Join Me for Authors Night in Orange

I’ll be joining five local authors for the Orange County Historical Society’s Authors Night on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Orange. We’ll share the stories behind our books, answer questions and sign copies.

The evening brings together a range of Orange County stories, from Southern California’s theme parks and early pioneers to the artists and visionaries who have shaped our community. Here’s a look at the authors and their books:

Ken Stack, “Stack’s Liberty Ranch Collection”
A theme park historian who has spent more than 60 years preserving artifacts, Stack shares previously unpublished photographs and stories from Southern California attractions. His latest volume features Universal Studios Hollywood in the 1960s and ’70s, along with Lion Country Safari, Newport Harbor Buffalo Ranch and Jungleland.

Rosemary Vasquez Tuthill, “The Boy Who Painted the Barrio”
Tuthill tells the story of her father, artist and muralist Emigdio Vasquez, through family history, personal memories and his artwork. The illustrated biography follows his childhood in Orange’s Cypress Street Barrio and the experiences that shaped his art.

Timothy Zierer, “Civil War Veterans of Tustin”
Zierer profiles 33 Civil War veterans, 30 Union and three Confederate, who later called Tustin home. Their stories connect the war to the early days of Tustin and Orange County, where many became civic leaders.

Greer Wylder, “Born in OC: The Artists, Entrepreneurs & Visionaries of Orange County”
My book shares the stories of 50 remarkable people who have helped shape Orange County. After more than three decades covering this community, I wanted to take readers beyond the accomplishments and into the lives of the artists, chefs, entrepreneurs and philanthropists behind them.

Mike Stockstill, “Irvine Ranch Fulfilling the Vision 1977-2025”
Stockstill explores the Irvine Company’s development under Donald Bren, including Newport Coast, open space preservation and Irvine’s growth. The book also covers UC Irvine and the transformation of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into the Great Park.

Colleen Fliedner, “Fascinating True Tales from Old California”
Fliedner brings together more than 50 stories of famous and lesser-known Californians from 1542 to 1940. Her subjects include fortune seekers, Chinese immigrants and Biddy Mason, whose lives offer a broader look at California’s past.

Books will be available to purchase, and some authors will also bring earlier titles. Bring cash, as not everyone will accept credit cards or Venmo.

The public is welcome. I’d love to see you there!

Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church
2400 N. Canal St., Orange

For more information, visit orangecountyhistory.org.

Tifosi Pizza and Trattoria Opens in Irvine

Three of Orange County’s best-known chefs are teaming up on Tifosi Pizza and Trattoria, a new Irvine restaurant built around “New, New York” pizza and a California-leaning take on Italian comfort food. The grand opening is Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Zach Scherer, Frank DeLoach and Drew Adams have been friends for more than a decade. Scherer and Adams co-founded darkroom Restaurant and Wine Bar, a Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants honoree, and now the trio is bringing their shared love of pizza to Tifosi, which means “superfans” in Italian.

The signature pie starts with dough fermented for several days, which gives the crust the flavor and chew of artisan bread. The crust is slightly thicker than traditional New York style, so the pizza holds up well for takeout and delivery. “We see a lot of places treat pizza dough as the vessel, not the ingredient,” Scherer said. “It is bread.”

Lunch features slices, whole pies, salads and Italian sandwiches. Dinner shifts to smaller pies, shared plates, large-format mains and desserts. Opening specials include a clam pizza and a winter citrus crudo. Italian classics include DeLoach’s nonna’s meatballs, rollatini in white ragu, an East Coast tomato pie and chicken Parmesan. A short menu section for adventurous eaters includes pasta with XO sauce and coppa with Roman salsa macha.

The decor channels a 1970s Italian trattoria, with hand-painted ceramic bottles, vintage Italian movie posters and skateboard art. Two large patios and a glass wall give the space an indoor-outdoor feel. The chefs say they want it to work for a family dinner at 5 p.m., after-work spritzes or date night.

The full bar pours Italian classics alongside craft cocktails that change with the seasons. The wine list takes the same approach as darkroom’s, focusing on small-production artisanal producers.

About the chefs:

Born in rural San Diego, Scherer has cooked all over Southern California, learning what makes the state so special. He started his career at San Diego’s iconic George’s California Modern and later served as chef de cuisine at The Playground, where he met DeLoach. He founded darkroom with Adams. Scherer’s goal is to make the Orange County food scene nationally competitive with places like San Francisco, New York and Chicago. He’s excited to partner with his longtime chef partner Adams and his old friend DeLoach.

DeLoach traveled through Italy and has long had a passion for Italian food. Locally, he has worked in the kitchens of The Playground, Early Bird, Tavern on Two and two Italian restaurants in Orange County. He also emerged victorious on Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen” and was featured on a now-classic episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri.

Born and raised in Orange County, Adams attended the culinary program at The Art Institutes in Santa Ana. He has worked in more than 40 restaurants from Long Beach to Laguna Beach, in cuisines ranging from Italian to Mexican to New American. He landed his first executive chef role in 2015 at Outpost Kitchen in Costa Mesa, which OC Weekly named best new restaurant. Since then, he has worked at restaurants including 370 Common and a local Italian restaurant in Newport Beach, where he was promoted to chef de cuisine before leaving to found darkroom with Scherer.

Tifosi Pizza and Trattoria, 2000 Main St., Irvine.

All Aboard: ‘Water for Elephants’ Rolls Into Costa Mesa

The circus is coming to Orange County. Segerstrom Center for the Arts will host the North American tour of the Broadway musical “Water for Elephants” in Segerstrom Hall from Nov. 10-22, with just 16 performances.

Based on Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel, the show follows a young man who loses everything, jumps a moving train and finds a new home with a traveling circus. Told through the eyes of his older self, it’s a love story and a reminder that life can begin again at any age.

The production arrives with serious credentials. The book is by four-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice (“Jersey Boys,” “Peter and the Starcatcher”), with a score by PigPen Theatre Co. The Broadway run won Drama Desk Awards for direction, sound design, fight choreography and puppetry, plus an Outer Critics Circle Award and the Chita Rivera Award for choreography. Ryan Emmons directs the tour, recreating the original staging by Tony nominee Jessica Stone.

Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. The show runs 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission. Tickets start at $39 and are available online at scfta.org or by phone at 714-556-2787, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The box office at 600 Town Center Drive is open Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. It is closed weekends. Groups can call 714-755-0236.

Segerstrom Center is the only official ticket outlet for its performances, so tickets bought through a broker or third party can’t be replaced if lost or stolen.

Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade.jpg