Greer’s OC: Finding a cure to Type 1 diabetes
Chances are you know someone who has diabetes or your life is affected by it. Thankfully, researchers and scientists are dedicating their lives to finding a cure.
From 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 3, join award-winning documentary filmmakers Lisa Hepner and Guy Mossman, of Vox Pop Films, at Hoag Hospital’s Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center for an evening of art, film and discussion about exciting developments in the quest to cure Type 1 diabetes.
Hepner is a type 1 diabetic. The filmmakers are working on a feature documentary, “Patient 13,” that follows Scott King — scientist, entrepreneur and Type 1 diabetic — at the climax of his 30-year quest to cure diabetes.
The evening will include an art exhibit featuring artists’ perspectives on Type 1 diabetes.
All of the participating artists are affected or connected to diabetes, including Shepard Fairey, Zoey Stevens, Greg Craola Simkins and Anthony Ausgang.
Special guests will include Dr. Jonathan Lakey, from the UC Irvine School of Medicine and co-pioneer of the Edmonton Protocol, and Scott King, president of Islet Sheet Medical.
Delicious foods from Avanti Café in Costa Mesa will be served. For more information about the film, visit https://www.voxpopfilms.tv/patient13.
On Nov. 3, the filmmakers will also launch their Kickstarter Campaign — an online service for fundraising — to raise $30,000 in 30 days for “Patient 13.”
The Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center is at 520 Superior Ave., Building 150, Newport Beach. RSVP at RSVP@voxpopfilms.tv.
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Uncommon food
Laguna Beach has been making a strong bid to become the new foodie capitol of Orange County with a trifecta of restaurant openings in recent months: Katsuya, Broadway by Amar Santana and — just last Friday — Three Seventy Common Kitchen+Drink.
Three Seventy Common is the creation of chef/owner Ryan Adams, who took over the former Sorrento Grille location (with a new urban and rustic interior with re-purposed elements — loved the romantic-lit tables upstairs) and is serving contemporary American cuisine with international influences.
Chef Ryan sources foods from local farmer’s markets and other purveyors for an ever-changing seasonal menu that starts with a twist on traditional bread and butter baskets: a snack of delicious bacon maple popcorn, then onto small, medium and large plate choices. They’re ideal for sharing. Or not.
Small plates include little gem lettuce with smoky fig, goat cheese, balsamic and red onion ($10); and broccolini with fried egg, asiago, prosciutto and bread crumbs ($8.50).
Medium plates include wild mushroom bruschetta with bitter greens ($12); frito misto, a mix of calamari, shrimp, whitefish and peppers with tomato chutney ($12); or meats and cheese seasonal jams, mustards and pickles ($14 to $24).
Large plates include shepherd’s pie ($22); or game hen, carrot, spud, roasted garlic, charred lemon, and lime broth ($20); risotto with whatever’s good from the farm ($14); and butcher steak, bone marrow, bordelaise, and fries ($27.50); or scallops with brussels sprout gratin and spicy maple vinaigrette ($24).
Be sure to save room for sweets. Chef Ryan has retro desserts such as Grandma B’s chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream and the Presley (cinnamon toast with banana, peanut butter ice cream and honey).
Take note of the weekly specials: On Tuesdays, it’s a brown-bag night that includes a bottle of red or white wine for $15 with dinner. Wino Wednesdays feature a three-course dinner menu with a wine pairing for $30 (in addition to the a la carte menu).
Three Seventy Common Kitchen+Drink is open for dinner from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday. It’s located at 370 Glenneyre, Laguna Beach. For more information, call (949) 494-8686 or visit https://www.370common.com.
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Olive harvest time
In celebration of the hundreds of olive trees that are ready for harvesting, The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast has planned Festa Dell’Autunno, a second annual olive harvest festival from 2 to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The event is exclusive for guests who book one of three fall packages (starting from $525, including breakfast and Festa attendance) and features traditional Italian foods, wine tasting, live music, street painting artists, Motori Italiani automobile exhibitions, an espresso lounge and an olive oil pressing demonstration.
And for the olive harvest season, the Spa at Pelican Hill is featuring olive-inspired treatments through November. These include a restorative and renewing grape seed and olive oil scrub; a fig body gelato that contains fresh figs; and pure botanicals for a scrub and moisturizing wrap, completed with a fig gelato treat.
There’s also our favorite olive oil body polish that uses fine ground olive skins with organic raw sugar for gentle exfoliation, followed by hydrating olive oil shea butter enriched with Vitamin E. This treatment will make your skin feel hydrated and wonderful, plus you’ll feel pampered and rejuvenated.
When you book a spa treatment, you can also take advantage of activities and amenities that include fitness classes, a state-of-the-art fitness center; sauna and steam rooms; locker with spa robe and slippers, personal grooming products and more. (Ask about weekday values and Sunday specials.) For appointments, call (800) 820-6800
Pelican Hill is at 22701 Pelican Hill Road South, Newport Coast. To book a Festa dell’Autunno Weekend Package, call (800) 820-6800, or visit https://www.pelicanhill.com.
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Kenya adventure
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., urban farmer Eugene Cooke will return to the Center for Living Peace on Saturday to give a lecture and virtual journey presentation on Kenya.
Cooke spent the first three months of 2011 traveling and learning about food systems in Kenya. He’ll be sharing incredible images of the lush landscapes, the people, their farming traditions and their skills. The cost is $22 per person. You can also enjoy tasty eats from the Avanti Café in Costa Mesa at the event.
The lecture is ideal for students, educators, activists and conscious community members. The Center for Living Peace is at 4139 Campus Drive, Irvine. For more information, call (949) 854-5500, or register at https://www.goodhappens.org.
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The new Daphne’s
Daphne’s California Greek restaurants (formerly Daphne’s Greek Café) is going through an exciting metamorphosis as a new California lifestyle concept.
Surf legend Kelly Slater is on board as its new ambassador. There’s a stylish new contemporary look and healthier Mediterranean and Greek menu items, along with a new music program with fresh indie music mixes playing at its 57 restaurants. The mixes are even available as free downloads at https://www.daphnes.biz.
Bill Trefethen, Daphne’s new chief executive, bought the chain out of bankruptcy and is bringing the eatery into a new direction: with foods that fuel his active lifestyle and passions for surfing, snowboarding, music and art — all bonuses to living a California lifestyle.
Longtime Daphne fans can still enjoy menu favorites like gyros, pita sandwiches, Greek salads and kebabs. New items include fresh salads, flatbreads and grilled seafood. Most of the menu items are under 700 calories — with low-fat to gluten-free and vegetarian options, wheat pita bread, and soon offering locally brewed beers and California wines.
If you go on Wednesdays, savor the street pitas that cost just $1.25 (regularly $5.79) from 3 p.m. to closing. Choose from fresh carved gyros, grilled chicken and falafel. Or on Mondays, pita burgers cost just $3.99 from 3 p.m. to closing.
GREER WYLDER writes Greer’s OC for the Huntington Beach Independent each Thursday and the Daily Pilot and Coastline Pilot each Friday. She’s the founder and president of greersoc.com, a free daily email service that provides the latest in Orange County fashion, dining, music, events and trends. Her blog can be viewed https://www.greersoc.com and she can be contacted at greer@greersoc.com.