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Good morning, Orange County. You’re reading Thrive OC, your weekly guide to the best local spots, happenings, and hidden gems across the coast and beyond. If your coffee feels extra necessary this morning, you can thank daylight saving time. Here’s what’s on deck:

• Irish Fest and live music

• OC markets and art events

• Elevated Mexican spot in Tustin

• The Ziggurat up for sale

• San Clemente beach trail update

• Rare Death Valley bloom

Let’s dive in.

— Dave Berry

🍽️ Restaurant of the Week: Fonda Moderna (Tustin)

If you’re in the mood for Mexican food that feels familiar but a little more refined, Fonda Moderna is worth putting on your list. The concept is inspired by the traditional Mexican fonda, the kind of neighborhood eatery where the menu shifts and the food feels homemade, but here it’s paired with a cleaner, more elevated approach. Tortillas are made in-house with organic flour, and the menu covers a wide range, from tacos and burritos to prime meats, seafood, vegetarian options, guac, and aguas frescas. It’s the kind of place that feels casual enough for a weekday stop and polished enough to bring someone to dinner.

Where: 1705 Flight Wy #7, Tustin, CA 92782 | Phone: (714) 941-5418

Adventures led by women, designed to make a difference.

Peru, Bhutan and Cambodia. That’s where Intrepid, the world’s largest adventure travel company, has launched three new Women’s Expeditions.

These small-group trips are designed exclusively for women, creating space to connect, explore and support local women-led businesses along the way.

Trek the lesser-known Chinchero to Urquillos route in the Peruvian Andes with an all-female crew. Discover Cambodia’s street food scene on a women-run tuk tuk tour. Unwind with a traditional herbal hot stone bath at a women-owned farmhouse in Bhutan.

Every trip is led by an expert female guide and built around meaningful, immersive experiences.

Explore Women’s Expeditions

📅 Upcoming Events 🎉

Irish Fest Biergarten, Huntington Beach (Now–March 17)

Old World Huntington Beach is going full St. Patrick’s mode with a ten-day celebration featuring Irish music, dance, food, beer, whiskey, and themed events throughout the week. There’s a mix of all-ages programming, dinner shows, tribute performances, and a St. Patrick’s Day concert to close things out. Times vary | Old World Huntington Beach | Event Info

OC Restaurant Week (Now–March 14)

This is one of the easiest foodie events to jump into because there’s no pass, no ticket, and no complicated planning. Just browse participating restaurants, pick a spot, and enjoy special menus built for the week. It’s a great excuse to try somewhere new or turn an ordinary dinner into a date night. Any time now through March 14, 2026 | Participating restaurants across Orange County | Event Info

Nashville on the Coast, Seal Beach (March 11–15)

Seal Beach gets a country music twist as singer-songwriters bring a little Nashville energy to the coast. The event spreads across several local venues and is built around intimate live performances, good food, and the laid-back charm of Main Street and the surrounding area. Times vary | Various locations in Seal Beach including The Beach House, O’Malley’s on Main, Marni’s, Gaslamp, and Westwood Coast | Event Info

Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, Buena Park (March 13–April 12)

One of Knott’s most beloved seasonal events is back, and as always, it’s all about the berry that helped put the park on the map. Expect limited-time food and drink offerings, live music, local artisan vendors, and plenty of family-friendly activities throughout the festival. Times vary | Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park | Event Info

Figure 8 Market, Anaheim (March 14)

If you like vintage clothing, curated finds, and creative community-driven events, this Anaheim market looks like a fun Saturday stop. Figure 8 blends sustainable shopping with fashion, media, trinkets, and small local vendors, all with free admission. 11:00 AM–4:00 PM | 201 W Center Street Promenade, Anaheim, CA 92805 | Event Info

Old Towne Vintage Market, Orange (March 14)

Old Towne Orange is going big with this vintage market featuring 30 vendors, live DJ sets, food vendors, and free nearby parking. If your ideal Saturday includes treasure hunting for old-school finds and grabbing something good to eat, this one’s worth a visit. 11:00 AM–4:00 PM | American Legion, Old Towne Orange | Event Info

Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade (March 14)

A longtime Laguna Beach tradition returns Saturday with this year’s theme “America 250 (1776–2026)”, celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. The parade begins at Laguna Beach High School, travels down Park Avenue to Glenneyre Street, continues along Forest Avenue, and ends near City Hall. Locals and visitors are encouraged to line the route and enjoy the festivities. Morning (street closures 9:00 AM–1:30 PM) | Parade route from Laguna Beach High School → Park Ave → Glenneyre St → Forest Ave → City Hall, Laguna Beach | Event Info

