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

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 Justin McNeil, blending Southern classics with a California coastal twist, from citrus-brightened roasted potatoes to a layered, well-seasoned gumbo. Breakfast and brunch highlights include the Sunshine Waffle & Soul Stack, Darlene's Shrimp & Grits, and a West Coast Breakfast Burrito. Lunch and dinner bring Uncle Manuel's Delta Catfish, a Fried Chicken Sandwich, the Black Mamba Smash Burger, gumbo, pizzas and shareable sides like collard greens, mac and cheese, and wings. Desserts include peach cobbler and chocolate cake.

The bar offers craft cocktails, mocktails, beer on tap, and a wine list featuring House of Brown, a Black-owned, sustainably farmed Napa Valley label. Signature drinks include the Rhythm & Soul, Georgia on My Mind, and a Passion Fruit Margarita. Offset Coffee, a South Bay roaster, is also served, with a take-out window opening in August.

The 4,000-square-foot space will host live music, DJs, podcast recordings and community events throughout the week.

“LJ's is a long-awaited soul-infused restaurant and social hub for Orange County,” said Jackson. “We look forward to celebrating great food, unforgettable music, and connection, along with the kind of hospitality that makes every visit feel like Sunday dinner at Mom's.”

“Our mission is to become Orange County's go-to destination for dining, music, and elevated private and corporate events,” he added.

LJ's Lounge is located on the upper level of Triangle Square, 1870 Harbor Blvd. at Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa. For reservations, hours or the entertainment schedule, call (949) 791-2022 or visit ljslounge.com.

Inside Reecess, Newport Beach’s New Wellness Destination

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 a Biothermal Ritual™, a guided sequence of breathwork, cryotherapy, hot and cold plunges and sauna bathing. You can also add on technology-based enhancements – like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, an Ammortal chamber session or lymphatic compression – or treatments for Bodywork (i.e., massage, acupuncture) and facials.  

I experienced their restoration called Ground 80, which combines the 60-minute Biothermal Ritual™ with an 80-minute bodywork session that includes cupping, acupuncture, gua sha and massage. It's designed for stress relief, muscle soreness, inflammation, detoxification and deep relaxation, and it delivers on all of it.

 I've done cryotherapy, cold plunges, saunas and plenty of massages before, but this was a completely different experience. It's guided and personalized from start to finish, and by the end you feel calm, clear and genuinely restored. Yes, it's a splurge. But REECESS isn't trying to be typical spa. It's positioning itself as a true Biohouse for Restoration™, and it earns that title.

Beyond the Biohouse Reset, REECESS also offers a menu of advanced, non-medical and medical diagnostic testing for people who want a deeper look at their health and performance:

• Origin: A comprehensive assessment covering blood pressure, body composition, grip strength, posture and gait, resting metabolic rate and VO2 max.
  
  Resting Metabolic Rate Testing: Measures how many calories your body burns at rest, with a program and follow-up consultation included.
  
  VO2 Max Testing: Often called the gold standard for aerobic fitness, this measures how efficiently your heart, lungs and muscles use oxygen during intense exercise.
  
  Bloodwork: Screens more than 180 biomarkers to evaluate brain, gut, immune, metabolic and nutritional health.

REECESS also offers vitamin IV drips, signature IVs and vitamin shots, along with other modalities like facials and acupuncture.

Memberships are available and come with preferred pricing, members-only hours and access to exclusive events. REECESS also hosts private events, so it's worth considering for a corporate gathering, birthday or celebration with friends and family. Gift cards are available too, if you're looking for a wellness gift that goes beyond the usual.

REECESS is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 4301 Birch St., #131, in Newport Beach. 

For more information, call 949-803-8485 or email connect@reecess.com.

Voluspa Brings Luxury Home Fragrance to Irvine Spectrum Center

Luxury home fragrance brand Voluspa has opened its newest boutique at Irvine Spectrum Center, bringing its signature candles, diffusers, fragrances and home scents to the popular shopping destination.

The new store features Voluspa's full collection, including its handcrafted coconut wax candles, reed diffusers, perfumes and the brand's latest summer fragrances: Nāpali Passion Fruit, Kalahari Watermelon and Tahitian Coconut Vanilla.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Voluspa is located in Suite 747 at Irvine Spectrum Center, 747 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine.

For more information, call (949) 522-5627.

Image Courtesy at Irvine Spectrum Center