There is no doubt that now is the time to support local independent businesses.

Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts Festival happens twice yearly and its happening this Sunday.

You’ll find handmade goods from local vendors including: clothing, accessories, home goods, affordable art and more.  What festival would be complete with out good food and drink… and music!

So support your local vendors and give unique gifts this holiday season!

The festival will be held in Santa Anas Museum District near Bowers Museum.
2022 North Main Street
Santa Ana 92706
Sunday November 15 from 11-5 pm

Days like this I am amazed that the rest of the country is preparing for winter.  They are bundling up against the wind and the cold.   Yet here we are, enjoying a gorgeous Saturday at Crystal Cove.

We may not get the fall foliage that so many do but I have to appreciate this time of year at the beach. The crowds are gone and you are left with stretches of beach to yourself.

All you hear are the waves. All you smell is the ocean. Life is so good.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

It looks like they hit up 2 locations each night.  They have the week ahead planned on their website, but it is strongly suggested you follow them on twitter as the locations can change or as I’m reading, sometimes the addresses aren’t quite right.

I don’t know about you, but I am SUPER DUPER excited about this!!!!!  It looks like they’ll be at “Prim Jewelers – 1736 E. Meats Ave, Orange”  from 10:30-Midnight this Wednesday, you’d better believe I’ll be there!

Thank you Kogi!!!

For the 6th year OCC will be hosting the Children’s Book Festival. I will totally be going to this festival. It doesn’t matter that I’m 30 years old and don’t have any kids of my own.

There will be authors, illustrators, exhibitors and entertainers. There will also be face painting, a petting zoo and train rides for those not so into books. This will be a book lovers dream… OK a kids book lovers dream.

Sunday, October 4th, 2009
9:30 AM- 4:30 PM

My dilemma here is which museum do I visit.  Both the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art or Orange County Museum of Art will have no admission this weekend.  I get into great modern art installations almost as much as I enjoy great collections of old impressionists art.  With them both being free and only one play day this weekend I don’t which to chose – which do you recommend?

Tonight is the start of the 31st Annual Taste of Greece Festival at St. Pauls Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine.

There will be food, food and more food along with cooking demonstrations, carnival rides, games, music, boutiques, greek dancing lessons and a raffle. You could win 7 days in Athens or you could munch on a gyro and enjoy the entertainment.

Admission in $3, children under 10 for free
Located on 4949 Alton Parkway, Irvine
Friday: 5-10 pm
Saturday: 12-10 pm
Sunday: 12-9 pm

PA’ME NA’ FA’ME!

Actually, I’m waaay late with this, as the actual Oktoberfest began on Sept. 6, and will run through November 1.  But, there’s still plenty of time to get your beer on.

Head on down to Old World in Huntington Beach for some traditional Oktoberfest fun, including Beer Pong.  Wait, did I say traditional?

Forget traditional, go with whatever works, says I.  No worries, there are plenty of old skool Oktoberfest shenanigans, including the Chicken Dance.  Who can resist the Chicken Dance?  Or even if somehow you can possibly resist actually doing it, watching drunken people attempt the Chicken Dance is usually worth the price of admission, for which, by the way, there is a coupon on the site for five bucks off.  There is also a Kinderfest for the little ones held on Sundays, go to the site to print out a coupon for free admission to that.

So, go help out financially struggling Old World, a classic slice of Orange County schmaltz, and toss down a beer today!

There will be cultural demonstrations, authentic music, hands-on arts and crafts, vendors, performances, story-telling, villages representing the Pacific Islands and of course, good food.

7111 Talbert Avenue,
Huntington Beach, CA.
92648

The hiking trails are easy, especially if you are just meandering and allowing all of your senses to fully absorb everything the forest has to offer. The senses go into overdrive the minute you step on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, this is especially true if you have a height thing, which I do.

Follow me after the jump for more photos and commentary.

