Fair Game
By TOM JOHNSON
OCMA set to open with a 24-hour party
The long anticipated Grand Opening of OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art) is taking place with 24 hours of festivities from Saturday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. to Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. when it opens its new campus at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. The free event will be the public’s first opportunity to tour the new 53,000-sq.ft. museum, designed by Morphosis and explore its five inaugural exhibitions.
We got a sneak peek on Wednesday (Sept. 28) during the Media Tour Day. And not giving too much away…the California Biennial 2022 special exhibition is a must-see, as is Sanford Biggers’ Of many waters, a newly commissioned outdoor sculpture on the Terrace where we enjoyed welcoming comments from Heidi Zuckerman, OCMA CEO and director; Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne and partner-in charge Brandon Welling with Morphosis; and OCMA Trustee and Partner at South Coast Plaza Anton Segerstrom (whose family believes in the importance of art to a community), among others.
According to Mayne and Welling, “The OCMA design represents a new model for museums based on public, urban, communal spaces with strong connections between interior and exterior.”
Zuckerman shared, “We believe access to art is a basic human right, not a privilege.” And when she sat down for a Q&A with artist Biggers, she broached her often asked question: “Why does art matter?” Biggers replied,” Art matters because the rest of the world makes no sense at all.”
Well, OCMA makes a whole lot of sense and so much more…go see for yourself during the 24-hour party.
Click on photo for a larger image
Photo by Tom Johnson
Narsiso Martinez’s “Banana Man,” 2021 is among the artworks in OCMA’s California Biennial 2022: Pacific Gold exhibition
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It comes just once a year and, no, it’s not Christmas, what is it? Well, if you said the Newport Beach Sandcastle Contest at Big Corona State Beach, you’re correct. Yes, the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is putting on the 60th Annual contest this Sunday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
So come on down to Big Corona. It’s free to view. And although teams are building and creating throughout the day, in the middle of the afternoon is a great time to walk the line along the sectioned-off sandcastle building plots to get a great view of the day’s work.
Local sandcastle building legend Chris Crosson says it best with his example below:
Click on photo for a larger image
Photo by Chris Crosson
Big Corona State Beach…be there or be square
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Speaking of this weekend, it could get loud! Wait a minute, no “could” about it. It will get loud. The sixth annual Pacific Airshow runs today through Sunday, originating in Huntington Beach, but flying along the coast.
Not much you can do other than to maybe get a good vantage point to enjoy some of the action.
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Pickleball is huge in Newport Beach. If you don’t believe me, go ask the 1,000+ players out at The Tennis & Pickleball Club in Newport Beach.
Last weekend was their Third Annual Club Championship. One-hundred-and-twenty-six players participated in the pickleball championships.
And the winners were:
Men’s Singles 3.0 – Gold: Don Ashley, Silver: Dave Hoch, Bronze: Reid Rolfes.
Men’s Singles 4.0 & 3.5 – Gold: Ryan Hurley, Silver: Paul Jensen, Bronze: Matt Hoyt.
Women’s Singles 4.0, 3.5 & 3.0 – Gold: Lynn Salo, Silver: Charlotte Saydah, Bronze: Coco Long.
Men’s Doubles 3.0 – Gold: John Jacobs & CJ Jacobs, Silver: Anthony Prutting & Jon Rosen, Bronze: Curt Stockman & Steven Bernardy.
Men’s Doubles 3.5 – Gold: Paul Jensen & Rick Brown, Silver: Chris Stobie & Jared Szymanski, Bronze: Matt Hoyt & Jim Neiger.
Women’s Doubles 2.5 – Gold: Mia Molloy & Lisa Gill, Silver: Mesha Swart & Chanda Jensen, Bronze: Cindy Bollman & Janet DiChiro.
Women’s Doubles 3.0 – Gold: Stephanie Kwock & Cindy Halford, Silver: Michelle Poage & Eliana Carrier, Bronze: Clare Doolin & Jenifer Brown.
Women’s Doubles 3.5 – Gold: Brittney Hurley & Hannah Doolin, Silver: Lynn Salo & Rachel Hong, Bronze: Cindy Lightner & Lisa Williams.
