The Dose

Five Years on the VIne

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By Greer Wylder
July 23, 2012

Old Vine Café at the Camp in Costa Mesa just hit the five-year mark of serving fresh and delicious breakfast, lunch and dinners with an emphasis on seasonal foods, great service and wines. In celebration, Chef/owner Mark McDonald and sommelier, Mario Miranda are updating the wine list and reworking pairings for their famed community wine dinners and seasonal tasting menus.  With the duo, expect exciting new elaborate regional food and wine pairing experiences.  At dinner, Old Vine Café offers four-course tasting menus such as seasonal, original, vegetarian, vegan, Italian, comfort, premium and epicurean dishes paired with wine priced from $65…

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Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale

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By Greer Wylder
July 19, 2012

Die-hard Nordstrom shoppers will line up early outside and even plan their summer vacations around the annual Anniversary Sale starting Friday. Before the season officially begins, you snap up hot fall merchandise reduced through Aug. 5. Find clothing, shoes and accessories from top brands including Marc Jacobs, Rag & Bone,  Michael Kors, Free People, Cole Haan, Theory, Vince, John Varvatos, Boss Black, Diesel, Frye and many more. Also, find limited-edition beauty products and special deals from Clarisonic, MAC, Smashbox, NARS, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Philosophy, Kiehl’s, La Mer, Voluspa. In Orange County you can shop at Nordstrom South Coast Plaza…

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V Holland Boutique

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By Greer Wylder
July 18, 2012

If you haven’t been to V Holland Boutique lately in Costa Mesa, formerly Chantel & Vicki Shoppe, you’re going to love the ever-changing eclectic mix of contemporary and bohemian casual apparel. Owner Vicki Holland has a great eye for stocking edgy clothing and great accessories. There’s a great selection of chic maxi dresses, Lord's of Liverpool tees with Beatle's sound tracks, artisanal tye-die pieces, coveted Chan Luu wraps and scarves in vibrant colors, and jewelry. Other great lines include Love Tanjane, La Fine, Wildfox, Omgirl, Hodges, Brokedown, Sol Angeles, and jewelry by Mikale Winn and Lena Bernard. Holland offers complimentary…

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Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger!

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By Greer Wylder
July 17, 2012

It’s been a great year for burger joints in Orange County. We’ve eaten more burgers in the past 12 months than Popeye’s pal Wimpy. Husky Boy, Umami, A Restaurant, Slater’s, and Crow Burger are just a few of our favorites. And now Crow Burger Kitchen in Newport Beach will be celebrating its one-year anniversary Friday by giving away a $10 gift card from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. to every customer who orders a burger. We say go for the cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger with black pepper cheese, cream cheese, goat cheese, fried onion, garlic mayo and wheat English muffin. Feel…

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New Culinary Collective in OC

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By Greer Wylder
July 15, 2012

East 17th Street in Costa Mesa, is raising the bar as a farm to fresh foodie destination. Ever since, our favorite Avanti Café opened in 2005, (reviewed here in my “Best Bites” column in the Daily Pilot) it has inspired other like minded organic eateries and stores to move in. Now we have, Sprouts Farmers Market, Greenleaf, and the new Anais+Raya Culinary Collective that just opened at Picnics Kitchen on E.17th Street. Organic, raw and vegan celeb chef Raya Belna teamed up with Anais Tangie, a local farmer’s market advocate who runs the SoCo Farmer’s Market and founded Special Eats…

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