Chronic Tacos

Mexican Grill

by Claire Cote

I’m always on the prowl for the perfect taco. Meat or fish marinated to tender perfection, melty cheese, crisp lettuce, fresh avocado, all wrapped inside a fragile tortilla. It’s somehow the perfect food. It’s quick and simple and always a good idea. Lucky for me, Chronic Tacos serves up a mean version. And the best part is… it’s DIY. Another best part? They don’t just have tacos.

A stone’s throw from Doheny State Beach and minutes from the Dana Point Harbor, this taco shop offers authentic-style Mexican food presented as a skeleton menu of tacos, burritos, salads and bowls. It’s the choose-your-own-adventure of food. Want a salad topped with grilled chicken, fresh lettuce and tomato? Go for it. Have a hankering for a burrito bursting with beans, rice and cheese? You got it.

On a recent visit I sampled Chronic Taco’s new meatless option, Carne Vegano, which is completely natural plant proteins seasoned and sautéed. Versatile enough to fill a burrito or top a salad, it’s light and tasty — the perfect option for a meatless diner and delicious enough for even meat-lovers. I also enjoyed the mahi-mahi taco, prepared with creamy Baja sauce, spicy pico de gallo and fresh cabbage. It’s a marvelous mouthful.

One of 25 locations in Southern California, the Dana Point joint also boasts a large patio (pet-friendly!) over-looking PCH, as well as a selection of beer on tap, from Lagunitas IPA to Bud Light. The restaurant’s produce is prepared fresh daily and the mahi-mahi is beer-battered or sautéed to order. With breakfast and lunch served all day, it’s an ideal stop before heading down for a day on the water.

Chronic Tacos dishes out weekday specials that are hard to beat. Monday Madness features a burrito, chips and a drink for a mere $7.99. Taco Tuesday delivers $1.99 tacos and Wednesday Unwrapped offers customers a choice of salad or tostada bowl and a drink for $7.99. They also serve hand-burritos, for smaller appetites, nacho french fries (exactly what it sounds like!) and flaky churro bites for dessert. Chronic Tacos is quick, delicious, and easy on the wallet. Fellow taco hunters, look no further.

Light Up the Lantern District Parade of Lights

NEW! Light-Up the Lantern District Bicycle Parade of Lights: 

An exciting & fun celebration of lights on bikes promoting, safety, fun & family on the race course beginning at 8pm on Saturday night, April 30th. This is an exciting and fun event that hopes to become a Lantern District tradition every year at the Dana Point Grand Prix Sport & Family Festival. Sign-Ups will be located at Dana Point Hardware on Del Prado Ave between Ruby & Amber Lantern Streets, 24422 Del Prado Ave #5 beginning at 5pm on Sat 4/30.

First 500 registered riders will receive a FREE light kit to apply on their bicycle courtesy of Cycleogical Bike Shop in Dana Point, 34102 La Plaza, Dana Point, CA 92629. Phone (949) 542-4777.

BE SEEN!

Promote yourself as a responsible cyclist that wants to be recognized as an individual with style, and…VIBE!

Come ride your bikes up and down closed-off Del Prado Ave FREE with friends and family. Along with getting free safety lights from the DPCCF and Cycleogical, decorate your bike with lights from Dana Point Hardware! Come early and watch Professional Cycling Criterium races, think NASCAR on bikes, or catch the FREE concert with food and beverages. Come to your favorite Lantern District restaurant or catch the latest gear at Killer Dana Surf Shop ahead of your ride. Something for the entire Family, make a night of it…EXPERIENCE the Experience!

Acting Academy for Kids

It’s time to watch your star shine!

When Stephen and Maggie Zygo opened Acting Academy for Kids in 2008 at the Camino Real Playhouse in San Juan Capistrano, they wanted to create a fun, positive environment for kids where they felt like part of a family. For Stephen, acting has always been a family business. He performed in his first musical, Peter Pan, with his brother, J. Michael Zygo, in elementary school. As the Zygo family grows, with the birth of their 2nd child, Jesse, on March 19th, so has the success and expanded offerings at the Academy.

The Zygos both have Masters Degrees in education and use their substantial experience as educators to inform their teaching philosophy. Acting Academy for Kids (AA4K) only employs teachers who have spent significant time in a classroom setting, with professional credentials in the industry. According to Stephen, “Other schools will bring in high-profile performers from Broadway or West End musical theater gurus, but that does not necessarily translate into competency in the classroom.”

