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One of the most exciting weeks of the year has officially Teed Off in Southern California. The Toshiba Classic has returned to Newport Beach to welcome golf legends and the community to share in the charitable efforts to benefit Hoag Memorial Hospital and other Orange County organizations. The tournament began Monday, March 1 and will continue through Sunday, March 7. Tickets are still available and special promotions will be running throughout the Classic.

Over the past twelve years, with the help of Orange County community members, the PGA Toshiba Classic has raised over $12 million for participating charities. “Swing for the Green” is back for its third annual Recycling Event, providing the community a free and easy way to responsibly dispose of e-waste. In return, the PGA gives its thanks by offering two complimentary admission tickets good for one day of the tournament. The promotion will run from Friday March 5th to Sunday March 7th. See event website for details. Don’t miss your chance to give back to the environment and the community!

In addition to its green initiatives, the Toshiba Classic also contributes its resources and time to some of the most important stars in our life – our kids! In partnership with Charles Schwab, the tournament hosts the Charles Schwab Family Day on Saturday, March 6.

The day features family discounts and activities for Orange County youngsters, including the chance to learn essential golf fundamentals, instructed by industry legends. Fuzzy Zoeller and Andy Bean will contribute their time to provide complimentary instruction at the Newport Beach Country Club driving range immediately following play on Saturday. All children ages 6-12 are invited to participate in this fun-filled free clinic.

Golfers who held the Toshiba Classic Championship Title are returning in attempt to reclaim its prestige and are among the long list of decorated athletes. Past winners include: Edwardo Romero (2009), Bernhard Langer (2008), Jay Haas (2007), and Hale Irwin (1998 & 2002). Competition will be fierce and motivations are high to be a part of this year’s Orange County tournament.

The incredible history of the Classic’s charitable financial success has been driven by the generous support provided by Southern California businesses. Each year over 150 sponsors, 1200 volunteers and 85,000 spectators participate. This year is no different. A recent independent study performed by Economic Research Associates the economic impact of this tournament to exceed $26 million. The week-long event will be televised domestically on The Golf Channel and internationally on PGA Tour broadcast partners.

The Classic Pro-Am presented by Emulex is the first day of competition. Amateur teams of four are paired with a different PGA Champions Tour player on each day of this two day competition. The week continues on Friday, March 5th with the first round of professional competition. For a full schedule of events and tee times please visit the event website at http://www.toshibaclassic.com.

The PGA and its charitable affiliates, including Hoag Hospital Centers of Excellence, looks forward to meeting you at this year’s Toshiba Classic Championship Tournament. Enjoy the Green!

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Alive, alive, I want to get up and jive, I want to wreck my stockings in some juke box dive.” These poetic lyrics come from the song “All I Want” by multitalented artist Joni Mitchell.

The legendary folk music musician is coming to the Irvine Barclay Theater Thursday February 25th at 8 p.m. to share her collaborative masterpiece “The Fiddle and The Drum” with Orange County. The artist partners up with the Alberta Ballet and its Artistic Director Jean Grand- Maître to bring a creative performance that celebrates the marriage of art and music.

“The Fiddle and The Drum” is a semi-abstract narrative ballet that is danced in a neo-classical style set to the soundtrack of Joni Mitchell’s compelling music and most recent visual artwork. Large canvas screens will be projected with her innovative imagery, painting the atmosphere of each scene for the 29 athletic dancers of the Alberta Ballet.

Jean Grand- Maître directs the Alberta Ballet’s team of dancers as they use sensual and powerful movements to command the attention of the audience. The program is meant to fuse contemporary eclectic art forms through exploring the human spirit’s dual potential to both create and destroy. It is the timeless story of the struggle between love and hate and the capacity for both war and peace. “The Fiddle and The Drum” is an opportunity to experience a symbolic world that awakens and stirs the soul.

Joni Mitchell is a Canadian musician, songwriter and painter. After singing in small nightclubs and busking on the streets of Toronto, Mitchell set off to New York City in the 1960’s to follow the rich folk music scene of the times. After finding fame first as a songwriter, she let her soprano voice carry her to the West Coast, settling in Southern California. Inspiration came from all corners of the music industry, influenced by jazz, melding it with pop, folk and rock on her experimental albums throughout the years. Allmusic once said that the artist “may stand as the most important and influential female recording artist of the late 20th century.”

