Greer’s OC: Free shows with local music

Local music fans will love that the OC music scene is in the spotlight in a big way now through March 5. Musicians will be performing each Tuesday night at free shows throughout OC for the 10th anniversary OC Music Awards Showcase Series.

The next show starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the District at Tustin Legacy in Tustin with live acoustic performances for all ages. The lineup includes Skee from Sunset Beach, Honeypie and Headshine from Huntington Beach, Canvas from Santa Ana and Stacy Clark from Costa Mesa. The series will continue with live bands performing at different venues in Costa Mesa, Tustin, Lake Forest, Santa Ana and Fullerton.

Thirty-five local artists will be competing for the titles of Best Live Band or Best Live Acoustic and a performance slot at the 2011 OC Music Awards on March 5 at the Grove of Anaheim.

Kat Corbett of 106.7 KROQ’s “Locals Only” show will host the awards show, with Wahoo’s Fish Taco offering 50 free tacos to the first group of hungry fans.

For a complete list of shows and venues, visit https://www.ocmusicawards.com/showcases/.

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Paula Hanson pops up

You probably will never know about the incredible and hidden Paula Hanson Pop Up Shop unless you read this, or an up-on-fashion friend tells you about it.

Paula Hanson, a longtime Orange County seeker of designer talent, has opened a fabulous boutique behind Gardenology at Westcliff Court in Newport Beach. She fills her boutique with avant-garde and deconstructed fashions in sizes XS to XL that you will not find anywhere else.

And right now she’s having a sale — select shoes, apparel, jewelry and handbags reduced 50%. Paula has a rare talent for exposing unique artists from Iceland, Sweden, Australia, Israel, the United States and all over the world. Key designers include Ivan Grundahl, Lilith, Elemente Clemente, Skif, Ray Harris, Cynthia Ashby, Kedem Sasson, Transparente, Krista Larson, Aimee g, Elm, Barbara de Jounge, Cydwoq, Trippen and Giraudon.

Find other treasures like snow globes from the oldest globe maker in Austria (sorry, only Eiffel Towers are left), clear and black UV rays protected umbrellas, blankets made in Norway, great eyewear from France and Italy, durable paper bags made from paper that you can even travel with, and jewelry designed by a chic New York City woman who launched her line in her 80s.

The shop is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at 1703 Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 515-3811 or visit https://www.paulahanson.com.

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Get savings at tent sale

Michael Nusskern’s much anticipated annual tent sale is happening now through Monday at its Harbor View Center location in Newport Beach. The savings is incredible — 70 to 80% off last season’s apparel.

Michael Nusskern is one-stop shopping for chic international designers. Its Fashion Island store is also having a sale — 40% off merchandise. The locations are 1630 San Miguel Drive, Suite B in Newport Beach, (949) 759-5500; and at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, (949) 287-0220. For more information, visit https://www.michaelnusskern.com.

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Cabaret series comes to OCPAC

Broadway’s darling, Sutton Foster, is making her Orange County Performing Arts Center debut Thursday through Sunday in a star-studded Cabaret Series. Best known for her Tony-winning performance of the title role in “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” she’s created memorable roles in musicals including “Little Women,” “The Drowsy Chaperone” and “Shrek The Musical” — and soon to star in the Broadway revival of “Anything Goes.”

Tickets start at $74 and performances start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For more information, call (714) 556-2787 or visit https://www.ocpac.org/home/Events/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1029.

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Calling all moms to book signing

Join Laguna Beach Books at 6 p.m. Jan. 13 for a red carpet affair with Teresa Strasser, author of “Exploiting My Baby.”

TV and radio personality Strasser will be signing copies of her frank and hilarious memoir about her pregnancy, childbirth and difficult relationship with her mother. It’s a must-read for moms-to-be, anyone who is baby-crazy, or those who can appreciate a blunt and plain-spoken approach to real-life motherhood. Strasser is an Emmy Award-winning writer (Comedy Central’s “Win Ben Stein’s Money”), and radio audiences know her as the co-host of “The Adam Carolla Show.”

As a journalist, Strasser is a contributor to the Los Angeles Times and a columnist for the Jewish Journal. Laguna Beach Books is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at the Old Pottery Place, 1200 South Coast Hwy., Suite 105, Laguna Beach. For more information, call (949) 494-4779 or visit https://www.lagunabeachbooks.com.

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Author talks about new book

Bestselling suspense author and former OC resident T. Jefferson Parker will be the guest speaker at the Pen On Fire speaker series at Scape Gallery in Corona del Mar at 7 p.m. Jan. 18. He’ll be talking about writing fiction, creating suspense and his new novel, “The Border Lords.”

Seating is limited, and tickets cost $20 including refreshments. The gallery is at 2859 East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. For more information, call (949) 723-3406 or visit https://www.penonfire.com/speakerseries.

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 e-mail 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.