The Memphis Group celebrated its 15th Anniversary at its original diner, Memphis Café at The Lab in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, August 25. The diner offered it’s original 1995 prices for lunch and dinner.

The crowds began early in the afternoon for the celebration, great food, and unbeatable prices. Businessmen and women took a little time out of their busy workdays to join Memphis in its outstanding 15 years in running.

Some of the items on the menu included the cafes old time favorite, Down Home Gumbo and Corn Bread for the original price of $4 per bowl, which is currently $7.50 per bowl. Other original priced items included the Hickory Smoke-Roasted Turkey Breast Sandwich, Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich, and the BBQ Chicken Sandwich.

Happy Hour was held at the Memphis Café from 3:00-5:00pm followed by its dinner specials until 10pm. Entertainment kept the going into the late night hours.

The celebration went into the late night with DJ Danny Love spinning “The Grooviest in Rare Soul and Acid Jazz” just as he did every Wednesday evening in 1995.

The Memphis Group has been a prime location for entertainment and great eats for Orange County ever since it opened shop at Memphis Café in the summer of 1995.

Shortly after, in 2002, the Memphis Group expanded and is now the proud owner of two Memphis restaurants (Costa Mesa and Santa Ana), catering and events distribution, Detroit Bar (live-music venue), and The Lizzle Saloon (gay friendly bar).

At each location the group captures a mod ambiance with classic cocktails and gourmet comfort food.

The Memphis Group just recently branched out to the South Bay by bringing its warm hospitality to Manhattan Beach with Memphis at the Beach.

For all those that missed the 15th Anniversary celebration, Memphis Café is celebrating till tomorrow night! So stop by and do not miss out on the original 1995 prices.

Looking for something delicious to do this weekend?

Join OCAC’s own Lamia and Angela as they explore 50 of Orange County’s best food trucks all in one spot!

On Saturday, August 28th from 11:30am until 7:00pm, the Honda Center in Anaheim will be hosting the first ever gourmet food truck event. The OC Foodie Fest, as it’s called, will feature the best mobile food trucks as well as shopping and entertainment to benefit local charities.

If great food isn’t enough for you, the event will also showcase the best in Southern California musical talent.  This is your chance to check out some of OCAC’s favorites, like The Relative Strangers and The New Limb.

Tickets are just $6.00 for children (3 and under free with paid admission) and $12.00 for adults. Special tasting portions at each food truck will range from $1.00 to $5.00.

If you can’t make it to the event, or you just want to follow along with the action, make sure to follow @The_Lamia and @itsahumanzoo on Twitter, and watch for the hash tag #OCACFF.

For more information or to buy tickets, check out OCFoodieFest.com.

As I approached the )( Hurley Headquarters on an overcast Costa Mesa morning, I circled the crowded lot until I could finally find a parking spot! Upon walking about there were buildings quartered upon every square, resembling a college campus, or how I like to refer to it as the Hurley Village.  The )( Headquarter takes great precautions to protect their creativity and idea flow, each building was protected through pass code.

I soon found the reception area and awaited Annie Adjchavanich Curator of )( Space. Adjchavanich’s tour began with the creative process behind Hurley, and the artistic recruitment process behind the brand.

Hurley, an untraditional sponsor of the arts, has multiple outputs for artists to get involved through their art video’s, t-shirt contests, gallery exhibits, and patronage of other entities such as museum exhibits, and recent lecture with Ed Templeton at the Orange County Museum of Art.

The brand seeks to attain a selection of undiscovered artists with immense potential. Many of the works they are often attracted to are those of color and geometrics, with mixed media like elements. The creative process behind Hurley is curated design in its various design selection. As we entered the creative design center, the building itself resembled a rough, rugged warehouse with an air of simplicity and creativity upon every corner. The precise atmosphere to inspire. Each office seemed very sui generis reflecting the innovative personalities of each designer.

