LIONS DRAG STRIP MUSEUM SEPTEMBER 16
On September 16th, 24 members made the trip to The Lions Automobilia Museum and followed up with a visit to Rocco’s Deli Italiano for lunch. Here are a few pictures from the event. The Lions Automobilia Foundation and Museum was founded in December 2019 by Southern California businessman and car enthusiast, Rick Lorenzen. Its nearly 100,000 sq. ft. facility includes galleries featuring Southern California’s infamous car culture and motorsports history. The experience begins as visitors walk in thru a 1960’s speed shop with genuine parts hanging off the walls and then enter the Main Street Gallery lined with classics automobiles parked in front of a 1950’s diner.
The visitor experience has been described as mind-blowing, as each gallery reveals the human experience with the automobile. Lions is more then just a museum. The Lions Automobilia Foundation takes preserving automotive history to the next level with its onsite restoration facility. As visitors walk through the galleries, they will find that many of the vehicles on display were restored by the Lions Team.
MAY SOCIAL CANYON CANTINA
We had 30 members attend the May social at Rose Canyon Cantina, one of our favorite locations. Great food, great view, great weather and great friends. Here are a few pics that were taken.
OJAI OVERNIGHT TRIP
The Ojai trip was a rounding success. Many thanks to Dave and Chris Hamel for putting this trip together. There were 27 members that attended and kept up the OCV tradition of drive to eat. The weather did not cooperate the first night, but that did not damper the spirits of those attending, wearing the new fashion trend, black trash bags for raincoats! See some pictures below of the event.
October 2022 Chili Cookoff
Hi I am Stepahnie Junkin, a friend of Bernie DeMarkey who invited me to the OC VEttes Chili Cook Off. Since I had never been to a Chili cook off I really had no Idea what to expect. I was welcomed with open arms to the event by everyone there. All the ladies were offered Halloween earrings made by Teri Kupper. Dave Hamel was taking names for a Corn Hole tournament to be held after the chili competition was held. There were 8 chilis carefully prepared to be judged, each having their own numbered tasting cups. Cheese, sour cream, and corn bread were offered to compliment the chili. All gathered, taking a sample of each and due diligence was done as all 8 were tasted by everyone. A vote was taken, and the winner was Henry Walker decided by popular demand.
Not only was there chili to taste-test and judge, but a BBQ was offering hot dogs and hamburgers for all and for dessert a few ladies provided baked sweets for their contribution. From pumpkin pie to brownies and cakes with nutty icing, dessert, in my opinion, was second to none.The Corn Hold tournament began bringing in 32 participants. There were players of all ages, some considered ringers, others like me novices with good luck, all enjoying the friendly competition cheering on the winners as the champion
The whole event was amazing for me, the members were very welcoming. I want to take a moment to thank everyone, especially Bob and Masko for hosting this event at "Bob's Mancave"Dave Hamel came on top with a trophy to sport for his hard-earned championship. The 2nd place winner in the Chili Cook off was Jerry Wheeler and the 3rd Winner was Chris Hamel
All American Car Show – by: Corvettes of Southern California
A few of OC Vette ladies enjoyed a relaxing fun day at the All American Car Show hosted by SoCal. We managed to win a few raffle prizes along with a runners-up plaque for the category 2000-2022. We had Tony stop by to check on us. All and all it was a beautiful day for a car show. Save the date for next year.
“Saturday, October 14, 2023”
Idyllwild Cruise Recap
BEAUTIFUL IDYLLWILD: Twenty-four OCV members met at Carl’s Jr. in Anaheim Hills on Saturday, September 24th. We drove in a caravan to Banning heading up the backway to Idyllwild on Highway 243. Plenty of opportunities to test out your Corvette and your driving skills along with some great vistas. A great lunch was enjoyed by all at the Idyllwild Pizza Company. After lunch the group spent some time shopping and having dessert. Conda was spotted with an ice cream and Val with a frozen banana. We proceeded home on Highway 74, the Ramona Expressway along Lake Matthews and back to Orange County. Thanks to all that participated.
