Greer’s OC: Wine Knot raises funds for sailing foundation

Celebrate with your Valentine early this year with plenty of wine and decadent chocolate at the second annual Wine Knot tasting event from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 11 at Huntington Harbour Yacht Club in Huntington Beach.

The popular event raises funds for the Huntington Beach Sailing Foundation, which provides sailing school scholarships for underprivileged children and maritime instruction to the community.

A $50 passport to the tasting includes three tastings at each of the stations, live music provided by Eric Kufs, fine foods from Posh Productions, and chocolates from Gramma Betty’s. You can bid on silent auction items that include packages ranging from hotel overnight stays, restaurant gift certificates, spa items, vacation getaways and more.

To reserve a passport, call (562) 592-2186, or mail a check to 3821 Warner Ave. Huntington Beach, CA 92649 (memo the check “WINE KNOT”). For more information on Wine Knot, visit https://www.hhyc.org.

Participating wine partners include Pear Valley of Paso Robles, ONEHOPE Wine, The Other Guys of Sonoma Valley, Thompkin Cellars of Santa Barbara County, Taft Street Winery of Sonoma Valley, local wine bars Brix of Sunset Beach, SeaLegs Wine Bar in Huntington Beach, and Brewbakers in Huntington Beach.

The Huntington Harbour Yacht Club is at 3821 Warner Ave.

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Valentine’s Day at the St. Regis

Pamper and indulge your special someone at the St. Regis Monarch Beach, a luxurious and inviting resort and spa.

Looking for a romantic getaway? They have the perfect package — and a tremendous value: the Spa Rejuvenation Package includes a one-night stay in a luxe room at the St. Regis Monarch Beach and $400 credit at the resort’s renowned Spa Gaucin. That means that, in addition to your exquisite room, you can also enjoy a couples’ treatment at Spa Gaucin, or any other treatment of your choice for up to $400.

Or make a reservation at one of the resort’s award-winning restaurants: Stonehill Tavern or Motif.

At the chic Stonehill Tavern, you can enjoy a special six-course tasting menu, offered Feb. 10, 11 and 14. Or, live it up at a stunning oceanview table at the signature restaurant, Motif, while you indulge in a special four-course menu, offered Feb. 11 to 14. Delectable dishes include Pacific diver scallops, slow-cooked prime beef short ribs with butternut squash gnocchi, and chocolate surprise.

The address is 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. For resort, dining and spa information or reservations, call (800) 722-1543 or visit https://www.stregismb.com.

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An eye on eyewear

Looking for a comprehensive collection of amazing frames and classic eyewear under one roof?

Stop by Eyeconik Eyewear in Huntington Beach, a distributor of award-winning and distinctive eyewear. Eyeconik stocks every frame in every color from modern European lines such as Initium, Derapage, Maybach Eyewear, Monoqool and Manhattan.

They also carry premium German eyewear brands for kids including Die Wilden Hühner, Vulkan, and Spider Sense Spiderman. The full-service shop also has an optometrist on-site for eye exams. Mention Greer’s OC and receive 20% off your next purchase.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Eyeconik Eyewear is at 526 Main St. For more information, call (714) 969-4444, or visit eyeconikeyewear.com.

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Taco time

At 6 p.m. Feb. 10, join Rasta Taco for a complimentary tasting of its new catering concepts at the Laguna Riviera Beach Resort in Laguna Beach.

The foodie event will showcase Rasta Taco’s delicious signature tacos and its new gourmet cheese quesadillas.

For more information and to RSVP, e-mail socialmedia@rastataco.com, or call (866) 967-2782 ext. 5, or visit https://www.rastataco.com.

Laguna Riviera Beach Resort is at 825 S. Coast Hwy.

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Surf-friendly apparel for women

When you’re surfing you want to be thinking about slipping into the barrel, not your bikini slipping off. To the rescue is swimwear designer Amanda Chinchelli-Greer, who founded Seea swimwear for female surfers who want function and style in the same package.

The San Clemente-based line was conceived after Chinchelli-Greer, an avid surfer, grew frustrated with the limited selection of surf-friendly swimwear — she wanted feminine, comfortable and whimsical designs.

So she designed her own custom suits. After receiving attention and inquiries about her designs in the water, she created Seea (as an Italian she pronounces sea, “see-ah”), a collection of swimwear that blends retro-modern styling and contemporary colors and prints. Each design considers a female surfer’s needs, but are as sexy and elegant as can be.

Choose from a one-piece low-rise short design with sewn-in suspenders, a one-piece with a sexy low back and comfortable boy shorts, a low-rise flattering bikini and a chic rash guard, minus the surf label logos.

Seea supports the Slow Fashion movement by alleviating short- and long-term impacts of the manufacturing process. All suits are locally made and the hangtags are vintage and multi-use, printed by letterpress, and complete with a hair band.

The collection is available online or locally at Icons of Surf, 710 N. El Camino Real in San Clemente, or at Thalia Surf Shop, at 903 S. Coast Hwy. in Laguna Beach. For more information, visit https://www.theseea.com.

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University Collection upgraded

Apartment living near UC Irvine and the neighborhood University Center just became more attractive, now that Irvine Co. has completed the transformation of all seven communities in the University Collection.

The enhancement includes expanded gyms; a project center with an industrial-sized printer, drafting table and computers; a new study hall area with a Smartboard and private study room; an activities center with flat-screen TVs, pool and shuffleboard tables, iPod docking stations and a kitchen. Wi-Fi is also available in common areas — all the essentials whether you’re a recent graduate or looking for a unique living experience.

For the first time, residents of the University Collection can enjoy access of all amenities at each community, made up of Berkeley Court, Columbia Court, Cornell Court, Stanford Court, Harvard Court, Dartmouth Court and Ambrose.

Apartments throughout the University Collection also received upgraded interior amenities, including countertops, cabinetry and flooring.

Residents are within walking distance to UC Irvine, as well as the University Center with an In-N-Out Burger, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Trader Joe’s and dozens of other places to shop and dine.

To learn more or to take a virtual tour, visit https://www.rental-living.com/UCI-Living/.

GREER WYLDER writes Greer’s OC for the Huntington Beach Independent each Thursday and the Daily Pilot and Coastline Pilot each Friday. She’s the founder and president of greersoc.com, a free daily email service that provides the latest in Orange County fashion, dining, music, events and trends. Her blog can be viewed https://www.greersoc.com and she can be contacted at greer@greersoc.com.