FILM | | FOOD | food | CALENDAR | FEATURE | THE | | calendar Best of 2016COUNTY | CONTENTS & recreation | SportS | contents
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CLASSIFIEDS CULTURE NT2H X X–XX , 2014 classifieds OctOMO ber 1-27, 2 016 music MUSIC culture film
OCWEEKLY.COM | | ocweekly.com
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Sports &
THOUSAND STEPS BEACH
RECREATION BEST PLACE TO GET HIGH THOUSAND STEPS BEACH
The picturesque Thousand Steps Beach is not just a place to work out at until your legs feel like Jell-O, but it’s also a great place to be stoned, especially at night. Next time you’re feeling like being one with nature and herb, head down to the gorgeous shores of Thousand Steps Beach to witness a clear night sky spotted with a sea of sparkling-white stars. If you’re faded enough and stare deeply up above, the tiny beacons of light will start to blur into vivid white streaks across the pitch-black sky to the soothing soundtrack of ocean waves crashing onto the shore. Pair this beautiful setting with some indica, and you’ve got one of the most relaxing places in Orange County. And with the city of Laguna Beach inching closer to passing a medical-marijuana initiative this November, Thousand Steps Beach may become South County’s first stoners’ paradise. NINTH AVENUE AND COAS T HIGHWAY, L AGUNA BE ACH.
BEST SUNDAY FUNDAY DOWNTOWN LA
First, drive to Fifth and Grand streets in the Financial District, find cheap parking, and rise in an elevator 1,000 feet in the air to take in a 360-degree view of Los Angeles via the OUE Skyspace LA, the tallest open-air observation deck in California. For $8 more than the usual $19-to-$25 entry fee, you can ride the enclosed slide affixed to the 70th to 69th floors of the U.S. Bank Tower. Calm your nerves across the street at LA’s Central Library, where four large murals depict different points in Golden State history. Ying your yang in the outdoor Maguire Gardens before walking half a block on South Flower Street to Public School 213, a mellow gastropub that serves pleasing appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, salads, wine, cocktails, craft beers and dinner fare, all in the $$ range. OUE SK YSPACE L A , U.S. BANK TOWER, 633 W. FIF TH S T. , S TE . 840, LOS ANGELES, (213) 800-5659; W W W.SK YSPACE-L A .COM. LOS ANGELES CENTR AL LIBR ARY, 630 W. FIF TH S T. , LOS ANGELES, (213) 228-7000. PUBLIC SCHOOL 213, 612 S. FLOWER S T. , LOS ANGELES, (213) 622-4500; W W W.PSONTAP.COM. READERS’ CHOICE: MUTT LYNCH’S
BEST ELECTRONIC GAMING CENTER ESPORTS ARENA
This isn’t your average PC café, but rather America’s first facility dedicated
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to e-sports. Whether your competitive game of choice is League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Hearthstone, Halo, Smash or Call of Duty, Esports Arena holds events and tournaments for every premier title. Add in special meet-and-greets and signings with pro-gamers and elite teams and gaming organizations such as Team Solomid, and you have a modern-day gamers’ paradise. 120 W. FIF TH S T. , SANTA ANA , (7 14) 4625592; ESPOR T SARENA .COM.
BEST MARTIAL-ARTS STUDIO THE DRAGON HOUSE GYM
Self-described as “a family training center,” the Dragon House Gym lives up to the billing; many who took classes as children under Sensei Daniel Higgins now bring their own children here to learn boxing, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu and other forms of self-defense. The Dragon House Gym also specializes in getting you in shape—fighting or otherwise— through personal-training sessions. After transforming your rocking bod, you can cover it up with Dragon House clothing, available for sale in the front. 7626 E . CHAPMAN AVE . , OR ANGE , (7 14) 516-0972; TDHGYM.COM. READERS’ CHOICE: GRACIE BARRA GARDEN GROVE
thinking that has led to more outside attention on the school. Having coordinated six consecutive Guinness World Records, Deppe generated even more international buzz by helping to establish an e-sports program that actively recruits the best gamers to major in computer game science and/or participate in live gaming competitions at the Bren Events Center. Deppe is acting director of an esports program that was mocked in some corners when it was announced in 2015. But the offering of e-sports scholarships, the opening of a state-of-the-art arena and the enrollment of the brightest gaming minds at Irvine have shot naysayers down as if they were Soap MacTavishes.
THE DRAGON HOUSE GYM
BEST COACH MARK DEPPE
After arriving at UC Irvine in 2010, Mark Deppe has specialized in out-of-the-box
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BEST SPORTS COMEBACK (INDIVIDUAL) CHRISTOPHER SWIECA
The retinas in both of Christopher Swieca’s eyes becoming detached was likely caused by his severe nearsightedness, not his career as a water-polo player. But surgeries to repair the dam-