It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Costa Mesa Historical Society gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Costa Mesa, CA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer , Deb Botelho was an amazing caretaker”
“I had a very good experience with Phong and her workers. Mostly all of them were”
“The team at ABC Senior services has been a godsend for me and my family.”
“We have used Phuong and her caregivers for over a year. She and her team”
“ABC came in and really helped stabilize my mom’s living situation as her dementia worsened.”
“I had a great experience with Always Best Care. My husband needed 8 hours 7”
“Thank you for being there, and working around my hectic schedule…you made my time and”
“After being in the assisted-living for nearly 3 weeks due to it, horrible accident, I”
“An amazing company doing amazing things through home care. Phuong does an awesome job managing”
“Writing a review for service received is never an easy task especially where it involves”
“I appreciated the friendly & professional care Karla provided for me after my extended hospital”
“Oh my gosh, the VA came to my rescue in providing my husband with a”
“Caregivers went beyond our expectations of what they can do to help us. The management”
“Caregivers went beyond our expectations of what they can do to help us. The management”
“Always Best Care provided reliable quality care to my family member in my home. They”
“After months of struggling with trying to find a reliable caregiver for a disabled loved”
“The first month of assistance with Best care was a little rough for my 89”
“The VA had brought in caregivers for my father from Always Best Care Newport Beach.”
“Always Best was always professional and went out of their way to make my dad”
“Had a good experience with this care provider, my father needed home care doing daily”
“My sister and I feel so fortunate to have found Phuong at ABC Care when”
“The caregivers were a Godsend for me. Allowed me to breath and get away. Caregivers”
“My uncle received care through Always Best Care and I always knew he was in”
“I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer , Deb Botelho was an amazing caretaker . She has taken care of me for almost a year. She has helped me shower , dress me , do light house work , helped me walk and even helped me after my surgeries and recovery . I don’t know what I would’ve done without her . She is an amazing human with the biggest heart . ❤️”
“I had a very good experience with Phong and her workers. Mostly all of them were so great and helpful in their own way. If I requested one,,as I did many a time, she would do her best to honor my request. I highly reccommend her and Best Care.”
“The team at ABC Senior services has been a godsend for me and my family. The caretakers and this company came highly recommended from a friend and now I understand why. This business has been very accommodating and understanding and has tremendous experience. Every individual has unique needs and this company does its best to harmonize with the customers needs. We worked with Karla,Ronny,Michelle and Betsy. Dementia and Alzheimer's are very cruel ailments and ABC came through for us to help take care of my father's needs and to take pressure off of my mother by helping with daily tasks.”
“We have used Phuong and her caregivers for over a year. She and her team are the best. Phuong knew what my mother needed even before we did, as she knows the business front and back. She also has a compassionate heart. The only reason we stopped was because my mother could never return home and needed to be placed in a home. My mother loved her home and was grateful she could live there with the help of Always Best Care Senior Services.”
“ABC came in and really helped stabilize my mom’s living situation as her dementia worsened. Phuong was adaptable and worked with us regarding scheduling, doctor appointments and any other needs we had with our in-home care. I would definitely recommend Phuong and her team with any home healthcare needs.”
“I had a great experience with Always Best Care. My husband needed 8 hours 7 days a week care so the caregivers became part of our family! Not every caregiver was a good fit but Phoung was flexible and worked to insure our days went as smoothly as possible. I have recommended Always Best Care to friends and they have been thrilled with the care the are receiving.”
“Thank you for being there, and working around my hectic schedule…you made my time and my husbands time positive.”
“After being in the assisted-living for nearly 3 weeks due to it, horrible accident, I arrived home, not being able to do much. I was completely frustrated, then, Always Best Care of came to my rescue! The ladies that came out were extremely helpful, kind, considerate, and understanding. Each week, they would jump in and do things that were absolutely impossible for me to do. I’m very independent, but they helpe me to relax, take it easy and let them handle anything I needed. I am so very grateful for this wonderful service.”
