---

South Coast Plaza
"South Coast, Who Says You Can’t Have It All!"
By Yvonne Mason

We open the drapes of our room in the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel to view the bright night city lights, and the swimming pool at The Spa at South Coast Plaza, and finally snuggle into the comfiest bed this side of heaven. What a weekend, what a dream.

We meet in the waterfall enhanced hotel lobby for hosted bar and innovative hors d’oeuvres with a tour of the hotel. Then we are whisked off to the Orange County Performing Arts Center's charming production of "Cats". Broadway's history winner of seven Tony Awards features 20 Andrew Lloyd Webber's songs.

After a divine sleep, one wakes up to quite an appetite. Leatherby's Café Rouge at the Orange County Performing Arts Center is the site for a gourmet buffet breakfast.

Leatherby's Café Rouge, in the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 615 Town Center Drive. Costa Mesa, 714-428-0814

It is time for a little exercise. The Spa at South Coast Plaza is truly out of the ordinary. Facials, massages, body treatments, rescue bath therapy, green tea bath, Ayturvedic treatments, customized treatments, fitness, private training, classes and my every day activity - a marvelous swimming pool.

www.THESPAANDFITNESSCLUB.COM, 695 Town Center Dr,. Costa Mesa, 714-850-0050

Charlie Palmer's restaurant at Bloomingdale's, a new vintage wine shop, offers boutique library and hard to find wine selections at reasonable retail prices.

3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, 714-352-2626

"La Posada Magica the Magic Journey" by Octavio Solis and music by Marcos Loya, is a yearly production for the past 15 years of the South Coast Repertory.

The South Coast Repertory, in it’s 45th season, is a professional resident theatre founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, who continue to serve as artistic directors.

Pinot Provence is one of my favorite restaurants. We enjoy an amazing dinner, prepared by executive chef LuLu De Rolen, of an amuse bouche of mushroom, tomato canary melon, fresh Burrata with basil viniagrette. First course is parmesan and mascarpone risotto, wild mushrooms, truffle oil; second course pan roasted California sea bass, artichoke bangoule, ratatouille, tomatoes Provencal; entrée braised boneless short ribs, Cantelalet pomme aigot’ and dessert golden appke tartan, caramel, vanilla bean ice cream.

www.patinagroup.com 714-444-5900

The Orange County Performing Arts Center and the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall offer magnificent performances all year round. Just a few are: Flamenco each fall, Broadway series, curtain call series, jazz club, cabaret series, concert series, family series, dance, ballet and opera.

Coming up:

Academy of Ancient Music plays March 20,2009.The Rat Pack, Live at the Sands will play April 14-19, 2009. There is an amazingly diverse array of theatre in the Orange County Arts Center. 714-556-2121

The South Coast Plaza is always an exciting place to spend a weekend away, park the car, forget it and enjoy one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S. Included are a major symphony hall, a great theatre with ballet or Broadway, two repertory theatres, one of the five best repertory theatres in the U.S., a performance space, and several many star restaurants. And, all within walking distance.

Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel is located at 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA

Last update Fri January 1, 2010 6:48 PM