• Irvine Insider
  • Posts
  • Discover Local History Together on an Easy Irvine Park Hike, Feb. 7

Discover Local History Together on an Easy Irvine Park Hike, Feb. 7

Issue # 0559

Author

Joshua Tjia
30 Jan

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🚜🚧 City of Irvine Advances Marine Way Extension and Rail Undercrossing at Great Park

🎻🎶 A Musical Quest: Beethoven’s Brilliance Meets Strauss’ Don Quixote, Feb. 5–7

🚓📢 Irvine PD Now Hiring Public Safety Dispatchers

🏊💦 Make a Splash This Summer: Swim Instructor Jobs Open at Woodbridge

🌸🍓🌸 Tanaka Farms Strawberry Picking Happy Hour Is Happening Today

✂️👩🏼‍🦳 Why Hair Goes Gray: Stress, Genes, or Age?

🌳🥾 Discover Local History Together on an Easy Irvine Park Hike, Feb. 7

🎨Coloring Pages!

🫟🖌️ Canvas, Color & Confidence: Teen Painting with Positivity at Heritage Park Library

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

Meet Finn: A Sweet Cat Looking for His Forever Home in Irvine

🏀 UC Irvine Men's Basketball Dominates Overtime to Defeat Hawaiʻi 87–76

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏀 Portola Boys Basketball Rolls Past St. Margaret’s, Clinches CIF Playoff Spot

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

🌟🏪🎉Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

What did one chemist say to the other?

“I've got my ion you.”

We hope this joke brings some laughter to your day! 😁

City of Irvine Advances Marine Way Extension and Rail Undercrossing at Great Park

The City of Irvine is moving forward with the Marine Way extension and rail undercrossing to improve access, traffic flow, and connectivity around the Great Park.

  • The project will create a new direct rail undercrossing linking Marine Way at Barranca to the Great Park and the Spectrum area, aiming to reduce travel distances, ease congestion, and save time and fuel.

  • It also hopes to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists and add new walking and biking connections.

  • Construction is underway, with major work continuing through 2026 and full completion expected in 2027.

A Musical Quest: Beethoven’s Brilliance Meets Strauss’ Don Quixote, Feb. 5–7

Pacific Symphony presents Beethoven’s Violin Concerto & Strauss’ Don Quixote, running February 5–7 at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Conducted by Music Director Laureate Carl St.Clair, the program features violinist Paul Huang in Beethoven’s celebrated Violin Concerto, followed by Strauss’ Don Quixote, with Principal Cello Warren Hagerty portraying the legendary knight, alongside concertmaster Dennis Kim and violist Meredith Crawford.

Irvine PD Now Hiring Public Safety Dispatchers

Irvine Police Department is hiring Public Safety Dispatchers, the vital link between the community and officers, responsible for handling emergency and non-emergency calls and coordinating responses.

  • The role follows a 3/13 schedule (three 13-hour shifts) that may include nights, weekends, and holidays, and is ideal for calm, service-minded team players who communicate clearly under pressure.

  • Applications are due February 17—learn more at joinirvinepd.gov.

Make a Splash This Summer: Swim Instructor Jobs Open at Woodbridge

The Woodbridge Village Association is looking for Summer Swim Instructors to join the team! A limited number of positions are available, so interested applicants are encouraged to apply early.

  • Applications can be picked up at the Woodbridge Community Center, found on the WVA website (wva.org), or completed online.

  • Email any questions to [email protected].

Tanaka Farms Strawberry Picking Happy Hour Is Happening Today

Happening today at Tanaka Farms! Happy Hour is back with strawberry picking from 2:30–4:00 p.m. Admission is $17 and includes a 1-lb basket to fill, all-you-can-eat strawberries right off the vine, and access to the Tanaka Farms barnyard animals after picking.

Why Hair Goes Gray: Stress, Genes, or Age?

Noticing a few gray hairs? You’re not alone. Hair typically starts turning gray in our 30s or 40s as melanocyte stem cells — the cells that provide pigment to hair — gradually lose function. According to Dr. Natasha Mesinkovska of UCI Health, genetics play the biggest role, but things like chronic stress and certain nutritional deficiencies can speed things up. She shared that long-term stress may actually exhaust the body in ways that affect hair color. If gray hair shows up unusually early or feels concerning, she recommends checking in with a doctor to rule out underlying issues.

Discover Local History Together on an Easy Irvine Park Hike, Feb. 7

Celebrate more than 125 years of local history on Hiking Through History: Irvine Regional Park, a free, guided interpretive walk on Saturday, February 7, from 2–4 p.m. Hosted by OC Parks, this easy, one-mile stroll explores the park’s ranching roots and evolution into a beloved recreation area, with stops at the nature center, lake, centennial arch, and more.