The Alberta Ballet is a not-for-profit charitable organization in Canada, and is the country’s third largest dance company in its 43rd season. “The way we perform ballet has evolved, just like music and opera. There’s a dynamic modern energy to it, which really is very expressive of our joys and our anxieties and our lives to date,” says Director Jean Grand- Maître. The performance collaboration of “The Fiddle and The Drum” is proudly headlined at this year’s Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad.

There is no better time than now to experience the marriage of two of the most gifted artistic inspirations of our day. The show begins at 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 25. A very small number of tickets are available for Gold Seats at a price of $100, which includes VIP seating and complimentary wine or other beverages before the show. General tickets are $28. For more information or to buy tickets online please go to the Irvine Barclay Website at www.thebarclay.org.

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They fly, they float and you can often see a rainbow in their transparent glistening liquid. What am I referring to? Well, bubbles of course! Snap, crackle and pop your way to exploring the magical world of bubbles! The city of Laguna Niguel invites you and your young ones to experience Bubble Mania at this month’s Family Fun Night! The show starts at 7 p.m. at Crown Valley Community Park View Room on Friday, February 19th.

This interactive show features a skilled Bubblologist who will create bubbles that spark the imagination. You and your young ones have the chance to see square bubbles, rainbow bubbles, triangle bubbles, bubbles within bubbles, and even bubbles bouncing on bubbles! The audience will have the ultimate experience with the chance to be inside a giant bubble! Imagine that!

Bubbles, being a phenomenon of nature, have always been around, but the sport of playing with bubbles didn’t really exist before soap. The history of these mystical spheres starts with the Pear Soap Company, in England. The company was responsible for the 19th century popularization of both soap and bubble blowing. There are many toys that exist now that create all shapes and sizes of bubbles, but when they began, they were largely limited to bubble pipes until the middle of the 20th century.

In the world of modern toys for kids of all ages, there are so many types of bubble makers to excite the youth of any age. There are automatic bubble machines dressed up as our favorite cartoon characters, dip bottles, and race cars that create a playful and creative atmosphere. We can even make our very own bubble makers from home. Grown-ups also have their place in the bubble world as more modern wedding ceremonies are replacing rice with delicate floating bubbles as they walk off into their new life together. This truly is a show for all ages!

The Crown Valley Community Park View Room is located at: 29751 Crown Valley Parkway, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. Tickets are at the special pricing of only $3 to celebrate 20 years of Cityhood. Seats are available on first come, first serve basis. More information can be found on the city website at http://cityoflagunaniguel.org or call 949.425.5100.

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A bouquet of loving flowers is often the iconic token of Valentine’s Day Celebrations, connecting nature to the pure meaning of the word “Love.” This year, Orange County residents are invited to experience a new way to kick-start their romance with adventure. Connect with your partner by sharing a Valentine’s Day Hike at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Sunday, February 14th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Hikers will enjoy the beautiful vistas of Laguna Canyon as they search for early wildflowers blooming in the brush. The trail is a moderate 2-mile trip, with a 400 foot elevation gain over steep and rocky terrain. Couples and nature lovers alike will have the opportunity to learn about love in the wild with Orange County Interpretive Specialist Laura Cohen and volunteers from the Laguna Canyon Foundation.

For those seeking to experience the history of California firsthand, the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park provides this unique landscape to its visitors as it has existed for thousands of years. It is part of the Natural Community Conservation Planning program, which is intended to help care for rare and endangered species. Some of the wildlife benefiting from the program’s efforts includes the California Gnatcatcher, Orange-Throated Whiptail, Mule Deer, Long-tailed Weasel, Bobcat, Red-tailed Hawk and many more.

The slopes and hilltops are covered by the Coastal Sage Scrub that lay among patches of Native Valley Grassland and Maritime Chaparral. Hikers may stroll through the riparian habitats lined with the aromas given by Oak, Willow and Sycamore trees.

The Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is one of many recreation areas of the over 20,000 acres of the South Coast Wilderness Area. Additional parks to the land include the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Chrystal Cove State Park, and the City of Irvine Open Space. Trails throughout the lands provide a pleasure to exploring the natural habitat indigenous to Orange County.

