The Great Park Balloon is the one of the biggest attractions at the Orange County Great Park. The Balloon soars 400 feet above the ground, giving guests a 360-degree view that spans 40 miles on clear days. This is one of the largest tethered helium balloons in the world and the first of its kind in the U.S. The Great Park Balloon is open to the public Thursday through Sunday. Thursday and Friday the Balloon is open from 10am to 3pm and again from 7pm to 10pm.  On Saturdays and Sundays, it is open from 9am to 3pm and again from 7pm to 10pm.   The Balloon is closed Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. For more information about the Great Park Balloon, see their website at: https://www.cityofirvine.org/orange-county-great-park/great-park-balloon-carousel. 

Crystal Cove is set in the high bluffs of the Newport Coast section of the Newport Beach.  Crystal Cove is home to several residential developments and the Crystal Cove State Park and Beach. Located at 18 Rockshore Bluff, this 3,800 square foot home is part of the Oceana development.  This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 2005. Attention to detail can be seen in the use of marble, custom paint and custom designed master closet. This single level residence has fabulous views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, Catalina Island, city night lights and gorgeous evening sunsets.  This home sits on an 8,900 square foot piece of property with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, there is a covered loggia, outdoor fireplace, saltwater swimming pool, spa and built-in barbeque area.  Students living in Oceana attend schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, specifically El Morro Elementary School, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School. Oceana residents, like all Crystal Cove residents are invited to join in all the resort style recreational activities at the Canyon Club Recreation Center, which acts as the social hub of the area. 

Irvine is a large master planned city in Orange County. This 66 square mile city is surrounded by Tustin, Santa Ana, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. Located at 29 Orchard, this 875 square foot home is part of the Patio Homes development in the Orange Tree Village. This two bedroom, two bathroom patio home was built in 1977. This single level, detached home was recently remodeled.  The updated kitchen has stainless steel appliances, breakfast bar, granite countertops and recessed lighting. There is an oversized two car garage and private driveway. This home sits on a 2,900 square foot piece of property with a corner lot setting. There are not any Mello Roos fees in this development. Patio Homes offers many amenities including a gym, clubhouse, two pools and tennis courts. Orange Tree is bordered by Irvine Center Drive, Valley Oak Drive and Barranca Parkway. There are 1,360 residents in Orange Tree and 272 detached single family homes in the Patio Homes development.

The Summer Drive-In Series is happening now. The Summer Drive-In Series was created to modify existing community events into a way we can safely enjoy them with proper social distancing guidelines. The first August installment will feature a live concert by Southland Mega Groove.  This band plays a variety of music from the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The intermission will feature a performance by Irvine High School students Haley Tran and Nathan Nguyen. Bring a picnic dinner or enjoy something from one the of food trucks. The drive-in is set-up in Parking Lot 2 in the OC Great Park. Gates open at 4:30pm and the concert begins at 5:30pm. Advanced registration is required but admission is free.  For more information about this event, see their website at: https://www.cityofirvine.org/news-media/calendar-of-events/event/summer-drive-series-southland-mega-groove.

Crystal Cove is a collection of luxury communities situated just north of Laguna Beach.  In addition, Crystal Cove is home to the Crystal Cove State Park, with 2,400 acres of canyons, 18 miles of trails and 3.2 miles of coastline. Located at 18 Rockshore Bluff, this 3,800 square foot home is part of the Oceana community. This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 2005. This is a rare single level home available for sale in Oceana. The home has recently remodeled with new wool carpeting, Toto toilets and custom cabinetry.  There are remarkable views of the Pacific Ocean, whitewater, Catalina Island, city night lights and colorful evening sunsets. This home sits on an 8,900 square foot piece of property with a cul-de-sac setting.  Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy saltwater swimming pool, spa, outdoor fireplace and built-in fireplace. Oceana students attend Laguna Beach Unified School District, specifically El Morro Elementary School, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School. 

Irvine is a large mastered plan community in Orange County. This 66 square mile city was incorporated in 1971. There are 34 individual Villages within the city of City of Irvine. Located at 1 Atascadero, this 4,300 square foot home is part of the Cambria development in Northpark Square Village. This five bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 2000. The gourmet kitchen features a breakfast nook and a Silestone island. Attention to detail can be seen the custom walnut floors, built-ins and floor to ceiling bookcase.  This home sits on a 7,400 square foot piece of property, with a corner lot setting. Homeowners are within walking distance to the clubhouse. Homeowners will enjoy a custom swimming pool, spa and a built-in barbeque area.   Cambria is a gated community. Northpark Square is a partially gated and has many amenities including a Junior Olympic size swimming pool, spa, outdoor amphitheater, basketball court and parks. 

