Manufacturing Sector

Nahda Designs: Haute Hijab

[Trendzilla] LaTanya Maassarani pushes Islamic fashion forward with her stylish online clothing brand

Valenza Chocolatier Making Things Sweeter In Costa Mesa

We stepped into a kitchen space known as The Hood (conveniently located down the street from our offices) for a ribbon cutting. This commercial rental space is now the home of Amy Jo Pedone. Her chocolate journey began with the passing of her dear cousin to ovarian cancer. Despite her finance degree ... More >>

[UPDATED with Toyota Response:] Automaker Settles Sudden Acceleration Lawsuit Brought by Orange County DA for $16 Million

See the update at the end of this post with Toyota's statement on the settlement.ORIGINAL POST, APRIL 5, 4:19 P.M.: Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas today announced Toyota Motor Corp. has settled a $16 million lawsuit with his office over sudden acceleration claims. The case, based on ... More >>

William Ruehle, Ex-Broadcom CFO, Shares His Amazing Government Persecution Story at UCI

"Something happened," William J. Ruehle matter-of-factly tells UC Irvine law students, who spent Wednesday's lunch hour being mesmerized by the former Broadcom chief financial officer's dissection of his virtual lynching by overzealous federal prosecutors. That something was a 2006 report by a Unive ... More >>

Creamistry, Ice Cream Shop Using Liquid Nitrogen, To Open In Irvine

Where smoothies and then froyo have failed before, now comes ice cream. Creamistry will take over the space left behind by Yogurt Passion at The Crossroads in Irvine. Yogurt Passion itself replaced Tropical Smoothie Cafe about three years ago. So what distinguishes Creamistry from the Baskin Robbi ... More >>

Lucha Libre

MOLAA

Five Reasons to Hate GRUMA, Makers of Mission and Guerrero Tortillas, Maseca, and Other Tortilla Evil

If you're a fan of Mexican food in this country, you're most likely a consumer one way or another of GRUMA, the world's largest tortilla maker. Their American brands, Mission and Guerrero, are the top-selling brand in the United States and a favorite of Mexican households, respectively. Their masa, ... More >>

Tree Hugger's Ball

Santiago Event Center

Ben & Jerry's 'Euphori-Lock' Protects Your Pint From Ice Cream Thieves

It's a scary world out there, folks. As we speak, there there could be thieves hovering around the freezer with a spoon, ready to swipe a bite of your ice cream and hope that you don't notice. How will you protect yourself? 

$310 Million from Mattel Enough for Bratz Doll Maker MGA That Wants $1 Billion: Judge

​Winning $310 million of Mattel's money was not enough for Bratz maker MGA Entertainment, which extended the long legal battle in Santa Ana's federal courthouse by seeking $1 billion in total damages from the Barbie manufacturer.But Judge David O. Carter dismissed MGA's antitrust complaint last we ... More >>

On the Line: Chris Kim of Rolling Sushi Van, Part One

​What can you say about someone who pimps sushi out of his nontraditional wheels? Chris Kim's luxe lonchera is a Mercedes Sprinter van, and he has even fewer square feet to work with than any New Yorker (assuming they're using their kitchens). While he recovered from the New Year's Eve event at th ... More >>

OC Auto Show

Anaheim Convention Center

Five Things You're Doing Wrong With Mexican Food

Flick user Ryan Leighty​We love Mexican food 'round here, and not just because I'm doing a book on the history of Mexican food in the United States. It's the native cuisine of Southern California, something many Americans have seamlessly assimilated into their day-to-day lives--and an easy subject ... More >>

[UPDATED with Pre-Trial Bickering:] Federal Judge in Santa Ana Sets Trial For First of Hundreds of Lawsuits Against Toyota

​UPDATE, SEPT. 9, 2:10 P.M: Earlier this week, Toyota and the lawyers representing the people suing Toyota in several unexpected-acceleration cases, presented court papers showing their disagreements on specifics of the trial. The two parties disagree on how many of the then Toyota-drive ... More >>

[UPDATED with Pre-Trial Bickering:] Federal Judge in Santa Ana Sets Trial For First of Hundreds of Lawsuits Against Toyota

​UPDATE, SEPT. 9, 2:10 P.M: Earlier this week, Toyota and the lawyers representing the people suing Toyota in several unexpected-acceleration cases, presented court papers showing their disagreements on specifics of the trial. The two parties disagree on how many of the then Toyota-drive ... More >>

En La Noche

MOLAA

The Mumlers at the Commonwealth Lounge Last Night

​The Mumlers June 20, 2011 Commonwealth Lounge, FullertonSan Jose's The Mumlers, whose vintage-rock stylings were the point of focus in Fullerton last night, represent an interesting bit of musical irony in the post modern indie scene: they sound incredibly soulful--for a bunch of disaffected pro ... More >>

Federal Judge in Santa Ana Sets Trial For First of Hundreds of Lawsuits Against Toyota In February 2013

​A Santa Ana-based federal judge has picked the bellwether case in the slew of freak-acceleration lawsuits lodged against Toyota. The trial, which will undoubtedly influence the litigation of the other cases, is set to start on Feb. 19, 2013, according to a timetable housed on the court' ... More >>

Latest Food Scandal: Drinks Tainted With Plasticizers Typically Used To Manufacture PVC Pipes

Flickr user photographynataliaThis is just a stock photo of a typical supermarket shelf of drinks. Drinks shown are not necessarily any of the affected brands.​News is that Taiwan and surrounding regions are dealing with the latest tampered food scandal. This time, the alleged offender has been pi ... More >>

Garrison Keillor

Cerritos Center

Can We Please Stop Freaking Out About S.510 (the Food Safety Modernization Act) Now?

