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The
king of retail shopping in Orange County remains South Coast
Plaza with its sister complex South Coast Village. This is
one of the premier shopping centers of the world, ranking
among the top metropolitan markets in every retail category
measured--from bejeweled watches to Italian suits.
Over 270
of the world's most prestigious retailers-- Hermès, Valentino,
Prada, Fendi, Chanel, Gucci, Mikimoto, and Christian Dior,
to name just a few--are interspersed throughout this shopping
mecca which was created and developed by the Segerstrom family
in 1967 on what had been bean fields. There are also over
two dozen great restaurants in the Orange County South Coast
Metro district, including the much-lauded Troquet, Chat Noir
Bistro & Jazz Lounge, Wolfgang Puck Café and Antonello
Ristorante.
Just down
the street from South Coast Plaza is The Lab Anti-Mall where
you can get a henna tattoo or one of the finest Cuban meals
in the southland. Overlooking the California coastline is
Fashion Island in Newport Beach, the most successful open-air
shopping center in the country with over 200 shops, restaurants,
and department stores including Bloomingdale's and Neiman
Marcus. Our newest Orange County Mall, The Shops at Mission
Viejo recently had its Grand Reopening to debut an upscale,
casually elegant shopping experience for the fast-growing
south Orange County.
The Irvine
Spectrum Center and The Block at Orange are relative newcomers
to the scene, but both have added a number of unique retail
and entertainment options to Orange County shopping and entertainment.
The Irvine Spectrum features the Edward's 21-screen theater
complex, one of the largest in Southern California, and a
six and a half story, stadium-style IMAX theater, plus fascinating
dining emporiums like Dave and Buster's, where in addition
to feasting on St. Louis-style pork ribs, you can enjoy a
number of interactive electronic games at The Million Dollar
Midway. The Block at Orange opened late in 1998 with Vans
Skate Park, the largest such facility in the world, Ron Jon
Surf Shop, the largest surf shop in California, and more than
100 other restaurants and shops.
But not
all of the County's unique shopping and dining experiences
will be found at these mega-malls. Old Towne Orange is known
as "the antique capital of California" with more than three
dozen stores filled with collectibles spread out around a
'50s-style downtown plaza. Little Saigon, in Westminster,
shows the County's diversity with a mind-boggling array of
Vietnamese restaurants, bakeries, delis, and shops.
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