Best Events & Activities This Week In Orange County - July 24
Celebrate National Tequila Day!
Multiple Locations
Forget the usual Monday blues as today is National Tequila Day! Bars and restaurants across Orange County serve up delicious margaritas, and other cocktails filled with different types of tequila. Celebrate today by visiting one of Orange County's Top Tequila Bars, or get a great Frozen Margarita In Orange County. Local bars and restaurants will be serving special cocktails in honor of National Tequila Day, including Oak Grill at Island Hotel in Newport Beach. Their tasty Sandria Fresca (pictured) comes complete with Don Julia Blanco tequila, watermelon, 2 basil leaves, lime juice, and agave. Or, opt for the Smokey Habanero from EATS Kitchen and Bar at Hotel Irvine. This delicious cocktail has Habanero infused tequila to give you that extra kick. With Mezcal, pineapple juice, agave syrup and lime juice, you won't be disappointed. Other venues serving up special tequila cocktails include Selanne Steak Tavern with a cocktail made up of Casamigos Blanco Tequila, lime juice and agave, as well as the Lobby Lounge at the Montage in Laguna Beach that will be serving a Jamaica Margarita!
Summer Art Camp for Kids
Studio H Fine Art
2691 Richter Avenue
Irvine, CA 92606
(949) 430-7020
www.studiohfineart.com
This fine art gallery, which also features an extensive collection of camps and classes, offers a summer camp for kids that lets them learn, explore and create. Organized into week-long sessions, this is the fifth week of the program, which runs from Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Students enrolled in the camp will learn things like painting, sculpting and drawing from professional artists, but—more than that—they are encouraged to express themselves and let their imaginations run wild. The end result is a stunning portfolio of their artistic creations that they can take home with them. Students must be at least 6 years old; art supplies are included, but lunches are not.
Orange County Dominoes Group Meet-Up
Bagels & Brew
26601 Aliso Creek Road
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
(949) 521-6120
www.theatricum.com
Dominoes is a game that isn't often heard of anymore. In an era filled with video game consoles and mobile apps, board games in general are going by the wayside. But this brand new O.C.-based group helps keep the spirit alive. Just launched on July 11th, the group meets once a week on Tuesday nights to spend a couple of hours playing dominoes. Held each week at Bagels & Brew, participants can sip some coffee while concentration on the game at hand. The group will be there from 6 to 8 p.m. each week so drop in for a night of old-fashioned games and good drinks.
Blues Showcase
Bistango
19100 Von Karman Avenue
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 752-5222
www.bistango.com
For three hours on Wednesday, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Bistango will present their inaugural blues showcase featuring some of Orange County's best local talent. Deemed the inaugural En Plein Air concert, the free event is being produced by drummer and guitarist Tracy Longstreth, formerly of the Righteous Brothers. While Longstreth will be performing, other musicians will also step up to the mic, including contemporary blues artist Jay Summers, guitarist and vocalist Tanya Lundy-Mckibben and saxophonist Adrian Tapia accompanied by Casey Simpson. While there, enjoy dinner from the American-inspired menu that features contemporary cuisine and an impressive collection of wines.
See Matt Costa Live!
Irvine Regional Park
1 Irvine Park Road
Orange, CA 92869
(714) 973-6835
www.mattcosta.com
Few things are better than enjoying warm summer nights out on the lawn—especially when live music is involved. Join Southern California artist Matt Costa in a performance at Irvine Regional Park. Originally from Laguna Beach, Costa is a part of local culture and his music has made him a local hero of sorts. His pop music has become more progressive over the years, transforming his sound and his projects but maintaining a local fan base. In the last few years, he has written the entire score for a local documentary and self-released five EPs of music. Part of OC Parks' summer concert series, other local parks will host performances from a variety of local bands and artists through August 24.
Take Part In A Seafood Celebration
The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
1 Ritz Carlton Drive
Dana Point, CA 92629
(949) 240-2000
www.ritzcarlton.com
Seafood is one thing that Southern California is really good at. With out proximity to the coast and a culinary scene that is to die for, it's not really a surprise. This special event, inspired by Italian cuisine, offers a celebration of fresh seafood cooked by the resort's executive chef Brian Sundeen. As guests enjoy glasses of wine and panoramic ocean views from atop the local bluffs, Sundeen and his crew will prepare a seafood meal in an outdoor kitchen, allowing him to interact with and engage visitors while he cooks. In addition, a cheese maker will be part of the event as well, informing guests how to incorporate various types of cheeses into different dishes.
National Choreographer's Initiative
Irvine Barclay Theatre
4242 Campus Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 854-4646
www.nchoreographers.org
This performance at the Irvine Barclay Theatre is part of a three-week intensive that unites notable choreographers from all over, offering a great networking opportunity as well as a chance for them to get together and create something new. Led by artistic director Molly Lynch, four prominent choreographers and another 16 dancers were invited to participate. The program has been ongoing for 12 years now and culminates with this performance. Each of the four choreographers has created a contemporary ballet that will be showcased at the theater for the first time. This year's event includes new works from Christopher Stuart, Penny Saunders, Robert Mills and Suzanne Haag.
Cooking with Chef Mead: Summer BBQ Sides
Roger's Gardens
2301 San Joaquin Hills Road
Newport Beach, CA 92625
(949) 640-5800
www.rogersgardens.com
Chef Rich Mead of Roger's Gardens Farmhouse Restaurant presents Cooking with Chef Mead. The series of workshops showcases different techniques and styles of food, but this week's is perfect for summertime meals hosted in your own backyard. Learn to make a variety of barbecue sides, inspired by fresh ingredients that Mead picks up whenever visiting local farmer's markets. While the menu isn't set for the workshop just yet—the chef is waiting to see which fresh ingredients he'll find this week—he will walk guests through the creation of three tasty sides, offering his best tips and tricks as he goes. Possible dishes include barbecue melon, summer squash, barbecue corn salad or potato salad. He will also detail how to make a summery peach bourbon barbecue sauce.