To embark on the Valentine’s Day Hike please call 949-923-2235. Hikers will meet at the Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area/Nix Nature Center located on the west side of Laguna Canyon Road/SR-133, approximately 3.5 miles south of I-5/405. Reservations are required. For more information on the Nature Center and upcoming events please visit www.lagunacanyon.org. Parking fee is $3. The adventure costs a mere $5 but the experience with your loved one is priceless.

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“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee,The more I have, for both are infinite.” These words were written in the greatest love story of all time – Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The story has been told in many forms, from music and lyrics to interpretive dances and theatrical productions. Art of all forms often compliment the written word and blend together in creating new expressions to classic tales. This Valentine’s Day, the Pacific Chorale comes to the Orange County Performing Arts Center to celebrate the heartfelt season of love with a “Romantic Affair.”

There will be two performances at the Samueli Theater on February 12th and 13th at 8 p.m. The multi-talented John Alexander Singers will be led by seasoned conductor, Robert Istad. The program combines the Renaissance madrigals by Monteverdi and Morley and the romantic text settings by Barber, Lauridsen, Poulenc and Whitacre. Words and musical notes collide in an explosion of emotion on the theater stage.

The performance will also be graced with the operatic selections by Bizet and Strauss with favorites from classic musicians James Taylor and the Beatles. Sounds from Broadway and jazz classics and the premiere of the winning work from Pacific Chorale’s Young Composers Competition will add an eclectic flair to the show.

The Pacific Chorale is an internationally recognized musical group that is known for its exceptional artistic expression that honors American programming and impactful education programs. Its inspiration has been fueled by an Old World art form that has been fused with California’s staple innovation and cultural independence.

There have been many listeners and music lovers who have praised the group’s many performances throughout its history. In October of 2008, Timothy Mangan, writer for the Orange County Register reviews the group as he describes, “The Pacific Chorale is a terrific group. John Alexander, for 36 years its leader, has turned it into a luxury model – super polished, richly blended, smooth riding. One hardly notices the road when enveloped by its sound. The sound is just there, seemingly exactly as it should be.” The sound simply exists in beauty, just as love does in friends and romantic partners.

So bring your loved one and begin your romantic weekend in style by joining this immensely talented group of musicians as they play songs that touch the heart. The performances are presented, in part, by season sponsors Phillip N. and Mary A Lyons.

For more information on the musical group or to purchase tickets please visit the Pacific Chorale website at http://www.pacificchorale.org. To take a peek at the show program visit the event website. Tickets range from $29 to $85. For more information on the OC Performing Arts Center and to learn about upcoming shows an events visit the venue’s website at http://www.ocpac.org.

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“Curious people are interesting people, I wonder why that is.” Bill Maher may be considered to be one of the world’s most interesting people and is ready to spark your curiosity. This lively comedian is coming to the Irvine Improv on Monday February 8th to share his witty humor with his O.C. fans.

Bill started his career as a stand-up comedian nearly three decades ago in 1979. He was born in the hustle and bustle of New York City, and was raised in nearby River Vale, New Jersey. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Cornell University and has now settled into the So-Cal scene in Los Angeles, the hub of some of the greatest worldwide entertainers.

Bill Maher is famous for pushing the political boundaries between reality and comedy. He first appeared on the hit show “Politically Incorrect” which ran for nearly a decade on Comedy Central. The comedian continued with his career staring for the last seven years on HBO’s hit show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” for which he has been honored for twenty-one Emmy nominations. His blunt yet charismatic honesty has carved out a reputation of creating big laughs in some of the most interesting political situations Americans commonly face on the public stage.

The comedian’s credentials cover a wide range of topics. From his political libertarian views to his frenzied opinions of organized religion, Bill Maher humor creates a light atmosphere around some of the unspoken and interesting world issues. His documentary entitled “Religulous,” directed by Larry Charles commonly known for his work on the hit comedy “Borat,” has ignited the film to become the 7th Highest Grossing Document in the history of film.

Bill Maher still performs at least fifty dates a year in Las Vegas and continues to sell out theaters across the country. Now it’s O.C.’s turn! From the glamour of LA to the relaxed style of OC, the comedian takes to the road continuing to grace the streets of Southern California. Join Bill at the Irvine Improv on Monday February 8th at 8pm. Click Here for more information or to buy tickets through the event website. You can also find out more about the comedian on his website at http://www.billmaher.com.

