If you want to turn your theatre experience into a mini-staycation, I highly recommend the South Coast Westin. It is conveniently located right next to South Coast Plaza and just steps from the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. This would be our lodging and dining destination as we were scheduled to see a fresh revival of The Sound of Music.
Our adventure began with checking into the Westin about 3pm. They have ample convenient parking on site and check in was quick and easy. I was informed that the rooms were recently remodeled in May of 2016. Our room had an amazing north view of Orange County with the beautiful Segerstrom Performing Arts Center. Everything was brand new, crisp clean with a nice contrast of light and dark, comfy feather top beds and 5 pillows on each bed.
View of The Segerstrom from our Westin South Coast Plaza Room
It was great to stretch out for a bit before we got freshened up and dressed for dinner. As we headed downstairs to The Lobby Lounge Restaurant, I immediate was drawn to the Zen view of the outdoor cascading waterfall. This view really set a relaxing energy for everyone whether they dined indoors or outdoors.
The Lounge Restaurant at The South Coast Westin
The kitchen is run by Executive Chef Paul Gregory whose distinguished 25-year career in the culinary arts includes key posts with several of the region’s largest and most prominent hotels. Chef Gregory and he believes in keeping food close to its natural state rather than over processing it. He enjoys cooking food that is good for our health while keeping wellness in mind such as our kale and quinoa salad with parmesan cheese. One of his favorite hors d’oeuvres to prepare is a petite tender beef on a crostini with a caramelized shallot aioli and melted Roquefort cheese.
His community service includes organizing and serving Thanksgiving dinner at the Los Angeles USO, working with the Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation and organizing a beach cleanup through the Heal the Bay organization. His main philosophy is “Feed the Body, Nourish the Soul” and he has a very healthy approach to the cuisine that that hotel serves.
On a dinner experience, our server Kiana has been with the restaurant for 14 years. It was kind of cool to find out that her daughter competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She brought us cocktails and then a couple of delicious starters arrived. Chef asked if we would like to try the new items that will be added to the menu and so we were served Flame Broiled Octopus Salad, with risee, shaved fennel, micro greens, roasted tomatoes, finger limes drizzled with Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette dressing. The Octopus was tender and the salad was visually appealing.
The Kale and Quinoa Salad, was absolutely delicious topped with pulled lemon chicken breast, parmesan, green apple strings and walnuts. I think it is the perfect lunch salad, so if you work in the area, check it out.
We also tried the Crispy Firecracker Calamari was tasty with the cocktails.
They have added Lamb Rack with Blackberry demi-glace, sweet potato puree with Crispy Yuca Strings to the menu. My guest and I opted to share the Steak Frites, grilled tender aged top sirloin with lemon butter, sea salt and sea salted French fries.
They offer a handful of desserts and we previewed the Fresh Peach Crumble a la Mode topped with a dark chocolate marcona almond bark.
Food and Beverage Director, Lois Stevens told us that a new restaurant is in the works and being created in the space originally occupied by Patina’s Pinot Provence which recently closed after 18 years.
We strolled over to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts after dinner to take in the current show, The Sound of Music. This spirited production will bring joy to your evening.
The Sound of Music is a staple of musical theatre and a brand new version is touring America. Just in case you don’t know the story, it’s based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers. The movie version starred, Julie Andrews as Maria, a young nun in an Austrian convent who regularly misses her morning prayers because she’s out on the hills singing the title song. The same story holds true in the stage version, as Maria is thrust into the “real world” to learn something enlightening before taking her vows. Mother Superior sends her off to be a governess for the children of a brooding widow, Captain Von Trapp. Maria discovers that her new boss is undeniably cold and aloof, and his seven children are behaving like holy terrors. She is determined to uplift this dysfunctional family, against all odds.
This revival has a fresh twist and Kerstin Anderson shines as Maria with a tomboy with softness and compassion characterization. Her love interest Von Trapp portrayed by melted our hearts as his did. The kids were wonderful and extremely talented. Catch this one and it is for the whole family and a satisfying treatment of the classic script.
Runs July 19 – July 31, 2016
If you want to plan a staycation in August, The next show is Cabaret “Cabaret” has gone down in critical history as one of the greatest movie musicals of all time. The American Film Institute ranked it 63rd on its list of “100 Greatest American Movies,” and it won eight Oscars at the 1973 Academy Awards, including a best director trophy for Bob Fosse and best actress for Liza Minnelli. The movie is a loose adaptation of the musical of the same name, which is itself based on Christopher Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical novel “The Berlin Stories.” Come to Club Cabaret and hear some of the most memorable songs in theatre history, including “Cabaret,“ “Willkommen“ and “Maybe This Time.“ Leave your troubles outside — life is beautiful at CABARET, Runs August 9, 2016 – August 21, 2016
Playing at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa Tickets: SCFTA.org or 714.556.2787
Since the Westin is just steps away, it was a relief to know we didn’t have to get back in the car, so we had fun on our walk back to the hotel, there were some over-sized great art sculptures and a great little green courtyard that was so pleasant to hang around in on a balmy summer evening
Once back at the hotel, we returned to The Lounge to enjoy an after show Cadillac Margarita and it was interesting to people watch before we went upstairs to crash.
Breakfast at the The Lobby Restaurant is also healthy. They have a wonderful concept called the Westin Fresh by The Juicery and I loved my carrot orange juice fusion drink with many healthy ingredients. The have green concoctions and smoothies as well, which is the natural way to fuel your day and enhance your wellness.
We decided to enjoy a solid breakfast before rejoining our lives after our overnight adventure. The photo below shows what a beautiful presentation and it was appetizing, bacon, eggs, hash browns and English muffins. Went back up to the room gathered our belongings and knew that we had just created a memory that we would long remember . . .
Westin South Coast Plaza, 686 Anton Boulevard Costa Mesa, California Reservations: 714.540.2500 or http://ift.tt/1hxKkB3
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