Hurley resident artists are typically recruited for their unique and innovative pieces, their latest artist Mike Stilkey was discovered from a Hurley art video, his work was then exhibited in the )( Space gallery and parts of his artwork are now featured on Hurley apparel. Stilkey has a very particular yet creative approach to his artwork. He takes used library books and mounts them, often to great heights, or sometimes just a foot, and paints upon them.

The gallery itself entitled )( Space, an ideal name for the one gallery venue, as it is literally one space to exemplify the artwork. It has just enough to introduce the artistic raw element of the brand, and is quite the unique concept for a major retail label.  )( Space leads directly to where its inspiration is reflected, the Hurley store, exclusively at the headquarters for employees and guests, with many of the labels latest apparel.

Hurley designers incorporate artwork  through the design of various merchandise, and are often using various parts of the artwork to create a design element, unique and novel, recreated from a different perspective. Artistic creation is what  fuels the endless imagination of the designer  at Hurley to have infinite continuity in the execution of their apparel.

Parts of the exhibit was recently  moved  in a grander scale to the company’s 225 Forest store during the Laguna Beach July Art Walk. Hurley recently opened their new show Dalek: “Chaos on the Edge of Reason”, a continuous mural on canvas by James Marshal, known as Dalek, will run until the end of August!

Photos courtesy of Hurley

On June 30th, 2010, Longboards Ice Cream is launching a new social location sharing concept and debuting it to the people of Orange County, California. Using the geolocation sharing service, Gowalla, Longboards is pioneering a new brand-to-consumer relationship by allowing customers to live the brand lifestyle through a social location challenge. Consumers check-in to popular shops, restaurants, and spots around the Orange County area, driving more awareness, foot traffic & business to participating sponsors that fit the Longboards brand lifestyle. Consumers participating in the challenge will use Gowalla on their mobile device to check-in to these locations. Prizes will be awarded at an awards party for those that finish the Tour.

Who can participate?

Anyone with a smartphone!  Just download Gowalla (Gowalla can be downloaded for FREE from the iTunes app store, Android Market, and the Palm Catalog. All other users can use Gowalla on their phones at m.gowalla.com.), make a free acount (it takes about a minute) and get started!  You can even link it with Facebook and Twitter to let your friends know what you’re doing.  If you’d like to friend some OCACers, find jennvy and evanvincent!

What is GeoLocation?

Gowalla is just one of many geolocation (also referred to as location-based) platforms. These platforms are primarily utilized from mobile devices, and allow users to check in to and engage with physical locations and events. Each platform takes a different approach. While some are more about the social aspect (e.g. where are my friends?), others are more about the gaming aspect. (e.g. picking up, trading, and dropping items). In addition to Gowalla, there are several other platforms that have similar ambitions, including Fousquare and Yelp. Geolocation is a hot trend in the social space at the moment and will continue to be.

About Longboards Ice Cream

A classic surfboard is handcrafted with extreme care and reverence for the sport. Longboards Vintage Ice Cream is created with this same passion. Each flavor has been tested and refined to ensure every Longboards we shape tastes as good as the original. We use only the best ingredients when creating Longboards Vintage Ice Cream. The high quality ingredients give us a decadent product with lower calories for our savvy fans.

VISIT THE TOUR OF OC WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION!!  www.tourofoc.com

The District at Tustin Legacy will host the Music for a Cure benefit along with a performance by special guest Sugar Ray on Sunday, July 11th.

The evening will begin with a silent auction at The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub, where attendees can socialize with supporters of Music for a Cure along with local rockers Sugar Ray. The auction will include items such as beach cruisers to various games tickets.

Once the silent auction comes to an end attendees can enjoy a special performance by Sugar Ray located at The District’s outside stage directly in front of Borders Books & Music.

Directly following the performance people can pick up their items and enjoy the after-party back at The Auld Dubliner.

According to President of Music for a Cure, Julie Karges, the organization is pleased to be holding the event at The District.

“We are honored to partner with The District for an evening of music and friends on a warm summer night and appreciate the contribution of the participating stores and restaurants in supporting our cause,” said Karges in a recent press release.

