In Loving Memory of Saeed Danosian

Dear Friends and Supporters of OC LIFE,

Due to the sudden and unexpected passing of OC LIFE's publisher/founder (and my father), Saeed Danosian, the January issue of OC LIFE will be delayed until mid January. This magazine was my father's vision and he was my backbone and strength ever since day one. It is with his energetic and positive spirit that OC LIFE will continue... in loving memory of Saeed Danosian.



My father was an artist, well-known leader in the Persian community and an active philanthropist: www.DanosianArt.com

For those of you who knew him, this was an absolute shock as he was only 54 years old.



His burial ceremony - which had an overwhelming number of family, friends and colleagues in attendance - was held on Wednesday, December 24th at Pacific View Cemetery in Corona Del Mar.

There will also be an extended memorial event after the new year, TBA.

Thank you all for your love and support during these extremely difficult times. Words cannot express how much we will miss our kindhearted and loving angel.

Sepi Danosian
Editor-in-Chief
OC LIFE Magazine

a sneak peek at our january issue

Our January issue is dedicated to "The Arts" and we've captured some amazing photographs of O.C.'s favorite flamenco artist/choreographer/instructor Claudia de la Cruz. Claudia amazed us with the passion she has for her art and we can hardly wait to share all of the photos with you.



Photographer: Ben Bernous
Makeup Artist: Lisa G
Post-Production: Roya Bernous
Creative Advisor: Sepi Danosian



Stay tuned... "The Arts Issue" hits stands January 1st!

a sneak peek at our special december holiday issue

OC LIFE's first annual [Multicultural] Holiday Issue is out on stands today!
* For the behind the scenes action of our December photo shoot, click here!


First, be sure to check out our two-page money special that takes an inside look at OC's real estate market as well as a look at the outlook of our economy as a whole as President-elect Obama gets ready to enter office.

And speaking of President Obama, OC LIFE's senior reporter Sharon Farsijani takes you inside the OC Democratic Victory Party that took place November 4th at Sutra Lounge in Newport Beach. Check out exclusive coverage of the festivities which included a special performance by Iranian-American entertainer Farshid Amin who sang an "Obama-inspired" song called "Change". This marks the first time an Iranian-American was invited to sing at a Democratic victory party.

If you're looking to get more bang for your buck in these tough times take a look at some chic [yet affordable!] holiday accessories that you can buy for yourself or give as a gift to a friend or loved one!

Looking for a unique holiday recipe idea? One of our newest contributors, Zov Karamardian of Zov's Bistro, shares some special Mediterranean-inspired recipes from her cookbook that are perfect for the holidays.

Are you ready to expose your tastebuds to some exotic flavors? This month Chef Anahita takes us into Little Saigon where she's discovered a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant for December's Food+Drink feature. Think Vietnamese food is all about Pho? No way! Discover what other delicious dishes the Vietnamese culture has to offer.


Also in this month's issue:
- A Look at Kwanzaa: Is it a cultural or religious holiday?
- Hanukkah memories from the seniors at Mission Viejo's Heritage Pointe retirement community
- A Multicultural Center at the O.C. Great Park? Sunny Zia updates us on the recent developments
- Meet six international students from community colleges throughout Orange County!
- The OC Lions Cricket Club: The sport that is widely popular in Sri Lanka hopes to make a home for itself in Orange County

And much, much more...

New Locations!

Beginning December, you can pick up copies of OC LIFE at the Regency Theaters in Laguna Niguel as well as the Regency Theaters by South Coast Plaza!

And every month, check out a list of cultural/foreign films that are playing at their theaters next to our calendar page in each issue.

Behind the Scenes of our December Cover

Here's a little sneak peek of our [Multicultural] Holiday Issue cover shoot!

[CREW]
Model: Maile Leiana
Photography: Ben Bernous
Makeup: Lisa G.
Accessories: Ruche Boutique
Creative Advisor: Sepi Danosian
Post-Production: Roya Bernous

On stands December 1st...

ZOV joins the OC LIFE team!

Local culinary queen Zov Karamardian of Zov's Bistro will premiere her monthly food column in the December issue of OC LIFE!

Titled "From My Kitchen To Yours", Zov's column will focus on contemporary Mediterranean & Middle Eastern feasts for all occasions.

Our special [Multicultural] Holiday Issue will be on stands December 1st!

A Cultural Change in America... and OC!

President-elect Barack Obama's historic win last night has begun a cultural change in America... Blacks, whites, Asians, Middle Easterners and many others gathered together all over the country to embrace the vision of CHANGE within our country's government.

And even locally we are starting to see the multicultural community coming out and making their voices heard in a major way in local government.


In Irvine, former Mayor Pro Tem Sukhee Kang has officially won the race to becoming the first Korean-American mayor of a major U.S. city. Former Mayor Beth Krom has always supported a diverse and integrated community and government, and has been fully in support of Kang throughout this year's controversial campaign. In an interview with OC LIFE in September 2008, Kang said, "Before the 2004 election, we didn't have much representation from immigrant comunities. Now look at all the commissions - we have Persian-Americans, Chinese-Americans - different communities coming together and working together. So I think that's a very positive change made in just the past 4 years."

Kang has strong ties to the community (he is known for knocking on doors in Irvine and personally meeting citizens) and a tight cultural connection to his Korean roots. A few weeks ago, the Korean Cultural Center of Orange County awarded him the prestigious Dosan Ahn Changho award for his leadership within the community.

Another Korean-American who has been re-elected to Irvine's City Council is Dr. Steven Choi. Choi was first elected to City Council in 2004. Choi says he values Irvine's cultural and ethnic diversity and harmony and in an interview with OC LIFE he said, "Irvine is truly blessed with ethnic and cultural diversity among our residents... we know how to live in harmony and respect each other."

