Rancho Santa Margarita

CHICKEN SOUP: Kathy Vancura of Rancho Santa Margarita wrote a story entitled, "Little Man Christopher," a bout with breast cancer. It was published in the book, "Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor's Soul."
DOVE CANYON: The sign outside the master-planned, gate-guarded community with a population of 1,252, in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Richard Reese, formerly with the Irvine Co., helped plan Rancho Santa Margarita. He says the most fun he had was planning the lake behind his home there.
Soccer coach Chuck Morales teaches Rachel Rivas, left, and Kelly McCauley, during a recent practice in Rancho Santa Margarita. The head of the All American Soccer Academy in Rancho Santa Margarita has been a coach for 30 years.
IN THE BAG: Rich Kasalo, general manager of Natala Coffee in Rancho Santa Margarita, holds a bag of his coffee while Juan Perez bags roasted beans for shipping.

By Orange County Register | Orange County Register

November 6, 2006 at 3:00 a.m.

The Millenium brought the 33rd city to Orange County: Rancho Santa Margarita became official on Jan. 1, 2000.

The city was planned as an “urban village,” offering the best of two worlds: all the elements and advantages of a city plus the quality of life of a small town.

In 1996, Rancho Santa Margarita crafted the notion of an “urban village” idea into a vision statement: “a small city with the soul of a small village.”

Located along the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, Rancho Santa Margarita is still in the process of developing a community foundation for its 49,249 residents. Police services are provided through a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Fire protection is provided through the Orange County Fire Authority.

The city’s soul might be found at O’Neill Regional Park. The county park is situated in Trabuco and Live Oak Canyons where hikers can find themselves surrounded by heavily wooded coast live oak and sycamore trees. The park offers overnight camping, a children’s playground, nature walks and picnic areas.

During July and August, residents and visitors alike can enjoy Rancho Santa Margarita’s Concert series on Saturday evenings. The concerts are held in the Edwards Cinema courtyard in the Rancho Santa Margarita Town Center.

Make sure to sample the abundant variety of dishes Rancho Santa Margarita restaurants have to offer. If you’re in the mood for Italian, stop by San Giovanni Ristorante located in Dove Canyon, where they feature “blonde” lasagna. Their menu describes it as chicken, artichoke hearts, and three cheeses layered with creamy béchamel sauce. Other restaurants in the area providing a variety of eating choices include Celinda’s: The Original Mexican Deli, Little Tokyo and Ballpark Pizza Team.

If you’re in the mood to do a little shopping, the Shops at Mission Viejo are only 15 minutes away. The Shops, located on Crown Valley Parkway, hold such big-name department stores as Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s. The new dining veranda features two new restaurants: California Cafe Bar & Grill and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.