The Plaza in Orange

The first thing you need to know is to not call it “The Circle.”

The city of Orange covers a wide area, and there is a little something for everyone.  From the fancy Orange Hill restaurant on a hill looking west to Signal Hill, to one of the finest Children’s Hospitals (CHOC) found anywhere. It is an eclectic mix of architecture, culture, dining experiences, education and citizenry. 

Photo by Robert A. Estremo

The multi-cultural city has been celebrating its diversity long before multiculturalism became a thing, with shops and a celebration that belongs uniquely to Orange, all centered around a highway round-about.  It lies where Chapman Avenue and Glassell meet in Old Town Orange, just blocks away from Chapman University and right in the heart of the county.

In fact, Old Town Orange comprises the largest National Register District in California. Approximately a square mile in size, it is made up of the Plaza, antique stores, homes and a railroad station… nearly 1200 buildings in all.    

People from out of Orange call it “The Circle,” and if you do, the locals will know right away that you are not from Orange because it is properly called “The Orange Plaza.” In its center is a green park with a fountain and 75 foot flagpole that is open 24/7, 365 days a year.  At Christmas it is decorated with a large tree and a classic Nativity scene: During other parts of the year you will find it seasonally decorated as well. 

The biggest affair takes place over Labor Day Weekend, where all four spokes coming off the hub of the plaza (Chapman East, West, Glassell North and South) hold the International Street Fair.  Each wing is equipped with a stage featuring acts celebrating each street theme by country.  The Plaza is lined with booths offering crafts and art.  The festival began in 1978. 

Along with the entertainment, food booths feature mouth watering treats from all over the world, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Mexico, Asia… the choices are too many for a single day, so the Festival lasts From Friday through Sunday  (This year August 30 – September 1, 2019).  The theme this year is… wait for it… “Circle the World.”  Yes. Even Orange occasionally slips and calls it the Circle.

The Plaza itself goes all the way back to 1886 when Orange was one of the first cities to incorporate in Orange County. City founders thought the circular access would give the town a pleasing character, and they were right. The Plaza has been featured in many movies, including “Fallen Angel,” “Gumball Rally,” and “Monster in the Closet.”

And just to add one more event: Twice yearly the students of Chapman college hold an unofficial “Undie Run,” where about 2000 students tear off their outerwear down to their skivvies and run from the campus to the Plaza fountain. 

Check out the plaza and the wonderful stores that surround it. The Orange Plaza area is an Orange County “Must See.”

The Goat Hill Junction Railroad

Photo from the Orange County Model Engineers

When Newport Harbor High opened in 1930, a cross-town rivalry developed between the Newport Beach teens and those who lived in Costa Mesa.  Costa Mesa kids referred to the high school on the hill over Newport Beach as “Mackerel Flats,” while the NHH students called Costa Mesa “Goat Hill.”

There are a couple of references that remain today recalling the moniker. On Newport Blvd. near 19^th street there is a dive bar called “the Goat Hill Tavern.” The other notable reference is the Goat Hill Junction Railroad, located on Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa.

In 1977, a spin-off group from Long Beach founded the Orange County Model Engineers (originally the Orange County Live Steamers), and began looking for an appropriate place to be able to permanently develop and display a miniature railroad.  They first considered Mile Square Park, but developers balked at the idea of allowing a large swath of land for what seemed to be something of limited interest.

Undaunted, the OCME took their search elsewhere, including Huntington Beach and Heritage Park in Irvine.  But none of the proposals took root. Finally, they were approached by the city of Costa Mesa, and in 1989, they broke ground on what was to become their permanent home just off of Placentia along the edge of Fairview Park. They opened in 1991.

Today the Goat Hill Railroad operates regularly on the third weekend of each month, offering free rides to families fascinated with the tiny railroad. Originally a simple loop, the train track has grown to over five miles of track, including a bridge over Placentia.   You can also arrange to hold special events with the railroad on closed weekends.

Goat Hill Junction has one of the largest miniature train layouts on the west coast, enjoyed by young and old alike.  They are a non-profit organization and welcome your donations. They not only offer free rides, but lately many of the older engineers have begun apprenticing young “at risk” youth to help them learn valuable skills in steam machinery operation. 

The volunteer staff are all very friendly and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

There is free parking, and you can ride as often as you like.  Lines can get long midday, so plan to arrive early.

Goat Hill Junction Railroad operates from 10 am to 3 pm. Telephone: (949)548-7246 in Fairview Park on Placentia Ave. and Swan Drive in Costa Mesa. 2480 Placentia Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

Bunnyhenge and the Bad Dog

Lest you think Orange County has little to get upset about, consider Bunnyhenge. 

In 2015 the City of Newport Beach was putting the final touches on their newly designed, revamped, and really interesting Civic Center, located between MacArthur Blvd and Avocado Street. The Library got a facelift, the Administration has a wavy exterior to match the beach theme of the town… And a large circle of bunnies sit atop the hill playing the weirdest stare-out game you have ever seen. 

