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Fresh Pasta and Focaccia: Pasta Viva Opens at The Square with Italian-Inspired Dishes

Issue # 0577

Author

Joshua Tjia
26 Feb

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🍝🥗🍞  Fresh Pasta and Focaccia: Pasta Viva Opens at The Square with Italian-Inspired Dishes

🚌🎶 Local High School Band Ghost Town Takes Top Honors at Irvine Benefit Concert

🚧 Overnight Walnut Avenue Closures Planned for JOST Bridge Construction

🌎📖 Read Across America: Celebrate America’s 250th with a Yearlong Reading Adventure

🖼️🌱 Local Artists Bring Calm, Comfort, and Healing to UCI Health — Irvine

🌳🚲 Ride the Ridges: Intermediate Mountain Bike Ride from Irvine to Limestone Canyon, Mar. 1

🍀🎨 Get Crafty This March: Kids’ St. Patrick’s Arts & Crafts Class at Woodbridge, Mar. 10

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

✂️🐾 Happy Paws: How to Trim Your Cat’s Nails at Home

🤽‍♀️ Lauren Hett Named Big West Women’s Water Polo Player of the Week

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

⚾️ Lasers Bounce Back Big: Irvine Valley Baseball Powers Past LA Valley, 8–1

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚓🔍 Irvine Home Under FBI Investigation After Suspicious Materials Discovered

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

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

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

Why did the man at the orange juice factory lose his job?

He couldn’t concentrate!

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

Fresh Pasta and Focaccia: Pasta Viva Opens at The Square with Italian-Inspired Dishes

Pasta Viva is a new Italian-inspired restaurant now open at The Square, founded by siblings Dessi Sarabosing and Boris Mitrev, whose backgrounds span Bulgaria and the London food scene.

  • The restaurant focuses on fresh, simply prepared food, including daily-made pasta and focaccia using Italian Caputo flour and housemade sauces made only with olive oil and no additives.

  • Menu highlights include the cheese wheel pasta finished in aged Parmigiano Reggiano, the Bella Toscana arugula salad with roasted seasonal vegetables and blue cheese, and the Parma focaccia sandwich with prosciutto, fig jam, truffle burrata, and pistachios.

Local High School Band Ghost Town Takes Top Honors at Irvine Benefit Concert

Ghost Town, a band from Portola High School, took first place at Irvine’s annual Battle of the Bands on February 20 at the Heritage Park Community Center. The four-hour competition featured seven local high school bands and doubled as a benefit concert for the American Cancer Society. With their win, Ghost Town earned the opportunity to open for Queen Nation at Great Park Live on April 11.

Overnight Walnut Avenue Closures Planned for JOST Bridge Construction

Walnut Avenue south of Jeffrey Road will be closed overnight due to construction on the Jeffrey Open Space Trail (JOST) Bicycle & Pedestrian Bridge. Access to nearby homes and businesses will remain open, but freeway ramps and the Park & Ride will be temporarily unavailable.

Overnight Closure Times:

  • Thursday, Feb. 26: 11:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. (Friday)

Read Across America: Celebrate America’s 250th with a Yearlong Reading Adventure

OC Public Libraries invites readers of all ages to join the Read Across America Reading Challenge, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. Participants can log reading all year, explore stories from coast to coast, complete activities, and earn badges along the way. Choose a goal of 100 Books, 100 Hours, or 100 Days, and track your progress online at ocpl.beanstack.org.

Local Artists Bring Calm, Comfort, and Healing to UCI Health — Irvine

UCI Health — Irvine features local artwork throughout its medical campus to create a calm, welcoming environment for patients and visitors.

  • Guided by the theme “nature and nurture,” the art highlights familiar landscapes and natural settings that help reduce stress and support healing.

  • One featured piece, Dawn of a New Day by Costa Mesa artist and former IVC instructor Jeff Horn, depicts nearby Crystal Cove State Park.

  • The campus also showcases work from several other Orange County artists, helping connect healthcare spaces with the local community.

Ride the Ridges: Intermediate Mountain Bike Ride from Irvine to Limestone Canyon, Mar. 1

Join an intermediate mountain bike ride from Irvine to Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve on Sunday, March 1, from 8:00–11:30 a.m. This 16-mile, 2,200-ft elevation ride features paved climbs, scenic ridge trails, fun singletrack descents, and stunning views of Irvine, Orange County wildlands, and even Catalina Island on clear days.

Get Crafty This March: Kids’ St. Patrick’s Arts & Crafts Class at Woodbridge, Mar. 10

Woodbridge Village Association is hosting a fun St. Patrick’s Arts & Crafts Class for kids ages 4–10 on Tuesday, March 10, from 3:30–5:00 PM at the Woodbridge Community Center. Kids will enjoy multiple St. Patrick’s–themed craft projects, and a snack will be provided.

Registration is open now through March 10 at noon at rec.wva.org.

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 Music Calendar

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

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 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

Happy Paws: How to Trim Your Cat’s Nails at Home

Trimming your indoor cat’s nails every 2–4 weeks helps protect your home and keeps your cat comfortable as they age. With the right clippers, a gentle touch, and small trims, nail care can be quick and stress-free. Go slowly, use treats and praise, and remember—it’s okay to do just a few nails at a time.

What to use

  • Small cat nail clippers (scissors-style are easiest)

  • Keep clippers just for your cat

How to trim

  • Gently press the paw pad to make the nail come out

  • Trim just the tip of the nail

  • Avoid the pink part (the quick)

  • Make small cuts, not one big cut

If you see bleeding

  • Stay calm

  • Use styptic powder, flour, or cornstarch

Make it stress-free

  • Use a very gentle hold (less is better)

  • Give treats and praise often

  • Trim one nail or one paw at a time

  • Stop if your cat gets upset and try again later

Lauren Hett Named Big West Women’s Water Polo Player of the Week

UC Irvine junior Lauren Hett was named Big West Women’s Water Polo Player of the Week after scoring four goals and adding two assists in a win over UC San Diego, the Anteaters’ first conference victory of the season. Hett leads UCI with 38 goals and 20 assists, and this marks her fourth career weekly honor, first of the season, and the program’s first in 2026.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women’s Basketball

  • Thur, Feb 26 – vs CSUN, 6:00 PM

Lasers Bounce Back Big: Irvine Valley Baseball Powers Past LA Valley, 8–1

Irvine Valley College baseball rebounded from a recent loss with an 8–1 home win over LA Valley, improving to 12–3 overall. Freshman Cooper Hahn pitched six strong innings while Lucas Scott led the offense and closed the game with a scoreless ninth.

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Baseball

  • Sat, Feb 28 – vs LA Mission, 12:00 PM

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With February Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

February 2026

Thursday, February 26

  • Softball - 3:30 PM vs Fountain Valley

  • Beach Volleyball, Girls - 3:30 PM vs Bell Gardens

  • Volleyball, Boys - 4:30 PM vs Costa Mesa

  • Lacrosse, Girls - 5:00 PM vs Norco

Irvine Home Under FBI Investigation After Suspicious Materials Discovered

The FBI is investigating suspicious materials found inside a home in a gated Irvine community near Cartwheel and Iluna after police responded Monday to a landlord’s call. Officers discovered what appeared to be a homemade science lab that had caught fire, with possible indicators of chemical nerve agents and concerning written materials. Orange County Fire Authority’s hazmat team responded before the case was turned over to the FBI, whose Evidence and Hazardous Response teams remain on scene. Authorities say there is no known threat to public safety, and no arrests or injuries have been reported as the investigation continues.

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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