Best of Services
Places to go when you need it now, or need it done right
Dog Groomer
When the pooch needs some pampering, no one does it better than Suzanne McConnell, whose Leader of the Pack all-breed grooming service also offers behavior and trick training. No drop-offs or cage stays here. She comes to you and grooms with passion while keeping her charges calm in the comfort of their own home. On the styling side, says one customer, “she creates a hairstyle that fits their individual personalities.” 714-404-5213. theleaderofthepack_oc@yahoo.com.
Car Repair Waiting Area
To tell the truth, we have no idea whether Newport Lexus does quality automotive work at fair prices. But if you have to be stuck at a dealership while having your tires rotated, why not spend it in a waiting area that offers a putting green, Tommy Bahama and Oakley boutiques, snicky-snacks from nearby Pascal Epicerie, and an art gallery? 3901 MacArthur Blvd. 888-323-9222. www.newportlexus.com.
Pet Boutique
Known for its selection of organic dog and cat food, including Canidae and Evo, Dogma! also carries a wide—and always changing—array of toys and treats for your best friend. Pop in at either of its two locations to browse all sizes and shapes of dog beds as well as highly fashionable pet strollers. For homemade cupcakes baked fresh for your pooch by a local, visit Dogma!’s Newport Coast location. 6755 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine, 949-737-5950; 21113 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast. 949-640-6072. www.4dogma.com.
Restaurant Server
If you don’t visit the Palm Terrace Restaurant and Lounge at The Island Hotel for the fabulous food, go for server Patricia Morkus, who will never remove a plate from your table until your entire party has finished. Funny, personable, knowledgeable, and with a gift for making you feel at home, Morkus has such a following that customers ask to be seated in her section. 690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-759-0808. www.theislandhotel.com.
Guitar Mecca
Some stores transcend their purpose. True, the Guitar Shoppe in Laguna Beach is a great place to buy a guitar or get one fixed. But since it’s founding in 1972 by partners Jim Matthews and Kirk Sand, the Guitar Shoppe has been the place in Orange County for musicians who talk, breathe, study, restore, collect, and play, and who appreciate the authenticity and sense of craft that luthiers Sand (Sand Guitars) and Angus Guitars’ Mark Angus (below) add to the scene. “It’s owned by guitar players, staffed by guitar players, and to work there you have to know your way around guitars,” says one long-time customer. “It’s a pro shop, not your typical retail thing.” 1027-B N. Coast Highway,
Laguna Beach. 949-497-2110. www.theguitarshoppe.com.
Carwash
The Car Spa in Newport Beach, across West Coast Highway from the Balboa Bay Club, pampers vehicles the way real spas pamper their clients. Just look for the array of Bentleys, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis dotting the drying lanes of this luxe carwash. Said one happy Huntington Beach customer on a services review Web site: “When these guys are done it looks like liquid paint has just been poured on your car.” 1200 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-631-0161.
Shoe Repair
Buy a new pair of Manolo Blahniks, then go directly to Avo Dersarkissian at Deluxe Shoe Repair. When he’s done, you can wear them to Disneyland and go dancing that night. He’ll shave a little off the spike heel, add comfort pads, ease up the strap. He can even round out a too-pointy toe. Bring along that worn handbag and he’ll redye it, completely change the color, or shorten the strap. He’s a magic man, and every shop girl’s dream (ask the clerks at Neiman’s). 220 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-719-1758.