Bathroom

An unattended candle in a “four-plex” on Hilaria Way killed two dogs and caused $15,000 in damage before Newport Beach firefighters managed to extinguish it, authorities said. At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, 21 Newport Beach firefighters rushed to the scene, after reports of smoke and high heat coming from the area. A candle left burning in the bathroom sparked the blaze, according to authorities. “We were alerted because of the smoke,” said fire department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz.

Freedom Homes, a large Westside neighborhood, is one of the oldest in the city. Many of the small, aging houses share a common floor plan with three bedrooms, one bathroom and a one-car garage or carport, which families often find inadequate, according to neighborhood resident and real estate broker Mary Fewel, who is trying to change that. To push community members to add extra space to their houses, Fewel and Mayor Eric Bever brought the city a proposal to hire an architect to compile a book of ideas designed to fit the particular style and layout of the homes in the 830-house tract in hopes that it would encourage people to build additions.

Three restaurants and two hotels from Newport Beach made the Automobile Club of Southern California’s list of winners of the 2008 Four Diamond Award, which honors the most luxurious venues in the region. The list, released Monday, catalogs hotels and restaurants that rank in the top 4% in terms of high-end accommodations. The Automobile Club plans to issue the names of the Five Diamond Award winners, which are the region’s highest-ranking properties, on Friday.

We’ve all watched “This Old House” or similar shows on television where they go in and redo a house. It looks so easy. So when the wife and I discussed remodeling one of our bathrooms several months ago, we decided to take on the project ourselves. How hard could it be? A little tiling, putting in a new bathtub, toilet and sink, and a little paint. I remember a friend of mine telling me at the time “that’s what professionals are for.” Well, here’s the good news: My wife and I are not divorced, yet. Actually, our attempt at what we thought was going to be a fun project we would do and enjoy together has become a comedy of errors.

A Newport Beach restaurateur was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly firing a revolver over beachgoers' heads in front of his Balboa Peninsula home late Thursday, police said. Edward Joseph O'Neill, 45, owner of the Ho Sum Bistro restaurant on Newport Boulevard, allegedly fired one shot toward the water around 8:30 p.m. because he thought a group of people on the beach were being disruptive, Sgt. Bill Hartford said.

Marisa O'Neil Staff and students at Paularino Elementary school switched places Monday, if only for a few minutes. As part of their Positive Behavior Support program, some staff members -- including new Principal John Sanders -- played the role of students in a series of skits demonstrating good and bad behavior. It was the job of the students to tell the teachers what they were doing wrong. "No," 4-year-old Cristian Frausto exclaimed when Sanders -- "Johnny" in the skit -- ran into the bathroom with a red playground ball.

Members of three real-life generations of the Douglas acting clan play three fictional generations of the Gromberg attorney clan in this modest effort on family values. Kirk and Michael Douglas translate some of the dynamics that might be in their personal relationship to this on-screen portrayal of liberal New York lawyers coming to terms with the family's dysfunctional side. Reflecting reality, Kirk Douglas is courageous and feisty as the Gromberg patriarch overcoming the effects of a recent stroke and the death of his wife.

Deciding on a paint color is stressful. Light, dark, bold, soothing: Sometimes it's hard to fit all of my moods into one can of color. I believe in tester quarts and foam brushes. There are times when rooms in my house have looked like patchwork quilts. It's important to see how the color adjusts to morning light, evening light and artificial light. After you have made the difficult color decision, you breathe a sigh of relief and head off to the paint store -- only to be hit with a new series of questions.

The FlexCare Program at Aliso Laguna Village gives those who care for a loved one with memory loss, some time for themselves. "I've used the FlexCare Program for over 18 months," said a resident's wife, who asked not to be identified. "My husband goes to Aliso Laguna Village three days a week for four to six hours, which gives me a chance to run errands, go to a movie and just be able to do things on my own." In the FlexCare, residents have a semi-private room and bathroom during their stay.

The following is a guide of tips from my student to yours in choosing a bathroom at a high school or junior high school in this district: 1. Don't drink anything all day, so you won't have to use the bathroom at school. I know it is bad for your health, especially if you have a big workout in physical education, but better to be safe than sorry. 2. If you ignored Rule 1, don't wait until the last minute to try to find a bathroom. Many of the bathrooms are locked right after lunch, so forget about making that mad dash, as things get more desperate.