So I’m at The Arches’ new location on Westcliff and Dover recently, enjoying a nice glass of smooth cab, when owner and infamous Newport Beach restaurateur Dan Marcheano saunters over and thrusts a handful of flyers in my face. 

As my eyes adjust (note to self: Lasik, Lasik, Lasik!) I see the flyer is promoting a car wash to benefit the 1/1 Marines and their families.  Now he’s got my attention. 

A few years ago, with Dan’s help, we invited several Marines from the 1/1 at Camp Pendleton who were unable to go home to join us for Thanksgiving.  The experience forever changed the way I view the holidays and how our family celebrates together.

LCpl Nelson, LC Reese, PFC Marshall, our granddaughter Ava Schmidt, PFC Salazar and PFC Mincks of the 1/1 last Easter. Since that time, we have had the same, as well as other fine young men back to our home, this last time for Easter, and I am always so pleased to see their smiling faces on our doorstep. I follow them on Facebook and say a prayer each day that they return safely home from their current mission in Afghanistan.  Knowing them personally puts a whole new perspective on the reality of war.  Godspeed is all I can think as I write this column.

A proud Marine himself, Dan Marcheano has opened up his parking lot at The Arches to hold many of these car washes and other events, raising money that goes directly to the 1/1 to provide financial assistance for special Battalion events as well as support for the families when loved ones are deployed. 

Often, especially with the younger Marines, this money is used to offset unexpected costs which can put a strain on their family while they are overseas.  This in turn helps the Marines to stay focused and not worry as much about those they have left at home, particularly in these difficult times of extended deployments.

 In keeping with these eco-conscious times, Dan has teamed up with ProntoWash Eco Autospa which uses biodegradable, highly concentrated, foamless detergent and only 1 pint of water per car! Approximately 100 Marines will make the trip up to Newport Beach from Camp Pendleton for the event, and if history repeats itself, they will wash almost 400 cars.  Now that’s manpower!

The 1^st Marine Division is the largest, oldest and most decorated division in the Marine Corps.  If you haven’t visited the 1/1 Memorial at Castaways Park (16^th Street and Dover), I highly recommend taking the time to visit this beautiful tribute from Newport Beach to our brave American warriors. 

And if you can’t make the car wash, Dan is always proud when someone stops in to The Arches to make a donation on behalf of the 1/1 Marines.  A story or three will probably be shared; Dan always has a tale that will bring a tear to your eye or a smile to your face.

So let’s come out in force this Saturday, Aug. 21, and let our wonderful Marines know how much Newport Beach appreciates their service to our country. You can pay as much or as little as you wish to have your car scrubbed, and if you are feeling particularly generous, let Dan know that you would like to match whatever the Marines raise by the end of the day.  And be sure to give the guys and gals an enthusiastic “Hoorah!”

The 1/1 car wash fundraiser will be held from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at The Arches, 1617 Westcliff Drive. 

If you’d like to host a Marine for a holiday, or send them care packages, please contact Rick Andersen, 1/1 Family Readiness Officer at 760-763-3614 or 760-429-3514 or email him at rick.andersen@usmc.mil.

            Semper Fi!

Residing in Newport Beach, Lynn Selich is a weekly columnist and society editor for the Newport Beach Independent, and associate publisher and society editor of Newport Beach magazine.  She can be reached at lynnselich@yahoo.com.  Follow her on Facebook at Lynn Selich-Columnist or http://twitter.com/LynnSelich.

“Be kind to strangers, for they may be angels.”

- Graffiti near Manhattan hospital after 9/11

On Wednesday, Aug. 18, the community is invited to come out to the Newport Beach Indy’s first official public event, as we join forces with The Bungalow restaurant in Corona del Mar for a “celebrity bartender” night.

From 5:30 to 8 p.m., yours truly, along with our editor Roger Bloom, publisher Tom Johnson and staff and columnists from our sister publication, Newport Beach magazine and our parent company Firebrand Media, will be pouring drinks and serving up happy-hour delicacies on the back patio, with all tips we get going to support Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag.