The event will support local non-profit organization, Music for a Cure with proceeds going toward music therapy services for referred patients and families with Children’s Hospital of Orange County Child Life Department.

Music for a Cure was founded by members of Orange County rock band, Sugar Ray in 2002. The organization was founded in the memory of teen Ryan Michael Bates, who lost his life to cancer at 16-years-old.

Music for a Cure and Sugar Ray bring music therapy to critically ill children by providing quality music instruments, supporting music therapists and music therapy programs at children’s hospitals.

Sugar Ray recently received this year’s Orange County Impact Award at the 2010 Orange County Music Awards. The band is known for hits such as “Fly” and “Every Morning.” Music for Cougars was the bands latest and most recent release.

The District Legacy is owned by joint venture Vestar/Kimco in which they are pleased to be holding the event.

“We are thrilled to be able to partner with Music for a Cure on this unique benefit event, bringing together Music for a Cure supporters, Sugar Ray fans and District shoppers in an intimate, unique setting,” said Kimberly Daskas, Director of Marketing & Strategic Sponsorship for Vestar in a press release.

Tickets for the Music for a Cure benefit will cost supporters $50 and only 250 tickets will be available for purchase.

Schedule of Events:

6 p.m. – Check-in/silent auction at The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub

7 p.m. – Event begins in front of The District Stage

8 p.m. – Silent auction closes

8:15 p.m. – Special performance by Sugar Ray

9 p.m. – Silent auction check-out/after-party at The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub

For more information visit here!

Following your dreams is not always an easy feat in this economy. Luckily, Travis Ishida and Jeff VanVleck have got you covered. Spending their waking hours putting together premiere fashion shows as well as producing events of all shapes and sizes, these two OC movers and shakers are on a mission to help local businesses succeed in the most stylish way possible. Discover VanIsh Marketing & Events.

Alisha Domoslai: How was VanIsh Marketing & Events formed?

Travis Ishida: VanIsh was formed when Jeff VanVleck and I Travis Ishida, came together.  Jeff had been doing fly by the hip fashion shows for different clubs.  After running into Jeff at a show, I gave some advice about how to make the shows more lucrative.  After a couple of meetings we decided to join together to form VanIsh. We have been going strong ever since.

AD: How did you come up with the company name and describe the different aspects of your business.

TI: Van for VanVleck and Ish for Ishida, the first three letters of our last names put together.  It just made sense. Our company has several different aspects to it, but we are most known for our fashion shows. When we’re not doing fashion shows we offer a wide variety of options to our clients, i.e. marketing, public relations, talent management, production(s), and special events. It’s great because we are able to offer our clients a single source to take care of all of their marketing needs. All of our divisions also complement one another so it is all very harmonious.

AD: We here at OCAC appreciate entrepreneurs. What made you want to start your own company?

TI: I have worked in corporate America for years. 5 years ago I decided to work as a professional photographer.  While being my own boss has its perks I was still missing something. While  Jeff, who still works  for corporate America wanted something more out of life so together we decided to use our talents to create something of our own. It’s nice to be able to work from remote locations, and deal with new people on a constant basis. After all, who wants to be stuck in a cubical every day?

AD: Many local boutiques and businesses are struggling in this economy. What can VanIsh offer to help stimulate small businesses that will give them more exposure?

TI: Even though the economy is tough right now and we are all feeling it, it is still important to bring your company to the fore front of the entertainment industry. VanIsh offers several different custom marketing campaigns that can be fitted to every client’s budgets. From the starving artist to the thriving company, we enjoy working with everyone and being a part of the success of an individual or company.

AD: What is a specifically unique aspect to the events that you put together that sets you apart from other firms?

TI: VanIsh is unique because we truly go that extra mile to make sure that our clients receive more than what they expect. We pride ourselves on great customer service, and we always think outside of the box.

AD: What was your favorite/most memorable fashion show that you put together? I think so far it has to be our Dainese fashion show. There was a lot of production that went into that event, and it was also our first international client. The VanIsh team did a great job and everything came together flawlessly.

