Happy Wednesday!
Before we jump into the weekend, here are a few things we wanted to highlight.
🥃 Macallan + Cigars at Winston’s in San Juan Capistrano is a pretty compelling combo: four Macallan single malts paired with four cigars from Winston’s new house collection. See what’s pouring
📺 Calling all One Tree Hill fans: Tyler Hilton and Kate Voegele are coming to The Coach House, with VIP meet-and-greet options for anyone ready to fully commit to the nostalgia. Get tickets.
🎸 Ohana Fest is almost here, and tickets are still available. If seeing Pearl Jam, Kings of Leon and a beach full of live music in Dana Point has been on your radar, this is your nudge. See tickets.
To all the new readers, welcome to The Scene… Our motto is: the more you know, the more you’ll go. That’s what this newsletter is all about, sharing ideas big and small to make it easier (and more fun) to get out and enjoy OC.
See you out there!
Lorna & Jason
Choosing the right care for a loved one is a major decision for any family.
Assisted Living Locators offers local guidance, personalized support, and access to trusted senior care options throughout South Orange County.
Jay, who lives in Ladera Ranch, takes the time to understand your loved one’s needs, preferences, and goals, so you can make confident choices with peace of mind.
🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️
~~ FRIDAY SEPT 18 ~~
Tommy Emmanuel, two time grammy nominee plays the Coach House
🎸 Guitar Virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel
One of only five guitarists ever named a Certified Guitar Player by Chet Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel brings his dazzling fingerstyle playing to The Coach House. The two-time Grammy nominee is famous for sounding like an entire band by himself, weaving melody, chords and bass together at once.
Fri, Sep 18 | 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎸 Live Music Night at Oso Creek
A FREE evening of country, bluegrass and rockin’ blues with The Tricia Freeman Band taking over the Atrium for Cocktails. Special menu available. No reservations required.
Fri, Sep 18 | 6–8pm | Oso Creek Golf Course, Mission Viejo
🏄 Surfing Heritage & Culture Center Grand Opening
The museum celebrates its move from San Clemente to its new home in Laguna Beach, with historic surfboards, photographs, films and artifacts on display.
Fri, Sep 18 | 2:30–7pm and Sat, Sep 19 | 12:30–7pm | Laguna Beach
💃 American Bandstand Bash
A 10-piece big band, two dance lessons, dinner, themed photo station and cash bar.
Fri, Sep 18 | 5–8pm | Murray Community Center, Mission Viejo
🎸 Sunset Serenades: Moonshine
Rockabilly and surf-twang meet an ocean-view sunset when Moonshine takes over the Heisler Park Amphitheater.
Fri, Sep 18 | 5:30pm–sunset | Heisler Park Amphitheater, Laguna Beach
🏐 71st Annual Laguna Open Volleyball Tournament
The longest-running beach volleyball tournament brings top players to Main Beach for three days of championship matches.
Fri–Sun, Sep 18–20 | Main Beach, Laguna Beach
🎭 Chicago: Teen Edition
Capistrano Valley High School brings the Broadway favorite to life with plenty of jazz, razzle-dazzle, and Fosse flair.
Thu–Sat, Sep 17–19 | Capistrano Valley High School, Mission Viejo
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
~~ SATURDAY SEPT 19 ~~
Free yoga in the park in Aliso Viejo
🧘♀️ FREE Yoga in the Park
Start the morning with a free outdoor yoga class at Grand Park. Advance registration required.
Sat, Sept 19 | 9–10:30am | Grand Park, Aliso Viej
🍺 Mission Viejo Oktoberfest Night Market
North Paseo at Los Osos is turning into a beer garden for the night, with local food and a Beer Holding Stein Contest for anyone willing to put their arm strength to the test.
Sat, Sep 19 | 5–9pm | North Paseo at Los Osos, Mission Viejo
🌟 World of Wonder
Walk through a “Microscope Adventure” shrink tunnel, responsive light installations, and hands-on exhibits inspired by the human body.
Sat, Sept 19 | 10am–7pm; Sun, Sept 20 | 10am–5pm | Hoag Hospital Irvine, Irvine
😂 Comedy at Cabrillo
A one-night comedy takeover with Macey Isaacs, Jessica Saul, Pippa Spindel, Julia Stone, and Jim Andritch. No life lessons, just jokes.
Sat, Sept 19 | 7pm | Cabrillo Playhouse, San Clemente
🌴 Toast to the Casa
Casa Romantica’s tropical fundraiser brings together more than 20 food and drink vendors, entertainment and live and online auctions.
Sat, Sep 19 | 5–9:30pm | Casa Romantica, San Clemente
🎤 The Box Tops
The Box Tops perform their classic pop and soul catalog, with Waldo Bliss opening.
Sat, Sep 19 | Doors 6pm, show 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
⛵ Sea Shanty Sail
Dress like a pirate if the spirit moves you, then sail aboard the Spirit of Dana Point while Queen Anne’s Blouse leads sea shanties and stories of OC’s maritime past.
