BEST BUYS -- greer wylder

It’s hard to believe Corona del Mar Plaza is already celebrating its

one-year anniversary. The festivities start Friday and continue through

Sunday. On Friday, from 3 to 5 p.m., there will be a great pumpkin

giveaway, complete with 5,000 pounds of pumpkins. Other events will

include the Street Team from Radio Disney, which will be on hand with

giveaways and prizes in front of Zany Brainy. There will be free costume

contests, pumpkin decorating, and Halloween goody bags given to the first

500 kids. The Newport Beach Fire Department will be distributing child

fingerprinting cards and Halloween safety tip sheets. Kids and adults can

stop by Amadeus Spa for free hair-braiding and makeup tips for adults. On

Saturday, there will be three events hosted by Three Dog Bakery, Sur La

Table, and Tommy Bahama. At Three Dog Bakery, you can show off your dog

in a Halloweenie dog costume contest. It begins at 2 p.m. There will be

also be a dog party hosted by Three Dog Bakery founders Dan and Mark. The

costume contest will have separate categories for the scariest, cutest,

most original, largest and smallest. Participants in the contest will

receive free treats. A local shelter will be accepting donations for a

dog food drive. The Three Dog Bakery events run from noon to 4 p.m. At

Sur La Table, the best shopping destination for gourmet cooking supplies,

there will be a cookie-decorating event and sampling in the store from 11

a.m. to 4 p.m. At Tommy Bahama, a live jazz flamenco group will be

performing from 4 to 8 p.m. On Sunday, there will be trick-or-treating

throughout the Plaza from 3:30 to 5 p.m. All events are free and open to

the public. Corona del Mar Plaza is on the corner of MacArthur and

Pacific Coast Highway, at 924 Avocado in Newport Beach. Call (949)

725-2305 for more information.

Charles H. Barr Jewelers is celebrating its 41st anniversary of fine

jewelry sales and service with a special showing of gemstones of

Australia. Included are fancy, colored diamonds, deep blue sapphires,

opals, and a sale on selected merchandise. It’s the perfect time to get

an early start on holiday shopping with the 50% off sale on items in

stock. The sale runs through Saturday. Charles H. Barr is at 1803

Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach. Call (949) 642-3310 for more details.

At-Ease of Newport Beach is celebrating its 30th anniversary with special

purchases, trunk shows, and special drawings through Sunday. At-Ease has

two locations at Fashion Island -- the original Men’s Store and the newer

Women’s & Home Store at Atrium Court. At the Men’s Store, you can enter

to win a Robert Comstock coat. In the Women’s Store, you’ll receive a

complimentary bouquet of handcrafted flowers with a minimum purchase of

$100. At-Ease is at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Call (949) 759-7979

for more information.

Participating merchants at Costa Mesa Courtyards are giving out candies

to children 12 and younger accompanied by an adult from 4 to 6 p.m.

today. Kids are encouraged to look for the great orange pumpkin in

participating merchants’ windows. Also, the first 1,000 kids will receive

free Halloween bags. Parents can register to win a Costa Mesa Courtyards

gift certificate worth $250. No purchase is necessary. Costa Mesa

Courtyards is on the corner of Newport Boulevard and Harbor boulevards.

Golf enthusiasts will appreciate the new Golf Guide & Coupon Book, a

comprehensive directory of California’s public golf courses, which is now

available. “We feature course ratings and descriptions, maps,

directories, and coupons for play,” says its editor, Michael A. Padgett.

All editions are spiral-bound, making them well-suited for travel and

golf road trips. There are northern and southern California editions of

the Golf Guide, and a new Arizona edition is coming soon. The detailed

course directory for Southern California also covers Las Vegas, Baja and

Mexico. The coupons in the book add up to more than $4,000 in free or

discounted greens fees, golf carts, range buckets and lessons, good at

more than 180 locations. The maps cover every location, city and regional

maps, and a giant fold-out overview map highlights all the courses and

ranges. The 400-page guide is updated annually and includes more than 400

courses and ranges with more than 350 coupons. Some 40 new courses were

added to the latest edition. The Golf Guide, which can be reached at

(800) 200-4122, costs $24.95 and is available at local golf shops,

including Cal’s Caddyshack at (949) 646-7714; Roger Dunn Golf at (714)

558-0074; and Auto Club offices.

Bow Danglers is having a trunk show with New York designer Stephanie

Schuster Knits on Friday and Saturday. The designs are made of washable

knits and cotton cashmere, and come in an array of colors. Regular store

hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be refreshments. Bow

Danglers is at 369 E. 17th Street in Costa Mesa. Call (949) 642-5459 for

more information.

* 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.