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Greer’s OC: Mix surf, art with hotel stay

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The Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach and world-renowned ocean photographer Aaron Chang (who has a pop-up gallery in the Shorebreak lobby) have teamed up to create an experience for surf and art lovers.

Booking an “On a Mission for Art” package includes accommodations, a private town car ride along the coast to Solana Beach for a tour of the Aaron Chang Gallery and a large Aaron Chang original (rates from $2,085).

There’s also a Hidden Gem package, where overnight guests receive one small piece from the Aaron Chang Gallery (rates from $399). Both packages include a daily newspaper, Even Wine Hour and access to the 24 Hour Fitness studio, as well.

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Shorebreak Hotel is at 500 Pacific Coast Hwy. in Huntington Beach. For more information, call (714) 861-4470.

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Look no further for organic wine

With organic foods on my mind now more than ever, where does that leave us with wine? It’s easy enough to find some local restaurants incorporating sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines on their lists — such as True Food Kitchen at Fashion Island and Seasons 52 at South Coast Plaza — but now I’ve found that Laguna Beach is home to The Organic Cellar, an importer, distributor and online retailer of wine.

Founder Brian Cuddy has built this family-run organic wine company that started with domestic organic wines and now works with producers throughout Italy, including major wine-producing regions of Veneto, Piedmont, Tuscany, Apulia, Abruzzi, Calabria and Sicily. These Italian farmers are committed to sustainable wine production for the better health of their families, workers, water and land.

It’s not easy to make The Organic Cellar’s wine list: Not only must wines meet a high standard for taste and quality, but the grapes must be grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers (like most wines are), and the winemaking process must be fermented naturally, with no added sulfites, food coloring or powdered tannins.

The Organic Wine Cellar’s fine wines are carried locally at retailers including Stephen Frank Laguna Gourmet, Laguna Culinary Arts and Zinc Café, and are reasonably priced from $12 to $43. To find out more about The Organic Cellar’s wines, or join its wine club, visit theorganiccellar.com.

For more information, contact The Organic Cellar at (949) 306-5474.

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Find vintage looks at Briana Rene

At Briana Rene, one of the newest boutiques that just opened at the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa, expect to find vintage inspired lingerie, handmade jewelry and unusual designers that you’re not going to find everywhere else.

Owner and designer Briana Ellison has been designing jewelry (earrings, leather pieces and necklaces) for several years, and just started a lingerie line that includes “bloomer bottoms” — sort of a boy short, yet super feminine and with a fuller cut.

The boutique carries a Pretense T-shirt line made in Costa Mesa from organic cottons and dyes; a men’s wear line for women called Maison Scotch from Amsterdam, with intricate details that you don’t see often; vintage-inspired Dirty Dolls lingerie, with 1940s high-waisted panties and more; and J.P. Mattes bags made from recycled saris.

It’s open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It’s at 3313 Hyland Ave. in Costa Mesa. For more information, call (949) 290-4829, or visit https://www.brianarenedesigns.com.

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Healthy food at Freshii

Looking for a new place to eat? Freshii is a healthy casual restaurant that just opened its first Orange County location at The Bluffs shopping center in Newport Beach.

Freshii offers custom-made salads, burritos, wraps, rice bowls, yogurt parfait or soups that are perfect for a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner.

At breakfast try a bacon, egg and cheese wrap, a spinach and goat cheese wrap, slow-cooked oatmeal, yogurt parfaits and more.

At lunch or dinner choose from a Bangkok burrito (brown rice, grilled chicken, carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, bean sprouts and warm peanut sauce); vegan wrap (spinach, avocado, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, sweet corn, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar); an antioxidant crunch salad (spinach, grilled chicken, blueberries, broccoli, celery, chopped almonds, extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar); or a grilled steak salad (romaine, grilled steak, dice tomatoes and cucumbers, mushrooms, blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing.)

It’s open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. It’s in The Bluffs shopping center at MacArthur Boulevard and Bison Avenue in Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 760-8760.

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Bakery straight fromBelgium

I just found out that the Belgian bakery and café, Le Pain Quotidien, will be opening it first O.C. location this October at Fashion Island’s Pacific Court.

Pretty soon, you’ll be sitting down at a communal table or on the patio enjoying incredible ocean views while having a breakfast, lunch or dinner that features simple and delicious boulangerie foods.

Le Pain Quotidien will offer a selection of soups, salads, tartines (open-faced sandwiches, a house specialty) with its signature breads baked fresh daily. The Brussels-based eatery stays true to its mission by offering high quality, simple and authentic foods, and always local organic ingredients and sustainable practices at each location,

The Fashion Island location is extra special, as its one of only two locations to offers a unique on-site bakery, as well as baking classes. The bakery will offers fresh organic bread (wheat, rye, spelt, five-grain walnut), baguettes, French rolls, brioche, croissants, muffins and other pastries,.

Opening hours for this fall will be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For more information, including menus, catering information and baking classes, visit https://www.lepainquotidien.us.

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Quiksilver store just for men

Fashion Island just opened the first Quiksilver Waterman Collection store dedicated to its namesake collection by Quiksilver. It’s ideal for watersport enthusiasts who are into surf, paddling or fishing and looking for high-quality men’s apparel, footwear and accessories.

The men who influenced the collection include world champion paddleboarder Jamie Mitchell; Jeff Hornbaker, whose collection of photos, “Life on Water,” are featured in the store; world champion bodysurfer and North Shore lifeguard Mark Cunningham, who chose the lifeguard art; Shayne McIntyre, who hand painted the art on “Da Fin” flippers; and Los Angeles artist Sandow Birk, who contributes to the clothing line. The store also carries boards and other items for an active lifestyle.

It’s open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. It’s between Atrium Lawn and the Iris Fountain at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

For more information, call (949) 718-9792 or visit https://www.quiksilver.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=3468155.

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.

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