Surf and skate culture on display at international museum

BEST BUYS

The Huntington International Surf Museum is the place to see surf

culture exhibits. The latest exhibit features posters, brochures,

t-shirts and artifacts from around the world. Teams of surfers

representing 40 countries contributed to the exhibit. The surf museum

also has a skateboard exhibit, a skin diving exhibit and a Rendezvous

Ballroom Reunion exhibit. The skateboard exhibit won’t disappoint

hard-core skate culture fans. Skateboards dating back from the 1950s

are on display, including skate cars, slalom boards, vertical,

downhill, long boards and motorized boards from 12 inches to nine

feet. The skin diving exhibit shows the earliest face masks, swim

fins, spear guns, dive gear; plus skin diving photos and stories. The

Rendezvous Ballroom Reunion exhibit shows memorabilia from the Galaxy

Concert Theater’s second annual reunion held in March, 2000. The

event was put together to reunite bands and pay tribute to the music

of the Rendezvous Ballroom era. The concert featured Dick Dale “King

of The Surf Guitar” plus The Chantays, The Lively Ones, The Belairs,

The Nocturnes, Jon and the Nightriders and The Eliminators. The huge

ballroom built in 1928, could hold up to 3,000 people, and had more

than 160 feet of beach frontage along what is now Ocean Front

Boulevard on the Balboa Peninsula. The big dance bands that played

there during the 30s and 40s were, Artie Shaw, Ozzie Nelson, Benny

Goodman, Guy Lombardo, Bob Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, Stan Kenton and many

more. The Huntington Beach Surf Museum also has a great gift shop to

find surf-related merchandise. The shop carries a huge selection of

surf music, CD’s, videos, DVD’s, books, posters, decals, framed

pictures, t-shirts and more. Museum memberships are available for as

little as $20 a year for an individual membership, to a lifetime

membership for $250. If you become a member of the museum you’ll get

a 10% to 15% off in the gift shop, discounts at local retailers, free

museum admission and more. The museum is at 411 Olive Ave. in Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 960-3483.

Making meals easy

To make life easier for busy people, the Champagne French Bakery &

Cafe makes attractive platters ideal for business events or special

occasions. There’s a breakfast tray, which serves nine to 12 people,

for $21.75. That includes pastries -- croissants, Danishes, muffins

and scones. A specialty sandwich tray at $4.25 per person includes a

variety of cold sandwiches served on fresh baguettes. A specialty

quiche tray at $3.25 per person includes an assortment of quiches.

The dessert tray, which serves nine to 12 people for $39.75 includes

a nice selection of cakes, tarts and cookies. It’s at 215 Main St. in

Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 374-7872.

A new beauty mecca

Pure Beauty Salon is a new lifestyle beauty store and hair salon

that carries top of the line beauty products for hair and skin from

hard to find spa lines. Product lines available include Leonor Greyl,

Graham Web, Terax, Philip B., Dermalogica, Murad and Decleor. The

full-service hair salon also has an esthetician and a makeup artist.

The salon offers every kind of hair and beauty treatment you can

think of and it specializes in up dos for special occasions. Pure

Beauty Salon is at Seacliff Village at 7041 Yorktown Ave. in

Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 374-5007.

For the little rascal

You’ll be able to find darling boys’ and girls’ clothing at Rascal

to Rebels in Huntington Beach. The apparel shop carries clothing for

newborns to size 14 for girls and boys. Its also filled with baby

accessories, bathing suits, blankets, robes, stuffed animals,

jewelry, books, hats and a casual women’s line. If you can’t stand

the look of your baby wipe container you can disguise it in a more

attractive “hide-a-wipes” box for $22. One of the store’s most

popular items are the Italian charm bracelets that start out as a

base of 14 blank stainless steel links that you can personalize with

14 k gold and enamel charms. Its new summer store hours are Monday to

Wednesday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.,

Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Rascals to Rebels is also in the Seacliff Village at 7101 Yorktown

Ave. in Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 374-9937.

At the beach

Tourists and locals can find what they’re looking for at Beach

Island Gifts in Huntington Beach. The store is packed full of every

kind of souvenir you could imagine, but there are also t-shirts,

hats, towels, sandals, sunglasses and sunscreen. It’s at 127 Main St.

in Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 374-9428.

Good clutter

If your home doesn’t have enough stuff in it, you can always stop

by Clutter and stock up. The home and garden store is filled with

antiques, clothing, Christmas decor and more. It’s at 18782 Main St.

No. 5 in Huntington Beach. Information: (714) 596-6986.

* BEST BUYS Send information to Greer Wylder at

greerwylder@yahoo.com or 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, or via

fax at (949) 646-4170.