ALEX COOLMAN -- Retail Roundup

Pity the poor bartenders. All night long, they serve up dry martinis and

foaming pints of beer to crowds who may or may not do them the courtesy

of dropping a dollar on the bar.

It’s a rough game, with rewards that don’t always compensate for the

effort.

“Last Call” magazine doesn’t claim to be able to change any of that, but

Newport Beach publisher Edward McLean hopes it can help out in another

way: by telling the stories of the people who work to make night life

happen.

The new mag, devoted to the life and times of bar, restaurant and night

club employees, will be distributed free in restaurants and bars

throughout Orange County.

McLean knows whereof he speaks: though he’s the co-owner of Dean Miller

Hawaiian Island Prints, he’s also the longtime bartender of P.F. Chang’s

China Bistro in Fashion Island.

VIRTUAL PARENTING

Where can a busy mom find a clown for her daughter’s party? Where can she

find a maestro to tutor that same kid so that she becomes a piano

prodigy? And where can a mom go when the daughter turns rebellious and

won’t sit down to practice at the baby grand?

Such questions have plagued parents almost since the dawn of time.

But it’s only with the advent of o7 childslife.comf7 that an answer

has been so readily available.

The recently launched Web site, based in Newport Beach, lists a variety

of resources that harried adults can use in their efforts to raise their

offspring.

Everything from a quality dojo to a painless dentist is listed under

convenient, click-able subheadings. There’s also a calendar of

family-friendly events going on in Orange County.

And the price? It’s free, darling!

LEARNING THE (SMALL) BUSINESS

As everyone knows, days of the mom and pop stores are long gone. But what

new changes will entrepreneurs face as they struggle to make their

business dreams reality in the 21st century?

That’s a question OCC hopes to answer in a small business expo to be held

April 26.

Such subjects as “The Ins and Outs of Purchasing” and “Location!

Location! Location!” are on the agenda at the expo, along with

appearances by business celebs Jan Norman and Mike Scheafer.