As you can see from the photo below, it looks like you’re heading straight into the side of the mountain, when you are on your way up.  One thing, of several, that is a bit disconcerting is the rocking when the tramcar goes by the cable-holding towers. Not only is it disconcerting, but annoying too because most of the passengers yell “WHOO!” Call me a curmudgeon or a killjoy, but I think it’s stupid. Really, though, I’m just looking straight ahead and not thinking about plunging headfirst into the valley below.

The scene from inside the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. It's a little disconcerting.*

A really cool feature of PSAT cars is that the floor rotates 360°. So no matter where you are standing you get an outstanding view.*

The valley below ... a long way down. Yikes!*

All that plunging aside, as you climb higher and higher the air gets cooler and sweeter. Even though your belly, OK mine, feels a little unsteady the strangest thing begins to happen, you can already feel the tension melting away. Seriously. Maybe it’s just being over a mile and a half above sea level (8,500 feet = 1.609 848 484 8 miles) makes my brain woozy since the air is “thinner.”

Regardless, the air smells divine – a combination of wood, pine, with a little sweetness thrown in – and feels crisp and cool, which is a nice contrast to the warmth of the sun, which was quite hot. I think you can actually taste the freshness.

We packed a picnic lunch, walked away from the crowds and found a flat rock to perch on and enjoyed our sandwiches. While there we just enjoyed the sounds of the forest. You know that saying “it sounded like a train?” well, that is kinda what strong winds sounded like blowing through the trees. A milder wind just sounded like ambient freeway noise. We heard lots of birds calling and smaller animals like squirrels and those little lizards, you see all over SoCal, scurrying about. Of course you can also hear the ever-present Homo sapiens.

The husband enjoying the peacefulness and the view.

A pretty blue bird, not a Bluejay. Does anyone know what kind of bird it is?

In addition to all of traditionally beautiful scenery, I think there is a lot of beauty in dead trees. Odd, I know, but I think they are just so interesting looking.

Dead Tree Against a Blue Sky

Don't the branches look like antlers?

I’m not a photographer. I just like to take photos of things that I find interesting or to document what I saw. I was also having fun playing with my new camera.

Sap on a dead tree. Doesn't it look like candy?

Since my camera is brand new, I said to the husband, “I think I’m going to take my battery charger. I’m not sure how long it will last.” His reply “What are you gonna do, plug into a tree?” I didn’t take the charger. However, if you DO decide to take your power cables you’re in luck, it’s not a tree, but close. According to the website there is Wi-Fi access as well. Who knew?

You CAN plug-in in the forest.

So, my Orange County friends, what are your experiences in the forest? By the way, this is as close as I get to camping.

After walking around in the woods, we sat in the lodge, I don’t know if that’s what they call it, but that’s what it looks like. We had a beer on the patio and just continued to relax. We continued our relaxing with a great dinner in Palm Springs (we brought a change of clothes) and then drove home. A perfect day through-and-through.

The drive is approximately an hour and 45 minutes from Orange County. If you decide to make the trip, I recommend you bring three things: good hiking shoes, as the ground is very uneven; a jacket/sweater/sweatshirt, as the temperature is easily 20° – 30° cooler than at the base of the mountain; and lastly water.

* These three photos, of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, were taken during another trip two years ago.

Did you know that every Tuesday the Fuddrucker’s in Lake Forest (the one on El Toro) has a car show?

I didn’t.  I just happened to be driving by when I saw these gorgeous specimens in the parking lot.

Oh how I love Classic Cars.  They make me daydream, they make me fantasize, they make me coo softly to them. 

I whisper sweet nothings into their grills. 

See more of what made me melt after the jump…

The show starts at 5:00 pm and if you have a baby to bring by come around 4 or 4:30 pm to get situated.

I don’t actually know much about the cars.  I just like them ‘cuz they’re purty to look at.  Oh and the sound of them!  Don’t you love the roar of the engine?!

Tell me you don’t want to sit in this little white wonder.

I can’t even imagine what it takes to keep these in such wonderful condition.

I can’t imagine the trips these trucks have been on, the places these cars have seen.

I want to know about the lives of the owners.  How many people owned and loved this car?

Such power. 

Such class.

Such style.

What is your all-time favorite vehicle?