Explore the Spectrum of Possibilities

In case you haven’t noticed, the infamous El Toro Y, where the Santa Ana and San Diego freeways meet, has been unclogged. Now might be a good time to give the Irvine Spectrum’s Entertainment Center a whirl.

LATE AFTERNOON 1 2 3

Among more than a dozen outdoor specialty vendors, the Flag and Bandanna Shop sells flags and bandannas, plus coffee cups sporting flags of many countries. Naturally Yours sells purses--naturally! Idea Depot carries Chinese knockoffs (Dinkie Dino and My Fun Puppy) of Japanese virtual pets. Shoe Laces You Never Tie promotes funky, fuss-free, bungee-like mini-cords.

So you want to be in pictures? Using wardrobe, makeup and Hollywood blue-screen technology, Out-Takes Fine Photography allows you to step into famous movie and television scenes, from “Gone With the Wind” to “Jurassic Park” to “Beavis and Butt-head.” Take home photographic “proof” of that spectacular fall while rock climbing or of that bear in your rowboat.

For the occasional arcade fix of splattered brains, try your hand at Sega City’s House of the Dead video game ($1.50); don’t forget to “shoot at head to destroy quickly.” Spin to Win and Rollin’ for Riches may foster a casino mentality. Alpine Surfer and Sport Fishing (catch and release, of course) offer virtual fresh air. “Anyone not feeling well” may not ride the Indy 500 Formula ($3), which pits players against each other via linked screens and motion simulators.

DINNER 4

The Oasis Food Court offers a number of inexpensive, casual eateries including Rubio’s Fish Tacos and Twin Dragon, but there are also five more substantial restaurants at the center, including P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Champps Americana. If you’re on a serious date or have time constraints, Bertolini’s Authentic Trattoria is the only one that offers tablecloths and reservations.

Wolfgang Puck Cafe may be a chain, but the fact remains that Puck is one of California’s most influential chefs; his menu is ideal for grazing, and the interior’s confetti-pattern mosaics and postmodern ceramics are fun too.

Sample, for instance, the grilled Castroville artichoke ($6.95) with field greens, tomato basil vinaigrette and lemon aioli. Who needs sushi when you’ve got a tuna tartare bruschetta ($8.95) with avocado, kaiware sprouts and ginger miso vinaigrette? The waitresses swear by the barbecue duck quesadilla ($6.95). Don’t miss a glass ($4.75) of the robust, spicy 1995 Ravenwood Zinfandel.

AFTER DINNER 5 6

Why limit yourself to movie snacks when you’ve got 360 types of candy, all priced at $1.89 per quarter pound, at the Sweet Factory? Possibilities include chocolate-covered Gummi bears, tie-dyed and “psychedelic” jawbreakers, sweet-and-sour Bleep Blips and red Swedish fish. “Phish” is a flavor at nearby Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Edwards 21 Megaplex features an Imax theater with 3-D capabilities (currently offering “Four Million Houseguests” and “Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun,” both highly recommended); four themed theaters with three-story screens and glamorous ambience; and 16 other screens with movie performances beginning in about 15-minute intervals.

LATE NIGHT 7

Sloppy Joe’s Bar, cast as “Hemingway’s Favorite Hideaway,” sports reproductions of vintage Hemingway photos and archival articles, as well as pool tables, a dance floor and live entertainment most nights (weekends until 1 a.m.); there are also blues, jazz or pop events Wednesdays at noon. Suspended from the cavernous ceiling are a manta ray and manatee.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Entertainment Center/Irvine Spectrum

At the El Toro Y, the confluence of the Santa Ana, San Diego and Laguna freeways.

Center open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. Restaurant and entertainment hours may vary. 10 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors under 18 strictly enforced.

1) Outdoor specialty shops

2) Out-Takes Fine Photography, (714) 450-1400

3) Sega City, (714) 727-1422

4) Wolfgang Puck Cafe, (714) 453-9393

5) Sweet Factory, (714) 727-3383

6) Edwards 21 Megaplex, (714) 450-4900; Imax 3-D, (714) 832-4629

7) Sloppy Joe’s Bar, (714) 727-1484

Parking: Free parking available in lots at Irvine Spectrum.

Buses: OCTA Bus No. 75 runs north and south along Irvine Center Drive with a stop at Spectrum.