The evening will include some fun surprises, and we are even coming up with a special Indy martini just for our readers who come out to join in the fun.  The Bungalow is also generously donating 15 percent of the evening’s sales until 8 p.m., so come hungry, bring a friend or two and support a great cause!  

Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag is an organization of community leaders dedicated to supporting nursing education in order to attract and develop the best and brightest new nurses, and to providing career-advancing education for established nurses.

Whether you are for it or against the current healthcare reform legislation, a plethora of changes to the industry are on the horizon.  A nursing shortage is just one of the many issues that need to be addressed, sooner rather than later. 

According to the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), as a whole, the US is experiencing a “moderate shortage” of registered nurses, with more severe shortages in certain areas. And they say this RN shortage will continue to grow if current trends continue, including a growing and aging U.S. population; high demand for the highest quality of care; an RN workforce currently at or approaching retirement age; and difficulties that exist in attracting new nurses and retaining the existing workforce.

And if that isn’t enough, here are some sobering statistics: In 2000, there were 1.9 million FTE Licensed RNs, with demand at 2.0 million; by 2020 the number of FTE Licensed RNs is projected to fall to 1.8 million, but demand is projected to skyrocket to 2.8 million.

I remember how, 15 years ago as a member of Hoag’s Volunteer Auxiliary, I would arrive at the hospital every Wednesday evening in my peach smock to sell candy and flowers in the sundry, and later moved to the Support Network for AIDS Patients (SNAP) visitation auxiliary.  I was partnered with another volunteer, and the two of us would check in at the oncology ward nursing station where we had a daily diary of visitations, patient concerns, etc., which was a guide to help us better serve those in need of a smiling face or a warm hug.

As we would sit in the nurse’s station trying to stay out of the way while we entered our information or determined our route, it never ceased to amaze me what these wonderful men and women did day in and day out for their patients.  It takes a rare and very special individual to choose to serve their fellow human beings with skill, dignity, kindness and compassion, and what I consistently witnessed in those nurses and other healthcare professionals was nothing short of divinity in action.

I liken medical professionals like nurses to our men and women serving in our military, and feel compelled when I meet them to thank them for their service. 

So I hope you will come out on Wednesday evening and help us support Choose Nursing, Choose Hoag, and let’s do our part to support nursing education and show these special individuals how important they are to our community.     

Residing in Newport Beach, Lynn Selich is a weekly columnist and society editor for the Newport Beach Independent, and Associate Publisher of Newport Beach magazine.  She can be reached at lynnselich@yahoo.com.  Follow her on Facebook at Lynn Selich-Columnist or http://twitter.com/LynnSelich.

Tucked in Santa Ana Heights is the Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery.As the newly appointed associate publisher of Newport Beach magazine, I had the pleasure last week of coordinating my first fashion shoot for our September/October issue at one of Newport’s best-kept secrets, the Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery.  It was, hands down, the most beautiful photo shoot I have seen, with 15 changes in all, and I can’t wait for you all to see the results when our exciting first anniversary edition comes out in early September. 

If you’ve never been to the Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery, you’re missing out on a real treat. Located in Santa Ana Heights off Mesa Drive, adjacent to the Newport Beach Golf Course, this boutique winery is surrounded by horse pastures and overlooks the picturesque 850-acre Upper Newport Bay ecological preserve and bird sanctuary. 

The breathtakingly robust property boasts an exquisite underground 1,000 square-foot wine cave (the only wine cave in Orange County), world class botanical gardens, a pond bristling with the biggest koi I have ever laid eyes on, an aviary filled with pheasants, and a gorgeous herb and vegetable garden.  This little slice of heaven (operated on solar power by the way) is run, occupied and owned by the infamous Richard Moriarty and his lovely significant-other Loren Blackwood.     

