My wife and I recently had the opportunity to enjoy two popular passtimes in Costa Mesa (www.travelcostamesa.com) – people watching and play watching. 

The first was accomplished by grabbing a prime table in the Lobby Bar of the impressively renovated Costa Mesa landmark, Westin South Coast Plaza (www.westin.com/southcoastplaza). Weeknights from 5 until 7, you can join locals and overnight guests alike for the hotel’s Unwind Hour, a new social experience.  We ordered from the bar menu and watched as the crowd grew in size, with groups reassembling from meetings held in the hotel earlier that day, as well as other couples like us, and singles, too.

We were told that during June, the hotel’s Executive Chef Hussain Zouhbi is pairing two Napa Valley California favorites, the Ghost Pines 2006 Chardonnay and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, with delicious appetizers. Each month the libation and the food pairings will change.

The next part of our evening was also easily accomplished. Known as the City of the Arts, Costa Mesa is home to The Orange County Performing Artscenter and South Coast Repertory.  On this evening, we made the short walk to the Repertory (http://www.scr.org/) to watch the often hilariously funny play, Taking Steps, by British playwright Alan Ayckbourn.  Appearing on the Segerstrom Stage through June 15, the play is a farce about a group of eccentric people occupying a Victorian home for an evening and the next day.

As luck would have it, the play’s director Art Manke, who also directs UPN sitcoms Eve and One on One, and Disney’s Hannah Montana, addressed a group of theatergoers ahead of the curtain. One challenge he overcame:  the “home” has three stories with action taking place on each, yet the stage is only one level.  Watching the actors pretend to climb imaginary staircases and slip past one another undetected was amazing and entertaining. 

For watching people and plays, Costa Mesa’s hard to beat.

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!