The Giant Blue Whale Migration is underway in the waters off of Newport Beach. Over 530, Giant Blue Whales, and over 1,000 whales total, were seen in 2019. Giant Blue Whales are one of the largest animals that exist, some reach lengths of up to 90 feet. Other whales often seen in these waters include humpback whales, minke whales, and bottlenose dolphins are also seen. Whale watching takes place in the waters just outside of Newport Bay, in one of the largest protected marine areas, with over 60 square miles of sanctuary. Newport Landing Whale Watching is located at 309 Palm Street in Newport Beach. For more information about whale watching tours, see their website at: https://newportwhales.com/newport_beach_whale_watch_offer_20.html.

Lido Isle is a residential only Isle in Newport Harbor.  There are approximately 850 homes on Lido Isle, most are Cape Cod or Mediterranean style. Located at 108 Via Palermo, this 1,500 square foot home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. This home was built in 1951. The home has been remodeled and updated over the years with a spa like master bathroom, four sets of French doors and private entrance for the main floor bedroom. The home sits on a 3,500 square foot piece of property with a wide forty-foot street to Strada setting. Residents are within walking distance to the clubhouse. The second story deck, has wonderful views of the Newport Bay and picture perfect sunsets. There is a detached workshop with an adjacent two car garage. Among the many amenities offered on Lido Isle are tennis courts, a clubhouse and a private beach. 

Pelican Hill is part of the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. The population of Newport Beach is 85,000, Newport Coast is just 10,000, giving it a close-knit feel. Located at 42 Pelican Point, this 8,800 square foot home is part of the Pelican Point development. This five bedroom, six bathroom home was built in 2002. Modeled after the Baroque time period of 16^th Century Europe, this sophisticated home is filled with drama, natural light and exquisite materials. Attention to detail can be seen in the use of mosaics, hand blown glass and trompe I oeil style paintings. There is a home theater, wine cellar and subterranean five car garage.  There are expansive views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, 12^th hole of the Pelican Hill Golf Course, city night lights and color filled sunsets. This home sits on a large 13,000 square foot piece of property. Pelican Point is south of the Corona del Mar, on the coast side of the Pacific Coast Highway. Pelican Point is a 24-hour guard gated community with just 48 custom built estates. The beach is within walking distance of this residence.

Just Sold: Villa del Mare in Pelican Point

Just Sold!  Villa del Mare in Pelican Point, located at 30 Pelican Drive was just sold by Michael Franco of MWA Luxury real estate. Pelican Point is a development in the Pelican Hill section of Newport Coast in Newport Beach. Villa del Mare sold for 9 million dollars.  This 7,100 square foot home has four bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The home was built in 2005. The master suite features his and her closets, a sitting area, and a private terrace with a fireplace. The open floor plan kitchen has pocket doors which allows for seamless indoor to outdoor entertaining. The home has a 400-bottle wine cellar, media lounge, an elevator to all levels and a Savant Smart home System. There is a seven-car subterranean garage.  Among the wonderful views from this custom-built estate and property include the Pacific Ocean, whitewater, city night lights, gorgeous evening sunsets and the 11^th green of the Pelican Hill Golf Course. Outdoors homeowners will enjoy a custom glass mosaic swimming pool, spa, built-in barbeque area and multiple outdoor fireplaces. Students in this area attend harbor View Elementary School and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. Pelican Point is a 24-hour guard gated community of just 48 custom built homes. 

Back Bay Science Center is a great place to explore this summer.  The Back Bay Science Center is a partnership between the City of Newport Beach, Orange County, University of California at Irvine, and the California Department of Fish and Game. This is a state ecological reserve with a state of the art water quality testing lab and an educational facility. The center offers programming for students between 7^th and 12^th grades and research opportunities for college students. There are also volunteer opportunities for the public such as the monthly Marine Life Inventories. Each year the center has over 10,000 students and visitors participate in tours and programs. The Back Bay Science center is located at 600 Shellmaker Road in Newport Beach. For more information about the center and the programs they offer, see their website at: https://www.newportbeachca.gov/how-do-i-/view/things-to-do/back-bay-science-center.

Newport Beach is an Orange County beach front city which is ideally situated halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego. From upscale mobile home parks, to condos, to beachfront estates, the Newport Beach real estate market has something for everyone. Located at 48 Crooked Stick Drive, this 3,100 square foot home is part of the One Ford Road community. This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 1999.  This home is the Balboa model and is filled with natural light. Attention to detail can be found in the curved staircase, French chandelier, and custom window treatments. The gourmet kitchen features a six burner Viking stove, large center island and black matte Caesarea granite countertops. This home sits on a 4,500 square foot piece of property, with a corner lot setting. Homeowners are within walking distance to the clubhouse.  One Ford Road is in the East Bluff—Harbor View area, between Ford Road and Jamboree.  This is a guard gated community made-up of four smaller developments. 

Pelican Hill is a group of exclusive residential developments in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach. The five developments are: Pelican Hill, Pelican Crest, Pelican Point, Pelican Ridge and Pelican Ridge Estates. Located at 1 Avalon Vista, this 9,500 square foot home is part of the Pelican Crest community. This six bedroom, eight bathroom home was built in 2008. Entering the estate, you are greeted by a private gate, courtyard and an outdoor fireplace. The gourmet kitchen features a large center island, Viking and Sub-Zero appliances and a Lacanche range with pot filler.  There are forever views of the Pacific Ocean, whitewater, Catalina Island, Palos Verdes, city night lights and gorgeous sunsets. The custom-built estate sits on a very large 38,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy an infinity edge swimming pool, spa, covered dining area with a built-in barbeque, a rose garden and well-manicured landscaping. Pelican Crest is a 24-hour guard gated development with just 158 custom built estates. 

The Pelican Hill Resort, Spa and Golf Courses has several events happening to help celebrate Mother’s Day! Friday, May 8^th through Sunday, May 10^th, there will be a Mother’s Day Tea happening in the ocean view Great Room Social Lounge. They will be serving an English style afternoon tea, with contemporary blends, classic blends and teas from emerging markets. There will be Mother’s Day breakfast buffet from 7am until 2pm, prepared by Chef Erik and served poolside at the Coliseum Pool and Grill. Mother’s Day Brunch will be served in the ocean view Mar Vista Grand Ballroom, from 10am to 3pm. The Pelican Grill and Bar if offering California cuisine in the form of a three-course lunch from 10:30am to 3pm. Finally, the Andrea Restaurant will feature a four-course menu designed by Chef Chris Simons and his mother, from 12noon to 10pm. Prices vary per event. For more information, to see full menus or make reservations, see their website at: https://www.pelicanhill.com/calendar/.

Laguna Beach is a situated just south of Newport Beach in Orange County. Laguna Beach is home to a weekly art gallery walk, over 80 art galleries, three large scale art festivals and over 180 artists in residence. Located at 21072 Stan Oak Drive, this 2,300 square foot home is part The Canyon development. This three bedroom, three bathroom home was built in 1982. Called the Red Cedar House, this custom home belonged to a local artist. Attention to detail can be seen in the floor to ceiling windows, fireplace and window clad staircase.  The home sits on a large 10,000 square foot piece of property. Outdoors there is a roof top deck with endless views of the surrounding canyons and mountains.  The Canyon is at the top of Laguna Beach off of Highway 18. Beaches are approximately a 10-minute drive.

Pelican Hill is a group of five exclusive residential developments in the Newport Coast section of the Newport Beach. The five developments are: Pelican Crest, Pelican Point, Pelican Hill, Pelican Ridge and Pelican Ridge Estates. Located at 30 Pelican Point Drive, this 7,100 square foot home is part of the Pelican Pointdevelopment. This four bedroom, seven bathroom home was built in 2005. Villa Del Mare, is a custom estate which is filled with natural light and has an open floor plan. Attention to detail can be seen in the 400 bottle wine cellar, media room and seven car subterranean garage. The home and property are on the 11^th green of the Pelican Hill Golf Course. In addition, there are views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, city night lights and vibrant evening sunsets. This home sits on a large, 12,000 square foot piece of property, with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy the built-in barbeque pavilion, custom glass mosaic swimming pool, spa, and fireplace. Pelican Point is home to 48 custom built estates. This is a 24-hour guard gated community.

The Orange County Museum of Art is featuring Cavcedo’s Water Portraits. Wanaawna, Rio Hondo and Other Spirits is an ongoing exhibit of photographs of rivers and waterfalls.  The photographs are mirrored, altered, and remixed as video, still images and printed fabric works. The results of the remixing show bodies of water as living entities, as active political agents in environmental conflicts rather than a resource to be exploited. Local bodies of water are included in the exhibit, specifically Santa Ana River, San Gabriel River, the Pacific Ocean, Kuruyunga Springs, and the Rio Hondo Tributary. The OCMA’s temporary location is at the South Coast Plaza Village at 1661 West Sunflower Avenue in Santa Ana. For more information about this exhibit, see their website at: https://www.ocmaexpand.org/exhibitions.

Laguna Beach is the second oldest beach front city in Orange County. This art-centric city has a population of 23,000 residents. Located at 445 Hilledge Drive, this 2,800 square foot home is part of The Village community.  This three bedroom, three bathroom home was built in 1926.  The open floor plan home features hardwood floors, high volume ceilings, exposed beams and designer upgrades. The chef’s kitchen has top of the line appliances and an office nook.  This home has wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean, white water, city night lights and vibrant sunsets. There is a separate guest cottage on the property. The guest casita has a private entrance, kitchen, bathroom and utility room. This home sits on a large, 10,000 square foot piece of property. The Village is situated in the heart of Laguna Beach, giving residents easy access to dining and shopping. 

Pelican Hill is a coastal residential development in the Newport Coast section of Newport Beach.  There are five luxury developments in Pelican Hill: Pelican Crest, Pelican Hill, Pelican Point, Pelican Ridge and Pelican Ridge Estates. Located at 6 Premiere, this 5,600 square foot home is part of the Pelican Hill development.  This four bedroom, five bathroom home was built in 1995. Attention to detail can be seen in the use of crown moldings, custom lighting, and premium hardwood.  There are views of the Pacific Ocean, whitewater, Catalina Island, city night lights and wonderful sunsets. This custom-built estate sits on a very large 26,000 square foot piece of property with a cul-de-sac setting, the property faces the 7^th hole fairway and green of golf course. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy the swimming pool, covered loggias, sundecks, spa and barbeque area.  Pelican Hill is a 24-hour guard gated community with 140 custom built homes.

Michael Franco and the team at MWA Luxury real estate sold the home located at 32 Bargemon in the Newport Ridgedevelopment in Newport Coast.  The home sold on June 25^th, 2019 for $1,900,000. This four bedroom, two and half bathroom home is 2,900 square feet. The kitchen has a six-burner stove. This home was built in 2002. This home sits on a 5,900 square foot piece of property, with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy a swimming pool. 

Newport Ridge is situated just off the Newport Ridge Drive and it is surrounded by Buck Gully and Coyote Canyon. There are just 38 homes in Newport Ridge.  Newport Ridge was built between 1993 and 1995. Among the amenities offered in Newport Ridge are s sports court, tennis courts and barbeque area. Students living in this area attend Newport Mesa Unified Schools, specifically Newport Coast Elementary School and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. Newport Coast is part of Newport Beach, having been annexed in 2001.  Newport Coast is just north of Laguna Beach.  The area of the city is home to the Pelican Hill Resort, Spa, and Golf Courses and the Crystal Cove State Park and Beach. Newport Coast has five-star restaurants and world-class shopping.

