History was made last weekend when Community in Bowls (CIB) and Etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest partnered to host their first transition skating competition. While transition skating, which involves using ramps and other obstacles to achieve acrobatic (and frequently aerial) maneuvering, is often associated with skateboarding, this inaugural event summoned competitive roller skaters of varying levels from around the world. 

Erica Vanstone (board member / part owner of CIB / event organizer) told Irvine Weekly how far and wide competitors had come from. “We had competitors come from as far away as Australia! Nationally, we had folks come in from Colorado, Oregon, Nevada. And the judging staff came from as far as NYC and Hawaii! Many skaters came with support from local skate shops like Pigeon’s Roller Skate Shop out of Long Beach, and some have national/international brands like Moxi Roller Skates, S1 Helmets, and Triple 8.”

When asked the extent to which roller skate and roller skate accessory companies sponsored the competitors and the event, overall, Vanstone responded, “We couldn’t have had the event we did without our amazing sponsors! Not only did they contribute gear and swag to prizes, they also helped financially support the prizes for competitors.”

Photo by Scott Feinblatt

Three levels of skaters competed in two categories: Street and Bowl. For the Street category, each competitor took three turns on the street section of the skate park, which included sets of stairs, ramps, rails, boxes, etc. For each turn, the skater was given a couple of minutes to show their stuff while a panel of judges observed. For the Bowl category, the skaters were restricted to the confines of a concrete bowl, wherein they again had three turns to demonstrate their chops. Each turn in the bowl lasted 45 seconds. In total, there were 62 competitors – 23 of which ran the street course and 44 of which skated the bowl category. 

Photo by Scott Feinblatt

Most of the competitors and spectators were women, which is not surprising since CIB [which originally stood for “Chicks in Bowls”] was started as a means to give women the agency to show how badass they can be on wheels. However, since the organization is not gender exclusive, there was some variety in that regard within the competitions. In any event, the overall spirit of the competition was extremely positive and inclusive with the sentiments of support, encouragement, and fun dominating the park throughout the day.

Of course, in addition to the community aspect of Rollpocalypse, there were high levels of skill on display, and the showcase was quite spectacular. Vanstone explained, “One of our big goals for CIB was to create a judging and scoring system for competitive events, and testing it was a big win for us at Rollpocalypse. Our Head of Judging, Nick Stewart, worked with judge Mary Smith, CIB founder Samara Pepperell, and me to build it. This weekend was our first live event use of our scoring rubric, which includes both objectively scored tricks and a subjective creative score for building lines.”

As to the success of the competitive / scoring logistics, she added, “We had a few lags in the beginning, but the system smoothed out over time and was incredibly successful. And [I’d like to give] a huge shout out to our first judging team, which included some amazing skaters: Irene Ching (NYC), Mary Smith/Kid Ace (Buffalo, NY), Hayley Havick (San Diego), Swampy (LA), Tarah Bishop (Oakland), and Duke Rennie (CA). Our support staff was Leonette Miksis and Nica Umeda – an incredible math team! Since we introduced the system to the community, we’ve had multiple requests from events to use it, and now that we know it works well, we’re going to build out our use of it over time… And, huge thanks to Scott Stewart, the incredible staff at Etnies, and the City of Lake Forest. We couldn’t have done it without their generosity!”

Photo by Scott Feinblatt

In closing, Vanstone expressed what was evident from the electricity in the atmosphere. “I thought the event was a smashing success, and it was really validating to have so much support and encouragement from Etnies and the City of Lake Forest. When we first came to them with the event idea, they were pretty stoked, but I knew they didn’t have a clear idea of what the community brought to the table. I just knew the roller skating community was going to leave a big, positive impression on the park and with the city, and I think we achieved that.”

She added, “The COVID-19 pandemic saw significant growth in roller skating and particularly park and street skating. A few competitions happened elsewhere earlier this year, and they’ve all shown that the need and excitement is there for competition! You can expect CIB and our partners to work on creating a competition circuit as we move into 2023, and we were so excited to have Etnies and Lake Forest share their space with us for the first!”

As for the final scores of the competition, here is a complete list of the finalists in every category: 

Level 1 Street

Lila Gregory
Elida
Emily Zantjer Lin

Level 2 Street

Mia Peterson
Mei Callahan
Maria Becerra

Level 3 Street

Max Mead
AJ Kean
Max Mead

Level 1 Park (Bowl)

Lexus Watkins
Bowzer Scharka
Shaina Guessman

Level 2 Park (Bowl)

Brina Wyss
Kelly Emerald
AnnMarie Castaneda

Level 3 Park (Bowl)

Max Mead
AJ Kean
Mia Peterson

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Photo courtesy of Rollpocalypse

Most folks don’t usually think of flying high and roller skating in the same context. But for those who do – and for folks who want to experience an amazing spectacle – Rollpocalypse is coming to town! Etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest is partnering with Community in Bowls (CIB) to host its inaugural roller skating competition on June 18, at the Etnies Skatepark. This action-packed, daylong event will feature a variety of competitive skating events and highlight the skill and diversity within the roller-skating community.

The event was born out of CIB community input and its desire for more opportunities for quad skaters to participate in competitions. The skatepark, itself, features 62,000 feet of concrete elements, including street and park courses (comprised of various concrete bowls, rails, stairs, boxes, etc.). There will be three levels of competition, and for those who want to sign up registration is $40 and supports the city of Lake Forest’s continuing mission to provide an awesome skatepark experience to the SoCal skate community. All ages are welcome; helmets and knee pads are required (additionally, skaters must sign an Etnies Skatepark waiver to compete).

