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Wine Tasting Made Easy
If you’ve ever wished you could explore an entire wine list without committing to a single glass, two South OC gems have you covered, each offering a modern, self-paced tasting experience.


Hey friend,
Welcome to The Scene… your weekly roundup of what’s actually worth doing in South Orange County.
Our motto: the more you know, the more you 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.
So… what’s on your weekend list?
Hit reply and let us know.
Lorna & Jason
What's Inside...
🗓️ THIS WEEKEND’S PICKS 🗓️
~~ FRIDAY OCT 10th ~~
🎡 Carnival Colossal
The city’s biggest party returns! Enjoy four days of rides, live music, food trucks, and a beer garden at this beloved San Clemente tradition benefiting local parks and rec programs. Free admission; pay for rides and treats.
Oct 9–12 | | Vista Hermosa Sports Park, San Clemente
👅 Mission Viejo Restaurant Week
Sample special menu items and prix-fixe deals at participating local restaurants during Mission Viejo’s annual Restaurant Week.
Oct 6–11 | Mission Viejo
🎶 Symphony on the Go
Pacific Symphony rolls into town with a mobile stage for an outdoor chamber concert under the evening sky. Bring blankets and chairs, claim your spot early, and enjoy popular classics with the whole family.
Oct 10 | 6:30pm | Melinda Park, Mission Viejo
🍴 San Clemente Restaurant Week
Ten days of dining deals and special menus from local favorites.
Oct 10–19, | San Clemente
🪻 Sugar Skull Painted Mini Pots
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with colorful sugar-skull designs on mini flowerpots—perfect for Día de los Muertos décor. Free event with supplies provided. Call Library for more info (949) 497-1733.
Oct 10 | 10:30am | Laguna Beach
🔑 Haunted Escape Room
Test your wits in this free, family-friendly escape room full of spooky puzzles and teamwork challenges. Ages 8+; registration required at 949-452-8342.
Oct 10 | Times vary | Sierra Recreation & Fitness Center, Mission Viejo
🧙♀️ Wicked Sing-Along
Belt out the songs of Wicked under the stars at Crown Valley Park. Free family fun.
Oct 10 | 7pm | Crown Valley Park, Laguna Niguel
🎨 Paint & Sip at Sherman Library & Gardens
Paint among the flowers at this relaxed after-hours art night. Follow a guided lesson, sip your favorite wine, and create your own garden-inspired masterpiece.
Oct 10 | 5–7pm | Corona del Mar
Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD…
🎶 🎶 Checkout This Weekend’s Live Music Options
🎃 🧟 See Full List of Halloween experiences
The Spa Experience:
Without the Awkward Stuff !
There’s a new way to relax in South OC, and it’s called Squeeze Massage in Laguna Niguel. Imagine all the good parts of a massage, personalized pressure, soothing scents, total calm, without the awkward small talk, tipping moments, or surprise upsells.
You set everything up ahead of time on the app: where you want focus (and where you don’t), the pressure, even the music and aromatherapy. No awkward checkouts. No hidden add-ons. Just walk in, bliss out, and float home.
It’s spa perfection, streamlined, and right now, Scene readers get $40 off their first massage…
💆♀️ Make a booking
Save $40 on Massage
To redeem, enter code
SceneSouthOC
in website while booking
👉 Valid one time per guest
👉 Valid through 12/31/25
~~ SATURDAY OCT 11th ~~
🤠 Silverado Country Fair & Folk Festival
Step back to the Old West with live folk, bluegrass, and country music, artisan vendors, pie-eating and costume contests, kids’ activities, and plenty of hearty food and drink.
Saturday & Sunday, Oct 11–12 | Silverado Canyon
🎶 The English Beat at Kahuna Concert
Dance the night away with The English Beat, plus sets from Common Sense and Skatoway.
Oct 11 | Doors 3:30pm | Shorecliffs Golf Course, San Clemente
🎂 Modjeska’s Birthday at Arden
Celebrate the life and legacy of Helena Modjeska at her historic home, Arden, with tours, folk dance, and plenty of Polish treats.
Oct 11 | 10am–12pm (also 12–2pm session available) | 29042 Modjeska Canyon Road, Silverado
🌍 Irvine Global Village Festival
A one-day world tour: food, music, art, kids’ activities, and a global marketplace celebrating Irvine’s diversity.
Oct 11 | 10am–6pm | Great Park, Irvine
🐶 Bark or Treat
Dress up your pup for a morning of dog games, treats, arts & crafts, caricatures, and a costume contest hosted by Bark Barracks.
