Pure Barre Orange County Celebrates 17 Years With Free Classes and Community Giveaways

Pure Barre Orange County Celebrates 17 Years With Free Classes and Community Giveaways Pure Barre Orange County is celebrating 17 years of bringing the popular barre workout to the local community with a day of free classes, wellness experiences and giveaways on Saturday, March 14, 2026. 

Owned by Monica Grubin, the women-owned business has grown into a strong fitness community with studios in Irvine, Newport Beach, Mission Viejo and Huntington Beach. To mark the anniversary, all four studios will host complimentary classes from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests who take a class can enter raffles featuring prizes from local and national wellness partners, including a chance to win a free year of Pure Barre. 

Throughout the day, visitors can also enjoy wellness experiences from local vendors offering massages, facials, acupuncture, green juices and protein rich snacks. 

Studios will also feature shopping opportunities and special package discounts during the celebration. Pure Barre Orange County was the first barre technique studio in the region and remains one of the longest standing barre programs in Orange County. 

Today, the studios serve more than 700 members with classes focused exclusively on the Pure Barre method. 

Free classes are available at all four locations. 

Advance sign ups are recommended. Free Classes: Sign up here 

Irvine: purebarre.com/location/irvine 949-500-5924 

Newport Beach: purebarre.com/ca-newportbeach 949-230-9131 

Huntington Beach: purebarre.com/ca-huntington 714-330-9001 

Mission Viejo: purebarre.com/ca-missionviejo 949-861-1565 

Pure Barre OC was the first and longest standing Barre Technique in the OC area. With over 700 members we set the barre higher specializing in just barre technique. Monica@purebarre.com 858-663-0554

Sky Rock Sedona Makes an Easy Weekend Escape From Orange County

If a quick reset is calling, Sky Rock Sedona is an easy option for an off-the-grid style getaway that does not require a long-haul flight or complicated planning. Just a short flight or a manageable drive from Orange County, the modern, 109-room boutique hotel is a great choice for a long weekend trip or staycation with a change of scenery.

Sky Rock Sedona, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott, debuted in March 2024 following a full property reimagining. The hotel blends contemporary design with Sedona’s natural beauty and spiritual energy, creating a place that works just as well for outdoor adventure as it does for slowing down and unplugging.

Centrally located in Sedona and within walking distance of several trailheads, the hotel makes it easy to head out for a morning hike and be back in time for sunset. The property is known for its 360-degree red rock views, with sweeping panoramas of Snoopy Rock, Thunder Mountain and Coffee Pot Rock, giving guests a front-row seat to some of the area’s most recognizable landscapes.

What sets Sky Rock Sedona apart is its thoughtful programming and attention to experience. The hotel’s “Vortex Hunters” curate outings and activities that tap into Sedona’s unique mix of outdoor adventure, wellness and spiritual exploration. Guest rooms are designed as calming retreats, with neutral tones, handcrafted leather headboards, locally inspired artwork and soft lighting that make it easy to unwind after a full day outside.

The lobby serves as a social hub, with bold art, amethyst-accented details and inviting seating areas. Bar WooWoo, the hotel’s lobby bar, opens to a terrace with elevated views of the red rocks and offers Southwestern-inspired small plates, local beer and wine, and creative cocktails that are especially inviting at sunset.

For guests looking to fully lean into rest mode, the hotel’s treatment room features services by Body Alchemy Sedona and skincare by Anastarr Sacred Skin, with treatments designed for relaxation and recovery between hikes and excursions. Daily programming includes morning yoga and meditation, evening moonrise gatherings, sound healing, stargazing and live music, all complimentary for hotel guests.

Sky Rock Sedona also caters to small retreats and intimate gatherings, with flexible spaces that work for everything from wellness weekends and creative workshops to small weddings and incentive trips.

1200 AZ-89A, Sedona, AZ. 928.282.3072

A Newport Beach Landmark Turns 100: From The Arches to A Restaurant

In 2026, A Restaurant will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its iconic location along Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. The milestone marks a century of hospitality, community and history at one of Newport Beach’s most recognizable dining destinations.

For many locals, A Restaurant is more than historic. It is personal. I have been going there since I was a kid, and years later it became the place where Paul and I celebrated our wedding reception. Like so many longtime Newport Beach favorites, it holds decades of memories for the community.

The property first opened in 1926 as The Arches, the same year Coast Highway connected Huntington Beach to Newport Beach. Founded by John Vilelle and James Sturgeon, the roadside diner and service station got its name through a community contest advertised in the Balboa Times. The winning name came from 10 year old Victor Chatten. With its Mediterranean style architecture, arches and red tile roofs, The Arches quickly became a gathering place for locals and travelers and a familiar landmark along the coast.

In 2008, partners Joseph “McG” Nichol and restaurateur Jordan Otterbein of River Jetty Restaurant Group took over the historic property and reintroduced it as A Restaurant, keeping the signature “A” as a nod to its past. The concept evolved into a modern steakhouse while preserving the character and legacy of the original space.

Today, Executive Chef Robert Gomez leads the kitchen with a seasonally inspired menu that highlights premium ingredients and longstanding relationships with local farms and purveyors. The menu focuses on both land and sea, paired with a thoughtfully curated wine list designed to complement each dish.

While the name, ownership and menu have evolved over the decades, the heart of the restaurant has remained the same. A Restaurant continues to be a place where people gather for celebrations, dinners with friends and special occasions.

Giving back has also long been part of the restaurant’s story. Over the years, the restaurant and River Jetty Restaurant Group have supported organizations including the Hoag Hospital Foundation, Newport Beach schools, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through its Bike MS fundraising ride from Orange County to San Diego.

That commitment continues in 2026. River Jetty Restaurant Group will participate in several Hoag related events this year, including sponsorship of the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach Country Club from March 22 through 29, as well as the Hoag Summer Fest at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort in June.

To commemorate the centennial, A Restaurant will celebrate throughout 2026 with special anniversary programming and community events. The official anniversary falls in August 2026.

One hundred years after it first opened, A Restaurant remains a Newport Beach classic. 

For more information, visit ARestaurantNB.com.

The Arches circ. 1926. Photo courtesy of the City of Newport Beach.