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

Food&Drink

Broken Yolk Cafe

A fresh start to your day awaits at the Broken Yolk Cafe. As the Mission Viejo location celebrates its one-year anniversary this month, south Orange County folks have come to learn what San Diegans have known since 1979 — that  the Broken Yolk definitely has huevos! Having served more than 20,000 eggs each month and over 110,000 customers during the past year at the Mission Viejo location alone, the restaurant’s undeniable success can be attributed to its fresh fare, generous portions, reasonable prices, and family-friendly (and pet-friendly) atmosphere.

Owner German Fabregas explains that the Broken Yolk Cafe strives to provide guests with the best possible experience — from the moment they arrive at the front door until they’ve finished their last bites. Every detail has been considered, including complimentary coffee while you wait on weekends to a willingness to accommodate special dietary requests without hesitation. The restaurant’s cozy vibe feels more like a small town diner that welcomes its customers by name than a chain with 17 locations. The upbeat and attentive wait staff is genuinely happy to serve you and the menu caters to customers from toddlers to seniors.

The Broken Yolk’s commitment to fresh, flavorful food at a great value was apparent as my husband and I recently sampled several of the restaurant’s most popular breakfast dishes. Everything from juices to sauces and potatoes to gravy are squeezed, mixed, boiled and prepared from scratch daily. Each of the menu’s thirteen omelets is made with four eggs to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites and the homefries and hashbrowns are made on-site each morning.

As an eggs benedict fan, I’ve enjoyed some tasty renditions in my day and the Broken Yolk’s updated twists on this classic dish are no exception. For a sinfully decadent version of French toast, I’d highly recommend the restaurant’s Tiki Toast, boasting three mountain high slices of golden Hawaiian sweet bread topped with strawberries, blueberries, caramel drizzle and coconut. The Mom Omelete is a great choice for vegetarians and a hit with the ladies, packed full of avocado, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, alfalfa sprouts and finished with sour cream and housemade salsa.  For a light and healthy option that’s equally satisfying, the Wellness Wraps will not disappoint. These spinach tortillas filled with scrambled egg whites, sautéed spinach, roasted red bell peppers and feta cheese are a restaurant favorite for both breakfast and lunch.

The Broken Yolk Cafe serves breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., 7-days-a-week. Be sure to inquire about the loyalty program because once you’ve eaten there, you’ll certainly be coming back!

28621 Marguerite Pkwy.  | Mission Viejo  | 949.388.0292  | TheBrokenYolkCafe.com 

Ahoy! Thar She Blows!

Southern California’s summer tourists may have come and gone, but this winter a different type of tourist will be traveling along the West Coast and heading to Baja during its annual migration: the majestic California Gray Whale. The whales will begin their migration in late November, but from March 5 – 6 and 12 – 13 hundreds of these 35-ton leviathans will splash through the seaside community of Dana Point, California – the West Coast’s premier location to meet and greet these incredible creatures during the 45^th Annual Dana Point Festival of Whales.

The Dana Point Festival of Whales is one of Southern California’s largest seafaring celebrations and reaches out to whale admirers around the world. Dana Point is teeming with festivities every winter during this special time of year, offering something for everyone. The Festival draws over 100,000 visitors each year over these two special weekends.

Festival highlights include an opening day parade, Street Fair, art and craft shows and sales, classic car exhibits, paddling and sailing opportunities, Boating Extravaganza, sand sculpting, concerts on land and water, environmental activities, educational opportunities, interpretive crafts, kids activities, fun food, and of course, whale watching excursions on a variety of vessels or whale watching from breathtaking Dana Point Headlands Conservation Park. For those wishing to spend more than a day admiring these graceful leviathans and taking in the sights of beautiful Dana Point, a variety of accommodations are available throughout the city, many offering whale watching packages and unforgettable ocean and harbor view guest rooms. The 2016 Festival invites visitors to migrate to each and every event via FREE shuttle service provided throughout the Festival venues and parking lots. Or, take our water taxi and migrate on the water!

Find our more information here.

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