“An amazing company doing amazing things through home care. Phuong does an awesome job managing the staff and clients to assure the experience on both ends exceeds their expectations. It's a great place to work and give back to your community.”
“Writing a review for service received is never an easy task especially where it involves service provided to a loved one. But where service received becomes an overwhelmingly pleasant experience, the task becomes an easier one. Such is the feeling I have as I look back at the almost three years of care my late husband received from the caregivers provided by the Veterans Administration through the Always Best Care Agency. Of special mention was a very nice lady by the name of Claudette LaCaille, a pre-school teacher by profession who was one of the caregivers that unselfishly cared for him. Not only did she patiently attend to his needs---she provided a genuine companionship to him and great comfort and understanding to me. It made this painful period of my life bearable and easier to accept and cope with. I am also very grateful to the agency’s owner, Nguyen Phuong, for granting my request to send caregivers who could come consistently on a regular schedule. It made him feel like familiar friends were visiting him on a regular basis. I highly recommend the Always Best Care Senior Services and wish their caregiving heroes and heroines the best of health and good fortune now and always.”
“I appreciated the friendly & professional care Karla provided for me after my extended hospital & rehab stay. Thank you for sending Karla for my care.”
“Oh my gosh, the VA came to my rescue in providing my husband with a caregiving service after 3 years of doing it myself. Alway Best Care of Fountain Valley is the company that was designated to us. Phuong does a spectacular job in finding the best people possible to fit into a caregiving roll. What impressed me most is the fact that when a caregiver cannot make the scheduled appointment, Phuong does not allow us to be without caregiving service, if she cannot find a replacement she steps up and performs the duties herself. She is most helpful in assisting with regular caregiving service and does not feel it below her to chip in with light housekeeping chores. BRAVO Ms Phuong, your company’s service is the best.”
“Caregivers went beyond our expectations of what they can do to help us. The management "flexibility in schedule" helped us all in our household and gave us more relief in taking our short breaks and not to worry about our fiend's care, safety and his assistance at home. Consistency of caregivers assigned made it easier for my friend’s personality and to myself to handle his care. Caregivers provided the standard of professionalism, punctuality and respect in all aspects of care to my friend and to all household members as well. Always Best Care patiently worked and delivered my request for my friend's care in matching his personality with caregivers. I was not also easy to deal with being the person in charge to my friend. Thank you Always Best Care with gratitude. Penny Byram Westminster”
“Caregivers went beyond our expectations of what they can do to help us. The management "flexibility in schedule" helped us all in our household and gave us more relief in taking our short breaks and not to worry about our fiend's care, safety and his assistance at home. Consistency of caregivers assigned made it easier for my friend's personality as well as to myself. Caregivers provided the standard of professionalism, punctuality and respect in all aspects of care to my friend and to all household members as well. Always Best Care patiently worked and delivered my request for my friend's care in matching his personality with caregivers. Thank you Always Best Care with gratitude.”
“Always Best Care provided reliable quality care to my family member in my home. They were professional, courteous and kind in their provision of personal care. Many thanks to their staff.”
“After months of struggling with trying to find a reliable caregiver for a disabled loved one, I reached out to Always Best Care. From our first phone conversation, Phuong was incredibly helpful, highly professional, informative, and kind. She assisted us with getting care for my family member at home and recently helped us with transitioning her into a senior board and care facility. Phuong understood our needs and made the process super smooth and stress free. She always responds to emails and phone calls promptly and is a true gem. I highly recommend Always Best Care and could not be more pleased with the outstanding level of service Phuong provided.”
“The first month of assistance with Best care was a little rough for my 89 y.o.father, with a different care giver each visit. However as time progressed, the caregivers became more regular and his very favorite became Lauren! He is loving his in-home-care with the kindness and concern each of the caregivers show him.”
“The VA had brought in caregivers for my father from Always Best Care Newport Beach. All team members working with my father 2 days per week were wonderful. My father especially liked Karla and gave her high compliments. The entire team of caregivers from ABC were a blessing to my father and his wife. Thank you for your service. ????”
