Read the rest of Green LB Presents: 3rd & Elm Holiday Craft-A-Round

Councilmember Robert Garcia

Councilmember Robert Garcia of the 1st District, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA), Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) and the Arts Council for Long Beach invite the community to the dedication of new neighborhood street banners in the East Village Arts District. The event will take place Tuesday, September 27 at 10:30 a.m. in front of Berlin by Portfolio Coffeehouse, 420 East 4th Street.

Read the rest of Community Invited to East Village Arts District Neighborhood Street Banners Dedication Today

BuskerFest veterans Jay Buchanan, Pawnshop Kings and Korey Dane set the stage for 11 local bands to win an exclusive vinyl pressing deal in the streets of the East Village

On Saturday, August 27, 2011, nearly a dozen local bands will fill Downtown Long Beach’s East Village with stripped-down street sets during Summer and Music’s (SAM) third annual BuskerFest. From 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., performers will play unplugged or “busk” for the wooden nickels given by event attendees. The band that collects the most wooden nickels will win a $2,500 vinyl pressing deal.

Read the rest of Everest and Matt Vasquez to Headline Summer and Music’s Third Annual Buskerfest

The Bike-Friendly Business Districts operate under the premise that businesses are looking for ways to reach and retain customers, and customers are looking for ways to shop, dine, and run errands as conveniently and pleasurably as possible.

Read the rest of County Grant Funds Bike Friendly Business Districts in Long Beach

Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster has issued a Mayoral Proclamation declaring May 29, 2011 as “Really Really Free Day” and the main area of the event will be on the block where “The Depot” is located between 3rd and 4th Streets on Elm Ave.  The celebration will kick off at Noon with The Recycled Drum Circle (a mix of Taiko, Cajon & Bucket Drums).  Activities include sharing resources, crafting, information, giveaways, workshops, creative areas for singing and dancing. The event is based on the famed “Really Really Free Market”, a community gathering where participants bring, and give away absolutely free, any usable items, skills, talents, friendship, discussions, games and more!

Read the rest of The Long Beach Depot For Creative ReUse to Host “Really Really Free Day”

The East Village has installed 52 more pedestrian-friendly street lights.

Mayor Bob Foster, Councilmember Robert Garcia, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, and the East Village Association will host a ceremony tomorrow, Thursday February 10, at 430 pm, to celebrate the installation of 52 new streetlights on East Fourth Street from Alamitos to Long Beach Blvd. The ceremony takes place at the offices of the East Village Creative Offices, 425 East Fourth Street, between Elm and Linden. The new lights are part of many improvements and enhancements being made in the neighborhood.

“There are great things happening in the East Village,” said Mayor Foster. “I commend the community and the Redevelopment Agency for their work as it really makes a difference to Long Beach.”

Other recent or planned enhancements to the neighborhood include new businesses like Fingerprints & Portfolio on 4th Street, new facade projects, new trees, bus stops and public art.

Read the rest of Street Lighting Ceremony Highlights Improvements in the East Village

John Montich “Off The Hinges”

Downtown Long Beach’s Arts-centric dining experience, Utopia Good Food & Fine Art, is hosting a special celebration and artist reception on Saturday, February 12, 2011.

Now in their second decade of operation, Utopia’s co-owners, Kamran Assadi and Amir Zee, set 2011 as the year to re-imagine and renew their commitments to good food, diner satisfaction, the arts in Long Beach, and downtown’s east village community where their business is located. The two are rolling out an enhanced menu and wine list, monthly Salons featuring Artists and Arts Organizations, updated website, social networking tools and more.

Read the rest of Utopia Good Food & Fine Art Celebrates a re-imagined and renewed second decade

On Saturday, December 11, 2010, artists will make merry in the spirit of art, giving, and the holiday season as LBCreative!, Lyon Art Supply and Vayden Roi Galleries present “Mixmas – a collaborative celebration of community, art and culture”. Happening concurrently with Lyons at Night and 2nd Saturday Art Walk, this public, family-friendly event takes place jointly at Lyons Art Supply, located at 441 E. 4th St. Long Beach, CA 90802 and Vayden Roi Galleries, located at 425 E. 4th St. Long Beach, CA 90802 from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.

With generosity in mind and a strong focus on giving, Mixmas will offer a food and clothing drive benefiting local charities. Guests can enjoy a 40% discount on supplies until 10 p.m. at Lyons Art Supply, plus a variety of entertainment including live art, handcrafts, workshops, food vendors and musical performances by:

Read the rest of Tis the Season for Art and Community with Mixmas!

