Beloved Cal's Camera, which once boasted about $10 million in annual sales, couldn't remain competitive with big box stores, Internet. There's not much left on the stockroom shelves of Cal's Cameras & Video except for decades-old boxes of glass slides, now considered relics in this era of digital photography.

This idea belonged to Fiori, who had the quickly frustrating Socratic habit of answering my well-drafted questions with, "Why do you think?" I couldn't tell if Fiori responded this way out of impatience (to give him credit, RCS hires and trains an additional 200 to 300 new employees and sets up an entire carnival in less than 10 days) or because it made me challenge my preconceived notions of what it is to be a "carnie."

Bookstore owner is organizing a trip to a romance book convention in Los Angeles. Among the attractions are authors and men trying out for book covers. Toni Bruner, owner of New & Recycled Romances bookstore… (Don Leach, Daily…) Although Toni Buner has never been bitten by a vampire, met a pillaging pirate or been rescued by a knight, the bookseller can tell you any of the fictional scenarios that would happen should you encounter one.

The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial is a local effort to honor those who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. With U.S. military personnel continuing to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, veterans groups and families will gather Sunday in Irvine to dedicate what may be the nation's first permanent memorial to men and women lost in those wars.

Temple Bat Yahm has chosen Melbourne native Gersh Zylberman, 38, as its new associate rabbi. Gersh Zylberman came all the way from Australia with his… (Don Leach, Daily…) Growing up in Melbourne, Australia, Rabbi Gersh Zylberman didn't expect to become a rabbi, let alone one at a synagogue here, thousands of miles away from his native land.

To walk every street in the city," Webb said simply and with obvious delight. The former Newport mayor walks an average of three miles a day, five days a week, he said. With a color-coded map in his hand, a camera and a pedometer, Webb set out along Santa Ana Avenue in Newport Beach this week; he is already well ahead of his one-year deadline.

Sharrows and bike safety committees weren't enough for one devoted female cyclist. So after riding into town, Lisa Kanno opened the Unlikely Cyclist, a female-centric biking boutique on Irvine Avenue in Costa Mesa. Her brightly decorated store offers Bianchi and Volagi city, road and hybrid bikes in women's sizes (44 to 55), gear, accessories and women's clothing, including plus sizes.

"Any time you're in a hospital, it's a stressful environment," said Janet Ensign, marking director of Philips Healthcare, distributor of the Philips Ambient Experience. "What a nurse can do is ask a patient what kind of environment they find most comforting, then coordinate the sound and lighting."

There are few things as satisfying as seeing the Wicked Witch get what she deserves. An audience of youngsters — in ruffled dresses and clip-on ties — erupted into cheers and laughter Saturday morning during the climatic last acts of the Pacific Symphony's remake of the Engelbert Humperdinck opera "Hansel and Gretel."

As far as dream homes go, the 18-room designer showcase on display at South Coast Collection could turn out to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those interested in design. "I think it's really amazing," said Rick Campos, owner of Christopher Tracy Interiors in Newport Beach. "This may be the only time we're able to do this if we're not able to find a similar space another year."

A $25-million Venetian Palazzo-inspired Newport Beach estate hits the market this week with at least one potential buyer interested in the property, according to the listing agent Monday. The 8,000-square-foot, five-bedroom mansion at 43 Linda Isle is a rarity when it comes to Newport Harbor, said Jim Kline of Surterre Properties, which is managing the sale on behalf of the title holder, Orange County Investments.

Kenneth recalled spending time with Margaline at church, where he would meet her out on the sidewalk in front of her Newport Beach home and then hold her hand as they walked together. "We did that half a dozen times before we decided that we belonged together," Kenneth said. "We've been together ever since."

The center includes a movie theater and hair salon specific to the needs of autistic children. An open house and grand-opening event are planned for 4 to 6 p.m. "What the typical day looks like for a lot of families with an autistic child is visiting a series of facilities for school, therapy, treatment and more," Kristin Coates, KiDA spokeswoman, said last week.

The dealership plans to open mid-February, with a grand celebration March 25. Only nine McLaren dealerships are open in the U.S., with the next closest in Beverly Hills. Each showcases just one model. However, that's not entirely true for the Newport Beach dealership. Poised as if at a starting line just beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows facing West Coast Highway is a McLaren Formula One race car driven by John Watson, winner of the 1983 Long Beach Grand Prix.

In the heart of the about 20-vendor market, there is the aroma of coffee and fresh scones mingling with the scents of lavender and vanilla from a soap vendor. Tables offer hand-crafted jewelry, apparel, art and other unique items. "I think this is really well done," said Newport Beach resident Gay Lynn Clasen, who had come to shop in the morning after seeing a Daily Pilot calendar listing for the market.

Olhats will also bring traditional French dishes, signature to Tradition by Pascal, to Pascal Épicerie and Café Jardin, as well as create new dishes, macarons and add quality wines and cheeses. “I don’t want any of my patrons to feel abandoned,” he said. “They’ve been good to me, and Orange County has been good to me for 25 years.”.