Results tagged “southbay”

October is going to be a busy month for public meetings about transportation. The city of Los Angeles is hosting a set of them on the draft master bicycle plan while Metro will gather input at a series of meetings about the Wilshire bus lanes.

Making the rounds in the news today is this freshly-brewed story of a new drive-through coffeehouse where the servers shun the more typical apron and khakis in favor of two very different pieces altogether: The bikini.

A vigil was held at a Torrance Church this morning in honor of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, according to MyFoxLA. The two American journalists were recently sentenced to twelve years of hard labor in North Korea on charges of being spies. The pair, who were working on a piece for San Francisco-based network Current TV, were captured on March 17th and put to trial earlier this month.

Mike Radke bought Maui Rose in Hermosa Beach about a little over a year ago, and serves up the finest Hawaiian fusion and Asian cuisine this side of the 405 freeway. Even though he has delicious food, a great location, and cooking skills, times are tough.

It's 97 in Woodland Hills. Drive 12 miles over the Santa Monica Mountains to Malibu and you'll be in the low 70s. Head a little further south to the Southbay and welcome to the high 60s. Now take the 10 freeway to Downtown and you'll split the difference at 85 degrees. What's your pick?

It's not the nicest way to wake up on what is a holiday for many: A large tree fell over during the rainstorm this morning in Laurel Canyon, "knocking down three power poles, blocking Wonderland Avenue and interrupting electricity to about 1,700 customers," according to the Daily News.

The only legal spot along the South Bay coastline to smoke a cigarette has been put out. Redondo Beach City Council last night voted to ban smoking at the beach and in public parks. One councilman voted no saying police don't have the resources to enforce the law. But with that thinking, most everything shouldn't be a law. The next headline will be "Redondo Beach to ban stop signs."

The only Southbay city that still allows smoking on the beach will debate the issue tonight in a city council meeting. In the past, city officials have worried about various issues including inadequate resources to enforce such a ban and infringing on personal rights leading them to take no action on the ban. But the heyday of passing no smoking in public laws is here and now in California. The council will also talk about banning smoking in public parks.

Some sellers in California can't unload their Palin Syrah, but in the South Bay some can't wait to get a taste of Sarah Palin. The Republican vice presidential nominee is headed to So Cal for a rally at the Home Depot Center in Carson on October 4th, and folks were eager to get their tickets yesterday from the Republican campaign offices in Torrance.

              

I was invited to dinner at Sashi by the restaurant's PR firm. I was very excited to try executive Chef Makoto Okuwa's sushi, who worked under Chef Morimoto of Iron Chef fame and was executive sushi chef at Morimoto in both D.C. and NYC. Now, I've found that people's standards about sushi vary greatly, so here's my disclaimer: I'm by no means a sushi connoisseur, but I've been to a few great places around our delicious city. I don't mind an occasional venture out to some creative rolls but will largely judge a sushi place by the quality of its traditional nigiri (fish on rice) sushi.

       

My search for hard core seafood at casual prices continues, we have a pretty solid place lined up for today. Captain Kidd's in Redondo Beach is half seafood market, half restaurant. It's a little confusing, but there are three lines. One line is for drinks -- they have a good selection of beers on tap. The line in the back is where you can order combo plates or most anything else you'd like -- if you don't want to pick out which piece of fish you want. The main line in the front left part of the restaurant is the seafood line, where you can pick your fish or crustacean from a grocery seafood display case -- they'll write up your order, take your money, and give you a number. They'll holler when your order is ready. So! Let me show you what we got tonight...

         

The Dominator ran aground on March 13, 1961 at the point between Lunada Bay and Malaga Cove, near Rocky Point. Carrying a load of wheat and beef from Vancouver, B.C, the vessel was trapped by the current after coming too close to the cliffs. Residents have watched over the years as the sea slowly destroyed the wreckage, until finally just a few bits of the hull and bow remain scattered on the shore. More of the boat is visible at low tide. There are two routes by which to access the wreckage today. Experienced hikers and climbers can make their way down the steep cliffs, but must be cautious of the rocky terrain. It is recommended you go at low tide, be prepared to get wet, and keep an eye out for interesting tide pools.

    

The city of Torrance spent a big chunk of change to build the South Bay's largest skate park on Torrance city property. But according to local skaters, the city has not properly maintained it. They do manage to maintain the batting cages and hockey rink that share the property, though. Local skater and mom, Karen Rennie, reports, "Torrance had one of the only wood bowls around- and it is currently closed due to giant holes that could be easily fixed with less than $50.00 worth of wood- yet the holes are still there...a vast majority of the park is fenced off, for what would be only minor repairs."

LAist Featured Photos contributor Hinducow knows no boundaries of eating in the Los Angeles area. He submits these two dangerously delicious photos with these descriptions:

With an American Institute for Cancer Research study in hand, ABC7's Lori Corbin, aka "The Food Coach," visited the Veggie Grill in El Segundo. "Several large studies confirm that consuming more than 18 ounces [of red and processed meat], a little more than one pound of red meat, bacon, and smoked meats per week, increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 30 percent," Corbin writes. "That's worrisome since many shy from this type of cancer screening."

