Roger’s Gardens is one of my favorite places to visit through out the year. Roger’s Gardens is the most beautiful home and garden center. Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach is located at:

2301 San Joaquin Hills Road
Corona Dell Mar, CA 92625
(949) 640-5800

Roger’s Gardens is a truly a pleasure to visit. With their stunning outdoor and indoor plants, home decor, and of course their holiday decorations as well. There are beautiful fountains, and they are known for their outdoor hanging flower baskets.

If you are looking for a gift, you will be sure to find it at Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach. Roger’s Gardens has beautiful fountains, hanging plants, mail boxes, artwork for  both indoor and the outdoor patio.

Roger’s Gardens also outdoor patio furniture, and has an exceptional selection. They also have a large selection of accessories for both indoor and outdoor patios.

During Halloween, Roger’s Gardens does not disappoint with their Halloween decor. It is a fun place to visit, and get ideas or that unique item that you have been looking for.

During the Christmas season, Roger’s Gardens decorates with all the holiday decor. They have a dedicated room for Christopher Radko ornaments, and there are events where you can meet  the different artists. They also selll Christmas trees during the holiday season.

I enjoy just browsing around the gardens, and getting ideas, or perhaps finding that special item that I want to add to my home or garden. I love the unique table and  chairs below that is made from stone, and the beautiful accessories. Additionally, you will find excellent customer service at Roger’s. In the past, I have brought in a plant to ask how to treat it, and they offer advice and recommendations.

Rogers Gardens has a Garden Room, and there are indoor plants including stunning orchids, african violets and other blooming plants. At the entrance to the Garden Room were these beautiful hydrangeas. There are also wreaths for all different tastes.

So if you are looking for a wonderful place to visit, I recommend visiting Roger’s Gardens in Newport Beach.

Balboa Coves is a gated community located off Coast Highway in Newport Beach. The homes in Balboa Coves are located on the bay, and one of the coves in Balboa Coves also has a sand beach.

Balboa Coves is located on the inside of Newport Boulevard, and although there are boats that are in Balboa Coves, the bridge is not high enough to allow a sailboat with a mast to pass under it. So most of the boats are either Duffy’s or power boats.

Balboa Coves in Newport Beach is a desirable area, and it really is a beautiful community. Walking distance to an excellent Thai restaurant, – the Royal Thai Cuisine. Also, residing in Balboa Coves is very close to other upscale dining in Newport Beach, and about three miles from Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

There is a home owner’s association in Balboa Coves and it can range from $125 to $185 per month (per the SoCalMLS).

There are 68 single family detached homes in the Balboa Coves community. Currently, there are five active listings on the market ranging in price from $2,045,000 to $3,350,000.

30 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach – offered at $2,045,000

51 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach – offered at $2,295,000

25 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach – offered at $2,495,000

38 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach – offered at $2,925,000

34 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach – offered at $3,350,000

Currently, there  is one property in back up status:

18 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach – offered at $1,687,000

There has been one sale since January, 2010. The property at 42 Balboa Coves, Newport Beach sold in May for $3,100,000.

If I can answer any questions about Balboa Coves in Newport Beach, please contact me.

Phone or Text: 949.280.0681

Email: Spaxson@roadrunner.com

 All information taken from SoCal MLS deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

Granville is a guard gated community located in Newport Beach right on the Newport Beach Country Club. The Newport Beach Country Club is a private country club, and has a beautiful golf course.

In fact the Toshiba Classic Golf Tournament was held at the Newport Beach Country Club. Fred Couples won the event this year, and this event raised more than $900,000 for Hoag Hospital. The Toshiba Classic is Hoag Hospitals main fund raiser through out the year. The photos below are looking out on the 9th Fairway of the Newport Beach golf course.

The homes on the golf course side are attached and there are some single family residences as well. This is looking at one of the homes located on the Newport Beach golf course at the Country Club.

The Granville area of Newport Beach is a guard gated community and has just one street in the community which is Granville Drive. There are 67 homes located in Granville, and the attached condos are located right along the golf course to enjoy a spectacular view of the golf course.

Granville in Newport Beach is impeccably maintained with beautiful landscaping.

Granville currently has four active listings:

1035 Granville Drive, Newport Beach – Priced at $1,695,000

1107 Granville Drive, Newport Beach – Priced at $1,995,000

1039 Granville Drive, Newport Beach – Priced at $2,195,000

1051 Granville Drive, Newport Beach – Priced at $2,295,000

There is one property pending which is priced at $1,695,000. The most recent sales in this area of Newport Beach were in 2008.

Below is a photo of the gated area of Granville.

If I can answer any questions about Granville in Newport Beach, please contact me.