Storybook Time in the Farm will be happening on Sunday, July 5^th.  Storytime starts at 10am and ends at 11am.  Storytime is held in the Farm and Food Lab. The Farm and Food Lab will come alive through stories and activities. There is a Little Free Library at the Farm and Food Lab, to give a book and/or take a book.  Parent participation is required and registration is not required. This is story time is for three to six year old’s. Orange County Great Park is located at 8000 Great Park Boulevard in Irvine. For more information about this event, or the many others offered at Orange County Great Park, see their website at: https://www.cityofirvine.org/orange-county-great-park.

Corona del Mar is part of the Newport Beach. Known locally as the CDM, Corona del Mar encompasses all the land from the sea side of the San Joaquin Hills and south Avocado Avenue to the city limits. Located at 1101 Ebbtide Road, this 4,900 square foot home is part of the Harbor View Hills community. This three bedroom, four bathroom home was built in 1960. This is a single level home that has recently been remodeled. Attention to detail can be seen in the high-volume ceilings, double sided fireplace smart home technology. There are impressive views of the Pacific Ocean, Peninsula, Catalina island and Palos Verdes.  This home sits on a 10,400 square foot piece of property with a bluff setting.  The interior courtyard has a bubbling waterfall, koi stream and sitting area with a stone fireplace. Outdoors, in the backyard there is a sitting area, fireplace and barbeque area.  Students living in Harbor View Hills attend Newport Elementary School and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. 

Irvine is an Orange County city, Tustin, Santa Ana, Lake Forest Laguna Hills, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.  This 66 square mile city made up of mostly flat valley land situated between the Loma Ridge and San Joaquin Hills. Located at 29 Orchard, this 900 square foot is part of the Patio Homes development in Orangetree community. This two bedroom, two bathroom patio home was built in 1977. This single story home is detached with an open floor plan and is filled with natural light.  The recently remodeled kitchen features white cabinetry, granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances.  The home sits on a 2,900 square foot piece of property with a corner lot setting. Orangetree Village is a smaller development with 1,360 residences in five home tracts. Neighborhood amenities include two swimming pools, spas and tennis courts. 

Just Sold: Villa del Mare in Pelican Point

Just Sold!  Villa del Mare in Pelican Point, located at 30 Pelican Drive was just sold by Michael Franco of MWA Luxury real estate. Pelican Point is a development in the Pelican Hill section of Newport Coast in Newport Beach. Villa del Mare sold for 9 million dollars.  This 7,100 square foot home has four bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The home was built in 2005. The master suite features his and her closets, a sitting area, and a private terrace with a fireplace. The open floor plan kitchen has pocket doors which allows for seamless indoor to outdoor entertaining. The home has a 400-bottle wine cellar, media lounge, an elevator to all levels and a Savant Smart home System. There is a seven-car subterranean garage.  Among the wonderful views from this custom-built estate and property include the Pacific Ocean, whitewater, city night lights, gorgeous evening sunsets and the 11^th green of the Pelican Hill Golf Course. Outdoors homeowners will enjoy a custom glass mosaic swimming pool, spa, built-in barbeque area and multiple outdoor fireplaces. Students in this area attend harbor View Elementary School and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. Pelican Point is a 24-hour guard gated community of just 48 custom built homes. 

The 2^nd Annual Irvine Great Park Spring Chess Tournament is set to be played on Sunday, June 14^th, 2020.  The tournament begins at 9am and continues to 6pm. The tournament is open to both non-rated and rated players.  The tournament is open to ages 5 through 18.  The entry fee is $35, registration is required, the deadline for entry is Wednesday, June 10^th at 3pm. Participants will be released after each round. Parental supervision is required during periods of non-play. Orange County Great Park is located at 8000 Great Park Boulevard in Irvine. For more information, see their website at: https://www.cityofirvine.org/news-media/calendar-of-events/event/great-park-spring-chess-tournament-june-2020.

Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, it is 16 square miles and just one mile from the Pacific Ocean. There are approximately 110,000 residents. Located at 970 Valencia Street, this 6,500 square foot condo complex is part of the Mesa del Mar area of  Central Costa Mesa area. This six condo unit complex was built in 1964. Five units have central air conditioning. There are mixed bedroom and bathroom units: one three bedroom, two and half bathroom unit, four two bedroom, two bathroom units and one one bedroom, one bathroom unit. Most units have a private patio. In addition, there is a large dedicated entertainment space. There are eight garage spots. This home sits on a 9,500 square foot piece of property. Mesa del Mar is bordered by Tewinkle Park, Baker Street, Fairview Avenue and the 55 Freeway.  Central Costa Mesa is bordered by Baker Street, Wilson Boulevard, the 55 Freeway and Harbor Boulevard. 

