A new canvas to cover in Costa Mesa

GREER WYLDER

Newport Needlepoint, new to Costa Mesa, offers an assortment of

hand-painted canvases, threads from around the world, expert

finishing and classes. A huge variety of canvases are available,

ranging from Christmas stockings and ornaments with beautiful floral

designs to birth announcements, tooth fairy pillows and nautical

pillows. Classes are offered Thursday evenings and Friday mornings

and afternoons. Instructors can enhance your canvas and turn it into

a family heirloom. Saturday classes for children and beginners start

soon. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; 369

E. 17th St., Suite 6 (next to Plums Cafe) in Costa Mesa. (949)

650-8022.

POWER MIXERS

Verandah Style just opened at Old Newport Boulevard in Newport

Beach. It’s a mix of eclectic furniture and fun fashions. Owners

Kristen Jansson and Rani Bal created a shopping experience with

creativity and imagination.

“You can furnish your house, pick up a new T-shirt and buy a gift,

all at once,” Jansson said.

She has a talent for designing unique looks -- mixing vintage and

new pieces that work in all types of decor. Her partner Bal travels

twice a year to Indonesia, where she designs furniture and

accessories for the store. The owners complement each other’s talents

by providing clothing, jewelry and one-of-a-kind gifts that work well

together. Shoppers can also find custom pillows, cushions and

lampshades. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to

5 p.m. Saturday. 631 Old Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach. (949)

642-6645.

TALKING ITALIAN

South Coast Plaza presents “Italian Luxury & Design” through

Sunday. The center-wide event showcases the finest in Italian

fashion, food and furnishings from South Coast Plaza’s unparalleled

collection of boutiques.

In celebration of “Italian Luxury & Design,” participating

retailers are hosting in-store events, including trunk shows, special

collections, book signings, music, modeling, wine tastings and

cooking demonstrations. Also, some of South Coast Plaza’s

award-winning restaurants are offering special menus.

TREATS TO BE HAD

Kids in costumes have many opportunities for Halloween fun this

year. Local retail centers, including Corona del Mar Plaza and

Fashion Island, are offering trick-or-treating, costume contests and

more.

On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Corona del Mar Plaza will host

a pre-Halloween celebration, complete with face painting, mini

pumpkin decorating and free goodie bags for the first 500 costumed

children. A DJ will entertain visitors. (949) 720-3172.

Don’t miss Three Dog Bakery’s sixth annual Doggy Costume Party on

the same day from noon until 3 p.m. Costumed dogs will receive a free

piece of cake, can participate in a doggy costume contest at 2 p.m.

and can have their picture taken as a memento for their owners. (949)

760-3647.

On Sunday, Fashion Island will host trick-or-treating from 3:30 to

5 p.m. (949) 721-2000.

Also, California Pizza Kitchen at Fashion Island will offer a fun

Halloween promotion. On Halloween, costumed children can receive a

free kids’ meal with a minimum $10 purchase of an adult’s meal. In

addition, there will be goodie bags for costumed trick-or-treaters

from 3:30 to 5 p.m. (949) 759-5543.

NEW TRADITIONS

On Saturday, renowned Italian jewelry designer Robert Coin will

unveil his new designs at Traditional Jewelers at Fashion Island from

4 to 8 p.m. (949) 721-9010.

DRESS YOU UP

You can find Halloween costumes, masks, make-up and creepy decor

at local temporary stores. On East 17th Street in Costa Mesa, two

Halloween stores -- Spirit Halloween and Halloween Express -- have

opened for the season. And at Corona del Mar Plaza, there’s another

Halloween Express.

Unlike Halloween Express, Spirit Halloween will not have a

clearance sale after Halloween. Spirit Halloween is at 257 E. 17th

St. in Costa Mesa. (949) 548-7100. Halloween Express is next to

Mother’s Market, at Orange Avenue and East 17th Street in Costa Mesa,

(949) 548-8440; and in the Corona del Mar Plaza in Newport Beach,

(949) 718-0451

IT’S IN THE BAG

The international luxury brand Montblanc will present an exhibit

of six enormous shopping bags called, “The Art of Shopping.” Each

shopping bag measures about 10 feet high, 7 feet wide and 3 feet

deep, and weighs 882 pounds. World-renowned contemporary artists

designed the shopping bag sculptures, including David LaChapelle

(U.S.), Gary Hume (United Kingdom), Jean-Marc Bustamante (France),

Sylvie Fleury (Switzerland), Anne & Patrick Poirier (France) and Sam

Taylor-Wood (United Kingdom).

The exhibition begins Monday and runs through Nov. 8 in the Jewel

Court at South Coast Plaza. During the exhibit, customers can receive

a limited-edition paper version of the art shopping bags with any

purchase of $250 at the Montblanc boutique.

* BEST BUYS appears Thursdays. Send information to Greer Wylder at

greerwylder@yahoo.com; at 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626;

or by fax at (714) 966-4679.