The Dose

bestLJ_s_Lounge_Belgian_Waffle_with_Fried_Chicken%282%29

LJ’s Lounge Brings Soul-Infused Dining and Music to Triangle Square

Image
By Greer Wylder
July 24, 2026

LJ's Lounge has opened at Triangle Square, bringing elevated Southern-inspired comfort food and a lively music scene to Costa Mesa. The restaurant serves dinner on weekdays and brunch on weekends, with plans to add breakfast and lunch daily in the coming weeks.Black and veteran-owned by Orange County native Kenneth Jackson, LJ's is named for his mother, Linda Jean. The weekend brunch series, Soul to Sole, features a DJ spinning old-school music on Saturdays and live gospel and jazz on Sunday mornings that transition to reggae by evening. A full entertainment calendar is coming in August.Jackson developed the menu with chef…

Continue Reading
reecess

Inside Reecess, Newport Beach’s New Wellness Destination

Image
By Greer Wylder
July 19, 2026

I was recently invited to check out REECESS in Newport Beach, and I honestly didn't know what to expect walking in. It's unlike any wellness studio I've been to, and I've tried a lot of them.Founder Rambo Garcia built this as a hidden, high-end wellness escape, and the flagship experience is called the Biohouse Reset. It's a two-hour, fully guided protocol built around one idea: restore your energy and reset your nervous system in a single visit.The session starts with baseline diagnostics, including blood pressure, grip strength and a body composition assessment. From there, you move into what they call…

Continue Reading
lifetimebrea

Life Time Opens Resort-Style Athletic Club in Brea

Image
By Greer Wylder
July 14, 2026

North Orange County's wellness scene just got a serious upgrade. Life Time has opened its Brea Athletic Country Club at Brea Mall, marking the brand's first location in North Orange County.The club spans more than 85,000 square feet across three acres of indoor and outdoor space. It's designed as a one-stop destination where fitness, recovery, family time and social life all live under one roof, setting a new standard for healthy living in the area.Members can enjoy a resort-style "Beach Club" experience complete with a lap pool, leisure pool, waterslides, cabanas and outdoor dining and bar service. Pickleball players have…

Continue Reading
cowboyhatss

Flea Style Brings Its Hat Bar Concept Home to Laguna Beach

Image
By Greer Wylder
July 14, 2026

Flea Style, the brand that turned a flea market side hustle into a roughly $18 million experiential retail business, is opening its first West Coast location: The Original Hat Bar in Laguna Beach.Founder Brittany Cobb bootstrapped the company from the ground up, growing it about 50% year over year and, along the way, creating a category of retail that didn't really exist before: part styling bar, part vintage shop, part experience. The brand got its start in Texas, but Cobb is an Orange County native, so the Laguna Beach opening marks a homecoming as much as an expansion.The launch also…

Continue Reading
bettergordon

Gordon Ramsay Opens The Carnaby at Downtown Disney

Image
By Greer Wylder
July 13, 2026

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is bringing a taste of London to the Downtown Disney District with the opening of Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby, a new restaurant inspired by the energy, style and culinary scene of 1960s London.Named for the iconic Carnaby Street district, the restaurant draws inspiration from an era known for its influence on music, fashion and culture. The space features three distinct dining areas, including lively social spaces, more intimate settings for private gatherings and a spacious outdoor terrace overlooking Downtown Disney. Design elements, artwork and music throughout the restaurant pay tribute to the vibrant spirit of…

Continue Reading