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Willem Dafoe to Headline “The Process Unlocked” Premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival

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By Greer Wylder
September 16, 2026

The Newport Beach Film Festival will host the taping of the pilot episode of "The Process Unlocked" at Witte Hall on Sept. 19, with veteran journalist Jenelle Riley sitting down for an in-depth conversation with actor Willem Dafoe.The new series is a response to a shift in audience appetite. Red carpet interviews built around trivia and games have their place, but viewers are increasingly hungry for something slower and more substantive: real conversation about craft. "The Process Unlocked" delivers that. Rather than a broad career retrospective, each episode digs into specific creative choices, the instinct behind a scene, the vision…

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Broken Yolk Café Dishes Up Hope for OC Kids This Holiday Season

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By Greer Wylder
September 15, 2026

Breakfast just got a little more meaningful. Through Dec. 8, Broken Yolk Café is hosting a fundraiser benefiting Project Hope Alliance, the Costa Mesa-based nonprofit working to end the cycle of youth homelessness in Orange County.Here's how it works: mention the fundraiser to your server at a participating location, and 10% of your check goes to Project Hope Alliance. Those dollars become gift cards for holiday shopping and food experiences for local children experiencing homelessness, the kind of ordinary December joy every kid deserves. Prefer to give directly? You can donate here.The grand total will be presented to Project Hope Alliance…

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Levain’s Black & White Weekend Comes to Orange County for the First Time

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By Greer Wylder
September 09, 2026

Levain Bakery's most popular limited-edition cookie is coming to Orange County for the first time. The Black & White Cookie, a longtime fan favorite, will be available at Levain's Fashion Island bakery in Newport Beach for four days only, Friday, Sept. 11 through Monday, Sept. 14, National Black & White Cookie Day.Now in its third year, Black & White Weekend has become an annual tradition for Levain, and this is the first time Orange County guests can celebrate it at their own neighborhood bakery.This year brings new ways to enjoy the weekend. Guests can pair the cookie with a Black…

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LAWineFest Marks 21 Years With a New Home at the LA Equestrian Center

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By Greer Wylder
September 09, 2026

LAWineFest is celebrating its 21st year with a move to a new venue: the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, set against the tree-lined edges of Griffith Park. The festival runs Sept. 12 and 13, bringing two days of wine tasting, live music and community spirit to a fresh setting between the 5 and 134 freeways.For more than two decades, LAWineFest has built a reputation as a welcoming spot for wine lovers of every level, and the new location adds mountain views and open, shaded grounds to the mix. The Equestrian Center is home to hundreds of horses and regularly hosts dressage…

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Newport Dunes Celebrates Labor Day Weekend With Live Music, Beach Movies and Waterfront Fun

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By Greer Wylder
September 02, 2026

Summer isn't over yet. Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina is keeping the season going with a full lineup of live music, beach movies, food trucks and water adventures from Friday, Sept. 4, through Monday, Sept. 7.Families looking to spend the day can head straight for the resort's Inflatable Water Park, open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Labor Day. The floating obstacle course includes more than 25 inflatables, from slides and bounce platforms to icebergs and a jungle gym. For a calmer pace, the Upper Newport Back Bay is ideal for kayaking, pedal boating, paddleboarding or cruising…

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