“Always Best was always professional and went out of their way to make my dad who was 88 feel special and took great care of him. They would accommodate our schedule and came to work on time. They cleaned the house and took great care of Werner. He was not always easy to work with but the staff had patients for him and for me. Always following up with my texts and phone calls. It was such a relief to know I could leave for work in the morning and they would be there to get dad up and started for the day. We were grateful for all they did for him. Debbie Stroman”
“Had a good experience with this care provider, my father needed home care doing daily living activities. The company is great and the help is better.”
“My sister and I feel so fortunate to have found Phuong at ABC Care when we were looking for care for my mother. Over many years of her helping us, Phuong never let us down and her team was professional, responsible and caring. If you are looking for someone to care for your loved one with compassion and consistency I would highly recommend Phuong. She is very hard working, was always accessible to us and takes personal responsibility for her team. We were so grateful to have her helping us with our mom.”
“The caregivers were a Godsend for me. Allowed me to breath and get away. Caregivers we're friendly, helpful around house, great conversation with my dad, really made his day!!! Caregivers helped with my dads quality of life”
“My uncle received care through Always Best Care and I always knew he was in good hands. When the need for care increased, they were able to answer that need immediately . It felt like having extended family looking after my uncle.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting TeWinkle Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local The Capital Grille or visit Diego Sepulveda Adobe, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Costa Mesa, CA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Costa Mesa, CA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Costa Mesa, CA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
COSTA MESA, CA — An Orange County sushi spot lost its Michelin star status this week, The Orange County Register reported.Costa Mesa's Hana re, known for its kaiseki-style sushi, was originally awarded the star in 2019 and retained it until this year, the newspaper said.The announcement was made at the Saf...
COSTA MESA, CA — An Orange County sushi spot lost its Michelin star status this week, The Orange County Register reported.
Costa Mesa's Hana re, known for its kaiseki-style sushi, was originally awarded the star in 2019 and retained it until this year, the newspaper said.
The announcement was made at the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center in Sacramento on Wednesday, June 25 for the annual announcement of the 2025 Michelin stars.
No new stars were awarded in Orange County this year, though Knife Pleat in Costa Mesa and R|O-Rebel Omakase in Laguna Beach retained one-star rankings.
Michelin bestowed nine California restaurants with first-time and upgraded star ratings this week as part of its bid to recognize culinary excellence across the Golden State.
Two restaurants earned Michelin's highest three-star rating — both mark the first-ever three-star rankings in Los Angeles. Seven eateries earned two- and one-star ratings across the state. The restaurants were celebrated at the Michelin Guide California Ceremony on Wednesday.
“Tonight marked a momentous evening for California and its culinary community,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide. “Our anonymous Inspectors discovered extraordinary culinary gems to highlight in this year’s selection, including two new Three-Star restaurants."
Michelin's California Guide is published annually. Earning a Michelin star is the gold standard for restaurants — two stars are even better and three puts a restaurant in a rare category of culinary experiences that Michelin deems "worth a special journey."
There are just eight three-star restaurants in the entire state.
The Orange County Museum of Art is showcasing its 2025 biennial, Desperate, Scared, but Social. On Saturday June 21st, the museum celebrated with block party and a performance by The Linda Lindas, Emily’s Sassy Lime, and Brontez Purnell. The block party had bo...
The Orange County Museum of Art is showcasing its 2025 biennial, Desperate, Scared, but Social. On Saturday June 21st, the museum celebrated with block party and a performance by The Linda Lindas, Emily’s Sassy Lime, and Brontez Purnell. The block party had booths for kids and families to make crafts, a silk screen booth which gave a demonstration of silk screening and sold bags for the show, along with a workshop on risograph printers used for either posters or shirts.
