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Thanksgiving Serve Day: Volunteer to Support OC Families on Nov. 2

Issue # 0519

Author

Joshua Tjia
18 Nov

In this Irvine Insider Issue . . .

😁 Laugh of the Day

🌤️ Irvine Weather

🍚🥢 Affordable Asian Mini-Bowl Food Arrives in Irvine With Tigawok

🍊🥬 Join the Effort: Support Local Families Through Volunteering or Donating

🦃🤲🏼 Thanksgiving Serve Day: Volunteer to Support OC Families on Nov. 20

🎄🎄 Illuminate Irvine Returns December 6—Get Involved in the Holiday Sparkle

🚌📚 Summer Internships for IUSD Juniors—Info Session Nov. 19

🩺 Small Steps That Make a Big Difference in Preventing Diabetes

💧🐢 How IRC is Helping Threatened Local Pond Turtles Stay Safe

🎻📢 Join the Music: Pacific Symphony Opens Auditions for New Season

🎼🎼 Upcoming High School Music Calendar

🦃🔥Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips from CAL FIRE

🏀 Career-High Performance by Dixon Lifts UCI Men’s Basketball in Hard-Fought Win

🏀🏐🎾⚽️ UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

🏀🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS

🏈 Woodbridge Football Rallies Twice in the Rain to Defeat Buena Park 23–16

🏈🎾 High School Athletics Calendar

🚓💥 Driver Arrested for DUI After Crash; IPD to Conduct Safety on Friday

🍏🥭🍑 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 polite corn?

A sweet corn.

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

Affordable Asian Mini-Bowl Food Arrives in Irvine With Tigawok

Tigawok, a new fast-casual Asian spot, has opened its first Orange County location at Walnut Village Center on Culver Drive, offering affordable $4–$7 mini bowls cooked with automated robot woks for consistent flavor. With a 4.6-star Yelp rating, the restaurant features a mix of classic and regional dishes like orange chicken, kung pao chicken, Hunan spicy beef, mapo tofu, wagyu beef curry, and steamed soup dumplings.

Join the Effort: Support Local Families Through Volunteering or Donating

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is seeing an increase in individuals and families seeking food assistance, including many first-time visitors. To help meet this rising demand, the organization’s Partner Network is requesting community support through volunteering and food donations. Community members who wish to assist can find opportunities and donation sites through the resources below.

Thanksgiving Serve Day: Volunteer to Support OC Families on Nov. 20

Free Chapel is hosting a Thanksgiving Serve Day on Thursday, November 20 at 5 PM, inviting volunteers to come together and support hundreds of families across Orange County. Participants will help with partnership projects, assemble Thanksgiving Essential Kits, and assist with turkey distribution in the parking lot. Join in and help make a meaningful impact during the holiday season.

📍2777 McGaw Ave Irvine, CA 92614

Illuminate Irvine Returns December 6—Get Involved in the Holiday Sparkle

Illuminate Irvine returns to the Great Park on Saturday, December 6, and the City is inviting volunteers, sponsors, and vendors to help bring this festive holiday celebration to life. The event draws thousands of residents and features winter-themed activities, live music, and the annual tree lighting, offering a memorable way to support a beloved community tradition.

Those interested can learn more about how to get involved at cityofirvine.org/holidayz.

Summer Internships for IUSD Juniors—Info Session Nov. 19

IUSD juniors are invited to explore a valuable summer internship opportunity with leading Orange County companies. Students can learn more at a virtual Career Exploration Experience information session on November 19 from 6–7 p.m., with registration and an interest form available online. It’s a great chance to gain real-world experience and prepare for future careers.

Small Steps That Make a Big Difference in Preventing Diabetes

During Diabetes Awareness Month, Irvine Woodbridge Walk-In Urgent Care encourages the community to take simple, proactive steps to protect their health. Small lifestyle changes—paired with regular monitoring and professional guidance—can make a meaningful impact in preventing or managing diabetes.