So, whether you’re interested in joining the fun or showing some support while checking out an exciting event, Rollpocalypse welcomes you. 

Rollpocalypse is FREE for spectators and will take place June 18, 2022, at the Etnies Skatepark, 20028 Lake Forest Dr, Lake Forest, CA 92630.

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It’s hard to deny the appeal of an event titled “Drinko De Mayo.” The fact that the event featured both booze and live music was the clincher for this reporter to sign up for attendance, and I’m pleased to announce that the event was a success. This was the first instance of a to-be-annual Drinko De Mayo festival organized by Hangar 24, and the line-up of performers included: Voodoo Glow Skulls, DFL, Codename: Rocky, Odd Robot, Radical Radical, and Taken Days.

The event was held at on May 7, at Irvine’s Intersect plaza, 17877 Von Karman Avenue, where the Hangar 24 brewery is located. I had not been familiar with this location, and apparently neither had Google Maps, as the app directed me to a rather unpopulated parking lot off of Gillette Ave., behind the event. However, after finding a place to park, hopping a gate, and being escorted by security to the proper entrance, I was warmly welcomed by the event’s organizer, Shannon Maxon. [I later learned that the official entryway was directly off of Von Karman Ave. via a fairly nondescript corporate parking lot.] 

When asked about the event’s origin, Maxon said, “[I was] just trying to put something together for Cinco de Mayo and thinking of bands that I actually grew up with that would fit the bill, so I reached out to Voodoo Glow Skulls and then went from there.” The bands that comprised the day’s line-up – which were deliberately Orange County-based bands – varied in their respective genres, but were generally based in punk rock; there was some pop punk, some ska, and some hardcore punk. Despite the hard-edged motif, the attending crowd of several hundred people, including many children, settled nicely into the picnic-like setting.

Photo by Scott Feinblatt

The location, itself, seemed like an odd choice for a punk rock event; Intersect is essentially a corporate plaza. However, given that Hangar 24 is located within the plaza; and given that the plaza is decked out with plenty of lounging space, a patio, an aviary, a chicken coop, a game zone (featuring a bean-bag toss game), etc.; it was certainly a family-friendly environment. Furthermore, most of these families were punk rock families. In some cases, while adults spun, twirled, and shoved within the various mosh circles that developed in front of the stage, children ran in circles around the perimeter of the pit or developed their own little circles to run around in – especially during amusingly themed songs like DFL’s “Pizza Man.”

Maxon discussed past events she and Hangar 24 have hosted. She said, “We had a music series [that started] in March of last year called Music on the Runway. It lasted about six months. We hope to bring it back eventually, and it was also local talent, with all different kinds of bands out here every Saturday night.” In addition to the annual return of Drinko De Mayo, she said, “We’re gonna do a summer concert series as well with a lot of local tribute / cover bands and stuff like that.”

As for what folks can look forward to, Maxon shared a preview of this summer’s eclectic concert series. She said, “[Stylewise, it’s] all over the place, from a Rage Against the Machine tribute band to Redneck Rodeo, which is a local country cover band. We have Tijuana Dogs playing, which is a fun, local [band]. They do a bunch of different covers. We have the Flux Capacitors, so eighties, Back to the Future themed. We’re gonna have a ska festival actually, one Saturday, [which will feature] a bunch of local ska bands. Yeah, just all over the place!”

Photo by Scott Feinblatt

Next Maxon explained what was on tap for the event. “Right now we’re featuring our Chemtrail Cream Ale, which is gonna be an Orange Creamsicle ale.” She then clarified the chemtrail connection. “We try to focus everything around aviation, so a lot of our beer names are focused around aviation, that’s the root of our company. Hanger 24 started in Redlands, in an airplane hanger, and we try to keep that [motif] location wise; we’re close to John Wayne here; our Lake Havasu location is actually in the Havasu airport.” As for the food Hangar 24 was serving up for the day, Maxon said, “Today we just did a special menu to kind of go around Drinko De Mayo with some Mexican food items, but generally our Nashville hot chicken sandwich is our most popular item. It’s a hot fried chicken sandwich, and then we have flat breads and tacos – all chef-inspired, brewery bar food, but with a little kick to it.”

Maxon estimated that attendance for the day would ultimately range from between 600-800 people and pointed out that the area could accommodate 1,500. Furthermore, she indicated that folks didn’t need to wait for special events to visit. To keep up on special events, she encouraged folks to follow the Hangar 24 social media, but beyond that, she pointed out, “We are open seven days a week, so come in for lunch; come in for dinner; come in for a beer; bring your group in. There’s live music five to six days a week if not more, and we do trivia on Thursday nights, so there’s always something going on every night.”

Photo by Scott Feinblatt

All in all, the event featured a terrific blending of elements. There was the family-friendly setting, designer booze, a few local vendors, and the highly energizing music of the bands. The event lasted from 11am – 11pm, and ended with a powerhouse performance by the colorful Voodoo Glow Skulls, who complement their soul-bashing chops with colorful theatrics, a warm vibe, and an anthem through which they encourage their fans to heed the call to scream, “Fuck you.”

As the evening wound down, Efrem “The Bean” Schulz, the band’s singer, bade everyone a good evening and ironically warned them: “Be careful walking home in this neighborhood. Remember, this is Irvine.”

