Wow! A beautiful and intriguing fountain in the middle of a small parking lot…read more The mermaids are in a peculiar stance and doing special things with their hands. Don't remember too much of those poses/statues in high school history classes.

Dec. 2011 review update:…read more I'm obsessed with this fountain. I might need an intervention. I'm in Malaga Cove Plaza every couple days: post office, market, coffee shop, cafes, gift shop, newspapers....recently I was there to get my hair done. I got to Malaga 40 min early so I could check out fountain photo ops. I was almost late for my appt.. Two hours later, hair cut & colored, I'm back at the fountain waiting for sunset. I was freezing. I was hungry. Should've gone potty before I left the salon but was in a hurry to get back to the fountain....(TMI, apologies). Sometimes in the plaza I avoid looking at the fountain. Resist. Don't take that first pic, you'll be hooked. A couple times they shut off the fountain's water & I felt a sense of panic. Withdrawal symptoms. I never check-in here. People will get wise. She's at the fountain again. Complete transparency: I haven't posted all the pics I've taken, not even close. It's embarrassing. This has been going on for 8 years. I'm exhausted. That Beach Boys song, "Help Me Rhonda", plays in my head but I altered the words: Help me Neptune Help, help me Neptune Help me get him out of my head. I've seen a lot of beautiful fountains in my day (e.g., Chicago's landmark Buckingham Fountain) but none so captivating as this one. It's got me. And there are no barriers here to keep people at a distance. It's so easy to use the sky as a photo backdrop, as water squirts & drips from every cherub, mermaid & dolphin orifice. Flowering trees surround the fountain in late winter/early spring. And Neptune, the star of the show, appears to reach for clouds & contrails. Sometimes it looks as if they emanate from his giant hand. He's powerful. I'm smitten. Another Yelper managed to capture Neptune holding the moon, well done. And then there's that pic where the stature is purple, captioned "photo class". Creative. And btw....about that fig leaf: Originally Neptune was not wearing one, which apparently caused a bit of an uproar as did the topless mermaids which remain. I'm guessing that today, almost a hundred years later, there'd be an even bigger uproar over a completely naked Neptune in the middle of a parking lot. So we've got half-nekkid Nept with the girls spraying water from their bosoms & a crazy lady taking pictures & everybody's just doin' their thing. A glimmer of hope: I'm not tempted to take photos when it's raining. Yet. But whoa, what interesting shots those could be. Uh oh

Loved our sunset stroll recently at Roessler Point. It has free parking, nice coastal and ocean…read moreviews, doggie trash dispensers just to name a few. Many locals have children playing soccer and basketball. It also has a nice trail and those without dogs can visit the tidepool along with direct access to the water. It connects right over to Rats Beach and Torrance Beach. I quite enjoyed my short and relaxing walks with the dogs here. Too bad there's no benches to sit down so one can really gawk at the ocean and people watch at the same time!

This magical location in Malaga Cove is so special to us as it secures such a sentimental place in…read moreour hearts !! We've been visiting this little gazebo for over 25 years and the view is always stunning any time of the day or evening !! I am very lucky and grateful ! Cheers !

The good: This place is one of a kind! I am so happy I…read morefinally got around to visiting this place. Parking is free! The whale museum is free! Tours of the lighthouse are free! The picnic tables areas are plentiful and there's lots of grass for picnics blankets. The views are great. It's a great spot for whale watching. I noticed people coming here and bringing their camping chairs just to read. It's relaxing and you get to enjoy the sea breeze and beautiful sunset. I also noticed youngsters coming to record an acoustic guitar music video. I imagine people come here to paint as well. The bad: I've lived around here for almost 3 years now and haven't been here until now. The interesting: They do tours of the actual lighthouse area a few times a month and it's completely free and doesn't require a reservation.

The lighthouse is tall and picturesque sitting regally on a cliff. It's a must to stop and take…read moresome photos if driving down the coast of PV. The lighthouse has really restrictive hours, only open the second Saturday every month from 10-3 so you have to plan for this if you wanted to go inside. I went years ago and remember it being kind of a clusterfuck with a lot of people and disorganized system on entering. But the good part was you could go inside all the way to the top. Just the picture from the outside would suffice for most people. The Point Vicente Interpretation Center is nearby as well as some cliff trails to explore.

