Silver Oak Comes to the Pier: 21 Oceanfront’s One-Night Wine Dinner

At the base of the historic Newport Pier, 21 Oceanfront is hosting a Silver Oak Wine Dinner on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 5:30 p.m., and it's shaping up to be one of the most anticipated evenings on the peninsula this month.

The restaurant sits inside the landmark McFadden Building, one of the oldest structures on the Balboa Peninsula and a site that helped shape Newport Beach in its earliest days. 

Over the years, the building has been home to a string of beloved dining rooms, including Alley West, The Ritz and The Rex, each leaving its mark on the space. Since 1991, 21 Oceanfront has carried that legacy forward with timeless elegance, oceanfront views and coastal cuisine that keeps locals coming back.

For this dinner, Executive Chef Jesus Mendoza has put together a four-course menu paired with wines from Silver Oak. Guests will start with a pan-seared scallop amuse-bouche, dressed with peach salsa and lemongrass, alongside a 2025 Silver Oak Sauvignon Blanc. Next comes a strawberry shrimp spring roll with a strawberry almond dipping sauce, paired with 2022 Twomey Pinot Noir.

The entrees are where things really shine. Grilled New York steak, marinated in Aji amarillo yogurt and served with roasted potatoes, grilled summer squash and chimichurri, is paired with both the 2021 Silver Oak Alexander Valley and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. Roasted Colorado lamb follows, finished with shaved balsamic carrots, rosemary butter, celery root puree and a raspberry demi glaze, paired with the 2022 Timeless Red Blend.

Dessert closes the night with a Basque cheesecake topped with blackberry compote and truffle honey. Throughout the evening, Silver Oak Regional Sales Manager Christy McNeill will be on hand to walk guests through the pairings and share the stories behind the wines.

Tickets are $245 per person, and space is limited for this one-night-only event. Reservations can be made through OpenTable here. 

21 Oceanfront 2100 W Oceanfront, Newport Beach.

Prince St. Pizza’s Black Currant Big Apple Pie Lands in Costa Mesa

Prince St. Pizza is bringing something new to summer's final stretch, and Orange County gets a taste of it right here at home. The Costa Mesa location at Triangle Square is one of the stops for the brand's first-ever nationwide dessert pizza, available now through Aug. 31.

The Black Currant Big Apple Pie Pizza pairs the cozy, familiar flavor of apple pie with a black currant drizzle and McCormick Black Currant Finishing Sugar. It's a pie that leans into bright, tart berry notes while still delivering that classic end-of-summer sweetness, the kind of dessert that feels like it belongs at a backyard gathering as much as a pizza counter.

The collaboration is well-timed. Black currant is McCormick's 2026 Flavor of the Year, and Prince St. Pizza is among the brand partnerships introducing the berry to a wider audience. Social media personality Hannah Stocking joined both brands to help spread the word, calling black currant the "it girl" of the berry world this year.

The pizza is available at Prince St. Pizza locations nationwide through the end of August, including right here in Costa Mesa.

Prince St. Pizza
1870 Harbor Blvd., Suite 104
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 220-7107

8th Annual Gourmet by the Bay Returns to Newport Beach

Newport Bay Conservancy will host its 8th Annual Gourmet by the Bay dinner and auction on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Muth Interpretive Center in Newport Beach.

The evening kicks off with wine, beer, a featured cocktail and live music, all set against sweeping views of the Upper Newport Bay. Do or Dine Catering will handle dinner, Tap Truck Orange County will pour the drinks, and Bristol Farms will provide appetizers and desserts. Guests can also browse the event's silent auction while mingling with fellow supporters of the bay.

Newport Bay Conservancy is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving the bay and its watershed. Proceeds from Gourmet by the Bay, drawn from ticket sales, sponsorships and donations, go directly toward that mission.

The organization runs educational programs for students and the public and conducts research in the bay's protected tidelands and uplands. Its science-based approach helps sustain central Orange County's watershed so residents and visitors can continue to enjoy the bay's natural beauty and habitat. Newport Bay Conservancy is currently in what it calls its "restoration era," working with several partners on the third and final phase of a multimillion-dollar restoration of Big Canyon, the largest remaining natural canyon on the bay's east side.

Sponsorship and Registration

This year's event is sponsored in part by Tap Truck Orange County, Do or Dine Catering and Bristol Farms Newport Beach, in partnership with Orange County Parks. Newport Bay Conservancy is also offering specially curated experiences as part of the silent auction.

Registration is available at events.humanitix.com/gbtb2026. 

More details about Newport Bay Conservancy are available at newportbay.org.