The OC Super Show, Irvine (March 14)

This one-day music and beer festival at Great Park Live is a love letter to OC’s music scene, with a lineup rooted in bands that helped define the local sound. With names like Story of the Year, Lit, Fenix TX, Mest, and more, it’s built for anyone who grew up with these songs still in rotation. 12:00 PM–10:00 PM | Great Park Live, Irvine, CA | Event Info

OC History & Culture Bazaar, Irvine (March 14)

For something a little different, this free Irvine event explores Southern California history through exhibitions, presentations, and hands-on activities. It’s designed to make local history feel alive and accessible, with a focus on the people, stories, sounds, and objects that shaped the region. 10:00 AM–3:00 PM | Hangar 244, Great Park Gallery, and Great Park Studio at Great Park, Irvine | Event Info

OC Smiski & Matcha Flea Market, Costa Mesa (March 15)

Costa Mesa’s OC Market returns with a mix of thrifted and Y2K clothing, jewelry, trinkets, henna, tooth gems, flash tats, drinks, snacks, and more. The matcha-and-flea-market combo alone is enough to make this feel like a very Orange County Sunday. 11:00 AM–5:00 PM | 610 W 18th St, Costa Mesa | Event Info

🏄 Local News You Should Know

The Ziggurat is up for sale again

One of South OC’s most recognizable buildings is officially back on the market. Laguna Niguel’s pyramid-like Chet Holifield Federal Building, better known as the Ziggurat, is once again being offered for sale, this time through CBRE after previous auction attempts didn’t stick. The massive property includes roughly 1 million square feet on about 90 acres, and city leaders say they’re eager to see what a future owner might bring to the site. With its unusual design, major footprint, and prime South County location, this is one of the more interesting real estate stories in Orange County right now.

San Clemente beach trail project enters another big phase

Work continues on the long-running rail safety and bluff stabilization project in San Clemente. Crews are expected to remove a temporary catchment wall near Mariposa Point so construction can move forward on a permanent 1,400-foot wall between El Portal and Linda Lane, along with restoration of the beach trail in the area. The work is happening during a scheduled rail closure window, and nearby residents may hear construction noise, including drilling, hauling, and backup alarms. It’s another visible step in a project that’s meant to protect the rail line and eventually improve trail access in the area.

Death Valley is putting on a rare spring show

Not OC, but absolutely worth knowing about if you’re thinking about a weekend adventure. Thanks to winter rains, Death Valley National Park is seeing its strongest bloom season since 2016, with stretches of golden wildflowers popping up across the desert floor. According to the details you shared, low-elevation blooms are already visible and could last into mid-to-late March, while higher elevations may continue blooming into spring. If you’re up for the drive, it sounds like one of those rare Southern California nature moments that doesn’t come around often.

🌟 OC Trivia: Did You Know?

The Knott’s Boysenberry Festival celebrates the berry that helped put Knott’s on the map. Back in the 1930s, boysenberry pies and preserves drew crowds to Walter and Cordelia Knott’s roadside stand in Buena Park. That humble berry stand eventually grew into the theme park we know today.

Think you know OC? Reply with your best trivia, and we might feature it next!

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🎶 Live Music This Weekend

Looking for live tunes? Here’s what’s happening:

Friday, March 13:

1. Cook’s Corner (Trabuco Canyon) – The Shakers, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

2. Barnoa Wine Company (San Clemente) – Mike Silvestri, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

3. Five Vines Wine Bar (San Juan Capistrano) – Joe Blanchard, 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm

4. San Juan Hills Golf Club (San Juan Capistrano) – The James Kelly Band, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

5. The Coach House (San Juan Capistrano) – Prince Again, 9:00 pm

6. The Cliff Restaurant (Laguna Beach) – Cc Stugino Band, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

7. Honda Center (Anaheim) – Camila, 8:00 pm

8. Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall (Costa Mesa) – Ben Rector, 8:00 pm

9. Garden Amp (Garden Grove) – Rock & Roll 2026 Redux (Van Halen / AC/DC / Mötley Crüe / Black Sabbath / Led Zeppelin Tributes), 5:00 pm

10. Musco Center for the Arts (Orange) – La Opera Young Artists in Concert, 7:30 pm

11. Hangar 24 (Irvine) – Tori Green Band, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

12. Spaghettini (Seal Beach) – BK Jackson Artist Experience, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

🌦️ 7-Day Weather Forecast

🌅 Sunrise & Sunset in OC

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