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Join the Final Jazz in the Palm Court Performance at Great Park This Sunday

Issue # 0633

Author

Joshua Tjia
15 May

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

⚽️🌳 Soccer Fans Invited to Watch U.S. Men’s National Team Practice in Irvine

🥯🍳 Rise Bagels: Award-Winning Bagels, Egg Sandwiches, and Japanese-Inspired Flavors

🎹🎵 Pacific Symphony Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday with “Shelley Conducts America at 250”

🪉✨ IUSD Senior Naomi Gesk Earns Orange County Artist of the Year Recognition in Instrumental Music

🏋🤸🏻 How Staying Active Helps Protect Your Heart, Weight, and Overall Health

🌼🌱 Spring Blooms Are Here: Simple Ways to Protect OC’s Wildflower Trails

🎷🎶 Join the Final Jazz in the Palm Court Performance at Great Park This Sunday

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

How Much Sleep Do Cats and Dogs Really Need?

⚾️ UCI Baseball Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive With 6-3 Win Over Bakersfield

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🥍 Northwood Girls Lacrosse Advances to First CIF Championship Final

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚔📱 Irvine Police Arrest Suspect in Facebook Marketplace iPhone Robbery

🍏🥭🍑 Local Farmers Markets

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

📅📅 Lots of Local Events

📞💡 Useful Contact Information

What cheese is not yours?

Nacho cheese.

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

Soccer Fans Invited to Watch U.S. Men’s National Team Practice in Irvine

The City of Irvine and the U.S. Men’s National Team are inviting the community to a free public training session at the Championship Soccer Stadium at Great Park on Monday, June 8, from 9:30 a.m. to noon as the team prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be the only chance for fans to watch the USMNT practice at Great Park during the tournament, and tickets will be distributed through a lottery system. Community members can enter the lottery through May 25 at 10 a.m., with selected applicants notified by email on May 29. Each registered email address may receive up to two tickets.

Rise Bagels: Award-Winning Bagels, Egg Sandwiches, and Japanese-Inspired Flavors

Rise Bagels in Irvine is gaining national attention after winning “Best of the West” and “Most Creative” at BagelFest West, helping put Orange County on the map for standout bagel spots. Founded by John Park, the shop is known for its inventive menu, including a popular Tokyo 7-Eleven-inspired bagel that draws from Japanese convenience store sandwiches. What started as a local bagel shop has become a notable stop in Irvine’s growing food scene, offering visitors creative flavors and a unique breakfast experience.

Pacific Symphony Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday with “Shelley Conducts America at 250”

Join the Pacific Symphony for “Shelley Conducts America at 250” May 28–30 at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, a concert celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary. Led by Alexander Shelley and featuring pianist Conrad Tao, the program includes Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, the West Coast premieres of Raven Chacon’s Inscription II and Peter Boyer’s multimedia work American Mosaic, featuring 4K imagery by photographer Joe Sohm.

IUSD Senior Naomi Gesk Earns Orange County Artist of the Year Recognition in Instrumental Music

Irvine Unified School District senior Naomi Gesk of University High School was named the Orange County Register 2025 Artist of the Year for Instrumental Music. In addition to her musical talent, Gesk was recognized for leading the IUSD Harp Ensemble, helping secure $12,300 in funding for instruments and supplies, and performing at community events and the Donald Bren IUSD Honors Concert at Segerstrom Concert Hall.

IUSD also celebrated finalists Junting Zhang of Portola High School in Fine Arts and Kai Fishburn of Portola High in Media Arts.

How Staying Active Helps Protect Your Heart, Weight, and Overall Health

Spending too much time sitting with little movement can increase the risk of health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, vein issues, high cholesterol, certain cancers, and even mood disorders. Health experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, but staying active throughout the day is just as important.