The exhibit itself takes its name from the title of Emily’s Sassy Lime’s 1995 Kill Rock Star-released album of the same name. The display for the Linda Lindas took a decent portion of the exhibit and had cardboard cutouts of some of the images used on the shirts along with some of the shirts hanging in the museum, as they were designed by Eloise and Bela. Flyers and some of the outfits they have worn were also present, as they were also designed by the band. The next part also serves as a great record of Emily’s Sassy Lime, with pictures of the band and art pieces. There is a wall dedicated to Disneyland with pictures of the theme park from the 1990s, as well as shelves of relics from the decade like cassettes, VHS tapes, shirts, and other trinkets of the time.
The stage was set up outside on the museum’s second-floor terrace next to a bar where you could buy food tickets. On the terrace, there were booths that sold all types of food, from hot dogs and nachos to baked goods. While the arts have caught up to punk rock and recognize it as a valid form of expression (which it always was), it’s always weird when the suits get involved. It always feels like the people in charge have too many contracts with vendors rather than common sense to bring in something affordable.
Brontez Purnell opened the show with vodka and soda in hand. He revealed to the crowd no one was able to curse during the show, but he was able to keep his songs and banter in between just tongue-in-cheek enough to keep the organizers off his back. He played six songs from his albums *Confirmed Bachelor* and *No Jack Swing*, with songs like “He Never Knew What Kissed Him” and “Rudolph Valentino.” Singing to a backing track, Purnell’s set was a journey through a mind with great lyrics and a unique performance. I would like to see an unfiltered live set that wasn’t confined to the censorship limits implemented.
Emily’s Sassy Lime is a three-piece band formed in 1993 in Irvine, CA by Emily Ryan and sisters Amy and Wendy Lao. They were one of the essential early riot grrrl bands along with Bratmobile and Bikini Kill. They played a set that was a little shaky in parts as they just reformed for this, but was still great nonetheless. Playing songs like “Pineapple Boy Need Not Apply,” “1984,” and “Dippity Do-Nut.” At one point, everyone in the band traded instruments. I hope there are more shows in their future; it was a fun set.
Most of the crowd was there to see The Linda Lindas play. As always, they put on a great show. There was a lot of energy from the band and the crowd. They played a set that was heavy on their latest album, No Obligation, but managed to put in first album cuts, “Growing Up,” “Nino,” “Oh!,” and “Racist Sexist Boy.” During the band’s performance “All in My Head” Emily Ryan from Emily’s Sassy Lime came out and sang with Lucia. The highlight of the night was when the band closed with Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” and Kathleen Hanna came out to sing with the band. It made a special night so much better. After the set, everyone who performed stuck around to take pictures with people. It was a great night.
The “Desperate, Scared, but Social” exhibit is on display at the Orange County Museum of Arts through January 6, 2026. Admission is free. For more information, click here.
Rove, a company founded to improve the EV charging experience by building “full service” EV charging centers with access to amenities you can use while charging, has just broken ground on its 2nd charging center, to be open in October/November of this year.Rove’s first charging center opened last October, and features 40 DC charging stalls, with 28 V4 NACS/Tesla Superchargers ...
Rove, a company founded to improve the EV charging experience by building “full service” EV charging centers with access to amenities you can use while charging, has just broken ground on its 2nd charging center, to be open in October/November of this year.
Rove’s first charging center opened last October, and features 40 DC charging stalls, with 28 V4 NACS/Tesla Superchargers and 12 CCS (2 of the CCS chargers also include a CHAdeMO cable, for the few cars out there that still need one of those). 2 of the CCS chargers are 350kW, with the rest capable of 184kW.
The concept doesn’t end there though – in addition to being able to charge every type of EV out there (well, except this writer’s Tesla Roadster, which has no DC charging capability), it also includes a lot of amenities that EV drivers don’t often get at their charging stops.
While lots of charging stations are located in areas like malls with nearby shops to go to, the actual charging area itself is usually just the chargers and nothing else, without the convenience items that you often find at a gas station.