Sat, Sep 19 | 10am–12pm | Ocean Institute, Dana Point
~~ SUNDAY SEPT 20 ~~
🥩 Sunday Steak Night + Football
Winston’s fires up a FULL steak dinner for just $25 with beans, potato salad & cornbread every Sunday while the NFL takes over the big screens, with $15 burgers also on the menu. Come for the game, stay for steak, cocktails and a considerably more comfortable setup than the average sports bar. No cover, all are welcome.
Sun, Sep 20 (& every Sunday) | Games playing all day | The Winston’s Club, San Juan Capistrano
🔥 Blues Rock with Canned Heat
The blues-rock veterans bring more than five decades of boogie to the stage.
Sun, Sep 20 | 7pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
✨ Taylor Swift by Candlelight
Taylor Swift favorites are reimagined for strings beneath a sea of candlelight.
Sun, Sep 20 | Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, Newport Beach
🎭 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The musical comedy about two con men on the French Riviera. Sharp, campy, and a fun date-night pick.
Sun Sep 20 | 2pm | Camino Real Playhouse, San Juan Capistrano
📚 Orange County Children’s Book Festival
Meet authors and illustrators, attend story readings and book signings. Featured guests include Melissa Villaseñor, Rachel Ignotofsky, Jesús Trejo and KidTime StoryTime.
Sun, Sep 20 | 10am–3pm | Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa
➡️ NEXT WEEK
Scroll down to see events happening next week and beyond.
P.S…A Quick Favor:
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🤔 Trivia Time
Which Orange County city was originally founded as a German colony?
A. Orange
B. Anaheim
C. Fullerton
D. Tustin
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
🗓️ NEXT WEEK…
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21
🌱 Slow-Paced Hike to Dripping Springs
Take a slower 5.5-mile hike through Limestone Canyon to Dripping Springs, a year-round spring emerging from a vertical rock face surrounded by unusually lush vegetation. Registration opens Sep 6.
Mon, Sep 21 | 7–10:30am | Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve, Irvine
⚰️ From Grief to the Grave
Historian and paranormal expert Darcy Staniforth explores Victorian death culture, from mourning clothes and jewelry to home décor and even picnics among the dead.
Mon, Sept 21 | 6–7:30pm | Orange Grove Masonic Lodge, Orange
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22
🌮 Fiesta Tuesday Season Finale
Oso Creek wraps its recurring Tuesday series with Santa Maria-style tacos, chips and salsa and a special live set from the Sierra Band.
Tue, Sep 22 | 4–7pm | Oso Creek Golf Course, Mission Viejo
🏰 Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
The first North American touring production of Disney’s musical brings Belle, the Beast and the enchanted castle back to the stage.
Tue, Sep 22–Sun, Oct 11 | Showtimes vary | Segerstrom Hall, Costa Mesa
💃 Line Dancing with DJ Champagne Cowgirl
Free beginner and intermediate lessons lead into five hours of line dancing
Tue, Sep 22 | Lessons 6 & 7pm, dancing until 11pm | Swallow’s Inn, San Juan Capistrano
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23
🥾 Fitness Hike to The Sinks
A slower-paced six-mile fitness hike follows Agua Chinon to the West Sinks, finishing with panoramic views of the sandstone cliffs. Registration opens Sep 8.
Wed, Sep 23 | 7:30–11am | Portola Staging Area, Irvine
🎷 Wednesday Jazz at Club 616
The Soul Organ Trio brings organ-led jazz and classics from the ’60s and ’70s to Club 616’s weekly Wednesday night.
Bonus: Find out how to get a $5 cocktail.
Wed, Sept 9 | 8–11pm | Club 616, Santa Ana
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24
🎷 Jazz & Soul with Lindsey Webster
The contemporary jazz and soul singer performs with Cheryl Silverstein opening the night.
Thu, Sep 24 | Doors 6pm, show 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🖼️ Two New Exhibitions at the Casa
A free reception opens an illuminated-manuscript exhibition and a collection of Southern California pastel landscapes.
Thu, Sep 24 | 6–8pm | Casa Romantica, San Clemente
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25
🥃 The Macallan Evening at Winston’s
Settle in for an elevated evening of whisky and cigars featuring four Macallan pours, each paired with a cigar from Winston’s new house collection. The lineup includes Macallan 12 Year Old, A Night on Earth, The Harmony Collection, and 18 Year Old, matched with Winston’s The House, The Connecticut, The Maduro, and The Broadleaf.
Fri, Sept 25 | 6–11pm | The Winston’s Club, San Juan Capistrano
🤙 Ohana Fest Returns
A weekend of music, beach vibes, and big-name artists as Ohana Fest celebrates 10 years at Doheny.
Sept 25–27 | Doheny State Beach, Dana Point
🏮 Mid-Autumn Festival
The Great Park lights up for an evening of cultural performances, displays, hands-on crafts and food celebrating the traditional Moon Festival.
Fri, Sep 25 | 5–9:30pm | Great Park, Irvine
🎸 Beatles vs. Stones
Two tribute bands face off song by song in a live musical showdown between the Beatles and Rolling Stones.
Fri, Sep 25 | Show 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🎻 Pacific Symphony: Symphony on the Go
Pacific Symphony rolls its mobile stage into Heisler Park for a free chamber music concert overlooking the coast.
