Subject: Irvine

• Fighting Lupus and Cancer Starts With Your Feet in Irvine

  Exercising and eating right can help prevent any number of diseases. You're on your own when it comes to consumption but for exercise you can walk all this next weekend in different parts of Irvine to help keep not only yourself healthy but millions of others as well. That's because the city just happens to find itself the site of separate walkathons for sufferers of two of man's nastiest diseases: lupus and cancer.First, the Orange County Great Park--formerly known as the El Toro Marine Corps A

  June 1, 2009

• Bill Maher

  March 19, 2009

• [Special Screenings] Local Showings of 'Aliens,' 'Casablanca,' 'Happy Go Lucky,' More

  April 2, 2009

• Today Only: $5 Katsu Curry Rice at Curry House

  So, did ya get your fill of $3 ramen from Shin-Sen-Gumi this past weekend? Now, how's about some $5 Japanese katsu curry rice? Today only (February 25, 2009), both Curry Houses in Orange County (Cypress and Irvine) will sell their "Katsu Curry Rice" for $4.99. Normal menu prices are usually twice that. You get your choice of chicken, beef or pork. Only these three items are available for the discounted price, but take-out is allowed. To save money on tips and drinks, et cetera, I plan on

  February 25, 2009

• The Curry Crowd

  Last night, I took my own advice and attempted to get the $5 special at Curry House in Irvine. But evidently so did everyone else.  I tried calling ahead first, but all I kept getting was a busy signal. So I drove there and found a mob outside. There were about twenty or so people waiting in the parking lot, and probably a dozen more I couldn't see. Either way, I decided saving $5 wasn't worth the trouble.  I'm almost positive that very few in that Curry Crowd got the tip off from my b

  February 26, 2009

• A Fortuitously Timed Tax-Denying Conference Comes To Our Tax-Hating County

  Man met bril / Flickr / Creative CommonsSpotted on the commute to Weekly world headquarters today: a brown Dodge pickup whose back window read, in blue electricians-tape lettering, "TAX REVOLT!" Spotted on Red County and Orange Juice Blog: recall fever against all the Republicans who supported the state's recently passed tax-hiking budget.Spotted at Irvine's Atrium Hotel from March 13 to 16: Freedom Law School's 2009 Health & Freedom Conference. The conference, which has been held in Orange

  February 26, 2009

• Incoming: Def Leppard, Poison and Cheap Trick at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  Let's get let's get let's get rocked. Def Leppard, Poison (pictured, duh) and Cheap Trick are coming to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine on August 30. Tickets are on sale 11 a.m. this Saturday, March 7. No word on prices yet, or if the arsenal of Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels skanks will be anywhere near the premises.

  March 3, 2009

• The Vandals, Asher Roth, More Added to Bamboozle Left

  With less than a month to go before Bamboozle Left, a whole mess of new acts have been announced for the two day festival, set for April 4 and 5 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. Pleasantly, a couple of the acts are even from Orange County--like punk legends the Vandals (on April 5) and Irvine's The Jakes (April 4). Splendid!Also added: white boy rapper Asher Roth (pictured, whose Asleep in the Bread Aisle album is scheduled to be released next month and will feature collaborations

  March 9, 2009

• Tickets for NIN/Ja (Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction) on Sale Friday

  Last week, we knew that Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction were coming to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine on May 20. But we didn't know much else, like ticket prices or on-sale dates. Reasonably important things. But hey, now we know! Tickets for that show are going on sale 3 p.m. this Friday, March 20, exactly two months before the show actually happens. Hey! Synergy! (Yes, not exactly, technically, because the show's probably going to start a few hours later than 3 p.m., of cours

  March 18, 2009

• Zov's Bakeries, Bars And Bargains

  Fans of Zov's might be miffed to hear that the bakery sections at the Irvine and Newport locations have been removed to give the bars more space. However, core items will still feature on the dessert menu (and others can be ordered in advance), and the full range is still available at the original Zov's Bistro in Tustin.  A spokesperson for the family-run mini chain tells us that it's in response to customer needs, with the existing bar areas becoming increasingly packed (presumably as

  March 31, 2009

• Entrepreneur Magazine Editorial Staff "Decimated"