Oct 11 | 10am–12pm | Tustin
🎃 Scarecrow Festival
Kick off fall with trick-or-treat stations, a kids’ costume parade, scarecrow contest, face painting, photo ops, and live entertainment. Free fun for the whole family.
Oct 11 | 2–6pm | Lions Park Event Lawn, Costa Mesa
🍫 Cacao & Sound Journey
Sip ceremonial cacao, settle into guided meditation, and unwind with soothing sound healing during this equinox-inspired evening of balance and renewal.
Oct 11 | The Ecology Center, San Juan Capistrano
Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD…
🎶 🎶 Checkout South OC Live Music Options
🎃 🧟 See Full List of Halloween experiences
~~ SUNDAY OCT 12th ~~
🎶 The 805 Social Club: The History of Pop
Cruise through seven decades of hit songs — from the psychedelic ’60s to modern pop—at this free outdoor concert. Bring a blanket, picnic, or beach chair.
Oct 12 | 4:00–5:30pm | Marina Park, 1600 W. Balboa Blvd, Newport Beach
🦈 Jaws 50th Anniversary Screening
Float in the water (if you dare) or cozy up on the sand for a free outdoor showing of Jaws at Baby Beach.
Oct 12 | 6:30pm | Baby Beach, Dana Point
🥾 38th Annual FAM Hunger Walk
Step out for a 2-mile walk to fight hunger, then celebrate at the Pier Bowl with music, photo booths, and kids’ activities.
Oct 12 | 1pm reg • 2pm walk | San Clemente
🌿 Nature Meditation Walk
Unplug and unwind with a guided mindfulness walk through Laguna Canyon, ending with a tea ceremony among the oaks. registration required.
Oct 12 | 9am | Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Laguna Beach
Scroll down to see what’s happening next weekend and beyond:
➡️ PLAN AHEAD…
🎶 🎶 Checkout South OC Live Music Options
🎃 🧟 See Full List of Halloween experiences
🤔 Trivia Quiz
Which historic South OC landmark was home to famed Shakespearean actress Helena Modjeska in the late 1800s?
A) Egan House
B) Moulton Ranch
C) Arden House
D) Kellogg House
(Scroll to bottom for answer)
🍷 South OC’s Secret to
Effortless Wine Tasting
If you’ve ever wished you could explore an entire wine list without committing to a single glass, two South OC gems have you covered, each offering a modern, self-paced tasting experience.
At A Hidden Vine in Mission Viejo, you can pour your own wine from high-tech dispensers using a prepaid tasting card, just insert the card, select your pour size, and explore.
The setup lets you sample everything from Cabernets to rosés at your own pace, while enjoying a view that might be one of the best in town: the shimmering lake Mission Viejo.
It’s the kind of spot where locals gather at sunset with a flight, a few friends, and a flatbread to share. My personal favorite is the fig and goat cheese.
The atmosphere here is traditional with wood tables, and a lovely patio overlooking the lake. There’s also a wineshop and a wine club you can join.
When I heard one of the owners of The Hidden Vine had left to open a new version we knew we had to check it out, so we went for our Anniversary.
Wine Experience in Dana Point takes the same concept up a notch. Their upgraded tasting machines feature a global selection, guided by an on-site sommelier who’s happy to talk pairings, vineyards, and vintages.
It has a full menu that encourages you to stay for dinner, or at least another glass.
The atmosphere seems slightly more formal, sleek and modern.
Which One Do We Prefer?
Read the full article to see which location wins on:
1. View
2. Food
3. Wine
4. Service
5. Vibe
🦄 NICE NEWS…
🎃 Jack Is Back!
Irvine’s iconic Great Park Balloon has once again transformed into a glowing jack-o’-lantern, smiling over the city and marking the start of spooky season. Stop by for a photo op or take a ride for sky-high Halloween views.
Learn More
🪨 Pumpkin Rock Hike
Not in OC, but closeby in Norco you can see another HUGE Jack-o-Lantern in the sky. Hike up to Pumpkin Rock, a short but partially steep hike with great views.
Learn More
💍 Alexis Bellino Says “I Do” in Laguna Beach
“Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Alexis Bellino married John Janssen in an intimate, “rustic chic” ceremony in Laguna Beach on October 3, surrounded by about 140 guests.
Learn More
🚌 San Clemente Will Get Electric Shuttles
San Clemente just scored a $1.5 million state grant to launch a brand-new electric shuttle service along Avenida Pico. The eco-friendly route will connect neighborhoods to local parks and the beach trolley, making it easier (and greener) to get around town. The shuttles are targeted for summer 2026.
