Around Town: Sherman Library & Gardens to celebrate Camellia Week beginning Jan. 22

Camellia Week at Sherman Library & Gardens, set for Jan. 22 through 28, will celebrate the more than 120 different varieties of the popular evergreen shrub known for colorful blooms, especially in winter.

The week will include talks, classes and displays, including the Camellia Bloom Table. Visitors can learn how to create their own bonsai using dwarf camellias or discover how to use camellia flowers to create floral arrangements.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Garden admission is free for Sherman members; $5 for nonmembers. Sherman Library & Gardens is located at 2647 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. For more details visit thesherman.org

Wake Up Newport! to feature NBPD police chief

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will hold its regular “Wake Up Newport” programming on Thursday, Jan. 4, at the city’s public library with an update from Newport Beach Police Chief Joe Cartwright.

Cartwright will discuss new initiatives at the department and give an overview of crime trends in the city. The panel will begin at 7 a.m. and include a complimentary breakfast. Admission is free.

Free OCTA rides through New Years’ Eve

The Orange County Transportation Authority will provide free bus rides on New Years’ Eve to allow for residents and visitors to travel safely and celebrate responsibly. Rides will go from 6 p.m. through 2:30 a.m. New Years’ Day. Free bus rides for the holiday began being offered in 2002 and includes all fixed bus routes.

“Many free options exist to safely party on New Year’s Eve. Don’t destroy your life or another’s by driving under the influence on New Year’s Eve or ever. You will regret it. And families will suffer. Designate a driver, call a friend or family member, call a ride share service or cab, or take the OCTA bus for free. Just don’t drink and drive,” Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said in a statement.

‘Historic Properties’ calendar on sale, benefiting Costa Mesa Historical Society

Fans of historic homes should keep an eye out for a new 2024 calendar, “Historical Properties in Costa Mesa,” created by local Realtor Renee M. Pina and benefiting the Costa Mesa Historical Society. This year’s publication focuses on homes from the 1920s and the people who love them.

Pina, who’s sold real estate for nearly 25 years and runs the agency Pina & Co., assembled her first calendar in late 2021 and uses them to spread knowledge of the city’s rich historical resources.

New calendars are available for purchase at Kéan Coffee Artisan Roasters, 2043 Westcliff Drive #100, in Newport Beach, Eastside Mini-Mart, located at 1712 Santa Ana Ave. in Costa Mesa, and at the Costa Mesa Historical Society headquarters, 1870 Anaheim Ave. Online orders may be placed through the CMHS online shop at costamesahistory.org/shop.

“Historical Properties in Costa Mesa” costs $10. All proceeds go to benefit the nonprofit Costa Mesa Historical Society.