Kaiser is opening a facility in south Orange County on Tuesday, Jan. 27, replacing the healthcare provider’s original Aliso Viejo medical offices a few miles away.
Aliso Creek Medical Offices at 800 Freedom Lane will offer a range of primary and specialty care services. The 42,000-square-foot facility offers primary care (family and internal medicine), pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, lab, pharmacy, physical therapy, radiology and mammography.
Kaiser said its former medical office facility at 24502 Pacific Park Drive will remain open for behavioral health services.
Some of the features in the new facility include:
Exam rooms equipped with videoconferencing and telehealth capabilities
Large monitors in each room for displaying patient-specific medical information (X-ray images and lab results). The monitors also can provide virtual language interpreters.
Waiting areas will display dashboards with estimated wait times and also help get members to next destination.
Address: 800 Freedom Lane
Curl Fitness opens in Laguna Niguel
Curl Fitness is open at Ocean Ranch Village in Laguna Niguel.
The gym offers the usual fitness equipment and amenities, weights, cardio equipment and personal trainers. The remodeled facility also features a workout floor.
“Our new Laguna Niguel location stands as one of our most exciting reconstruction efforts,” said Victor Poma, CEO of Curl Fitness. “Years of careful planning have culminated in a complete ground-up transformation of the former facility — we’ve doubled both the training floor and sauna space and introduced coveted features like outdoor in-ground cold plunge and pool facilities overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”
The shopping center owned by Shea Properties is also home to Trader Joe’s, Cinépolis luxury cinemas, Bottega Angelina’s and several fast-casual dining options. Last week we reported on residents’ chatter that hinted Trader Joe’s might be shifting to a larger store within the shopping center. The supermarket chain declined to confirm the rumor.
Address: 32331 Golden Lantern (at Camino del Avion)
Art Walk seeks adult and kid entrants
Rancho Mission Viejo is hosting an Art Walk + Children’s Entrepreneur Market on Feb. 28.
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Pavilion. Address: 2 Tierno Road, Rancho Mission Viejo
Visitors will see art on display and for sale by local Orange County artists as well as goods and homemade items for sale by children. Food trucks will provide breakfast and lunch options for purchase.
Artist registration ends on Wednesday, Feb.11.
For the Children’s Entrepreneur Market registration, parents can fill out an online Google form. Registration for children ends on Friday, Feb. 27. For more information, go to kidsmarkets.com/event/rancho-mission-viejo
For more information or any questions, email ranchlife@rmvranchlife.com or call 949-625-6500.
Milestones
K9 officer Knight is trading in his badge for “a life of well-earned rest at home with his family” as he retires from the Huntington Beach Police Department. Knight worked with the department for seven years, helping his partner with suspect apprehensions, evidence searches and officer safety, according to HBPD. The Belgina Malinois conducted more than 200 searches and was involved in 13 apprehensions in which he bit the suspects. His job also entailed public demonstrations with the department. Knight will be honored for his work at 6 p.m. at the Feb. 3 city council meeting.
News recap
Din Tai Fung in Irvine: The popular dumpling restaurant has is opening Feb. 6 at the Irvine Spectrum Center, according to food reporter Brock Keeling. Expect long lines. Reservations typically open a month before the dine date. Reservations are open but walk-in seating won’t happen until a later date, Keeling reported last week. The restaurant has been expanding, with another new location coming to Brea. The small, family-owned chain debuted in Orange County at South Coast Plaza in 2014; it also opened to great fanfare in Downtown Disney in 2024.
Sender One in Aliso Viejo: The climbing gym opens Feb. 1 at The Commons on Aliso Creek Road. The 24,000-square-foot Sender One will offer rope climbing, bouldering, yoga, and fitness, plus Sender City, a climbing zone just for kids.
Another Barnes & Noble coming to OC: The bookseller that withdrew from the mall spectrum more than a dozen years ago is on a comback tour. Barnes & Noble has leased space at South Coast Plaza’s Macy’s Home wing, across Bear Street from the main retail center. The company expects to open that store, its cafe and outdoor patio by summer. Newer locations also can be found at the Outlets at Orange (in the former Van’s Skate Park), in Brea and at the District at Tustin Legacy shopping center (in the former Aki Home store).
Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.