The 2024-2025 NBA season kicked off today and what better place to kick off basketball season than…read morewith a visit to the Kobe Bryant Mural located in Torrance! Painted by Mike Trujillo; the mural highlights Kobe's basketball journey via all his jerseys. The mural starts off on the left with a painting showasing when he played high-school basketball at Lower Merion High School and wore #33. The mural then shows how he first wore #8 for the Lakers for when was first drafted and on to when he won three championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The mural next highlights him wearing the #10 jersey for the USA men's basketball team at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Lastly it shows Kobe sporting #24 starting in the 2006-07 season; all the way till he retired in 2016. I also loved how the mural had purple and gold hues for the background. This is an amazing mural to see and it can be easily missed as it is on the backside of the Burger City restaurant in Torrance. I definitely say though it is one not to pass up seeing as it's a great tribute to Kobe via showcasing all of Kobe's jerseys from the start to the finish of his career. This mural is something Lakers and basketball fans will truly appreciate. I know I certainly did!

Public art in Torrance, California…read more.. My friend, Craig Y., knew that there was a relatively new Kobe Bryant mural in his hometown. He tried to figure out where it was located on Torrance Boulevard. We found it in Old Town Torrance... on the wall of Burger City Grill. It's by Mike Trujillo and is awesome! The gigantic mural has great illumination at night! It includes all of the numbers that Kobe wore: from High School, to the Olympics, and when we was with the Lakers! Look for Kobe's Academy Award! It's very cool - go see it!

If you haven't been to the Korean Bell of Friendship, you're missing out on a hidden gem in the…read moreSouth Bay. It is a symbol of friendship and community not just to South Korea, but Koreans living in United States. It is also a beautiful landmark surrounded by the cliffside vista of the Pacific Ocean below. There is also a basketball court nearby and a good amount of picnic grounds. It can get pretty windy and cold here, so be sure to come prepared for both!

Why does it take years and moving away to actual experience places that's been there for a while. A…read morenice sunny afternoon driving around and seeing what's there to offer. Plus it's been decades since I was last around this area. There's so many stops along the way during our drive which this was the first along the path. It's a nice decent size park that it part of. A good amount of parking in the lot next to the basketball courts. Right along the bell is a massive grassy knoll where people were enjoying picnics and laying out. Of course today was beautiful but it was quite windy. Didn't help that the park was little higher than the rest so it made the wind a bit more aggressive. The focal point, the massive bell. With a walkway that leads you to the prize possession. Right in the middle looking out to the Pacific Ocean, she sits there on full display. The bright beautiful color of the details painted was a sight to see. Stairs leading up to the bell where you could walk around. It is roped off. Regardless whatever side you're looking at, it's was quite amazing. Something like this on a hill that's part of the city. If you walk down the grassy knoll, the view of the pacific ocean and cliffs were spectacular. Having a seat and just taking it all in was nice. It was windy so it did get cold but on a nice sunny and clear day, you could see miles and miles of the coastline and tide pools. These little hidden spots in the city are cute when you find them. There's also a little playground around the corner from the bell by the exit and entrance.

What an amazing way to spend a gorgeous day There's a huge…read moreparking lot and lots of room to explore. I paid $27 for the admittance fee and SOAR butterfly exhibit. They let you into the butterfly exhibit 5 mins before your s healed time. Make sure to get a ticket ahead of time. I'm thinking I'll be one a member so I can come back k whenever I want. It's so peaceful and I love connecting in nature.

Wanted to check out the SOAR butterfly exhibit which runs May-Sep in an enclosed visitors tent…read more Since the gardens are included in the SOAR admission, we had plenty of time to roam the grounds and take in some really beautiful flora in a new way. I purchased 2 SOAR tickets online the previous night and selected a 1pm timed entry. We made our way on a Friday and easily found the entry and parking. Large, knoll-like lot, some shady spots, but lots free parking to choose from. We walked up the entry ramp, noticed a ticket window, but by-passed since I had tickets on my phone. We saw about 6 people standing at what looked like an entry gate to the left of the ticket window, so we went and stood by them. After a beat or two, one young lady asked us, 'Oh, are we in your way?' I didn't think so. I thought we were in line. 'We're queuing up to go in. Is this the right gate?' 'We're in the way. This is the way in.' Confused, I just said,'Oh' and told Hubs to wait while I go see who scans our tickets. I went back to the ticket guy who told me I could go right in and the SOAR attendant would scan. So I returned to Hubs at the gate entry and went in. No one else was there to confirm we had tickets. Currently, the non-member daily admission is $18 for Adults. SOAR is $27 for non-member Adults and includes the grounds and current garden exhibit Thomas Dambo's Trolls: A Field Study. I imagine most of the people there are members and visit regularly. I'm sure if I lived in the area I would be as well. But it felt strange not having someone ask to see our tickets before entry. Later, we decided to head back to the car and grab our sandwiches. We saw many people with picnic blankets(allowed) enjoying a spot on a lawn. We also saw vacated blankets being invaded by curious ground squirrels, so be forewarned and don't leave food laying about! We grabbed our small lunch tote and headed back in. Again, no one questioned us out or back in. We took advantage of the beautifully bougainvillea canopied patio area near the Koi Pond. I understand on weekends and during events, food and beverages are sold in this area and outside food is not allowed, But on this Friday the concession was closed and this patio area was empty. The bistro tables were perfect for our light lunch. The SOAR exhibit is handled beautifully! Tickets on phone get scanned when you arrive prior to your entry time. The SOAR workers recommend about 15 minutes prior to see the LIVING displays showcasing butterfly metamorphosis, the pollination and nectar garden our local butterflies very much enjoy, and give yourself some time to read about the species you're about to encounter in the enclosure. We did all of that and it was fascinating! It's also terribly vexing how I can't get something called a milkWEED to live in our own garden to encourage winged beauties. Bugger that! We opted to not partake in the reusable butterfly lollipops for $6. We have done encounters before and I intentionally wore a bright orange T-shirt to attract them. I could see where it would be neat for a kid, but the kids I saw doing it were excited that the butterfly was on their "lolli" for about a minute. Then it was how to get it off the stick and "get'" another. Unless closely watched, which most were by parents and garden staff, a kid could be tempted(I saw one was) to try and shake the butterfly free once the kid was "done" w/the insect being on his stick. Anywhooo..... My tip: wear bright clothing(yellow, white, orange), be patient, watch them flutter all about like a Robert Zemeckis written effect and then enjoy when they land. THERE ARE PLENTY TO OBSERVE! Be advised, they may intend to stay on you awhile, but staff will make sure each butterfly remains within the exhibit through observation and antechamber entrance and exits. Quite enjoyable and staff was well trained, friendly and knowledgeable. As for the grounds themselves, there are many gardens and some maps throughout to help you navigate. They currently have a sparkle "pathway" with various signs and stars on the visitor map to show you where the Garden Trolls are located. We spotted a few as we roamed around, but some guests made a game of searching them out. All in all, I am already planning another visit here, for at least one of their hosted Summer Concerts. The grounds were easy to walk, sizable enough to make a day out of it, spacious enough to find private, peaceful spots, and lovely. The one star short of perfect is the signage, or lack thereof. Some signs were just plopped into areas where you MIGHT find some of the plants pictured. More staked markers in plants would be nice. Cheers! "CC"

A Long Beach landmark and Los Angeles County, must!…read more The Lions Lighthouse is apart of the Shoreline Aquatic Park off the beaten path from Shoreline Drive by the Aquarium of the Pacific (where I had my high school prom) and a few nice skips away from the Pike Outlets. It's a big silo that is more lively at night as it glows/lights up. Built in the late 1850s, this tourist attraction is along the L.A. river and has a nice view of the Queen Mary and lots of Long Beach as it's slightly uphill. It's not a fully functional lighthouse so you aren't able to enter it, but can enjoy it's beauty day and night in the LBC. Lots of attractions, eateries, sitting spots, shops and fun nearby. It could use a little tlc, but I'm sure it's due to the weather and normal aging. Paid parking nearby. Make sure you grab some photo-worthy keepsakes of this iconic lighthouse.