One of the most difficult things about running--or any exercise regimen for that matter--is simply getting started. Joining a running group or club is a great way to ease into it, and so today and in future installments of Workout Wednesday, we will explore the many running groups in the area you can choose from. We'll start with Team in Training.

The city seems to have gone completely mad. From a 16 year-old shot in Northridge to a 70 year-old stabbed to death in Hollywood, Sunday was just another day in what is starting to feel like an out-of-control crime wave.

So The Torrance Police Department busted these four people living in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. It turns out that they weren't tipped off by his Afghan rocket launcher, or the imitation police badges, or even the "Anarchist Cookbook" and other illegal books. They were busted because the police where there looking for drugs, and apparently ended up hitting the jackpot.

Liquid Kitty's annual punk rock BBQs have been such a success, this Sunday they are hosting a special Winter BBQ. What better to chase away the rain than with colorful drinks and hard-core thrash? Some dogs on the grill? Done! And all for the low, low, price of FREE.

While most restaurants forgo the use of totem pole style mascots, CJ's Pantry wheels out this weird creepy statue man to guard the breakfast goers from evil spirits, and to insure that you won't soon forget where you ate those awesome semi-crunchy pancakes, and that crunchy-as-hell bacon.

For my final DineLA menu, I thought I should try something in my home town. For years, Redondo Beach was known for fantastic breakfasts and Mexican food, but not much else. For fancy dining you were looking at standard surf-and-turf - Tony's The Chart House, etc. Only in the early 90s when the Westside had filled up did gentrification move down the coast, bringing nouvelle cuisine along for the ride.

What are your favorite breakfast spots in Los Angeles? Who's got the best cup of coffee? The yummiest pancakes? The thickest slabs of bacon? Who's overrated and who's overlooked? We're determined to find out -- so wake up with us, won't you? Enjoy L.A.'s Best Breakfasts!!!

Our crack political team is projecting "reason to believe" that both Rudy Giuliani and Gov. Schwarzenegger will endorse John McCain for the Republican nomination very soon.

A few weeks back I promised to continue the photo essay of my next-door neighbor, the Redondo Beach Pier, where there is always something weird and wonderful to see and do. The Fun Factory is the next best thing to a cheesy, down-the-shore/midway arcade. Sure, Santa Monica Pier has its Ferris wheel, calliope and similar games of chance, but The Fun Factory has such an extensive jumble of bizarre coin operated artifacts, games, kiddy rides, crane machines, fortune tellers, pinball machines, vintage video games and whatever else you can think to stick a token into, that it just wins the prize for coolest, redemption palace in LA county. "Redemption" is how they describe those novelty amusements that devour all your laundry money. By the way, this 300+ game space can be enjoyed even on the most blustery of days, as it is an indoor attraction. Neener-neener-neener, SM Pier!

A vast knowledge of fine wine and great Italian food are not a prerequisite for visiting Talia's Restaurant & Bar in Manhattan Beach, because you could pick blindly from the menu and whatever arrived would be delicious. It's "one of those" kinda places.

Most people have heard of Candy Cane Lane, a neighborhood in Woodland Hills that puts up elaborate holiday displays. There are a number of other neighborhoods around Los Angeles that can also deck the halls.

I know you haven't been to Gambrinus on the Redondo Pier and had their "Russian style hamburger" called belashi, which they describe as meat-filled fried bread. IF you have, skip this post... But if you haven't then what are you doing wasting your time with these stupid American hamburgers?!

Late last week the MTA board announced plans to convert some of LA County's car-pool lanes on heavily traveled freeways to toll lanes. The Daily News reported thatUnder the plan, solo drivers could use the car-pool lanes if they pay a toll. Vehicles with two or more occupants - which currently use the lanes for free - would also pay a toll, although less than solo drivers. It's unclear how the plan would apply...

Where are the best pickup soccer venues in the greater Los Angeles area? -- Bankole O Los Angeles is an enormous city, and soccer is a popular sport. You can find games being played just about everywhere! If you're looking to avoid organized leagues, there's soccer played on a regular basis at Rancho Park, Pan Pacific Park, the Westwood Rec Center, and Mar Vista Park (they have a new-ish turf field which is frequently booked,...

I almost didn’t go to see Ann Summa’s Los Angeles punk photo exhibition at Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica. No offense to the once, raw obscure photographers who happened to be at the right place at the right time 30 years ago, snapping amazing images of once, raw obscure bands. Your recognition is well past due. It’s just that there’s been a plethora of punk picture/art/flyer/book exhibitions in the past few years and I’ve seen most of them and on the night in question, I was running late from an earlier art opening and thought, “maybe I’ll just skip this one.” Thankfully, I came to my senses and hauled my lazy ass over to Bergamot Station. On the way in, I was greeted by the nostalgic sight of a drunk-off-her-butt teenager being half carried through the parking lot by friends. I took it as a sign from the gods of punk rock.