Mixed Doubles 2.5 – Gold: Jessica Feldkamp & Buddy Feldkamp, Silver: Cindy Bollman & Robert Staples, Bronze: Hayley Renwick & Peter Tanoury.
Mixed Doubles 3.0 – Gold: Kelly Lewis & Lewis Lanzner, Silver: Samantha Nikki Hoyt & Matt Hoyt, Bronze: Lori Weiss & Gene Hobe.
Mixed Doubles 3.5 – Gold: Jenifer Brown & Joshua Brown, Silver: Angie McCabe & Paul Jensen, Bronze: Michelle Poage & Jon Orban.
Mixed Doubles 4.0 – Gold: Hannah Doolin & Sathya Sampathkumar, Silver: Brittney Hurley & Ryan Hurley, Bronze: Lynn Salo & Ted Angelo.
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And, pickleball doesn’t stop there. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and The Tennis & Pickleball Club is partnering with Susan G. Komen for the first ever Pickleball for the Cure National Tournament, October 14-16.
The tournament will offer all skill levels and brackets, including men’s, women’s and mixed.
To find out more, go to https://pickleballforthecure.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1144.
Where fundraisers used to be centered around golf tournaments, it looks like pickleball is opening up similar opportunities.
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It’s an old-fashioned Meet & Greet for the residents of Corona del Mar and surrounding neighborhoods at Sherman Gardens on Sunday, Oct. 16 from 3-6 p.m.
This is the fourth neighborhood Meet & Greet designed to give residents a chance to get to know your neighbors, meet new friends, enjoy food from Beach Pit BBQ, enjoy entertainment and prizes, all while supporting a community treasure. Sherman Library & Gardens community partners include the CdM residents association and the CdM Chamber of Commerce.
The Meet & Greet committee is selling tickets for just $10 per person to cover costs of the band, food, activities, and support Sherman Library & Gardens, which is providing the use of their 2.2-acre botanic garden for the event at no cost.
And don’t forget to check out the Pie Contest. For tickets and info about the free Pie Contest, go to https://experience.thesherman.org/corona-del-mar-meet-and-greet-101622.
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What do news reporters have in common with ice cream lovers? Both love a good scoop!
Along those lines, Salt & Straw Ice Cream opens today in The Walk at Westcliff and they’re partnering with the Mariners Elementary School Parent Teacher Association, with 20% of all purchases between 3-5 p.m. today going to the group.
Best known for its curiously delicious flavors, exceptional hospitality and locally sourced ingredients, Salt & Straw currently has 17 scoop shops across California.
“We are thrilled to open our very first shop in Newport Beach,” said Tyler Malek, co-founder and head ice cream innovator at Salt & Straw. “We are hoping to be a part of creating lasting memories in this community for generations to come.”
Here are some fun facts: Salt & Straw customers can indulge in an exciting menu featuring 12 classic flavors like Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Honey Lavender and a rotating monthly menu like the “Ice SCREAM” series in October/Halloween which will feature:
–The Great Candycopia - Homemade Kit Kats, Reeses, Snickers, Heath bars folded into a diabolically delicious, salted butterscotch ice cream.
–Don Bugito’s Creepy Crawly Critters - Matcha ice cream with toffee-brittle mealworms and chocolate crickets (yes, real bugs!).
–Jack o’ Lantern Pumpkin Bread - Tender hunks of just-baked pumpkin bread and swaths of whipped cream cheese frosting in a pumpkin spiced ice cream.
–Black Cat Licorice & Lavender - A silky, pitch-dark anise and fennel caramel with luminous salted lavender ice cream.
–Double Bubble Toil & Trouble (v) - Two spices and three fruits combined in a coconut cream for the perfect concoction that tastes just like bubble gum.
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Due to a scheduling conflict and the busy campaign season upon us, The Newport Beach Foundation is rescheduling their Fall Fete. The event, now set for Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 6-8 p.m., takes at the VEA and benefits the Foundation’s Scholarship Program.