Acting Academy for Kids is a full-service, performing arts academy for kids ages 4 to 17, with classes in acting, voice, musical theater, and its newest addition, film. This year’s Spring Film Project, the restaurant-themed Family Style Dinner, introduces students to “the vernacular of being on set,” complete with auditions, callbacks, and time on camera. Young actors are supported by a Hollywood crew led by
writer/director Brian Stevens, and receive professional Internet Movie Database (IMDB) credits, along with their own acting reel. The movie premieres at a red-carpet extravaganza at San Juan Capistrano’s Regency Theater on the silver screen.

The film program extends into the summer with the launch of AA4K’s four-week Film Academy. Kids in each week-long camp will have a blast producing their own short film that will be showcased at a gala screening at the Regency Theater in front of family, friends and the SJC film community.

In addition to the new film camp, every summer the Academy hosts its popular ten-week Musical Theater Camp, featuring weekly themes such as Be a Star War, Jungle Book Adventure and Minions. Students ages 4 to 13 take multiple classes in music, acting, and dance, culminating in a Friday afternoon performance on the Playhouse mainstage.

The musical theater program continues throughout the school year and is currently  taking registrations for a family-friendly version of Alice in Wonderland. AA4K presents four Broadway musicals a year, allowing students to perform in an authentic playhouse equipped with professional sets, lighting, and sound.

Acting Academy for Kids is fast becoming a hub for the arts in South Orange County, while still remaining an integral part of the local scene. The Academy has even added a professional recording department, Academy Voice, where sound engineer Kevin Spiro assists students in creating professionally produced music.

As AA4K is in the midst of exciting new developments and opportunities, Stephen reiterates that his focus will always be on the kids. “Most of the fourth graders who started with me back in 2008 are now graduating from high school,” says Stephen. “It’s so awesome to watch alumni graduate and come back to the Academy either as employees or volunteers. That’s incredibly fulfilling. This Academy is about the joy we bring into their lives. At the end of the day, it really needs to be fun.”

Whether kids have a passion for acting or are just testing the waters, Acting Academy for Kids creates a supportive, fun environment where students of all ages can gain confidence, build teamwork skills, and discover the joy of performing.

For more information on Acting Academy for Kids’ summer camps, film academy, classes, satellite programs, and participation in the musical Alice in Wonderland, visit ActingAcademyForKids.com.

Acting ACADEMY for Kids   |   Ages 4-17   |   ActingAcademyForKids.com   |   949.427.0072

El Adobe de Capistrano

El Adobe de Capistrano invites you to stay awhile.

Relax, let the attentive staff take care of you, and enjoy a break from the daily grind with a classic margarita, glass of wine, or your favorite beverage. Wood paneled ceilings, iron railings, and tall, airy windows create a warm, gracious ambience that captures the essence of old world hospitality.

Those familiar with the local area need no introduction to the restaurant’s rich history. El Adobe was a favorite spot of former President Richard Nixon during his administration. It’s said that the Mexican dishes prepared exclusively for him by the chef inspired the restaurant’s transition from continental to Mexican cuisine. Located in the heart of San Juan Capistrano, one block from the Mission and Los Rios Historic District, El Adobe has been recognized as a California State Historical Landmark. The walls forming its cocktail lounge were once part of the original Miguel Yorba Adobe.

Chef Carlos Gutierrez sources only fresh, top quality ingredients, which is evident in his dishes. We started our lunch with light and crispy chips and El Adobe’s irresistible salsa and addictive guacamole. The house guacamole was prepared tableside with whole avocadoes spiced to our liking – mild, medium, or hot – then swirled with a fork and topped with queso fresco. We also sampled the Ceviche, beautifully seasoned to allow its natural ocean flavors to shine through. 

Main course portions are generous and come with tortillas, rice, and either pinto, black, or charro beans, a delicious vegetarian option made with fresh tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. The Fajitas are a customer favorite, served sizzling on a cast iron skillet in a savory marinade that highlights the meat’s flavor and tenderness. The tasty Carne Asada, 8 ounces of mesquite grilled Top Sirloin, came drizzled with zesty Argentinian chimichurri sauce, a colorful assortment of crisp, steamed vegetables, and fluffy Mexican rice.

