Each week, Arts Orange County and Culture OC deliver you this look at the stories and events happening in our arts and cultural community.

Nochebuena: A Christmas Spectacular with Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles & Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar

This warm, enriching celebration of holiday traditions from the diverse regions and cultural influences of Mexico is fast becoming one of the brightest highlights of Orange County's December - taking the stage tonight and tomorrow at the Musco Center for the Arts and Chapman University MORE

Anne Marie Panoringan Joins Honeysuckle to Talk Food Journalism

Our food columnist, Anne Marie Panoringan, joined Dzung Lewis of Honeysuckle in a recent video on Lewis' YouTube channel.

They talk about how Panoringan approaches her work as an food journalist and they take a visit to Dolan’s Uyghur Cuisine in Alhambra.

Pacific Symphony in Transition, Part 1: An Ambitious Young Orchestra Survives Some Growing Pains

Back in the mid-1980s, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra (as it was then known) was well on its way to becoming a major ensemble — an extraordinary achievement for a group that had played its first concert only a few years before, in December of 1979, as the Pacific Chamber Orchestra.

Under its energetic and ambitious music director, California State University Fullerton music professor Keith Clark, the cobbled-together group, working under per-service contracts, showed an impressive level of skill and flexibility. Many of its members were successful freelance musicians who made much of their income in Southern California’s film, TV and recording industries. They were supplemented by talented younger musicians, most of them recent graduates of music departments at CSUF and other local universities.

Meet David Ellenstein, Laguna Playhouse’s New(est) Artistic Director

For just over a year now, David Ellenstein has served as the artistic director of Laguna Playhouse – at first in an interim capacity before his tenure was solidified this past spring when the theater company’s board made the appointment permanent.

Each week, we recommend a variety of events and experiences from the listings at SparkOC.com, our free website for Orange County's arts and cultural community.

The Nutcracker

A cast of hundreds takes the stage at the Irvine Barclay Theatre for the colorful and spectacular full-length staging of Tchaikovsky's holiday classic by the Festival Ballet Theatre MORE

Snoopy House Holiday

It's free to explore the festivites at Costa Mesa's City Hall and its centerpiece display of a lit-up doghouse belonging to the legendary Peanuts character MORE

Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas

A family-friendly hour-long musical featuring the beloved children's book character live on stage at the Chance Theater MORE

An Ode to Angelo's and Vinci's Ristorante

An indelible part of the community and culture of Fullerton for over 50 years, site of countless memories made and meals shared, the beloved Italian restaurant gets a much-deserved look back in a unique exhibit at the Fullerton Museum Center MORE