• Irvine Insider
  • Posts
  • Experience the Perseid Meteor Shower Under Orange County's Darkest Skies

Experience the Perseid Meteor Shower Under Orange County's Darkest Skies

Issue # 0683

Author

Joshua Tjia
07 Aug

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🏃🏽🌃🌳 Irvine Ranked SoCal’s Least-Stressed and Fittest City

🌌🔭 Experience the Perseid Meteor Shower Under Orange County's Darkest Skies

🏗️✈️ Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum Begins Vertical Construction at Irvine Great Park

🚌🤲🏼 Northwood and Portola Students Recognized Nationally for Service and Innovation

🥗🩵 Protect Your Heart with These Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Tips

🚲🌳 Take on Irvine's Scenic Bommer Canyon Mountain Bike Ride Aug. 21

📷 Turn Your Irvine Photos Into Part of Local History This Sunday

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🐈‍⬛ Common Indoor Cat Misconceptions Every Pet Owner Should Know

🏀 UC Irvine Men's Basketball Set for Thanksgiving Tournament in Palm Springs

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚓💄 Irvine Police Arrest Suspect in $1,000+ Sephora Theft Case

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

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

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

What do you call a lazy axe on a summer's day?

A chillax.

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

Irvine Ranked SoCal’s Least-Stressed and Fittest City

Irvine ranked as the least-stressed city in Southern California and the seventh least-stressed in the nation in a recent WalletHub study. The city also placed seventh nationally and first in Southern California in the American Fitness Index, with rankings supported by its low crime and divorce rates, strong financial indicators, low smoking rate, and extensive parks and outdoor sports facilities.

Experience the Perseid Meteor Shower Under Orange County's Darkest Skies

The Perseid meteor shower will peak overnight on August 12–13, offering one of the year's best stargazing events with up to 100 meteors per hour. In Orange County, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks provide excellent low-light viewing conditions, and the Irvine Ranch Conservancy is hosting special guided events on August 12 (Perseid Hike and View in Black Star) and August 14 (Nature Journaling during the Perseids). Since the preserves close after hours and self-guided nighttime access is not allowed, visitors are encouraged to join organized programs or consider other dark-sky destinations such as Joshua Tree, Anza-Borrego, or nearby mountain ranges for the best viewing experience.

Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum Begins Vertical Construction at Irvine Great Park

Vertical construction has begun on the more than 100,000-square-foot Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at the Great Park. Scheduled to open in early 2028, the museum will honor the site's history as the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro (1943–1999), showcase military aircraft once based there, and provide educational exhibits for visitors of all ages as part of the Great Park's Cultural Terrace development.

Northwood and Portola Students Recognized Nationally for Service and Innovation

Two Irvine students received national recognition from the Bill of Rights Institute’s My Impact Challenge for creating programs that make a positive impact in their communities. Northwood High School student Amber Chih earned the $7,500 grand prize for A Thousand Words, an initiative raising awareness of invisible disabilities that has reached more than 2,500 students, while Portola High School student Shaili Chudasama received the $5,000 second prize for Startup Stars, a program that has helped more than 100 middle school students develop entrepreneurial skills and launch over 50 student-run businesses. The national competition honors student-led civic engagement and community service projects.

Protect Your Heart with These Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Tips

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death, but many cases can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices. Eating a balanced diet, staying active, and keeping up with regular health screenings can help protect your heart and lower your risk over time.

Heart-Healthy Tips

  • 🥗 Eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and leafy greens.

  • 🫒 Choose healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados instead of saturated and trans fats.

  • 🐟 Include heart-friendly foods like salmon, sardines, berries, and whole grains.

  • 🧂 Cut back on sodium by limiting processed and packaged foods.

  • 🚰 Drink plenty of water and limit sugary drinks.

  • 🍽️ Watch portion sizes to help maintain a healthy weight.

  • 🚶 Stay physically active and exercise regularly.

  • 🚭 Avoid tobacco and limit alcohol consumption.

  • 🧘 Manage stress with healthy habits like meditation or spending time outdoors.

  • 🩺 Schedule regular checkups to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

Take on Irvine's Scenic Bommer Canyon Mountain Bike Ride Aug. 21

Join a guided intermediate-to-advanced mountain bike ride on Friday, August 21, through Bommer Canyon Preserve, Shady Canyon, and Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. The 15-mile docent-led route features about 3,000 feet of elevation gain, scenic ridge views, technical singletrack, sustained climbs, and fast descents, making it best suited for experienced riders with at least one year of mountain biking experience.

Turn Your Irvine Photos Into Part of Local History This Sunday

Help preserve Irvine's history by participating in the Irvine Public Library's Scanning Day on Sunday, August 9, from 2–3:30 p.m. at Katie Wheeler Library. Residents are invited to bring photos of life in Irvine for staff to scan and add to the library's new digital local history collection. Participants can also request a digital copy of their scanned photos to keep.

More information here

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

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

Upcoming Irvine High Choral’s Music Calendar

No further events scheduled for this month.

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

Common Indoor Cat Misconceptions Every Pet Owner Should Know

Indoor cats may be safer than outdoor cats, but they still need regular care and protection. Here are some facts and common myths about indoor cats.

  • Indoor cats can still get fleas from shoes, visitors, other pets, rodents, or pests that enter the home.

  • Provide enough litter boxes—the general recommendation is one more litter box than the number of cats in your home.

  • Heartworms are still a risk since mosquitoes can get indoors, making year-round prevention important.

  • Cats still need mental stimulation through toys, puzzle feeders, and interactive play to satisfy their hunting instincts.

  • Pregnant women don't have to give up their cats, but should take precautions when handling litter boxes due to toxoplasmosis.

  • Annual veterinary checkups are still essential because indoor cats can develop illnesses and infections just like outdoor cats.

  • Microchipping is recommended in case an indoor cat accidentally escapes.

  • Parasites and germs can still enter your home, so keep indoor cats up to date on vaccines and year-round parasite prevention.

UC Irvine Men's Basketball Set for Thanksgiving Tournament in Palm Springs

UC Irvine men's basketball will compete in the 2026 Acrisure Series at Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs, facing the University of San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m. and Loyola Marymount University (LMU) on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. The Thanksgiving tournament runs Nov. 21–26 and features 26 college basketball programs.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women’s Soccer

  • Wed, Aug 12 - vs Utah Tech, 6:00 PM

  • Wed, Aug 12 - vs Concordia Irvine, 6:00 PM

Women’s Volleyball

  • Sat, Aug 15 - vs USC, 12:00 PM

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Women’s Soccer

  • Tue, Aug 25 - vs Norco, 3:00 PM

Women’s Volleyball

  • Sat, Aug 15 - vs Alumni, 10:00 AM

  • Fri, Aug 21 - vs Chaffey, TBA

  • Fri, Aug 21 - Scrimmage Tournament, 9:00 AM

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated with August Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

August 2026

Wednesday, August 12

  • Flag Football, Girls - 6:30 PM vs Capistrano Valley Christian

Thursday, August 13

  • Volleyball, Girls - 5:15 PM vs Canyon/Anahiem

Friday, August 14

  • Football - 5:00 PM vs Pacifica/Garden Grove

Irvine Police Arrest Suspect in $1,000+ Sephora Theft Case

A suspect wanted in connection with stealing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from an Irvine Sephora has been arrested. After the Irvine Police Department shared surveillance images last month, investigators received a tip that the suspect was allegedly selling the stolen items in Montebello. Detectives conducted surveillance and arrested 20-year-old Brayan David Linares Ovalle of Pasadena, who was booked into the Orange County Jail on grand theft and burglary charges.

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

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!

1