Lunch

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Mayor's Lunch Tuesday at Five Crowns restaurant. "It's every January," said chamber President Linda Leonhard. "We have the new or incumbent mayor give a state of the city address for our board members. " This year, Keith Curry speaks. The event, which includes lunch, costs $25 for chamber members and $30 for other guests. Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m., Leonhard said, and the program will run from about noon to 1:15 p.m. Those who want to attend are encouraged to make reservations by Monday, though spots may be available at the door.

Danette Goulet It was pleasant pandemonium Thursday at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in Corona del Mar, when all 300 students invited a special someone to join them for lunch. "My dad is my special person because he loves me and he knows how to show it the best," said Dominique St. John, 10, who with her brother, Vinnie, 11, chose to bring their father. The lunch was part of an annual tradition to celebrate National Catholic Schools Week.

COSTA MESA — Suzy Hermes and her family were getting ready to go on a once-in-a-lifetime Disney cruise to the Bahamas through the Make-A-Wish Foundation when everything spun out of control. Her youngest daughter, who was getting her wish granted, ended up in the hospital. Her oldest daughter was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder. Her husband was hospitalized. Everything seemed to fall apart, and the family had to postpone the cruise for three months. But the thought of finally taking the voyage helped Hermes and her family stay positive during their hardships.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District offers menu choices each day at elementary schools. Students may choose a vegetarian entrée. The selection varies and may be either a salad, sandwich or hot entrée. Here's what's being served this week: TODAY: Munchable lunch salad with fruit yogurt or macaroni and cheese, fresh broccoli with ranch dip, diced mixed fruit, choice of milk. WEDNESDAY: Vegetarian health sandwich or chicken tenders, seasoned corn, fresh fruit, pretzel goldfish, choice of milk.

Erica Shen With the girls dressed in different shades of pink and boys holding onto boxes of chocolates, sixth-graders at Eastbluff Elementary School in Newport Beach gathered at the community park to celebrate their day of roses, chocolate and cards. Every year, sixth-grade teachers June Elsten and Juliet Hilde designate the lunch hour on Valentine's Day as a friendship lunch exchange, encouraging students to show appreciation for their peers. "Today is not only about demonstrating our love and emotions, but it is also about appreciating others, being thankful and remembering the less fortunate," Elsten explained to her class.

Barbara Scharnell and Doran Kough graduated from Newport Harbor High School back in 1953, but found themselves back on campus Tuesday for the school’s fourth annual Grandparents’ Day, which pairs students and their grandparents for a luncheon. “I think it’s nice that the high school has a day like this,” Kough said; she enjoys returning to the campus each year to view the construction and modernization efforts, although she still misses the old bell tower.

The banker ... the tennis player ... the career Navy man ... the property appraiser ... the staff commodore (make that two) ... the veteran (make that five) ... the newlywed ... Basically a great group of elderly gentleman who meet at least once a week (usually more) and gab “like a bunch of old ladies” (their words, not mine). Betty Kilmer called me after last week’s column on the Omelette Parlor (“Give me my home”)

Sushi Imari is popular at lunch. There are seven tables and 15 seats at the Sushi bar, so if you aren't there by 11:30, you are probably going to be waiting for a bit. The staff is as accommodating as possible given the tight quarters, and most of the diners realize others are waiting and don't dally over their meal. The meal for us usually starts with edamame (soybeans) and miso soup. The restaurant usually has appealing lunchtime specials. This time, fire rolls ($7.95) and deep fried California roll ($4.75)

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District offers menu choices each day at elementary schools. Students may choose a vegetarian entree. The selection varies and may be either a salad, sandwich or hot entree. Here's what's being served this week. TODAY Munchable lunch salad or chicken tenders; veggie sticks; mixed fruit; animal snackers; choice of milk. WEDNESDAY Munchable lunch salad or two soft tacos(ground turkey); fresh fruit; choice of milk.

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Mayor's Lunch Tuesday at Five Crowns restaurant. "It's every January," said chamber President Linda Leonhard. "We have the new or incumbent mayor give a state of the city address for our board members. " This year, Keith Curry speaks. The event, which includes lunch, costs $25 for chamber members and $30 for other guests. Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m., Leonhard said, and the program will run from about noon to 1:15 p.m. Those who want to attend are encouraged to make reservations by Monday, though spots may be available at the door.