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There are already plenty of delicious reasons to visit TRADE Marketplace. They currently have 15 dining spots listed on their website, as well as 11 non-food businesses which range from beauty salons to financial advisors. As far as the food is concerned, this reporter has already had the opportunity to sample and write about Champion’s Curry, SmörBurgers, OlyvOyl, and Presotea. Regrettably, SmörBurgers has moved on. In any case, the good folks at TRADE are now offering patrons even more incentive to stop by for a bite at one of the many restaurants or pop into one of the retail shops that comprise the al fresco strip mall. That incentive comes in the form of evening entertainment with its Saturday Night Live Music and Paint & Dine events.

Photo courtesy of TRADE Marketplace

The Saturday Night Live Music series launched in January of this year. Since then, it has been providing guests with the opportunity to experience live musical performances from Orange County’s own artists and bands. The curators of the event strive to bring a sense of variety by featuring artists with unique styles. Guest artists thus far have included Dane Drewis and Christine Alicia. This Saturday, March 26, Aris Weathersby will be taking the stage from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Weathersby is a Southern Californian guitarist / singer-songwriter whose inspirations include such diverse musicians as Parliament-Funkadelic, Merle Haggard, Jimi Hendrix, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica. He has been performing professionally for 8 years, and he has performed throughout the country with various bands and artists. This Saturday, he will be performing at TRADE with his trio.

The other new addition to TRADE’s entertainment roster of events is the Paint & Dine series. On the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month, artist Alexis Rivera will be providing beginner-friendly, step-by-step classes. Participants who sign up and pay the $35 entry fee will be coached in the creation of their own paintings of such vistas as beautiful landscapes, serene starry nights, and breathtaking ocean views. Aspiring painters of all levels are welcome, and all supplies will be provided, including acrylic paints and canvases.

Rivera believes that everyone is capable of creating their own imaginative works of art. She currently offers various opportunities – at a variety of colorful venues – in her own series of painting classes, entitled Painting & Vino, throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties. In addition to the Paint & Dine series at TRADE, she also conducts classes at Slater’s 50/50, Kimpton Hotel Palomar, AC Hotel by Marriott, Hilton Hotel, and Mass Hall Market. Her mission as an artist is to help inspire and encourage patrons to find their own, unique artistic abilities and to create their own masterpieces in a fun class setting (hence the vino). For a glimpse into her classes and to see some of the impressive products of her sessions, check out her Instagram account. 

Photo courtesy of TRADE Marketplace

So, whether the sound of music or the potential to realize your inner Picasso sounds like an appealing complement to your dinner, TRADE has got you covered. Keep abreast of their musical nights and their current listing of dining options and retail shops at their site, and as for the arts, you can sign up for any of Rivera’s painting classes by visiting the events page of her website.

TRADE Marketplace is located at: 2222 Michelson Dr., Irvine, CA 92612

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The performers of Festival Ballet Theatre recently graced the stage at UCI’s Barclay Theatre with its production of Don Quixote. The performances took place to packed houses on the evening of Saturday, March 19, and on the afternoon of Sunday, March 20. These performances marked the return of Festival Ballet Theatre to the Barclay, following its successful 12 show run of The Nutcracker, during the winter season of 2021.

The ballet’s narrative is a variation on one of its titular character’s adventures from the original Don Quixote novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Specifically, during the first part of the novel, Quixote, who lives in a world of his imagination and fancies himself a chivalrous knight, plays an incidental role in reuniting two couples. In the ballet, Quixote (Charles Johnston) and his loyal companion Sancho Panza (David Moskowitz), stumble into a situation wherein Lorenzo (Sayat Astrayan) forbids his daughter Kitri (Jeraldine Mendoza) from being with the barber Basilio (Dylan Gutierrez). Rather, he wants his daughter to wed the obnoxious and awkward nobleman Gamache (Sergei Domrachev). Throughout the story, Quixote stumbles around in scenes that are confusing and mystical to him, and he eventually plays a key role in Basilio’s plot to gain Lorenzo’s blessing to marry Kitri.

Photo by Dave Friedman

The production featured guest dancers Jeraldine Mendoza and Dylan Gutierrez, who have already received great reviews performing in these roles in prior Festival Ballet Theatre productions of Don Quixote, but this was their first time working together on the production for Orange County audiences. All of the dancers acquitted themselves admirably, and the performers in the more clownish and character-based roles did wonderful jobs as well.

The production featured dazzling choreography by Alexander Gorsky and Marius Petipa; brilliant stage designs and construction by Vladimir Madved and David Scaligone; terrific costume design and construction by Cyndee Ely, Heather Lerma, Kaye Michel, and Barbara Vieuretta; and was performed to the delightful score of Ludwig Minkus. Notably, the performance also featured many children in small roles [no pun intended]; most of these children are members of the Festival Ballet Theatre Trainees and Junior Company, and some of them (who portrayed little cupids in Quixote’s fantasy dream sequence) are students of Southland Ballet Academy – a division of Festival Ballet Theatre. The production was directed by Salwa Rizkalla. 

Photo by Dave Friedman

Rizkalla is Festival Ballet Theatre’s artistic director. For the past 30 years, she has been entertaining Orange County audiences with the numerous colorful presentations of the Festival Ballet Theatre – as well as providing top-tier classical ballet training at Southland Ballet Academy. 

