Valentine's Day Activities
On Tuesday, February 13, staff from the Public Works Engineering team spent time volunteering at the Brea Senior Center. The team was tasked to break down cardboard boxes and help set up and serve lunch to the seniors. The Engineering team had a great time interacting with Brea community members and seeing the Brea Senior Center decorated for Valentine’s Day.
On Wednesday, February 14, City of Brea staff celebrated Valentine’s Day by getting creative and making Valentine's Day cards for the seniors to deliver to them at their Valentine's Day Dance. Throughout Valentine's Day, staff took a break and collectively made 200 cards. Every senior at the dance received a card and they expressed how happy they were to receive a Valentine's Day gram. This idea came from our Public Works Permit Tech, Kristen Kaake. She, along with other Public Works staff, spent their day off serving lunch and delivering the grams to the seniors at their celebration.
Brea Business Spotlight
The City of Brea would like to highlight recent additions to the business community.
Bread Breakers Deli House
Bread Breakers Deli House is now open at the Brea Gateway Center. Guests can enjoy breakfast meals all day, savory sandwiches and hearty salads crafted from locally-sourced ingredients. The name, Bread Breakers Deli House, takes inspiration from the phrase “Let Us Break Bread," which embodies genuine hospitality and community. The restaurant aims to establish itself as a new brunch spot for Breans by inviting guests to break bread together.
Enchanted Coffee Bar
Indulge in a cup of espresso at Enchanted Coffee Bar, nestled in Downtown Brea. Guests can select from an array of beverages, ranging from their signature London Fog to Green Tea Lemonade. In addition to their drinks, Enchanted Coffee offers specialty coffee roasters, sandwiches, and delectable baked goods. Whether you’re in need of a cup of Joe or a delightful treat to accompany your day, Enchanted Coffee Bar is the perfect destination for any coffee enthusiast.
2024 Pet Expo
The Brea Special Events Division will be hosting the Annual Pet Expo on Saturday, April 6 at the Brea Community Center. There will be K-9 demonstrations by the Anaheim Police Department and Brea Police Department. Both agencies will be able to walk the community through a variety of K-9 techniques, including a drug sniffing drill, dog obedience and simulation bite. This event provides the Brea community an opportunity to shop, adopt, and learn about pets and pet care. We encourage all pet lovers to attend the Pet Expo.
New Services Offered at the Brea Resource Center
The Brea Resource Center has partnered with Community Health Initiative of Orange County (CHIOC) to offer free county services that include, Cal-Fresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs and General Relief. These appointments are held every fourth Thursday of the month. These appointments are beneficial to our residents since it reduces wait time to speak to a representative and allows immediate assistance to our community.
Movies Under the Stars - Barbie
The Brea Special Events Division hosted its first Movies Under the Stars of 2024, featuring the Barbie movie on Saturday, February 3 at the Civic & Cultural Center Plaza. Guests had the opportunity to purchase Girl Scout Cookies, adorn their hair with sparkles and take pictures with a Barbie character in a photo booth.
The City partnered with Sheila Buonauro Realty Team who provided complimentary popcorn, beverages and cotton candy to the movie-goers. The Special Events Division already has future Movies Under the Stars films scheduled for the rest of 2024. Stay tuned!
Curtis Theatre News
OC Theatre Guild Awards
The nominations for this year’s OC Theatre Guild Awards was announced in January. The Curtis Theatre submitted two eligible shows from 2023 – A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder produced in association with Southgate Productions and The Revolutionists, produced in association with Begins & Ends with ‘A’ Productions.
A Gentleman’s Guide received 13 nominations including Best Production of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Costume Design, four leading performers, and more. The Revolutionists received three nominations which include Best Production of a Play, Best Direction of a Play, and leading performer. We wish all the nominees the best of luck and we anticipate to hear about the winners in spring of 2024.
Once Sells Out at the Curtis Theatre
This month, the Tony Award-winning musical Once played to sold-out audiences at the Curtis Theatre. This show, produced in partnership with Southgate Productions, garnered rave reviews from critics and patrons. This musical picked up the coveted Orange County Theatre Guild's ‘Recommended’ stamp of approval. The story follows an Irish songwriter on the verge of giving up on his music when he encounters a Czech immigrant who convinces him to keep going. The music in the show was performed entirely live on stage by the 18 member cast. There was also a pre-show performance where the audience was invited to the on-stage bar to mingle with the cast as they performed several Irish and Czech folk songs.
Welcome to the Team
Joselyn Magaña recently joined the Community Development Department as a Management Analyst I. She has two Bachelor of Arts Degrees, one in Global Studies and the other in Spanish, from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Joselyn is currently enrolled as a student studying for her Public Administration graduate-level degree. Joselyn has experience working for the City of Brea, she previously worked in the Brea Police Department and City Manager’s Office. In her spare time, Joselyn enjoys drawing, painting, cycling, and spending time with loved ones. She is very excited for the opportunity to work in Community Development Department and continue to develop her experience in local government.
Sophie Park recently joined the Community Development Department as an Administrative Clerk II. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a major in Chinese and a minor in English Linguistics. She has experience teaching Korean, Chinese, and English as a second language for more than six years. She also has seven years of work experience in a global shipping corporation, where she learned valuable administrative skills, including customer service and inside sales. She enjoys working with people from various backgrounds and loves to support their needs. In her spare time, Sophie loves to listen to K-Pop and dance with her family.
The Brea Wedding Show
The City's annual Wedding Show was held on Saturday, January 27 at the Brea Community Center. Engaged attendees were entered in a raffle that consisted of more than 35 door prizes donated by participating vendors. The vendors ranged from local exhibitors included Blooming Hills Florist, Friar Tux, Brea Smile Design, Chase Suites Brea, Embassy Suites Brea, and David’s Bridal. Patrons were able to shop around each booth to meet their wedding needs. The City of Brea enjoys providing this opportunity to newly engaged couples to shop around in one location from local vendors. This regional event attracts many fiancés from Orange County, Los Angeles, Fallbrook, Woodland, and Texas.