pm, Rancho Las Lomas, a private resort and zoological center in the foothills of Orange County. • Balboa Pavilion Grand Wine Tasting: November 15th from 2 to 6 pm, 400 Main St., Newport Beach. For information regarding these events or wine club membership: www.cholamevineyard.com, 805-610-1122 or info@cholamevineyard.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Lunch at the Forum

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”785″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Interested in expanding your mind by attending lectures at Chapman University without becoming a student? Check out the school’s Town & Gown Annual Lunch at the Forum series. Open to the public, these enlightening events feature faculty speaking on topics of current interest while you dine on tasty food. Here is what you can learn during the fall 2013 Lunch at the Forum events:

October 3rd: Raiders of the Lost Art: Looted Archaeological Treasures

Assistant professor of Art History Justin St. P. Walsh, Ph.D. will discuss the disturbing fact that many private and public art collections, including institutions such as the Getty and Metropolitan Museum of Art, contain works that were illegally excavated, smuggled out of their nations of origin and sold on the “black art market.” This looting destroys archaeological sites, circumventing the opportunity to learn more about ancient cultures. Walsh will discuss the new initiative based at Chapman in collaboration with the Los Angeles Times that plans to build an online database of art that was likely a victim of the black market.

November 7th: Earth’s Spheres and the Changing Climate: Are We in Denial?

Associate Professor and Director of Hazards, Global and Environmental Change and Computational Science Programs Hesham M. El-Askary, Ph.D. will enlighten attendees about how the unusual changes in our weather have to do with more than global warming. According to El-Askary, who is an internationally recognized expert, we are living within a dynamic interactive fragile system composed of a series of spheres: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere and the biosphere. He will discuss how these systems interact, and how this interaction affects us all. Lunch at the Forum 2014 lectures will feature: February 6th: Adjunct professor of vocal performance Jeralyn Refeld will present Can’t Help Singing: A Tribute to Broadway Greats. March 6th: Movie producer and adjunct professor in Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Travis Knox will talk about The Real Business of the [Entertainment] Business and discuss how the college just finished its first for-profit feature film “Trigger.” May 1st: Associate professor of history William L. Cumiford, Ph.D. will reveal in his lecture EDUTAINMENT (Education or Entertainment) how our ideas of “knowledge” and “learning” are being affected by the Information Age as higher education embraces high-tech culture. The series of five luncheons is available on a subscription basis and includes a parking permit and a complimentary ticket to Chapman’s annual Sholund Scholarship Concert in May 2014. Lunch at the Forum events begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Argyros Forum, Room 209. Series tickets are $125 and individual presentations cost $30, parking pass not included. For tickets, contact Joanne Jurczyk at 714-997-6563 or visit the Chapman University website at www.chapman.edu/tg; select Lunch at the Forum. Town & Gown is a 45-year-old non-profit support group for Chapman University open to residents of Orange that seeks to integrate the campus into the surrounding community and to underwrite student scholarships and on-campus academic and aesthetic projects.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne Coming full Circle with the Review