AD: What are the most challenging parts of producing fashion shows?

TI: That’s a tough question; I would have to say all the small details that go into a production.  We have a great team so everyone knows their roll and how to execute it professionally.

AD: Any favorite up and coming local designers that we should be looking out for?

TI: VanIsh has always been a big fan Atwater Collection.  They are a new, up and coming company that brings a mix of the traditional Orange County surf and skater wear.

AD: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

TI: Our favorite part of our job is knowing that we are able to help people succeed in their dreams and business. It is very gratifying to be able to look back and know that we are a part of their success.

AD: VanIsh puts on events all over Southern California as well as Las Vegas. What does Orange County offer that other cities don’t?

TI: We love Orange County! OC is where Jeff and I are both originally from so we have had the opportunity to grow up with today’s leading OC fashion designers. Orange County has the most beautiful people in the country, great designers, and fashion sense all to our own.

To find out more information about VanIsh Marketing & Events visit www.vanishme.com

Photos courtesy of VanIsh Marketing & Events

Tim Hyde’s passion for green fashion is contagious. When he recognized a need for affordable eco-friendly apparel, he decided to start up Subeco. Subeco is an environmentally conscious line of organic cotton tees and accessories. With their cool graphics and comfy fits, Subeco makes it that much easier for you to keep it green!

Alisha Domoslai: When and how did you become passionate about the green movement?

Tim Hyde: It all started when I left High School about five years ago.  I started to watch a lot of HGTV and started seeing movies on the environment like Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth.  I learned a lot of things by watching television!  And parents are always saying television is bad, but if it weren’t for television Subeco may have never happened!

AD: What inspired you to start Subeco?

TH: One day I was walking into a local retail clothing store near my house and wanted to do my part by buying my first organic shirt. I found the organic tees section and was astonished at what I saw!  All the designs were the same looking.  They all had a tree or some “Go Green!” font on them the size of a pencil.  That wasn’t even the worst part of it all!  I turned over one of the tags on the shirt, and it was $86 dollars!  I could have sworn I read it wrong and took it up to the cashier. They confirmed that it was $86 dollars and then she says, “But it’s organic!”  As if that made the $86 dollar price tag somehow better.  From that day on I started working on a line that would have good designs and most of all, priced similar to regular brands.

AD: How does the line stay eco friendly?

TH: All of Subeco’s products are eco-friendly in one way or another.  Some products are made locally with recycled materials. Most of our shirts are 100% certified organic. I also print all the products myself so there is no shipping from a printer across the country or the world for that matter. I am launching a small second summer line in July and also having some products made that most start up brands could only dream about having.  They will be made locally with no shipping, just a simple drive to pick them up!  I am researching and looking for ways to be even more environmentally conscious everyday for Subeco as well as in my daily life.

AD: Why should consumers seek to wear eco friendly and organic fashions?

TH: If everyone wore organic we would have more than 20% less carbon footprint.  It’s that simple! The amount of chemicals and pesticides put into the soil, plants and air negatively impacts the planet and is often unnecessary. Wearing recycled, bamboo, or organic products helps out our planet and isn’t hard to do. Often these products are softer and better fitting then a regular cotton shirt, and you are helping the planet. What’s better than that?

AD: Tell us about the tree fund that you donate to.

TH: For every Subeco product purchased a tree is planted in the Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil as part of the Plant A Billion Foundation. I do this to help counter the carbon footprint made by printing, shipping and creating the products we use.

AD: One of the designs on your tees and totes tells Californians to “Clean up.” What can we do to help keep our beautiful state clean?

TH: You can do so many simple things.  For example, picking up a small piece of trash, not littering, using biodegradable trash bags, recycling and reusing everyday products. On the homepage  I write a blog that has “Eco-Tips Of The Day” several times a week.  Tune in for tips on how to change your ways to be more eco-friendly by doing simple everyday things. You can also check www.iamthetrend.com I write articles on eco-friendly apparel and technology.