Easy Ways to Stay More Active

  • Take short walks during the day or after meals

  • Choose stairs instead of elevators when possible

  • Stand up and stretch every 30 minutes

  • Stay active with household chores and daily tasks

  • Create a simple weekly exercise routine with different types of movement

Spring Blooms Are Here: Simple Ways to Protect OC’s Wildflower Trails

Spring wildflower season is lighting up Orange County’s trails. Here are some friendly trail tips to remember when enjoying the colorful blooms. Wildflowers like California poppies and lupine play an important role in supporting pollinators, wildlife and healthy ecosystems, so even small actions can make a big difference.

Tips for Enjoying Wildflower Season:

  • Stay on marked trails to help protect delicate flowers and habitats.

  • Slow down and enjoy the colors, scents and sounds of nature.

  • Learn the names of local wildflowers as you explore.

  • Use your camera zoom instead of stepping into flower patches for photos.

  • Leave flowers where they are so pollinators and future blooms can thrive.

  • Pack out all trash and belongings to help keep trails clean.

Join the Final Jazz in the Palm Court Performance at Great Park This Sunday

Jazz in the Palm Court returns to the Great Park Palm Court Arts Complex for its final performance of the year on Sunday, May 17, from 1–3 p.m. Guests can enjoy an afternoon of live jazz featuring styles ranging from blues and swing to bebop and contemporary music in an open-air setting. Visitors can also explore the newest Great Park Gallery exhibition, “GAME! Basketball and Contemporary Art,” during their visit.

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. May 15, 5:00-8:00 PM: Jazz at the Oaks, NHS

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School’s Vocal Music Calendar

  1. May 29, 7:00 PM: ​Broadway Rocks 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. May 29-30, 7:00 PM: Voices 2026, 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

  1. May 14 - 15: PORCHELLA 2026, Portola High Amphitheater

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

How Much Sleep Do Cats and Dogs Really Need?

Getting enough rest is just as important for pets as it is for people. A dog or cat’s sleep habits can tell you a lot about how they’re feeling, and keeping a comfortable routine can help them stay healthy, happy, and full of energy.

Easy Ways to Help Your Pet Sleep Better

  • Set up a quiet, cozy spot where they can fully relax.

  • Keep feeding and playtime on a regular schedule.

  • Make sure they get enough exercise during the day.

  • Avoid too many treats or heavy snacks before bedtime.

  • Keep them comfortable during hot or cold weather.

  • Create a calm space during fireworks, parties, or loud events.

  • Pay attention to big changes in their sleep or energy.

  • Reach out to your vet if something seems off.

UCI Baseball Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive With 6-3 Win Over Bakersfield

UC Irvine stayed alive in the postseason race with a 6-3 win over Cal State Bakersfield, powered by 10 strikeouts from Trevor Hansen and a save from Ricky Ojeda. UCI scored five runs in the fifth inning and now needs another win plus a Cal State Fullerton loss to keep its playoff hopes going.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Baseball

  • Fri, May 15 - Cal State Bakersfield, 6:00 PM

  • Sat, May 16 - Cal State Bakersfield, 1:00 PM

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

No further upcoming home games for this month.

Northwood Girls Lacrosse Advances to First CIF Championship Final

Northwood’s girls lacrosse team will play in its first-ever CIF Division 3 championship game against Glendale after a 9-7 semifinal win over Great Oak led by Lauren Low’s six goals. Glendale enters the final after defeating Westridge 11-5 in the semifinals.

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With May Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

No further upcoming varsity home games for this month.

Irvine Police Arrest Suspect in Facebook Marketplace iPhone Robbery

Irvine Police arrested 18-year-old Jayce Amir Heckstall of Rancho Cucamonga in connection with a March robbery on Athel Avenue involving a Facebook Marketplace iPhone sale. Investigators say the suspect pushed the victim during the meetup and ran off with the phone before detectives later located and arrested him at his home.

Police encourage residents to consider using the department’s monitored e-commerce exchange zone when meeting buyers or sellers from online marketplaces.

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

May 17 PSSS: Recomposed 1 PM

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