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Explore Bommer Canyon: Scenic Trails, Wildlife, and Winter Views in Irvine

Issue # 0580

Author

Joshua Tjia
03 Mar

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🍵🍓🥩 From Matcha to Wagyu: Meet the Local Favorites of Culver Plaza

🎶🎻 Pacific Symphony’s Must-See March Performances

🍬☁️🍬 Meet Cinnamoroll at Hello Kitty Cafe Irvine on March 10

🚜🌾🍓  Free Fun for All: Tractor Rides, Treats & More at Tanaka Farms Open House, Mar. 14–15

❤️🩺 Listening to Your Heart: Common Heart Attack Warning Signs in Men and Women

🌳🏃🏽 Explore Bommer Canyon: Scenic Trails, Wildlife, and Winter Views in Irvine

🎨 Prep Your Art Portfolio This Summer with The Artist Lab

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🐈🐕 12 Pets Find Loving Homes at Irvine Animal Care Center

🏃🏻‍♀️ UC Irvine Women Capture First MPSF Indoor Track & Field Championship

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

⚽️ University High Boys Soccer Wins CIF-SS Division 4 Championship

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚔🔬 Investigation of Suspicious Materials at Irvine Home Continues; Family Cites Science Experiment

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

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

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

Why did the cat get a ticket?

It littered.

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

From Matcha to Wagyu: Meet the Local Favorites of Culver Plaza

Culver Plaza is a vibrant, community-focused shopping center that’s home to several locally owned businesses offering everything from premium matcha to wagyu to thoughtfully curated home goods.

Junbi Matcha & Tea

  • Opened October 2023 | Owner: Khanh Mong

  • Farm-to-cup matcha made with premium, ceremonial-grade tea sourced from Uji, Japan

  • Known for approachable, high-quality matcha and collaborations with global brands like Miffy and BT21

  • A popular local spot to recharge and enjoy matcha

Wagyu Meat & Grill

  • Opened April 2021 | Owners: Kevin Kwon & Jacqueline Jeon

  • Hybrid butcher shop and casual grill

  • Offers Japanese A5 and American wagyu beef

  • Customers can purchase premium cuts to take home or have them grilled to order

Orange Market Tableware

  • Opened November 2021 | Owners: Ryan Yang & Rina Zhang

  • Specializes in handcrafted Japanese ceramics and curated home goods

  • Recently expanded with a second location at Irvine Spectrum Center

Pacific Symphony’s Must-See March Performances

Pacific Symphony has a packed March lineup featuring festival favorites, pop and film music, youth performances, and classical highlights. Concerts run March 7–29, with tickets available now.

Upcoming Events

Meet Cinnamoroll at Hello Kitty Cafe Irvine on March 10

Hello Kitty Cafe Irvine is welcoming Cinnamoroll as the Friend of the Month on Tuesday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can stop by for photos with Cinnamoroll and enjoy limited-time treats, including the Cotton Candy Dream blended drink, Horchata Soft Serve, and Sugar Cookie, available for a short time only.

Free Fun for All: Tractor Rides, Treats & More at Tanaka Farms Open House, Mar. 14–15

Tanaka Farms is hosting its Open House 2026 on March 14–15 in Irvine, inviting the community to celebrate 86 years at the farm. The free, family-friendly event features free entry, tractor rides, giveaways, games, and strawberry festival bites, with plenty of chances to explore the farm and enjoy a fun spring outing.

Listening to Your Heart: Common Heart Attack Warning Signs in Men and Women

Heart attack symptoms can feel different from person to person, and they don’t always look the way we expect. Men and women may notice different warning signs, which is why understanding both can help you recognize when it’s time to get help.

Men may experience:

  • Chest pain, pressure, or a squeezing sensation

  • Shortness of breath

  • Pain in the jaw, neck, or back

  • Nausea or vomiting

Women may experience:

  • Shortness of breath

  • Chest pain or discomfort (sometimes mild or not present)

  • Pain in the left arm or shoulder

  • Jaw, neck, or upper back pain

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Unusual or unexplained fatigue

  • Anxiety

  • Lightheadedness or fainting

  • Heart palpitations

If any of these symptoms feel sudden, severe, or unusual, don’t wait— be safe and call 911 or seek medical care.

Explore Bommer Canyon: Scenic Trails, Wildlife, and Winter Views in Irvine

Bommer Canyon is shining after winter rains, offering one of Irvine’s most diverse and scenic outdoor experiences. With trails for all skill levels, seasonal wildflowers, wildlife sightings, and guided programs, it’s an ideal destination for hikers, cyclists, families, and nature lovers looking to explore local open space.

Quick Guide:

  • Access: Many trails are open daily from dawn to dusk for self-guided hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding; some preserve areas require preregistration for guided access (check letsgooutside.org).

  • Steeper hikes: East Fork climbs 300 feet in a quarter mile to Hogback Ridge; Ridge Route provides a gentler way to reach the same viewpoint.

  • Challenging terrain: Rabbit Run and Fox Run feature rocky single-track sections—hiking poles and sturdy boots are recommended.

  • Easy & family-friendly: Shady Canyon Trail from Quail Loop Trailhead connects to Bommer Meadow Trail and Nature Loop; full-moon hikes offer a slower, scenic option.

