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.

The Sculpture in Civic Center Park Exhibition is a free attraction by the Newport Beach City Hall,…read moreCommunity Center, and Library. There is a shaded parking structure for the area with comfortable parking. It was a hot day, and I was lucky I had some sunblock with me to apply before this spontaneous outdoorsy exploration. These exhibits listed on their brouchure: Interplay Reaching Man Glee Duality Growing Wings Heavy Landing Gecko Millefoilum Trillium Bus Stop Bench Natural Wonders Cosmos: Starry, Starry Night Wind Tree Spiral Dance Coming Through Open Heart Intended Destination Voyage of a Giant The Wave Joy Ride - Removed from brochure Art in Old English We actually came here to see Bunnyhenge... which I don't see listed on the brochure, but more to that in a separate review. Overall a nice free attraction to enjoy an outdoor walk and some art. A very nice spontaneous adventure. Kudos to my boyfriend for finding such a cute spot.

Really enjoyed looking at all the art sculptures walking an approximate of 1.5 mile loop. The trail…read moreconsisted of cement and gravel paths. The flowers around the path were also in full bloom. There is also a cool sky bridge to take in the beautiful scenery. I could see the ocean! Parking is free and trail head starts at the beginning of the parking lot. There were also two small dog parks within the loop.

Hope this place gets more traction and gets more lively. It'd be cool to organize a Taiwanese night…read moremarket kind of event upstairs. There are individual sections per vendor but unclear how it works as most vendors are at their post but there are staff walking around. I did see people walk in and out to check out this place. It's not captivating enough. If you want boba carriers or single drink carriers, they have it. They also have Asian snacks and drinks, souvenir trinkets and magnets, building block toys, little fortune telling thing like they have in Taiwan for $5, artsy stuff.. They have a big space attached to it. It's closed off though. Unclear what that is.

YiYa Formosa, located on the 3rd floor of the Garden Walk, is trying to recreate the feeling of a…read moreTaiwan night market, and you can tell there was a lot of intention behind the concept. For a Friday evening, the crowd inside is very light...so I hope this establishment survives. Inside the store, the "stall" set up area feels incomplete or semi-vacant. Most of the vendors are selling knick-knacks rather than food, which wasn't what I expected from a night market-inspired space -- more food stall or hot bar please. The area is sub-divided into sections that seem to try to create a little of everything -- there are spaces for gatherings, worship, paintings and a small gift shop. Food options are limited to just a couple of snack bars, which don't really compare to as much options like 99 Ranch. There is also offering to learn mahjong! One bright spot, though, is the wishing tree, which is a very welcoming and thoughtful touch. Too bad, the paper was out.

I am on a quest to visit all the museums in Orange County for the month of July. Today I visited…read moreMuzeo Museum in lovely downtown Anaheim. Muzeo is housed in two buildings. Right now building one, there is an incredible art exhibit on the history of skateboarding in Anaheim. It's awesome. I took so many photos lol. I used to skateboard when I was a kid. Loved every second of this exhibit. The second building houses so very cool artifacts from the 1800s to the 1900s reflecting the history of Anaheim. It was cool to go back in time to see the history of a place I called home. I saw the history of Anaheim vineyards and Valencia oranges, I saw a lot of information on the ranchos in Anaheim. The Anaheim street names are all named after very important ranchers and farmers in Anaheim. For example I saw the name of a rancher Don Bernardo Yorba who created the greatest rancho of California's Golden Age. No wonder we have cities like Yorba Linda and streets with name Bernardo. Fascinating stuff. Also, there was a video recalling the bicentennial which was July 4, 1976. It was a big deal. There were other artifacts like photographs and a typewriter, luggage and military uniforms. So much history packed in that museum. If you love to visit museums, Muzeo is one that you must visit. They provide validated parking in lots 3 and 5. If you are an Anaheim resident, the cost is only $8. Regular admission is $10. There are discounts for seniors, students and children.

Tiny. Muzeo is tiny. So, if you're worried about the 2 hr validated parking or the 90 minute street…read moreparking, you'll be fine. You'll probably be done within 30 minutes. If you want something more worthy of your admission fee and time, maybe skip Muzeo.

They have music, food and lots of vendors. Went to the OCCCA and Santa Ana College Art gallery. I…read morewas disappointed that the CalState Fullerton Grand Art Center wasn't open after 5pm. The only thing that is bothersome is the lack of adequate lighting as you can hardly see what they're selling.

