Greer's OC | The latest in Orange County fashion, dining, and trends.

RITZ CARLTON PHOENIX FOR A DESERT ESCAPE!

By Greer Wylder

August 13, 2011

Review by Terra Flores Unwind, rethink, and reimagine this fall with a weekend trip at the Ritz-Carlton Phoenix. With a slower pace and a change of scenery, visitors to this scenic city can enjoy attentive service, glorious nature, high culture and private relaxation. Usually regarded as a business hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Phoenix makes an excellent central location when visiting what Native Americans called “The Valley of the Sun.” This no-fuss hotel is situated directly across the street from fountain-laden Biltmore Fashion Park shopping center and along the city’s famed upscale Camelback Corridor. Known the world over for its top notch…

EXPERIENCE HOGWARTS AT ASHFORD CASTLE!

By Greer Wylder

August 09, 2011

By Sheryll Alexander For those who take the Harry Potter book and movie series very seriously, perhaps the most fantastic place to be this Halloween is Ireland’s only five-star hotel, Ashford Castle. And the time to plan this once-in-a-lifetime fall getaway is now. In fact, the 700-year-old Ashford Castle looks so much like J.K. Rowling’s imaginary Hogwarts School of Wizardry & Witchcraft that it could have been a setting for any of the blockbuster Harry Potter films. So, every Halloween, the castle celebrates a Hogwarts-themed holiday in its stone-walled turrets, secret rooms, hidden alcoves, spacious dining halls and secluded woodlands.…

Good-bye Summer Crowds, Hello Inn at Laguna Beach

By Greer Wylder

August 08, 2011

As soon as Labor Day comes and goes, the summer crowds in Laguna Beach will be gone, yet the beautiful weather will be breathtaking. So a stay at the oceanfront Inn at Laguna Beach can make a perfect getaway. Everything you need is within walking distance: the beach, shopping, art galleries, restaurants, and the Laguna Museum of Art. The Inn at Laguna Beach overlooks Main Beach, Laguna Village and Heisler Park and it’s offering a special fall rate that’s hard to beat: from $139 per night you can book a village view room. Just book the room online at www.innatlagunabeach.com,…

RUN TO THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS!

By Greer Wylder

August 04, 2011

By Sheryll Alexander For those who’ve always wanted to see the Hollywood sign up close and personal, Off ‘N Running Tours now takes runners (and walkers) on guided tours. Called “Running for the Hollywood Hills,” these tours are dedicated both to improving athletic performance and to ensuring the best views of LA from the Hollywood sign to the Pacific Ocean. For runners and walkers of all levels, the five-mile tour takes tour goers through Beachwood Canyon and an area known as Hollywoodland. Guides throw in little known facts as you run or walk past historical sites, notable landmarks, celebrity homes…

WIN A TRIP TO PASO GLOW!

By Greer Wylder

August 03, 2011

By Sheryll Alexander Want to win tickets to an extravagant five-course meal under the stars in charming downtown Paso Robles plus a two-night stay in one of California’s best and most scenic wine country regions? Beginning Aug. 4 at 9 a.m., you can go to Travel Paso on Facebook, click “Sweepstakes” and complete the sign-on process. The winner receives two tickets to Paso Glow, two tickets to Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast’s main event at the Santa Margarita Ranch on Oct. 1 and 2, plus a complimentary two-night stay for two at a premier Paso Robles lodging property. The prize…