O.C. Now: Friday

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Author

Max Stretton
April 17, 2026

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Best New Restaurants: QUA Contemporary Chinese Cuisine

The young, talented team at Kei Concepts (that’s the group behind this gem) is no stranger to success—it seems as though everything they touch turns to gold.

Shaping Young Voices Through Music and Leadership

As CEO of The All-American Boys Chorus, Aaron Cassaro is leading Southern California’s only all-boys choir into its next chapter.

Brittany Cobb Returns to Orange County to Celebrate New Book ‘How to Style a Hat’

Orange County native Brittany Cobb is bringing her signature style philosophy to the page on April 21 with her new book How to Style a Hat.

Adventures led by women, designed to make a difference.

Imagine a vacation that’s not only transformative for you but helps open doors for the local women you meet along the way. That’s what Intrepid’s new Women’s Expeditions in Peru, Cambodia and Bhutan are all about.

Designed specifically for women travellers, these trips offer immersive local experiences that support women-run and owned businesses in each destination. With an expert local leader out front, you could trek the lesser-known Chinchero to Urquillos route in the Peruvian Andes alongside an all-female crew, dive into Cambodia’s street food scene on a women-run tuk tuk tour, or unwind with a traditional herbal hot stone bath at a women-owned farmhouse in Bhutan.

First launched in 2018, Intrepid’s Women’s Expedition range is designed to break down barriers, foster discussion and create meaningful connections for travellers and locals alike.

Defying the Odds: Shirin Behzadi’s Unstoppable Rise on “The Zest”

Behzadi is a national bestselling author, CEO, and keynote speaker whose story defies every expectation. She grew up in Iran, was arrested as a teenager for holding a book, arrived in the U.S. alone at 17, and worked at a gas station. Against all odds, she put herself through college, rose through the ranks of prestigious financial institutions, and ultimately became the CEO who helped scale a home services franchise company to nearly a billion dollars in sales. Her journey is one of resilience, empathy, and finding strength in the unexpected.

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