I was out with my husband and our two teens last year on Mother’s Day. He’d asked what I wanted to do and I thought something super low key - dinner in and a family movie night sounded just about right. This year, my 15-year-old daughter decided on an entirely different experience to celebrate with a “girls afternoon out” a day early - one that involves two of her favorite pastimes: day-tripping and shopping. So with all the premium outlet shopping we could possibly want, we’re putting retail therapy from Desert Hills at the top of the list. Over 180…

We have family friends with whom we’ve recently begun embarking on weekend getaways - trips that are within an easy half-day’s drive from South OC. Over the long weekend in February, we trekked to South Lake Tahoe to take active advantage of the epic snowfall. Then last month, we opted for a more leisurely sojourn defined by gourmet cuisine and fine wine in Napa Valley. I cannot begin to tell you the serotonin rush I get when I put up my out of office message. Especially with the knowledge that what awaits is an experience as lush and stress-free as…

When folks say ‘Napa,’ pretty much all anyone hears is “adults only.” It honestly seems like one of those idyllic, sun-soaked, resort locales where everyone is getting a spa service and playing golf while sipping the region’s renowned varietals. Simultaneously. Not to deter you, if that’s what’s on the menu for a weekend of rest and relaxation. But if you’re looking for an ideal locale to travel with the kids in tow or even the entire extended family, look no further than the Silverado Resort (silveradoresort.com). A AAA-Four Diamond award winner since 1976, the property is the perfect “home base”…

By Sunao Gilbert, MD, FAARFM, ABAARM The body consists of approximately 100 trillion cells and in one cell there are 10 billion chemical reactions occurring every second!!! Please take a moment to think about that. The enormity of this number makes it almost impossible to fathom the complexity of nutritive components required to not only sustain life (metabolism), but for the body to grow and repair itself. Imagine the nutritive requirement if you have a chronic illness and are taking multiple medications; recovering from surgery; or even attempting to get over a simple cold. Therefore, the science of IV therapy…

Outdoor Living at The Covington Retirement Community, Aliso Viejo Nestled in the hills of Aliso Viejo, The Covington greets its residents and guests with a Mediterranean-style landscape that invites you to stroll the grounds and enjoy the ideal weather of South Orange County. Tucked away under the trees is a “Secret Garden” where one can sit and meditate on the koi slowly swirling in the pond, and listen to a babbling brook nearby. Residents and their guests can be found leisurely cruising the manicured walking paths or pacing through their daily “power walk;” many with their dogs, who also enjoy…

General Home Care includes companion care, personal care, assisted daily living, meal planning and preparation, light housekeeping, mobility and transportation services, plus medication reminders. All the support to live a comfortable life that is categorized as non-medical. Home Health assist with medical requirements and duties, along with the general home care. This is prescribed treatments (administering medication, monitoring vital signs, wound care, and more) by doctors and under a nurse’s supervision. Palliative Care is comfort care to help improve the quality of life for those who have serious life-threatening illness or chronic disease. The goal is to treat or prevent…

Connecting Your Lifestyle and Technology When I was younger, my Mom loved to read me the book “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.” The plot essentially revolves around an ever-growing list of to-do’s that had to be accomplished, all set into motion by the simple act of giving a mouse a cookie. This tale came back to me recently when I purchased a new television at Best Buy. What was a simple shopping trip ended up being an adult’s version of that circular tale. If you give a grownup a television, they’ll have to measure their wall. When they…

If someone casually told me they’d be vacationing in the Sonoran Desert, I’d tell them to stop pulling my leg. Sounds like scorpions and a sunburn. But the moment a friend or colleague mentions Palm Springs, another mental image pops up entirely: and it isn’t one I’d run from. The desert city oasis is known for hot springs, boutique hotels, world-class golf courses, a vibrant art scene and midcentury-modern architecture. The valley surrounding has become synonymous for the massive Coachella music festival, but offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, off-roading, hot air ballooning and so much more. Just a couple hours…

Mobile Therapy Specialists Inc. (MTS) was founded by two physical therapists with over 45 years of combined service in Orange County. Lee Perkins PT and Patrick Klick PT recog-nized a need to provide convenient, high quality physical therapy directly to patients in their homes. “People often confuse our business with tradition-al home health care since we treat at the patient’s home, but MTS functions more like an outpatient physical therapy clinic. More of a clinic on wheels,” Lee states. Lee remarks therapists in the typical physical therapy clinic are treating 3-5 patients per hour. With MTS, patients are receiving one-on-one…