Phone or Text: 949.280.0681

Email: Spaxson@roadrunner.com

Bayshores is a guard gated community located on Newport Harbor in Newport Beach. Located off Coasat Highway and Dover, this is a beautiful area with homes that are located right on the  bay in Newport Harbor as well as interior homes

The streets that are located in Bayshores in Newport Beach are Arbor, Bayshore, Circle, Crestview, Vista, Marino and Waverly.

The residents of Bayshores in Newport Beach enjoy the a private beaches in Bayshores. There are also communit activities in the Bayshores community as well.

Bayshores is the community where Nicolas Cage’s home was located and sold in January, 2008 for $35 million – one of the highest priced properties ever sold in Newport Beach. That same home is on the marget again now for $31,750,000.

Currently, there are 10 active listings ranging in price from $1,595,000 to $10,995,000 – and of course the property (which was Nicolas Cage’s property) which is now listed at $31,750,000.

There is one pending property in Bayshores and it is priced at $1,769,000.

There have been two sales since January, 2010, and those homes sold for $1,950,000 and $2,050,000.

If I can answer any questions about Bayshores in Newport Beach, please contact me.

Phone or Text: 949.280.0681

Email: Spaxson@roadrunner.com

The 36th Annual 2010 Long Beach Grand Prix will be held this weekend April 16-18, 2010 in the streets of Long Beach. Ticket prices are priced anywhere from $25 for one day general admission, to as high as $795 for a three day pit lane pass.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is an open-wheel race which is held on the streets in Long Beach. Christopher Pook is the founder of the Long Beach Grand Prix. The event started as a Formula event in 1975, and then became a CART/Champ Car from 1984 to 2008. It merged with the IRL – Indy Racing League in 2008.  This Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is the single largest event in Long Beach with attendance in the 200,000 range.

The schedule for this three day event in Long Beach includes Indy car practice, Indy car qualifying, Toyota Pro-Celebrity race, and one of the events is a fairly new event called Drifting. There will be demonstrations and competitions through out the weekend.  This is a great opportunity to view the Indy cars race through the streets of Long Beach.  Enjoy the California climate and the race cars and exhibitions.

If I can answer any questions about the Long Beach Grand Prix, please contact me.

Phone or Text: 949.280.0681

Email: Spaxson@roadrunner.com

I wrote an earlier post about my adventure in Trabuco Canyon last weekend. If you are planning an off road adventure in Trabuco Canyon, be sure to obtain a day pass.  Be sure to obtain a pass and display it in your vehicle. For information contact (909) 736-1811. The fee is $5 you can obtain a day pass at Trabuco Canyon General Store (714) 858-1711. Trabuco Canyon is located in eastern Orange County and in the Cleveland National Forest.

In my first post, I shared photos of the Trabuco Creek and waterfalls.

This will be my last post of the series regarding Trabuco Canyon. Trabuco Canyon is a tremendous wildlife area that offers an opportuity for fun and entertainment, and great photo opportunites.

The road is canopied with foliage and trees in Trabuco Canyon and is incredibly green as a result of all of the rain.

There were so many beautifiul flowers mixed in amongst the foliage.

Below is a gazania which is a perrenial plant which many landscapers utilize that was growing right along the creek.

There were several lizards sunning themselves on the rocks.

And we found a several butterflies, and this one held still long enough for a photograph. It was so beautiful.

Hope to see you at Trabuco Canyon sometime, and if I can answer any questions, please contact me.

Phone or Text: 949.280.0681

Email: Spaxson@roadrunner.com

Cherry Lake is an area of Newport Beach which is located in the back bay, upper Newport area of Newport Beach. Cherry Lake is bordered by Heather Lane, Lake Park Lane and an extension of Tustin which is a Private Road.

There are nineteen Newport Beach homes located on the lake. These homes all have views of  Cherry Lake and enjoy the secluded and serene lifestyle of this area.  The lake is spring fed and professionally maintained. These homes in Newport Beach have views of Cherry Lake from their homes, balconies, and docks. These luxury homes feature docks which are used for swimming, fishing, paddle boats, and kayaks. In this area of Newport Beach, it almost feels like you are in the mountains at a lake, all within close proximity to the ocean, boardwalk and beach lifestyle.

There are beautiful views, and beautiful lily pads which grow in the lake. Additionally,  there is a movable platform/dock with a slide for summer activities for children to enjoy the summer time weather. 

Enjoy the beach lifestyle, and the lake style lifestyle living at Cherry Lake. With close proximity to a Farmer’s Market, and John Wayne airport this is a desirable location. Because there are so few homes located here, properties rarely come available for sale. There are other homes in Cherry Lake also, however there are only 19 located on the lake with lake views.