Irvine is a large master planned city in Orange County.  Irvine was developed in the 1960’s by the Irvine Company and it was incorporated in 1971.  The city is made-up of 34 individual ‘Villages.’ Located at 41 Stepping Stone, this 1,700 square foot home is part of the Casalon development in the Quail Hill Village. This three bedroom, three bathroom unit was built in 2004. This is a three level townhouse, with two bedrooms on the third floor and on the lower level. The kitchen features new quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.  Attention to detail can be seen in the recessed lighting, ceiling fans and fireplace. The clubhouse, park, fitness room and swimming pool are a short walk. Quail Hill is situated in the foothills in the heart of the Irvine. Students living in Quail Hill attend Alderwood Basics Plus Elementary School, Rancho San Joaquin Middle School and University High School. Casalon was built by John Laing Homes, there are 165 attached townhomes in Casalon.

The 34^th Annual Excellence in Teaching Awards will be held on Monday, May 18^th, 2020, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Come join in, as the Irvine community comes together to celebrate the excellence in teaching found in the city. There will be recognition for the many outstanding teachers, nurses, counselors, librarians and speech and language therapists who have excelled in meeting all the diverse needs of the student population.  The awards event will begin at 5:30pm. This awards ceremony is presented by the Irvine Unified School District, Irvine Teachers Association, and The Exchange Club of Irvine. The Irvine Barclay Theatre is located at 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine. Tickets are $12. For more information about this event or to purchase tickets, see their website at: https://www.thebarclay.org/buy-tickets/the-34th-annual-excellence-in-teaching-awards.html.

Costa Mesa is an Orange County city, which is 16 square miles with a population of 110,000 residents. In 1999, Costa Mesa adopted the city motto of “The City of Arts.” The city is home to The South Coast Repertory Theater, Segerstrom Concert Hall and the Samueli Theater. Located at 477 Magnolia Street, this 3,400 square foot home is part of the Eastside Costa Mesa community. This four bedroom, four bathroom home was built in 1947. Recently remodeled from the foundation up, this home is filled with natural light and has an open floor plan, perfect for entertaining. The gourmet kitchen features a custom stove hood and a walk-in pantry.  Attention to detail can be seen in the use of white oak accents, wide-plank floors and designer tiles. The home sits on a 7,500 square foot piece of property.   Eastside Costa Mesa is one of five sections in Costa Mesa.  The Eastside is home to Old Town on 17^th Street. This Costa Mesa area is closest to Newport Beach, being just two or three miles to the beach. Students living in this area attend schools in the Newport Mesa School District, specifically the award-winning Mariners Elementary School. 

Irvine is one of the largest mastered planned cities’ in California. Irvine is surrounded by Tustin, Santa Ana, Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Costa mesa and Newport Beach. Irvine is made-up of mostly flat valley land between Loma Ridge and San Joaquin Hills. Located at 32 Vassar Aisle, this 1,600 square foot home is part of the Oxford Court development in University Town Center Village. This two bedroom, two bathroom home was built in 1988. This contemporary style condo unit is two levels, with an attached two car garage. The open floor plan features high volume ceilings, large windows and is filled with an abundance of natural light. The family room has a fireplace.  Oxford Court is a gated community, with a swimming pool and tennis court. There are 209 units in this development built by J.M. Peters Builders. Oxford Court is within walking distance of University of California, Irvine. University Town Center is bordered by University Drive, Campus Drive, the 405 Freeway and Culver Drive. Students living in this area attend Turtle Rock Elementary School, Rancho San Joaquin Middle School and University High School. 

One of the current art exhibits at the Orange County Great Park is MCAS El Toro, 2003. In 2003, six photographers began documenting the transition of the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro into the Orange County Great Park, would become known as The Legacy Project. In the hangar, these photographers built the world’s largest camera. The project captured over 400,000 photographs. This exhibit is being held in the Palm Arts Complex.  The six photographers include: Jerry Burchfield, Mark Chamberlin, Jacques Garnier, Rob Johnson, Douglas McCulloh and Clayton Spada. The exhibit opened on March 1^st and will remain on display through Sunday, May 17^th. The Orange County Great Park is located at 8000 Great Park Boulevard. For more information about this exhibit, see their website at: https://www.cityofirvine.org/orange-county-great-park/exhibitions.