Where Medicine, Technology and Fitness Unite When my mother started dealing with different health issues several years ago, I discovered there are few things as frustrating as navigating the labyrinth of medical insurance to determine what services were covered, the co-pays, ensuring that one treatment protocol wasn’t contraindicated by another, etc. - all while attempting to guide her toward better nutrition and incorporating fitness for a better quality of life. Personally, I have always leaned toward a more holistic approach to healthcare so I was looking to escape the “process” and get straight to the result. The trick is, with…

By Sunao Gilbert, MD, FAARFM, ABAARM The body consists of approximately 100 trillion cells and in one cell there are 10 billion chemical reactions occurring every second!!! Please take a moment to think about that. The enormity of this number makes it almost impossible to fathom the complexity of nutritive components required to not only sustain life (metabolism), but for the body to grow and repair itself. Imagine the nutritive requirement if you have a chronic illness and are taking multiple medications; recovering from surgery; or even attempting to get over a simple cold. Therefore, the science of IV therapy…

The Premier Destination for a Shopping “Stay-cation” There’s a rather extensive text chain on my phone right now containing the gleeful thoughts and plans of my group of mom-friends who could all use a girl’s weekend away, with a spring-full of options to save the date. Per usual, even though we typically opt for spa escapes, wining and dining on our little weekend get togethers, there is already chatter around shopping in the feed. Spring has already sprung upon California’s premium shopping outlet destination, and located a mere 90-minute drive from South OC, Desert Hills made its way to the top…

I took a ballroom dancing class in college. The first day, the instructor told us that there were two styles he wouldn’t teach us: the first, tango. Too passionate, he noted, for a class of college kids. We laughed it off. Then he said flamenco. Too passionate, he noted for a second time, but it sounded completely different. No one laughed. Instead, an understanding settled over us like some sort of Spanish pixie dust. Since that class, I’ve attempted to dance the tango, and seen many flamenco performances - once even on my honeymoon in Madrid. More recently, another closer…

The foundation for any relationship, trust is an earned virtue essential for a successful patient-dentist relationship. By engendering feelings of ease and confidence in his or her abilities, a highly experienced dentist will thoroughly explain treatment options, create a relaxing environment, focus on each patient as an individual. Trust also accelerates results - particularly when your individual needs are delivered upon with each visit. At Southern California Family Dentistry, Dr. Hossein Jahangiri, DDS (“Dr. J”, as his patients know him) and his team of highly skilled dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and office managers pride themselves on taking a patient-centered…

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center’s John Bahadorani, M.D., is a leader in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) – a Minimally Invasive Way to Treat Heart Disease When it comes to heart conditions, valve disease is very serious, since it impacts one of the biggest arteries in the body: the aorta. Aortic stenosis is when the valve between the lower left heart chamber and the aorta cannot open fully. Because of this, blood fl ow from the heart to the aorta is reduced or blocked altogether, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. If…

I try not to use the word “staple” too much, when I’m talking about dining, or the community, a coffee shop, etc. There aren’t too many places in my vocabulary that can live up to the standard of being a “staple” in my life, the lives of my husband and kids, my friends. Bistango, however, is a staple. In November this year, the restaurant and the incredible family that founded it celebrated 35 years of service to the Newport Beach community, and let’s be honest - to the greater Orange County area as well. The menu showcases extensive offerings in…

Valentine’s Day was right around the corner when I booked a reservation to sample the culinary offerings at PUBlic Legacy - Chef Kent’s newest restaurant located in the center of the bustline and historic City of Orange. Located within the Stadium Promenade center, PUBlic Legacy is not only the brainchild of partners Chef Andrew Kent and Chad Dickey, it is a flagship culmination of their passions, experiences in the industry, and core values. The chef-driven dining experience focuses on elevated comfort food, hand-crafted cocktails, craft beer, and the most thoughtful choices in wine around. While I’m typically not a fan…

In writing this editorial, I recalled a friend once asking me to explain the premise of a book called “All Creatures Great and Small.” It’s about giving veterinary care to animals like you’d give pediatric care to children in your community - with grace, and love, and an incredible amount of passion. James Herriot’s example was set long ago through the tales of extraordinary and ordinary circumstance, but the level of service, specialization, and care lives on in clinics like Healing Hearts Emergency Animal Hospital in Laguna Hills. Since opening its doors last August, the team of compassionate professionals here…