Mary's Tack & Feed
Small little tack store at the Rancho Sierra Vista stables.
It's very convenient because it has all of the basics. A little selection of brushes, breeches, saddle blankets, wraps, etc. Not a huge selection of anything, but they have anything that you might need immediately.
The best part is they have a fridge full of cold snacks and drinks, perfect after a hot day of riding.
Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union
OCTFCU is a fantastic credit union.
You can access your accounts online without paying extra, which is fabulous. I applied for my car loan online and was accepted immediately. It was so convenient and easy, and I also got a fabulous interest rate.
Whenever I go into a branch, the tellers are always really nice and extremely professional. It's the best bank I've ever been to.
VCA All-Care Animal Referral Center
State-of-the-art veterinary facility -- this is the place to go if your pet has a major problem. They have a complete surgical staff, and oncology and neurology specialists. The doctors are all very nice and really know their stuff. Their technology is amazingly cutting-edge.
The only problem is that you usually have to wait a really long time in the waiting room, even if you have an appointment. They also tend to quote you one price for a specific procedure, and then add on lots of extra littlecharges, which is really annoying. So, if your pet really needs extensive medical attention, he'll get excellent care here. Otherwise, go to your local vet.
Newport Beach Public Library
This is one of the nicest libraries in Orange County. It has a wonderful collection of fiction, non-fiction, and periodicals. Great collection of DVDs and videos, too! It's also high-tech with lots of computers and study tables.
The only fault I have with it is that it doesn't have a lot of academic materials.
Total Woman
Kind of pricey but an amazing gym. The personal trainers are really nice people but also know their stuff. Everyone who works there is friendly and helpful. It's a very comfortable atmosphere.
They have good fitness equipment and there's enough for everyone. They also have a fabulous massuse and offer a variety of pampering services.
Growers Ranch
Their prices are amazing -- sooo much cheaper than Stater Brothers or Ralphs or any other grocery store. Grower's Ranch also has a fantastic variety of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and wines. All of the produce is fresh and high-quality.
The people who work there are really friendly and are always giving out free samples. They even remember my name!
Cinderella Cakes
Fabulous little bakery! We got our wedding cake from there and not only was the cake gorgeous, it tasted great too! They delivered it right on time and I was extremely satisfied with their service.
Another great perk is that they give you a free mini-wedding cake on your first anniversary. Too cool!
Koester Photography
Mark Koester photographed my wedding in 2002 and I was thrilled with the results.
He took hundreds of photos and I got to pick the ones for the album from all of the proofs. He helped me design the album so it looked beautiful; I get so many compliments on it!
The price was great and you could mix and match different features. He was there for about 7 hours and was really nice to work with. Highly recommended!
Orange County Animal Care Services and Animal Care Center Area and Service Provided
Irvine Animal Care Center is one of the best animal shelters in Orange County. They are a no-kill facility and even have a program where they transfer dogs and cats from high-kill facilities so they can be adopted instead of put to sleep.
It does cost more to adopt a pet from them than it does from a LA city shelter, but you know that your pet has been sterilized, has all its vaccinations, and probably has had some training to boot! The staff are very nice to work with and really love animals.
Camp Ilene
Dog care at its best! Camp Ilene is a cage-free boarding facility located on 1.2 acres in Corona. The dogs stay at Ilene's house (she has as many as 15 or 20 at a time) and have a fabulous time playing all day. It's like a giant dog park! All of the "campers" are socialized, well-behaved dogs, so you don't have to worry about your dog picking up any bad habits.
Whenever I pick up my dog from Camp Ilene's, he sleeps for the next two days because he's so worn out from all the playing! It's awesome!!