Tips to Protect Your Health:

  • Regular blood sugar monitoring

  • Healthy diet and consistent exercise

  • Weight management

  • Consult a healthcare provider for personalized care

How IRC is Helping Threatened Local Pond Turtles Stay Safe

Irvine Ranch Conservancy is helping the threatened southwestern pond turtle population in Shady Canyon stay safe while basking by creating floating platforms that keep them protected from predators. With limited habitat and a population of just over 50 turtles, IRC partnered with students from The Delhi Center and interns from Golden West College to build and install these platforms, improving the turtles’ quality of life without altering population size. After adjusting the platform design with grip tape, turtle use increased significantly, showing the success of this hands-on conservation effort.

Join the Music: Pacific Symphony Opens Auditions for New Season

Pacific Symphony is holding open auditions as it enters an exciting new chapter under Artistic and Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley. Highly qualified musicians from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply, with several principal and section positions available early next year.

Upcoming Auditions:

  • Principal Clarinet: Jan 10–12

  • Section Cello (Chairs 3 & 10): Jan 16–17

  • Principal Trombone: Feb 2–3

  • Principal Tuba: Feb 4–5

Upcoming Northwood High School’s Music Calendar

  1. December 3, 7 - 8:30 PM: Instrumental Winter Concert, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, NHS Theater

  2. December 4, 7 - 8:30 PM: Instrumental Winter Concert, Guitar, Symphonic Strings, Concert Orchestra, NHS Theater

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

Upcoming Woodbridge High School's Music Calendar

  1. December 11 - 12, 6:30 - 8:30 PM: Winter Concerts, 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. December 5, 7 PM: Winter Celebration 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

No events scheduled for the rest of 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 events scheduled for the rest of this month.

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

Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips from CAL FIRE

Thanksgiving brings loved ones together, but it’s also a peak day for kitchen fires. CAL FIRE encourages everyone to take a few easy safety steps to prevent accidents and keep the holiday focused on good food and good company.

Fire-Safety Tips to Remember:

  • 🔥 Stay in the kitchen whenever you’re cooking.

  • 🚫 Never use water on a grease fire.

  • 🍳 Turn skillet handles inward to avoid spills or burns.

  • 🔋 Test smoke alarms and keep a fire extinguisher close by.

Career-High Performance by Dixon Lifts UCI Men’s Basketball in Hard-Fought Win

UC Irvine earned a 79–70 win over Weber State, led by Jurian Dixon tying his career-high with 23 points and delivering a strong two-way performance. Derin Saran closed out the game with eight straight points, helping the Anteaters withstand a late Weber State run.

UCI Anteaters Upcoming Home Games

Women’s Volleyball

  • Fri, Nov 21 – vs UC Santa Barbara, 6:00 PM

Men’s Water Polo

  • Fri, Nov 21– vs Big West Championship, TBA

🏐⚽🏀 Upcoming home games for the IVC LASERS 

Women's Basketball

  • Wed, Nov 19 – vs El Camino, 7:00 PM

Men's Basketball

  • Fri, Nov 21 - vs Cuyamaca, 5:00 PM

Woodbridge Football Rallies Twice in the Rain to Defeat Buena Park 23–16

Woodbridge battled back twice in a rain-soaked CIF Division 13 quarterfinal to defeat Buena Park 23-16 and advance to the semifinals. A late muffed punt set up senior David Bosley’s go-ahead touchdown, capping the Warriors’ impressive turnaround after an 0-7 start.

High School Athletics Calendar

**

Updated With November Schedule

Upcoming Irvine High School’s Varsity home games:

No events scheduled for the rest of this month.

Driver Arrested for DUI After Crash; IPD to Conduct Safety on Friday

Irvine Police responded to a single-vehicle crash near Jamboree and Michelson, where a 41-year-old San Clemente man was freed by OCFA and taken to the hospital with minor injuries before being arrested for DUI.

  • As part of ongoing safety efforts, IPD will conduct a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint this Friday from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. near Jamboree and Dupont.

  • Residents are encouraged to plan ahead, use a designated driver or rideshare, and report suspected impaired drivers.

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

November 20 - November 22 Shelley Conducts Carmen and Daphnis and Chloe 8 PM

November 22 Lao Tizer Band

November 23 PSYCB: Songs of the Earth 1 PM

November 25 PSYO: Light in Darkness 7 PM

December 4 - 6 Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake 8 PM

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