Blog

Music For A Cure!
07.01.11
Check out Greer's article about Music for a Cure's founders Julie and Murphy Karges in this month's issue of Riviera Orange County Modern Luxury magazine!
We absolutely love this photo of the Karges taken by amazing photographer John Russo!
Julie and Murphy started the foundation after a young Sugar Ray fan - Murphy is the band's bassist - lost his battle to cancer nine years ago. The Costa Mesa couple has worked tireless to bring music therapy to area hospitals and hopes to expand Music for a Cure's reach later this year.
In two weeks, young OC musicians have the chance to battle it out Sunday, July 17 in South Coast Plaza's Garden Terrace from 2 to 4 p.m. The winning band will receive a music video and a professionally recorded song - and even more children will receive the healing power of music.
Dining

Katsuya by Starck Opens Soon in Laguna!
06.30.11
By Joanne Tucker
Get your chopsticks ready for a Japanese-inspired feast as Katsuya by Starck opened its doors last night for its premiere party. Located along PCH in the former hush space, Katsuya is named after Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi. This sleek, sophisticated, yet warm and comfortable restaurant was created by a world-renowned designer Philippe Starck. The restaurant opens to the public on July 8.
Starck’s all-wood bento-box inspired design was simplistic, but the backlit images of Geishas gave a striking backdrop to his Japanese décor. The dramatic use of black curtains around the robata bar highlighted what Starck considers to be a “temple” to the art of Japanese cuisine.
At the grand opening, we sampled Chef Uechi’s famous crispy rice with spicy tuna, a yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno and an albacore sashimi with crispy onion. A full sushi bar included delightful sushi and sashimi options. We loved the rock shrimp tempura roll with a dynamite sauce. The sunset roll of eel, cucumber and avocado with a sweet sauce was a winner too. The traditional robata dishes, which were prepared on a Japanese grill, come in either chicken and beef in yakitori sauce, along with rice and a finely-chopped vegetable salad.
To complement our sushi and robata dishes, we were served Katsuya’s refreshing specialty cocktails such as the Vitamin A, which was made with tequila and fresh agave juice.
Katsuya by Stark, 858 S. Pacific Coast, Hwy., Laguna Beach.
Joanne Tucker is a dining and travel writer based in Costa Mesa, California.
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from the blog
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- 07.23.26 – VIII by Selanne Unveils Summer Tasting Menu
- 07.17.26 – Voluspa Brings Luxury Home Fragrance to Irvine Spectrum Center
- 07.16.26 – Alisal Ranch Marks 80 Years with a Summer of Celebration
- 07.14.26 – VEA Newport Beach Debuts Chef Angelo Sosa Summer Menu
- 07.13.26 – One Night, Five Courses, and a Top Chef Canada Champion at Balboa Bay Resort
- 07.13.26 – Amorelia Cocina Artesanal Brings the Flavors of Michoacán to Laguna Beach
- 07.13.26 – Via Lido Plaza Hosts Stars, Stripes & Summer Celebration July 17-18
- 07.12.26 – Casa Romantica’s Summer Lineup Features Concerts, Movies and Family Fun
- 07.08.26 – A True Full-Circle Moment: Artist Brothers Use ChatGPT to Help Create Bonita Canyon’s 50th Anniversary Mural
- 07.07.26 – IVI Vision Pops Up at Rails in Fashion Island
- 07.06.26 – Join Me at the Costa Mesa Historical Society Speakers Program
- 07.06.26 – Books We Loved: Ocean Adventures and an Imaginative Princess
- 07.01.26 – Pacific Symphony Unveils Star-Studded 2026-27 Pops Season
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- 06.26.26 – Segerstrom Center’s Y2K-Inspired Movie Mondays Return This Summer
- 06.25.26 – Summer Nights on the Lawn at VEA Newport Beach
- 06.18.26 – Sushi Ii Pairs Up with Brooklyn Kura for a Sake-Focused Omakase Night
- 06.17.26 – Say “I Do” on a Working Avocado Farm in Temecula
More Daily Doses
- 07.24.26 – LJ’s Lounge Brings Soul-Infused Dining and Music to Triangle Square
- 07.19.26 – Inside Reecess, Newport Beach’s New Wellness Destination
- 07.16.26 – Good Together House: Laguna Beach’s Home for the Extraordinary and Unexpected
- 07.14.26 – Life Time Opens Resort-Style Athletic Club in Brea
- 07.14.26 – Flea Style Brings Its Hat Bar Concept Home to Laguna Beach
- 07.13.26 – Gordon Ramsay Opens The Carnaby at Downtown Disney
- 07.08.26 – Noble Ace Debuts in Laguna Beach’s Historic Heisler Building
- 07.05.26 – Pageant of the Masters Returns to Laguna Beach With ‘The Greatest of All Time’
- 07.05.26 – Earl of Sandwich Opens New Flagship at Downtown Disney
- 06.30.26 – A Blissful Japanese Head Spa Experience at Invita Costa Mesa
- 06.28.26 – Fourth of July in Orange County: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday
- 06.26.26 – ‘Gala of the Stars’ Returns to Segerstrom for 17th Year
- 06.23.26 – Del Mar’s 2026 Summer Racing Season Opens July 17
- 06.19.26 – Sherman Library & Gardens Introduces Hazeltine’s and New Afternoon Tea Experience
- 06.17.26 – BURN Opens First OC Location in Newport Beach
- 06.14.26 – The Curated Life Brings French Charm to Laguna Beach
- 06.12.26 – Father’s Office Chef Sang Yoon Debuts Tiny’s Burger at South Coast Plaza
- 06.10.26 – Live on the Lawn Returns to Fashion Island This Summer
- 06.08.26 – SEASON Makes Dinner Planning Easy
- 06.07.26 – Wild Fork Hosts World Cuts Sampling Events in OC
