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Costa Mesa Then and Now: California Tourism Month

Posted on May 14, 2018 | 3:12pm

May is California Tourism Month, where cities are able to share the value that travel and tourism have on their communities. This year’s theme is “Then and Now,” giving us the chance to reflect back on Costa Mesa throughout the years.

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Posted in Food, News, Shopping

5 Reasons to See LUZIA in Costa Mesa

Posted on January 23, 2018 | 4:42pm

cirque du soleil luzia costa mesa

The Big Top returns to Orange County once again this year as Costa Mesa welcomes Cirque du Soleil in February with LUZIA. LUZIA, a waking dream of an imaginary Mexico that fills the spirit and soothes the soul, will be the first performance of Cirque du Soleil’s 10-year contract with the Orange County Fair & Event Center.

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Posted in Events, News

Get Away for the Holidays in Costa Mesa

Posted on December 5, 2016 | 5:24pm

The holidays are upon us and while we begin to prepare for festive gatherings, office parties and catching up with family and friends, a little R&R is always welcome this time of year. If you’re intrigued by the idea of getting away before or after the winter holidays, we have another reason that should help entice you – a gift certificate for $100 to use for dining, theater tickets, or to finish up your shopping at Costa Mesa’s world-renowned shopping destination – South Coast Plaza.

 

How do you get in on this great deal? It’s easy:

 

First, select one of 10 hotel properties to settle in for a few days – whether you’re looking for 4-diamond luxury or something more economical, we have venues for all budgets.

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Second, book your trip to stay two days through January 7, 2017.

 

Third, decide how to spend your $100 gift certificate while in the City of the Arts™.

 

Costa Mesa offers experiences for couples, friends as well as the whole family so you can take a break and enjoy the winter season in the year-round sunshine with mild temperatures averaging mid-60s in the winter.

 

We invite you to spend your holidays in Costa Mesa. Getting here is easy, with just over an hour drive from Los Angeles, Inland Empire and San Diego. Or, fly into John Wayne Airport, just minutes from Costa Mesa where most hotels offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport.

 

Here are some of our ideas on how you can enjoy your stay with a little extra cash in your pocket:

 

 

THE ART OF FASHION

There is always something new in Costa Mesa, especially when it comes to setting the trend for the season. Whether looking for a gift, or shopping for yourself, you’ll find the latest styles at newly opened stores like Max Mara Weekend with their ready-to-wear accessories and lifestyle collection. Stop by White Lilac, a boutique offering a unique, whimsical collection of gifts, housewares, accessories, furniture and décor. These and many other luxury brands, like Harry Winston, Hermes and Prada are exclusive to South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

To make your visit extra special, South Coast Plaza offers concierge service in four locations to provide you assistance with all of your shopping and dining needs. Complimentary gift wrapping is also available.

max-mara-weekend

 

THE ART OF THE STAGE

If you’re a theatergoer, Costa Mesa has it all. From world-renowned symphonies and chamber music to Broadway musicals, and some of the best ballets in the country, the stage is always set at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Purchase tickets at the box office centrally located to hotels in the heart of Costa Mesa. December brings the sites and sounds of performances including American Ballet Theater featuring The Nutcracker; Elf the Musical; The Klezmatics Eastern European Jewish Music; Fiesta Navidad featuring Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano in this festive performance.

 

Misty Copeland as Clara, the Princess and Herman Cornejo as the Nucracker Prince in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker. Photo: Doug Gifford/Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

 

 

THE ART OF DINING

If you have sophisticated dining experience, Costa Mesa has you covered. Try Din Tai Fung with their gourmet dumplings, or Mastro’s Steakhouse for your prime favorites. AnQi by Crustacean prepares California-Asian tapas for a dining experience for your whole group.


 

Traveling with family or friends, look no further than Wolfgang Puck Bistro, Quattro Café for traditional Italian cuisine or Water Grill with the freshest seafood and menu updated with daily specials.

water-grill-oysters

 

PLAY IN COSTA MESA

Around town you’ll find Costa Mesa buzzing with holiday activities. Visit Santa at South Coast Plaza and enjoy the holiday décor and festive retailers featuring all the latest trends.

 

Visit The OC Mix at South Coast Collection Sunday, December 4, 11, and 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Enjoy free, family-friendly days filled with photos with Santa, Party Karacters, a festive photo booth, live music, and holiday activities like complimentary gift wrapping and arts and crafts.

soco-couple-shopping-2015

 

The Triangle has the whole family engaged in its entertainment and retail center. Catch the latest movie on the big screen, stake out a lane at Tavern + Bowl then grab dinner at La Vida Cantina or quick treat at Creamistry – made-to-order ice cream using liquid nitrogen. On December 10 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Triangle invites families to enjoy the holidays. Activities include visits with Santa, face painting and holiday-themed music performed by MONTAGE – a musical group from Orange County School of the Arts.

 

If you’re seeking more adventure, Anaheim is only a 20-minute shuttle ride where you can spend a day at Disneyland. Or, head to the Pacific Ocean, just about 10 minutes to Southern California’s coast. Between December 14 and18, you can view the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade featuring nearly 100 decorated boats as they cruise the Newport Harbor.

 

We look forward to seeing you and hope you enjoy the experience Costa Mesa offers. Check with the participating hotels as well as our website for dining specials through Christmas and New Year’s Day.

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Posted in Events, Food, Hotels, Locals, Misc, Music & Art, News, Play, Shopping

Segerstrom Center for the Arts Reinvents Its Future

Posted on September 17, 2015 | 1:14pm

Coming after decades of celebrated success consistently hosting Tony® Award-winning theatrical and musical performances, Segerstrom Center for the Arts (SCFTA), now among the most renowned cultural institutions in the United States, is scheduled to complete a series of transformative projects by late 2016 that will further catapult it to among the great performing art venues anywhere. There will be a series of initiatives to embolden its outdoor plaza — known as the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza — as well as to introduce the Center for Dance and Innovation and Center Without Boundaries. The reimagined SCFTA is being supported by a $68-million fundraising campaign.

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Posted in Misc, Music & Art, News

A Tribute to Henry T. Segerstrom in South Coast Plaza

Posted on May 11, 2015 | 2:53pm

Visitors this month to Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza, an iconic shopping destination known for its rich collection of luxury boutiques — everything from Prada to Cartier to Chanel — will have a chance to learn about how it was founded and developed decades ago by a retail visionary known the world over, helping to transform Orange County from a backwater bedroom community with agricultural roots to a thriving cultural center with attractions rivaling premier American cities.

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Posted in Events, Locals, Misc, Music & Art, News, Shopping