BEST BUYS -- greer wylder

With the holidays just around the corner, the Orange County Market Place

has scheduled extra days for the shopping and festive season ahead. The

regular weekend swap meet held at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa

Mesa will offer several Market Place dates, including some weekdays in

conjunction with Thanksgiving and Christmas. The new dates are as

follows: On Friday, hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. This coming weekend,

hours are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is a regular operating weekend.

The Christmas Market Place begins Dec. 21 and runs through Dec. 23 from 7

a.m. to 4 p.m. Festivities during the holidays include thousands of gift

ideas, food and entertainment in an outdoor setting. Santa has started

making his visits on the weekends through Dec. 23. Kids and adults can

have their picture taken with Santa as they “hang 10” on the wave photo

booth. Admission to the Market Place is $1, and children 12 and younger

are free. General parking is free, but preferred parking is available for

$3. In honor of the holidays, the Market Place will be closed the

weekends of Dec. 25-26, and Jan. 1-2. After the Christmas Market Place,

which will be the last operating days of 1999, the Market Place will

reopen the weekend of Jan. 8-9. The Orange County Market Place is at 88

Fair Drive, just off the 55 Freeway in Costa Mesa.

Traditional Jewelers is celebrating the millennium and its 20th

anniversary with the grand reopening of its Fashion Island store. For the

past 18 months, Traditional Jewelers has been redesigning and expanding

its flagship store. The new store is 2,000 square feet larger. It carries

25 premier European watch manufacturers and top U.S. and European jewelry

designers. It also has an in-store jeweler and watchmaker. “We have

designed a store that is as magnificent as the jewels we offer,” says

owner Marion Halfacre. “Our goal was to increase product selection and

enchant visitors with a new visual elegance. We are sure that our new

design, with hand-painted murals, custom designed master workstations and

curved vault counters, achieves our goal.” The new store has a

recomposition of Michelangelo’s “God Creating Man” in a 50-foot

hand-painted ceiling mural of “God Creating Man and Woman.” In the

timepiece room, there is another recomposition of Michelangelo’s “God

Creating Stars and Planets” as “God’s Creation of Time.” There is also a

30-foot hand-painted wall mural of a traditional clock dial as you enter

the room. Store merchandising has also reached a new high with

first-of-its-kind elegant curved security counters; never-before-used,

paper-thin light boxes to illuminate precious jewels; custom Lalique and

MontBlanc displays; and a 36-inch, four-sided, gold- and silver-plated

Rolex Tower Clock. For more information, call (949) 721-9010.

Summerhill Floral & Gifts is having a 50% off fall and Christmas sale.

Included in the sale are wreaths, topiaries and floral arrangements. The

store is filled with gifts, antiques, specialty furniture, and custom

florals. It’s at 369 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa. For more information,

call (949) 646-6745.

Carol Davis of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum says the museum, “is

the place for lovely one-of-a-kind gifts for those nautically inclined

folks on your shopping list.” Davis says the museum is filled with

decorating items, Christmas ornaments, ties and boat models of all types.

The museum is at 151 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. For more

details, call (949) 673-7863.

Just in time for the holidays, Alegria Imports is celebrating the grand

opening of its remodeled store. Located in Fashion Island’s Atrium Park

near the escalator to the Bloomingdale’s Home Store, Alegria now carries

an even larger selection of home decor, including its unique signature

pewter, ceramics and botanicals. Alegria offers a contemporary and

eclectic mix of home accessories imported from Mexico, such as polished

pewter frames, serving pieces, platters, chandeliers, candlesticks, lamps

and tile-edged mirrors. Alegria has many exclusive designs, as well as a

popular bridal registry service. The store originated as a kiosk tenant

in 1995 and quickly became a favorite addition to Fashion Island. It

later opened a store in its current location in 1997.

* 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.