2012

Of all the nationalities that make up the kaleidoscope of Orange County, Argentines represent one of the smallest slices of our demographic pie.

On the Cover: Great Hikes. Orange County's Natural Treasures. // Costa Mesa’s Trinity Broadcasting Network has survived scandals before, but nothing quite like this one: a Hollywood wannabe son, a whistle-blowing granddaughter, and a whole bunch of money spent on a film that may or may not exist. // Meet Sharon and Mike Hardy, Orange County empty-nesters who downsized before venturing into their new life. // A Main Course review of chef Jason Quinn’s new Playground in Santa Ana, and a Rediscovery of EnoSteak, the former wine bar-turned-steakhouse at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.

On the Cover: Asian Food Guide. Let us take you straight to the good stuff—secret sushi hideouts, Korean barbecue, old-school Vietnamese pho, late-night izakaya snacks, dazzling markets, and bustling bakeries. // See how San Juan Capistrano impressionistic painter Maria del Carmen Calvo created her own inspiration. // The tragic and parallel father-son story of O.C. musicians Tim and Jeff Buckley is about to hit the big screen. // Main Course review: South of Nick’s in San Clemente.

On the Cover: What a Ride! Why we're home to a $6 billion industry and the birthplace of beach-culture cool. // Our guide to eight gotta-have Orange County apps. // Los Alamitos’ Lynne Cox swam 2.7 miles across the frigid Bering Strait between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in water that would have killed most people within 30 minutes. But that breakthrough moment 25 years ago tells only part of her story. // News and notes from the local foodie scene, including a farm-to-table look at the beekeepers who produce the honey in Sapphire Laguna’s Strawberry Panna Cotta, restaurant recommendations from three top Orange County chefs, pickled peppers from Laguna Beach’s Mozambique, and a new cookbook from Sol Cocina’s Deborah Schneider.

On the Cover: Best of 2012! We shopped, we nibbled, we hung out in cantinas and concert halls—all to bring you the best of Orange County. // Orange County’s Lenny “Nails” Dykstra went from being a wealthy, audacious baseball superstar to a flat-broke con man and clumsy sexual predator. // Main Course: The Ranch in Anaheim

Head of the ClassDiane Keaton Oscar-winning actress (“Annie Hall”) and author, the ’70s-era fashion icon did not look the part in her yearbook photoSanta Ana...

On the Cover: 35 Orange County Sandwiches You'll Never Forget. // In the Internet confabulation that followed last fall’s Seal Beach salon rampage, Scott Dekraai wasn’t just the man charged in Orange County’s deadliest mass shooting. He became a victim, a symptom—even a martyr. // We dug up the photos Orange County’s biggest celebs surely would like to forget.

On the Cover: Special Issue: Our Ocean. Let this month’s special issue immerse you in the glory and power of our most treasured and fragile resource. // Affluent Balboa Island has become Orange County’s front line in the debate about climate change and rising seas. // O.C.'s Wondrous Piers. // We asked best-selling young-adult novelist Alyson Nöel what she knows about today’s adolescents.

On the Cover: Top 10 Restaurants. Dramatic debuts, chef shuffles, and invigorating remakes add up to memorable dining in O.C. in 2012—and difficult choices for our annual Top 10. // My Imported Bride. // A couple transform their 1959 Corona del Mar home into a restorative retreat.

On the Cover: Best of the West Coast. Seven Orange Coast staffers dreaming of favorite West Coast vacation spots linked those destinations into one 1,300-mile megatrip. // Those who loved Kelly Thomas could only watch his unstoppable slide into mental illness. Now, after the public tragedy of his death following a beating by Fullerton police, they’re ready to talk about the tragedy that preceded it. // The French Fries Guide