When you live in Santa Barbara, California, what you leave behind is hard to beat. But…our recent weekend in Costa Mesa – City of the Arts, left our senses craving for more.
We arrived at the South Coast Westin Plaza – 686 Anton Boulevard (714) 540-2500, to a fabulous deluxe room on the fourteenth floor with a 180-degree view. Having a mere fifteen minutes to rest before joining our hosts in the lobby, we sat down on the Heavenly Bed, a Westin trademark for comfort. It was when our eyes rested upon the do not disturb door tag, simply labeled, “peace”, that the essence of the Westin hit us like a ton of solace.
This beautifully remodeled hotel is located 5 miles from John Wayne Airport; a stones throw from the Orange County Performing Arts Center, and a walk across the Peace Bridge to South Coast Shopping Plaza. The centerpiece is its magnificent waterfall that originates from the mouths of seven sculptured Neptune Water Spouts by Betty Daveport Ford and cascades in adjustable torrents, two stories downward to the Waterfall Terrace adjacent to the lobby bar gives Niagara Falls a run for its money.
Costa Mesa has one of the few lima bean producing climates in the world and at one time the Segerstrom Ranch was the major producer. However, since those days, the soul purpose of this amazing family dynasty has been to create a world-renowned center for the arts and over the years, land has been sold off or donated for that ever-expanding vision.
Keeping track of the Segerstrom Family and other private and corporately funded donations and the buildings and theaters encompassing this center, is nearly impossible to choreograph. The developmental sequence of Orange County Performing Arts Center at Segerstrom Center for the Arts and its 46,000 sq ft of community plaza is something like this:
In the beginning…land was sold to May Company and Sears for one dollar because anchor properties were needed to cement the overall vision. The May Company (now Macys) and Sears, initiated South Coast Plaza and still own the land they sit on. Today the plaza includes some of the largest grossing retailers in California and the US. On the weekend before Christmas this mall was jumping so fast, I ran for my life to the nearest exit.
In 1979, the Segerstrom Family donated five acres for Orange County Performing Arts Center. Segerstrom Hall an exquisite fan shaped theater with an orchestra level and three rising tiers of 3000 seats, is host to International Dance and Broadway Theater throughout the year. The massive, Fire Bird, by Richard Lippold, 120’ long and 60’ high with a 100’ wingspan and an 18 carat gold beak, adorns the interior and exterior, as it soars through the glass in astounding beauty. The private Center Club at the lower level contains the largest collection of Plenaire Art in the area and Founders Hall, a black box-style theater space for approx 300, also resides here.
In 1998 an additional parcel of land was deeded for the concert hall and in 2000, main visionary, Henry Segerstrom, donated 40 million dollars, the largest charitable cash gift in Orange County history and in 2003, it was appropriately named, Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The lobby has one acre of earthquake safe suspended glass, an aluminum leaf ceiling and award winning, Constellation, a spiral of LED Swarovski crystal with 300 faceted Baccarat crystal pendants by Francesca Bettridge.
Architect Cesar Capelli with sound professionals, created a totally acoustically based design, including 128 adjustable concrete and wood doors and terrazzo floors designed in waves that match outdoor plantings. Under each French imported chair for seating 2000, are re-circulating tunnels for better airflow.
There are adjustable soundproof drapes, four reverberation chambers and a 4322 pipes organ, and to top it off, 3 acoustical, concrete brushed, aluminum louvered ceiling canapés, that are raised or lowered individually for sound control. It is breathtaking.
Samueli Theater with separate entrance has a multi functional 500-seat theater, the result of a ten million gift from the Henry Samueli family. In addition there is the Lawrence and Kristina Dodge Education Center, a 200-person studio performance space and the Boeing Education Lab. Each year more than 500,000 students and educators are benefited from these educational facilities.
My favorite for its intimacy is the South Coast Repertory begun in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson is in the Folino Theatre Center. This houses the 336-seat George and Julianne Argyros stage and the Segerstrom Stage, a 507 seat larger, technically perfect theater. SCR has introduced 100 new plays and received the Regional Theatre Tony Award for Distinguished Achievement in 1988.
Land laughingly referred to as “the croquet field” is intended for an art museum when enough money wills. The already placed entrance is, The Connector by Richard Serra, a ten million sculpture donated by the Segerstrom family comprised of 5 metal plates, 80,000 pounds per plate, that are 66’ tall. The base is 20’ to 4’ at the top and standing inside, one looks to the sky through a pentagram serenaded by an awesome echo chamber.
With an Art Walking Tour that takes about an hour, one can feast on sculptures by Jean Dubuffet, Henry Moore, and Joan Miro among many others. The California Scenario Garden by Isamu Noguchi, a sculpture and horticultural landscape, is unusually beautiful.
Not to be outdone, Costa Mesa has some of the finest cuisine on the South Coast and we can attest personally to three culinary gems. The Charlie Palmer Restaurant at Bloomingdales in South Coast Mall is run by 27 year-old, chef Amar who let slip his take on Costa Mesa’s culinary palate as, “simplified-one of a kind taste.”
Leatherby’s Café Rouge located in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall extended a delicious brunch and at the Westin, Pinot Provence, with chef Lulu De Rouen, whipped us up a last meal to die for. All in all there are at least 20 exceptional restaurants, ten minutes in any direction.
With our aesthetic senses craving more, we are seriously considering the 2009 De-Stress for Less Drive & Dine offered from Jan 1-Feb 28 with ten luxury hotels of Best of Southern California, and South Coast Plaza merchants, offering all sorts of incentives. However, if we choose to accept the challenge, it would be the Heavenly Beds and the central location of the South Coast Westin that would lure our stay in this amazing City of the Arts. www.TravelCostaMesa.com