So, Rove includes all of those and more. It’s got air for your tires, a car vacuum, windshield cleaner stations, a canopy to keep you and your car shaded (and to generate electricity for the site with solar panels), and… get this… trash cans!
In addition, there’s also a 24/7 lounge on site, with security, clean bathrooms, indoor and outdoor seating (and standing tables, so you can stretch your legs after a drive), and wifi.
And, finally, Rove has partnered with upscale SoCal grocery chain Gelson’s to provide a grocery store experience – somewhere between the gas station convenience store and a full, fancy Gelson’s.
The chain calls these smaller stores “ReCharge by Gelson’s,” and they include an area for hot food (pizza and sandwiches), frozen food (like single-serving ice cream treats, an absolute necessity on the road, at least according to me), and even fresh sushi. The store also includes several convenience items, such that visitors can conceivably combine a charging stop with a small grocery shopping trip at the same time. Or, for those who live in the nearby apartments, it’s another walkable grocery stop.
The Santa Ana site has been operating for the better part of a year now, and has hosted several community events as well – which has been a great place to go EV spotting, as each time I’ve been there, I’ve seen an incredible variety of cars (including some of the newest EVs – that’s Southern California for you).
Now, Rove is making moves to open its second station in nearby Costa Mesa, with much the same setup of its first station.
The new site is at 2666 Harbor Blvd in Costa Mesa, about a mile South of the 405, between Adams and Merrimac. It’s a bit further from the freeway than the Santa Ana site, which is only a couple hundred yards away, but Harbor Blvd is a large street with a lot of traffic, and nearby several freeways (the 405, 55 and 73).
The building is shared with a Goodwill, so you might perhaps be able to even go clothes shopping at this one, if you’re all full up on groceries.
Costa Mesa will include mostly the same setup of chargers and amenities as the Santa Ana site, except it won’t have the car wash and small turf-covered dog area that they have in Santa Ana. It will also have solar and battery storage on site, just like Santa Ana.
While the last charger took about a year to open after its groundbreaking, Rove thinks it can get this site ready much more quickly. It expects to have it open somewhere around October/November, a pretty quick timeline given groundbreaking just happened today in June.
We also got a short tour of the site showing us… well, nothing yet except some holes where cables will go and the inside of a building. But hey, at least the building is already up, and doesn’t need to be built like the last one did.
Rove is planning several other sites around Southern California, with locations identified in Corona, Torrance and Long Beach so far. Each will have slightly different amenities (like larger parking spots in Corona, to accommodate up to class 6 vehicles), and will open gradually over the coming years (the company is still a fairly small team, so give them time).
I love what Rove is doing, and I think there’s a lot of room for locations like this in the EV charging space, and I think Rove is doing it as right as anyone else is. That’s why I like to cover them whenever they come up.
There’s a lot of talk about EV charging being difficult, but for those of us who have taken EVs on roadtrips, it’s often a pleasant experience anyway. As long as there are clean chargers with something to do nearby, you really don’t feel restricted by the time you spend charging.
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Something similar to these, but perhaps with fewer amenities, but similar charger count, would be useful on remote stretches between cities. Currently, between Phoenix and Los Angeles, there's only one suitable CCS charging location in Arizona that almost every non-Tesla MUST stop to charge at in order to make it to the next stop, and it's only got 4 chargers. Come on Rove, make it happen! I promise to buy all the things in the convenience store if you ever open one.
For example, I went on a 2,200 mile roadtrip with no prep, and never felt like I had to wait on my car to charge. This is because I stopped at some excellent charging stops which really improved the process.
The thing is, EV charging could be such an opportunity for businesses to offer services to captive customers who are happy to have something to do, and often won’t mind spending a few bucks anyway. There are some businesses who have already learned to take advantage of this, but it’s been a bit of a patchwork so far.
Rove shows how a business could provide all of these services under one roof. And we think this concept would work in a wide variety of areas. Gas stations already have something similar, with Buc-ee’s style travel stops, and people enjoy stopping at those even though they’re not waiting for their car to fill up. So why not offer something similar for EVs, and kill off all the complaints about EV charging being somehow inferior or weird or different?