For dessert, the Sweet Plantains in bourbon caramel sauce was the height of decadence. The Caramel Churros, always a big hit with kids, were a sweet, crunchy treat filled with creamy caramel, coated in cinnamon sugar and served with a scoop of ice cream. 

Along with its extensive menu, El Adobe features catering and banquet options that can be customized to meet your individual needs. Multiple private dining rooms and an inviting covered courtyard make it a preferred venue for special events and weddings.

31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
(949) 493-1163 | ElAdobeDeCapistrano.com

PTA Coffee Break presents Sabrina Schuck, Executive Director of UC Irvine’s Health Child Development School on Wednesday, March 16 from 8:30-10:15 a.m. at Hotel Laguna.

An Assistant Professor in Residence in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychology & Social Behavior at UCI, Dr. Schuck will give parents tools and provide parenting techniques found to be most effective in helping children build resilience, be more self-reliant and overcome social challenges.  Her discussion is designed to help all parents understand and use those strategies thought necessary for improving self-regulation, empathy and social-engagement in their children.

Coffee Break is a monthly program organized by the Laguna Beach PTA Council’s Parent Education Committee.  It is supported by generous donations from Mission Hospital, Laguna Beach PTA and Council and individual community members. The ideas expressed at Coffee Break do not necessarily reflect those of LBUSD of PTA.  For more information visit: www.gotocoffeebreak.com.

Hotel Laguna is located at 425 South Coast Highway.  A suggested donation of $10.00 is requested at the door.  Coffee and pastries are provided.

Orangetheory Fitness

Orangetheory Fitness in San Clemente opened its doors less than a year ago, and already has become a community hub where people of all ages and backgrounds come to get healthy in a positive, high-energy environment.

Owners Dusty and Staci Dial, who live in San Clemente with their five-year-old daughter, were introduced to Orangetheory Fitness by their friend Marc Thomas, who owns studios in Newport Beach and Laguna Niguel. Dusty and Staci opened their first studio in Rancho Santa Margarita, followed by their San Clemente location in March 2015.

“We wanted to create a place where people would be able to come in and just forget about their problems for an hour,” says Dusty, “and after one of these workouts, with the energy you’ve used, and the endorphins you’ve created, you’re in a fantastic mood.”

Each 60-minute class provides “personal training in a group setting,” combining the benefits of a certified personal trainer with the fun, motivating atmosphere of a group class – an approach that’s unique in the fitness industry, and among the many reasons Men’s Journal rated Orangetheory Fitness the #1 workout on “The 20 Best Workouts in America” list.

Created by Ellen Latham in 2010, Orangetheory is a science-based, full body workout that utilizes the principles of high intensity interval training (HIIT), and excess post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). HIIT incorporates short bursts of super-high intensity effort for 1-2 minutes at a time, ensuring that 12-20 minutes of an hour-long class are spent in the heart rate zones proven to achieve EPOC – a state of oxygen deficiency that forces the body to burn more calories to equalize the loss.

Orangetheory Fitness’s logo of a fat cell exploding says it all. A typical class burns an average of 500 to 1000 calories and creates a metabolic increase, through EPOC, that allows you to keep burning calories at a higher rate over the next 24 to 36 hours. In other words, you’re able to reap the rewards of afterburn from an Orangetheory Fitness workout long after you’ve left the studio.

Participants receive heart rate monitors that calculate their maximum heart rate based on age, weight, and sex. They then choose the workout intensity that is right for them according to their fitness level. “You could have a 90-year-old woman working out next to an NFL player and they’ll receive the same benefits of the workout because they’re working to their own fitness level,” says Dusty.

Orangetheory Fitness uses a multi-faceted attack, alternating between treadmill, indoor rower, and resistance training, including free weights, TRX straps, an ab dolly, and body weight. Classes emphasize endurance, strength, or power – and with over 550 exercises in Orangetheory Fitness’s library, there are thousands of combinations to choose from, guaranteeing that no two classes are exactly alike.

Each class is led by a certified personal trainer who has gone through a rigorous selection process. New members arrive 30 minutes early in order to receive their heart rate monitor, watch part of a workout, and spend time with their trainer getting acquainted with the equipment. From that moment on, their personal trainer is always on hand, making corrections to form or providing an alternate version of an exercise, if necessary.