The Merle Norman House of Beauty, or The Nethercutt Museum
July 18th: A caravan of Beautiful Corvettes arrived at one of the most elegant museums in Southern California “The Nethercutt”. The museum is home to some of the most unique Musical Instruments, Music Boxes, and Classic Automobiles restored to pristine condition. One of kind items that fit a special category of Art Form, that of Functional Fine Art. The collection is overwhelming to the senses, around every corner there is something to delight the eye. For our group we had a Guided Tour by the Curator of the entire museum. A man who not only knew the history of many the items and how they came to the museum but he was also the person responsible for all the musical instruments and had restored them! After a tour concluded for most people listening to beautiful pipe organ and music that warmed the heart. WE (The Corvette Club) were given a behind the scenes tour of the restoration shops -- this where the beauty happens, and we were given special permission to tour this part of the museum by Mr. Nethercutt. What a treat!,
A day at the Marconi Museum, more fun than expected!!
On June 18, A Group of dedicated club members spent a great morning at the Marconi Museum in Tustin it was not just a Coffee and Donuts morning. The Marconi Family is well known in Ferrari racing circles, and the Museum is famous for their support of Children Charities with a special connection to Make A Wish Foundation of Orange County is well known in Southern California. John Marconi, it turns out is a real fan of Corvettes and is building a spectacular Corvette Race Car. John had his Car Builder give a very special and detailed undercar tour of the improvements and special equipment on his current race car. It was a real treat for several of our members. The Museum itself is a really unique collection of Ferrari’s, Muscle Cars, Motorcycles and automotive art work. IT really is a Hidden Gem in the OC. IT is also going through a major renovation and upgrade. This simple Corvettes and Coffee visit has inspired the Marconi family to host a special Corvette Only Event for a Sunday in the near future. UPDATE: July 24 Corvettes and Coffee at the Marconi!!! Over 90 Corvettes, Success beyond expectations clubs from all over Southern California. The Marconi Family was so impressed they are already planning another Corvette event. This next one will be bigger and better and a whole lot of Fun. See you there!
Bernie
March Social Report
The March OCV Social was held at Macallans Public House in Brea. Twenty-seven members attended the Social. It was held in the bar area. Everyone wore green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Our hosts were Jerry and Jane Wheeler. They provided cake for dessert. Many thanks to Jerry and Jane for coordinating the event.
Palm Springs Windmill Tour
Even though the OCV “Fun in the Sun” trip to Palm Desert was cancelled, Larry and Nancy Ward decided to go ahead with the tour of the windmill farm in Palm Springs that was scheduled as part of the weekend. On Saturday, April 2, 19 cars drove out to the desert and toured the facility. First they met with a guide who explained the history, cost and types of windmills and how they work. Then, using a phone app, the group traveled through the windmills pausing at 10 sites to listen to the tour. Everyone agreed that it was very informative. They also agreed that the windmills look much bigger up close. After the tour, the group headed to Manhattan in the Desert in Palm Springs for lunch before starting for home. The food was delicious and everyone enjoyed the time together. Thanks to Larry and Nancy for organizing the trip.
Tour of Nethercutt Museum
Bernie DeMarkey will be hosting a trip to the Nethercutt Museum on Sat. July 16. We will meet before and drive up to the Nethercutt. We’ll need to arrive no later than 9:45 AM. You can sign up at an OCV meeting or contact Bernie to be added to the attendance list. The Nethercutt Collection is a multi-storied private car collection and museum complex located in Sylmar. It was founded by J.B. Nethercutt, the cofounder of Merle Norman Cosmetics, in 1971 and its centerpiece is the prestigious automobile collection of the Nethercutt-Richards family, named by several publications as one of the greatest collections in the world. The collection features over 250 American and European automobiles dating from 1898 to 1997. Nethercutt spent a lifetime establishing this collection. Each car on display is attentively serviced and maintained to remain as drivable as when the vehicle originally rolled off the showroom floor. On view are various cars once owned by movie stars, royalty and other notable personalities. The entire collection is housed in two exhibit facilities. The buildings also house collections of mechanical musical instruments, including orchestrions, player pianos, music boxes, and antique furniture. Housed in the Museum is the Nethercutt Automotive Research Library and Archives, one of the world’s top automotive research facilities, which we will be touring on our trip. Outside the Museum are a resplendently restored steam locomotive and railcar. The Nethercutt Collection is a not-for-profit educational institution and a resource for automobile enthusiasts, historians, students and scholars. Afterwards, the group will split up to eat. Bernie will provide a list of local restaurants.
January Social Report
The January OCV Social was held at the Newport Rib Company on Harbor Blvd. Thirty members attended the Social. Our hosts were Leo and Donna Mann. We had a room to ourselves at the restaurant, and everyone had a great evening. The restaurant even sent the club a note to thank us for coming out to their location for our Social. Many thanks to Leo and Donna for coordinating the event.