My husband and I were staring at each other on yet another “night in” wondering what we should eat. We have been attempting to budget a bit better, but we still feel the need to get out occasionally, and when I mentioned that I could go for a nice big steak, no special occasion required, just live a little and splurge, we both perked up at the thought.

I had heard that 555 East was a great place to get steak, and we were looking for a “pick me up” so we called over and made a reservation. It was an off night, but we were told we still needed the reservation and when we showed up at 7:30 p.m. we understood. The place was packed. What recession? The patronage was mostly business, your typical Polo shirt and Dockers crowd, and I figured it was probably the shipping, port, and refinery squad that work in the fluorescent lit offices overhead.

Read the rest of 555 East: Come For The Steak, Stay For The Lamb.

Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal

In cooperation with Second District Councilwoman and Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal’s “Leading Youth to Positive Play”, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine and Community Recreation Services Bureau present the Grand Opening of the East Village Arts Park After School Program. The event will take place Tuesday, November 2, 2010, from 3 to 6pm. The Park is located on 150 Elm Ave in Long Beach, 90802.

The East Village Arts Park will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 6pm. The program will provide supervised, non-custodial recreational activities for youth between five and fourteen years of age.

Read the rest of Grand Opening of the East Village Arts Park After School Program

Also, Tour the hidden haunts of Long Beach and enjoy exotic boutique wines from around the world served by owners Mark and Angela.

Dress up in your Halloween costume and travel with us as we explore great wines and spooky spots. Special late night Happy Hour for all haunted riders plus our selection of over 20 wines by the glass, specialty beers, flatbreads, and tapas!!

Read the rest of Local Wine Trolley Returns to District Wine

The farmer’s market is the cornerstone of the East Village’s thriving local-food scene and a destination for shoppers who seek out the finest in locally grown food. Shoppers will find a variety of high-quality, fresh, seasonal produce ranging from the familiar to the exotic.

Poised as downtown Long Beach’s official ‘weekend city market’, the East Village Farmer’s Market of Downtown Long Beach is a year round certified farmer’s market open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and located on 1st Street between Elm and Linden Avenues (the street will be closed to through traffic).

Free parking is available at the lot on the northeast corner of Broadway at Elm Ave. courtesy of the Department of Development Services. Shoppers are advised to leave their pets at home as animals are not allowed in the farmer’s market. For more information on the East Village Farmer’s Market, go to www.downtownlongbeach.org.

The concept of the East Village farmers market is a cooperative effort between Councilmember Suja Lowenthal, city agencies, community based organizations, and East Village residents in an effort to improve the lives of members of the local community.

Travel hidden Long Beach, the pre-Hollywood home of Balboa Studios and the Silent Movie Era.  Show Biz is still here. But, like great wine, we have a past! Howard Hughes made his only flight of The Spruce Goose over Rainbow Harbor. Amelia Earhart vowed to be a pilot after watching stunt flyers here. You’ll be cleared for take-off at the Art Deco doorstep of District Wine, your Trolley Station.

Read the rest of The Wine Tasting Trolley Prepares to Depart District Wine Station

The Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) will present the first Taste of Downtown in the East Village Arts District (1st Street between Elm and Linden) on Wednesday, June 30 featuring delicious cuisine from a variety of Downtown restaurants it was announced today by President and Chief Executive Officer, Kraig Kojian.

Read the rest of Taste of Downtown set to serve up delicious eats in the East Village Arts District

Earlier this month, District Wine welcomed the community with an invitation to stop by and experience their new interactive, relaxing wine bar.

Located in the East Village, District wine is a full service wine retail shop; tasting room and wine lounge specializing in small production wines from boutique wineries along with rare imported beers as well as the ever popular “Fireman’s Brew” whereby a portion of every bottle sold is donated to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

As long time residents of the area, owners Angela Mesna and Mark Dunton hope to embrace and enhance the sense of community within the east village arts district and become “the place to be” for locals and visitors alike. The duo says they want to create a warm space that will foster the sense of community that already thrives in this distinct neighborhood. To this end, they are have designed a multi-functional space where people can meet and mingle.

Mark and Angela “want people to feel like they are being welcomed into their home, not just another wine bar.”

Angela and Mark have a deep appreciation for the diversity, eclectic and unique nature of this ever growing beach city. They hope district wine will flourish within the community and work to augment the growth that is seen throughout this area.

Stop by District Wine and ask for their “house” mug or their outrageous “hot bar nuts.” The wine bar also serves small plate appetizers and small gourmet flatbreads.

District Wine is located at 144 Linden Avenue, the Lafayette Building, in Long Beach. For further details email info@districtwine.com.

