City of Hope Orange County this week wraps up a multi-week musical residency at South Coast Plaza’s Jewel Court.
Its “Music of Hope” exhibit has featured musicians from Pacific Symphony performing daily with the cancer hospital’s blue “Hope” piano.
The goal of the SCP exhibit has been to celebrate the “harmonious triumph of life over cancer,” said City of Hope, which is also presenting a series of Pacific Symphony concerts at the new Great Park Live amphitheater in Irvine this summer.
The blue piano, provided by Buena Park’s Yamaha Corp., moves to Laguna Beach at the end of July, for performances during that city’s annual Festival of Arts.
No word on whether any Taylor Swift songs were played during the Jewel Court performances at South Coast Plaza, in honor of Ed Kim, City of Hope OC’s physician-in-chief.
Kim, a noted Swiftie (favorite song: “Me,” because it was playing when his daughter Elyssa got into medical school), on May 30 was inducted into the 2024 Giants of Cancer Care program.
He was one of 15 oncologists from around the world to be inducted into the 2024 class and is the fourth City of Hope physician-scientist to get the award.
Kim got the award for his work in diversifying clinical trials, recruiting faculty to City of Hope OC’s Lennar Foundation Cancer Center in Irvine, and for advancing integrative oncology.
A different sensory collaboration is being considered by City of Hope OC and one of South Coast Plaza’s most notable tenants, Michelin-starred restaurant Knife Pleat, helmed by Chef Tony Esnault and restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi.
“Over the last few years, we have had several conversations with Yassmin and Tony,” City of Hope OC President Annette Walker told the Business Journal.
“Most recently we have been talking about the potential of them developing a cooking class/demonstration for our upcoming integrated medicine conference as well as a similar presentation at our campus for our patients.”
Plans are still in the early stages. Sarmadi tells the Business Journal that Knife Pleat’s goal would be to help provide healthy and appealing food offerings to cancer patients whose appetites often wane during treatment.
Knife Pleat knows its high-end health food; its afternoon menu has featured a “CBD Power Lunch” offering since last year.
Another recent offering is a stand-alone bar menu, for discerning diners looking for a quick drink and light, mostly healthy bites. Business Journal dining columnist Christopher Trela and I recently tried out the menu—keep an eye out for a review later this summer.
On the other end of the health food spectrum, Trela put his cholesterol on the line while reviewing over a dozen area burgers from some of OC’s most notable restaurants. See pages 16 and 17 for thoughts on some of his favorites.
With classes he teaches at Chapman University done for the summer, Trela said he has more time to work off the burgers.
