OC LIVE : Those Who’ve Been There, Done That Needn’t Drop the Ball

New Year’s Eve is close upon us. Thankfully, the revelry that accompanies it allows us to put off, however fleetingly, thoughts about the dawn of a new year and the self-reevaluation we’re supposed to engage in.

Of course, it’s easier to focus on the more immediate question posed by the impending holiday: Where can we go and what can we do that we haven’t already done?

There are no quick answers, but there are alternatives to staying home and wondering what the big ball looked like the moment it actually dropped in Times Square, three hours before we Californians see it on tape delay.

Here are a few suggestions:

* Deejay Gary Tesch follows up his wildly successful Halloween Funhouse at Old World in Huntington Beach by inching closer to his former haunt at Fender’s Ballroom in Long Beach. This time, the party is at Price’s Foothill, along the Long Beach-Signal Hill border, two blocks north of Pacific Coast Highway. A big-time balloon drop is the featured attraction, with live music provided by Readymix (formerly Seis Musicians Especial). Given Tesch’s attention to detail in the past, this party comes highly recommended. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance ($10 at the door) and are available at Siren in Long Beach ([310] 439-3449.)

Price’s Foothill, 1922 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill, (310) 799-2617.

* The Empire Ballroom has lined up ska band Common Sense as the headliner, with opening chores relegated to funk-metal group Sugar Ray, for what promises to be a packed and sweaty year-end catharsis. Advance tickets are $25 and are available exclusively at Ticketmaster ([714] 740-2000). This show, starting at 8 p.m., is recommended for those who aren’t worried about bouncing into their neighbors while the bands are playing (we weren’t kidding about the packed part). Meanwhile, giant video screens monitoring the countdown will provide a diversion for any wallflowers. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Empire Ballroom, 640 W. 17th St., Costa Mesa, (714) 722-6100.

* The bargain of the evening takes place at Linda’s Doll Hut in Anaheim. For a $5 cover, patrons will get three rowdy and raucous bands in a performance billed as “San Quentin punkabilly.” Hellbound Hayride tops a 9:30 p.m. bill that also features the Hooligans and the Groovy Rednecks. For $5 a bottle, champagne will flow until the early morning. On New Year’s Day, $5 will buy an all-you-can-eat plate of owner Linda Jemison’s barbecue.

Linda’s Doll Hut, 107 S. Adams St., Anaheim, (714) 533-1286.

* Finally, for more extravagant revelers, Habana in Costa Mesa offers a full evening of entertainment including live jazz during appetizers (starting at 6:30 p.m.) and live swing during a full dinner buffet of Habana’s Cuban-informed menu. The cost for the whole evening is $50; for a more affordable alternative, Habana is offering a full breakfast for $12, starting at 1 a.m. and lasting until 5. With any luck, bartender Simon Jones will throw in sangria and mimosas for those on their toes enough to make it in for breakfast before last call.

Habana, 2930 Bristol Blvd., Costa Mesa, (714) 556-0176.