Best Buys -- Greer Wylder

A Christmas boutique featuring holiday gifts at wholesale prices will

take place today and Sunday in Corona del Mar. The owners of Island Girl,

Suzanne and Ali Steinbroner, will open their store on Balboa Island in

the spring, and in the meantime they will have a Christmas boutique at

their home in Corona del Mar at 605 Orchid Ave. There will be all kinds

of Christmas items, such as ornaments, wreaths, garland and centerpieces.

Also as a preview of what the Island Girl store will carry, there are

sushi-print pajamas, old-fashioned girl print pajamas, jewelry, patriotic

doormats, tees, aprons and more. If you mention this Best Buys column,

you’ll get a 10% discount on all merchandise. (949) 760-9311.

There’s a big fall sale on Fresh Produce clothing in cool summer

colors at Even Sisters through Monday. All Fresh Produce clothing is

reduced 25% to 75%. Children’s dresses are reduced 50% to 75%. Also, Reef

sandals that were originally $26 are now reduced to $9. Even Sisters is

at 207 Marine Ave., Balboa Island in Newport Beach. (949) 673-2130.

A new interactive Apple Computer store will open today at Fashion

Island in Newport Beach. Customers may experience the different ways to

use a Mac, including burning CDs, making movies and printing digital

pictures. The 6,000-square-foot store also carries more than 300 software

titles, including kids’ educational software. Inside the store, there’s a

Genius Bar, where specially trained “geniuses” are available to answer

computer questions. Also, there are demonstrations of the MAC OS 10.1,

Apple’s latest technology, on 10-foot screens. It’s near Robinsons-May.

(949) 729-4432.

Avila’s El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant will turn back prices to 1966

on Wednesday to celebrate its 35-year anniversary. The family-owned and

operated restaurant has locations in Costa Mesa (2101 Placentia Ave.

[949] 642-1142), Newport Beach (2800 Newport Blvd. [949] 675-6855) and

Corona del Mar (2744 E. Coast Highway [949] 644-8226).

Christopher Radko fans can meet him today at Roger’s Gardens during

his book signing from 1 to 3 p.m. Radko’s new book, “The Heart of

Christmas,” offers creative holiday decorating ideas. Also, today is the

only day his limited edition “Heart of Christmas” ornament (only 2,000

available nationwide) will be for sale. The ornament is a Santa on one

side and a decorative Christmas tree on the other. Radko is the designer

of the handmade holiday ornaments that Roger’s Gardens carries

year-round. Roger’s Gardens is at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Newport

Beach. (949) 640-5800.

A fall 2001 bridal event will take place at Bloomingdale’s Home Store

from 10 a.m. to noon today. The event will include a champagne brunch,

wedding tips from Monique Ruff from Bridal Guide magazine, fashions from

Mon Amie Bridal Salon and bridal registry opportunities. Other local

wedding experts at the event will include Pennington Fine Foods and

Services, Rockwell’s Bakery, Sound of Music, Barber Photography and

Botanical Images. There’s a drawing to win an eight-day, seven-night

Greek honeymoon at the Divani Apollon Palace in Kavouri. Call (949)

729-6843 to make reservations. It’s $15 per person. Bloomingdale’s Home

Store is at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

The creator of Hard Candy cosmetics, Sarina Godin, will give

one-on-one color consultations from 1 to 6 p.m. today at Sephora at South

Coast Plaza. Holiday products will be the focus of the day, featuring

Hard Candy’s latest sonic sparkle dust, nail polish, palm palette,

glitter dip lip gloss and glitter dip lipstick. Registration for a

consultation with Sarina and her team of experts is $35, which can be

used toward Hard Candy product purchases. Sephora is on the lower level,

near the Carousel Court at South Coast Plaza. (714) 429-9130.

* 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.