You know, I've worked at two different art museums, and I'm still not what you'd call an "art…read morebuff," ...I'm more of what's you'd call "a lot buff!" *rimshot* Thanks folks, I'll be here all week. Take my wife, please. Boy are my arms tired. I'm pretty sure Grand Central Art Center is my new fave part of downtown Santa Ana. It's part grad student studios/other exhibitions/sales galleries. And, let me tell you, this is one top notch art gallery. Coming from a non-art buff, that means a whole helluva lot, doesn't it? Well, it should - because if I, a person who thinks Damien Hirst is just complete bullshit, then it should mean something to you. I'd say 85% of the works in this gallery caught my attention - a much higher ratio that the rest of the galleries around here. They've got some cutting edge stuff, a lot of trendy stuff and a dash of traditional sorta stuff. The space is top notch too. I love the way the different galleries are setup. But wait...there's more. On this particular art walk night that I went, they had posters of their upcoming exhibitions. Don't you roll your eyes and say "so what." These posters were the best free posters I've ever seen. Printed on fine quality paper with awesome designs. Oh, and FREE. Duh. Thumbs Up: -Non boring art. -If you're lookin' to buy, there is art here you can actually afford. Well, not you, but you over there...you can afford it. -Next to just about everything cool in Downtown Santa Ana. -Free food and drink during art walk! Thumbs Down: -It may end up being my second favorite thing after I finally visit Lola Gaspar across the way.

During the OC Yelp Elite Event here in March, a fascinating piece of artwork caught my eye…read more And no, for those who were there, it was not the Hitler Head teapot. Yes, I agree. W.T.F. Anyways, the husband and I saw a really cool piece of art and inquired about it a few days after the event. The price was right but we had some difficulty actually buying it. Let's just say there was a lack of communication with the curator and it took both my husband and I multiple attempts to buy the piece...over a month later. Whatever. But I would like to add that Alyssa, the curatorial assistant, was very helpful once we were able to finally pick it up. The experience of buying the art was a headache, but I actually really like the gallery. They show very eclectic genres of art and a wide range of contemporary artists - from cult artist "Dark Vomit" (scary!) to Thomas Kinkade (even scarier!). But the stuff in between is really cool. Take an afternoon and go check it out. The Artists Village in Santa Ana is one of the cooler neighborhoods of OC and Grand Central Art Center is, by far, one of the better art centers.

Very rarely do I get a deal in the OC on Goldstar on plays, so when I found one I wanted to see I…read moretook advantage. Theater is a little difficult to find as it is tucked back in what appeared to be somewhat of a depressed area (you could tell back in it's heyday the area was hoppin'). Street parking can also be difficult to find, and there is a parking structure nearby but not sure about the rates (Sun street metered parking is free all day). Theater itself is located in an art gallery, and it is very small and seating is congested (seats are also very uncomfortable like old style theater seating where you feel the springs pop out).

The area is growing so fast and the eateries are really turning out unique and creative dishes that…read moreyou cannot find elsewhere in Southern California...or the world. The Artist Village is an integral part of DTSA (Downtown Santa Ana) and full of Artsy and Delicious venues and events. This area is truly one unique place, a must stop and...."As Good as it Gets!"

The April art walk has some phenomenal art with the Museum having several exhibits featuring Andy…read moreMoses, new acquisitions and permanent collection which have not been shown in the last 5 years. The large concave paintings of Andy are panoramic. The circular ones are equally exciting as well. LCAD featured works by OC high school students. Other galleries offered fresh artworks.

The Laguna Beach Art Walk is pretty much the best free fun you can have in SoCal. Sure, it goes…read moreyear-round, but it really shines in the summer. Look, 29 days out of the month your wallet may cringe at the mere thought of a night out in Laguna Beach, but on the first Thursday night of the month, your wallet will jump with glee at the thought of only being used for your ID and to take a few bucks out of for tips. Free art, free music, free entertainment, free drinks... and even free transportation. These galleries really know how to do it up for artwalk, they don't just set out a bottle of Beringer like some art walks, nope you may get a Newcastle at one gallery, a martini at the next, and a glass of wine at the next. They definitely mix it up. There's always interesting artwork in the galleries, and the gallery owners are generally super fun to talk to and don't hound you to buy, buy, buy. I really love how everyone in attendance is in a great mood and just out to have a good time - it's such a great vibe.