Indeed, Irvine's ethnic population has grown immensely in the past 37 years - from 18% to 49%. And these growing numbers are apparent in Orange County and the entire country for that matter.

In the end, we're all American and we're all proud to be a part of a country that is moving towards CHANGE.

~ Sepi Danosian
sdanosian@oclifemagazine.com

OC LIFE + OCRA

OC LIFE is now a proud media sponsor of the Orange County Restaurant Association.

Check out our foodie site on OCFOODIES.com!

OC LIFE's November issue is out!

Read the November issue of OC LIFE page-by-page on our Web site right now... or pick it up in Orange County starting Saturday, November 1st :)

This month's issue features an in-depth look at the latest Japanese food+drink trends in OC! We had an amazing photo shoot with our photographer Ben Bernous, makeup artist Kierra Cole and, of course, our model Serena Ishtar who patiently posed for an hour with a frozen mochi ball!



JAPANESE FOOD+DRINK SPECIAL:

Our restaurant review features the newly opened Tokyo Table in Irvine. Check out Chef Ana's take on everything from the food to the decor...

Our Japanese theme continues with a feature on the new 85°C Bakery Café (also in Irvine) which features amazingly fresh bread, pastries and, of course, the most tender strawberry mochi balls you've ever tasted! Irvine residents are super lucky to have the successful Taiwanese chain open their first U.S. location right here!

Next, we have an exclusive interview with the world's number one non-Japanese sake expert, John Gauntner. John talks to us from Japan about famous sake facts & myths as well as the most common FAQ'a about the popular beverage.

NOVEMBER EXCLUSIVE:



Check out our exclusive interview with OC Weekly's spicy columnist Gustavo Arellano. Gustavo talks about his latest book Orange County: A Personal History, his widely read column "Ask a Mexican!" and, of course, the ongoing immigration war.

Looking for a location that displays OC LIFE? Click here.

New November Contributors

November marks our 2nd issue and we're exciting to welcome the following writers to the OC LIFE team:

KEVIN HUNTER
Kevin is a freelance writer and public relations consultant who lives in Southern California. In a career that spans nearly 25 years, Hunter written sports and features as a staff and freelance writer for numerous publications, including the Orange County Register, the Los Angeles Times Orange County Edition, L.A. Weekly, the Long Beach Press-Telegram, and the Copley Los Angeles Newspapers. Since 2000 he has worked in public relations as a writer, consultant, pitch man and media relations person in the video game and consumer electronics industries and the non-profit sector, and recently joined the rest in the 21st century by writing a regular blog on college basketball.
Kevin's November article: The OC Badminton Club

MICHELLE MA
Michelle has worked in communications for nearly 10 years and has spent the past four years as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Coastline Community College, part of the Coast Community College District. She holds a Bachelor's in communications and a Master's in public administration with an emphasis in public affairs. With a passion for writing, education, and culture, she arranges her monthly column in OC LIFE to showcase the best of the O.C. educational
scene.
Michelle's November article: Building Global Citizens

BITA GHAFOORI, Ph.D
Dr. Ghafoori is Coordinator of the Marriage and Family Therapy Graduate Program, Assistant Department Chair, and Associate Professor at California State University, Long Beach. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and researcher with expertise in evidence based methods for treating mental health issues, treatment of trauma, and disaster mental health. She has published scholarship in several areas including cognitive behavioral therapy for childhood behavior disorders, positive psychology, psychological reactions to war trauma, treatment of anxiety disorders, and disaster trauma.
Dr. Ghafoori's November article: How to Achieve Happiness

ERIC ADUNAGOW
Eric is the founder and chief editor of Adunagow Magazine - the online African lifestyle publication that promotes union and cooperation among Africans and friends of Africa all around the globe. He obtained an Associate degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from Community College of Philadelphia and a Bachelor degree in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. Eric was born in Kinshasa, Congo and is very proud of his heritage and background.

Where to find OC LIFE

We're looking for locations all over OC to display OC LIFE - especially ethnic markets and restaurants. So if you have any suggestions, send them our way! Currently, you can pick up a copy at the following locations:

- The Collection at Laguna (next to GG's Cafe), Downtown Laguna Beach
- Cafe Vienna, South Laguna Beach
- Wholesome Choice, Irvine @ Michelson/Culver
- Super Irvine, Walnut/Culver
- Crown Valley Market, Mission Viejo @ Marguerite/Crown Valley
- Schlotzsky's Deli, Lake Forest Dr.
- Crossroads Shopping Center, Irvine @ Barranca/Culver (OC LIFE stand is located by food court)
- Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center @ Alton/Jamboree (OC LIFE stand is located outside of H-Mart)
- 99 Ranch Shopping Center @ Irvine Center Dr./Culver

You can also read each issue page-by-page online at www.ocLIFEmagazine.com.

TO SUBSCRIBE:
Please send a check for $24 (12 issues) to:
OC LIFE Magazine
2192 Martin, Suite 220
Irvine, CA 92612

If you're interested in displaying OC LIFE at your business, contact Amanda Bloomberg at info@oclifemagazine.com.

Bethind the Scenes of our November Cover

A little sneak peek...

CREW
Model: Serena Ishtar
Photographer: Ben Bernous
Makeup Artist: Kierra Cole
Creative Advisor: Sepi Danosian
Post-Production: Roya Bernous

This issue will be on-stands November 1st!

Welcome!

OC LIFE is the first lifestyle publication dedicated to the multicultural community of Orange County! Focused on bringing cultures together and bridging generation gaps, OC LIFE is your monthly source for ALL THINGS ETHNIC including people, events, businesses, local cuisine, and general lifestyle topics including fashion, beauty, health and travel.

Stay tuned for our second issue which will be out November 1st!