They make rules. Their leaders are elected. You may pay them money on an annual basis, but only give them attention when they're screwing up. No, they're not city or state governments. They're homeowners' associations, and in Newport-Mesa they're almost everywhere. Although many residents know they pay their yearly HOA dues, fewer know the extent or limits of the organizations' power, HOA manager Marla Hemmel said at a Women of Temple Bat Yahm Meal and Spiel lunch Thursday. The event was fourth in a five-part speaker series, said Tamar Brower, who organized the event.

At one point during lunch at Big Canyon Country Club on Sunday, as dozens of Marines were enjoying filet mignon and roasted garlic mashed potatoes, somebody asked for all the former Marines to stand up. The response came right away from all over the room: "There are no former Marines. " Tom Evans' life has testified to that. He enlisted in the Marines 69 years ago as a 16-year-old who didn't even measure 5 foot 4. "I was the only Marine in my unit who didn't have any body hair," he told his guests Sunday.

Quantum mechanics and physical chemistry student Stephen Shinjiro Sasaki loves teaching, but he isn't interested in rushing through the curriculum to meet rigorous state standards. So when he finished UC Irvine's Cal Teach program, which trains math and science teachers, he started his own course that allows him to spread his passion for science to kids, but also go in-depth about higher-level science topics. "I wanted to make the program because essentially I could do all the fun things," said Sasaki, who aspires to become a UCI professor.

Los Angeles-based healthy salads and sandwiches eatery Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop will expand into Orange County with the April opening of a Costa Mesa location. Greenleaf opens April 30 on East 17th Street, between Orange and Santa Ana avenues, in a 4,200-square-foot space reflective of the restaurant-meets-farmstand atmosphere signature to its Beverly Hills and Century City locations, according to a news release. Developers submitted plans for the project, which is the largest of the Greenleaf locations, to city planners in May, according to Daily Pilot archives . The restaurant will open at 8 a.m. daily and offer breakfast, lunch and dinner items consisting of a variety of salads, wraps and sandwiches.

Several local restaurants will be showing off their most popular dishes during Newport Beach Restaurant Week, which kicks off Friday. FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version incorrectly said that Five Crowns is serving mushroom soup, a gem lettuce and Point Reyes salad and Jidori chicken. The restaurant is serving Mary Alice's pride salad, roasted parsnip soup and braised Boulder Valley shortrib, among other items. Also Bryon Freeze's title is chef de cuisine, not chief de cuisine.

Five Crowns managers recently cooked and served staff a holiday lunch as part of an annual Thanksgiving tradition that this year featured essays read by Corona del Mar schoolchildren. "It's just a nice way to say thank you to everyone," said Steve Kim, general manager of the restaurant at 3801 E. Coast Hwy. "The managers serve, and the president and CEO is back there cooking. " About 70 staff members enjoyed roasted suckling pig, apple and celery root gratin, Cinderella pumpkin puree and spaetzle with butternut squash, along with beer and wine and pumpkin pie for dessert.

When La Cave owner Mike Palitz took over from founders William and Carol Boyer more than 10 years ago, he promised them that he would keep to the original formula. And he did, save for adding broccoli to the Costa Mesa restaurant's menu and more jazz nights. "I take absolutely no credit for La Cave's success," Palitz said. "The original recipe has always been good people serving good food. " But he did guide La Cave toward its 50th anniversary, which takes place early next year.

Michele Ryan has lunch once a month at a dusty, makeshift restaurant with dining companions who have little understanding of table manners. She wouldn't have it any other way. Ryan, who owns two horses at the Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center, is among the regulars every second Saturday at Have Lunch with Your Horse Day. The fundraiser, hosted by the nonprofit Red Bucket Equine Rescue, invites owners and other members of the public...

SANTA ANA - Leigh Steinberg's visit to Morton's The Steakhouse at the South Coast Plaza Village was billed as, "Lunch With A Legend. " Steinberg, the renowned sports agent and Daily Pilot columnist, delivered a legendary-type shot while on 710 ESPN Radio with Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley Thursday. Kellerman served up the topic of Frank McCourt to Steinberg and the 62-year-old slam dunked it. "He needs to go back to Boston," Steinberg said of the infamous Los Angeles Dodgers owner.