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Ready, Set, RED! The City of Aliso Viejo opens its heart in the month of February with a blood drive in partnership with this inspiring organization and with the help of its Child Care Amenities Group. The participating organizations invite the community to give the gift of life to those in need on Thursday February 4th from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Step by Step located at 10 Mareblu in Aliso Viejo.

The American Red Cross has been the nation’s premier emergency response organization since its founding in 1881. Its vision has always been to react with a helping hand to those affected by some of the world’s largest natural disasters and to improve the lives of those facing tremendous hardships and struggles. The residents of Southern California can do their part in helping to facilitate the vision of aid and support delivered by the organization.

The most recent disaster to hit the hearts of people around the world is most notably the 7.0 earthquake that shook the country of Haiti. The American Red Cross has responded in full force collecting donations and supplies to deliver to the families left with minimal amenities. Representatives will be on site for community members to discuss life saving solutions to the situation.

The drive in Aliso Viejo will support the organization’s efforts and supplies for all outlets in need. Local and global demands continue to direct the American Red Cross and every small step contributes to the growing strides that positively impact our world.

Kick off February as a month of Love by joining the city of Aliso Viejo, the Child Care Amenities Group and the American Red Cross in giving the gift of life to those in need. For more information please contact Lisa Simon at 949-360-7022.

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Winter memories are often filled with snow, sleds and hot cocoa, but not normally in Orange County. Laguna Niguel is one of the many cities built on community and family values. This year the city celebrates its 20th anniversary with a Snow Play Day on Saturday January 23rd at beautiful Chapparosa Park.

The history of Laguna Niguel is rooted in the early rancheros of California. Its name is of two origins, “Laguna,” which means lagoon, and the word “Nigueli,” which was the name of an Indian Village once grounded near Aliso Creek. It wasn’t until December 1, 1989, however that Laguna Niguel became the 29th city in Orange County.

The city layout is defined by over one-third of its land designated as open space. Its beauty can be seen in its natural features and is decorated by its official tree, the Jacaranda, and city flower, the Bougainvilla. These blossoms are just two small tokens that touch the hearts of the families who thrive in it.

This Saturday, Laguna Niguel celebrates its youth with its youth. 20 years is a true milestone and after all the hard work, it is finally time to play! The festivities start at 9 a.m. and will be enjoyed until noon. The crisp morning air will be complimented by cookies and hot cocoa for all ages with activities for children ages 2 to 12 and parents with a youthful soul. Snow runs will be open for intertubing and the crystal flakes of ice can be formed into any form the imagination desires.

Entry costs $10 per child. Parents wishing to ride with their children must pay entry fee. Activities will be cancelled if it rains on the day of the event. Parents should determine if activities are age appropriate for their children. For more information please call 949.425.5100.

Get those mittens and fluffy ear warmers ready because Orange Country soon will find snow in its forecast! Join Laguna Niguel in celebrating its 20th birthday!

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December is a month of cheer and holiday gatherings. This past Saturday the Southern Orange County Chapter of the international Surfrider Foundation combined the spirit of giving with community unity at its annual holiday party.

The event featured unbelievable silent auction items donated by local businesses and the connected members of Surfrider. Dustin Meister from Laguna Niguel won a limited edition surfboard to commemorate the winning efforts of the organization to stop the 241-toll road extension into Trestles Beach.

Other silent auction items included a Burton crafted snowboard, a signed Corey Perry jersey donated by the Anaheim Ducks, wine tasting excursions and more. Raffle prizes from skate decks to gift certificates from local restaurants were handed out to supporters.

Thousands of dollars were raised for the efforts of the organization. Volunteers passionately educated the holiday party attendees on the harmful effects of plastics littering our shores and waters. The organization’s philanthropic efforts fuel the many Orange County residents who live and love the ocean lifestyle.

Surfrider Foundation would like to invite you to participate in its “Day Without A Bag,” set to be honored worldwide December 18th. Each year, we use more than six billion plastic bags, and only five percent of that is recycled. The bags that are not recycled become part of our waste stream, where they litter our streets, take up space in the landfill, and threaten marine life.