There are 14 of the critters, and a great deal of thought was given to their creation. Each sculpture stands about 3-1/2 feet tall, and the wascally wabbits have been creeping out many residents ever since they were revealed. 

Created by the designers at PWP Landscape architecture, the bunnies were selected over several other species considered, including lizards, quail, turtles, and seagulls, as they tried to get the right animal to “fit the vibe of Newport Beach.” Bunnies. Yes. Bunnies. 

The city was hoping to create an instantly recognizable landmark that would inspire children to play and imagine. But many of the residents questioned the price of the artwork, which came in at a whopping $221,000. 

Also for your viewing pleasure nearby: A two story black dog stands next to the Orange County Museum of Art, leg lifted. Occasionally vandals have been known to add yellow spray paint to the building, in case you had any doubt of the dog’s intent. The “Bad Dog” sculpture was created by artist Richard Jackson. 

Children do play at Bunnyhenge, as the sculpture has come to be known. But many curmudgeons have called the rabbits satanic or spaced out at the least. They continue to point to the bunnies as a tremendous waste of money. But the bunnies are unfazed by the negativity. They sit in a perfect circle, staring off with blank eyes at whatever you imagine.

The Seal Beach Red Car Museum

It wasn’t all that long ago that Southern California had a comprehensive mode of public transportation system known as the Pacific Electric Streetcar, or more commonly, the Red Car. Running for 60 years from 1901 to 1961, the privately-held system connected Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties in one of the nation’s largest network of trolleys, railcars and busses.

Largely running on a standard gauge track powered by overhead electric cables, the sprawling network of tracks ran routes connecting Los Angeles to Covina, Redlands, Corona, Baldwin Park, Torrance, La Habra and Newport Beach. They were efficient and comfortable, giving riders easy access to downtown Los Angeles and neighboring communities.

Photo: The Seal Beach Red Car Museum

The Red Car partnered with another system, the downtown Los Angeles Yellow Car, and met with much success as developers began to construct new communities like Angeleno Heights and Huntington Beach.  Over 900 miles of track made up the network in its heyday in 1920, and everyone used the Red Car.  The history of expansion, ownership and partnering companies is complex, yet amazingly, it all worked.

As the Southern California population grew, officials began to realize the lumbering Red Cars (top speed 14.8 MPH) were not going to meet the demands of traffic generated by all these communities. The Automobile club came up with a proposal in 1930 for an “elevated motorway system” that would replace many of the major Red Car routes. As traffic mounted, the street-bound Red Cars were often delayed.

Sections of the line that were least travelled began to be closed.  The Whittier/Fullerton area lost their line in 1938; in 1940 more closures hit Redondo Beach, Newport Beach, Sawtelle, and Riverside. The freeway system began construction, and when the San Bernardino Freeway began construction to connect to the Santa Ana, the junction area near Union Station in Los Angeles became nearly impassable for the Red Car.

The Red Car’s fate was sealed, and the system steadily declined as it became obsolete. Under new ownership by the MTA, the last car ran the Long Beach run in 1961.

A truncated homage to the Red Car’s is paid at Disney’s California Adventure sporting a streetcar designed in a typical Red Car style.  But to see a real Red Car that actually ran on the tracks, take a visit to Seal Beach, where the Red Car Museum resides.

The museum is small and housed in what was once the Red Car system’s maintenance vehicle, the Tower Car, vehicle No. 1734.  You can find it on Electric Avenue near Main Street, next to the Library. You can watch a video that recreates a ride on the rails, see artifacts, and visit with docents who can show you signs, tickets, hats, pictures and other memorabilia.  It is open the second and fourth Saturdays from Noon to 3 p.m Donations are accepted. Call: (562) 683-1874.

The Orange County Parrots

photo from 1000Birds.com

In the spring and summer, it is not uncommon for OC’ers to wake up to the call of wild parrots.

Okay. It’s more like a screeching.

In many cities of Orange County, from Garden Grove to Yorba Linda, you are likely to find the non-native birds chasing each other through the non-native eucalyptus trees.  The trees were brought and planted by ranchers hoping to make wind rows from the fast-growing Australian trees. The parrots’ origin is a little less traceable.

Most of the parrots here are red crowned parrots, originally from Mexico. Some speculate that since habitats in Mexico have been lost, the migratory birds headed north. Most people prefer to tell the story of an unnamed Orange County pet shop that caught fire one night in the 1980’s. The story says that the owner, in a panic to save the birds, released them into the streets, and off they flew to live and breed anew.

Others tell more disdainful stories, one blaming the corporate and now defunct Lion Country Safari for releasing the birds when they closed. Still others cite illegal bird smugglers dumping their inventory before being cornered by the law. And we are pretty certain they are not animatronic refugees from Disney’s Tiki room. 

Whatever the source, the birds are here en-masse, at least for the time being. Other species have been spotted, including the red lored parrot, the lilac-crowned, the yellow headed, and a couple of species of parakeets, the mitered and the rose-ringed.  In addition, there are rarer sightings of blue macaws, which are most certainly the descendants of an individual-owned bird that got loose.