Very pretty scenic view of Long Beach marina. Lighthouse is surrounded by luscious grassy area…read moreperfect for relaxing and picnic along the park. On the day of my visit there were some kind of event happening (really crowded), didn't really get to enjoy the fully view of the park. The lighthouse itself is very well kept and withstands some great history. Marina is also located close to the Pike outlet mall, so it's great for a stroll right after some much needed shopping

My husband and I got married at the Bembridge House in November 2021. We remember seeing photos of…read morethe property and feeling amazed, but the price of the location wasn't online at the time and we thought for sure that it was going to be way out of our price range. However, we wanted to go to see the location since it was so beautiful - even if we couldn't get married there, it would be a cool experience to get to see such a historical location. To our absolute surprise, we met with Anthony Barr and not only was the location affordable, he was willing to work with us on absolutely EVERYTHING on our list. With Anthony's help, we not only had a historic and gorgeous location (which included a bridal area and space for our whole party), but he helped us to find all of our vendors, negotiated with various vendors on our behalf at times, took care of our decor requests... I could go on. I honestly don't know how I would have managed the wedding procedure without the help Anthony gave, but we also just adored the Bembridge property. Picturesque, cozy - we are so grateful.

I attended a great community event here today thanks to the #willmoreassociation for a fantastic…read morebreakfast. The Bembridge House is a hidden gem in Long Beach if you haven't visited , it's totally worth it. The only thing is that parking is very impacted in the area, I was lucky today to secure a parking spot. I was told by a very nice lady there will be a Halloween party here this year. Put on your list for a place to visit check the website for tour info....

Visited this park on a Thursday lunch time with my two dogs in tow…read more Parking is not free and you have to download the app to pay-per-hour. I found plenty of free street parking across the street and all around the neighborhood instead. After nearly getting hit by a car a few times and getting approached by an intoxicated looking homeless or two, we finally made it to the park. And then that's when we discovered that the place is NOT DOG FRIENDLY. Omg! At first, I thought I saw the signs wrong and had to actually go up close to it. I also witnessed a bunch of other dog owners walking around the park with their dogs but many had them not leashed. That's when it dawned on me why the park has a no dog allowed policy. It's honestly very infuriating when people are so blatantly disrespectful about park policies and other people's safety. Not to mention the dog shit everywhere that really shouldn't have been there. Ugh. And that was enough of LA County shenanigans for me that day.

The oceanfront Veterans Park is located at the corner of south catalina avenue and torrance…read moreboulevard, which features grass, trees, and playground. The community center, formerly the main library of Redondo beach, is currently unavailable and under construction. I always like the elevated ocean view, and found it's quite peaceful to walk around here.

I'm giving it 5 stars for the uniqueness and the cool story behind its birth (so to speak)…read more Do not travel here from far to see it bec it is a residents and you cannot look inside or walk thru. If you're into architecture, it's cool to see if you are in the area. I am and left wanting to get my hands on it. Lol. It's a landmark, but I didn't see a plaque. Personally, I'd open my doors and show and tell :-) It's kinda shocking how wide it is (or isn't ;-)). I held my arms open and felt I was the same length.

The skinny House was a short drive from Phnom Penh Noodle Shack and because parking was impossible…read moreone of us jumped out to take these photos. This skinny house was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records and also featured on Ripley's Believe It or Not. No signs posted just a marker in Google Maps. It was built on a tiny plot of land that was given as a debt repayment. The original owner built the house to collect on a bet. Per Redfin, the house is a 2 bedroom and 1 bath with roughly 860 sqft.spread out over the three floors. A permanent tiny home. The home was still privately owned so this was a quick photo shoot of the outside but really only worth it if in the area. Still something quirky to see and read about during our latest SoCal trip.