As the brix (sugar) level of the grapes quickly approaches perfection, Loren and Richard have a tradition that offers an excellent opportunity to visit the winery and participate in a hands-on experience: their annual Wine Grape Harvest and Crush. This year the event will be held on Sept. 18, beginning at 8 a.m., and anyone who has RSVP’d to participate will be given shears and a bucket and set free to roam the vineyards collecting grapes, after which everyone enjoys lunch and the chance to witness the crushing of the fruit before it’s put up to eventually become a palette-pleasing red wine.  The winery typically produces about 350 cases, or 4,200 bottles, each year, and is sold at the Irvine Ranch Market, local restaurants, country clubs and at private events held at the winery.    

On the day of the harvest, friends, family and those of you in the community who want to try their hand at grape picking will pluck over 2 million pounds of grapes, including roughly 65 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Cab Franc, 10 percent Merlot, and 5 percent each of Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Richard is an expert in viticulture (the science, production and study of grapes) and always has interesting anecdotes about the production and naming of their various gold medal winning Bordeaux-style wine blends including their Back Bay Cuvee, Coyote Cuvee, OC Red, and my favorite, Wretched Excess Red.

If you aren’t able to make the harvest, the winery is open by appointment only for flight tastings, and is an excellent venue for everything from an intimate tasting for 12 to a party or fundraiser for up to 160 guests.  Active with many charitable organizations, Loren and Richard generously donate Tour and Tasting certificates to charities throughout Orange County every year.

To make a reservation for the Wine Grape Harvest and Crush, please email Loren at loren@nbwine.com, and for more information about booking a tasting or special event, log on to nbwine.com or call (949) 645-2200.  

Residing in Newport Beach, Lynn Selich is a weekly columnist and society editor for the Newport Beach Independent, and Associate Publisher of Newport Beach magazine.  She can be reached at lynnselich@yahoo.com.  Follow her on Facebook at Lynn Selich-Columnist or http://twitter.com/LynnSelich.

It is said the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.  So here goes:

I am a food show junkie. 

And the truth is, I am not ready to give it up just yet.  The Food Network is my connection, and reruns of The Barefoot Contessa and Bobby Flay keep me juiced up until I need another fix, usually consisting of the latest Emeril segment, when I crave hearing his famous (and slightly irritating) “Bam!”   

I guess it all started for me back as a young girl when we would watch Julia Child and I’d giggle at her sing-songy voice encouraging the audience not to be afraid to take risks in the kitchen. 

Remember when she missed the potato pancake flip?  No big deal, she just scooped it back in the pan and moved on.  I’ve been known to do that a time or two, and without that memory, I may have considered the dish a disaster.   Even if the soufflé fell, her candor and try-it-with-conviction attitude left her audience with the knowledge that the important part was trying. 

When I think about it now, it was really the first reality show I can remember, and it all took place in her kitchen, live and unedited.  I wonder what she’d think of some of today’s cooking shows where everyone seems cranked up on too much coffee.   

Still, cooking shows have become a real phenomenon, especially of late, and I think I know the reason.  The fact is that no matter where you live, there are a lot of viewers across America who find good old-fashioned home cooking – be it chicken pot pie or chocolate cake - comforting.  And I don’t know about you, but watching the shows takes me back to the many hours I spent helping my parents and grandparents in the kitchen. 

To this day, absolutely no one can top my Grandma Gae’s rice crispy squares.  I don’t know how she took three ingredients - butter, marshmallows and Rice Crispies - and made them taste so amazing, but somehow she worked her magic to make them the best I’ve ever tasted.  I think it was the love that went it to them that made them so delicious.

I find spending time in the kitchen gives a unique opportunity to creatively express myself in a way that allows me to improve my skills, create something delicious and show those I love how much I care for them by taking the time to create a meal they will enjoy even if it is simple. 

