For those of you who were able to catch the local cable program Around Towne, here’s a recap of the places I mentioned on my last segment of Around Towne with Kelly. This particular segment was about a few of my favorite ‘old-time’ spots in Old Towne Orange.
I started off with two of my favorite Antique stores because you can’t discuss favorite spots and not mention a few Antique stores, given our community is the antique capital of Southern California. So, my first spot was A&P Collectables. I chose this shop because it’s quaint and friendly. The owners for 30+ years are Bonnie and Lisa Ackerman and one of them is always there when you stop by. They know everything about everything, and their presence in our community adds to that small-town community spirit that we hold so dear.
The second Antique shop I picked was Country Roads Antiques and Gardens I chose this spot because of the ‘garden’ aspect. I actually didn’t know they had such a large garden area in the back until I stumbled upon it. It was such a happy discovery, that I felt it made them unique. If you are an antique lover, you’ll love Country Roads for the sheer quantity of antiques they have, you could spend the whole day in their store. However, I will go back for the garden area, there’s so much to discover and it appeals to my green thumb.
The next two spots I mentioned on the show were restaurants because we’ve got some amazing ones. The first was PJ’s Abbey. This is a great family style restaurant owned by the Mead Family. PJ’s has been around for 14 years. The food is great and the ambiance is quite unique (given the building is an old church). They have a great patio and bar area as well, with some of the best Happy Hour drink specials around.
The second restaurant I talked about was my favorite spot for breakfast, The Filling Station. I love sitting out on their patio on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It’s always packed, you can bring your doggie and the food is great. My favorite is the Old Towne Scramble and I change out the cheese to Feta, yummy!
The last place that I had time to talk about on the program was an art gallery by the name of Schroeder Studio Gallery. Owned by mother-daughter-duo Judy and Katie Schroeder, this is a fabulous spot. They represent over 100 studios and they carry unique pieces of art and paintings, glass art, jewelry and more. Judy is a recognized painter and author, and what I love about the Gallery is the Studio. They offer painting classes, which are often taught by Judy and taking some of these classes is on my list of ‘to-do’s’.
So that wrapped up my short 3-minute segment, which was actually 5 minutes and while there are many more places I love in OTO, I only had time to choose 5. I’m still working my way Around Towne however and will have plenty more to say in the upcoming segments.
Last Updated on May 24, 2023 by Pattie Cordova