  If you believe it is the entrepreneurs who are going to save this shitty economy, close your eyes. Fishbowl LA has the scoop on Irvine-based Entrepreneur Magazine and Entrepreneur.com "decimating" their editorial staff this week. We hear from former employees that the layoffs include the executive editor, the managing editor, the online editor, an associate editor, the special projects editor, a staff writer and two editorial assistants. Who' left?This apparently comes after layoffs the busin

  March 31, 2009

• "Dumpling & Noodle House" Coming to Irvine

  Thanks to our astute friend and food blogger BrekkieFan, I got wind of a new Irvine eatery with a promising name: Dumpling & Noodle House. And of all places it could be in Irvine, it's in the Marketplace.  Read: It's not in Diamond Jamboree, where all the new Asian places seem to sprout these days.  You might remember what used to be there before: Ezo Noodle Cafe, a restaurant I had never stepped into even though I lived not more than a few blocks away. But from peer

  April 6, 2009

• Capital Seafood's Glitzy New Irvine Location Fits Right Into Diamond Jamboree Plaza

  April 2, 2009

• Royal Kitchen Just Might Be Cooking Up a Coup to Reign as King of Irvine's Chinese-Restaurant Scene

  February 26, 2009

• 2 Things to Keep in Mind as Earth Day Approaches

  Earth Day is Wednesday, and besides spending part of that day in Irvine with Magic Johnson, here are some things to keep in mind as that day nears:*The California League of Conservation Voters warns that the state's Republican leadership is trying to exploit the budget crisis to roll back key environmental laws. This may be fool-hardy as the league points to a new statewide survey that shows two-thirds of voters believe solving the state's money problems should not come at the expense of environ

  April 17, 2009

• One Flame Broiler Replaces Two Fast Food Joints in Irvine

  It's kind of poetic actually. Two fast food outlets replaced by one that touts its un-fast-food-ness. What's more it's The Flame Broiler, a homegrown chain that began life 14 years ago in Fullerton. Their claim to fame? Rice bowls that are made without frying, trans fats or MSG. The two fast food joints it will replace are Wienerschnitzel‎ and Steak Escape at the Crossroads in Irvine. And I don't mean that you get two Flame Broilers for the trade; there are two other Flame Broilers in

  April 14, 2009

• Seen a Frozen Yogurt Shop Lately? **UPDATED**

  (May 1, 2009) MOVED UP (POSSIBLY FOR THE LAST TIME...unless there are still more out there).  This week, I got a few more submissions via comments and direct e-mail (THANK YOU ALL!).  We've built up an impressive list of sightings of yogurt shops in O.C.  This has been a fun project.  See the list as it stands below. (April 24, 2009) MOVED UP FOR AN UPDATE:  Even more submissions!!  Thanks and keep 'em coming!  Our project grows ever more impressive and fascinating (at least for me).

  May 1, 2009

• A Reader's First Impressions of the New Anaheim Hills' Wholesome Choice

  A week ago I reported on the soft-opening of the Wholesome Choice in Anaheim Hills. In the post I asked our readers who went for their impressions. One came through with a detailed review. Since most of you probably missed it, I will reprint J. Hunter's detailed comment here: I went there on Saturday afternoon and the store was packed with mostly people just 'checking things out'. The bakery was not up and running yet, but all of the other hot food stations were. A few observations: The ho

  April 7, 2009

• It's a Quick Read 39: Flash Mountain is Back Edition

  Orange County Register: This just in: No swine flu in OC yet. (Although there is at least one diseased swine.) . . . We've got us a quake swarm, a tropical quake storm. . . . OC Fire Authority defense of $28 million in overtime for firefighters creates a firestorm among 358 Reg online commenters (since Friday). . . . $1.35 million "great starter home" sold in Huntington Beach. . . . HEY, RUMMY! STOP SHOOTING MY HOUSE!! . . . Disneyland is eliminating the position that&nb

  April 27, 2009

• And You Thought Swine Flu Was Bad? Creed Returns, Plans OC Show

  "I just heard the news today. It seems my life is gonna change."The rumors are true! Terribly, terribly true. Creed, the go-to punchline band of the late '90s and early '00s, are back together, and have unveiled a rather ambitious touring schedule for this summer and fall. The trek includes a stop in Irvine on September 30, presumably at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, and not like, Amy's Hallmark at the Spectrum. Check out the press release announcing the reunion and a predictably ostentati