I don’t always hit the mark, but I always give it my best shot.  And when a crust comes out flaky, a chicken moist and succulent or I succeed in creating a gratin that melts in your mouth, I am one happy camper.  I feel like an artist who steps back from their canvas and knows the last stroke of the brush has been made and now it is just time to enjoy the results.

So the next time I need a fix, I’ll just turn on the boob tube, break out my pots and pans and get the creative juices flowing.  And hopefully with a little luck in the privacy of my own home I will be like Tom Cruise in his famous air-guitar scene, only instead of a rock star, I’ll be pretending to be the next food network star. 

The real test instead of a roaring crowd of fans?  I can usually tell how well I did if the plates come back to the kitchen with nothing but crumbs.  

Residing in Newport Beach, Lynn Selich is a weekly columnist and society editor for the Newport Beach Independent, and Associate Publisher of Newport Beach magazine.  She can be reached at lynnselich@yahoo.com.  Follow her on Facebook at Lynn Selich-Columnist or http://twitter.com/LynnSelich. 

You may have heard Newport Beach was recently named by CNNMoney as the No. 1 city in the United States to find the love of your life. And the bonus?  According to CNN, he or she will probably be filthy rich to boot.

CNNMoney reported that Newport Beach is the best place to live if one is rich and single.  According to their column “30.0 percent of Newport’s population is single, and the median family income is $144,917.”

Upon reading that sentence I had to scratch my head wondering if “median family income” refers to the single people mixed in with the numbers for families?  Or are they talking about single divorcees with children?  Maybe I am over-thinking it. After all, I hope most of you will agree that Newport Beach deserves to top a list of “Best Cities to Live” but not because we are the epicenter for finding a sugar-daddy (or mama). 

Our neighbors in Irvine came in at No. 5 for affluent singles, with 31.3% of the population spouse-free and a median income of $113,768. The article says that California cities dominate the Top 25 list of U.S. cities for rich singles, and I am wondering where they all were when I was single. 

While Newport Beach may be perceived as the land of shallow men, fast cars and even faster women who flaunt enough silicon to plug a busted oil well in the Gulf, I would argue that Newport is much more than a place where the rich and single cavort. 

What are the real reasons why Newport Beach is the best place to live?  Let me count the ways (and these are just the 10 or so I can fit in my column’s word count)!

1. We are the Riviera of the West Coast, hands down.  A walk along Ocean Avenue towards Poppy Street in Corona del Mar takes one’s breath away.

2. Our city is filled to the brim with some of the most generous philanthropists, who give both of their time and their money to make and leave the world a better place.

3. It’s a wonderful place to raise a family, with excellent education, youth sports, outdoor and cultural activities.  

4. We have a strong sense of community. Our neighborhoods and villages are some of the friendliest, cleanest and safest in the country.

5. We enjoy clean water in both our beautiful harbor as well as from our taps.  

6. We have world-class shopping and dining, featuring some of the best retail stores and restaurants in Southern California from which to choose.   

7. We value the protection of the environment by dedicating land to open and park space, Back Bay reserve, Banning Ranch and automatic recycling services to name just a few

8. We have one of the largest, most beautiful harbors, home to vessels ranging from sabots to some of the most luxurious yachts west of the Mississippi.

9. World class golf courses, country clubs and resorts – take your pick from the Balboa Bay Club, or the Pelican Hill, Big Canyon, Santa Ana or Newport Beach country clubs.

10.  We have robust community and senior centers, an aquatic center and a fabulous public library system.

Honorable mention:  We invented the famous Balboa Bar – have it any way you like it!

And finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t add that we are home of the beloved Newport Beach Independent newspaper and Newport Beach magazine!   God, I love this city!

Residing in Newport Beach, Lynn Selich is a weekly columnist and society editor for the Newport Beach Independent, and Associate Publisher of Newport Beach magazine.  She can be reached at lynnselich@yahoo.com.  Follow her on Facebook at Lynn Selich-Columnist or http://twitter.com/LynnSelich.