GREER WYLDER -- Best Buys

Aspiring home chefs will love the Whole Foods Market tour on Mon.,

April 23 led by celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger,

owners of the Border Grill and Ciudad Restaurants and hosts of the

cooking show Too Hot Tamales. The market tour is free, and was designed

to give you new ideas on how to prepare many of the unusual foods that

are carried in the store. The tour will consist of samples, recipes,

anecdotes from Milliken’s and Feniger’s world travels, question and

answer opportunities and interesting food tips. In addition to book

signings there also will be samplings of recipes like opah and cucumber

skewers with jalapeno lime marinade, steak skewers with gaucho marinade,

organic yellow split peas with garlic and basil, sausage and white bean

stew, Tuscan bean stew, Tuscan black kale with pancetta and Swiss onion

soup, grilled marinated tempeh, artisanal breads, a trio of salsas, a duo

of soups and Cabrales dressed salads. Space is limited on the tour, and

you can sign up by calling Whole Foods Market at Triangle Square located

at 1870 Harbor Blvd. in Costa Mesa. Information: (949) 574-3800.

Spa Gregories has added a new facial treatment called the Cellex-C

masque. The masque is a wintergreen herbal face masque that’s mildly

scented with peppermint, menthol and eucalyptus to soothe troubled skin.

It also has alpha and beta hydroxy acids for gentle exfoliation. Through

April the Cellex-C facial is on special -- it’s reduced $25 to $90. Also,

all of the Cellex-C skin care products are reduced 10% along with the

facial special. Spa Gregories is located at 200 Newport Center Drive in

Newport Beach. Information: (949) 644-6672.

The new spring-summer collection of fine children’s clothing has

arrived at the Bonpoint boutique at South Coast Plaza. The children’s

specialty shop carries the top-of-the-line clothing from France. It’s

located on the lower level of South Coast Plaza between MAC and Fendi.

Information: (714) 557-9885.

Flower’s Direct is a local wholesale flower business. Examples of

weekly specials includes sunflowers at 99 cents a stem, spray roses at

$1.50 a stem, tulips at $12 per bunch, Gerbera daisies at 99 cents a stem

and stock flowers at 75 cents each. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. It’s located

at 882 W. 16th St. in Costa Mesa. Information: (949) 650-5700.

A Best Buy on a quick gourmet lunch is offered at Stefano il

Ristorante’s new business buffet and pasta cart service, which is offered

weekdays from 11:30 to 2 p.m. The buffet features more than 100 gourmet

items including appetizers, soup, salads, fish, poultry and meat entrees,

as well as desserts. There are also about 30 pastas and risottos

available from their table-side pasta cart. The meal costs $9.95 per

person. Stefano il Ristorante’s business buffet is located at South Coast

Plaza’s office towers at 655 Anton Blvd. in Costa Mesa.

It’s ideal for busy people who want gourmet food at lunch, but are

short on time.

“In less than an hour and at a very affordable price, our customers

enjoy a tremendous variety of delicious lunch dishes,” said Chef Stefano.

“Our buffet allows the people who need to eat and run back to the office

an elegant, gourmet meal on their time schedule.”

The variety should appeal to all tastes. There are items such as

Italian, Greek and Chinese salads, exotic fruits, leg of lamb in a

mushroom sauce, roasted beef in a barolo sauce, swordfish and halibut

skewers, steamed salmon in a hollandaise sauce and an assortment of

desserts. The pasta cart offers homemade pasta with sauces such as beef

or chicken ragout or vegetables in a tomato cream sauce and risotto with

ingredients such as chicken and vegetables in a saffron sauce or tuna,

fresh tomatoes and basil. It’s open for lunch Monday through Friday and

dinner nightly. Reservations are recommended. Information: (714)

850-9399.

Stagecoach Luggage is having a trade-in sale through April. You can

bring in your worn suitcases, briefcases, wallets and totes or travel

kits and buy a new one at 20% off. There’s also a close-out items sale on

select merchandise reduced 25%. Stagecoach Luggage is located at 2043

Westcliff Drive in Newport Beach. Information: (949) 515-9005.

* BEST BUYS appears Thursdays and Saturdays. Send information to Greer

Wylder at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, or via fax at (949)

646-4170.