Dessert

DINING OUT When it comes to elegant dining, French 75 Bistro and Champagne Bar is a pinnacle of the Orange County restaurant scene. This is not French cuisine, as the name seems to imply. The concept, as esteemed general manager Phil Roberson says, is "An American view of French restaurants circa World War II." A highlight of famed Laguna Beach Art Center in the heart of town, French 75 was launched on St. Patrick's Day, 1998 and is the flagship venue of David Wilhelm's renowned Culinary Adventures, which caters such local charitable events as those at the Laguna Art Museum.

Hotel restaurants are generally not considered dining destinations, although recently, the trend is changing. The Palm Terrace Restaurant in the Island Hotel at Fashion Island is a case in point. With the plethora of restaurants in the mall, why would you even think to look across the street for hotel dining, especially when hotel eateries are consistently pricier? Yet, just across from Bloomingdales is a beautiful, high-end luxury establishment surrounded by lovely gardens with a restaurant serving surprisingly good food at the expected prices, but with the enticing exception of a small-bites menu that features tasting-size portions of the same delicious food at very appetizing prices.

Lagunans won?t have to leave town to do up the new year in style. From ballrooms to dance clubs, this town has it all. Here are a few options. The Montage Resort and Spa , 30801 S. Coast Hwy., will host several events in its ballroom and restaurants. A New Year?s Eve Extravaganza will begin at 8 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, featuring soul/funk performers Platinum Groove, a four-course dinner, party favors and a midnight champagne toast. The cost is $350 per person, which includes tax, gratuity, beverages and wine pairings.

cpt-gossipgourmet25Text5G26SAM9 THE GOSSIPING GOURMET Opening a new restaurant is a huge undertaking and getting everything to run smoothly is not only a labor of love but also a labor of Herculean proportions. Azmin Ghahreman has been equal to the task with the new Sapphire. Before we did a review, we elected to wait a while to give them time to get their act together. They had been working and re-working the menu and training their staff since February with lots of dinners for friends and family, trying to get everything just right before the hungry public descended.

Family Fun Night planned for Oct. 18 A Mexican dinner, bingo, bouncy slide, bouncy house, dessert and fun are planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Family Fun Night, in Fellowship Hall of Laguna Presbyterian Church. Children of all ages, accompanied by a parent, are invited. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children, and $20 for a family of four. To reserve a space, sign up at the cart between the 8:30 and 10 o?clock services, on Sunday, or call (949) 494-7555, and ask for Lisa, or e-mail lwilhelm@lagunapres church.

The original St. Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred Feb. 14, 270 A.D., when the Roman Emperor Claudius II condemned a priest named Valentine to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. There are several myths as to why this priest had incurred Claudius’ disfavor. One suggests Claudius had prohibited marriage for young men, claiming bachelors made better soldiers but Valentine secretly continued to perform marriage ceremonies. Another story claims he was martyred for refusing to renounce his Christianity.

Open Gatherings, a group that draws together people from all faiths and nonfaiths to explore topics of spirituality, politics, relationships and personal ethics will meet today at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 429 Cypress Drive. Tonight's meeting is a casual conversation led by the Rev. Tari Lennon, covering the topic, "Us -- Now More than Ever: Changing Direction." Open Gatherings is a venue for discussing spirituality and no topic is off-limits.