Love Bug Day: Ages 2 to 5
This Valentine’s Day workshop is for children ages 2 to 5 and their parents/guardians. We’ll make our very own nature-inspired valentines for the love bugs in our lives, and a yummy Valentine’s treat. Then, we’ll continue the festivities out on the trails of the Nature Center with fun, themed games and stories. This class will take place on Tuesday, February 14, from 10 to 11:30 am at the Nature Center, with a cost of $10 per parent/child.

Read the rest of El Dorado Nature Center Offers Fun On Valentine’s Day

Photo by mr_tentacle

Robots big and small are set to compete head-to-head at the Long Beach Arena once again Thursday, March 15th through Saturday, March 17th, 2012. The world competition is presented by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST).

It is said that “The engineer has been, and is, a maker of history,” and with the help of FIRST the young adults involved in this competition may very well be the makers of the future. FIRST is a program that helps young people discover science and technology outside the classroom.

Read the rest of Robots to Invade Long Beach Arena as U.S. FIRST Robotics Competition Returns

Route 93 will now have additional trips during the week, increasing frequency on that line and for stops on 7th St. which are also serviced by routes 91, 92 and 94. Long Beach City College students at the LAC campus will now be able to access the 93 route approximately every 30 minutes from early morning to late-night.

Read the rest of Long Beach Transit Announces New Schedule and Route Changes to Begin Sunday

Read the rest of The Art of Love by Gregorio Luke Returns to the Playhouse On February 14th!

Read the rest of Long Beach Bureau of Animal Care Services Increases Availability of Low-Cost Pet Clinics

The dance will take place Sunday, Febuary 12, 2012, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the expansive, carpeted community hall of Bay Shore Church on The Toledo (@ Nieto Ave.) in Belmont Shore. Rudd says more than $1,500 is expected to be raised from ticket sales for C.A.T.

Read the rest of Justin Rudd Hosts Annual Long Beach Father/Daughter Dance Sunday

Presenter Karen Reside, Principal with Resides & Associates, will discuss the elements of a strong grant proposal, and how to find suitable grants and identify potential funders.

Space is limited. To guarantee a seat, RSVP to the Neighborhood Resource Center at 562.570.1010. Spanish and Khmer translation available. Free parking is available behind the building and on the street.

Read the rest of Public Invited To Free Grant Writing Workshop on February 8

Laurie Angel, former North Project Area Chair and community advocate will be the moderator. Opening remarks will consists of a two minute opening and a two minute closing statement discussing candidate views and platforms. Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond. They will also be able to rebut any question for 90 seconds twice.

Read the rest of North Long Beach Community Action Group Hosts 8th District Candidate Forum

Photo by Adam Brown

It started out as kind of a joke, a group of mom’s wondering if their kids could eat for free, every night of the week, in Long Beach and the surrounding areas. And it became a mission really…a small one, but a mission nonetheless, to find the restaurants in our area that have the option of a kids-eat-free night!

As with most anything these days, you may want to give these places a call first to make sure the deal is still going strong, but I have managed to find a place a night that you and the kids can dine! Make sure to read the fine print here too, there are a handful of these restaurants that kids-eat-free every night!  So sit back, relax and let my hunting pay off for your family!

Read the rest of Kids-Eat-Free Every Night in Long Beach!!

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske

Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske will hold the first Open Up Long Beach Community Meeting today, Monday, February 6, 2012 at 6:30pm.

Councilwoman Schipske has concurrently launched OpenUpLongBeach.com – a website and a project to make the City of Long Beach more open, transparent and collaborative with its residents.

Read the rest of Schipske Launches Open Up Long Beach; Hosts First Community Meeting Today

Before we shine a light on special spots to visit in Long Beach, let’s talk about how easy it is to find an RV campsite. From Golden Shores RV Resort, right on the water in downtown Long Beach, to Bolsa Chica State Beach, ten miles away in Huntington Beach, the campsites are both scenic and affordable.

Now that we’ve found a place to camp, let’s talk about how Long Beach RV travelers like to spend their time.

