What's Inside...

• FRIDAY August 22nd

• SATURDAY August 23rd

• SUNDAY August 24th

  • Trivia Quiz

  • Tiki Bar Tour of OC !

• NICE NEWS!

  • Taco Tuesday Options

• PLAN AHEAD

🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️

~~ FRIDAY AUGUST 22nd ~~

💍 Second Time Around Jewelry Sale Shop thousands of gently loved accessories—everything from earrings and brooches to scarves, hats, belts, and bags—mostly priced between $1 and $5. All proceeds support senior services in Mission Viejo.
Friday–Saturday, August 22–23 | Norman P. Murray Center, Mission Viejo

🌿 Nature Meditation Walk Join a Naturalist and Certified Nature Therapy Guide for a slow, mindful walk with guided meditation, sensory activities, and a closing tea ceremony. Ages 10+. Registration required.
Friday, August 22 | 8–9:30am | Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza

🚶 Sunset Harbor Walk & Dancing Join Sunrise to Sunset Hikers for a slow-paced, beginner-friendly 3-mile walk along Dana Point Harbor at sunset, then head to Stillwater for live music and dancing. Dog friendly.
Friday, August 22 | 6–7:30pm | Dana Point

🎨 Laguna Art-A-Fair Explore work from more than 125 fine artists in a relaxed, outdoor setting steps from Sawdust Festival. What’s the difference between the two? The Sawdust Festival has a rustic, open-air market feel with only Laguna Beach artists and a mix of fine art and crafts, while Art-A-Fair is more of a gallery-style show featuring juried artists from around the world.
Through August 31 | 777 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach

Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD!

🎶 🎶 Checkout This Weekend’s Live Music Options

🤔 Trivia Quiz

The name “Trabuco Canyon” comes from the Spanish word for what?

A) Rifle
B) Saddle
C) Canyon
D) Horse

(Scroll to bottom for answer)

We Hit Every Tiki Bar in OC
Here’s the Best (and the Worst)…

This past weekend, we went on a rum-fueled mission: visit every tiki bar in Orange County and see which ones are worth your time (and which ones you can skip).

We started in Anaheim, where Strong Water set the bar impossibly high — think hidden shipwrecks, cocktails layered with flavor, and even the bathrooms doubling as set pieces.

Then we cruised down to Santa Ana’s Twisted Tiki, which… let’s just say didn’t quite live up to the name.

Finally, we wrapped in Tustin at Stowaway, a super hip retro escape, with a hidden speakeasy inside.

Since I’ve been on a tiki kick, I also folded in a few other stops: Laguna’s Royal Hawaiian with its classic Polynesian vibes, San Clemente’s Goonie’s-inspired Lost Inferno, and Trader Sam’s at the Disneyland Hotel (the one with thunder, rain, and bartenders who double as performers).

Every spot has its own spin:

🌊 Polynesian escape — Royal Hawaiian & Trader Sam’s

⛵ Nautical adventure — Strong Water

🗿 Retro mid-century tiki — Stowaway

🦜 Goonies-Inspired — The Lost Inferno

Want to know who scored best cocktails, best food, and best atmosphere overall? And see inside each spot?

🎥 [Watch the video + full tiki ranking here]

Grab your Mai Tai and dive in — paradise (and a few surprises) await.

All addresses and reservation links are in the Full Article… and loads more photos!

Hole-in-the-Wall Taco Tuesday Options

Sometimes we just want good food at a good price. No curated menu, no farm-to-table story, no 20% tip at the end. Just tacos.

So I dug through local Facebook community pages, sifted the comments, and pulled out the spots that came up, again and again.

Here are the best Taco Tuesday deals by city. Fair warning: most of these places aren’t about the “vibe,” so create your own. Grab your tacos and head to the lake, the beach, or a park…

Lake Forest

🌮 La Casita Olvera
This place is definitely the clear fan favorite and the deal is unbeatable: $1 tacos with the purchase of a drink. Choices usually include carne asada, carnitas, chicken, shrimp, battered fish, and even birria. People warn it’s not fancy but for a buck a taco it’s hard to beat. Learn more.

