SAVOR 2026 Set to Honor Orange County Legends Before Anticipated Sold-Out Crowd

The Literacy Project will host SAVOR 2026, an elegant, Napa-inspired culinary soiree, on Friday, Oct. 2, at the Newport Beach Country Club to support its mission of bringing the gift of literacy to underserved children. 

The outdoor evening promises an unforgettable experience, with a stroll through luxury automobiles from private collections, a curated art gallery, live artistic talent, fine wines and a farm-to-table dinner beneath the stars. About 350 distinguished guests are expected to gather in the club's garden setting for a memorable night that supports a meaningful cause.

This year's honorees are Erin Anderson, president, CEO and founder of the A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation; Kathy Simon Abels, board member of the Ronald M. Simon Family Foundation; and Julie Ann and Jim Ulcickas, proprietors of Blue Water Grill Restaurants.

The evening begins with a 5 p.m. cocktail reception featuring opportunity drawings for unique items valued at more than $15,000. Throughout the reception, guests can admire more than 14 rare and luxurious automobiles from esteemed private collections, curated by Car Gallery co-chairs Simon Dillon, a prominent Newport Beach car collector, and Jean Alexander. The Art Gallery will showcase works from Georgeana Ireland's Ethos Art and Shawn Thomas's Laguna Beach studio. Ireland will also lead a live painting demonstration while Ron Kao, the "Virtual Violinist," strolls through the garden and serenades the crowd.

Dinner begins at 7 p.m. on the club's garden lawn, where the 2026 honorees will share intimate stories about how literacy has shaped their careers and lives. The evening's pinnacle fundraising moment will be a live auction of luxury items and experiences valued at more than $90,000, giving guests an exciting chance to bid on extraordinary offerings while supporting The Literacy Project.

Tickets for SAVOR 2026 start at $300 per person. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $20,000. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit theliteracyproject-savor2026

Learn more about The Literacy Project at literacyproj.org

Pete’s Spookeasy Returns to Huntington Beach This Fall

Pete's Spookeasy is back at Pete's Sunset Grille inside Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa, running Sept. 27 through Nov. 2. The coastal restaurant gets a full Halloween makeover for the occasion, with themed decor, a spooky food and drink menu, and a few movie nights thrown in for good measure.

The food leans into the theme without losing sight of flavor. Starters include Dracula Bat Wings and a Char-BOO-terie board, and from there diners can order the Grill-Reaper's Ribeye, a 10-ounce house-butchered rib eye with crispy fries and cowboy butter, or the Haunted Harbor Cake, a lump crab cake with roasted corn salsa and house remoulade. The Pasta From the Black Lagoon is squid ink spaghetti with sauteed shrimp and lobster cream sauce, and the Haunted Harvest Pot Pie is exactly the kind of thing you want on a cooler fall night. Round it out with the Poultrygeist Sandwich or Pete's Monster Wave Burger.

Cocktails get the same treatment. The Black Magic Margarita is made with Lalo Blanco Tequila, fresh blackberries, lemon and lime juices, agave nectar and a black salt rim. There's also a tropical Creepy Colada, and Potion No. 13, which combines pumpkin-washed Templeton Rye Whiskey with pumpkin pie spice syrup. For dessert, the Witches Brew Tiramisu is made with chai tea-soaked chocolate lady fingers and purple sweet potato mascarpone mousse, and the Poison Apple Toffee Pudding comes with apple compote, miso caramel and vanilla bean streusel.

New this year, the resort is adding Pete's Spooktacular Movie Nights, a series of outdoor screenings in the Lighthouse Courtyard throughout October. Bring the popcorn and warm apple cider mindset for Hotel Transylvania on Oct. 9, Monsters, Inc. on Oct. 16, Hocus Pocus on Oct. 24, Coco on Oct. 30 and Ghostbusters on Oct. 31. The screenings are free and open to resort guests and locals alike, but reservations are required.

Pete's Sunset Grille sits right on the coast, so the setting alone is worth the trip. Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa has 519 guestrooms and suites, a private pedestrian sky bridge with direct beach access, and plenty of dining and wellness options if you want to make a longer stay of it.

The Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa is located at 21500 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA. For more information or to make a reservation, visit the hotel’s website.

Ruin Bar Celebrates 10 Years at The LAB

Ruin, the speakeasy-style lounge known for its craft cocktails and moody, eclectic vibe, is turning 10. The Costa Mesa hot spot will celebrate its anniversary at The LAB Anti-Mall on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 5 to 10 p.m.

Expect a night full of surprises, including live music, welcome drink samples, a complimentary photo booth and tarot card readings. Flash tattoos and fresh pretzels from a pretzel cart will also be on hand for purchase.

Representatives from a few standout spirits brands will be there to pour tastes and talk shop, including Tin City Distillery, a premium spirits brand out of Paso Robles; Mijenta Tequila, a small-batch, additive-free tequila from Jalisco, Mexico; and Old Forester, known as the first bottled bourbon. Ruin will also run drink specials all weekend long.

Tucked behind discreet shutters and dressed in vintage, eclectic décor, Ruin draws its inspiration from the ruin bars of Budapest, Hungary. The award-winning indoor-outdoor bar has built a loyal following for its quirky charm, and this weekend is your chance to help it celebrate a decade in business.

Ruin Bar is located at The LAB Anti-Mall at 2930 Bristol in Costa Mesa. For more information, visit theruinbar.com