Families shop, dine with mom

Orange County paid homage to its matriarchy Sunday as thousands all over Newport Beach and Costa Mesa attended Mother’s Day events.

Shopping centers South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island were crammed with shoppers as families took their moms for fun strolls and let them pick special presents.

Others, like shopper Andrew Strolli, were busy buying last-minute gifts.

“I put it off until the last minute, but I found something she’ll really like,” he said, holding a Tiffany & Co. bag in his hand.

Strolli said he was planning to take his mother out to dinner at the Wild Artichoke in Yorba Linda where she lives.

“It’s her favorite restaurant,” he said. “I’ve never been there, but I’m just looking to spend some quality time with her.”

Dinner reservations throughout Costa Mesa and Newport Beach were difficult to nail down Sunday as hundreds of patrons tried to get tables at different eateries.

“We’ve been full all day,” said Dave Schweickert, the maitre d’ at the Arches restaurant. “There’s definitely a warm feeling going on.”

While traditional restaurant fare seemed to be a hot ticket Sunday, large scale brunches drew in the most people, as hotels and banquet halls up and down the coast hosted Mother’s Day brunches.

The Hilton Costa Mesa hosted a special English style “Queen Mother for the Day” breakfast in its spacious lobby. Visitors were greeted by trumpeters who saluted arriving guest in the circular valet. Moms of all stripes were invited to enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride near Bristol Street, or have their pictures taken on a red throne with a specially designed silver tiara.

“It’s a great hook for the community because every mother wants to be queen for the day,” said Brian Keyes, who handles food and beverages for the hotel.

Chef Jan Pfeiffer said his restaurant staff of about 65 workers prepared more than 80 dishes for the event, including a crepe station and two chocolate fountains. Pfeiffer said his staff brought in a half a ton of seafood for the buffet, which he estimated served more than 800 families.

“The challenging part is putting the whole thing together,” he said.

His crew even had to order duplicate ice sculptures because the inside temperature was quickly melting the cold statues.

Visitors in attendance had different plans for Mother’s Day. Bob Hoss of Villa Park said he planned to take his wife, Mirna Takahashi, and her two children to see the Clippers play in the NBA playoffs at Staples Center.

“We’re showing her our appreciation, deep in our hearts,” Hoss said while Takahashi’s two children smiled approvingly.

Others said they just wanted to spend the day with family.

“I just plan to be with my daughter,” said Peri Ives, who was spending the day with her 3-year-old. “I wanted to be a mother for a long time, and now I want to enjoy my time with her. I think our hard work really paid off.”