Benefits include weight loss, greater muscle tone and strength, increased endurance, and a marked improvement in overall health. “The best part of this business,” Dusty says, “is seeing people’s lives change. We’ve had people come in with Type 2 diabetes, and after a couples of months their doctors are wondering how they are improving their conditions.”

People typically start to feel better within the first few weeks, and it takes about four to six weeks to start seeing visual changes. “Give it at least three days a week for six weeks,” says Dusty, “and you’ll never go back!”

Jade China Chinese Cuisine

by Roxanne Holland

What a delightful surprise to discover the recently opened Jade China Chinese Cuisine restaurant located in San Juan Capistrano’s Plaza Del Obispo.

You’ll feel as if you’ve entered an oasis of serenity at Jade. The restaurant is beautifully appointed with stacked rock walls, art-element mirrors and tastefully positioned chrome trim that meshes seamlessly to create a calm, cool vibe. The food is the best Chinese I’ve experienced outside of China and is comparable in flavor and presentation to a famous Beverly Hills destination (that shall go unmentioned) at a fraction of the price!

Once you’re seated, the table is served a generous portion of fried wonton noodles and sweet sauce. Jade China’s tasty variety was the perfect beginning to a pleasurable dining experience.

We started with the Minced Chicken in Lettuce, but elected to substitute tofu in place of the chicken. The beautifully seasoned tofu was topped with a delicious plum sauce which paired nicely with the cold, crisp lettuce. For the main course we sampled Twinkle Walnut Shrimp, which we were told by the restaurant’s manager, Jeff, is one of its most popular dishes. After biting into the lightly battered sensations, I wanted to have them 7 days a week. I’m not privy to what goes into the “Chef’s Special Sauce,” but it’s nothing short of spectacular. Next up was the Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin, presented tableside with crunchy-fresh green beans. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender with just the right amount of kick!

Jade China Chinese Cuisine has also made an effort to cater to guests with special dietary needs and those seeking healthier choices. All dishes can be made gluten free and the restaurant offers plenty of options for both vegetarians and vegans. For the health conscious set, a variety of menu items are made available without oil or sodium. Parents will also be happy to know that there’s a kids menu geared just toward the little ones.

Jade serves up a selection of sake, beer, wine, champagne, tea and fruit smoothies to complement your meal. The restaurant offers take-out, delivery and catering for parties of 10 or more. Stop by for a delicious dining experience anytime from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily and til 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The San Onofre Parks Foundation (SOPF) is a California non-profit, charitable corporation, whose mission is to provide education, protection, and preservation for the California State Parks at San Onofre and San Clemente State Beaches. As a public liaison to these parklands, the San Onofre Parks Foundation will foster a comprehensive stewardship of this unique recreational resource, with its historically important sites and environmentally significant setting.

San Onofre Parks Foundation $3,000 check presentation for California State Parks Junior Lifeguard Program was on January 22, 2016. Surfline donated funds to have a Lifeguard Tower Model built by Malcolm Wilson. A raffle raised $1,200 and SOPF donated $1,800 for a total of $3,000.00 going to the Junior Guard program. Malcolm Wilson built the 1960s era State Lifeguard Tower Model.

SOPF Contact: 
Susan Goggins, Business Manager
sgoggins@SanOFoundation.org
949.366.8599

San Onofre Parks Foundation
3030 Avenida del Presidente, San Clemente, California 92672
www.SanOFoundation.org

Mathnasium – The Math Learning Center

The goal at Mathnasium is to help math make sense! Whether your child is far behind or is already succeeding in math, Mathnasium offers the tools that enable a student to leap ahead. Mathnasium knows that every child can be successful in math; it’s a matter of teaching it in a way that makes sense to them.

The first Mathnasium Learning Center opened in 2002, more than 40 years after math educator Larry Martinek was inspired to find a better way to teach children math. Larry developed the Mathnasium Method™ and a new business was born. Martinek’s desire was to provide children all over the world with increased confidence, critical thinking skills, and the mathematical ability to last a lifetime.  Students of all ages found the curriculum to be incredibly powerful and engaging. As evidence of how effective it is, Mathnasium centers have sprung up across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Mathnasium’s experienced math tutors utilize proprietary teaching materials and techniques, The Mathnasium Method^™, to deliver a customized learning plan designed to address each student’s needs. The instructional approach goes beyond traditional math tutoring to develop understanding and to build a love for math.

