GREER WYLDER -- Best Buys

Men and women alike are loving the popular drawing and painting

seminars taught by Mimi Sharon Stein, artist and lecturer, through the

city of Newport Beach.

A new spring series of workshops is starting for beginners,

intermediate and advanced students in mixed media on March 21 and will

continue for eight Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Vince

Jorgensen Community Center, adjacent to Mariners Library in Newport

Beach. The class will give students a chance to work with ink, wash,

watercolor, oil and acrylics. Mimi has taught art for the last 23 years,

and says that her classes are becoming more and more popular with men.

The eight-week program costs $66 (nonresidents add $5). Information:

(949) 644-3151.

Sher’s Art Gallery has been offering children’s art classes for years.

A showing of art done by 8- to 15-year-olds is open to the public on

Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Sher’s Art Gallery is at 2830 Newport Blvd. in

Newport Beach. Information: (949) 675-9306.

If there’s ever a time to buy linens, it would be at the Strouds

storewide spring sale through April 1. There are bargains throughout the

store, with savings on Royal Velvet merchandise, including 275-thread

Pima cotton sheets, pillows and blankets. Other sale merchandise includes

up to 50% off on Easter bunnies, quilt mini sets, twin duvets, twin

sheets sets, goose down comforters, matelasse coverlets, Royale towels

and the art collection. Strouds is in the Costa Mesa Courtyards at 1835

Newport Blvd. Information: (949) 722-7655.

The Home Depot is surprisingly a great place to find deals on plants.

Its current specials are on two-gallon bud and bloom roses ($5.47); quart

perennial flowers ($2.26); one-gallon geraniums ($2.97); one-gallon

lavender ($3.97); one-gallon verbena ($3.57); pansy half flat ($7.98);

one-gallon snap dragon ($2.77); and one-gallon impatiens ($2.88). There

are assorted five-gallon citrus trees ($16.88) each; one-gallon staked

star jasmine ($4.77); and one-gallon staked bougainvillea ($4.27). Of

course there’s everything else you’d need for gardening, including soil

amendments, tools, fertilizers, mowers, irrigation systems and more. Home

Depot is in Costa Mesa at 2300 Harbor Blvd. Information: (949) 646-4220.

John Bloeser Carpet One is having a March Madness sale on top quality

Karastan rugs. The showroom carries new Karastan introductions for 2001

and Karastan wool rugs. Established in 1879, John Bloeser is the oldest

carpet company in California. It’s at 2927 S. Bristol St. in Costa Mesa.

Information: (714) 751-2324.

H. J. Garrett Furniture is now carrying the popular Tommy Bahama line

of furniture. The tropical theme furniture includes beds, tables, chairs,

sofas and more. H. J. Garrett is also known for having a great selection

of leather furniture. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through

Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It’s at 2215 Harbor Blvd. in

Costa Mesa. Information: (949) 646-0275.

Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” is playing at the South Coast

Repertory through April 1. The performance starts at 8 p.m. Tuesdays

through Fridays, at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. and 7:30

p.m. Sundays. Tickets are on sale at the South Coast Repertory Theater

box office for $28 to $49. It’s located at 655 Town Center in Costa Mesa.

Information: (714) 708-5555.

You can add authentic Japanese antiques to your home’s decor by

stopping by Kura Japanese Antiques and Restoration. The showroom carries

Asian furniture, scrolls, prints, bronzes, screens, stone garden pieces

and collector’s rare pieces. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday

through Saturday. It’s located at 3441-C Via Lido in Newport Beach.

Information: (949) 723-5002.

Fitigues has its spring line in; there are tons of new comfortable

fashions for women, men and children in soft fabrics. Regular shoppers at

Fitigues all ready know about their easy to wash and wear fabrics

including stretch thermals, viscose silk, sanded supplex stretch jersey

and silk cotton blends. Fitigues is located at Fashion Island in Newport

Beach.

* BEST BUYS appears Thursdays and Saturdays. Send information to Greer

Wylder at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, or via fax at (949)

646-4170.