Valentine's Day

In Which A Teacher Writes Back to His Congressman, Gently Correcting His Writing and Thinking Errors

I am this Sunday morning postponing my terrific and much-anticipated (by me, at least!) reviews of a first novel by OC's own Peggy Hesketh, the new short story collection by Gary Amdahl of Redlands, and Gold Line-chapbook award winner Alisa Slaughter's short stories to offer--completely unsolicited- ... More >>

Our Anti-Valentine's Day Playlist

We're nixing Valentine's Day this year and instead bitterly dancing alone to these anti-love songs. We recommend sharing this playlist with your ex, along with a sexy nude pic so he knows what he's missing. (On second thought... maybe you shouldn't). Oh well. Enjoy:

This Valentine's: Have Your Ex-Lover Tattoos Removed for Free in Newport!

It's a wonder why people still get their lover's name tattooed on them. We all know it's probably not going to end well, and then people are stuck with the embarrassing reminder. However, this Valentine's Day a nice plastic surgeon could save you from that mistake you made with Candy or Butch. Cosme ... More >>

Where Do Mexican Gardeners Throw Away Their Clippings?

[¡Ask a Mexican!] And do Mexicans eat chocolate?

The Hidden Dinner Eat-Easys

[Summer Guide 2012] Anahita Naderi and her crew wows foodies monthly with a shroud of secrecy and great courses

Local Record Review: 'Heart Like Mine' by the Fallen Stars

Beat Blvd. is Heard Mentality's weekly review of local releases. If you're an OC musician or band with something new to offer--vinyl single, full-length album, CD, cassette--we want to hear from you! Send copies, along with any photos and PR material, to Beat Blvd., c/o OC Weekly, 2975 Red Hill ... More >>

3hree Things: Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?

I'm sick as a dog (a colloquialism that I've never quite understood, because I've never seen a dog with its eyes swollen shut and gallons of snot pouring out of its nose). The amount of garbage coming out of my face holes is alarming, and if what's coming out of my head is any indication of what's g ... More >>

The Upperclassmen's Valentine's Breakdown

STAGEStheatre

The Devious Means, Robert Jon and the Wreck, Ethan Hulse and More at the OC Music Awards Showcase 7 at the Constellation Room

Ethan Hulse​Ethan Hulse, Robert Jon & the Wreck, Italian Japanese, The Devious Means and MphaseThe Constellation RoomFeb. 14, 2012Despite the almighty lover's holiday, The Constellation Room was crawling with fans for the Orange County Music Awards Best Live Band Showcase. (We hope you got you ... More >>

Celebrate Valentine's Day in OC by Getting "Married" to Same-Sex Partner Today

​It's Valentine's Day, and some folks feel couples should go to the Old Orange County Courthouse in downtown Santa Ana this afternoon to get married.That is, they should get hitched to their same-sex partners.

Atheists Unveil Valentine's Day-Tinged Billboard

​You don't really need an occasion for Backyard Skeptics to unveil a provocative billboard, but the Fountain Valley-based group of atheists and assorted non-believers do have a special Valentine's Day version going up in Westminster with this message:"Atheists make better lovers--after all, no one ... More >>

Gillionaire (and I) Give You a Valentine's Day Gift

There's a billion of Gillionaire!​There's literally no better way to wake up than to an email from rapper Gillionaire telling you he's got a new song/video. I should know because that's exactly what happened to me his morning. You see, since I've been writing about Gillionaire, I'd like to think w ... More >>

5 Fun Valentine's Day Facts: Cheaters Edition

​It's hard enough planning a Valentine's Day for one lover, how about two? That's a challenge cheaters face every Feb. 14. Of course, the day is really a bitch for the person being stepped out on--should he/she ever find out, that is. In providing tips to help those dealing with infidelity, Affair ... More >>

Cal State Fullerton Sends 20,000 Budget-Cut-Themed Valentine Cards To Gov. Jerry Brown

​"Roses are red, violets are blue. Secure California's future--re-invest in the CSU." The message is being spread by Cal State Fullerton students, employees and other supporters who, on this Valentine's Day, are trying to urge Gov. Jerry Brown to remember the Cal State University system amid ... More >>

Six Songs with the F Word in the Title for Valentine's Day

​Ladies, I've got a secret for you: Men don't like Valentine's Day. I mean, we just got over the pressure of the holidays and now we're expected to come up with more gifts to show our love and appreciation. And do we ever get it right? Of course not. We're guys and we suck.But we know if we play o ... More >>

Five Valentine's Day Food Gifts That Probably Won't Get You Laid

​Guys, if your gal is the type who's into Valentine's Day, have you gotten her anything yet? (Pssst, it's tomorrow.) I can't tell you what gifts will guarantee you'll get some lovin' (though you can't go wrong with a tiara). I can, however, offer you five food-related gifts that don't exactly ... More >>