Michael Franco and MWA Luxury real estate recently sold the home at 607 8^th Street in Huntington Beach. The home sold on October 22, 2019 for $1,444,000. This three bedroom, five bathroom home is 2,500 square feet. This home was built in 1989. The open plan kitchen was recently remodeled with granite and stone countertops and pots and pans drawers. Attention to detail can be seen in the high-volume ceilings, fireplace and plantation shutters. The home has peek-a-bee ocean views and city night light views. Homeowners are a five minute walk to the beach and a ten minute walk to the downtown. Students living in this area attend Smith Elementary School, Dwyer Middle School and Huntington High School. Huntington Beach is the largest beach side city in Orange County. Known as HB and “Surf City, USA,”  Huntington Beach  has 8.5 miles of uninterrupted coastline and beach. The city has a population of approximately 190,000 residents and is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Seal Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Westminster and Fountain Valley. The downtown area of Huntington Beach has over 250 downtown businesses, including restaurants, shopping and a large variety of services. The downtown area has street fairs and farmers markets, all while enjoying ocean views. 

Located at 36 Marisol, Newport Coast, this Italianate Villa was just sold by Michael Franco and the team at MWA Luxury real estate. The home sold on November 26^th, 2019 for $1,775,000. This 2,200 square foot home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms and was built in 1998. The open floor plan features high ceilings, a neutral color palette and is filled with natural light. The recently remodeled kitchen has marble countertops, travertine floors and stainless-steel appliances. The family room has a fireplace and custom built-ins. The home sits on a 4,000 square foot piece of property with a cul-de-sac setting. Outdoors, homeowners will enjoy the built-in barbeque area, spa and an outdoor dining area. Tesoro Crest was built by Standard Pacific Homes, with four floor plans.  This is a 24-hour guard gated community. The homeowners’ association provides many amenities including a swimming pool, barbeque area, sports court and tennis courts. Students attend the award-winning Newport Mesa Unified Schools, Newport Coast Elementary and Corona del Mar Intermediate and High School. Newport Coast is situated at the south end of Newport Beach, just north of Laguna Beach. Newport Coast is home to the world-class Pelican Hill Resort, Spa and Golf Courses, Crystal Cove State Park, five-star restaurants and shopping. 

Michael Franco and the MWA luxury real estate team recently sold the home located at 1309 Santa Barbara Drive.  This home is situated in The Meridian development in Newport Beach.  This 2,400 square foot condo was built in 2014.  It has two bedrooms and three bathrooms. The master bathroom was redone in 2018 with natural stone walk-in shower. This unit faces the golf course and has also has ocean views, including Catalina Island. The sale includes all furniture, fixtures, wall art and electronic equipment. The home sold on December 20^th, 2019 for $3,350,000. The Meridian is a condo complex which is in the East Bluff area. The complex was completed in 2015, with 79 units. There are great views of the Pacific Ocean, golf course, and city night lights. The building has concierge service. Among the many amenities offered in the Meridian are a fitness center, clubroom, a grilling area and an outdoor swimming pool. Residents of the Meridian are within walking distance of Fashion Island. Newport Beach is world-class Orange County city. Newport Beach is one of the oldest cities in Orange County, being incorporated in 1906.

Michael Franco and the team at MWA luxury real estate recently sold a home in the city of Cypress. Cypress is an Orange County city, with a population of approximately 47,000 residents. Cypress was incorporated in 1956, under the name of Dairy City. In 1957, the city changed the name to Cypress. One of the most popular events in the city is the annual birthday celebration of the city. Called the Cypress Community Festival, this one-day celebration is the largest single day event of its kind in Orange County. Located at 5490 Brittany Way, in the city of Cypress, this home sold on January 1^st, 2020 for $460,000. This condo is part of The Cambridge Commons Condominium Complex, which was built in 1985.  This corner unit is two bedrooms, three bathrooms and 907 square feet. Recent updates include new paint and new flooring.  The renovated kitchen has brand new stainless steel appliances, built-in microwave, dishwasher, and granite countertops. This unit has a two-car attached garage. Residents are approximately a ten-minute drive from the beach. Among amenities offered in The Cambridge Commons are a swimming pool and recreation area. Students in this area attend schools in the Anaheim Union High School District which includes Walker Middle School and Kennedy High School.