As the official school of Festival Ballet Theatre, Southland Ballet Academy has been cultivating, training, and inspiring an appreciation for classical ballet in dancers of all levels since it was founded, in 1983. In the time since it opened, both Rizkalla and the academy have established national and international reputations and have played a leading role in cultivating world-class dancers. The school is currently comprised of eight state-of-the-art studios, located in both Irvine and Fountain Valley.

Photo by Dave Friedman

In the interest of any wanna-be dancers out there, Southland Ballet Academy’s International Summer Intensive program provides dance instruction by world-renowned artistic directors, ballet masters, and choreographers. The program culminates in a showcase, called the Inspired Young Dancer Performance, which gives the dancers an opportunity to perform on a stage.

For additional information about Festival Ballet Theatre or the Southland Ballet Academy, visit their website: www.festivalballet.org. For information about upcoming shows at Barclay Theatre, visit www.thebarclay.org.

Photo by Dave Friedman

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Attention beer lovers! On Saturday, March 19, OC Soccer Club will be partnering with Brew Ha Ha Productions to host its first Beer Fest of the year at the Great Park. Tickets also include admission to the home season opener, so whether you’re interested in the game or the beer, come for one, and stay for both. Irvine Weekly recently had a conversation with OC Soccer Club’s president of business operations, Jeff Garner, who was excited to spread the news about both the high level of sports entertainment and the various attractions that the club will be presenting this year.

Garner pointed out, “We are not just a soccer club. If you love soccer and you want a high level of soccer, fantastic, we have that. But even if you’re not a huge soccer fan and you want to come out and have a great affordable night out, spend quality time with your family – maybe you bring your colleagues out or your neighborhood out – I think we provide an entertainment value that is easy in and out. There’s not a lot of heavy traffic. It’s a fairly small venue, about 5,000 seats. It’s free parking. It’s centrally located in Irvine, so it’s easy to get to. We have affordable pricing; our general admission tickets start as low as $9.99. We have family four-packs, we have flex plans; so we have all kinds of different ways to experience these different events.”

Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Orange County SC, Switchbacks FC, USL, football, soccer
Mar 12, 2022; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; Orange County SC midfielder Seth Casiple (8) controls the ball in the first half against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing/Switchbacks FC

The soccer club has been organizing beer fests since 2019, just before Garner came on board. He recalled the origin of the event: “I think it grew from the love of beer of our owner, James Keston, who enjoyed going to craft beer festivals and tastings. And since then it has grown to the point that this year we will do another three beer fests [including this one]. We had three last year as well. So it grew from one the first year and we’ve added on as demand has increased. We typically have anywhere from 20 to 25 breweries involved, and usually, it’s about 40 to 50 different flavors and tastings available at any one beer fest. And there’s a little bit of mixing and matching. We have some of the same breweries come back, but obviously, some beers are seasonal. And so, the beer that a brewery may bring in March or may bring in May is different than the one that they may bring on September 10th as we get into the fall.”

Some of the confirmed breweries for this weekend’s event include Tap Truc OC, Station Craft Brewery and Kitchen, Four Sons Brewing, Rad Beer Co., Phantom Ales Brewery & Tavern, All American Brew Works, The Bruery & Offshoot Beer Co., Deschutes Brewery, Booze Brothers Brewing Co., Left Coast Brewing Co., Noble Ale Works, Stone Brewing Co., Beachwood Brewing, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Devine Science Brewing, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Radiant Beer Co., and more to be announced. 

Photo courtesy of OCSC

The game will feature Orange County SC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC, and the Beer Fest will overlap with the game. Garner explained, “Beer Fest takes [place in] our fan zone, which is typically open to everybody who has a ticket to the game. It actually closes that off to 21 and above.” He also explained that there is music to entertain folks in the fan zone. “Sometimes that’s live music, sometimes that’s a DJ… [and the fan zone] overlooks the field. So a lot of times while people are doing their tastings, they can actually watch warmups, and then it runs through halftime. So in most cases, a lot of the Beer Fest crowd tends to migrate towards the field and you get to stand right along the end line almost, slightly elevated, so it’s a good vantage point, and watch the game. And then we sort of wrap up at the end of halftime. And then that crowd usually comes over to our supporters group, which [features] chanting and drums, and a lot of fun cheering on the team. We usually have a great atmosphere in the second half. The somewhere between 800 and a thousand people at Beer Fest tend to migrate over into the stadium, and it adds onto the atmosphere for the second half of the game.”

Naturally, Garner wanted to make sure Irvine Weekly readers knew what a great local team they have. “The players we have on the field are world class. We have young players coming up through the system that may go on to Europe or the MLS or professional soccer in Mexico. We also have players that have already played in those leagues and are maybe at the tail end of their career and are maybe thinking about getting into coaching or want to work with some of the young kids. So we definitely have a high level of soccer, but if you don’t know anything about soccer and you’re not necessarily there for the game, we provide an affordable family entertainment option. And so come out, it’s a two to three hour experience. We’ve got stuff for the kids. We’ve got stuff for the parents. For the kids, we’ve got things like our kids carnivals, and we basically have a little bit different experience outside of the lines at every single home game.”

In addition to the beer fests, other OCSC attractions this year will include a Friday night concert series, called the Footloose Fridays concert series. That series begins April 15 with the Aquabats. On May 7, the Sweet and Tender Hooligans will perform with opening acts, and while the June 25 line-up is yet to be announced, Garner said that it will probably be an 80’s theme night with well-known 80’s bands performing. In October, OCSC will also be hosting a Scottish festival, featuring Scottish foods, Scottish entertainment, Scottish dancers, Scottish bands, and even a limited series of Scottish athletic competitions.