The art walk is the first Saturday of the month, we had an amazing time supporting this event,…read morepassing information for Santa Ana residents, every time are different artists exposing, food, drinks, souvenirs, if you love art, this is the place to visit, in the heart of Santa Ana California

Awesome FREE festival with lots of vendors. The took over part of the parking lot in front of…read moreSurfas. They also spilled over into the OC Mix Mart area. In addition to the vendors, you can buy a wristband for $20 and sample unlimited cocktails and beers (from a limited selection) both Saturday and Sunday. Park at the Whittier Law School at the corner of Sunflower and Harbor. Walk is not even 5 minutes and you don't have to fight the parking lot at South Coast Collection. Keeping it short and sweet. Too many vendors to list. Lots of early ideas for the upcoming holidays. NICE

The patchwork indie arts and crafts festival's inaugural edibles edition was fantastic! Held at the…read moreOc-mix mart showcasing local artisans and businesses.I learned how to make my own kimchi, Sirarcha, pickled squash, herb flavored cooking oil and a lavender scented Epsom salt scrub for my skin. Everything for the do it yourself projects were donated by Whole Foods and the classes were free! I was able to take home the products I made in cute little glass jars. My kimchi is currently fermenting and I can hear my bottle bubbling. Classes were taught by local business owners which was a great way for them to promote their establishments. What a cool community event! There were cooking demonstrations inside Surfas culinary district where you could learn about things like how to cook with local California products, or about Tamales of South America and then we were able to have samples of what was demonstrated. Yum! Surfas also had some of their amazing cheese out to sample and I couldn't resist purchasing a big hunk of Holland Gold which is a Dutch goats milk Gouda. Oh it's tasty! I walked through the vendor area and bought some refreshing pink lady apple kombucha from the owner of the kombucha co thats trying to get her business off the ground. I also picked out a cute "Oh Kale Yeah!" T-shirt from another vendor that I was so excited about I wore it the next day to ciclavia. I was exposed to local business that I would love to seek out and patronize again. Arc restaurant gave a steak 101 demonstration and told us how he only uses local(from lake Elsinore) grass fed beef cooked over real fire using local almond and orange wood. He brought in his own wood burning oven for the demo. I only attended one day of the two day show but I'm on the mailing list now and can't wait for future editions. I only learned about the event the day before when I came to the mix mart to pick up some climbing shoes from gear co-op. The Santa Ana winds ruined our climbing weekend and I'm happy I was able to be a part of the inaugural edibles edition of the patchwork show. I hope they do a better job of promoting the next event and get even more people out. It's too cool not to check out.

The Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, California, is a non-profit museum founded by Dick…read moreMarconi, featuring a collection of over 100 rare and exotic cars, race cars, and motorcycles, with a focus on supporting children's charities through events and admissions. The impressive collection includes Ferraris, Lamborghinis, classic American muscle cars, and Formula 1 cars, with proceeds from visitors and events going to the Marconi Foundation for Kids to help children in need. The Marconi Automotive Museum is also a corporate event and entertaining center and features 3 areas for a wide variety of group accommodations! The staff at The Marconi are very friendly,knowledgeable and well versed to answer most questions regarding the vehicles they have in their collection and their histories! The museum staff member by the name of Emir was so knowledgeable regarding Mr.Marconis collection of cars and so friendly-which made our visit that much more enjoyable! The Marconi is definitely a must see if you or your family are visting the Southern California- Tustin area ! . . . . #marconiautomotivemuseum #exoticcars #childrenscharities #specialeventcenter #Tustin

Great place to take the kids! Children 12 and under are…read morefree! Add this place to your kid friendly list! The staff was super friendly and helpful!

This event was absolutely adorable! You get a chance to choose your package online, and they even…read moreoffer an early bird special price. My partner and I opted for GA ticket which comes with a box that has conversation cards, playing cards, and of course your lantern to decorate. Other packages include a T-shirt and access to VIP tent(s) and/or a blanket to sit on. This event is held in multiple areas during summer! We attended the OC one, in Santa Ana- most if not, all of these events are held at a park. With that being said, come prepared with chairs and blankets so that you can be comfy while you decorate, enjoy food, and listen to music. The event was pretty much open to the public. Your ticket just came with the lantern, but if you'd like you can also just spectate and watch others release their lanterns. The only reason why I don't give this event a five out of five is because of the food. The options were all pretty much the same, and when my partner, and I decided on one of the service was absolutely terrible. They were super backed up on orders, which I understand being a food truck. The volume of orders isn't the same as a restaurant, so that's totally understandable- but when we got our $60 order....The chicken burger was not at all what we expected and what was pictured on the truck. It wasn't bad, but it was giving microwaveable chicken with buns, and I asked for a regular lemonade, and was given their choice of drink instead- total side bar, but their lids were also terrible, and I spilled like half of the drink on myself when I got it. I believe as a party planner part of the experience is ensuring the professionalism of your vendors. Other than that, it was a really cute event that I got to experience!