Eichholtz Lands at SOCO, and OC Designers Should Take Notice

Eichholtz has opened a flagship showroom at SOCO in Costa Mesa, and it is worth your time. The European furniture and lighting brand has built its reputation over more than three decades and is a name interior designers around the world turn to.

The nearly 10,000-square-foot space features pieces in hand-finished brass, marble, velvet and sculptural wood, with collections covering living, dining, bedroom and office spaces, plus chandeliers, lamps, wall art and accessories.

It is also home to the Met | Eichholtz collection, created in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The nearly 160-piece collection draws on more than 5,000 years of art and design history.

For local designers, this is a resource worth knowing. Many pieces ship faster out of the Costa Mesa location, which can help with client timelines.

There is also a nice incentive on the table right now. Eichholtz is running its Icon of Design promotion, awarding a designer bag to the next Eichholtz Icon Designer. Trade and interior design professionals who close a single new project of $50,000 or more, net after discounts, qualify. The program runs in partnership with OnQueStyle, the fashion resale solution, and full details are at EichholtzIcon.com.

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 

3303 Hyland Avenue, Suite E2, Costa Mesa. 800.933.5000

Palm Springs Gets a New Reason to Stay and Stay Awhile

Palm Springs' famed Palm Canyon Drive just got a stylish new anchor. Thompson Palm Springs, by Hyatt, has paired up with downtown newcomer Bar Issi to give visitors a fresh way to experience the desert: a secluded resort escape by day and a lively coastal Italian dining scene by night.

Perched above downtown with sweeping views of the San Jacinto Mountains, Thompson Palm Springs delivers the kind of desert calm that feels far from everything, even though it's right in the middle of it all. Guests will find lush, open-air walkways, two cabana-lined pools and firepit-warmed lounges made for slowing down. The resort's 168 rooms, including 18 suites, lean into midcentury modern design, and a $4 million art collection turns the property into something of a gallery you can sleep in.

For those craving a quieter corner, Upper Stories offers a "hotel within a hotel," with 42 adults-only rooms and five suites. Think Sonos speakers, a private pool and round-the-clock access to a stocked pantry of complimentary chilled drinks.

Dining is clearly a centerpiece here. Lola Rose Grand Mezze, led by Executive Chef Quentin Garcia, brings Mediterranean flavor to the resort, while The Perch keeps things breezy poolside with cocktails and all-day bites overlooking Palm Canyon Drive. HALL Tasting Room and Wine Lounge rounds out the resort's wine offerings. And when the resort needs a bigger stage, it has one: more than 20,000 square feet of event space across 11 venues for meetings and celebrations.

Then there's Bar Issi, the resort's standalone star. The 180-seat restaurant, designed by acclaimed firm Fettle, channels the Italian coast with bold colors, patterned fabrics and playful, statement-making seating. It's the kind of space that feels both nostalgic and brand new.

The menu matches the mood. Expect house-made pastas, wood-fired pizzas, fresh seafood and raw bar offerings, plus a soft serve dessert that's already earning a following. On the drink side, the L'Italiano Spritz and La Fresa Rosa lead a cocktail list inspired by long European lunches, backed by a wine list pulling from California and beyond. Weekly traditions, including Martini Mondays and a late-night Reverse Happy Hour, keep the energy going well past dinner.

Together, Thompson Palm Springs and Bar Issi capture where Palm Springs travel and dining are headed: relaxed, design-forward and worth lingering over.

414 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs.

‘Gala of the Stars’ Returns to Segerstrom for 17th Year

Mark your calendar for Thursday, Aug. 6, when Festival Ballet Theatre brings its beloved "Gala of the Stars" back to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for a one-night-only celebration of ballet.

Now in its 17th year, the gala pairs international ballet stars with a select group of young protégés for an evening that's equal parts mentorship and masterclass. This year's headliner is Maria Khoreva, first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, who joins guest artists from American Ballet Theatre, Dutch National Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, Tulsa Ballet and Vienna State Opera. (Guest artists are subject to change.)

The evening unfolds in two parts. At 6 p.m., the program opens with an optional one act performance from the young protégés, dancers chosen for their exceptional promise who've just wrapped two weeks of intensive training under top artistic directors from the Royal Ballet School, Youth America Grand Prix and San Francisco Ballet Training Program. Then at 7 p.m., the main event takes the stage: a one act performance featuring the world renowned guest artists themselves.

It's a rare chance to watch seasoned stars and rising talent share one stage, all in celebration of the same craft.

This year's gala also marks a bigger milestone: the 38th anniversary of Festival Ballet Theatre, Orange County's premier resident ballet company. The young protégés taking part will be coached by Royal Ballet School Artistic Director Iain Mackay, along with YAGP founders Larissa Saveliev and Gennadi Saveliev, and a roster of esteemed guest faculty.

Tickets are available now at scfta.org.

600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa.