//The Best Day Trips in Southern California


+Julian

Go apple picking in the orchards of Julian, or have the best apple pie that your mama never made. This little town hidden in the mountains of San Diego County looks like it's right out of a movie with their old fashioned hardware store and corner candy shop. You can ride in a carriage around the town, or go vintage shopping for some serious treasures.

Wine tasting is off the walls here with vineyards that include Ofilia Vineyards, Menghini Winery, Shadow Mountain Winery, and J. Jenkins Winery.

+Big Bear

Only in Southern California can you head to snowboarding in the mountains after a good few hours of surfing. Big Bear is one of the best retreats in the mountains, and it's only a few hours of a drive from Orange County. There are a handful of mountains to hit the snow in this community and in the summer there's plenty of fishing, wake boarding, and jet skiing to do on the lake.

For a romantic weekend, rent a cabin for a few hundred dollars, and visit some of the best candy shops in their town. There's always events going on each month, like Oktoberfest and Troutfest.

+San Diego

The things you can do in San Diego is limitless. You can ditch your car for the day and ride the trolley around town, stopping at the famous Balboa Park where there's art museums, performers, and historic scenery. Bring your camera for the botanical gardens and walk just a few blocks to hit up the downtown area where there's plenty of shopping. You'll be impressed with Horton Plaza, the city's five-story mall.

If it's baseball season you can see a Padres game and get wine or a cigar after at one of the local shops. In the summer there's Ocean Beach, a hippie town with plenty of interesting people and flavors. There's also Pacific Beach, which has better surf and some of the best places to shop and eat. If you're looking for something more upscale, visit La Jolla Shores where you'll find everything ritzy and coffee shops/fondue right on the water.

If that's not enough, visit Coronado Island to ride on beach cruisers, or to take a look around the famous Hotel Del on the beach.

+Hollywood

Walk on the stars (on Hollywood Blvd.) or visit Rodeo Drive for the best shopping the city has to offer. There's the famous Kodak Theatre, and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, one of the most famous movie theaters in the country. Walk down the street and visit Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, and take a look inside Hotel Roosevelt, where famous starlets have stayed.

If you want to get out of the limelight, spend the day at Universal Studios where you can still get a taste of Hollywood by taking a tour on famous sets. If you still want more tours in the city, be cheesy and pay to see famous Hollywood residences.

If you're feeling like taking your clothes off, then hit Venice Beach where there's miles of hippie shops and interesting performers.

+Catalina Island

Put on your nautical outerwear and take a ferry over to Catalina Island for the day. You can rent bikes to travel around the island, and stop by the Catalina Island Conservatory. From there you can take a few tours to explore the island by getting adventurous views that will make you feel like Indiana Jones. There's the Glass Bottom Boat tour, Flying Fish Boat Trip, Cape Canyon Tour, and even the GPS Walking Tour. 

Just because you're stranded on an island (well, not really) doesn't mean there isn't shopping. You can find quaint little stores that hold artwork, handmade islands, and clothing, all right on the waterfront.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

FASHION HITS & MISSES at The Oscars

HITS

Kristen Stewart worked the Red Carpet with this stunning gothic-chic gown that accentuated her curves and complimented her skin (she finally found something that worked!). The lines made the dress interesting and dramatic. 

Robert Downey Jr. stood out from the other men, and made the fashion police report (few men do) by making his outfit interesting with a powder blue bowtie and sneakers. He loved it so much he wore it on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, and we loved it.

The number one gown of the evening went to Rachel McAdams, hands down. She impressed viewers and fellow stars by wearing Ellie Saab in a watercolor pattern that stood out from the other dresses. She dressed it up with gorgeous earrings and simply looked elegant. 

Zac Efron sported a straight-lined tie, definitely retro (and it worked!), with an all black suit. It was clean and classy, with his hair jelled just right.

Although Miley Cyrus had some haters out there for this one, we loved it. It was age-appropriate and pretty with enough glam and vintage lace to fit the event. Her jewelry was just enough and didn't take away from the dress.

MISSES

This one was a little bland, even for someone older like Meryl Streep. We expected a little more color, or maybe a surprise train, but were left disappointed. Her hair was also nothing to talk about, with a little wave to her bangs, but that's about it.

Although Zoe Saldana made the effort here, it's unfortunate that she was one of the worst dressed stars of the evening. We're not sure if the dress was already paired with the top, or if that was Zoe's idea, but either way it didn't match. We love the flow and the curves, but it was too much of a miss to look past the flaws.

Charlize Theron is known for her elegance in designer dresses, but this time she was a little too daring, and we're afraid this one will be brought up for a while. Although the fabric was beautiful and there were many dimensions, the roses seemed too silly and made it hard to take her seriously.

Sarah Jessica Parker frequents the miss list in most fashion police reports, and she did it again this year. She looked like she was wearing a potato sack with the shape, and then there was the surprise on the neck. The back was even worse, but we tried not to post a photo of that just to give her a break.

Drew Barrymore almost got it right. The dress looked beautiful on her and complimented every curve (from the right). But then what's that sneaking out on the left? We're not sure, either. It was daring, but didn't work.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

BAND REVIEW: EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is a band that looks like it stepped straight out of the 70s. Don't be distracted by the lead singer, Alex Ebert, and the bun in his hair or his unbuttoned shirt--the music makes up for that. Although the ten-member band is full of hippies that go on tour in a school bus, they bring something fresh to music and have tunes that sound like they're the long lost brother of The Arcade Fire. 

Although the band is fairly new/underground/fresh, they've gotten a lot of recognition after their hit single, "Home," was featured on the television series, Ugly Betty. It's a song that makes many wonder if they're on drugs because of how happy they are, or just really in love. You can hear a trumpet, accodion, and a piano in the mix, as Ebert sings along to his girlfriend, Jade Castrinos. Their romance is clear in the song and in interviews, only sparking more interest and admiration by fans.

They're currently touring California and performing in vintage venues that are attracting the state's hipsters, scenesters, and hippies--all looking to connect to the music and feel what the band feels when they sing. The authenticity of the band breaks the boundaries of social groups with songs like, "Jade" where Ebert sings about her beauty and how she's "the girl of the hour" and by bringing half the audience on the stage during their performances. They're known to not prepare their sets, which makes every type of fan more of an admirer of something real instead of worrying about their style or appearance.

Ebert was recently in the rock/pop band Ima Robot, which is quite the contrast with the blazers and short hair he used to wear. He was more trendy, sometimes wore makeup in his music videos, and emulated a singer who was inspired by David Bowie. Today, he posts inspirational quotes on his twitter and takes off his shoes when he dances. Although some might be leery of the band's "Don't drink the Kool-aid" look, the sounds of their voices and instruments break all expectations and prejudices by bringing something raw and organic to the music scene.

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com