Foothill Ranch

🌮 La Tía Tacos
Super casual, street-style tacos, and cheap prices. Regulars swear by the carne asada and al pastor. Perfect grab-and-go for taking to the park or home— no tip, no fuss. Learn more

Mission Viejo

🌮 Perla’s Taqueria is a strip-mall gem where you can still get a good deal, especially on Taco Tuesday — street tacos run $1.75–$1.99 (carne asada, al pastor, chicken, potato, even lengua if you’re adventurous). Crispy potato tacos are a fan favorite, and you’ll get free chips & salsa with your order. Skip the guac (trust us) and stick to tacos. Learn more.

San Clemente

🌮 Taqueria Luna
Locals rave about their $2 tacos on Tuesdays — classic street-style, no big patio scene, just solid tacos at a great price. Right on Del Mar, so you can grab a bag and stroll straight to the beach. Learn more.

🌮 Primo Foods
With 69 cent tacos on Tuesdays and Fridays you can’t go wrong. Think simple, no-frills tacos that won’t blow your budget. Learn more.

🌮 San Clemente Ranch Market
This one’s more under-the-radar but beloved for traditional street tacos at very good prices. It’s a market + taqueria setup, so again, super casual, no waiter hovering for tips. Learn More.

San Juan Capistrano

🌮 El Campeón
A local institution for over 30 years, El Campeón is where you go for authentic street tacos on handmade tortillas. It’s counter-service only, just order your carne asada, carnitas, or al pastor and dig in. Prices stay low, portions are solid, and the salsas are legendary. Grab a few and eat outside or take them down the street to Los Rios Park. Learn More.

🗓️ Add these events to your Calendar
(see full listing)

Tuesday, August 26

🕺 Free Line Dancing at Segerstrom! 
Dust off your cowboy boots! Segerstrom Center is hosting free line dancing class. Meet on Argyros Plaza for fun, beginner-friendly lessons open to all ages and abilities — no experience required. Classes are free with a free Plaza Pass.
Tuesday, August 26 | 6:30–7:30pm | Argyros Plaza, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa

Wednesday, August 27

🌱 Grow Your Own Food All Year Long 
UC Master Gardener Joan Whithorne shares a month-by-month guide to growing your own food — covering planting schedules, fruit tree care, pruning, soil health, pest management, pollinators, composting, and more.
Wednesday, August 27 | 6–7pm | 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente

Friday, August 29

🏄‍♂️ Surfboard Swap & Silent Auction
Bring a board, bid on a classic, or just enjoy the music — River Street Marketplace is hosting a one-of-a-kind surfboard swap silent auction to support Charlos in his recovery (a surfer from SJC). Enjoy live music, giveaways (like a 1965 Dodge A100 Surf Van and a $1,000 Toes on the Nose gift card). All proceeds go to the Love for Los Foundation.
Friday, August 29 | River Street Marketplace, San Juan Capistrano

Saturday, August 30

🌊 Celebrate San Onofre at This Surf & Beer Fest
Los Molinos Beer Co. is throwing a block party to support the San Onofre Parks Foundation, complete with live music, local vendors, and coastal community vibes. Meet surf clubs, enjoy the bands, and learn how to protect the San-O way of life.
Saturday, August 30 | 1–9pm | Los Molinos Beer Co., San Clemente

🎉 Barnyard Birthday Bash at Tanaka Farms
Party with the animals at Tanaka Farms! Enjoy cornhole, dancing, BBQ, and sunset photo ops with goats, pigs, and chickens at this family-friendly celebration on the farm.
Saturday, August 30 | 5–9pm | Tanaka Farms, Irvine

Sunday, August 31

🥾 Boots, Beer & BBQ for a Cause
Line dancing lessons, a live DJ, and a full dinner from Outback Steakhouse, plus beer and wine for purchase — all to support Mission Viejo’s adopted Marines.
Sunday, August 31 | 4–7pm | Norman P. Murray Center, Mission Viejo

To see what’s happening even further ahead, checkout our full listing…

📢 Want to Advertise?

If you’ve got a business, event, or brand that belongs in Inboxes across South OC, let’s talk.

Learn more here.

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.

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