Long Beach Historic Sites

RV visitors to Long Beach will find historic treasures throughout the region. The rich history of the area encompasses Native American inhabitants, Spanish colonization, the years under Mexican rule and California’s entry into the United States.

There are two unique places that span hundreds of years of California’s history within the City of Long Beach. Rancho Los Alamitos, in the gated community of Bixby Hill, includes a nineteenth century adobe ranch house, beautifully landscaped gardens and educational programs that tell the story of the ranch since it was first settled in 1790.

RV camping history buffs will also enjoy a visit to Rancho Los Cerritos, another 19th century ranch that was part of the same enormous Spanish land grant in 1790. The two-story adobe, built in 1844, serves as a museum operated by the City of Long Beach. Both of these historic ranches are well worth spending time getting to know.

One more vintage attraction you’ll not find on any other RV camping journey is the Queen Mary, legendary ocean liner turned luxury hotel. Now in permanent residence at the Port of Long Beach, this magnificent vessel offers guided and self-guided tours as well as numerous special events throughout the year.

Long Beach Outdoors

Year-round pleasant weather combined with nearby beaches, trails and natural wonders provides the perfect environment for enjoying the great outdoors. Here are just a few of the outdoor recreation possibilities around Long Beach.

• Long Beach Bike Paths run throughout the city, each one showcasing interesting scenery along the way. The Shoreline Pedestrian Bike Path starts in Shoreline Village (an exciting entertainment and outdoor recreation area you’ll also want to visit) and runs for three miles to Alamitos Bay. Another favorite trek is the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, a 28-mile journey that parallels the river, passes through El Dorado Regional Park and leads all the way to Alamitos Bay. Bring your bikes or rent two-wheeled transportation at one of the many area outfitters for a street level view of Long Beach.
• The Beaches of Long Beach. Who would come to Southern California and not visit the beach? Swimming, sea kayaking and people watching are three fun ways for RV vacationers to enjoy the shore. Here are a few beaches you should explore while RV camping in Long Beach:
• Bayshore Beachon Long Island Peninsula
• Seal Beach, just south of Alamitos Bay
• Sunset Beach between Long Beach and Huntington Beach
• Bolsa Chica State Beach, fifteen minutes south of Long Beach on Pacific Coast Highway
• Torrance Beach, thirty minutes west of Long Beach in Torrance
• Long Beach Area Cruises offer RV travelers a wide range of outdoor experiences. Take the hour-long cruise to Catalina Island to visit the many attractions on the enchanted isle. Many other charter cruise providers call the harbors of Long Beach home, taking passengers whale watching, deep sea fishing or just sight-seeing along the shore. You can even take a gondola cruise through the canals of Naples Island in Alamitos Bay. Don’t miss your chance to see Long Beach by water!

Here’s a bonus tip for RV campers traveling with kids — the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach will enchant young vacationers while teaching them about marine life around the world. It’s consistently rated a top Southern California attraction for families.

RV camping in Long Beach, California will be an experience you’ll long remember. Discover why parking your RV in Long Beach can be the beginning of a great California vacation.

Romeo and Juliet

“Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love.”
–Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1

Uncontrolled passions destroy the lives of children and parents, lovers and fighters in this timeless story of love and death. Set in late 14th Century Italy, LBSC’s production features beautiful costumes, live music, dancing, and exciting swordfights. The lyric poetry is skillfully delivered by the ensemble cast. A feast for the eyes and ears!

Previews only $5.00 Feb 17, 18, and 19. Performances Feb 24 thru April 1, 2012 at Richard Goad Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave. Long Beach, CA 90807.

Ticket Cost: $20 General and $10 for Students. For tickets and info visit LBShakespeare.org or call 562-997-1494.

Enjoy an afternoon of live music, food and drink specials, and the wildest annual parade to hit the shores of Long Beach! Participation in this year’s parade is FREE – send in your entry form, and join the fun at 3pm for this year’s Mardi Gras parade!

