A few curveball ideas for Triangle Square...

A few curveball ideas for Triangle Square

I’ve been to Triangle Square for the Yard House and the movie

theater. Have you checked out The Block in Orange? That place is so

busy. Maybe you could get some ideas from them. How about a game

place, like Dave and Busters or a bowling alley? Jamba Juice? Old

Navy? A brewery? Market Broiler?

DANIELLE GOOCHEY

Newport Beach

Maybe a little magic

at the shopping center

What about a comedy/magic club, combination-restaurant type of

thing? That might go pretty good over there. That is just my

suggestion.

THEODORE FRIEDMAN

Newport Beach

How about an outlet mall for the square

I was just thinking it needs to be something that nobody else has

in the area because it is such an odd place and what’s odd about it

-- I’m sure people know -- is that not only is the parking odd, but

once you park you don’t know where to go. That’s my chief complaint:

I don’t know where to go.

Anyhow, I’m thinking of an outlet mall. I don’t think we have one

around here. It could have a bunch of stores like they have in other

areas that people would be attracted to.

LINDA FAGAN

Costa Mesa

Career shouldn’t be built on kids’ backs

I agree with Robert Knapp’s letter to the editor dated June 23

about the accusations made about TeWinkle Middle School. I don’t know

columnist Humberto Caspa’s motive, but Mirna Burciaga’s certainly

seems to be out to further her political prospects.

This is the second time she has been to the federal government to

complain about the Newport-Mesa School District.

It’s a shame to try to further your career on the backs of the

children.

JULIE VANCE

Newport Beach

Thanks to OCC, the end really is the beginning

This is in response to the June 17 Community Commentary, “The End

is a Beginning,” by Walter Howard, president of the Coast Community

College District board of trustees.

I would like to add my own personal view of Orange Coast College,

where I have joyfully spent my past three years as a student in my

40s returning to college life. Apprehensive at the start, among

students my own daughter’s age, I returned to take the highly

recommended culinary arts program at Orange Coast College, over the

likes of the California School of Culinary Arts, The Art Institute,

L.A. Tech. All of those were not only a distance to travel daily, but

also a large chunk of change, so living in Costa Mesa, Orange Coast

College’s culinary arts program was the convenient and yes,

affordable answer for me.

I quickly slipped into the life of lectures, assignments,

homework, studying, lots of hours on the computer, with many a late

night and the dreaded exams. And during this time, I have come to

realize that if you attend all your classes, take notes, do the

homework/assignments/projects required and do well on tests, A’s are

possible at college.

You also can add that the majority of my instructors genuinely

like what they are teaching and seemed to be dedicated to their

profession at Orange Coast College, with many of the teachers having

been there for decades.

Over the years, I have heard other parents shun their children

from attending Orange Coast College for bigger and supposedly

better-named schools, but I am now one of those nearly 2,000 students

who just graduated from OCC with my associates degree and five

certificates of achievement.

I am now amazed with what you are able to learn at this college.

Not only is their culinary arts program excellent, but the

photography department is extensive, along with the aviation and

airline careers, construction, dental, early childhood, fashion,

hotel management, horticulture, interior design, music, nutrition,

respiratory care, speech-language, welding and dance programs.

Just to watch the student hour concert would amaze you, with the

talent oozing from this program. I had the opportunity to tap into

many of the above programs on the way to my 100 units there.

Graduation at my age was very special, not only to be surrounded

with my fellow culinary students, but to be the first in my family to

graduate from college, and to have my parents fly in from my homeland

of New Zealand to proudly witness their daughter’s accomplishments.

What a thrill for all of us.

In closing, I return to the subject of “the end is the beginning,”

which has been so true. Orange Coast College has given me many

opportunities to conveniently enter the world of culinary arts. I

interned at the Golden Truffle, under the wing of owner/chef Alan

Greeley, and have worked with several local catering companies: Le

Biarritz, Soiree, DeLux, Posh Parties. I have worked some interesting

parties, including a luncheon for Paul Merage (School of Business) at

UC Irvine, psychic Glynis McCant’s wedding, the annual A.I.W.F.

fundraiser at the Crean Village, a luncheon for the Tuskegee Airmen,

Pacific Symphony’s Academy Awards dinner and I cooked at a dinner

party for Sen. Ted Kennedy recently.

So the road ahead is now open for me, thanks to all the

instructors, staff and students that have crossed my path these past

three years and for what I have learned along the way ... go Orange

Coast College!

ERIN TRIPP

Costa Mesa