
It’s just a few weeks away: the official start to summer fun—set to music—in the great outdoors with family and friends at Irvine’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, the summer home of Pacific Symphony. “Summer Festival 2009,” the 22nd season of symphonic music under the stars, sponsored by The Orange County Register, kicks off on Saturday, July 4, at 8 p.m., with “Michael Cavanaugh in Concert: The Music of Billy Joel,” a celebration of not only the nation’s birthday, but also a composer whose work paints the modern American experience in vivid, unforgettable hues! Cavanaugh, star of the 2002 Tony-nominated musical “Movin’ Out,” channels this American icon with an electrifying concert of Joel’s hits: “Uptown Girl,” “Only the Good Die Young,” “She’s Got a Way,” “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and “Movin’ Out.”

International Surfing Day Announces Challenges and Prizes
In celebration of International Surfing Day’s 5th anniversary on June 20, Surfrider Foundation chapters and other ocean lovers around the world will be holding three on-site challenges to get beach-goers creating, surfing and competing: Costume Party: Best Costume While Riding a Wave, Most Spots Surfed on ISD: Photo and/or Video Contest, and the Butt Challenge: How Many Cigarette Butts You Can Collect in an Hour.
<< MORE >>

Organizers of the collaborative art event Cute and Dangerous cordially invite you (Orange County) to a free opening night event on June 12, 2009, at the [seven-degrees] multimedia and art venue in Laguna Beach, Calif.
|
South Coast Plaza officials accepted an award designating the offices of South Coast Plaza as the first buildings in California to receive LEED-EB Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and maintenance. The certification applies to the Plaza Tower, Center Tower and Park Tower. |
The offices are the first multitenant buildings in California, and three of the first four buildings in the United States, to be awarded LEED Gold certification by the USGBC for Operations and Maintenance.
As a part of the Green Building Program, the three office towers will reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by over 9.5 million pounds annually and reduce water consumption by over 3 million gallons annually. This is a significant reduction in the carbon footprint of these buildings.
<< MORE >>Dr. Sammy Lee, famed Olympic Gold Medalist in the sport of diving, and Orange County resident, will be honored with a star on the Anaheim/OC Walk of Stars, May 26 at 10 a.m. The ceremony will take place on Harbor Blvd., near Disney Way. Dr. and Mrs. Roz Lee will be in attendance. 
“The Anaheim/OC Walk of Stars is truly fortunate to honor Dr. Sammy Lee, one of the most decorated and respected sports ambassadors of our generation,” said City of Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle. “He is an outstanding individual who has made valuable contributions not only to Orange County, but to our country and the world. He has proven dreams are possible, and he is a fine role model to many.”
Whether guests are marking a birthday, anniversary, graduation, family reunion, quinceañera or any special occasion, they'll discover that Disneyland Resort is the perfect place to celebrate with favorite characters, world-class attractions and entertainment, and legendary guest service - all the ingredients to make magical Disney memories.
<< MORE >>
The First-Ever Happy Hour Week To Debut in Orange County April 12 – 18, 2009

“Orange County Restaurant Week was created to showcase Orange County as a premier dining destination and allow our many local food aficionados an opportunity to enjoy special prix-fixe menus from a wide variety of participating restaurants,” commented Pamela Waitt, president of the Orange County Restaurant Association, which produces Orange County Restaurant Week, the county’s largest culinary event. “With the current economic climate, this week-long event will allow diners to discover new restaurants in Orange County and enjoy all their favorites at a discounted price. With unbeatable prices, those interested can afford to dine out every night of the week – after all, our tagline states, ‘The only thing to make for dinner during Restaurant Week is reservations!’”
<< MORE >>
Bryant Austin, a renown multimedia artist, is the only person in the world working to compose high resolution life-size photographs of whales. He was the Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society’s guest speakers at this year’s Volvo Ocean Race.
His work is entirely dependent upon whales who initiate close inspections of him less than three meters away. Bryant explains: “The pivotal impact I seek is to upset the abstractness of whales; my aim is to make them real. This intimate distance has proven necessary to reveal their true colors and tonal range with all of the intricate detail intact; most importantly, this captures the subtle expressions in his subject’s eyes."
The foundations for Austin’s vision began forty years ago when the NASA Mariner Space Program brought back humanity’s first view of our planets and moons from deep space with high resolution photo mosaics. The concept of applying NASA’s approach to imaging large bodies has opened the pathway for Austin to produce his life-size photographs of whales.
This lecture is Bryant's last lecture in the U.S. for quite some time, since in 2009, he will begin exhibiting his life-size photographs within whaling nations including Norway and Japan.
This lecture will take place on Thursday, December 4th at 7 p.m. at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum. 600 East Bay Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92661. For more information go to www.nhnm.org or call (949) 675-8915