OC Nightlife: Plush Karaoke

Although Irvine is not particularly known for it's bustling nightlife, but Plush Karaoke is looking to break that mold. Plush is the only Karaoke spot in Irvine and is located in the culturally diverse Diamond Jamboree Plaza. 

They 16 beautiful private rooms equipped with the best sound system and the latest song selection in English, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. Each room has a nice modern feel with strobe lights and disco balls as well as a touch screen song selector and rooms range from $35-80 an hour depending on the size with their largest 'Party Room' fitting up to 15 people. They offer a variety of snacks and beer by the bottle or pitcher as well as fruit flavored beers! 

It's a great place to have your own private concert and let your glorious shower voices free in the privacy of your own room. If you're friends really do love you, they won't care that you're completely tone-deaf. 

They are open until 2am 365 days a year, offer drink and snack combos as well as AYCS( All you can sing) rates. Be sure to check out their website, reserve a room and warm up those vocal cords!

PLUSH KARAOKE

Famous Face from Orange County: Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell

This week's Famous Face from Orange county needs no introductions. Will Ferrell was born and raised in Irvine, CA. He attended Turtle Rock Elementary, Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, and later University High in Irvine. During his senior year, he made his school's daily morning announcements over the public address system in disguised voices. He eventually went to USC and graduated with a degree in Sports Information. He had an internship with a television station in the sports department and learned he did not enjoy the work. After graduation, he knew he did not want to do broadcasting. Ironic since he plays a broadcaster in the hit comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy. 

Ferrell eventually got casted with The Groundings in 1994, and a year later joined Saturday Night Live for a 7 year tenure.  He was declared quite possibly the worst cast member ever during his first season. However, his talents of impersonations and range of characters shot him forward to making him arguably the greatest Saturday Night Live cast member ever. During his seven year run he is one of the few cast members to ever be nominated for an Emmy for a performance and played George W. Bush during the 2000 elections. In 2002 he left Saturday Night Live and was the only cast member to ever receive a farewell from all the current cast members at the end of the season finale show.

After leaving SNL, he pursued a solo career and got his first starring role as Frank "The Tank" in Old School (2003). Old School was a major success and Ferrell received an MTV Movie Awards nomination for Best Comedic Performance. He goes on to star in more comedy success like Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgandy, Elf, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory, Semi-Pro, Step Brothers, and much more. 

How can someone so hilarious come from place like Irvine? In an interview with the OC Register back in 2008, Ferrell says:

Growing up in suburbia, in safe, master-planned Irvine, there was no drama so we had to create it in our heads. My main form of entertainment was cracking my friends up and exploring new ways of being funny. I didn't have to have the survival mode instinct like other comics, who grew up in tough neighborhoods. I had the opposite. For me, I grew up in Mayberry, and the humor broke the boredom. And there was a lot to make fun of.

Who knew a place like Irvine could cultivate such a creative and funny mind!

Will Ferrell Trivia:

• After graduating from USC, he took a job as a valet at a hotel. On his second day, he tore a baggage rack off the top of a van by trying to drive it under a low-lying beam
• He also worked as a teller at Wells Fargo, but came up short $300 the first day and $280 the second; he was not stealing the money, but was just careless and error-prone.
• NOT related to Colin Farrell (duh!)
• Was the kicker for his high school varsity football team, played soccer, and was the team captain of the basketball team.

Check out the rest of his interview with the OC Register HERE!

You stay classy, Orange County!

OC Nightlife: The Copper Door

If you’re walking through Downtown Santa Ana on a Friday night looking for a place to grab a few brews, you just might walk right past The Copper Door. You enter through a modest stairwell entrance under the historical Pacific Building and into the bar. It gives you a minimalist, speakeasy, and monastery like feel with a chic twist. The décor includes long counters and communal tables and bences with streams of hanging Edison bulbs to add to the atmosphere. They offer 28 rotating craft beers, enough for any beer enthusiast as well as a delicious strawberry beer for those who aren’t too fond of beer. You can also expand your beer knowledge with their samplers, which are available on weekday nights.

The bar is also a supporter for local artists and provides weekly events like live music, DJ’s, dancers, and more. They also offer pool tables, free of charge between 9-10pm and $8/hour until closing.

The Copper Door is a great place to hang out with old and new friends while listening to live music and sipping on quality beer.

Check out their website to learn more about them and current events - The Copper Door

Free in the OC: Fullerton Arboretum

Fullerton Arboretum

The Fullerton Arboretum is an oasis in the heart of Orange County.  Serving the community since 1979, the arboretum is the premier resource for ecological, horticultural and historical education.

The Fullerton Arboretum is the largest botanical garden in Orange County encompassing 26 lush acres. It has assembled a permanent collection of over 4,000 unique and unusual plant species from around the world. With its ponds, streams and wildlife, the Fullerton Arboretum offers a tranquil retreat from a fast-paced urban life.

Nature tours are offered the third Saturday of every month (except January and August), starting at 10:00 am and typically lasting about an hour. Tours are free, however donations are requested in the amount of $2/per adult and $1/child.

