Well, it looks like The Block @ Orange is really classing the place up with this coveted retailer moving into the old Hilo Hattie store in the center of the mall.

This huge retail space is perfect for retailers such as H&M or perhaps Barnes & Nobel but the prevailing wisdom at Mills Management seems to be the anything is is better than nothing approach. Hence this upscale high-end retailer named Warehouse Furniture Outlet. And to think, just recently things were looking up with the opening of Neiman Marcus Last Call, Converse and Off Broadway Shoes. Hmmmmmmm, maybe they’ll put a 99 Cent store in the old Steve and Barry’s space. Oh yes, wouldn’t that be nice?

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

The all-new Disney Gallery is set to re-open Friday inside the old Bank of Main Street next to Great Moments WIth Mr. Lincoln. The Gallery used to be located above the Pirates of the Caribbean ride until it was closed for conversion to the Disneyland Dream Suite. Now it’s finally back!

At least the formerly displaced Gallery will have a fancy permanent home again. And it’s opening just in time for Gay Days - think of all that expendable income!! Will you be stopping by the new version of the old gallery? Let us know what you think of it in the comments.

The Bandolino shoe store at the Spectrum closed last week. Here’s what it looks like now. I wonder what will open in it’s place. Victim of the economy or are people just not into Bandolino shoes?

September 19th & 20th from 10 am until 5 pm head on over to the Huntingon Beach Central Park for the 1st Annual Polynesian Islander Festival!

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

Let’s face it. Gas wars or not, Americans like trucks. While many Americans own them as a necessary tool for their occupation, there are plenty who also own a truck because they like how it looks or the size or they enjoy going off-road on the weekends. I fall into the last category. Actually, I think I fall into all the categories. When I owned my truck, I used it to haul my DJ equipment, I loved how it looked, I liked being bigger than most other vehicles and I LOVE to go off-road! The only problem is, for that last group, the off-road enthusiast, there really have never been any truly off-road capable trucks you could buy off the dealer’s floor. Sure there was the Hummer, but who has $100,000+ to spend on something that’s not even really capable of being a daily driver? How can we get our off-road fun toy without spending many thousands of dollars on conversions, just to make the thing unbearable to drive to and from work??

Thankfully, Ford not only heard our calls for help, but they decided to spoil the hell out of us. Drum roll please…..ladies and gentlemen, I present my new obsession……The Ford F-150 Raptor.

Bringin' the Orange to the County

I highly suggest you follow me past the jump for more pictures and information that will make many of you want to run to the nearest Ford dealership. Yes, really! (more…)

I know, it’s starting to sound like the beginning of a joke, but … as I was walking through the Irvine Spectrum Center the other day I saw a sign for a Toys R Us Holiday Express store.

Not sure when it’s expected to open, but as you can see in the photo, they are already stocking the store with merchandise. The store is located in the aisle between Nordstrom and Target. It’s located in the spot that has been occupied by a million different things and I don’t remember any of them.

It’s a 100 degrees outside, football season hasn’t officially begun, Halloween is still eight weeks away and we’re already being reminded that Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus – or whatever it is you celebrate or don’t celebrate – is not about being spiritual, but about who gets the most crap. This is just the beginning of “the airing of the grievances.”

P.S. sorry for the poor photo i.e. huge shadow. Unfortunately, I can’t control the turning of the Earth.

As I was leaving work today I noticed the doors were open to the Taryn Rose Outlet, so me being me I poked my head in and asked when they’d be opening. As luck would have it the manager, Erin Escobar, was there and was able to give me the store details. She was even aware of this. :)

Shoe lovers of Southern California rejoice, the Taryn Rose Outlet is reopening this Friday, August 21, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Irvine Spectrum Center. Many of you probably remember them from their previous location in Rancho Santa Margarita.

The Spectrum store, like the one in RSM, will, most likely, be temporary. However, this may change depending on any number of factors. Ms. Escobar explained it’s a business decision as rents/leases are much more flexible for – what the retail industry calls – pop-up stores (think Halloween or Christmas). Rest assured they will be at their current location for at least two months. For all of you who will be traveling from L.A. and San Diego Counties this location is much more accessible from both the 5 and 405 freeways (the mall literally sits between the two at the split). This is the ONLY Taryn Rose Outlet in the country. Again, depending on how things go another may open somewhere else. Continue reading for pricing and contact information.

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I picked up this little gem at the (newish) Fortuosity Shop on Main Street inside of Disneyland. This is the type of novel and amusing thing you don’t regularly see at The Mouse. It’s nice to have a little variety, especially after being assaulted by branded merchandise at every turn. So when I saw this luggage-tag-of-my-dreams I snapped it up and made it mine! After all, the words expressed on this kitsch are a deeply shared sentiment with yours truly.

Remember the good ol’ days when they used to have a wide variety of different eclectic merchandise at unique shops all over the park? The old (and now defunct) One Of A Kind Shop in New Orleans Square comes to mind. Anyway, those days are mostly gone and can only be relived in our memories. While the Fortuosity Shop is perfectly lovely, and it does make Disney shopping fun again, it can’t quite compare to the wonders that preceded it.

Shoe fashionistas rejoice. AKA all women. As I was walking through the Irvine Spectrum Center yesterday I noticed a sign for Taryn Rose Outlet. It will be located in the storefront previously occupied by Bebe Sport, in the corridor between Nordstom and Target.

Anyone have any information of when it will be opening?

I’ll snap a pic on my way to work today.

Update: here are a few photos, click to enlarge.