The Dose

Drive-in. Walk in. Bike in. Eastside Mini Mart

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By Greer Wylder
May 18, 2018

The Eastside Mini-Mart, a longtime favorite grab-and-go drive through, has a new look, new owners and an array of new products. It still serves up the same convenience. On Saturday, May 19 from 3 to 7 p.m. you can stop by their Open House and enjoy complimentary snacks, drinks and 10% off everything. Best friends and business partners Deborah Talanian and Jeanine Scalero bought the longtime Costa Mesa drive-thru last year, with a vision for breathing new life into the local gem from a bygone era. They started with an interior remodel, commissioned custom furniture, and hired a design team…

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LA’s Renowned French Cuisine Couple to Open Knife Pleat at SCP

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By Greer Wylder
May 17, 2018

Curious as to what chic restaurant would take the spot of the award-winning Marché Moderne that relocated from South Coast Plaza to Crystal Cove last year? The word is out that Knife Pleat, a new French restaurant by chef Tony Esnault and restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi, will open in early 2019. Esnault and Sarmadi, known for their sought-after downtown Los Angeles restaurants Spring and Church & State. Both French restaurants have made Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold’s annual “101 Best Restaurants” in the Los Angeles Times. Esnault, regarded as one of Southern California’s best French chefs, grew up in the Loire Valley…

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Laguna’s Historic Boutique Hotel and Spa: A Luxury Redux

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By Greer Wylder
May 16, 2018

If you haven’t yet discovered or experienced the beautifully renovated Casa Laguna Hotel & Spa on the southern end of Laguna Beach, you will be so impressed by this historical treasure. The property was built in the early 1900s, and today it offers intimate guest suites and a new Spa that was completely redesigned and renovated by famed interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, one of Architectural Digest’s top 100 interior designers, and PRG Hospitality (Palm Springs’ Colony Palms Hotel and Sparrows Lodge, San Luis Obispo’s Granada Hotel and Bistro and others). Casa Laguna’s one-of-a-kind luxury boutique accommodations were restored with…

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An Award-Winning Cheese Takeover

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By Greer Wylder
May 15, 2018

Cheese enthusiasts won’t want to miss SideDoor’s monthly Cheese Takeovers celebrated through the summer season. The third Wednesday of each month starting at 4:30 p.m., SideDoor in Corona del Mar showcases a select five-piece cheese board at $28 from various boutique creameries while featured cheeses find their way into select SideDoor menu items for that evening only. Tracy Nelsen, SideDoor’s certified cheesemonger, will be on hand at each takeover to educate guests on each cheese. A different creamery is showcased monthly, culminating with the Ultimate Cheese & Charcuterie Backyard Party in July. On Wednesday, May 16 – Small California Creameries &…

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The Pacific Wine & Food Classic

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By Greer Wylder
May 14, 2018

The Pacific Wine & Food Classic weekend festival will take place on August 18 & 19 at the Newport Beach Dunes Waterfront Resort. Early bird tickets are available now with prices ranging from $99 - $259, yet will increase soon. The annual Wine & Food Festival will feature more than 100 not-to-miss summer inspired experiences. A small sampling of what festival guests can enjoy include: A Summer Wine Garden, Celebrity Cruise Silent Disco, Taco & Beer Lounge by Towne Park Brewing and Chela’s, Paella and Sangria Lounge by Villa Roma, Official “Pacific Burger” by Burger Boss, “Off the Hook Seafood”…

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