Flickr user paullew​The large food safety overhaul has passed the U.S. Senate after a clerical error and a deal between the Democrats and the Republicans to keep it out of the continuing resolution that will keep the government running, and is now headed back to the House for final passage (and, u ... More >>

Santa Ana is Ground Zero for Toyota Legal War

​Santa Ana will be ground zero for sudden-acceleration lawsuits against Toyota Motor Corp. after a panel of judges last week consolidated the cases to the federal court there. The world's largest automaker faces at least 177 consumer and shareholder lawsuits seeking class-action status and at le ... More >>

Farr Ligvani Exhibit

Soka University

The Love Me Nots

Alex's Bar

Video Game Lecture Wades Into Walden Pond

Walden, a game about the experience of author Henry David Thoreau at Walden Pond, helps demonstrate experimental video game design at a UC Irvine presentation this afternoon.

Wacky Snacks: Ppushu Ppushu

Edwin Goei​Name: Ppushu Ppushu Origin: Korea Found at: Freshia, Tustin Cost: $0.50 Ingredients: Noodles:Wheat Flour, Potato Starch, Modified Potato Starch, Palm Oil, Corn Flour, Salt, D-Sorbital Solution, Soybean Oil, Lecithin, Calcium, Sugar. Powdered Soup:Salt, Glucose, Dextrin, Beef Ext ... More >>

Real-Sugar Pepsi and Mountain Dew To Hit Store Shelves

bevreview.com​Jason Arango at the Daily Fork posted yesterday about Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, versions of the popular soft drinks that are made with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, sold in the usual plastic bottles with retro labels.Not to be outdone, the Dr Pepper Sna ... More >>

Gettin' Made: Positive Reinforcement

I met Jan Thomas of Loved Unconditionally at the spring De Portola Boutique, where we had booths across from each other. I'm sure a lot of people can relate when I share I come from a bit of a rocky family background; it was just really neat to see this wife and mom from Mission Viejo and her daught ... More >>

[¡Ask a Mexican!] Crossing the Pond Instead of the Rio Grande

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

OCPAC

Bigger PR Nightmare: Henry Nicholas III or OC Register?

FishBowlLA.com connects the dots today between indicted Broadcom co-founder Henry Nicholas III, the Orange County Register's parent company and the "PR guy" for both of them: Sitrick & Co. does PR for Freedom Communications, Inc.Mike Sitrick is also the PR guy for Dr. Henry Nicholas III, the for ... More >>

This Week In Food

Our fave grub blogs of the week: Gustavo educated us on the Japexican delights (specifically, the jalapeños stuffed with spicy tuna) at Wafu of Japan. Edwin brought us news of two Domino's employees indulging in acts of unspeakable grossness relating to pizza ingredients an ... More >>

Hugh Hewitt Says "Tit" on the Air?

Sorry for not reporting as diligently on O.C. conservative yakmouth Hugh Hewitt as I did last year, but got a gem for you: yesterday, I do believe Baby Hewie said "tit" on the air!!!The context: Hewie was interviewing former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich near the 3 p.m. hour, mostly so the two ... More >>

OCBJ is Up on Henry Nicholas, Down on Angels, Cary Bren

Orange County Business Journal has some enlightening items in this week's issue, although you have to hunt for most of them. That, of course, is not the case with "OC Insider," the weekly column by executive editor Rick Reiff, a seasoned pro who knows to start off with his most newsworthy stuff: T ... More >>

Urban Decay Voted Most Animal-Friendly Cosmetics Company

Newport Beach-based Urban Decay--which distributes lipsticks, nail polish and other products with names like Roach, Smog, Rust, Oil Slick and Acid Rain "inspired by the beautiful hues of America's urban landscape"--has been voted Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Company by PETA's youth&nbs ... More >>

Dark Indeed

The Dark Crystal

Totally Wired

Orange County Electronics Show

Last Night: Belt Sander Races in Anaheim

By Deborah Song Rob Russell was all smiles posing for cameras in front of the racetrack with umbrella girls and trophy in hand. The 38-year-old purchasing manager for Kitchen and Connection might have placed third in the national championship race in Las Vegas, but his spruced up, sleek belt sande ... More >>

[Trendzilla] Be Minimal But Beautiful With Bare Escentuals, Cover FX, Shu Uemura

Comic-Con 2007: From exhibit hall to eBay

It's interesting to see how quickly some convention rats operate. Exclusive con action figures are already up on eBay, with the prices jacked up. It's an industry within an industry, really. Take for instance, this guy's "buy it now for $40" option on the exclusive Hasbro Stan Lee as Spider-Man toy ... More >>

Burning Bush (almost)

We were moments away from President Cheney last week, it seems. The Detroit News reports: Credit Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally with saving the leader of the free world from self-immolation. Mulally told journalists at the New York auto show that he intervened to prevent President Bush from plugg ... More >>

All Charged Up

Who Killed the Electric Car? filmmaker Chris Paine turned anger to action

Gentlemen, Start Your Suns...

After a polite email exchange with Seal Beach environmental/electric car/anti-Bush activist Doug Korthof -- he was catching This Ticking Time Bum up on what he's been up to lately (lots more than us, that's fer sure) -- it occured to us that if the automakers are telling the truth, our heads will al ... More >>

Henry Nicholas, Superhero

He made billions with Broadcom and then quit at 44. Now Nicks life gets really exciting

Coming Soon to Westminsters Giant Screen

Deadly Plants

Want Sushi, Slacks and a Massage With That Mercedes?

How the rich buy cars

Lo-Cal Local Chips

Chip manufacturer doesnt feel crunch

True Believers

Our encounter with authentic Sicilian

Heal the SUV

Ford's partnership with Heal the Bay not as weird as it sounds