Read the rest of Long Beach Mardi Gras Returns to Rainbow Harbor

Read the rest of 3rd Annual Inspiration Vintage, Fashion, Art & Kulture Show Kicks Off With Preview Party

Read the rest of The World Dodgeball Society Launches Long Beach Season

Read the rest of Let The Good Times Roll at First Fridays in Bixby Knolls February 3rd

Read the rest of Arts Council for Long Beach Accepting Nominations of Artists & Arts Leaders for Distinguished Arts Awards

Vu Phan, M.D., and the CHLB engineering team turned CHLB into a greener hospital with the addition of the new GE WattStation™ Wall Mount to charge electric cars

After months of research and hard work, a physician’s “green” dream has become a reality. Community Hospital Long Beach (CHLB) has opened two new GE WattStation™ Wall Mounts – to charge electric cars – for physicians, employees and visitors to use. The addition of the new wall mounts will help CHLB be a greener hospital by offering charging stations to the many visitors on their campus.

Read the rest of New Electric Car Charging Station Installed; Community Hospital Long Beach Goes “Green”

Read the rest of The Deli News: Perfect Pizza for a Penny Pincher

Read the rest of Health Department Receives $1 Million Kaiser Permanente Grant to Improve Health in North Long Beach

Photo by Ferne Millen

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be delivering a public talk on ‘Peace of Mind in Troubled Times’ on April 21st, at 1:30PM, at the SMG managed Long Beach Arena. This event is hosted by Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling (GSTDL), a Tibetan Buddhist center in Long Beach.

Read the rest of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Speak in Long Beach April 21st

Read the rest of Cal Rep Questions Authority With ‘Quills’ a Sadistic Fable

Dr. Terrence J. Roberts

Long Beach Rotary will host its fourth meeting this year on Wednesday, February 1st, and will feature Dr. Terrence J. Roberts, member of the Little Rock Nine Foundation that was established in the wake of fierce opposition to the desegregation of schools by nine young African American students.

Read the rest of Long Beach Rotary Welcomes Dr. Terrence J. Roberts, Member of the Little Rock Nine

The deadline for submitting poetry for the Urban Ocean Festival contest is April 6.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is now accepting entries for its second annual Urban Ocean Poetry Contest, which is held in conjunction with the Aquarium’s Urban Ocean Festival.

Southern California’s Urban Ocean is home to unique marine habitats and animals, a wide variety of recreational activities, industrial and commercial activity, and more than 20 million residents that live along the coast between Santa Barbara and San Diego. Surfers, fishermen, container ships, whales, and many other types of marine life and human activity must share this part of the ocean.

The Urban Ocean Festival will be held May 5 and 6 this year. The festival includes art exhibitions, mural painting, educational activities, and Urban Ocean boat cruises.

Poems submitted must have an Urban Ocean theme and be no longer than 300 words or thirty lines (including empty lines). Three cash prizes will be awarded in each of four age categories: high school students (grades 9-12), young adult (ages 18-25), adults (ages 26-61), and seniors (ages 62 and up). First prize winners will receive $150, four Aquarium tickets, and four Urban Ocean Poetry Cruise tickets. Second prize winners will receive $100 in addition to the Aquarium and cruise tickets, and third place winners will receive $75 plus the tickets.

The deadline for submitting poetry for the contest is April 6. Winners will be announced at the Urban Ocean Festival, where they will read their poem during a special awards ceremony.

For contest rules, guidelines, and additional information, click here.

Pedaler Society uses a cargo bike to help cyclists bring groceries home safely.

Beginning January 28, 2012, and at no additional cost to the shopper, Pedaler Society will offer a grocery delivery service for residents residing within a one- mile radius of Trader Joe’s in Bixby Knolls. This service has been made possible by the Bike-Friendly Business District (BFBD) program in partnership with the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association. The BFBD program is made possible by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the City of Long Beach.

The couriers (or “Flyers” as they are called within Pedaler Society) will provide a courteous and efficient method to get your groceries home after riding your bike to Trader Joe’s. Customers will benefit from a healthy bike ride to and from Trader Joe’s and a great conversation with your “Flyer” on the way home! 

Read the rest of Ride a Bike to Trader Joe’s for Free Home Delivery in Bixby Knolls