For all of the events, OCSC splits the proceeds with a charitable organization. This weekend’s events will benefit the Ronald McDonald House, which is dedicated to supporting families with sick children in their time of need. Other charities that have benefitted from event patronage have included Big Brothers Big Sisters, a mentoring network; and Power of One Foundation, which is dedicated to fighting hunger and homelessness around the world. 

OCSC’s games and events certainly span the spectrum of family entertainment. Their events cater to many tastes, benefit charities, and are a bargain to boot. Speaking of which, for those interested in attending the game / Beer Fest this weekend, OCSC offers a discounted designated driver ticket.

The Beer Fest and Season Opener will be held at 8272 Great Park Blvd, Championship Soccer Stadium at the Orange County Great Park, in Irvine. For more info regarding OCSC games, events, and to purchase tickets, visit: www.orangecountysoccer.com

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There are many cure-alls people can choose to lift their spirits when life has got them down. One of them can be found on wheels, every Thursday, in the late afternoon / evening, at Irvine’s Great Park. It is there, just off of parking lot three, next to the soccer stadium, that a gathering of around 30-40 people can be observed roller skating, learning beginning and advanced moves, making new friends, and forgetting their woes.

This is only one branch of a newish skate community that has coalesced since Covid-19 first began doing a number on the world. This OC skate community originated when Shesha and Nikki Marvin had to shutter their Irvine-based dance studio, ATOMIC Ballroom, due to the pandemic. Irvine Weekly recently spoke with Shesha Marvin about the skate community that he and Nikki, his partner / ex-wife, started spinning as a means to help them thrive while their dance studio was closed.

Cassidy Gutierrez (Photo by Scott Feinblatt)

“Nikki and I opened ATOMIC Ballroom in 2008,” Marvin explained. “Then, during the pandemic, it was closed. So we used some of our private lesson rooms to open [Atomic Skate Exchange], a roller skate shop, which we just closed. We did it for like a year and a half, and it kind of ran its course. Now it’s back being a dance studio again.”

From that skate shop, a community blossomed – one that gradually found its way back to Irvine. “When we opened the skate shop, I started hosting meetups, especially in Newport Beach. And then, we kind of got kicked outta Newport Beach cuz we were too awesome, but the Great Park welcomed us in Irvine, which was really nice, and they’ve been supportive of us being there.”

Shesha is one of three administrators of the Facebook group Roller Skate OC. The group is a component of the community that he has helped to forge, and it currently has 1.2K members. As his history was centered in ballroom dancing, we asked him how he was able to cultivate such a thriving community.

“Starting back with ATOMIC Ballroom, Nikki and I are both professional swing dancers, and part of what my life’s work has been since I was 20 was throwing dance events, like swing dances,” he explained. “So I’ve been a community builder and like bringing people together, and basically the skate shop allowed us to transition that skillset into doing that for the skate community. So, instinctually, when we opened the shop, I knew I needed to make a meetup so that I could start bringing people into our warm embrace, and it promoted the skate shop and just built community. We’ve transitioned that community to other meetups and also to have our own rink night, where there’s 150 people there, minimum, every Wednesday. It’s [at Fountain Valley Skating Center].”

MaryAnne Wendt and Shesha Marvin (Photo by Scott Feinblatt)

But why roller skating? “I started roller skating, maybe five years ago, just because I got skates as a Christmas present…Nikki was the one who got me into skating; she’s loved skating for years. And she grew up as a rink rat, we call it. And so we decided, ‘Well, let’s open a skate shop cuz that’s kind of like the next thing we’re passionate about.’ From that choice, the other kind of social stuff cascaded so that we have a skate community, and we kind of go by various names. There’s Atomic Skate Exchange, which is the shop, which is now, you know, maybe defunct, but ATOMIC ballroom has roller skate classes that came from that. So the teacher that we used as part of that experience is now kind of permanently installed at ATOMIC ballroom to teach skate classes.”

Given that there have been roller skating communities around for a long time, we asked about how Marvin went about tapping into them to form the OC skating community events. First, he explained that there are sub-communities. “There’s the roller derby skaters; there’s also people who skate in the rink; and there’s something called ‘adult skate,’ which is for adults only, and it’s in the evening.” He elaborated, “It starts at eight o’clock, and it goes till midnight kind of thing; these adult skates happen all over the country, even the world. And it’s a whole giant skate community of people who have been skating their whole lives. There are people who were skating there since [they were] kids, and they’re 80 and skating at the rink. They feel part of this roller skate community, and they’ll go out four times a week just to go roller skate. And that’s their physical activity, their emotional activity, their skill-building – essentially they’re going dancing. And that’s why it matched so much with what we were doing at ATOMIC, because we have that: people go swing dancing and that’s their identity; people go salsa dancing, and that’s their identity. And, eventually, you don’t know anybody who doesn’t skate; [just like] eventually, you don’t know anybody who doesn’t dance.”

Tiffany Duncan (Photo by Scott Feinblatt)

He went on to describe just how powerful an impact skating has had on the lives of the people he has met within the skating community. “I can’t even express how many stories there are in our community of people who [say] roller skating literally saved their life. It took them from the most horrible place and gave them something positive to feel. It gave them motivation in life. You know, they choose roller skating instead of anxiety medication, and it’s real. Almost every skater in our community has this kind of story in some way. Roller skating really matters to people’s lives. It’s not just a hobby.”