Fri, Sep 25 | 5:30pm | Heisler Park Amphitheater, Laguna Beach
🥾 Fitness Hike with Yoga
Warm up with a 5-mile Buck Gully fitness hike, then stretch it out with beginner-friendly yoga focused on hiking and outdoor recovery. Registration required.
Friday, September 11 | 8–11am | Buck Gully Reserve, Newport Coast
🐮 Lagunatics: May the Farce Be With You
No Square Theatre’s beloved local satire show returns with a spacey new spoof, taking aim at Laguna life through musical parody.
Sept 25–Oct 11 | No Square Theatre, Laguna Beach
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26
💪 FREE Outdoor Bootcamp at Moulton Ranch Park
Shake up your workout with a free 30-minute outdoor bootcamp, with a high-energy group workout, fresh air and a chance to meet new people. Hosted by Mission Viejo Fit Body Bootcamp, with guests welcome. Registration required.
Sat, Sep 26 | 8:30am | Moulton Ranch Park, Laguna Hills
🌙 Mirage: Visions of Fleetwood Mac
Mirage recreates Fleetwood Mac’s biggest songs and harmonies, with Shenanigans opening.
Sat, Sep 26 | 8pm | The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano
🇬🇷 San Juan Capistrano Greek Festival
Fill up on gyros, souvlaki, baklava and Greek wine, then stick around for live music, folk dancing and the Greek bazaar.
Sept 26–27 | Community Center, San Juan Capistrano
🥁 Full Moon Drum Circle at Aliso Creek
Community drum circle on the beach—bring a drum (or just listen) and join in under the full moon. All levels welcome.
Sept 26 | 7–10pm | Aliso Creek Beach (just south of Montage), Laguna Beach
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27
🐦 Upper Newport Bay Bird Walk
Search the Back Bay for shorebirds, ducks, grebes, herons, egrets and seasonal migrants on this guided walk with Sea & Sage Audubon. Bring binoculars and keep an eye out for Black Skimmers and terns over the water.
Sun, Sept 27 | 8am | Upper Newport Bay, Newport Beach
🪩 Queen vs. ABBA by Candlelight
A string quartet moves between Queen’s rock anthems and ABBA’s dance-floor favorites.
Sun, Sep 27 | 6pm | Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, Yorba Linda
🌌 Coldplay and Imagine Dragons by Candlelight
“Fix You,” “Viva la Vida,” “Radioactive” and “Believer” are reworked for string quartet.
Sun, Sep 27 | 8:15pm | Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, Yorba Linda
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📸 This Week’s Snapshot
This weekend, our $5 cocktail quest took us back to Anaheim, this time to The Blind Rabbit, the tiny speakeasy hidden inside the Anaheim Packing House.
For September, they’ve traded their usual 1920s look for a full tiki takeover, so naturally we had to investigate. Our passport cocktail was a passion fruit daiquiri, for $5. Even better, it was really good. 🍹
If you’ve been following along, Jason and I are working our way through the Last Call Society Cocktail Passport.
The $20 passport includes 38 bars, speakeasies, tiki spots and cocktail lounges across OC, and each stop has a featured cocktail for just $5.
You get your passport stamped as you go, which has basically turned it into a date night scavenger hunt.
Two weekends ago, it led us practically next door to Stone Groove Stillhouse, the listening bar and distillery where they actually use music and vibration while aging their spirits.
We tried whiskey aged to country music versus blues. This week, tiki drinks behind a hidden door.
This is exactly why we bought the passport: it keeps sending us to interesting places we probably wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. 🍸
About Us:
Lorna’s an OC native who has lived in Spain, France and New Zealand but always returns home for the tacos, the trails, and the beautiful tree-lined streets of Mission Viejo.
Jason’s a Brit who swapped pub life for paddleboards and now splits his time between aquascaping and crafting perfect cocktails. We started The Scene because there’s so much to see, do, and savor.
Thanks for letting us be a small part of your weekend.
🧐 Trivia Answer:
✅ B. Anaheim
Looking East on West Center Street Across Lemon Street, Anaheim.
The clue has been hiding in the name all along. “Ana” comes from the nearby Santa Ana River, while “heim” is German for “home.”
Anaheim was founded in 1857 by 50 German-American families from San Francisco who pooled their money to create an agricultural colony in Southern California.
Their big plan was wine. 🍷 The settlers formed the Los Angeles Vineyard Society, bought more than 1,100 acres and planted hundreds of thousands of grapevines.
Anaheim became a successful wine-producing community until disease devastated the vineyards in the 1880s.
Today, you can still see traces of those beginnings in the Anaheim Colony Historic District, which follows the footprint of the original settlement.
The Phoenix Club
Anaheim’s German culture also lived on for decades through the Phoenix Club, founded in Anaheim in 1960 to preserve German traditions, food and festivals before relocating to Brea in 2024.
Learn more about early Anaheim and it’s German roots
It’s A Wrap..
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🥱 Boring Stuff
Publication Disclaimer: Everything included here is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. It is always best to double-check links to be sure event information hasn’t changed if you plan on attending something.
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