OC Vettes Holiday Party
The annual O C Vettes holiday party was held on December 4 at the Orange County Mining Co Restaurant. Sixty-six members and friends attended the event. It was wonderful to see some members who have been staying home due to the pandemic. A delicious brunch was served that included fruit, pastries, omelets, eggs, bacon, sausage and more. Mimosas were included and a full bar was available for drinks. As a special surprise, Dave Hamel and Roy Sutherland provided holiday music for our enjoyment. There was even dancing! And Teri Kupper surprised all the ladies with beaded bracelets in holiday colors. After eating, a holiday trivia game was held. The winners were Doris Dix, Chris Hamel, and Isabella Loveren. There were door prizes and the table decorations were raffled off to several lucky winners. It was a wonderful party. Many thanks to Janet Cherry for all her hard work to put the event together.
November Social Report
The November Social was held at Tutto Fresco restaurant in Tustin. Larry and Nancy Ward were our hosts for the event. Thirty-three members attended the dinner. We were given one half of the restaurant and we filled it up. The Italian cuisine was delicious and everyone had lots of fun. Tutto Fresco even gave everyone a free dessert to top off the evening. Thanks to Larry and Nancy!
Vettes For Veterans
Twenty-five OCV members traveled to Carlsbad for the annual Vettes for Veterans car show held on November 6. Our hosts for the day were Ron and Michael Molendyk.
The show honors veterans and all proceeds go to the Semper Fi Fund and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Veterans choose the winners of the show. This year, the turnout was much larger than in previous years, with lots of custom C8s on display.
The OCV group arrived together and parked as a group. Everyone had a great day visiting and viewing all the beautiful Corvettes. The group went to Islands Restaurant in the mall for lunch. Frank Reese and Carole Howard were lucky enough to win one of the raffle baskets. Many thanks to Ron and Michael for a fun day.
October Social Report
The October Halloween Spooky Social was held at Luna Grill Restaurant in Tustin on Tuesday Oct 19. Twenty-five members attended. Janet Cherry was our host. Ron and Val Molendyk assisted with goody bags and raffle prizes for the event. Prize winners included Conda Takanabe, Tony SIragusa, Frank Reese, Karen Goettsch, Jane Wheeler, Janet Cherry and Sue Lookman, Members were encouraged to wear costumes or orange and black to add to the fun. The group sat together in the outside patio, and everyone had a great time. Our thanks to Janet and Ron and Val for planning such a fun evening.
OCV Trip To Julian
Twenty-one OCV members enjoyed a trip to Julian on Oct 9. The trip, organized by Tim and Peggy Elder, included a stop at Dudley’s Bakery on the way to Julian. Everyone had lunch in Julian and visited the shops. Then part of the group went to Carter Estate Winery for wine tasting. Part of the group got lost and traveled Hwy 79 down to I-8 in San Diego (a beautiful drive this time of year). Either way, everyone had a great day. Many thanks to Tim and Peggy for setting up the trip.
September Social Report
The September OCV Social was held at Mr. D’s American-style Diner in Placentia on Tuesday Sept 21. Ray and Ellie Cranston hosted the dinner. Twenty-eight members attended. The diner was a fun place filled with automobile memorabilia and displays. The food was really great and the portions were generous. Everyone in attendance had a great evening. Thanks to Ray and Ellie for planning the social.
Rockies Round Up Trip
Several OCV members joined up with Diamond Valley Vettes for their Rockies Round Up trip held September 10-19. It was a 9-day Corvette cruise around Colorado. They travelled to Flagstaff, AZ on the first night, with a tour of Monument Valley the next day on the way to Moab, UT. OCV members Brian and Margaret Hoien met the group there and spent some time visiting old friends. The next day, the group toured Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
On Monday, there was a scenic drive to and from Grand Lakes, CO. On Tuesday, the group toured Rocky Mountain National Park with a side trip to Bear Lake, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the US. They had an overnight in Estes Park. The next day, everyone took a scenic drive through back country to arrive in historic Cañon City, CO, home of seven prisons! Some members toured the Prison Museum there. On Thursday, everyone took the trip on the Royal Gorge Railroad with its breathtaking views of the 1000-ft drop to the Arkansas River. From there, they toured the Great Sand Dunes with an overnight stay in Durango, CO. They went on to Flagstaff, AZ and home from there.
