Fun in Newport Beach

[RyanMoore]

Hey guys I'm new here so I hope I'm posting in the right spot. Im a masseur in Los Angeles, but Im heading to Newport Beach in a few weeks for the first time. Is there anything that u guys recommend that i see, do, or restaurants while Im there on my down time? Looking forward to your recommendations Thanks!

[BabyBoomer]

 

~Boomer~

[+ Tarte Gogo]

Hey guys I'm new here so I hope I'm posting in the right spot. Im a masseur in Los Angeles, but Im heading to Newport Beach in a few weeks for the first time. Is there anything that u guys recommend that i see, do, or restaurants while Im there on my down time? Looking forward to your recommendations Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

[BabyBoomer]

Im a masseur in Los Angeles

 

Post a link to your masseur ad in your signature.

 

~Boomer~

[Epigonos]

I'm a native Southern Californian and as far as I'm concerned there isn't one hell of a lot in Newport Beach. You might take a look at the Sherman Gardens and Foundation on Pacific Coast Highway. The residents are for the most part very, very Southern Californian plastic. I venture 75% of the population attended USC and the whole place is just too, too cute and very, very WASP. As I stated I'm a native Southern Californian and if you get the impression that I'm not terribly fond of the place you would definitely be correct.

[+ bigjoey]

I'm a native Southern Californian and as far as I'm concerned there isn't one hell of a lot in Newport Beach. You might take a look at the Sherman Gardens and Foundation on Pacific Coast Highway. The residents are for the most part very, very Southern Californian plastic. I venture 75% of the population attended USC and the whole place is just too, too cute and very, very WASP. As I stated I'm a native Southern Californian and if you get the impression that I'm not terribly fond of the place you would definitely be correct.

 

Second Sherman Gardens. Nice place for a light lunch. Zinc is nice for healthy vegetarian food and reasonable prices; their apple strudel is wonderful and comes with whipped cream and large enough for two. Another nice place is "The Farmhouse" at Roger's Gardens.

[RyanMoore]

This sounds perfect! Thank u!

[+ Just Sayin]

@RyanMoore or you could go down to Laguna Beach; should be some fun restaurants and you might just enjoy checking out the galleries

[Epigonos]

Laguna Beach was once something of a bohemian, artist, coastal enclave but as home and commercial prices have shy rocketed, over the last twenty years, much of its original charm has been lost. At one time there were many really unique galleries and shops but they have given way to rather hum drum art galleries and tourist trinket shops. It was also once something of a gay beach ghetto but that community is also long gone. Parking is an absolute bitch but if you can find a place to park you might enjoy an hour or two of wandering around.

[+ Just Sayin]

I spent a lot of time there in the late 90s to early aughts; enjoyed the atmosphere; the Boom Boom Room was a real eye-opener when I was coming out; there was a wonderful LGBT bookstore there, and Woody's restaurant; I haven't been there in years, but I'll be there later this month to see how it has changed!

[Epigonos]

The Boom Boom Room is long gone as is the LGBT bookstore and if I remember correctly so is Woody's (or it has changed greatly). Since the area has gentrified, because of the obscene cost of housing, the place has become very Southern California upscale and in my eyes less and less interesting. Even the Art Festival and Pageant of the Masters aren't what they used to be and have become rather ordinary.

[GLEE]

So... where's the link to your ad @RyanMoore ?

[+ bigjoey]

@RyanMoore or you could go down to Laguna Beach; should be some fun restaurants and you might just enjoy checking out the galleries

 

Laguna has some great places to eat:

Zinc (same as in Newport)

Lumberyard (free parking but you need to enter off Ocean)

Sapphire (free parking behind the restaurant). Great weekend brunch.

In the same center is Chocolate Soldier with candy made right there

Star Fish (free parking)

Alessa [they have a place in Newport:Pirozzi]

Nick's

Rumari for great Italian food (a few parking spaces behind the restaurant)

Coyote Grill (far enough South that parking is not terrible and they have a charge

Valet lot). Great breakfast place and not crowded in the morning. Come

Early for lunch or dinner as it gets crowded.

Dizz's As Is. Very unique. Great food. Nothing like it anywhere. There are two or

three parking spaces behind the restaurant but you need to know how to get

there. Fun place.

 

The art is not what it use to be. Mostly tourist "beachee" stuff but there are gems every so often. The Laguna Art Museum has good shows. Pageant of the Arts does have good quality art. If you have not seen The Pageant of the Masters with the living pictures, it is interesting but this year's show is weak. For art, suggest going to The Bower's Museum in Santa Ana (great cafe for lunch) which has a strong Pacific Island art collection and a nice Chinese collection plus interesting shows.

 

Like most beach cities, Laguna has amazing eye candy on the beaches, West Beach is the "gay beach" and on holiday weekends, it can have thousands of gay men who come from all over. West Beach has its own Facebook page for lots of pictures.

 

During the Summer, you can park in lots on the edge of the city and there are free trolly busses that go up and down Coast Highway and Canyon Road. An easy way to get around without worrying about parking. Uber is good here, too.

 

Like most beach cities, housing prices are crazy but if you are not house shopping, that is not a problem.

 

Enjoy.

[adventurous old guy]

I spent a lot of time there in the late 90s to early aughts; enjoyed the atmosphere; the Boom Boom Room was a real eye-opener when I was coming out; there was a wonderful LGBT bookstore there, and Woody's restaurant; I haven't been there in years, but I'll be there later this month to see how it has changed!

Ah, the Boom Boom Room. Loved the name, loved the place!

[Kenny]

http://www.ocregister.com/2016/05/14/breathing-life-back-into-laguna-beachs-gay-bar-scene/

[+ azdr0710]

Laguna has some great places to eat:

Zinc (same as in Newport)

Lumberyard (free parking but you need to enter off Ocean)

Sapphire (free parking behind the restaurant). Great weekend brunch.

