Talk about multicultural! As headquarters for many companies doing global business and UC Irvine, which attracts an international student body and faculty, Irvine is a veritable United Nations of cuisine and culture. If you’re looking at new homes in Orange County and thinking about putting down roots you’ll want to read this Irvine Travelogue blog. Let Taylor Morrison guide you on a mini-tour around the world. No passport required to explore Irvine, a community of diversity!
A World of Fun Festivals
Irvine hosts dozens of festivals all year long. Many of them are celebrations of ethnic heritage and traditions. So they’re a wonderful introduction to the food, art, music and games of different cultures. They’re almost always family-friendly, too, giving children a fun way to experience different tastes and ideas. Here’s a small sample of Irvine’s multicultural festival calendar:
- The Global Village Festival – September 22 at Orange County Great Park
If you only have one day to see the world, make this your destination. Admission is free and you enjoy over 100 live performances, sample exotic cuisine, learn about different religious ideas and traditions at various forums and shop the world in the marketplace. Learn more. - Armenian Festival of Orange County – Oct. 6, St. Mary Armenia Apostolic Church, Costa Mesa
Traditional Armenian foods, pastries, live music, folk dancing and kids zone. $3 adults/ kids under 10 free. No pets. - Dawali Festival – October, Hosted by the Irvine Ektaa Center
A vibrant celebration of Indian cultural expressed through food, art and live performances. - Persian New Year Festival – March 2019
The annual Nowruz celebration is hosted each March by the local Iranian American Community Group and includes food, children’s activities, cultural displays and backgammon. Visit iac-group.org for details. - New World Flamenco Fest – March 2019
Enjoy the colors, sights and sounds of this thrilling music through masterful live performances. - Irvine Korean Festival – May 2019 – Irvine Civic Center
Sample food, listen to music, shops for crafts and watch live performance at this annual event. - A Taste of Greece Festival – June 2019 at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church
An annual weekend event with authentic Greek food, dancing, pastries (yum, baklava) and more.
Check out the list of Irvine’s local multicultural organizations and contact them individually to learn if they have an event or festival that might be of interest to you. Or visit Find a Festival.
Food, Glorious Food
Can’t wait for a festival? No time to fly to a far-flung destination? No worries. Irvine is a genuine melting pot of authentic ethnic cuisine: every kind of American, southeast Asian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean, Polynesian, South American (Argentina to Venezuela and all points in between), Caribbean, Mexican, Middle Eastern and a few exotic North African and Ethiopian delights too. Here’s a taste of some of our favorites, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and just ‘cuz it smells soooo good.
- Texas de Brazil – all you can eat Brazilian BBQ.
- Bruxie – Chicken and waffle sandwiches. Nuff said.
- Hokkaido Ramen Santouka – recommended by our resident ramen maven. You’ll find this cash-only shop in the food court at Mitsuwa Marketplace.
- A&J Restaurant – Taiwanese comfort food including spicy beef noodle soup.
- Wheel of Life – Vegetarian Thai.
- Piadina – Italian market sandwiches.
- 85 Degrees C Bakery & Café – sometimes only buttery, flaky baked goods will do. Pull a tray and stack up your pastries.
- Abyssian Restaurant – take-out or eat-in Ethiopian food.
Food trucks, of course, are a yummy way to try out new taste treats. Irvine is loaded with choices. Like:
- Dos Chinos – fusion Asian and Mexican (hmmmm)
- Falosophy – a gourmet hummus and falafel shop on wheels
- Sana’s Curry Bowl – Indian and Pakistani
- The Coconut Truck – Cambodian-inspired sandwiches
- Sol Agave – upscale organic Mexican fresh seafood, pork and chicken as well as traditional Mex
See more Irvine food trucks and get more detail here.
Come Home to Cosmopolitan Irvine
You get the idea from a quick trip around the world that Irvine truly is the most culturally diversified of cities…which makes it a great place to live, work, play and raise a family. It’s conveniently located in the heart of Orange County, one of America’s largest planned urban communities and it’s also recognized as one of the most successful. Irvine has drawn on its great location, naturally beautiful surroundings and darned nice SoCal weather to become a true international crossroad for business, commerce, innovation and education. And if you need a little frosting on that cake, you’re not far from the Pacific Ocean, mountain resorts and the international border. So, let’s make your hunt for an Irvine home easier than finding the best pad thai.
You can start your search from scratch at TaylorMorrison.com. Our you can begin and end it at our new Orange County homes at Cadence Park. That’s the newest village in the Orange County Great Park master plan. It’s close to top-notch Irvine schools, major employers, dining (of course), every-day and world-class shopping and tons of recreation. It’s also home of our new Muse at Cadence Park community. The official grand opening is set for August, and if you join the VIP list you’ll be sure to get an email invite along with other useful updates. But you don’t have to wait because Muse is now pre-selling. Just give us a call at 949-341-1221 to schedule an appointment. Some homes will be ready for move-in as early as this October. You can see the quick move-in selection here and view all the floor plan selections here.