“I believe too many salons don’t really care for their clients. Few, if any, do what I do. I am anti-acrylic, anti-chemical, Ayurvedic and natural,” explains the owner of Elizabeth Ashton Ayurvedic Nail Salon. “The Earth gives us what we need. My job? To tailor treatments and products to my customers with magical coconut-lime oil massages, a rose mask, cranberry or chocolate-champagne scrubs or chickpea flour for smooth skin.”

But, can ancient Ayurvedic treatments really provide solutions to modern problems? Celebrities think so.

Read the rest of Ayurvedic Nail Spa brings the celebrity treatment to East Village with a Bollywood grand opening

Starting at 8 a.m. there will be basic meditation instruction, followed by meditation until 9 a.m. Then there will be a brief period of work practice and social time. During this time participants can help to set up the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market, and even shop at the market.

From 9:45 a.m. until about 10:45 a.m., there will be a free public talk about Zen practice given by Arthur Wayu Kennedy, one of Tenshin, Roshi’s senior students.

Those who cannot make the entire program, should feel free to attend whatever part they can. After the talk, there will be time for participants to socialize and eat lunch at the Farmer’s market or at a local restaurant.

Read the rest of Weekly Meditation group starts at Catalyst Community Center

The EIR determines the nature and extent of the proposed project’s impact upon the surrounding environment, and is available for public review and comment.

The Art Exchange is intended to provide a permanent and affordable workplace for the development and production of art by local artists.  

Read the rest of East Village Art Exchange: RDA seeks public comment on EIR

This month the art walk, which includes outdoor music and gallery receptions, will take place November 14.

Read the rest of Second Saturday Art Walk

The celebration at 430 E. 1st Street also coincides with the Latin American Parade & Festival happening on the same street right in front of the new Catalyst Space, and also coincides with the 2nd Saturday Art Walk happening on the cross street on Linden Avenue.

Catalyst Community is a grassroots non-profit organization working to inspire a greater sense of community,

Read the rest of Catalyst Community opens space for neighborhood networking, inspiration

With seven farmers markets in Long Beach, local foodies can visit a market almost any day of the week! EverythingLongBeach.com has rounded up this list of where to find the Long Beach farmers markets.

Read the rest of Long Beach Farmers Markets: Enjoy the bounty of locally grown fruits and veggies

Specializing in contemporary, mid-century and urban styles, with roots in the early American Arts & Crafts movement, Gallery owners, Charles Pacheco and Roland Quirion guarantee that their unique collection cannot be found anywhere else.

“We have spent a lifetime selecting exceptional objects from all corners of the world” said Quirion. He continued, “Whether someone is interested in a particular piece for esthetic reasons, wanting a distinctive gift to give, or is looking for an investment; our gallery offers something for everybody.

Read the rest of Gallery AD+D opens in Long Beach Arts District with a collection of fine art, collectibles

The energy efficient lighting will enhance the experience for visitors to the galleries, restaurants, and businesses in this downtown urban village. 92 contemporary, 12-foot tall poles and fi xtures are being installed as part of the First Street Improvement Plan, which includes new sidewalks on First Street between Linden and Elm, bus pad enhancements, and 3 new bulb outs that will feature landscaping.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

The ArtExchange is a collaborative art facility proposed for the southeast corner of 3rd Street and Long Beach Boulevard on the former Acres of Books site.

The Long Beach Art Exchange is intended to provide a permanent and affordable workplace for the development and production of art by local artists. It would operate on a profit-centered business model where artists sell directly to the public and are connected to networking opportunities that would help promote an art community for the City.

The development will include artist studios for display and workspace, gallery spaces, a gift shop, and a multipurpose classroom space that can expand into the adjacent courtyard, which can also be used for events. Another component will be a hot shop for glass and ceramic production, demonstrations, and classes.

Sustainability will be a key component of the Art Exchange, and another goal is to obtain at minimum a silver level LEED certifi cation. The site will utilize parts of the historic building at the site, including the first one hundred feet of the west side of the existing building, and the façade on Long Beach Boulevard. The project will have an open floor plan to take advantage of the existing clear span structural system, and will construct studios and other spaces with adjustable wall systems to allow the areas to be adapted for future needs. The project will also be designed to meet the City of Long Beach green building code.

The ArtExchange community meeting is Tuesday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Avenue.

Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, July 1st, 2009. Feel free to forward this email to those individuals or groups you think might be interested in submitting. 

For more information about SoundWalk2009, download an application or watch a video of last year’s event go to www.soundwalk.org.