Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/13059
Living La Vida Nightlife! O range County has established itself as the place to be for those who have arrived. The O.C.'s beachfront cities are aesthetically pleasing in every way. Cities such as Newport Beach and Laguna Beach provide a perfect atmosphere for high-end shopping and fine dining. While there is plenty to do in the O.C. during the day, we'll examine what the county has to offer for a nightlife. There is an abundance of lounges, nightclubs, eateries and even comedy clubs for all to enjoy. Because Orange County is so large and spread out, there is no one singular "hot-spot" to speak of, which can make finding places to enjoy the evening a bit overwhelming. For those with a family, moderate budget and little desire for fuss, there is always Downtown Disney. You can call this a default place to go because of its wide variety of restaurants, novelty shops, and all around environment. Located in Anaheim, Downtown Disney's biggest nightlife offering is the House of Blues. Some of the biggest acts in the industry have performed there, including B.B. King and Alicia Keys. Tickets are generally reasonably priced and the parking is very convenient. For something a little less obvious, but much more swanky, there's Sutra, a lounge bar located in Costa Mesa. This place features ultra-cool music with DJ Fashen spinning on Friday nights and DJ CoolWhip on the wheels Saturday nights. In addition to a wonderfully laid out exotic interior, Sutra offers up some the best mixed drinks around. Sutra's upscale clientele often features the occasional celebrity dropping by and adding to the lounge's already glamorous appeal. Sutra also features a full menu for dining. For those who want to mix their evening up with a little billiards, without losing the sophistication, the Shark Club, also in Costa Mesa, will not disappoint. This place has it all, including a full menu with dishes like Fettuccini Chicken Alfredo and Blackened Chicken Tacos. The club features a 2,000 gallon shark tank, has two dance floors, with two fireplaces...you know, just in case you get cold while dancing. The Shark Club's doors are open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and they describe their dress code as trendy and fashionable, with no sneakers. Unfortunately, more and more jazz clubs seem to be a dying breed, which is really too bad, because they often have the best balance of energy. Jazz clubs are generally not too loud, but have just enough going on to make you forget about the Monday through Friday grind. Enter Steamers Jazz Club and Café, located in Fullerton, one of the most well received and reviewed places in the O.C. The club and café are open seven days a week. However, if you are going on Thursday through Saturday, it is best to make reservations, as the crowd builds up quickly. The two most popular items on the menu are the Turtle ( a coffee drink) and the hummus/pita appetizer. If you don't mind having to flag down and possibly tackle a waiter to get their attention, then Steamers will suit you just fine. If you are not a jazz fan per say, don't let that deter you from coming out and enjoying the music which is continuously raved over. SUMMER NIGHTS By: Brian J. Murphy 26 LIVEMAGS.NET JULY>>10