Free Coloring Pages

Enjoy these complementary coloring pages as our gift to you! It’s available to download and print for creative fun

Canvas, Color & Confidence: Teen Painting with Positivity at Heritage Park Library

Irvine Public Library invites teens to get creative at Teen Painting with Positivity on Tuesday, February 10, from 5–6 p.m. at Heritage Park Library. This free, drop-in art session encourages self-expression through painting, focusing on hope and positivity. All skill levels are welcome, no registration is required, but space is limited—arrive early and wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy.

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. February 11-14: Musical -Mean Girls, NHS Theater

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://timbmusic.org/events/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.whs-music.org/

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. February 26-28, TBD: Cinderella, WHS Performing Arts Center

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://woodbridgechoirs.weebly.com/calendar.html

Upcoming Irvine High Choral’s Music Calendar

  1. February 21: CSUF SSAA Festival, CSU-Fullerton

  2. February 25-28, 7:00 PM: Seussical, IHS PAC

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.ihschoralmusic.org/calendar.html 

Upcoming Portola High School Music’s Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

For the latest updates or additional details, please visit https://www.phsmusicbooster.org/buy-ticket

Meet Finn: A Sweet Cat Looking for His Forever Home in Irvine

Meet Finn, a sweet and cuddly cat at the Irvine Animal Care Center! While he may be a little shy at first, Finn warms up quickly and loves affection and playtime—especially chasing wand toys. He’s hoping to find a calm, cat-savvy home where he can feel safe and loved. You can meet Finn during weekday adoption hours from noon to 5 p.m.

Learn more about adoptable pets and the adoption process at cityofirvine.org/animals.

UC Irvine Men's Basketball Dominates Overtime to Defeat Hawaiʻi 87–76

UC Irvine men’s basketball pulled away in overtime, outscoring Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors 15–4 for an 87–76 win at the Bren Events Center. The Anteaters won their third straight, improved to 15–7 overall and 8–2 in Big West play.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Men’s Volleyball

  • Fri, Jan 30 – vs Stanford , 6:00 PM

  • Sat, Jan 31 – vs Stanford , 6:00 PM

Men’s Tennis

  • Sat, Jan 31 – vs Grand Canyon , 1:00 PM

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Men's Volleyball

  • Fri, Jan 30 - vs Antelope Valley, 6:00 PM

Baseball

  • Sat, Jan 31 - vs West LA, 12:00 PM

Portola Boys Basketball Rolls Past St. Margaret’s, Clinches CIF Playoff Spot

Portola Bulldogs dominated St. Margaret’s Tartans 87–44 in the Pacific Coast League tournament, clinching one of the league’s four automatic CIF playoff berths. The top-seeded Bulldogs, now 21–5 and riding a 14-game win streak, advance to the semifinals against Sage Hill.

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With January Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

February 2026

Tuesday, February 3

  • Soccer, Girls - 5:00 PM vs St. Margarets Episcopal

Irvine’s Best Kept Secrets: Is Your Business One of Them?

We know our community is brimming with businesses that have fascinating stories and big hearts. If you’re a local business owner making waves, crafting unique experiences, or simply putting a smile on our faces, we want to chat with you! “Irvine Insider” is eager to shine a light on the unsung heroes of our city. Let’s collaborate and let the community know what makes your business special.

Click the link below and fill out the Local Business Spotlight Application Form to be featured and let’s celebrate the spirit of Irvine together!

Irvine Insider is sent to a local audience of Irvine residence Monday through Friday with 50% - 60% open rate. Our newsletter is a great way to reach Irvine residents.

  • Kaiser Permanente Irvine Farmers Market

  • Saturday Farmers Market at Mariners Church Irvine

    • When: Saturday, 8 AM - 12 PM

    • Where: 5428 Bonita Canyon Dr, Irvine, CA 92603

  • Great Park Certified Farmers Market

  • Manassero Farmers

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 4:30 PM

    • Where: 33 Irvine Valley, Irvine, CA 92604

  • Tanaka Farms

    • When: Daily, 9 AM - 5 PM

    • Where: 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

    • More Info:Tanaka Farms

February 3 Free Tax Filing Services 12 - 6 PM

February 7 Edible Gardening Workshop 10 - 11:30 AM

February 7 A Concert for Valentines 4 - 5:30 PM

February 12 Free Grocery Food Box 9 AM - 12 PM

February 14 Hide & Squeak 6th Anniversary 11 AM - 2 PM

February 14 - 15 Modern Makers Mart: Woodbury Town Center 10 AM - 4 PM

February 15 America 250 3 PM

February 21 IUSD Recycling Event 9 AM - 12 PM

February 21 Lunar New Year 8 PM

We could use your help

We’ve got big plans as we get up to speed! But we need your help!

One huge way that you can help us is to spread the word for us.

Know somebody who lives in the Irvine and surrounding areas and would benefit from being kept in the know?

Please share Irvine Insider with them! It’s simple!