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”783″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the early 1980s just when “MTV” hit the air, Old Towne Orange Plaza Review founder and publisher Mike Escobedo landed a job with Times Mirror Videotex, a precursor to today’s Internet. Though the project ceased after three years due to the American public not yet owning personal computers on a widespread basis nor being ready for the online world, those early lessons stayed with Escobedo. It is fitting, then, that he has come full circle with the new OrangeReview.com website, which fully launched earlier this year. “Since I started the print version of the Plaza Review in 2001 with the intention of making it the hub for all things Old Towne and Orange, I’d always planned on creating an online version,” says Escobedo, a graphic designer, who has spent more than 30 years in advertising communications. “All of the pieces of the puzzle slid into place over the last year, and we now have an online accompaniment to our already vibrant print publication. The website is a logical offshoot that has forged a synergistic partnership with the print edition–giving the community a comprehensive, easy–to–use online tool.” While the bi–monthly print version does an excellent job of informing readers of the changes and amenities of life in Old Towne, the website allows Escobedo and his associates, including web developer Tyler Colby, to keep a 24/7 finger on the pulse of the community. The website’s “What’s Happening” Calendar is updated on a daily basis, giving residents and individuals from other communities current news on what’s going on in and around Orange. Besides containing content from the printed version–including page–turning and digital versions of 2010 and 2011 issues with links–the website features all–new articles and the latest press releases. OrangeReview.com also encourages effective advertiser interaction. Advertisers are known as Community Sponsors on the website, and their advertisements all link to their respective company websites, giving the reader ready access to each vendor’s products and services. New ways to encourage advertiser interaction are also in the works, as well as an entire archive of the Plaza Review since its inception. Escobedo’s ties to Old Towne date back to 1989 when he moved his office into the Plaza. At the time, the area had a sleepy atmosphere with a heavy emphasis on antiques. Escobedo worked quietly for the next 10 years designing advertising materials for various clients, including the fast–food industry, for which he created printed promotional pieces such as point–of–purchase displays and kid’s meal bags. One afternoon in the late 1990s, Cheryl Turner, who currently owns and operates the Plaza’s Paris in a Cup Tea Salon, came into Escobedo’s office and asked if he promoted local businesses. “At that point in the late 1990s, I began meeting and creating advertising for the various merchants,” says Escobedo. “As I did so, and the Plaza evolved, I saw a need for a publication about the community, so the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review was born.” Since that time, the publication has continued to grow with the Plaza–with the newest addition being Escobedo’s long–anticipated website. Select to view Sep/Oct 2011 Reviewing the Plaza article Old Towne Orange Plaza Review 134 S Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866 / 714-771-6919[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Talk of The Towne OTPA Preservation Awards

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For many Old Towne residents, restoring and renovating historic property in this one-of-a-kind community is a labor of love. Though those who bring historic buildings back to their former glory do so because they see it as the right thing to do, it’s certainly satisfying to be recognized for their efforts. That’s why the Old Towne Orange Preservation Association (OTPA) started the OTPA awards dinner two decades ago.

“The Preservation Awards Gala, which is May 15th this year, is an important event for the community,” says OTPA Preservation Chairman Jeff Frankel, who heads up the preservation awards nominations and judging. “It’s important for the homeowners and merchants to get recognition for their hard work. They’ve gone over and above what’s required for preservation, restoration or rehabilitation of a structure. Honoring those individuals who have done a superior job encourages others to follow suit.”

Recognition for adhering to continuing history in Orange is commendable, agrees current OTPA president Sandy Quinn. “It might be cheaper and easier to make certain changes to a structure that aren’t historic, but those changes aren’t true to the original. Those owners who remain true despite the challenges deserve to be rewarded for their efforts. They receive a nice plaque suitable for hanging.”

Awards presented at the event are voted by independent judges. These awards include the Sweet, Sweet Orange Award for outstanding preservation, rehabilitation or restoration of a historic residential building, the Pitcher Park Award for exceptional landscape or garden enhancement on a historic site in Old Towne, the Good Neighbor Award, which recognizes a new structure, or a non-contributing in-fill project and the Plaza City Award for superior restoration, preservation, adaptive reuse or enhancement of a historic commercial, industrial or public-use property.

At the gala, they also announce the winner of the Anne Siebert scholarship, which is named after a late philanthropic community member and offers scholarship money to students studying preservation in college.

In addition to spreading cheer with the awards, the gala is a chance for likeminded residents to connect and talk about preservation, says Frankel.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the OTPA, a nonprofit started in 1986 by a group of citizens dedicated to preserving, protecting and enhancing the one-square mile area of Old Towne that contains more than 1,400 historically significant, pre-1940 structures. In 1997, thanks to the OTPA, Old Towne Orange became a member of National Historic District and landed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Preservation Awards Gala is May 15th at the Woman’s Club of Orange in the Plaza. Festivities begin at 5:30 pm in the garden for hors d’oeuvres and drinks and then move indoors for dinner and awards.

To nominate a deserving Old Towne building and its owner(s), visit www.otpa.org/2016—award-nominations.html.