As I stated in my earlier post, Trabuco Canyon is located in eastern Orange County and in the Cleveland National Forest.  Be sure to obtain a pass and prominently display it in your vehicle. For information contact (909) 736-1811. The fee is $5 you can obtain a day pass at Trabuco Canyon General Store (714) 858-1711. They were issuing tickets if you parked your vehicle and did not have a pass.

This was our chariot for the journey, and I love the Hummer – it goes anywhere. But even though we were in a big, heavy vehicle, it is still a pretty bouncy ride. Trabuco Canyon is also a popular destination spot for off roaders during the wet season as well. There are mud bogs, and all kinds of hills to climb. Yesterday we saw a small off road vehicle flipped, however fortunately no one was injured, and they were able to right the vehicle pretty easily. You do have to have some experience before you go taking on some of the terrain.

And of course, people are pretty funny! I guess this guy won the coin toss for who gets to ride on top! Not so sure I would want to ride there, as it really is bumpy, and dusty! But I suppose they were having fun.

License plate removed to protect the . . . . innocent??

Approximately four miles in an off road vehicle, is the Holy Jim Falls area. This is an area where you can park and then take one of the many hiking trails to explore nature. The Holy Him Falls area also has their own Fire Department.

 We went up past the Holy Jim Falls area, and hiked in at the junction below – West Horsethief and Trabuco. It was a fairly easy trail, and the map shows which trails have what level of difficulty.

This is the trail that we hiked in on. Much of it was canopied by all the intense foliage and trees, however there was part of the trail in the direct sun light.

About 100 yards in on this particular trail was a rusty old car. It looked at though it had been shot up (hoping that no one was continuiing to shoot it now) but we were surprised to see it there. There were clearly no roads nearby, so how did it get there? It was pretty interesting though as you could see the springs in the seats, and I believe it was a General Motors, but what model was difficult to determine. 

 So, as you can see, it was an adventure, and a fun one indeed.

I will continue the series with more photos and description of the area.

Happy Easter Everyone!

I am writing a series of posts on Trabuco Canyon because it is so diverse, beautiful and entertaining all at the same time. I want to share the information and photographs. Trabuco Canyon is located in Orange County.

Trabuco Canyon is a small unincorporated area in eastern Orange County which is located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. Trabuco Canyon is located north of  Rancho Santa Margarita, and part of  the area is within the Cleveland National Forest. Trabuco Canyon is a beautiful area, and there is an area where off roaders can enjoy the out of doors. I have been up to Trabuco Canyon before, but yesterday was amazing.

From four wheeling, motorcycle riding, hiking, mountain biking, and photography, it is a place where you can enjoy your day. There is a creek that runs through this one off road area of Trabuco Canyon, and due to the rainfall we have had over the past winter, it is incredibly green and the creek is definitely flowing with beautiful waterfalls through out. There are hiking trails as well. Families had day camps set up with tables right along the creek.

You do need some type of off road vehicle to explore this area of Trabuco Canyon. While we did see some conventional automobiles, I am not so sure it would be that comfortable of a ride, or good for the car!

There is so much area to explore the beautiful water through out Trabuco Canyon. We drove in approximately four miles to the end of the road, and parked. From there we hiked in about another mile or so to explore. You do need to be prepared, water, etc. Cell phones don’t have service in the area though. It is interesting because there are some homes off the road as well, and I was curious about utilities, however we did see satelite dishes on top of these houses. I suppose the people who reside in this area must really like seclusion.

There are maps of the trails, and there is so much to explore in Trabuco Canyon. Be cautious of the poison oak, and there is definitely wild life that exists in the Cleveland National Forest.

It is required that you pay before you enter Cleveland National Forest (909) 736-1811. The fee is $5 you can obtain a day pass at Trabuco Canyon General Store (714) 858-1711.

The weather has been cool here in Newport Beach over the past few days, however, yesterday was incredibly clear and there was a great view of Newport Harbor, and in the distance Catalina Island. The photos were taken from a look out area on Kings Road in Newport Heights. It is so clear that you can easily view Catalina Island which is 26 miles across the sea. Catalina Island is a destination area, and easy to get there via the Catalina Flyer. The Catalina Flyer is a high speed boat and it takes about an hour to get there. You can obtain tickets for the Catalina Flyer from Tickets2fun.com.

The photo below is zoomed a bit, and you can even see the Cliffs in Catalina.

Looking the other direction is a view of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.

If I can answer any questions about the Newport Beach area, please contact me.

Phone or Text: 949.280.0681

Email: Spaxson@roadrunner.com