So, if any skaters, new or veteran, want to meet up with these folks at the Great Park, Marvin explained what goes down there. Every Thursday, Marvin and his fellow Roller Skate OC administrator MaryAnne [Wendt] show up with a leaf blower or broom to clear the path; they hook up some Bluetooth speakers; they bump some music, and then: “What happens is people come up and we welcome them. We talk to them; we know their names; we hug them, and then we practice roller skating together. Strangers will show up too. And our job as community builders is to open our arms to them and make them feel welcome, so they’re not on the outskirts. They’re welcome to come right in the middle. And I’m always like, ‘What are you working on?’ And I give them tips and kinda get them involved and hopefully [make them] feel really welcome. And then later, a lot of more experienced skaters will show up, and we all kind of coalesce: total new skaters, intermediate skaters, and advanced skaters, all hanging out together on Thursdays and making cool videos for our online community.”

Shesha Marvin (Photo by Scott Feinblatt)

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Wicked has been making an impact on audiences around the world since 2003. Now, as theatergoers continue to ache for post-Covid nightlife, this acclaimed musical, which is based on characters from L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, has landed with a forceful impact at Segerstrom Hall, where it will continue to run until March 6.

The musical is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire’s New York Times bestselling novel uses the well-known story of Baum’s novel (and its various popular film adaptations) as a satirical springboard for providing political and social commentary on the concepts of good and evil. In short, the original story’s Wicked Witch of the West and Good Witch of the North are given complex backstories, which make them much more three-dimensional characters than their original names would suggest about them, and trouble brews in the Land of Oz.

Photo by Joan Marcus

In the musical Wicked, the wonderful Talia Suskauer portrays Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West) as an illegitimate, bi-racial child, who is highly gifted in magic but whose familial circumstances relegate her to the life of a caretaker for her disabled half-sister, Nessarose (the very good Amanda Fallon Smith). Universally spurned by other children as well as by her non-blood father (she was born of her mother’s affair with a mystery man), Elphaba becomes the unlikely friend of the insufferable blonde brat, Glinda (the terrific Allison Bailey).

Given the personality conflicts and social disparities between the two characters, it is truly wondrous to watch a touching “sisterhood” bloom between Elphaba and Glinda. Naturally, tragedy strikes soon after. Jealousy, politics and greed drive a wedge between the two, and Elphaba is gradually driven to become The Wicked Witch in a transition that is both tragic and glorious to behold.

Additionally, Wicked presents origin stories for a number of well-known characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as well as a new spin on the history of The Wizard and an amusing nod towards Dorothy.

The music and lyrics of Wicked were written by Stephen Schwartz. Winnie Holzman wrote the show’s book (based on Maguire’s novel), and in its nearly 19 years in existence, the show has been garnering accolades on and beyond Broadway, where it is the 5th longest-running show in Broadway’s history.

This production is directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello with musical staging by Tony Award-winner Wayne Cilento, and their spectacle is pure magic. The creative and elaborate set designs extend beyond the curtain and the proscenium arch, making a perfect portal between Segerstrom Hall and the Land of Oz, where the story is set. The fantasy nature of the story – along with its famously beloved universe – is magical and whimsical enough to facilitate a highly entertaining medium in which some very hard-hitting realities about relationships, racism, and politics are addressed. Furthermore, the fantastical natures of the setting and characters create a perfect backdrop for such topics to be explored through musical theater.

Photo by Joan Marcus

The press release about this production indicated that this is the first area engagement of Wicked in three years. Additionally, it continues to hold the title of Costa Mesa’s most popular musical. It was no surprise, then, that the theatre was packed for the performance, and the performers received a standing ovation which probably would have lasted for three or more curtain calls in the event that the house lights had not been abruptly turned on after the first call.

For those wishing to attend this and any other shows at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, please observe their current COVID-19 policy requirements. Ticket holders must provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in order to attend indoor performances. As stated on their notice, “‘Fully vaccinated’ means your performance is at least 14 days after your final vaccine dose…Those who are under age 12 and anyone without proof of being fully vaccinated must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours (3 days) prior to entering the theatre…Masks are required at all times for all patrons and visitors regardless of vaccination status in all indoor spaces at Segerstrom Center. Performance ticket holders who do not comply with these policies will not be admitted.”

For more information about the musical, visit its website:  www.WickedTheMusical.com

Single tickets for WICKED start at $ $44.75 and are available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling (714) 556-2787; for inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services offices at (714) 755-0236.

Photo by Joan Marcus

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Different seasons call for different cuisines. Earlier this year, TRADE Marketplace added a couple of new eateries to its collection of restaurants and retail shops. Irvine Weekly dutifully reported on those eateries, Champion’s Curry and SmörBurgers, which were both highly satisfying! And while curry dishes and burgers are also great when the year gets colder, TRADE’s newest additions, OlyvOyl and Presotea, provide diners with even more eclectic options for satiating their winter palates. Naturally, we had to taste for ourselves.

OlyvOyl is a family-owned restaurant serving up authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Their recipes and cooking techniques were handed down by their ancestors to perfect the taste of the Levantine cuisine, dishes from the Levant region of the Middle East including Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Egypt. When we dropped by the restaurant to sample some of their items, we had a chance to speak with OlyvOyl’s owner, Basma Kaoud, who shared with us a bit about the company’s history in Irvine.