Noguchi gardens is a gorgeous spot to just relax for a little, enjoy a break from the hustle and…read morebustle of the world. It's a small space but the artwork is nice and instills a sense of calm that is appreciated

Fun and interesting little place to visit if you are in the area by South Coast Plaza mall…read more Not the easiest place to find since you can't see it from the street. It is behind the Mastros restaurant. There is a parking structure nearby that is like $3 or $4 for 15 minutes and you can probably run through in 15 minutes, but 30 minutes to be safe. You can also walk from the mall parking lot, it is a little bit of a stroll but manageable. There are plenty of pictures so you can see what you are getting into before you make the drive, pay for parking, and walk over. When we went there on a Sunday morning, there were only 2 or 3 other people, so it was very quiet and zen. I enjoyed the write-ups and the exhibits. If I worked right there I would probably visit all the time.

I am re-posting my reviews... My account was hacked into and SOMEONE thought that it would be cute…read moreto delete some of my reviews.... Yelp HQ retrieved them) Jul 27, 2008 / 4 Stars So, I have heard a lot about The Light Gallery and I have never made it in for any of their openings till last night..... It was not an art opening however it was for a private B-day White Party... (yes everyone was in white) The art that was on the walls was more of a low-brow art scene.. Mind it was a B-day party and it was very dim in here. I met the owner and he was nice really didn't talk much about art because like I said it was dim in here with a DJ spinning and people all over dancing... I always get the invites for events here on myspace and have yet to make it to any of the exhibits... This place is located near the Little Knight bar off of E. 17th street just past Irvine Street. You can't miss the BOLD LETTERS BOASTING THE NAME LIGHT GALLERY... Entrance was in the back... From what I saw the gallery with whatever lighting that made it possible to see was not the sort of galleries that I am accustomed to going to. But, the bathroom was well overly lit.. The art on the walls in the bathroom were cool... The DJ's were fun.. People fun.. Dancing fun... FREE COCKTAILS.. fun.... The random chatting... fun...

The Light Gallery has become a regular weekend spot for me. I like it mostly because the art show…read morechanges every few weeks and feature different themes and artists.....AND.....the DJs spin good music! If you go to the opening or closing event, you'll have a good chance of meeting an artist(s), who do live art many times, which is really cool!. One time I was there and watched 3 artists draw a model at the same time. It was interesting to see how talented they are and the different styles and techniques they use. Definitely not your ordinary OC spot. I've also attended some charity events, which were pretty cool. It's always nice go to a place where you can have a good time and support a good cause. I've also bought a piece from the gallery, and worked with the owner directly. The owner is always there and has a great appreciation for art and has been really nice to work and hang out with. If you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend check out the Light Gallery! http://www.myspace.com/thelightgallery

Affordable So Cal experience. Multiple shows and showtimes. Clean inside and out and plenty of…read moreparking. We watched "Explore". Would like to see other shows.

Before I get into the actual Planetarium experience, I want to say that the staff was very helpful…read moreand were wonderful people. 5 stars for them all. HOWEVER - as a consumer, The Planetarium experience isn't about staff-interaction, it's supposed to be about mind-blowing visual / aural entertainment. And that's what my 2 star review is about... Lame. James Hood's MESMERICA features a well-conceived score (mostly electronic with brass/string/percussive simulation) and computer-generated graphics that we felt were very-well thought out. The message of hope, spiritual unity and the importance of 'living in the moment' were needed and well-taken. All that said, WHY were there 3 incredibly distinct blue "light stains" visible 100% of the time on the dome?? Every single graphic that played out on that dome was diminished greatly by those light stains - they were insidious and distracting to the point of turn-off. "Once you seem them, you can't unsee them" - and it ruined the entire presentation. Furthermore, it was obvious that the MESMERICA score didn't have enough music and graphics to carry a 45-minute presentation. 30 minutes would have done it. Seriously. As a 45-minute presentation, it felt far too long. If you're going to do a presentation that relies on slick graphics and visuals (like, isn't that the entire purpose of selling tickets to a DOME SHOW??) you have GOT to clean up that light distraction. Horrible! Sorry, I can't show pictures of it as photography/videography were disallowed.

What a hidden gem! This is a small but fascinating art museum that is responsible for two important…read morecollections of California art! They have a space to create art related to the current exhibition. And it's free!! Check their website for visitors information.

How beautiful is this place! Had no idea it even existed…read more Great art pieces from local high school teens. Open and nice space. Limited parking but some surrounding parking lot close by.

I've never been inside so thought I'd pop in…read more The front desk person was really friendly There were two areas with what looked like local paintings in the exhibit The outside is very strange. It looks like a regular building and when I got to the door it didn't seem like it was open The outside could use a facelift