Check out their website for more info - Fullerton Arboretum

Famous Face from Orange County: Jon Lovitz

Jon Lovitz is an American comedian, actor and singer. He is best known as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990. He was born in Los Angeles but graduated with a degree in theater in 1979 from the University of California Irvine. ZOT ZOT!

He's made appearances in Matilda, Friends, Rat Race, Just Shoot Me!, Two and a Half Men, and more although he said his in an interview for the book Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live that his time in SNL was the most memorable in his career. Hanukkah Harry, one of his most memorable roles, cast him in 1989 as a Jewish contemporary of Santa Claus who lives on Mount Sinai and travels the globe with a cart flown by three donkeys to give bland gifts to Jewish boys and girls. Harry is asked to fill in when Santa falls ill on Christmas Eve.


IMDB Trivia on Lovitz:

• His "Saturday Night Live" (1975) character, Master Thespian is an imitation of a professor he had at the University of California-Irvine
• Has a twin sister
• Once worked at the New York Renaissance Faire (in Tuxedo, NY) and was almost fired for referring to himself as "the town Jew."
• Worked various jobs while pursuing an acting career. Was a waiter, worked in a clothing store, was a messenger, worked in a xerox shop, shoe store, as a hospital orderly

Orange County City of the Week: Dana Point

Dana Point

From the City of Dana Point's website:

Dana Point is situated on the beautiful Southern California coast, halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles. It prides itself with nearly seven miles of coastal bluffs and rolling hills along the Pacific Ocean with its charming beaches and wild surfs. Most noteworthy of these bluffs is a unique promontory known as the “Headlands”, which overlooks Dana Point Harbor, one of the most significant manmade alterations of the Orange County coastline. Dana Point encompasses 6.5 square miles and is home to 33,351 people and numerous businesses, all working together as one community. You can see this collaboration in action during some of the City’s annual festivals and events such as the Turkey Trot in November, Festival of Whales in March, Concours D'Elegance in June, and its 4th of July fireworks show. The City is home to the Dana Point Harbor, the newly opened Ocean Institute presenting a wide array of marine life, to several beautiful lodging facilities and restaurants to accommodate your special needs.

Dana Point

OC Nightlife: Downtown Fullerton

Downtown Fullerton

Fishbowl from Palapas Grill

It's nearing the end of the week and you've put in some major work hours the past few days. Looking to unwind and let loose a bit with some friends? Why not check out the plethora of bars and specialty restaurants in Downtown Fullerton?

You will find the majority of the bars just north of the 91 freeway on Harbor. A popular place to start the night off is the tropical-themed Palapas Grill. They have a great happy hour with $3 bottled beer, $5 appetizers, and 2-for-1 taco deals on Tuesdays. What people really come here for is their "Fishbowl" cocktails. They delicious, deceptively strong, and great for groups. Once you're done, you can head over next door to Florentines if you're in the mood for some Hip Hop and R&B, or The Continental Room for some live jazz. If you're a beer lover looking for a little more relaxed atmosphere, The Pint House has a great selection of beers on tap with live music starting at 7:30.

There's something for everyone at Downtown Fullerton and it's a great place to let loose after a long week. 

Orange County City of the Week: Costa Mesa

Costa Mesa - "City of the Arts"

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

The City of Costa Mesa— just one mile from the Pacific Coast in the heart of Orange County—is one of California’s most eclectic and vibrant cities. The city is home to South Coast Plaza, one of the nation’s largest shopping centers, and the world-class Segerstrom Center for the Arts and South Coast Repertory theater. Costa Mesa is also the capitol of the action sports industry and the headquarters for companies such as Hurley International, Volcom, RVCA and Paul Frank Industries.
The city’s diverse dining scene has earned Costa Mesa the award from Rand/McNally and USA Today as being the best small town for restaurants west of the Mississippi River. Costa Mesa’s creative bent has given rise to The Lab and The Camp, two counter-culture retail developments, and the SoCo Collection, a cutting edge, environmentally friendly shopping center.

Source: City of Costa Mesa 


Also, for those in Costa Mesa, check out the Food Truck Fair in the OC Fairground tonight or during your lunch break tomorrow!

Famous Face from Orange County: Tito Ortiz

"Tito Ortiz - Defy Magazine." Tito Ortiz - Defy Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2013.

If you're a Mixed Martial Arts fan, then you already know who this week's famous face from the OC is. For those unfamiliar with the sport, Tito Ortiz was one of the sport's early stars.

Tito was known as the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" and his fights always drew a crowd. His fights are among the highest watched on paid cable television and UFC's top ten most successful pay-per-view events are Tito Ortiz headliners. He has one of the highest, if not the most Octagon appearances in UFC history. 27 to be exact. According to Fight Matrix's UFC Records, Ortiz has spent the 3rd most time inside the octagon. A total of 5 hours, and 1 minute, only behind other two UFC greats B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre. He was the former UFC light heavyweight champion with a professional record of 15 wins, 11 loses, and 1 draw.

Ortiz is the CEO of the Punishment Athletics MMA equipment and clothing line. He also owns an MMA training gym called Punishment Training Center, which is located in Huntington Beach, California.

Learn more about Ortiz - Wiki

"Fight Matrix | UFC Records." Fight Matrix RSS. Fight Matrix, n.d. Web. 04 Sept. 2013.