  April 27, 2009

• Center Long Beach Presents Its 1st Charity Bike Ride

  The Gay and Lesbian Center of Greater Long Beach  presents its first ever Changing Gears Long Beach Bike Ride Saturday, offering riders the choice of a 40-mile or 75-mile loop starting and ending at Shoreline Village and winding down the coast through Irvine. The ride begins at 7 a.m. and registration is either a $65 fee or a minimum of $125 raised from donor. Go here for more details about donating. Funds raised help fight HIV/AIDS through outreach, prevention programs and health educ

  May 1, 2009

• No Doubt Triumphantly Return (to New Jersey)

  Arguably (?) the most famous band in Orange County history, No Doubt, played their first official show in about five years last night at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, headlining the second day of the Bamboozle Music Fest out there (not to be confused with the Bamboozle Left that took place in Irvine a month ago, natch).

  May 4, 2009

• Yin and Yang of Sukhee Kang's Irvine

  Despite nagging economic woes, everything's fine in Irvine, Mayor Sukhee Kang assured local businessmen during his annual "Business State of the City" address to a Chamber of Commerce crowd. According to Sean Emery's Register report, Kang pointed to such pain-easers as city programs that will help Irvine businesses ride out hard times, more than 1,000 new jobs coming to town and new opportunities created by the Great Park, where the first round of construction is expected to begin within the nex

  May 5, 2009

• [Locals Only] Chasing Paper With Faded Paper Figures

  May 7, 2009

• As Stephen Smith Leaves Town, Irvine's "Tattler" Calls on Others to Step Up

  Stephen C. Smith calls on others to keep tabs on Irvine City Hall.CORRECTED!Lost in Santa Ana a few months ago, half paying attention to the street signs and half to Larry Mantle's KPCC interview show blaring out of the car speakers, I heard the host steer his Orange County "roundtable" guests--Orange County Register senior editorial writer Steven Greenhut; former LA Times religion writer William Lobdell and the Weekly's irrepressible Gustavo Arellano--into the topic of local bloggers. The three

  May 12, 2009

• TONIGHT: Faded Paper Figures at Chapman University

  Irvine's Faded Paper Figures don't gig as often as many other local bands, so when they do--especially a free show!--it's worth taking notice.FPF are playing a concert sponsored by Chapman's student radio station, KNAB, tonight at the Henley Basement on campus. The electropop trio, and their excellent album Dynamo, were spotlighted just last week in the pages of OC Weekly's Locals Only column, check that out here. Plus, look at how cute that band photo is. Come on. Who could resist?Show starts a

  May 14, 2009

• Tippling Treats This Weekend (And Beyond)

  Now that Lent is but a distant memory, we can take to the bottle again without fear of recrimination.Tomorrow, Saturday April 25, sees two wine events taking place locally: The first is at WineStyles in Irvine (Portola Parkway) from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, where you can taste up to six wines for just $5. (The same event runs on Thursday, April 30, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm). If you've more cash to splash, there's the "50 for 50" sale at Charlie Palmer's Next Vintage Wine Shop, which I recently blogged abo

  April 24, 2009

• Annapoorna Offers a Distinctive Blend of Indian and Chinese Cuisine

  May 21, 2009

• Friday Night: The Offspring at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

  (Placeholder image to soon be replaced by live photo by Robert Fayette!)BY DAVID J. NICOLASFriday Night: The Offspring, Alkaline Trio at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine; June 5, 2009.Say what you will about the Offspring. Yes, their heavy punk-pop distortion seems to be a better fit in a different decade. Being :pretty fly for a white guy" is an anomaly in itself. But don't tell that to the nearly 16,000 fist-pumping fans at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Friday night in Irvine.Families

  June 8, 2009

• With Arms Wide Open (Again)

  A recently reunited Creed is performing Sept. 30 at Irvine's Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Insert your own joke here. The show was actually announced back in April, but now it's totally official and all that.Staind opens. Tickets go on sale Saturday, June 27, at 10 a.m. through Live Nation.