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Big Orange Book Festival

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”779″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Featuring events for book lovers and film buffs, Chapman University’s Big Orange Book Festival: From Steampunk to Poetry, promises to intrigue and inspire visitors. The 2-day festival to take place on Fri. Sep. 21st and Sat. Sep. 22nd, will celebrate every facet of the written word – from books, to film. Located on the Chapman campus and free to the public, the 1st annual event will feature hundreds of books, discussion panels with accomplished writers, live entertainment and tasty food. Well-known authors to attend include Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones, Orange County’s “Ask the Mexican” columnist Gustavo Arellano with his new book, Taco USA and Lizz Winstead of the Daily Show and author of Lizz Free or Die. Inspired by the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, The Big Orange Book Festival taps into various components of the campus, says Char Williams, manager of administrative operations for Chapman University and assistant organizer of the festival. “In addition to showcasing books of well-known visiting authors, we’ll also feature the work of Chapman staff,” she says. Film will be an integral part of the event as well, including showing the time-transcending classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird” in honor of the film’s 50th anniversary. The showing will be hosted by actress Mary Badham, who played the part of 9-year-old Scout in the movie. “This film crosses a variety of disciplines within the school, including film, literature, history and even law, which epitomizes what we’re attempting to accomplish with the event,” says Williams. Six categories of literature will be represented in a variety of author panels, says Mary Platt, Chapman’s Director of Communications and Media Relations. These are California Voices, Outside the Box, including science fiction, steam punk, fantasy and paranormal. Old Towne novelist and Chapman English professor James Blaylock, co-creator of the steampunk genre, will be part of this tract. There are also categories for mystery, action and romance, chapters and verse, featuring poetry and creative nonfiction and “based on the book,” encompassing books made into film or TV movies. The event will also feature 10 selected students presenting their work, and visitors are encouraged to visit designated booths throughout the campus where for the first 10 minutes at the top of every hour they can share their talent. Entry and parking to the event are free, and there will be kid’s activities. For information, including vendor and volunteer opportunities, visit BigOrangeBookFestival.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Chapman University’s Home Coming 2013

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”776″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As Chapman University prepares for its homecoming weekend, the school’s intent is to welcome as many people as possible onto campus. Known this year as The Chapman Family Homecoming Celebration, the three-day event to be held October 4-6th offers something for everyone.

“The event is a celebratory weekend designed to welcome home alumni as well as invite onto campus parents and friends of Chapman, including anyone in the community who wishes to attend,” says Delite Travis, senior director of strategic engagement and development at Chapman University, who is in charge of the homecoming event. “We’re expecting about 2,000 people on campus.”

Chapman University Homecoming 2013 Digital Program

Check out the digital program to see what’s in store for The Chapman Family Homecoming Celebration.

Chapman University Toyota of Orange 5K Run/Walk

Highlights of the weekend include a pep rally, various reunions, a chili cook-off, the homecoming football game and the always popular annual Chapman University Toyota of Orange 5K Run/Walk, which is dubbed the “fastest, flattest and funnest 5K in the world.” Sharon Deacon is chair of the executive board of the Parent Ambassador Council (PAC), and she reports that parents visiting their students have a lot to look forward to this homecoming, such as information sessions and Master Classes.

Free Master Classes

Open to everyone, the Master Classes are given by Chapman faculty and include lectures such as “Singing Nazis: Musical Theatre and the Holocaust,” “Uphill and Upside-down: Thirty Years of the Space Shuttle Program” and “State and Federal Budgets: How Broke Are We?” Also designed to be entertaining and informative is the Passport program, which is new this year, says Deacon. “On Saturday, everyone will get a passport and receive stamps when they visit various locations of the campus,” she says. “There will also be prizes.” The chili cook-off is another popular event open to everyone that includes tickets for tasting and bounce houses for the kids, and the Big Band Champagne Brunch tops off the weekend on Sunday. Barbara Parker and her husband Bill graduated from Chapman many years ago. Barbara got her degree in 1964 and Bill received his in 1952. Both enjoy meeting old friends on homecoming weekends.

