BEST BUYS -- greer wylder

Early holiday shopping is easier with the new holiday boutiques open for

a limited time at South Coast Village called Christmas Everyday. The five

boutiques are part of an annual event where handcrafted merchandise from

more than 125 crafters from throughout Southern California gather through

Sunday. Items include home decorating accessories, jewelry, festive and

hand-painted apparel, specialty foods, ornaments, wreaths, wood carvings,

aprons and kitchen accessories, all in the holiday theme. Gifts and

personal treasures also can be purchased in Halloween and Thanksgiving

theme items. The Christmas everyday boutiques are open to the public from

9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. today and Friday, on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to

5:30 p.m., and on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. South Coast Plaza

Village is at Sunflower and Bear streets, across from Nordstrom at South

Coast Plaza. For more information, please call (714) 435-2050.

The 26th annual Corona del Mar High School PTA Home Tour is scheduled for

Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You’ll have a chance to tour six homes in

the Corona del Mar, Newport Beach area including Newport Coast, old

Corona del Mar, Big Canyon, Balboa Island and Harbor View homes. There

will also be a charming cottage in old Corona del Mar shown. Pasqal’s

Cafi Jardin will serve lunch at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del

Mar. There will also be informal modeling, table settings in homes and

opportunity drawings provided by South Coast Plaza. The cost of admission

is $45, which includes lunch, the tour and one raffle ticket. Tickets are

sold at Corona del Mar High School, Butera Collection in Westcliff Court,

Balboa Porch, Newport Hills Drugs and PTA member at the high school. For

more information, please call (949) 225-4140.

If you’re a chocoholic, you won’t want to miss the Whole Foods Market

free chocolate-making and tasting seminar by John Scharffenberger, maker

of Scharffen Berger Chocolate, today at 7 p.m. Scharffenberger is the

only artisan in America who makes chocolate starting from the cocoa bean.

His hands-on approach using time-honored European manufacturing methods

and vintage equipment results in a critically acclaimed chocolate that

chocolate experts describe as silky, fruity, intense and strikingly

sophisticated. This interactive seminar will take attendees through the

process of selecting the cocoa beans to the finished product. A tasting

of Scharffen Berger Chocolate will be the highlight of the evening and

will allow attendees to experience the complexity of flavors, starting

with cherry, almond and citrus flavors followed by creamy chocolates. Due

to limited space, it’s recommended to call for reservations at (949)

574-3800 and asking for a front-end supervisor. Whole Foods Market is at

Triangle Square, 1870 Newport Blvd., in Costa Mesa.

Elizabeth Benefield specializes in fine home accessories and antiques and

is having its biggest sale ever through Saturday, Oct. 30. A new shipment

of English antiques and decorative accessories has arrived, so in order

to make room for the new merchandise, there’s a 20% to 50% off sale on

everything inside the store. The sale includes all Christmas items. It’s

at 3127 E. Coast Highway in Corona del Mar. Call (949) 673-7714 for more

information.

Yuen Lui, a local photography studio, is offering a wedding special. For

$695, you’ll receive four continuous hours of photography and 20 8-by-10

color photographs, complete with a wedding album. To reserve your wedding

date, please call (714) 545-8845. Yuen Lui is at South Coast Plaza in

Costa Mesa.

In case you didn’t know, October is national Dollhouse and Miniature

Month and the Garden of Miniatures is celebrating with a 15% off sale

through Saturday. The sale includes all in-stock items -- dollhouses,

furniture, and supplies. There will also be a special table of

merchandise that is reduced by 25% to 60%. On Saturday, there will be two

$50 gift certificate drawings, and cookies and cider. Garden of

Miniatures, (949) 722-1132, is at 353 Old Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach.

Subtle Tones -- a shop filled with comfortable, casual clothing, linens

and home accessories with a vintage/shabby chic look -- has received new

shipments of vintage jeans, lingerie, ruffle wear and new holiday

merchandise. Subtle Tones, (949) 640-2781, is in the Corona del Mar Plaza

in Newport Beach.

* BEST BUYS is published Thursdays and Saturdays. If you know of a good

buy, send a fax to (949) 646-4170 or write to Daily Pilot, Best Buys, 330

W. Bay St., Costa Mesa 92627.