“When we started OlyvOyl, we started it back in 2016,” Kaoud told us. “Our first location, which is on Jeffrey, is the main location, which we started as a flatbreads place where we just do pizza flatbreads in a Mediterranean style [the TRADE location does not currently sell the flatbreads]. Then, throughout the year, the customers wanted more than just pizzas, especially for Mediterranean cuisine; they wanted more rice and meat and stuff like that. So we had a plan [that by] the end of the year, we’d start up this new menu where we introduced the kebabs and the rice and everything.”

Kaoud went on to point out how the Mediterranean cuisine at OlyvOyl is distinct from other Mediterranean restaurants. “Looking at the market, there are not many authentic — truly authentic — [places].” She elaborated, “The very popular ones out there are either Persian cuisine, Greek, Lebanese, but nothing that’s Syrian / Palestinian.”

In addition to a halal menu of traditional dishes from those regions and the particular varieties of spices, seeds and herbs which are used in the preparation of the food, Kaoud emphasized the freshness of all of the food served at OlyvOyl.

“About 95% of our food is [freshly] homemade,” she said. “5% is the fries or the kibbeh, which is our meatballs. It’s easier to just buy them ready from someone who does them homemade. Again, we have to find a homemade place. So, these are the only two items that are frozen. Everything else is fresh, made to order, prepared that day or the night before. But there is nothing that is frozen pre-cooked, or that sits in preservatives.”

As Kaoud had her staff prepare me a large plate with a variety of menu items, she pointed out how much she cared for the food and service at her restaurants. “What I wouldn’t eat and wouldn’t feed my kids, I wouldn’t offer to the public,” she said. “And that’s how I train my staff. I’m like, ‘Look at the plate before you give it out. If you wouldn’t like it, if it doesn’t look good enough for you to eat it, don’t give it out; fix it and then give it out.’ So it’s not about money and becoming rich. It’s about really offering something good to the community.”

OlyvOyl (Photo Credit: @eatwithnorma)

Next, I was handed a fully loaded plate. It included samples of the beef, lamb and chicken over rice. There was a side of hummus, a salad, and a piece of fresh pita bread. As if that wasn’t enough, I was also given a chicken shawarma, at which point I conceded that my diet would have to start the next day. The lamb was very good. The seasonings were not overpowering and gave the meat a delectable taste. The chicken and the beef were also good. I enjoyed them the most when used with the delicious, fresh pita to make little sandwiches, to which I also applied some of the hummus. The hummus, itself, was very rich with nuanced flavoring; it definitely stands out from any store-bought hummus I’ve had. Also, the side salad with fresh, crunchy croutons was excellent. Finally, I lifted the shawarma for the final tasting of the menu. I was pretty stuffed by this point, but the chicken shawarma was so juicy and flavorful that it made my body forget I was full. It was most delicious!

Now, the job being half done, I still had to get a boba fix over at Presotea. After a breather, I gathered my remaining strength and waddled over to the window, where I was greeted by Tina Ferrante, who opened this franchise with her husband, Vito. The story of Presotea began in Taiwan, in 2005, when the company founders wanted to discover a new way to enhance the flavor of traditional tea drinks. After a year of trial and error, Presotea opened its doors as the world’s first technological tea brewing company. Rather than brewing in bulk, they invented a high-end, espresso-style brewing technology that maintains the tea’s optimal flair and sweetness. Their tea experience begins at the farm, where they select high-quality tea from their Taiwanese plantations which have mastered the craft of tea growing for generations. With their high-pressure infusion technology and fresh tea leaves grown and picked from their very own tea gardens, they bring the freshness of the farm to every cup.

While Presotea currently has several locations in Southern California, this is the first in Irvine. Ferrante, who has a business background, explained how she and her husband came to choose this company from the many other boba tea companies.

“My husband and I love Boba drinks,” she said. “We’ve been drinking them for 20 years, and we’ve always wanted to open [a boba location]. But then, when we started our search a couple of years ago, we toured a lot of different franchises and we were just kind of shocked to see that a lot of places brewed tea in a large batch, and then they were stored in the fridge. And I remember there was this one franchise that told us that it could be stored in the fridge for up to five days. That was shocking to us. I don’t want to drink that, and I don’t want to serve customers that. So that’s why we got really diligent about trying to find a place that offered healthier, fresh options. And then we found this place where every single cup is brewed fresh.”

Photo courtesy of Presotea

She noted her commitment to the product by adding, “Even though it’s more expensive in terms of the equipment, the machines, and also the time that it takes to brew every individual cup fresh — so it’s hot to start out with, and then we have to go through the process of cooling it down — everything takes longer, but it’s fresh.”

Given that I was still pretty stuffed from my experience over at OlyvOyl, I knew I couldn’t handle one of the heavier choices, like a smoothie or a Thai tea. Furthermore, it would have been silly to waste an opportunity to taste one of Presotea’s proper tea drinks; I ordered an iced oolong tea with boba. Not being an iced tea kind of a guy normally, I didn’t know how to navigate the various options of sweetness that seasoned iced tea drinkers can choose from, so I deferred to my host’s recommendation. In short, it was delicious. I very much enjoyed the sweetness level, the richness of the oolong flavoring, and the boba was fresh as well, of course. Despite being stuffed, I was easily able to enjoy my refreshing boba beverage. Guests can select from a wide range of teas listed on their menu, including: Jasmine Green, Oolong, Genmaicha, Roasted Hojicha, A-Li Shan, Ceylon, and dozens more.