Howlin Rain Take Us Back to 1972

The sound of nostalgia is all over Howlin Rain's 'The Russian Wilds'

Todd Park Mohr On BIg Head Todd and The Monsters' First Tour in Three Years, Delta Blues and Not Playing LA

C Taylor Crothers ​It may be hard to believe, but Big Head Todd and The Monsters just sprinted past their 25th anniversary. For many, it feels like Midnight Radio was just released yesterday, yet it was released in 1990. In tribute to their best known work, the band is embarking on their first tou ... More >>

Fullerton's 'The Muck' Presents a Night of Poetry and Music for San Valentin

​Valentine's Day is around the corner, but opportunities to woo your love interest or delve into your interest in love are already arriving. The Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton and renowned Chicano artist José Lozano are hosting and presenting an evening of poetry and music inspired ... More >>

Restaurant Roll Call For January 2012

​January isn't generally the kindest months for those in the restaurant business. But a few of the restaurant closures that we saw these past 31 days was still a big surprise. Valhalla Table, the sausage sandwich shop by the Karnaga sisters of Layer Cake Bakery, closed up shop at The Camp after ... More >>

Ayame Now Ayame Shabu Shabu Hot Pot

​Almost didn't spot it because of the glare, but Zipangu's sister restaurant recently received a makeover.Located in Irvine's Orchard Hills Village Center, Ayame first appeared on the scene at the end of 2007. The sushi spin-off was considered a high-end departure from the usual Agran-preferred ch ... More >>

This Week in Food: Food-Vagina Double Entendres, Local Chorizo, and Naked Chefs!

Flickr user jlastras​This being Valentine's Day week and all, it was only inevitable that many of our stories would fall on the--how do you say it?--steamy side. But there was more to the world of food, of course--highlights after the jump!

This Year's Creepiest and Cutest Video Game Valentine's Day Cards

​ Valentine's Day has come and gone, and for those of us with that "special someone" in your life, the romantic holiday is all about buying expensive flowers and going out to expensive (and crowded) restaurants in order to show your significant other how much you care. However, if you're lucky eno ... More >>

Cards, Roses, Condoms: 5 Fun Valentine's Day Facts

​When it comes to Valentine's Day fun facts, you could turn to your friendly neighborhood florist, love doctor or pimp. But we like to think outside the heart-shaped box. So here, courtesy of  Los Angeles-based 5W Public Relations, we present the following . . .

Five Heart-Shaped Foods For Valentine's Day

​So you forgot to make reservations, you neglected to buy a gift and the flower shop has been picked bare. Don't worry. There's still one last-minute way to salvage Valentine's Day. Heart-shaped food.You could do pancakes or pizza, but here are five slightly more original recipes, all guaranteed t ... More >>

Anti-Foie Gras Activists to Picket Brasserie Pascal Tonight

​The man above is Orange County's master of French food, Pascal Olhats (and the man who shot the photo is Jonathan Ho). Foie gras is a staple of French cuisine, and his Valentine's Day menu for Brasserie Pascal advertised a foie gras terrine and a Cornish game hen with a foie gras demi-glaze sauce ... More >>

This Week in Food: Bánh Mì Rants, Awesome Catfish and Kittens in Pots (But Not Cooked)!

Flickr user namillionairee​Between infographics on Flamin' Hot Cheetos and much more, it's been quite a week on your favorite infernal blog. Best of the week after the jump!

Slappy White Wants to Fuck Valentine's Day

Not this Slappy White...​It's been some time since the illustrious Rev. Slappy White (not Red Foxx's old pal) the brazenly Fascist impresario behind Slappy White & his Calvacade of Comic All-Stars, has graced the county with his presence. The driving force behind the sort-of-annual A ... More >>

Valentine's Day Comedy Murder Mystery Dinner Show

Wyndham Hotel

Valentine's Day in Paradise Dance Party for Singles and Couples

Don the Beachcomber

Jon Snodgrass From Drag the River: 'We Get Asked to Play Weddings and We're a Little More Geared Toward Playing Someone's Divorce'

​Ten years ago, Jon Snodgrass was on stage at Lake Forest venue the Gypsy Lounge. It was a Friday night on Valentine's Day and his Colorado-based alt-country band Drag the River was performing to a receptive crowd. Then he--like many who have been drinking-- had an idea that sounded amazing at the ... More >>

Five Reasons Not To Go Out For Valentine's Day

Flickr user esparta​My wife and I may not be Jewish, but that doesn't stop us from celebrating Valentine's Day as a Jewish holiday. We skip all the restaurant horror stories that make their way around the Internet after the 14th, and we have our V-Day "seder" after sundown on the 13th.Not all rest ... More >>

