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A Taste of Newport
The PubClubettes
enjoy the drinks and friendly food booths typify the good mood.
– 2009 Taste
of Newport –
• Sept. 18 – 20
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Taste
of Newport – A Review & Columnists' Thoughts
One of the top social events on the Orange
County, CA calendar is the Taste of Newport. It's anticipated as Happy
Hour, as celebrated as a new yacht purchase. And, in this land of endless
summer weather, is used to define the beginning of the fall season.
As
much of a singles and party event as it is a actual sampling of area
restaurants, this annual event – held in mid-September – is
a festival of fun. It's casual with a flair of sophistication, festive
with a crowd-friendly environment, hip but definitely not hip-hop.
Open drinks on city streets, excellent food from some of OC's finest
restaurants and a crowd largely keen on being seen by the opposite sex
make this a spirited social scene. Scripts are sold for $1 each and
most food items are between $4-6. Beer is $5-6 depending on choice,
wine and champagne ranges from $5-8 and the highly popular
mojitos are $8. Entry fee is $22 in advance, $25 at the gate ($18
on Sunday).
There are no scripts or tickets so people don't have to carry around
a pocketful of paper. Instead, a plastic card is issued with a selected
amount of credit; this is swiped at the various food and drink stations.
It's an excellent way to go plus, for those whose eyes are bigger than
their stomach at the beginning, any remaining credit at the end of the
Taste is cheerfully refunded.
Officials block out an easily-manageable area of Fashion Island Mall,
bring in food and alcohol booths and bands that were big 20 or 30 years
ago and are still extremely fun.
The Derek Boradeaux
Group (left) and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy have provided a Nawlens flair.
Past performers have included the highly-energetic big-band Cajun sounds
of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the funky Boogie Nights disco band, KC and
the Sunshine Band and former Doobie Bros. lead singer Michael McDonald.
In 2007, Huey Lewis and the News and Devo were the stars on stage and in 2008 it was Third Eye Blind on ne night followed by Styx.
Dressed for the
part, Boogie Nights infected the crowd with Disco Fever.
One of the best things about the music is the ease with which it is
to move to the front of the stage and enjoy it up close. The most popular
bands (which seem to be the disco ones) arouse a highly-engergetic dance
scene.
The real social seekers don't wonder over to the stage, though. Instead,
they prefer the passion of the most central part of the Taste, an area
flanked by a beer and cocktail stand with a road leading to the band
stage. It is here that singles mingle – one can see just about
every available male and female in Newport here (even couples wander
off from their mates to give the appearance of being unattached).
Occasionally, they give glimpses to the big screen to catch a few lines
of the band playing on the stage.
Friday is the the unofficial "Singles Night," when beer and
rum lines are often twice as long as the ones for food. The place is
swimming with single people, mostly in small groups. They gather in
the center area (between a rum and a beer stand, go figure) to scope
out the talent. Things can get a bit hectic as the event ends at 11
p.m., and be alerted that last call for food and drink is 10:30.
If you are single in or around O.C., bottom line is that you are at
the Taste of Newport on Friday night.
Newport Beach and
the Taste are definitely places to find beautiful women.
Saturday is more families (daytime) and couples (night) though there
are still plenty of unattached people prowling the grounds after dark.
Sunday is incredibly sedate in the afternoon. At least until about 6,
when a steady stream of singles roll through the gates for the last
two hours.
Among the food samplings are tuna tar-tar with avacado and mango ($2,
Panini Garden Bistro), Spanish paella ($4.50, Tapas Restaurant), lobster
hand roll ($7, The Asian Bistro), tuna creme brulee with raspberries
($3,50, Five Crowns) and penne with grilled shrimp in vodka sauce ($5,
Soprano's).
Taste of Newport attracts people from all over Los Angeles. But primarily,
it is an Orange County attraction, a place where the wealthy park their
yacht for a night or two so they may valet their Mercedes SUV, of trophy
wives, gold-diggers and upscale revelers seeking to break out of the
bar mold and find someone new for dinners and harbor cruises.
 Yes,
it's a bit upscale and the Taste reflects the OC population.
Orange County runs a close second to Beverly Hills in enhanced body
surgery, prompting one Taster to comment, upon viewing an obvious benefactor,
"How many scripts for a boob job?"
It's just all part of the Taste Experience.
OC'ers are an extremely well-behaved crowd, as well being well-groomed
and well-mannered. They always put their empty plates and cups in the
nearest trash can. This keeps the place as clean as Disneyland; not
a single piece of paper can be found on the ground.
More than 75,00 people go to the Taste during the three days, consuming,
laughing and mingling for hours.
There are few – if any – incidents or confrontations, making
it a carefree event if ever there was one.
After each night, people still looking to party hit the bars in Fashion
Island – Flemming's and the Yard House.
The PubClubettes enjoy the many aspects of the Taste of Newport.
It can't be a good
OC party without great food.
The crowd –
like the event itself – is fun and friendly.
 Next
stop on the Party Bus: L.A. City & Bar Guide
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