AD: You just recently launched your line. What would you like to see happen in Subeco’s future?

TH: Someday I would like Subeco to be a full-time gig.  I would love to travel and speak about being more environmentally conscious. Subeco growing in size would mean that more trees are planted, more people would be wearing eco-friendly clothing and spreading Subeco’s vision.  I hope to have a good following and be able to keep coming out with rad environmentally friendly clothing!

AD: Where can we find your line?

TH: You can find the full line at www.wearsubeco.com

You can also find Subeco products at the SEED People’s Market in Costa Mesa, California.  So please come by and buy Subeco clothing and accessories at SEED.  We also will be available in other small retailers and boutiques around the United States!

I couldn’t have  been more thrilled to attend the return of Adventure Day at Casper’s Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano on March 13th, 2010. After a ten-year hiatus, Adventure Day returned with a bang, attracting approximately 1000 attendees over the 5-hour event. Upon arrival, everyone received a fun scavenger hunt that had you go from booth to booth searching for the next clue. The completed hunt could be turned in for an entry into the raffle at the end of the festivities.

Visitors were treated to performances by The Dusty Rangers, a group of three park rangers who sing about wilderness, and Jacque Nunez, a descendant of the Acjachemen tribe who tells colorful stories from her culture’s past. Also among the festivities were crafts, raffles, a scavenger hunt, guided hikes, and educational booths. There were also games such as the cowboy lasso, egg and spoon races and ring toss. Winners received medals made especially for the event, presented by Supervising Park Ranger Jacky Velasquez.

Among the educational booths was one from the OC Zoo, featuring reptiles to get up close and personal with. Nearby, you could explore what different animal tracks looked like, touch a variety of pelts and skins, learn how to make a nature rubbing, and see how big a mountain lion really is. Kids were even able to get inside a real police hummer and see a fire truck. There were also booths featuring information on some great organizations such as the Sierra Club, Orange County Animal Services, Orange County Bird of Prey Center and even the Girl Scouts.

If you’ve never been to Casper’s Wilderness Park, it is well worth the short drive down the Ortega Highway. The 8,000-acre park is the largest of the OC Parks. Amenities include; Playground, Barbeques and Fire Rings, Bike Trails, Family and Group Camping, Equestrian Trails and Camping, Amphitheater, Picnic Areas, Hiking Trails, Interpretive Center and Programs, Restrooms, and Scenic Overlook.

Casper’s Wilderness Park is a great way to experience all the excitement of camping in a big state park without having to travel for hours.  Every Saturday they have a campfire program featuring games and activities for kids, wilderness safety, and more. On Sundays they offer a leisurely 1 mile guided hike for any level of hiker.  I am so proud to have such a beautiful place practically in my own backyard.

Check out www.ocparks.com for more information or for a list of upcoming events in all of the OC Parks.

Downtown Santa Ana is known in Orange County as the heart of the arts district.  Home to such places as Grand Central, The Yost Theater and the Artist Village, you never run out of things to do.  But this holiday season downtown Santa Ana is going to be a little different.  Two art center graduates, Adam Voorhees and Shin Fujita have come together to develop special animation components for Project: Holiday Projection. Using the Spurgeon Building in downtown Santa Ana as a facade, high powered projectors will be spilling a spectacle of light and shadow to create animated illusions of 3D design. It’s a trend that has been sweeping Europe and is now making its very first appearance in Orange County.

The process of the projection project combines some creative 3D mapping software that will trace the downtown Spurgeon building allowing the projectors to use it as a canvas to display some visually stimulated holiday animation.  And if that was not enough, it’s all set to an immerse soundtrack created by the co-owner of Santa Ana’s Crosby Restaurant. Chris Alfaro created the music to sync perfectly with the visual performance that will transport you into a glee of holiday ecstasy.