Dr. Don Booth Gives His Last Lecture

“It’s so fun to see people you haven’t seen in a while and to be on the campus again,” says Parker. “This homecoming is also going to be an important one, because Dr. Don Booth, who has taught economics for more than 50 years at the school, is going to give his last lecture.”

Erin Patterson is advisor for the Chapman chapter of the sorority Phi Sigma Sigma. She is co-planning a reunion for the sorority to be held during homecoming weekend.

“Ours was the first national sorority founded at Chapman, and we’re excited to celebrate 25 years at the university,” says Patterson. “We’re having about 350 for a sit down dinner, cocktail hour and slide show, and the event is going to be a lot of fun. Chapman is a special place. When you are a student, it’s truly your second home. As an alumnus, I want to share my second home with my family and friends.”

For more information about the Homecoming Celebration, visit chapman.edu/events/homecoming-weekend/index.aspx. Anyone desiring more information about Phi Sigma Sigma’s reunion can email Patterson at erinpatterson@me.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Orange’s 125th Birtday Celebration

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”773″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Visit Old Towne and take a look around, and you’ll see something similar to what people saw a century ago. “Folks out and about, eating, shopping and visiting, or just sitting in Plaza Park, presents a similar picture to what it was like a hundred years ago when people came to town on a Saturday night,” says Orange historian Phil Brigandi. “In a way, the old timers would feel right at home today.” Though Orange’s population has increased nearly a hundredfold from 1,500 in 1888 to 140,000 today, and the city now spans more than 30 miles rather than three, Orange still retains its small town reputation, says Brigandi. “Orange has never been in a hurry to be a big city, and I think we’re the better for it.”

Orange True to Its Roots

As Orange approaches its 125th birthday on April 6th, the fact that Orange County’s third oldest incorporated city has remained true to its roots has a lot to do with how well-preserved the city is today, say Orange Mayor Teresa (Tita) Smith. “Our city was incorporated in 1888, but the first eight city blocks of what was then called Richland, was laid out in 1871 around a central Plaza that in 2013 is still the heart of Orange,” she says. “Much of our civic pride lies in the fact that we love the rich history of Orange, and unlike most of the original cities in Orange County where they knocked down the earliest buildings, the City of Orange has preserved its first buildings, including the historic Downtown Plaza District.”

“Orange has never been in a hurry to be a big city, and I think we’re the better for it.”

Orange historian Phil Brigandi

According to Smith, it’s no accident that Orange is in excellent shape. “Despite the city’s ’advanced age,’ Orange is holding its own as a premier place to live, work and play,” says Smith. “From its earliest days, Orange’s citizens have taken care of our town by conscious thrift, adaptable reuse of buildings and careful maintenance of roads and waterways.”

Dedicated Old Towne Property Owners

Much of the credit for preserving downtown, including the business buildings and private homes, should go to the property owners, says Brigandi. “Renovating a historic home is a huge challenge that’s time consuming and expensive,” he says. “Doing so takes dedication.” The fact that the City of Orange has embraced its history and except for a few nips and tucks looks good for its age is something to celebrate, says community services director Marie Knight, who is planning the city’s April 6th birthday celebration.

Big Birthday Bash

“It’s important that we celebrate the city’s history and many milestones, which offers us a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come and to pay homage to and appreciate the city’s history,” says Knight, who is planning a big birthday bash that will include live music, carnival-style food like kettle corn, hotdogs and ice cream, a children’s area with inflatables, a marching band and a birthday treat for all attendees. “We’re also going to have a contest acknowledging the longest time resident in attendance and unveil our new mascot,” says Knight. Visit CityofOrange.org for more information. View City of Orange Press Release.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Archives: Portfolio

The “Mayor” of the Plaza

Faces of Freedom

Healthcare and Photography

Drawn to Photography

October 3rd: Raiders of the Lost Art: Looted Archaeological Treasures

November 7th: Earth’s Spheres and the Changing Climate: Are We in Denial?

Chapman University Toyota of Orange 5K Run/Walk

Free Master Classes

Dr. Don Booth Gives His Last Lecture

Orange True to Its Roots

Dedicated Old Towne Property Owners

Big Birthday Bash

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