Greer's OC

Looking for an incredible location for this year’s holiday party? Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach offers breathtaking views of the Pacific, luxurious accommodations and award-winning cuisine from Executive Chef Jeff Armstrong, featuring 3-course holiday menus starting at just $49 a person. And this year, they’re adding special perks just for booking your November, December or January party at Surf & Sand!

Aside from an exquisite backdrop for a gathering your guests won’t soon forget, booking a holiday party for 30 or more includes one complimentary signature holiday cocktail per guest upon arrival, $250 room rates for your attendees and a gratis room for the event coordinator or VIP of the night.* Whatever your event, it’s always great to have prizes! Surf & Sand will also include a gift certificate for its Night to Remember package, dinner at Splashes for two or a spa day at Aquaterra Spa for two.

*Restrictions apply. Please visit Surf & Sand website or call 800.664.SURF for more information.

Ice-less Skating?

Ever heard of an ice-less ice rink? Now open at the Kaleidoscope center in Mission Viejo, you and your family can enjoy the eco-friendly wonder made from plastic!

The rink, which will be open through Valentine's Day of next year, requires no water or refrigeration and saves energy. You can strap on your skates and it feels just like real ice. Click here for ice rink hours.

Stop by Kaleidoscope on Fridays at 7 p.m. to watch performances by Arroyo Vista Middle School (Dec. 2), Niguel Hills Middle School (Dec. 9) and Newhart Middle School (Dec. 16). Kaleidoscope will also be gifting these schools with items from their “wish lists” of equipment for their music programs.

Kaleidoscope is located at 27741 Crown Valley Parkway in Mission Viejo. 

A Favorite Returns

A favorite holiday tradition, the 33rd annual Corona del Mar Christmas Walk returns from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

It's the time when thousands gather to celebrate the festivities, which include specials at participating merchants, a dozen bands performing, foods from the Fireman's Grill BBQ, local restaurant tastings, and complimentary tacos from Rasta Taco mobile taco cart. Bella Bella Salon will be offering complimentary treatments and coupons for future haircuts.

Kids will love pictures with Santa Claus, bouncy houses, bungee jumping, holiday characters, and petting zoo. A beer and wine garden is in Bandera's lower parking lot with the local band "Pinch Me" performing, and enter an opportunity drawing to win more than $15,000 of prizes.

Aries Galles & Patient 13

Join acclaimed artist Arie Galles at Soka University at 5 p.m. Sunday for a lecture and slide show on his current "Heartland" series of reflected-light paintings of aerial landscapes.

The beautiful paintings are a visual exploration of color and light. Galles works with fluorescent colors painted on vertical aluminum rods mounted on white canvas. The images created are actually shadows of reflected light and color.

Galles, an art professor at Soka, is also an accomplished artist who's had solo shows across the country. Galles is generously donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales to support "Patient 13," a groundbreaking documentary on diabetes that I'm helping to make.

Prices range from $1,100 for a colored pencil work, to $15,000 for a large painting. The exhibition runs through Jan. 6.

Founders Hall Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Soka University of America is at 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo.

For more information about Arie Galles art, visit ariegalles.com. For more information about the film, visit voxpopfilms.tv/patient13.

Photo courtesy of Coastline Pilot.