On the Cover: O.C.'s Hottest Shops. We shopped the county north to south to find boutiques with the welcoming vibe, great inventory, creative merchandising, and helpful employees that set them apart from the rest. // A sneak peek at our definitive profile of Newport Beach submariner Chris Welsh, who in the coming months plans to make a history-making, 7-mile solo dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot on Earth. // Join our out-of-shape, ill-mannered, and un-self-actualized correspondent as he runs—OK, shambles—through O.C.’s hyperactive self-improvement gantlet. // Main Course: Chapter One: The Modern Local