In the same center is Chocolate Soldier with candy made right there

Star Fish (free parking)

Alessa [they have a place in Newport:pirozzi]

Nick's

Rumari for great Italian food (a few parking spaces behind the restaurant)

Coyote Grill (far enough South that parking is not terrible and they have a charge

Valet lot). Great breakfast place and not crowded in the morning. Come

Early for lunch or dinner as it gets crowded.

Dizz's As Is. Very unique. Great food. Nothing like it anywhere. There are two or

three parking spaces behind the restaurant but you need to know how to get

there. Fun place.

 

The art is not what it use to be. Mostly tourist "beachee" stuff but there are gems every so often. The Laguna Art Museum has good shows. Pageant of the Arts does have good quality art. If you have not seen The Pageant of the Masters with the living pictures, it is interesting but this year's show is weak. For art, suggest going to The Bower's Museum in Santa Ana (great cafe for lunch) which has a strong Pacific Island art collection and a nice Chinese collection plus interesting shows.

 

Like most beach cities, Laguna has amazing eye candy on the beaches, West Beach is the "gay beach" and on holiday weekends, it can have thousands of gay men who come from all over. West Beach has its own Facebook page for lots of pictures.

 

During the Summer, you can park in lots on the edge of the city and there are free trolly busses that go up and down Coast Highway and Canyon Road. An easy way to get around without worrying about parking. Uber is good here, too.

 

Like most beach cities, housing prices are crazy but if you are not house shopping, that is not a problem.

 

Enjoy.

 

 

Only in California do reviews of restaurants primarily include discussion of the parking and valet options.

[tennisjock]

Only in California do reviews of restaurants primarily include discussion of the parking and valet options.

I appreciate these as then I can decide what car to take as I hate valet parking so I tend to take my truck when I have to

[+ bigjoey]

Only in California do reviews of restaurants primarily include discussion of the parking and valet options.

 

I included parking due to the expressed concern of the difficulty of finding a parking space.

[+ azdr0710]

I appreciate these as then I can decide what car to take as I hate valet parking so I tend to take my truck when I have to

I included parking due to the expressed concern of the difficulty of finding a parking space.

 

Was just having fun about SoCal parking horror stories.

[Kenny]

Only in California do reviews of restaurants primarily include discussion of the parking and valet options.

Thank god.

[MikeyGMin]

Ah, the Boom Boom Room. Loved the name, loved the place!

I remember the Boom Boom Room! I was 19 with a fake ID. I got past the doorman okay but I had never actually ordered a drink from a bar before. I was so nervous and unsure of myself that the bartender carded me again. I had actually impersonated someone so it was a real driver's license from the DMV. (statute of limitation?) He glared at me and said, "I'm not going to throw you out but there's no way in hell I'm going to serve you either." I was dry the rest of the night but still had a great time.

[Despardo]

I'm a native Southern Californian and as far as I'm concerned there isn't one hell of a lot in Newport Beach. You might take a look at the Sherman Gardens and Foundation on Pacific Coast Highway. The residents are for the most part very, very Southern Californian plastic. I venture 75% of the population attended USC and the whole place is just too, too cute and very, very WASP. As I stated I'm a native Southern Californian and if you get the impression that I'm not terribly fond of the place you would definitely be correct.

I worked in retail in Laguna Beach and in Fashion Island. I could always spot a customer from Newport Beach by the way they behaved. Newport Beach is the world capital of the nouveau riche. These people expect you to drop everything and rearrange the universe to suit their whims. The custom in Newport Beach is to buy a big house out on the peninsula, tear it down leaving one wall, then build a bigger house and call it a remodel. I cannot tell you how many times a customer from Newport Beach worked what kind of car they drove and even how much money they had in the bank into a conversation about buying dinnerware (To a sales clerk! I kid you not.) They would then ask for a discount to which they felt entitled, being rich. Compare the well to do residents of Santa Barbara--old money with nothing to prove. Are the gardens you mentioned in Corona del Mar? They are worth a visit. From Newport Beach one can take the ferry to Catalina where there really is nothing to do. Or you could surf the "wedge."

[Despardo]

The Cottage in Laguna (if it is still there) is great for breakfast. The Pageant of the Masters is worth seeing if you have never done so--who would have thought that tableaux vivant could still be a thing. Anyway, it is very professional and not hokey. Also, the Festival art exhibit generally features some of the more serious local artists as opposed to the decorative crap found in the galleries up and down the PCH. The very worst being by Wyland (as obnoxious as he is talentless) and the late Thomas Kinkade. I lived in Laguna Beach from 1991 to 2001. What exactly happened to the gay community there? I remember a wonderful cartoon in the local paper of a crabby middle-aged Laguna couple. The woman is saying,"I am so glad the Pride Festival is over. It's such a strain being pleasant."

[Epigonos]

Desperado you nailed it. While I was teaching I moonlighted driving an airport express van to make extra money. The Newporters always talked about how much money they had and yet were the worst tippers in the world.

[Epigonos]

While I was driving the airport express there were three Southern California communities I came to dislike intensely. Interestingly they were/are all beach communities.

1. Marina del Rey - The 50+ year old yachty set. The men ran around wearing white deck shoes, white slacks and blue blazers. They all talked about who had the biggest yacht.

2. Belmont Shores - The 50+ year old volleyball set. Some of the guys can barely stand up but they are still out there trying to knock hell out of the volleyball.

3. Newport Beach - The 30+ USC WASP crowd. The entire fucking town consist of cute couples who live in cute houses, drive cute BMW's or Mercede's and have two cute children who attend cute schools. The entire fucking place is dying of terminal cuteness.