Project: Holiday Projections is a perfect mash-up of visual stimulation and auditory overload in a location that is perfectly well suited.  It’s needed to be seen to be believed and you only have a couple of weeks to do it.  Take your whole family and invite all your friends to visually feast on a really awesome collaboration of designers and artists that will tickle your senses.  It’s way better than that lump of coal that’s going to be getting in your stocking this year.  Go check it out!

PROJECT: Holiday Projection
The Spurgeon Building
206 W. 4th Street (between Main and Broadway)
Santa Ana, CA 92701
www.downtownoclife.com

Project Projection performances continue Thursday – Saturday evenings from 7-9pm through December 27th

NOTE: In the event of rain, the performance will be canceled

Not too many years ago, the characterizing quality of the Jabulani Village in Zimbabwe would have been it’s thriving community of gifted artisans known for their wood carvings of some of the country’s most breathtaking creatures.  These carvings, made from a single piece of local Mucwa hardwood and some standing as tall as 15 feet, are carved using the most simple tools, but each is intricately detailed and finished into a prized piece of art.  Not long ago, these artists would have been the face of the Village – but now, the economic crisis with it’s 234 million% inflation rate, a nation being plagued by rampant AIDS, Malaria, malnutrition, untreated illnesses and infections has made these remarkable carvings take a back seat to the simple idea of survival.

This small village of around 500 lives in the bush of Zimbabwe with no electricity or running water.  With each member usually taking in at most one meal a day, and disease ravaging the country, the future of the village looked rather bleak until a small group of Orange County women took it upon themselves to make a difference.  The Ndebele Art Project began with plan to start a pre-school and community water project.  With these initiatives in place, the last three years have focused on an expanding list of goals including a medical clinic, installing a windmill and six water tanks for clean water, emergency provision of food, distribution of clothing and shoes, nutrition and first aid supplies, and now focusing on the cultivation and maintenence of a garden to both sustain the villagers nutritional needs but also provide surplus produce for local sale.  Though the funding for these projects come from private donations, another huge source for their efforts is the now annual Hope and Possibility benefit – with this years event taking place this weekend.

The Ndebele Art Project is a non-profit organization located right here in Orange County.  This organization began with the hopes of restoring the community to it’s former state of prosperity. I had the opportunity to speak to one of NAP’s volunteers, Mire Molnar, about her experience working with the project.  Mire first joined the board in 2008 and produced the first Hope and Possibility event on the rooftop of The Camp in Costa Mesa. Since then, her passion for the villagers has increased thremendously and driven her to continue working for their greater good even from a continent away.

“Traveling to [Zimbabwe] and meeting the village was life changing.  The people I met and the family we stayed with was so happy and full of grace it made me feel so ashamed of how much I take for granted.”, says Mire.  Indeed, with a culture like Orange County, it is difficult to imagine what it would be like to live without the easy access we have to the finer luxuries our society has to offer.  Even in the midst of terrible hardship and an unsure tomorrow, these courageous people seem to possess what we all are looking for – freedom.  “They live in the moment and cherished each other in such a tangible way.”

When Mire returned from her trip, she discovered that NAP didn’t feel like a charity – it felt like a trade situation.  “They were offering our spirits a place to be free and heal and we were offering them all the skills we have within the realm of organization and project completion.”   And the trade continues on.  With this small village shining as a beacon of hope and freedom of spirit, NAP continues to fuel the flame by continuing their funding efforts.  And now, they offer the chance to get involved to you.

On July 19th, NAP will hold it’s Annual Hope and Possibilities event at Memphis in Santa Ana.  A portion of the profits, as well as a silent auction, poker tournament, and opportunities for pledges will go towards upcoming and ongoing projects in the Jabulani Village.  Dinner and silent auction will be held from 5-9pm, with the poker tournament and dj party running from 7-1am.  Reservations can be made by calling 714-564-1064.  You can also benefit NAP by shopping through their online mall at http://shop.napafrica.org/shop

“There are so many places in the world that need extra attention, extra love and extra healing,” Mire adds.  “Find the people that you have a connection to and live your life WITH them. Include them into your thoughts your budget your projects.”

Photos by Todd Puchalski.