As the weather gets warmer and summer gets closer, my instincts are telling me to head over to Metro Pointe at South Coast, an outdoor shopping area just across the street from South Coast Plaza on Bear Street.

When my coworker Debbie and I have the opportunity to enjoy lunch together, Metro Pointe is our top choice. In addition to shopping and entertainment, there are great places to eat with plenty of shady spots to protect our sallow skin from the sun’s ravenous rays.

One of my favorite places to eat in Metro Pointe, and perhaps in all of Costa Mesa, is Finbars Italian Kitchen. At Finbars, the ambiance is casual while the food and service is out of this world. From one-of-a-kind pizzas to classic pasta dishes, Finbars offers New York-inspired Italian food with a “Left Coast” twist. Last week, Debbie and I had lunch at our old friend Finbars and enjoyed the soon-to-be-summer weather on the patio.

After a scrumptious grilled chicken rosemary sandwich and a Florentine chicken pizza, Debbie and I strolled about 20 feet over to Cold Stone Creamery, the ice cream experience which puts other parlors to shame. With their “hands on” service and unique flavor & mix-ins combinations, Cold Stone rarely disappoints. Remembering our past mistake of ordering two “Gotta Have It” sizes to scarf down on the way back to work, we decide to split a “Love It” size of the aptly named “Cookie Doughn’t You Want Some”. Our frugal decision left us 10 minutes to spare, so we hopped on over to Barnes & Noble to check out the new releases.

Unfortunately, there's just not enough time in one lunch hour for Debbie and I to check out everything at Metro Pointe, but we're going to be sure to stop by a few times during summer break!

My wife and I recently joined Ginger, Sophia, Ralph, Sam, Jack, Katie, Sumo, Sonoma, Mr. Beau Jangles, Calamity Jane and Buster the Beagle for a scrumptious breakfast buffet at the Wyndham Orange County in Costa Mesa.

No they weren’t cast members from a show at the Orange County Performing Artscenter or South Coast Repertory located across the street from the hotel, though they were major performers when it came to their ardent pleas for table scrapes.  They’re dogs. They and their owners were there to enjoy the first Paws & Claws Breakfast Buffet at the property. 

Every Saturday and Sunday from 7 am until noon, humans and their four-legged best friends are invited to dine on the lakeside terrace of the hotel’s TerraNova restaurant, which is surrounded by lush lawns, gardens and fountains.  In addition to the people fare, which includes fresh fruit, bakery items, cooked-to-order omelets, scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, waffles, French toast, pancakes and more, doggy treats are available, too.  Guests are also invited to enter their dog’s photo in a contest.  The hotel also accommodates pets and owners wanting to stay overnight in the Theater & Arts District, which is close to South Coast Plaza.

In addition to the good-natured fun it engenders, the event is also a fundraiser for a great cause – finding kind, loving homes for every greyhound “retiring” from the Caliente Track in Tijuana, Mexico through the Greyhound Pets of America/CA-Orange County and Greater Los Angeles. The goal is to rescue these racing dogs when their track days are over so they have a chance to experience long, happy lives as companion pets and family members.

To date, the organization has found homes for nearly 3,000 ex-racing greyhounds. A great breakfast and a great cause – now that’s something to bark about!