It might be the last year. If you have never taken the time, please do it now. Lines move fast and…read morethe caramel popcorn is delicious.

BEST CARAMEL POPCORN I'VE EVER HAD! Mom and Dad used to bring the whole family out every year,…read morestarting back in 1978. This is the same great caramel corn I remember, and I'm sorry if this is the last year. Smilin' Jack 4-EVAH!

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.

A slender, slim and, dare I say, skinny house located on the famed Eastside of Long Beach...pretty…read moreawesome place to drive by and check out, if you're ever in the area. Skinny House is literally that- a very skinny house located on the corner of 7th and Gladys Ave in Long Beach. You'll almost always see people driving or walking by to take a few snapshots of it. I couldn't believe how skinny it was the first time I drove by it. It is in a residential area, so it's best to either drive by or walk by it. Good luck finding parking here...as anyone will tell you, we'll, those who are from Long Beach...as it is impossible to find a parking spot anywhere in this city! So yeah, check this place out whenever you want. Pretty cool landmark...one of many in Long Beach. Beats the heck out of me if anyone lives in it! I can only imagine the possibilities...

Summertime in the LBC. The weeklong public mural festival has been renamed Long Beach Walls and…read moreArt Renzei. Read all about it here: https://lbpost.com/hi-lo/pow-wow-is-now-long-beach-walls-heres-your-guide-to-the-colorful-mural-festival https://www.longbeachwalls.com/ https://www.artrenzei.com/ https://www.instagram.com/longbeach_walls/ There are events centered around this week. One past year, Sun Bum (sunscreen) was a sponsor and held an event at the beach that ended in a movie showing. Some year before that, KCRW held a party in collaboration. This last time, I joined in the free yoga session (with RSVP). Led by Pedal Movement, bike tours are held during this time to visit the murals. The run club I'm involved in throws a couple of the murals in the downtown area being worked on into the running route during this time. Volunteer opportunities are available (such as being on site with the artist making sure they have what they need.) Look out for it next summer!

"Pow! It's the impact that art has on a person. Wow! It's reaction that art has on a viewer."…read morePowWow - a gathering that celebrates culture, music and art. The weeklong event that originated in Hawaii has expanded out to other parts of the country and world, including its 5th year in Long Beach. I was a bit disappointed the first year or so because they brought in a lot of outside artists when there are so many talented ones here. It also seems as if there is little collaboration between the artists and the places they paint. Businesses offer their walls and artists are given the freedom to create whatever inspires them at the time. Sometimes, the pieces seem random, whereas, others perfectly reflect the feel of the establishments. This year, I was happy to see a lot more local artists represented in the community. Some of them even took the time to collaborate with either the business or Parks & Rec to design pieces that emulate the nature of the places. I live close to Drake Park and was happy to see 3 artists beautifying it by adding more color and character. By request from neighborhood folks, Crisselle Mendiola and Jason Keam added butterflies to match the playground while Bodeck Luna depicted young people shooting hoops along the wall facing the basketball court. Another highlight from Pow! Wow! Long Beach was the closing party in the Promenade. I absolutely loved that KCRW DJs Mathieu Shreyer and Anthony Valadez came and served us some eclectic dance music. I can't wait to see what's in store next year!

Oh hey, American Pie, Weird Science, and Donnie Darko houses are also along Country Club Drive in…read moreLong Beach too?! Sweet!!! After you've finished checking out the houses from Ferris Bueller (which was also featured in Red Dragon and Not Another Teen Movie) and Painters' House from American Pie 2, swing on over to the other streets surrounding Country Club Drive in Long Beach to check out these film location houses. Originally, I was planning on just visiting Ferris Bueller's House. Thanks to my trusty Yelp, it also pulled up this feed and other Yelpers reviewed the surrounding houses. Furthermore, a huge shout-out to Yelper Alana M., for posting the addresses on her picture captions. Definitely saved me the huge headache of trying to find them, lol! With that, I continued on my mini house tour before heading over to my first ever Long Beach Elite Perk from Alex, the newly appointed Long Beach Community Manager, yay! Admissions and Parking: All free and residential parking all around. Yes, residents actually live in these homes and so please be respectful and quiet when visiting the neighborhood. Locations: +2001 Donnie Darko House: 4225 Country Club Drive, Long Beach, CA 90807 Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Drew Barrymore: A demonic-looking rabbit tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days when Donnie sleepwalks outside his house during the 1988 presidential election. I had never seen this movie but decided to check out house since it's here in Long Beach. +1985 Weird Science House: 4252 Country Club Drive, Long Beach, CA 90807 Starring Kelly LeBrock, Anthony Michael Hall and IIan Mitchell-Smith. Two high school nerds use a computer program to literally create the perfect woman. Loved this movie! Always rooting for the geeks and Lisa (their creation) was sassy, loving, protective and brilliant! Then again, John Hughes' movies are always dope! (Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, etc). +Jim's House from 1999 American Pie: 3925 Cedar Avenue (and Stewart Way), Long Beach, CA 90807 Starring Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott: Jim and his group of high school virgin friends decide to take action and vow to lose their virginity by prom. Lol, the apple pie sex scene! Can't live that imagine down...ever, lol! +Michele's House from 1999 American Pie: 3925 Cedar Avenue (and Roosevelt Road), Long Beach, CA 90807 Starring Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott. Chris Klein, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Thomas Nicholas, Shannon Elizabeth: Jim and his group of high school virgin friends decide to take action and vow to lose their virginities by prom. Michele's infamous quote: "And this one time at band camp...I stuck a flute in my...." LOL! Not so innocent, geeky, little band camp girl after all. She definitely taught Jim a thing or two.... If you're a fan of Donnie Darko, Weird Science, and/or the American Pie Franchise movies, come on over and check it out on these streets!