It was a lot of driving time and a lot of sightseeing, but the participants all agreed that the scenery was spectacular and they were glad to have seen it. A few members were hit with altitude sickness at the end of the trip, but even that did not change their minds about what a great trip it was. Many thanks to Diamond Valley Vettes for extending the invitation.
August Social Report
The August Social was held on Wednesday, July 20 at the Panda Inn in La Palma. Bob and Masako Burggraf were our hosts. This location is always popular, and thirty-nine people attended the dinner and enjoyed the delicious Chinese cuisine and the excellent company. Thanks to the Burggraf’s for planning their annual event.
July Social Report
On July 17, twenty-four OCV members and guests were able to visit the private Day Family Museum in Corona. Tony Siragusa set up the trip, which was open to a limited number of members. For those of us who took part in the visit, the museum was a treat. As the museum web site states, we were “transportedthroughout the lives and treasured locations of the collection’s founders Tom and Diane Day”. There were over 150 vehicles in the 66,000 sq. ft. museum. There were several displays that depicted special dates in the Day’s lives including Scott’s Diner which recreates the place where the Days first met and Gage Drive- In theater, the South Gate drive-in where they had their first date. The cars displayed there are replicas of the actual cars owned by the Days at the time, There were some wonderful vignettes including Mayberry Revisited: a Mayberry facade complete with Floyd’s Barbershop and Wally’s Service Station, a 1929 speakeasy modeled after the bar near where the famous St. Valentine's Day massacre took place, and much more. The museum also has a collection of Lucille Ball memorabilia, a salute to Red Skelton, and displays for Steve McQueen, Jerry Lee Lewis, William Shatner and others. There was lots of sports memorabilia such as sports jerseys, an autographed Shaquille O'Neal basketball, helmets and autographed photos. There was everything from vintage Ford Model- T’s circa 1920 to muscle cars from the last decade. The Mustang Corral had a collection of Mustangs ranging from the 60’s to today, Vettes for Vets was a tribute to both Corvettes and military heroes. The museum has the most horsepower of any corner of Southern California. There was a display of Angel stadium showing the view from the Days’ box. On the field is a tribute to their son who was tragically killed at the Hwy 91 concert shooting in Las Vegas. We were also given a tour of the garage where the cars are maintained. It was pristine, as was the entire museum. After the tour, the group headed to in Yorba Linda for a delicious lunch at Taps Brewery and Kitchen. It was a great day and a fantastic collection of cars and interesting information. Many thanks to Tony for setting up the event.
July Business Meeting Recap
For the first time in 16 months, OCV members met in person for our monthly business meeting. It was held at the Tulsa Rib Company in Tustin. Forty-eight members attended. It was great to see members coming together again. The crowd was large, but service was fast. OCV is looking for a new meeting location. We are meeting at Tulsa Rib Company again next month, even though the venue looks like it will not be large enough to hold our group on a permanent basis (about 10 people had to sit
Airport Breakfast
On March 13, Janet Cherry set up a second un- official breakfast outing for OCV at Wings Café, the Fullerton Airport restaurant. The venue offered outside seating with lots of fresh air due to a nice breeze blowing. We had a big turnout; nearly 40 members attended. It was great to see so many OCV friends again and catch up on the news of how everyone has been doing. Thanks to Janet and the Board for organizing the breakfast.
Drive-by Party for Burggraf's
Fifty people took part in the drive-by birthday wishes for three of Bob and Masako Burggraf’s grandchildren followed by lunch held on Apr 10. Cars met up at a local grocery store and then caravanned to the Burggraf home where the family was gathered in the driveway. The kids were all driving electric toy cars and having a great time. All the Corvettes cruised past twice, with some members stopping to drop off gifts for Devin, Kayden and Westin.
After finishing the drive-by, members took a scenic drive down Santiago Canyon to Rose Cantina for lunch. The group was seated on the patio and everyone enjoyed the lovely scenery. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining. It was wonderful to see many members we haven’t seen since the pandemic began, as well as some of our newest members. Many thanks to Leo Mann, Janet Cherry and Masako Burggraf for organizing the event.
OCV Holiday Gift Delivery
By now everyone should have received their holiday flower arrangement from OCV. Since we are unable to get together for the annual OCV holiday party, the Board decided to bring a little bit of the holidays to everyone’s home. Board members personally delivered the flowers to members who live locally. The accompanying cards were handmade by Janet Cherry. Thanks to the Board for finding a really nice way to say “Happy Holidays!”
