Retail Therapy: A gem of a deal at Ruby’s
Shooby-dooby down: Ruby’s Dinette, 428 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, will celebrate the company’s 32nd anniversary by selling a classic RubyBurger for 32 cents from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. Guests also will receive a return incentive. The RubyBurger promotion does not include cheese, extra toppings or fries. One burger per dine-in guest only. Information: rubys.com.
A light on the water: The 106th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade will take place at 6:30 p.m. nightly through Sunday. Under this year’s theme, “Deck the Hulls with Bows of Jolly,” more than 100 boats and ships festooned with lights and decorations will cruise through the harbor. Pick a vantage point anywhere in the area for a free view, plan to wander around Balboa Island or join in a Hornblower yacht cruise to enjoy sips and nibbles for a price. Information: christmasboatparade.com.
Ooh baby: Looking for a sweet incentive to get some last-minute holiday shopping done this weekend? N’ice Cream and Granola Babies at SOCO, 3315 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa, will collaborate to offer a ticket for a free scoop at N’Ice Cream to the first 100 people who visit the eco-friendly baby boutique Saturday. Valid only on the same day, the ticket will allow you to enjoy a special granola-flavored ice cream or a seasonal flavor like Bosc pear or mint chip. Information: granolababies.com.
SOCO cool: While at SOCO and the OC Mix, enjoy family activities like live piano music, a Santa Ron visit, a photo booth, snow, wine tasting, and complimentary gift wrapping at a series of events from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Information: southcoastcollection.com.
Some for me, some for you: As has become tradition, scads of restaurants are offering holiday gift card promotions. Typical offerings include a $20 promo card (good for use in early 2015) for every $100 spent on gift cards. Those breaking the mold this year include Seasons 52 at South Coast Plaza, where a purchase of at least $200 in gift cards gets you a signature holiday cocktail gift set (seasons52.com); Capital Grille at South Coast Plaza, offering a complimentary knife set and 10% bonus card with $500 gift card purchase — call (714) 432-1140; TAPS Fish House & Brewery, 101 E. Imperial Hwy., Brea, where you can get a complimentary $37 Sunday brunch certificate with purchase of $100 in gift cards (tapsfishhouse.com); Wahoo’s Fish Taco, offering two $5 gift certificates for every $25 in gift cards purchased (wahoos.com); and a $5 promo card for every $25 gift card purchased at Ruby’s Diners (rubys.com) or Corner Bakery (cornerbakery.com).
No-brainer: If you don’t have time to finish shopping, Fashion Island is offering a new complimentary, no-obligation, no-tipping personal shopping service. Bring in your goals, and a shopping specialist will help you select the perfect gifts or find a killer outfit for a holiday party. Schedule a personal shopper at the concierge desk in Atrium Court, or via (949) 701-3166 or shoppingspecialists@irvinecompany.com. Once everything is set up, you’ll be able to correspond with your shopper via phone, email or text as well as in person.
Eat at Eats: The new Eats Kitchen & Bar gastropub, offering remixes of comfort food faves, has opened at 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine. Eats, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offers affordable prices and a communal ambience. Information and reservations: (949) 225-6780 or eatskitchen.com.
Have a hot sale tip, or know about a new local business that you think deserves a little attention? Contact CANDICE BAKER at candicebaker@gmail.com.