Entries Written By Ryan Najjar
“You’re Now in the Back of the House”: An Intimate Time at The ButcherShop
“Hi, where can I find The ButcherShop?” “…Follow me.” The concierge of the Irvine Marriott got up from his desk and headed in the direction of the main bar. I followed, and eventually I saw him look in the direction of a kitchen door nestled in the back of the bar. A man stood next to the doorway, and he nodded to us. My escort up to this point told …
Find the Treasures of Fun and Education in The Game Chest
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about covering a game store in Irvine Spectrum. It’s not that I don’t love it; I mean, who hasn’t had an awkward first date there? However, its stores aren’t exactly known to be unique local businesses. I feared this would just be another major franchise shop among the crowd, but that worry began to be quelled when I first stepped inside. It’s a pretty …
YiGah Restaurant: Warmth in Every Sense
In case you weren’t able to tell from my previous review with Bret of Urban Seoul or my review on BBQ chicken, I like Korean food. A lot. Tteokbokki? One of life’s purest pleasures. Anything involving kimchi? Sign me up. Drumsticks deep-fried in olive oil? I’ll take five to go, please. Even with all this resting in my belly, I craved more. How? I sat with this question for hours …
Afters Ice Cream: Unique Sensations and Flowers Abound
“Remember when you cared about your so-called ‘diet’?” I internally whisper, almost scoldingly. Then you decided to do food reviews. At least you’re exercising more, or whatever you have to tell yourself to rationalize eating a doughnut filled with ice cream. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. Not that you could get ahead of anything at this point, tubby. Ok that’s enough, conscience. Anyway, if Afters Ice Cream is …
Cultural Crossroads at St. Paul’s 41st Annual Greek Festival
As I parked my car and began to walk toward the shuttle taking people to the festival (the main parking lot was full), I began to think about how long it had been since I had a gyro. Too long, dear reader, far too long. From the moment I heard about A Taste of Greece, the Greek cultural festival at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, I felt an …
Unleash Your Sweet Tooth at Meet Fresh
Fresh off a visit to the very satisfying BBQ chicken nearby, I sauntered over to change the savory flavors lingering in my mouth. I loved them, sure, but sometimes the best thing you can do for the flavors you love is move on… Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, dessert! Wait, I hadn’t said that yet, but I guess I have now. I decided I needed some dessert, and …
Abracadabra, Alakazam! Comics and Cards in the Palm of Your Hand
If you’re in your 20s and living in Orange County, I’m probably not the first person to tell you that options are limited if you’re trying to go out on weekends. For all I know, you might not want to go out anyway, but that doesn’t mean you don’t want to connect with new people. As you’ve spent more and more time in the house, you’ve probably been thinking of …
Irvine Studio Arts Festival Puts Creativity on Display
There are plenty of museums in Los Angeles, and quite a few around Orange County, but art exists everywhere. We don’t have to seek out the exhibits of prominent figures to be blown away by the creativity humans are capable of. In fact, if you’re in Irvine this summer, you won’t even have to leave town to immerse yourself in the arts. Why is it going to be so easy, …
An Interview with Katelyn Marie: Live at Pub Thirty-Two
I arrived at Pub Thirty Two 20 minutes before I was scheduled to speak with Katelyn Marie, figuring I’d have time to take in my surroundings. However, as I started to take notes, I looked out the window and saw my interviewee walking up to the front door. Apparently we both like being early. We bonded over that as we took a step outside to get some fresh air and …
Mr. French Crepe: A Hidden Taste of Europe
“If you think their recipe is better than mine, bring me some to try for myself. If not, don’t bother.” My mom takes crepes seriously. She’s been a master of the art for as long as I can remember. Friends of mine who try it one time find themselves bringing it up in every conversation I have with them. Her methods are no secret, but she knows it’s just different when …