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Orange County’s culinary celestial sky got a touch dimmer after Costa Mesa’s Hana re, noted for its kaiseki-style sushi, lost its one-star status this year.California’s culinary sect converged on the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center in Sacramento on Wednesday, June 25 for the annual announcement of the 2025 Michelin stars, revealing which eateries across the Golden State earned,...
Orange County’s culinary celestial sky got a touch dimmer after Costa Mesa’s Hana re, noted for its kaiseki-style sushi, lost its one-star status this year.
California’s culinary sect converged on the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center in Sacramento on Wednesday, June 25 for the annual announcement of the 2025 Michelin stars, revealing which eateries across the Golden State earned, or lost, a celestial honor.
Hana re was awarded its star in 2019 and retained it until this year.
While no new stars were awarded to Orange County’s food landscape, Knife Pleat in Costa Mesa and R|O-Rebel Omakase in Laguna Beach retained their one-star rankings.
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“We’re grateful to receive a Michelin Star for the fifth consecutive year. To be included among the world’s finest establishments receiving this prestigious recognition is an honor,” said Yassmin Sarmadi, co-owner of Knife Pleat with her husband, chef Tony Esnault. “We thank and share this with our passionate, talented and dedicated team, whose hard work and commitment were instrumental in this achievement.”
Two new three-star restaurants were added to California’s trifecta club, giving Los Angeles its first ever three-star restaurants: Somni, chef Aitor Zabala’ Spanish tasting menu restaurant in West Hollywood (‘somni” is Catalan for “dream”) and Providence, chef Michael Cimarusti’s California seafood spot in Hollywood, became Los Angeles’s first three-Michelin-starred restaurant.
“The tasting menu blends classic technique with a modern sensibility, global inspiration, and sources the freshest and most sustainable seafood, often wild-caught from American waters,” wrote Michelin inspectors of Providence. “At no point during the meal will you doubt its impeccable quality, especially while savoring dishes such as a tart of lobster mousse and box crab set in a crab beurre blanc, or roasted monkfish with cauliflower and shaved black truffles. Longstanding signatures like the soft-poached egg with uni and breadcrumbs or salt-roasted Santa Barbara spot prawns make for luxurious add-ons.”
The inspectors praised Somni’s reawakening (it had shuttered during the pandemic, under a different chef), writing, in part, “Tucked away just off Santa Monica Ave., the dining room’s soothing, creamy palette with light wood and glass is marked by a colorful bull’s head from the original spot, hinting at the Spanish-inflected cuisine. A procession of small bites is meticulously arranged and endlessly creative, sating diners with an abundance of rich flavors and textural interplay (think mussel escabeche, gazpacho, or the iconic shiso tartare tempura).”
California is now home to eight three-starred restaurants – the most of any U.S. state – which include Addison by William Bradley (San Diego), Atelier Crenn (San Francisco), Benu (San Francisco), Quince (San Francisco), SingleThread (Healdsburg), the French Laundry (Yountville) and now Providence (Hollywood) and Somni (West Hollywood).
Other Los Angeles winners included Japanese/sushi spot Mori Nozomi (one star) and contemporary Korean eatery Restaurant Ki (one star).
Enclos in Sonoma and Kiln in San Francisco were awarded two-star status, while Lilo in Carlsbad, Silvers Omakase in Santa Barbara and Sun Moon Studio in Oakland received one-star ratings.
Michelin Guide’s award system is ranked on a three-tier system: one star (“high-quality cooking, worth a stop,” according to the official guide), two stars (“excellent cooking, worth a detour”) and three stars (“exceptional cuisine, worth a journey”).
For nearly a century, the awarding of Michelin stars has been an annual high-stakes moment that, at times, can either make or break a restaurant. Unlike the James Beard Foundation’s annual awards, which only recognize gastronomic talent based in the United States, Michelin bestows its stellar honors globally.