If math is a problem, Mathnasium can solve it. Students will grow more excited and confident about math—and their grades will reflect that. Mathnasium owner, Kapil Mathur, oversees three centers in San Clemente, Dana Point, and Laguna Niguel. He and his team have been serving elementary, middle and high school students in South Orange County since 2006.

For students who already excel in math, the sky’s the limit. They will expand their math skills and, with math learning made exciting, students will discover what doors excelling at math can open.

Students engage one-to-one with Mathnasium-certified instructors in a unique combination of mental, verbal, visual, tactile, and written exercises. This instruction does more than just meet state math standards; it surpasses the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Common Core State Standards.

Basic math concepts and skills are blended with a program specifically designed to help students build number sense. This special program shows them how and why the useful number rules they’re learning work so they are able to understand how they can be applied to interesting areas such as computer science, biology, and psychology.

Students are evaluated with a written and verbal assessment unique to Mathnasium. Based on the results, Mathnasium develops a custom-tailored program designed to close any educational gaps they may have so they can jump ahead when they’re ready for advanced math challenges.

Mathnasium builds upon your child’s existing foundation and explains why mathematical rules work so that children learn and understand them. Mathnasium’s philosophy is that math shouldn’t simply be an exercise in memorization.

Mathnasium also helps students understand their homework as part of each session and prepares them for school tests, as well as standardized tests such as the California High School Exit Exam, SAT, ACT and ISEE.

By giving students a firm foundation—and confidence—in math, Mathnasium can prevent them from falling behind in the future and can help them avoid the problems and frustrations that struggling in math often creates. 

Contact your local center today to schedule a free trial session where you and your child can experience all that Mathnasium has to offer.

RCMC Weight Loss OC

Richard Mantell, MD & his wife Jennifer

Imagine your ideal self. Would you weigh less? Have more energy? No longer struggle with chronic fatigue? The wellness team at RCMC Weight Loss is there to guide you so you can take control of your life and get healthy. Whether you need assistance with medical weight loss, nutritional counseling, or increasing stamina, they can help. For many years, the clinic has aided many patients to successfully lose weight, regain energy and keep the weight off. The clinic’s approach to wellness is truly transformative and the doctors and staff are excited to share their approach with you.

“Being overweight is a medical condition, and we treat it as one,” say Dr. Richard Mantell, owner and operator of RCMC Weight Loss OC in San Juan Capistrano. “Our patients’ chances of losing weight will be significantly higher using the program at RCMC Weight Loss rather than doing it on their own.”

“Losing weight is much more than just diet and exercise. It is simply overwhelming without guidance and direction,” adds Jennifer Mantell, co-operator in the business. “Our program provides a private nutritional counselor to help keep our clients accountable for achieving their weight loss goals. Many patients have failed numerous times in their past dieting attempts, but are amazed when they find real success at RCMC Weight Loss.”

Dr. Mantell and his team can help you lose one pound a day for up to 45 days, and more importantly, keep it off. They start with determining the underlying problem for your weight gain. For many patients, eating healthy and exercising is not enough to take off the pounds. RCMC’s cutting-edge medical weight loss treatments include integrating HCG injections, lipo injections, appetite control medication and nutritional counseling.

The medically prescribed injections protect your lean muscle mass while turning your body into a fat-burning machine. HCG is part of a fast track medical weight loss program which helps patients drop pounds fast and feel more energetic than they have in years. Most notably, nutrition counseling and lifestyle advice helps patients correct negative habits that may have led to their weight gain in the first place, so the pounds stay off for good.

RCMC’s wellness team provides nutritional counseling and lifestyle advice. Their patient-proven results show that their programs deliver positive results. Obviously RCMC points out that results may vary by individuals, but they firmly believe that by proactively addressing and correcting unhealthy eating habits in combination with their medically supervised programs, they can help patients down the path to permanent weight loss. RCMC’s wellness team is committed to helping every patient embrace a healthy, positive lifestyle.

Call (949) 267-3885 today to schedule your complimentary consultation and diagnostic appointment.

31888 Del Obispo, Ste. C-2  |  San Juan Capistrano  |  949.267.3885  |  RanchoWeightLoss.com