Photo courtesy of Presotea

In the near future, TRADE Marketplace will add Yomie Yogurt (a high-concept, global, handmade yogurt brand) and Tuk Tuk (a Thai street food concept with authentic Thailand dishes) to their dining area, but even now, diners have plenty of diverse and high-quality options waiting for them!

TRADE Marketplace is located at 2222 Michelson Drive, in Irvine. For more information, visit www.tradefoodhall.com

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Many Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners ride a fine line between being old school rock n’ rollers and the kind of folks who don’t mind going out of their way to assist those in need of a little help. This writer’s experience growing up among Harley riders has resulted in my seeing just as many raucous rallies and wet t-shirt contests as charity runs for underprivileged children and fundraisers for breast cancer research. Regarding the latter category, on Sunday, Oct. 24, at 7:00 a.m., Orange Coast Harley Owners Group (OCHOG) will be holding its 10th anniversary Injured Warrior Appreciation Run to raise funds and awareness for veterans. OCHOG members and friends will be meeting at Orange County Harley Davidson, in Irvine, and riding down to Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, in San Diego.

The origin of the ride is a colorful tale. Back in 2011, Kim Kohlenberger, who was the director of OCHOG at the time, wanted to find a way to show appreciation for the troops – especially military personnel who had been injured or traumatized by their experiences in service of the country. She discovered the Warrior Foundation / Freedom Station, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, in San Diego, which provides a place and community for injured warriors to get the various types of assistance they need to recover and transition back into civilian life. Naturally, the origin story of the Freedom Station is just as colorful as that of the Injured Warrior ride.

In 2004, Sandy Lehmkuhler, a Navy wife of 31 years, was volunteering at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego and found the institution lacking a few specialty items necessary to ensure a decent quality of life for some of the patients. Specifically, she had been talking with a couple of amputees who required special electric razors for shaving. Thus, she went on the radio to ask for donations, and this started the ball rolling. In 2011, right around the time Kim Kohlenberger was looking for an organization to partner with for her charity ride, the first Freedom Station was opened; it provided fully furnished housing, a community of peers, opportunities to participate in sporting teams, and a place for personal healing and preparation for the transition back into civilian life at a reduced rent — as a means for veterans who may have been on active duty the previous week to gradually adapt to the saving, budgeting, and financial responsibilities that await them beyond military life. Furthermore, the foundation provides airfare and hotel rooms for visiting parents, plane tickets for residents to return to their families for the holidays, and a variety of specialized gear for those whose eyes have been damaged, for those who have prosthetic limbs, etc.

Photo courtesy of the Orange Coast Harley Owners Group

During the inaugural year for the Injured Warrior ride, there were 350 bikes with 500 people participating (including injured warriors), and $18,000 was raised for the Warrior Foundation. Since that time, Freedom Station has housed and helped dozens of injured warriors, and helped many of them transition to colleges and vocational schools, establish careers, secure long-term independent housing, start families, and manage ongoing care for their various injuries. In May of 2020, Warrior Foundation opened a new nine-unit property, called Home of the Brave: Freedom Station II. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine veterans currently benefit from these properties.

Chris Mosher is the current director of OCHOG. Mosher, who has ridden motorcycles since he was a kid, explained to Irvine Weekly that he got his first Harley and joined the chapter in 2012. Over the years, he has participated in many Iron Butt rides, which are basically trips that require being in the saddle for at least 1,000 miles a day. For one of their trips, he and other members from the chapter rode up to the Arctic Circle just to see the Arctic Circle sign. His involvement in such extreme rides proved his value to the chapter, and he became an activities officer for OCHOG – which included planning routes for various rides. He then moved up the ranks and has now been director of the chapter for two years. Mosher said that even though Kohlenberger moved to Texas, the Injured Warrior Ride is still very much her legacy.

Over the years, he pointed out how the destinations have changed. “At one point,” he said, “We were able to actually go onto the base at Camp Pendleton, which was pretty phenomenal… We haven’t been able to do that for the last few years. So we’ve gone through several different destinations. Last year, we were able to partner up with Mount Solidad, down in San Diego… It overlooks the entire La Jolla bay area, and there’s a monument up there for service members. Last year was a great event – even with Covid going on – we were able to have a smaller event, and this year we decided to return to Mount Solidad because the location was so fantastic.”

Given ongoing concerns over Covid and its variants, Mosher explained that there will likely still be reduced attendance for this year’s ride. He anticipated that there will be around 200 bikes and 300 people participating this year. He also pointed out that since the ride has been going on, it has raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $800,000 – $900,000 for the Warrior Foundation.

The donations which benefit the foundation come from a variety of sources. Orange County Harley Davidson, which Mosher said experienced a change of ownership three years ago, has been extremely supportive to the Injured Warrior ride. For the past couple of years, they have donated a bike to be raffled off, with proceeds to benefit injured warriors. This year, they are donating a 2001 Fat Boy for the event. Raffle tickets are $20, and the drawing will actually be on November 19. Apart from that and the corporate sponsorships that Injured Warrior receives, Mosher pointed out that the event receives a variety of in-kind donations, including from the restaurant association in San Diego, which donates food for the riders. He added, “However anybody in the community can help, we would love it, and we’d love for them to be part of this event or just donate to the Warrior Foundation.”

For more information about the ride itself, visit their website https://injuredwarriorride.com. To learn more about the Warrior Foundation and ways to help injured warriors, visit their site: https://warriorfoundation.org. And for those going: ride safely!

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting Irvine Weekly and our advertisers.

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