Corona del Mar is part of the city of Newport Beach.  This area of the city is known as the CDM, and it is Spanish for “Crown of the Sea.”  Located at 1233 Bayside Drive, Unit #207 is part of the Mai Kai Condo Complex. This two bedroom, two bathroom home condo unit is 1,705 square feet.  This unit was built in 1960. The condo has been updated and features a dining room, living room and family room. Outdoors, there is patio on the bay. The condo has views of Newport Beach Harbor, the Pacific Ocean Balboa Island, the jetty and the channel. This unit has a one car garage and one additional parking spot. The Mai Kai complex was built by the Irvine Company. This complex is on “Yacht Club Row” between Newport Bay and Bayside Drive, right off the Pacific Ocean. 

Irvine is a large mastered planned city in Orange County.  This is a 66 square mile city which was begun in the 1960’s, and incorporated in 1971.  Irvine is between the Loma Ridge and San Joaquin Hills. Located at 115 Ambience, this 3,800 square foot home is part of the Serena development in the Quail Hill Village. This six bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 2004. The home has recently been updated with new paint, new carpet, solar and ungraded air conditioning. Attention to detail can be seen in the use of granite, stone and hardwood. The chef’s kitchen features a breakfast nook, central island with seating and walk-in pantry.  This home sits on a 6,300 square foot piece of property with a corner lot setting. The backyard features, artificial turf, stone pavers and koi pond. Serena is home to 95 single family residences and was built by Standard Pacific Homes.  Quail Hill is a mid-sized village in the foothills west of the 405 Freeway off of San Canyon Road. Quail Hill has 600 acres of open green space that accesses the Quail Hill Trailhead.

Michael Franco and the team at MWA Luxury real estate sold the home located at 32 Bargemon in the Newport Ridge development in Newport Coast.  The home sold on June 25^th, 2019 for $1,900,000. This four bedroom, two and half bathroom home is 2,900 square feet. The kitchen has a six-burner stove. This home was built in 2002. This home sits on a 5,900 square foot piece of property, with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a swimming pool. 

Newport Ridge is situated just off the Newport Ridge Drive and it is surrounded by Buck Gully and Coyote Canyon. There are just 38 homes in Newport Ridge.  Newport Ridge was built between 1993 and 1995. Among the amenities offered in Newport Ridge are s sports court, tennis courts and barbeque area. Students living in this area attend Newport Mesa Unified Schools, specifically Newport Coast Elementary School and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. Newport Coast is part of Newport Beach, having been annexed in 2001.  Newport Coast is just north of Laguna Beach.  The area of the city is home to the Pelican Hill Resort, Spa, and Golf Courses and the Crystal Cove State Park and Beach. Newport Coast has five-star restaurants and world-class shopping.

Michael Franco and MWA Luxury real estate recently sold the home at 607 8^th Street in Huntington Beach. The home sold on October 22, 2019 for $1,444,000. This three bedroom, five bathroom home is 2,500 square feet. This home was built in 1989. The open plan kitchen was recently remodeled with granite and stone countertops and pots and pans drawers. Attention to detail can be seen in the high-volume ceilings, fireplace and plantation shutters. The home has peek-a-bee ocean views and city night light views. Homeowners are a five minute walk to the beach and a ten minute walk to the downtown. Students living in this area attend Smith Elementary School, Dwyer Middle School and Huntington High School. Huntington Beach is the largest beach side city in Orange County. Known as HB and “Surf City, USA,”  Huntington Beach  has 8.5 miles of uninterrupted coastline and beach. The city has a population of approximately 190,000 residents and is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Seal Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Westminster and Fountain Valley. The downtown area of Huntington Beach has over 250 downtown businesses, including restaurants, shopping and a large variety of services. The downtown area has street fairs and farmers markets, all while enjoying ocean views. 

Located at 36 Marisol, Newport Coast, this Italianate Villa was just sold by Michael Franco and the team at MWA Luxury real estate. The home sold on November 26^th, 2019 for $1,775,000. This 2,200 square foot home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and was built in 1998. The open floor plan features high ceilings, a neutral color palette and is filled with natural light. The recently remodeled kitchen has marble countertops, travertine floors and stainless-steel appliances. The family room has a fireplace and custom built-ins. The home sits on a 4,000 square foot piece of property with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy the built-in barbeque area, spa and an outdoor dining area. Tesoro Crest was built by Standard Pacific Homes, with four floor plans.  This is a 24-hour guard gated community. The homeowners’ association provides many amenities including a swimming pool, barbeque area, sports court and tennis courts. Students attend the award-winning Newport Mesa Unified Schools, Newport Coast Elementary and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. Newport Coast is situated at the south end of Newport Beach, just north of Laguna Beach. Newport Coast is home to the world-class Pelican Hill Resort, Spa and Golf Courses, Crystal Cove State Park, five-star restaurants and shopping.