Orange County's hottest arrivals in shopping, nightlife, dining, entertainment, attractions, museums, theater, culture, sports and recreation. MAPS of Orange County

Dining
The New ABCs
A, Blanca, Charlie Palmer may sound like ham radio call letters, but in fact those are the names of the county's way-hot new restaurants.

A Restaurant, from producer McG, Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath and restaurateurs Tim and Liza Goodell, transforms the landmark Arches in Newport Beach, upping the hip ante with Valet Girls, new old-school décor and a Goodell menu: yellowfin tuna on crispy eggplant with chili aioli; roasted bacon with sherry-braised rhubarb and cipollini; a flatiron steak, rolled in pepper, with marrow shank; and "truly splendid" ice creams in flavors including salty caramel. 3334 W. Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, 949.650.6505 Map N13

Blanca is so cool-looking, and the food so good—the chef is from Pinot Provence—as to be almost out of place in Newport-nautical Lido Village. The bars and many tables are right on the harbor. Spanish and Italian dishes—including crudo, Italian raw fish—are the specialties. 3420 Via Oporto, Newport Beach, 949.673.0414 Map N13

Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza is spectacular—the room a study in translucence, the food remarkable, the tablet computer wine list amazing, killer cocktails such as Trust Fund Baby, an army of wait staff. At the bar: a PBLT with pork belly, lettuce and tomato. Menu highlights: watercress and wax bean salad; plancha-seared halibut with edamame-lemon puree; warm gianduja dessert with smoked marshmallow, kumquat and shaved salt. 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.352.2525 Map D3

MUSICALS
Flying Color
Oprah Winfrey presents the hit Broadway musical The Color Purple, "The Musical About Love," at the Orange County Performing Artscenter Nov. 18–30. Based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel by Alice Walker and the film by Steven Spielberg, the show follows the story of Celie, a woman who triumphs over tremendous odds to find joy, love and inner beauty. The Grammy–nominated score is influenced by jazz, gospel and blues. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. Map J13

ENTERTAINMENT
Cool to Spare
Thirty glow-in-the-dark lanes in a luxe lounge atmosphere, a dozen plasma screen TVs, sports bar with 40-foot-long sports-score and news ticker and lane-side food that extends light-years beyond pizza and beer add up to the county's coolest-by-far bowling experience. Strike, new at The District at Tustin Legacy in Tustin, offers hors d'oeuvres such as crisp crudites, a selection of sushi and scrumptious global fare including a mezze platter and chicken marsala. 2405 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.258.2695 Map J14

SHOPPING
TIME IN!
Two legendary Swiss watchmakers have opened exclusive boutiques at South Coast Plaza. Jeweler Piaget, known for its ultrathin movements and artistic dials, is one of the only remaining watchmakers that designs and crafts its own cases, bracelets and movements; its first West Coast location is in the Nordstrom wing (714.361.2020). Earlier this year, in the center's Carousel Court, Rolex opened its first flagship concept in the United States, offering more than 1,000 luxury timepieces, the largest presentation of Rolex watches in the world (714.241.8088). 3333 Bristol At., Costa Mesa, 714.435.2000 Map J13

MUSEUMS
Art of the State
The 2008 California Biennial continues the Orange County Museum of Art's four-decade history of presenting new developments in California art. This year's approach is expansive: The exhibition includes works by more than 50 artists and, for the first time, incorporates off-site projects in venues from Tijuana to Northern California. Locally, the show is at the museum's main venue in Newport Beach and at the Orange Lounge, the museum's video-focused satellite location at South Coast Plaza. 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach, 949.759.1122. Map L15

EVENTS
TOTALLY REVVED
The Orange County Auto Show, Oct. 2–5 at Anaheim Convention Center, is the premier event for new automotive technology, featuring previews of exotic, alternative-fuel and futuristic concept cars. The show features new models and prototypes from hundreds of brands from economy to luxury sports cars; an interactive video game arena with sports and automotive games for Xbox, PlayStation and Wii; a celebrity car showcase with tricked-out vehicles from music and sports stars; and the Toyota Trucks Off Road On Site Adventure, which allows patrons to test-drive vehicles in a challenging course with sand pits, hills and and logs. Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.424.6090 Map G10

SHOPPING
Sights on the '60s
Fashion Island in Newport Beach adds two new shops influenced by 1960s fashion. The fall collection at Trina Turk has a mod Parisian feel, manifest in minidresses and separates with bold, graphic prints in vibrant fuchsias, violets and teals. In addition to women's clothing are handbags, sunglasses, swimwear and menswear. The space is designed by star decorator Kelly Wearstler. Dita Eyewear, which repopularized the supersized, Jackie Kennedy–style sunglasses—see their Supa Dupa style—opens its Dita Legends concept store, its second in the United States. In addition to contemporary shapes such as the Targa modern aviators, the store offers a "private collection" of vintage frames. 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.721.2000 Map L15714.540.4555.

SWEETS
Fro-Yo: Where to Go
In Los Angeles, Pinkberry was "the taste that launched 1,000 parking tickets" (Los Angeles Times). Then Red Mango, which has 130 locations in South Korea, began its rollout. Now both are in Orange County. Which really came first? What are the differences? And which is better? Red Mango began serving plain and green tea flavors with fresh fruit and fun toppings in South Korea in 2003. Pinkberry began serving plain and green tea flavors with fresh fruit and fun toppings in in West Hollywood in 2005. Red Mango uses live-culture yogurts; Pinkberry uses powders for its frozen dessert, and now offers a coffee flavor. The taste: Both are tangy. Pinkberry is citrusy and sorbet-like. Red Mango is creamier and tastes ... like ... yogurt!

Pinkberry Fashion Island, 941 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.721.1681 • 7811 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, 714.372.3333 • Irvine Spectrum Center, 59 Fortune Drive, Irvine, 949.788.0877 • 2785 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 714.834.9483 • 2883 Park Ave., Tustin, 714.258.7992

Red Mango Crystal Cove Promenade, 7972 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Coast, 949.376.4186 • 17595 Harvard Ave., Irvine, 949.955.0333 • 1993 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, 714.278.9888

THEATER
Summers in Winterset
Nominated for Best New Play by the American Theatre Critics Association, Leaving Iowa comes to the Laguna Playhouse for its West Coast premiere. Opening Nov. 11, it tells the story of a journalist who returns home to Winterset, Iowa, after the death of his father. The man relives the summer vacations of his childhood—when his well-meaning father carted him to various historical sites—as he searches for the perfect place to scatter Dad's ashes. 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 800.946.5556. Map G15

MUSIC
Pulling Out the Stops
The Orange County Performing Artscenter unveils its William J. Gillespie Concert Organ, centerpiece of the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The opening concerts of the Pacific Symphony season, Sept. 18–20, mark the first full performances using the 4,322-pipe instrument; Paul Jacobs is soloist for the Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3. Olivier Latry, from the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, presents a solo recital on Oct. 19. The Pacific Chorale offers a program called "Cathedral Echoes," featuring organist Mary Preston, on Oct. 25. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. Map J13