  June 24, 2009

• Ay Chung Rice Noodle in Irvine Replaced By A New Sichuan Restaurant

  I still remember when Ay-Chung Noodle opened three summers ago in Irvine. It had just replaced Bin Bin Konjac, a shaved ice dessert shop. Never had I seen anything so busy in Irvine (this was before Yogurtland existed). There was a line to order, and a wait to get your food. Getting a table was near impossible. It had a built in audience for its cornstarch-ladened noodle soups, which was popularized in Taiwan by the chain it was affiliated with. Its arrival had made it direct competitio

  June 16, 2009

• Three Cheers For The Beers At Wholesome Choice

  Excuse me while I take a stand, but I just don't get the huge fuss over Wholesome Choice. I visited the Irvine store recently, not the newly revamped Anaheim Hills one, and found it overcrowded and underwhelming. Sure, they have some good ethnic foods and a popular food court, but if you need to buy regular groceries such as cereal and butter, the range is far more limited. To me, the fruit and vegetable selection was poor and the meat and fish counters deeply uninspiring.But one thing that did

  July 2, 2009

• Snoop Dogg

  July 9, 2009

• [Hole in the Wall] Chon Qing Mei Wei Heats Things Up

  July 16, 2009

• This Week In Food

  So, this week:Edwin revealed that two new local eateries--Sol Cocina (NOT Cucina!) in Newport Beach and Andrei's in Irvine--were finally opening. And that was just a day after Brasserie Pascal threw open its doors at Fashion Island. Vive la France!We also broke news of a new, cheaper three-course menu at the St Regis's Stonehill Tavern. Looks like we might be able to enjoy the lush location more than once a year, after all.And Gustavo thankfully found a Taco Bell Crime of the Week! that related

  July 17, 2009

• "Cannabis Planet" Takes Over Late Nights on KDOC TV

  Late nights on Irvine-based KDOC TV/Channel 56 famously featured right-wing wingnut Wally George's Hot Seat and, less famously, lifelong adolescent Poorman's various programs, is about to go to pot. Cannabis Planet, a new weekly half-hour news show, premieres at midnight July 31 and will continue at that time Thursdays and Saturdays for 13 consecutive weeks. It will cover "the merits of the cannabis plant (medicinally, industrially, agriculturally), and the benefits this plan

  July 22, 2009

• Irvine Police Association Blasts Mayor Sukhee Kang, City Council Members Beth Krom and Larry Agran

  Irvine Police Association has criticized Mayor Sukhee Kang (left) and City Council members Beth Krom and Larry Agran over stalled contract talks.​Anyone who has attended a city-run meeting in Irvine has heard elected officials, especially City Councilman and Orange County Great Park Corporation chairman Larry Agran, boast about overseeing "America's safest city."Likewise, anyone who complains about the shady, back-room, ethically challenged way the city of Irvine is run, or the plastic, uninsp

  July 27, 2009

• The Counter To Open Second O.C. Location in Newport Beach

  Edwin Goei​ My fellow Chowhounds have come through with a breaking scoop.  The tipster, one meltedcheese, says that The Counter is opening their second O.C. location on 17th Street and Irvine Ave. (1104 Irvine Ave.) in Westcliff Plaza, taking the place of a defunct Pasta Bravo. I confirmed this news with the folks at the Irvine The Counter store.  According to the gent I spoke with, they are still working out the details, dealing with permits, etc.

  August 9, 2009

• AG Jerry Brown Goes After OC Mortgage Loan Modifiers

  AG Jerry Brown and his suede-denim secret police are coming after OC loan modification companies. ​ California Attorney General Jerry Brown is cracking down on 133 Orange County-based home loan modifiers, reports Orange County Register "Mortgage Insider" Matthew Padilla. Anyone who read Clockwork's Welcome to the Poorhouse: Problem Makers Become "Solvers"--which was about loan companies and officers who helped facilitate the mortgage meltdown now being in the business of helping modify the loa

  August 13, 2009

• Aerosmith; ZZ Top

  August 20, 2009

• This Week In Food

  In the last five days, SAFII covered:OC's top five salsas!The Wienermobile!Free ice cream and free coffee!Plus some openings: an Argentine-Mexican in Santa Ana and a karaoke lounge called Plush (be afraid, be very afraid) in Irvine.

