KAREN WIGHT -- No Place Like Home

Cannery Village is one of the most delightful areas in Newport Beach.

It is filled with historical significance, unique stores, fabulous

eateries and loads of charm. The proprietors of 31st Street are

delightful as well. They seem to combine their artistic talents and

business acumen with panache.

What better way to celebrate the street’s diversity than with an

open-air open house? On June 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Cannery Village

will host a European Street Faire that will highlight the best of the

boulevard.

There will be local artists displaying their canvases, antique stores

will set up shop on the sidewalk, The Village Baker will rise to the

occasion and provide baked goods, and fresh fruits and vegetables will be

available.

The day will be festive, continental and full of great bargains. One

of the many unusual items that will be available that day is a

particularly enchanting product: the “Cannery Painters Cookbook.”

The cookbook is a combination of original artwork and artists’

recipes. The cover of the cookbook is actually a hand-painted canvas. I

think these books are a deal at $35. You get original art, a wooden

display easel and a good cookbook. It’s an original product that you’ll

have to have for your kitchen and maybe get a few to share with friends.

Several of the Cannery Painters have provided covers for the books,

and the styles and images are as varied as the artists themselves. The

Cannery Painters, a diverse group of 50 artists organized by Marilyn

Poliquin of Cannery Paints, have been instrumental in organizing the day.

These ladies are so effervescent about their efforts, I’m sure the day

will be a wonderful event with all of the energy and passion they have

poured into the planning.

One of the new kids on the block is The Village Baker. I have been

told that Shelly, the owner, makes a product that is exquisite. Shelly

provides breads for Aubergine Restaurant, which is just around the corner

on 29th Street. I love a good bakery, so I have another compelling reason

to attend the festivities.

The antique stores on 31st are a design mecca. Each store has its own

unique flavor: country French, Georgian, Southwest, early American. There

is something for everyone and every style.

If you have never taken the time to experience 31st Street, put the

event on your calendar. The stores are irresistible, the food is fresh

and plentiful, and the ambience, just like a picture, is worth a thousand

words.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs Sundays.