Aunt Jemima to Angela Davis: Wringing Some Laughs from Racism

​While it's an obvious nod to the fact that February is Black History Month, George Wolfe's The Colored Museum, which opens this weekend at UC Irvine, is also right in time for those who blanch at the thought of the Hallmark holiday of Feb. 14. It's all about hate. Okay, maybe it has absolutely no ... More >>

For Your Special Someone: Our Sexiest Valentine's Mixtape

​Valentine's Day may be a holiday made up to sell candy and diamonds and greeting cards, but it's still nice to spend it with someone you can actually stand to be around for a whole day. In the end, though, Valentine's Day tends to mean one thing: doin' it. And what's wrong with that? To that end, ... More >>

Gettin' Made: February Craft Classes In the OC and Beyond

​ With Valentine's Day fast approaching, there's no better time to get yourself signed up for a craft class so you can make something special for your loved ones. Scratching your head over what you and your beloved can do to celebrate the holiday? Consider buying a spot for each of you in a cl ... More >>

At the Farmers' Market: Winter Strawberries

​At the time of writing, the temperature in New York City was 30ºF. It was snowing to beat the band. All over the city, people huddled up to their radiators, except for those lucky people who came home to notes from the super saying the water pipes had burst and there would be no water or heat.

Women Think About Food More Than Sex, Study Finds

​Sorry, fellas. At this moment, it's more likely that your gal is thinking about gettin' some corn bread or chicken or cupcakes than about gettin' some.   According to findings from a diet survey conducted by UK-based Shape Smart and reported by Time, 25 percent of women think about food ever ... More >>

Pterodacdudes at the Continental Room, Fullerton

The Hype: Every Sunday, the Continental Room in downtown Fullerton hosts Notes From the Underground, an unabashed blend of garage rock, punk and all things grimy. This week, Anaheim garage rock label Burger Records made their presence known on Valentine's Day with buzz-worthy bands Pt ... More >>

Carrie Rodriguez on Touring with Los Lonely Boys and Alejandro Escovedo

Carrie Rodriguez gained fame in the alt-country world after releasing three great albums with Chip Taylor, a singer/songwriter who cashes fat royalty checks for standards like "Wild Thing," "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)" and "Angel of the Morning"--and is also known for being a badass professional ... More >>

Racist OC Register Fustercluck of the Day

​Headline: Teen Killed in Suspected Gang Slaying ID'dComment by wowreally80: Bump bump bump another one bites the dustEditor's Note: Happy Valentine's Day, Orange County! Feel the love! 

This Week in Food

​ So, if you haven't noticed the piles of ugly bears, cheap chocolates, and heart-shaped balloons lining the isles of your neighborhood grocery store, V-day is getting ready to unleash its full gushy force upon us. Never fear, if you're still scrounging around for some romantic inspiration, Stick ... More >>

OC Valentine's Day Special Roundup Redux

Courtesy of Morton's Steakhouse​As promised, here is the update to the list of Valentine's Day specials.One correction: the Valentine's special listed at Morton's in Anaheim and Santa Ana is valid Saturday as well. Our apologies to Morton's for the mistake.Morton's SteakhouseThree courses, $54.50. ... More >>

Uncommon Burlesque Valentine's Performance

Commonwealth Lounge

Gettin' Made: Last Minute Valentines

Admit it, time's gotten away from you and you forgot to take care of your Valentine for this weekend's upcoming holiday! Don't fret - using Etsy's "Shop Local" option, you can narrow down your search for that special something for that special someone to Etsy sellers that live near you. Me ... More >>

Cheap Dates at Wahoo's This Weekend

​If you forgot to make your Valentine's Day dinner reservations like uh, months ago, Wahoo's has got your back. Like the coupon says, just bring in your boyfriend, girlfriend, lover, wife, husband, mistress, ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, grandparents, parents, kids, neighbor, best friend, worst ene ... More >>

A Fastpass to Hunger Pains for Disney Hotel Workers

disneyisunfaithful.orgWhat would Walt do?​The UniteHere Local 11 union is set to stage a fast, starting at 5 p.m., in front of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in Anaheim to bring attention to the workers unresolved contractual issues with the resort industry giant. A candlelight vigil w ... More >>

Gettin' Made: February Craft Class Schedule

Valentine's Day is coming, and February is a great time to learn a new crafty trick so you can make something special for your certain someone (or yourself!). Another great idea--sign you and your Valentine up for a class to take together! Even if you don't celebrate the holiday, southern California ... More >>

Ultimate Doo Wop Show

Derrick Brown Loves You at Midnight

Arte Theater Long Beach

And it Feels So Good

Drag the River