Learn More
✏️ PLAN AHEAD…
🗓️ Add these events to your Calendar
(see full listing- new events are added daily)
TUESDAY OCTOBER 14
💃 Salsa Dancing at Kaleidoscope
Spice up your night with free salsa dancing under the lights - no partner needed. Mission Viejo
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15
💃 Flamenco Family Fun
Join an afternoon of lively Flamenco dancing and music at the library. San Clemente
🐾 Pups at the Pitch
Catch an Orange County Soccer Club match with your pup in a dog-friendly fan zone. Irvine
THURSDAY OCTOBER 16
🎨 Masters of the Coast
Explore stunning coastal landscapes from the Laguna Plein Air Invitational at LPAPA Gallery. Laguna Beach
🎬 Newport Beach Film Festival
Eight days of screenings, premieres, and panels celebrating global and local filmmaking. Newport Beach
FRIDAY OCTOBER 17
👻 Haunted Trails at Crown Valley Park
Step into a chilling world of deranged doctors, dark corridors, and haunted surprises. Laguna Niguel
👻 Movie Night: Casper
Enjoy this family-friendly Halloween classic under the stars with free concessions. San Juan Capistrano Library
🎃 Fall-O-Ween at Heritage Hill
Wander the historic park filled with hay mazes, costumes, and Halloween magic for all ages. Lake Forest
👻 San Juan Capistrano Ghost Walk
Stroll historic streets while hearing tales of spirits, bandits, and long-lost souls. San Juan Capistrano
🍷 Wine Down Friday
Sip wine and unwind with live music in a charming canyon setting at Giracci Vineyards. Silverado
SATURDAY OCTOBER 18
🍴 San Clemente Sip & Stroll
Taste, toast, and explore local bites and drinks along Del Mar during this culinary walk. San Clemente
🌱 Free Compost Giveaway
Irvine residents can grab up to three free bags of compost—while supplies last. Irvine
🍂 Harvest in the Hills
Celebrate fall with crafts, games, food, and a family-friendly movie. Laguna Hills
🚌 Dana Point Trolley Art & History Tour
Ride through Dana Point’s art scene and landmarks with local docents as your guides. Dana Point
🎃 Pumpkins & Pints
Paint a pumpkin and enjoy a pint at Judge Brewing—fun for adults and kids alike. San Clemente
👻 Lake Eerie
Enjoy lakeside Halloween fun with crafts, music, a haunted house, and trick-or-treating. (members and guests only) Lake Mission Viejo
🚶♀️ 37th Annual Walk Against Drugs
Join the community for a rally and family fair promoting healthy choices. Mission Viejo
SUNDAY OCTOBER 19
🥂 The Sunday Toast: A Brunch Lover’s Market
Sip mimosas, sample brunch bites, and shop artisan vendors at this festive market. San Juan Capistrano
🎃 Halloween Night Market at the Inn
Shop, eat, and celebrate spooky season with live music and a costume contest. San Juan Capistrano
To see what’s happening even further ahead, check out our full listing.
New events added daily…
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If you see the value in authentic, local connection, let’s chat! [email protected]
Learn more here.
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THIS WEEK'S SNAPSHOT...
Here we are at A Hidden Vine in Mission Viejo — one of our favorite local spots to catch up with friends, and see familiar faces. Earlier in the week we’d been sipping vino in Dana Point at The Wine Experience!
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.
It’s A Wrap..
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📰 Read past newsletters and feature stories here.
🧐 Trivia Answer: ✅ Answer: C) Arden House
The 1880s canyon retreat of Polish Shakespearean actress Helena Modjeska, who named it after the Forest of Arden in As You Like It. Now a National Historic Landmark in Modjeska Canyon, Arden remains a tribute to her artistic legacy. Watch a short video to see Arden.
🎂 Madame Modjeska’s Birthday takes place Saturday, October 11, at her historic home with guided tours, folk dancing, and plenty of Polish treats. Sat, Oct 11 | 10am–12pm (also 12–2pm session) | Free event. Reservations required.
🥱 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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©️ 2025 The Scene: South OC | All content and information set forth above was created by Lorna Ladd and Jason Ladd and is the intellectual property of this publication. It is protected under US copyright law, including but not limited to “The Digital Millennium Copyright Act.” Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or duplication of any material, in whole or in part, without express written authorization & consent, is strictly prohibited by law and may result in legal action. Violators will be subject to prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
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