  • Long-distance adventure: A challenging 11-mile route runs from Quail Hill Community Center to Laguna Beach, with views of Saddleback and the Pacific Ocean.

  • Seasonal highlights: Look for winter wild cucumber vines, colorful deerweed blossoms, and the fragrant coastal sagebrush along the trails.

  • Wildlife spotting: Keep an eye out for red-tailed hawks, quail, roadrunners, and sparkling dewy spiderwebs in the early morning light.

  • Geology stop: Don’t miss the Three Sisters sandstone formation near the intersection of Shady Oaks, Butterfly Valley, and Monkey Flower Mesa trails.

Prep Your Art Portfolio This Summer with The Artist Lab

The OCSA Prep Art & Design Summer Program at The Artist Lab is a focused, skill-building class for young artists who want to strengthen their technical foundations, explore original ideas, and develop a polished portfolio. Students receive guided instruction in art and design concepts aligned with OCSA-style expectations, helping them gain confidence and prepare for advanced art programs and portfolio reviews.

For details or enrollment, call or text 949-293-2308.

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. March 4, 7:00 - 8:30 PM: Spring Orchestra Festival Concert, NHS Theater

  2. March 5, 7:00 - 8:30 PM: Spring Band Festival Concert, NHS Theater

  3. March 7, 12:00 - 8:00 PM: CSUF Wind Ensemble Festival, CSU Fullerton

  4. March 11, 7:00 - 8:30 PM: Spring Vocal Music Concert, NHS Theater

  5. March 13: Night of the Arts – Jazz Ensemble I, Wind Symphony, Philharmonic, NHS Theater

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

  1. March 12: Orchestra Music Festival Concert, WHS Performing Arts Center

  2. March 13: Band Music Festival Concert, WHS Performing Arts Center

  3. March 16: Wind Ensemble & Philharmonic Festival, IHS Performing Arts Center

  4. March 20: WHS Carnival

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. March 20, 7:00 PM: Spring Concert, 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. March 5: Performing Arts Assembly, IHS PAC

  2. March 13: Spring Rally

  3. March 15, 3:00 PM: Plotkin Foundation Performance, Plotkin Art Gallery

  4. March 17, 7:00 PM: Spring Concert, Irvine High 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

12 Pets Find Loving Homes at Irvine Animal Care Center

From February 23 to March 1, the Irvine Animal Care Center celebrated 12 adoptions.

  • 6 dogs (Bug, Coco, Enzo, Heidi, Koba, and Sevro)

  • 6 cats (Coconut, Cortina, Ember, Finn, Gilbert, and Yuumi)

  • During the same period, 1 cat (Milano) was transferred to rescue, and 2 dogs and 2 cats were successfully reunited with their owners. 

More information on adoptions and hours is available at cityofirvine.org/animals.

UC Irvine Women Capture First MPSF Indoor Track & Field Championship

UC Irvine women’s track & field made program history by winning its first-ever MPSF Indoor Championship in Reno, finishing with a school-record 132.5 points to top the field. The victory marks the Anteaters’ second conference title in nine months, following their first Big West Outdoor Championship in 2025.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women's Tennis

  • Wed, Mar 4 – vs Oakland, 2:00 PM

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Seton Hill, 1:00 PM

Men's Tennis

  • Tue, Mar 3 – vs Villanova, 12:00 PM

Men's Basketball

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Cal Poly, 7:00 PM

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Men’s Volleyball

  • Wed, Mar 4 – vs San Diego Miramar, 6:00 PM

Men’s Tennis

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Bakersfield, 1:00 PM

  • Fri, Mar 6 – vs Mt. San Antonio, 12:00 PM

Baseball

  • Thu, Mar 5 – vs Cypress, 2:00 PM

  • Tue, Mar 10 – vs Riverside, 2:00 PM

Women's Flag Football

  • Wed, Mar 4 – vs Ventura, 4:00 PM

Women’s Basketball

  • Sat, Mar 7 – vs Fullerton, 3C2A Southern California Regional - Round 3, 7:00 PM

University High Boys Soccer Wins CIF-SS Division 4 Championship

University High School’s boys soccer team captured the CIF-SS Division 4 Championship with a shutout win over Granite Hills on Saturday. Seniors Ryan H., Jake R., and Pavlos M. scored the goals to secure the title. With the championship victory, the Trojans earned a first-round home game in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs.

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With March Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

March 2026

Tuesday, March 3

  • Volleyball, Boys - 5:15 PM vs Northwood

  • Lacrosse, Girls - 5:30 PM vs Dana Hills

Wednesday, March 4

  • Beach Volleyball, Girls - 3:30 PM vs Tarbut V Torah

Investigation of Suspicious Materials at Irvine Home Continues; Family Cites Science Experiment

Federal authorities are investigating suspicious materials found at an Irvine residence, an inquiry that the family’s attorney says is related to a 17-year-old college student’s science experiment. The FBI became involved after concerns were raised about chemicals and written materials in the home, including a report of a possible nerve agent, though the attorney stated the substances were legally obtained and did not pose a risk to the community. The family has been displaced for more than a week while the California Department of Toxic Substances Control oversees cleanup, and the FBI has confirmed the investigation remains ongoing with no arrests reported.

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

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