Arts & Culture in Santa Ana

Presented with 600 acres of verdant pasture to sculpt into an executive course, golf-course architect David Rainville dreamt up 18 Bermuda grass fairways adorned with colorful flowerbeds, four ponds strewn into play, and sand bunkers of various sizes and difficulties. In the three decades since Rainville’s vision became reality, the course’s trees have flourished on all of the eight par 4s and 10 par 3s. The well-manicured course has been ranked in the top 10 courses in San Diego, inviting golfers of all stripes to experience the verdant playground and perhaps occasional sightings of caddies that graze on the short grass. While swinging through the course, men and women are asked to wear collared shirts, protecting them from neck sunburns, informality, and vampire flagsticks.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 62 course
• Length of 3,968 yards
• Course rating of 58.9
• Slope rating of 102
• Course layout

UltraStar Cinemas cossets moviegoers in cushy seating as they enjoy Hollywood hits alongside buttery servings of popcorn. Film buffs can peruse the current showtimes by location to handpick an action-packed flick, romantic comedy, or chilling thriller featuring inexplicably aggressive hamsters. The concession stand outfits moviegoers with snacks, drinks, and buckets filled with warm kernels, keeping stomach grumblings to a minimum during showings and providing crunchy projectiles in case of sudden younger-sibling attacks. UltraStar Play it Again Cinemas also offers a selection of Hollywood hits for patrons to enjoy in high-back reclining chairs alongside snacks from the concession stand.

With today's side deal, $18 gets you a ticket to one of three upcoming shows at Atlanta Lyric Theatre (a $38.10 value). Performances are held within the beautiful renovated Art Deco atmosphere of the Strand Theatre in Marietta. Since 1980, Atlanta Lyric Theatre's professional musical productions have captivated the imaginations of toe-tappers, whistlers, and daydreamers. Choose one of the following shows:

The Fairmont San Francisco not only swaddles overnight guests in sumptuous comforts and grandly decorated suites, but also serves as the site for performances and conventions. Amid gilded, ornate adornments, linebacker-sized bouquets and glossy marble columns lead eyes to boxy relief patterns bedecking the ceilings and gold curlicues encrusting the archways. Patterned floors evoke an exotic feel while stretching between damask walls striped with fringed curtains.

For the past 20 years, the hotel has made environmental friendliness one of its priorities. In June 2010, with the help of Marshall’s Farm, roughly 50,000 residents moved into beehives adjacent to the hotel's thousand-square-foot herb garden—an effort to restore and support the waning bee population. Those dining at the Fairmont, therefore, get to indulge in the taste of house-sourced herbs and honey brought to their mouths by humanely raised spoons.

J.R.'s Comedy Club stocks an ever-crisp rotation of established and up-and-coming comedians. At both of the club's locations, longtime actress and regular host Diana Angelina ushers each new crop of comics into the spotlight and around the stages' knock-knock-joke-activated trapdoors. J.R.’s Comedy Club also schools aspiring stand-up jokesters with its six-week comedy workshop, and works closely with the community to host fundraisers that benefit schools, churches, medical facilities, and sports teams.