We ourselves rescued a small budgie parakeet from starvation in the Orchard Hills Shopping center in Irvine.  We named him Chico, because that’s the store nearest him when we found him.  Winestyles was closer, but it didn’t seem to be a very bird-like a name.

Sometimes loved, sometimes hated, the birds are doing well here, which is good for the species. Many ornithologists consider the parrots to be endangered in other parts of the world.

The Marconi Automotive Museum

If there was one lesson John Marconi wanted to pass on to his children, it was this: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”  John began working in a steel mill in Ohio when he was just 17 years of age making $7.50 a week.  He married and raised a family of four children: two daughters, and two sons. John steadily rose in the company, eventually becoming supervisor over several hundred people, demonstrating his work ethic to his children.

It was a lesson son Dick Marconi never forgot.  When Dick got married in the 1950’s, he and his wife brought their daughter to California with just $500 in Dick’s pocket.  He immediately sent out hundreds of letters to various companies in search of work.  He eventually landed a sales position with a pharmaceutical company and began his quest to find his own fortune.

But Dick began to have some misgivings about his career.  “How come,” he pondered, “Do people wait until they are sick to seek health?”  Shortly after starting to work for another company, Dick ran into a young man who was very charismatic but had a troubled past. Mark Hughes was only 17 but had an idea that appealed to Marconi. He asked Dick if he would help him start a company that promoted healthy living. 

Dick was never one to put in half of an effort. He remembered well one of his mother’s sayings: “Coming in second means you are first in a long line of losers.” Dick threw all his energy into the young company, and that little company became Herbalife, the world’s largest manufacturer of vitamins, food supplements and weight-loss products.

With his success, Dick began indulging his love of cars.  His brother Ray had won the family car in a contest when he was young, and Dick developed a taste for muscle cars.  When he found a classic, Dick bought it. That led to an interest in open wheel racecars, and eventually Dick wanted to try racing for himself.  In 1994 he joined the SCCA and entered the Long Beach Grand Prix.  He came in 8^th.  Dick was the oldest driver to ever qualify and finish in the top 10.

John Marconi had another philosophy he lived by: “Learn, Earn and Return,” and Dick felt it was time to do something to return to the world some of the benefit of his success.  Dick and wife Bo hit upon an idea of taking his car collection and creating a museum showcasing it.  They began the Marconi Automotive Museum and Foundation for Kids, and if you are an auto buff, prepare to be impressed. They say they hold the largest collection of Ferrari’s in the US.

Located in Tustin near the 55 Freeway, you can visit the Marconi Museum on most weekdays unless an event is being prepared (they are closed on most weekends) and browse through over 70 cars at your leisure (a $5 donation is suggested).  Money donated goes toward children’s charities, such as CHOC, Childhelp, Olive Crest and the Orange County Rescue Mission. 

The museum is available to hold special events (especially charitably oriented events), weddings, and hosts several events of their own, including a Fight Night Dinner (yes… real boxing), and their Open House Meet the Founder event, this year on August 11, 2019. 

Visit the Marconi Museum at 1302 Industrial Drive in Tustin. Call first to confirm if they are opened that day (714) 258-3001, or for more information regarding events.  

Photo by Brian Paradis

Mooning the Amtrak

This is it.  Saturday July 13.

For the past 40 years, people have been mooning the passing Amtrak train as it grinds past a little dive bar in Laguna Niguel named Mugs Away Saloon.  The bar sits across the street from the railroad tracks, and if you go on the second Saturday in July, everyone elbows for a spot along the chain link fence for the honor of dropping their drawers.

Photo Credit Chuck Coker, Flicker

While the story origin varies depending on who is talking, tradition say that on July 14, 1979 a crusty regular of the dive bar offered to buy a beer for anyone who dared bare their backside to the next passing train.  Ever since then, people have been flocking to Mugs Away for the annual event. So Steeped in tradition, the Amtrak actually slows down on that day as it passes by.

For a while, the spectacle was getting quite raunchy.  What started out as a little prank grew into a full-blown, frat party-like atmosphere.  People brought their RV’s to park in some of the nearby parking lots in order to reserve a spot, tailgate, and watch the fun.

Mugs Away Saloon is a small, stifling little room with insufficient air conditioning, and on the day of the event they hire a really bad nostalgia band.  No matter. No one comes for the music.  They barely come for the beer anymore.  They just want to watch the debauchery unfold.

A few years ago, the Laguna Niguel police department “cracked down” on the mooning, as too many people were showing much more than a brief flash of butt.  The following year, things were much more subdued, but as time has passed people continue the push the envelope.  Skimpy (but legal) attire is often on display, as passengers on the train cheer and give thumbs up to the crowd.

If you want to take part, plan to arrive early, and stay late: Planning on doing a drive-by isn’t suggested. Some years people are required to demonstrate they have business along the route in order to pass. These days, most of the local shops just shut down. 

The address for Mugs Away Saloon is 27324 Camino Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677