  July 10, 2009

• The Kula Crowd at Diamond Jamboree

  Edwin GoeiIf you can judge what a city has been missing by the volume of a response, you'd have to conclude that by the crowds lining up at the newly opened Kula Sushi, Irvine should've had a revolving sushi bar a long time ago. My friends and I tried to get a few seats last Friday night, but it required at least an hour's wait -- too long on an empty stomach. But crowds are not always a measure of future success, just an indication that initial excitement on something that is new. For

  September 14, 2009

• New Thrice Album 'Beggars' in (Physical) Stores Today

  ​Beggars, the sixth studio album from Irvine's Thrice is out in stores today. Well, "real" stores. Like, ones with doors that you can walk into. ("Physical retailers," "brick and mortar," whatever you want to call them.)

  September 15, 2009

• Dance Music Pick(s) of the Week: Jujubeats, Dr. Freecloud's Record Shoppe Party, More

  ​It's a big weekend for electro-insomniacs in Orange County. First and foremost, the annual Jujubeats party doubles up with its sister event, How Sweet It Is, for an outdoor rave Saturday at Oak Canyon Ranch in Irvine.

  July 29, 2009

• Dessert of the Week: Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding at Opah Restaurant & Bar

  ​The chocolate croissant bread pudding at Opah Restaurant & Bar in Irvine earns the honor of being our first Dessert of the Week pick. This delicious creation is served with a bourbon creme anglaise sauce that will blow your mind. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar. Every bite of this dessert fills your mouth with warm, melting milk chocolate. The temperature contrast with the ice cream adds dimension, and there's even a bit

  October 22, 2009

• Fired Up Church Member Busted for Irvine Arsons

  View Larger MapA Huntington Beach man who apparently had grown disenchanted with Church of Christ in Irvine has been arrested for a series of fires set there this month, police announced today.Officers who had the church under surveillance watched a man trying to burn papers near the  doors at 10 Goodyear on Wednesday night before taking him into custody. He was identified as 30-year-old Izad Chavoshan.

  October 22, 2009

• Wild Rivers to Finally Close and Become... A Water Park

  ​We missed this item on the LA Times's Funland blog on Monday. Apparently, Irvine water park Wild Rivers, which has spent the better part of its decade proclaiming it would soon shut down but never actually doing so, may finally see its last day in 2010.In its place would be a seemingly identical water park, owned by the same people as before, but with a different name: Splash Canyon.

  October 23, 2009

• DA-Cop Sex Breached Ethics But Not Sanctity of Irvine Rape Case

  Gurel is stuck in prison​Wickedly cruel Irvine rapist Metin Reza Gurel may have thought he'd found a way to overturn his 2008 convictions when officials conceded after his trial that the prosecutor and the lead Irvine police detective on the case had shielded their sexual affair from defense lawyers. That salacious news originated in September 2008 from Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, who said he was "regretful" to learn that Deputy DA Suzy M. Snyder violated office ethics

  November 3, 2009

• At the Farmer's Market: The Sweetest Sweet Potatoes Ever

  The whole point of a farmer's market is to bring fresh, local food to people with as few intermediate steps as possible. While it's always fresh, sometimes the bounds of "local" get stretched. (Don't get me wrong--I am not about to give up my San Joaquin Delta asparagus--but calling that local to Irvine is stretching the bounds of reason.)And then there's Rui, the smiling, gracious woman behind the table of R Farms, near the center of the Irvine market, across from the giant hummus booth.Dave Li

  November 4, 2009

• Kogi at Diamond Jamboree Tonight. You've Been Warned.

  As you know, OC is now serviced by a dedicated Kogi truck nicknamed Naranja. But tonight, Kogi will land at Diamond Jamboree (10:30 p.m.-midnight). This sounds like either a very very good idea or a very very bad idea. I vote bad, because parking at the Asian minimall is hell as it is. Add a few hundred people standing in line for a taco truck? That's more hysteria than if aliens decide to make first contact at a sci-fi convention. Suffice it to say, I will not be there. It's past my bed

  November 5, 2009