On the Beaches

It's 1963 in rural San Diego County, when fourteen-year-old SYLVIA O'Brien suffers relentless cruelty from her mother's farmer boss, WIDOW KELLY. The vicious farmer half-starves and beats young Sylvia whenever her mother is away, leaving the girl desperate for an escape. But when Sylvia's obsession with gourmet food leads to a dangerous accident, Widow Kelly's sudden death sets in motion a chain of events that will shape Sylvia's life for decades to come. Fast forward to 1977 and SYLVIA, now a trained chef, is running a top-notch diner on a rundown section of beach boardwalk. She's just won "San Diego's Best Diner" award and things seem to be going well. But little does she know that the Mafia has set its sights on her establishment, and they will stop at nothing to get it. Powerful city lawyer RUBY Sweet, 60s, caught in the middle, is forced to broker a deal between Sylvia and the dangerous Mafia property developer CARLO. When Ruby refuses to comply with Carlo's demands, Sylvia suffers a near-fatal car accident in Joshua Tree National Park, orchestrated by Carlo's henchmen. Six months later, Sylvia returns to San Diego, emotionally scarred from her accident and rehabilitation at her mother's organic farm. But her troubles are far from over. Her fiancé JEFF Sweet has gone AWOL, and she soon discovers that her beloved diner is on the brink of bankruptcy, thanks to Ruby's scheming. Undaunted, Sylvia teams up with her loyal gay, African-American maitre d' LEO, and sets out to rebuild her business and become the first American woman to earn a Michelin Star. Meanwhile danger lurks around every corner, and Sylvia's troubles only multiply. She's haunted by her undying love for Jeff, and the painful memory of his wedding to her former friend MEGAN, orchestrated by Ruby. And as Native-American law enforcement ranger LENNY Bravebird begins to investigate the evidence he uncovered at the crash site, Sylvia finds herself caught up in a possible case of child trafficking, with Lenny believing she's involved. Will Sylvia be able to clear her name, rebuild her business, and finally find the love and happiness she deserves? Only time will tell.