Michelin Guide notes that its anonymous inspectors are “experts in food, dining and hotel sectors with many years of experience working in the hospitality industry.” The unidentified food critics aren’t freelancers; they’re employees of the Michelin Group who pay for their own meals (in other words, no comped meals), with no outside affiliation.
According to Michelin, inspectors rate eateries following five criteria: quality of products, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, personality of the chef represented in the dining experience, harmony of flavors and consistency between visits.
The Michelin Guide was first published in 1900 as a free booklet created by the Michelin brothers, André and Edouard, to promote car travel and tire sales. The guide started awarding Michelin star ratings in 1926.
Here is the complete updated 2025 list of all Michelin-starred restaurants in California (* denotes new entry):
3 STARS (8)
2 STARS (14)
1 STAR (65)
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Costa Mesa’s iconic Triangle Square will soon take a turn in the national spotlight, as a handful of tenants at the 200,000-square-foot retail complex will be featured in a segment airing on the Travel Channel Friday.Hosted by Holly McDonald — a Costa Mesa resident and agent in Compass Real Estate’s Newport Beach office — the roughly 5-minute segment is set to air at 7 a.m., spotlighting upscale Western-themed steakhouse ...
Costa Mesa’s iconic Triangle Square will soon take a turn in the national spotlight, as a handful of tenants at the 200,000-square-foot retail complex will be featured in a segment airing on the Travel Channel Friday.
Hosted by Holly McDonald — a Costa Mesa resident and agent in Compass Real Estate’s Newport Beach office — the roughly 5-minute segment is set to air at 7 a.m., spotlighting upscale Western-themed steakhouse Westwood Coast along with other restaurants and entertainment destinations at the center.
Since last fall, McDonald has produced a string of episodic features on area neighborhoods, cultural institutions and hot spots as a Southern California host for “American Dream,” a national real estate and lifestyle show streaming on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Roku and other outlets.
Past installments have focused on trendy milkshake bar the Straw and Costa Mesa’s South Coast Metro Area, while McDonald is working on another show about an upcoming push-ups for charity event to raise money for veterans.
“They deal with a variety of different things, but they’re all positive and uplifting sides of the area,” said McDonald, a former producer of HGTV’s “House Hunters.” “I scout out the stories and the locations — I’m pretty much doing all of it.”
The segment featuring Triangle Square, McDonald’s first to be picked up and broadcast on the Travel Channel so far, came out of a desire to explore a place that is familiar to many but has gone through some changes since it first opened in 1992.
“Obviously, Triangle Square is a landmark here in Costa Mesa. And it’s kind of undergoing a renaissance right now,” McDonald said. “[But] if people just drive by, they may not know what’s going on inside. It’s more than just nightlife, but I don’t think people realize that.”
In a sit-down interview, Westwood Coast General Manager Michael Ruiz explains the increasing popularity of Western-themed entertainment in Orange County, particularly country line dancing, and why Costa Mesa was an ideal spot for the San Francisco eatery’s sister restaurant.
The segment also depicts scenes from Prince Street Pizza, La Vida Cantina, Cafe Sevilla and Tavern & Bowl, giving viewers a taste of a now fully-occupied retail space.
It’s a great way to showcase the progress that’s been made at the center in recent years, according to Charity Dahlke, a property manager for Cannon TTM, which purchased Triangle Square in 2017.
The owners had big plans for the property and were making major upgrades just before the COVID pandemic hit, changing consumers’ shopping behavior and impacting the center’s progress. Only now is that bigger vision starting to come to life, Dahlke said Wednesday.
And the added exposure from McDonald’s “American Dream,” which focuses on the different kinds of elevated experiences visitors can have at the center, only serves to further that cause.
“Triangle Square has definitely gone through a bit of a metamorphosis lately,” the property manager said. “This used to be a crown jewel in Costa Mesa, and now the owners are dedicated to getting this jewel back to where it was.”
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