Went for a walk hoping to find all the famous houses. I found a few. Not a lot of color in the area…read moreby way of flowers but there was a lot of grass and trees both i loved. I enjoyed looking at the different styles of homes. I also liked the wide streets. I must dispute this as the nicest neighborhood in long beach. Belmont heights, Belmont shores, Naples and South long beach all have beautifully maintained homes and landscaping. And sidewalks. As someone pushilng a stroller bixy didnt have many sidewalks so i had to walk on the edge of the street. Bixy has a lot of trees and Grass. Grass is not something i see a lot of so i really appreciated that. Worth coming back but not with any sense of urgency.

San Pedro has a wonderful Arts District. Me and my girlfriend love coming down here to window shop…read moreand people watch. I like the little shops and places to eat here. I have only been coming here for a little while. Its like a small knit community with Theaters and Tattoo shops here too. We like to have coffee here too. The vibe is fun here. Not too bad with finding parking. You should check out the Arts District San Pedro.

The Arts District of San Pedro is a strange little conglomeration of galleries, shops, restaurants,…read morea pawnshop or two, a couple of bars, a thrift store, a coffee house, a tattoo shop, the old Warner Theater, and various places that people claim are galleries but they are simply living inside of these business/industrial spaces perhaps creating their art inside. Or, maybe not? This area is basically defined by 6th and 7th Street, South of Pacific Avenue. Though one could argue it stretches a little bit farther in the various directions. There are certain art complexes in L.A., (say Bergamont station is a great example), where when you visit you will be confronted by numerous galleries that are open and exhibiting their various styles of art. This, however, is not the case with the Arts District of San Pedro. What you do find here, in terms of art galleries, are store fronts that are closed and are open by appointment only. Thus, the question has to be raised, is this an Art's District at all? For me, I look at it as an overall expensive area of San Pedro that was once a functioning downtown but has lost that definition long ago. Thus, the storefronts are simply a place where you know art exists but the chances are you will never truly see it. Therefore, You must see this area as art onto itself. So, when you go here, do not necessarily expect to see any personal creations of art. Simply understand that you have to believe that there is art in the structures, the businesses, the restaurants, and the people that are hiding behind the closed and locked doors that they claim are galleries.

The Ghost Fish 107 Statue in San Pedro is a pretty cool piece of public art. It's about 40 feet…read moretall (ok, I'm bad at that type of stat but I did have to Google) and fits in perfectly with the area! The sculpture is a huge bluefin tuna hanging by its tail. It's made entirely of wire and is designed to look like it's just casually floating in air. The whole thing kind of gives off this ghostly vibe, which is actually where the name "Ghost Fish" comes from. This sculpture was created by artist Cheng, who spent five years putting it together before it was unveiled in 2012. What makes it even cooler is that the materials used in the sculpture weren't just random. They were actually donated by local fishing families in San Pedro, so it really feels connected to the community. The fish's design looks like a fishing net too, which is a perfect tribute to the town's commercial fishing industry. During the day, the Ghost Fish is pretty impressive just by its size alone, but at night it totally transforms. The big tuna is lit up with light shining through the wire with a magical glow. I guess if you really love modern sculptures and fish, I'd recommend you visit at different times of the day for taking pics.

Brandon D. and I happened to be rolling by on a whim after taking a walk through Ports O' Call. We…read moresaw this new statue and just felt compelled to stop and check it out. Hanging over the water, near Utro's and the many fishing vessels of Berth 73, is the outline of a giant tuna with net for skin, and filled with hooks, floats, ropes, and other implements that might be found on a fishing boat (photo: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ghost-fish-107-los-angeles?select=4A77FH1GwLMDIXxC5Gmkkg#0oEf2_scgn_z7tnZ9mEmxw). Artist Carl Cheng created the piece to call attention to "lost or abandoned fishing gear that continues to catch fish" (source: http://www.thelog.com/Local/Article/-Ghost-Fish--Sculpture-Unveiled-in-San-Pedro). Ghost fishing, as it's called, kills and wastes wildlife and is largely preventable. With it being placed adjacently to all the fishing boats, it's aptly located in terms of whom the message is directed toward. It's an excellent public piece.

Great looking house…read more I saw it in the movie and then I saw it in real life. I mostly like looking at things and this is one of the things I looked at. What a pleasure for me. Thank you

"Bueller?.... Bueller?.... Bueller?...."…read more For fans of the iconic 1986 John Hughes film, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," the "Ferris Bueller's Day Off House" is a must-see. Nestled in a quiet Long Beach neighborhood just south of Virginia Country Club, the home where portions of the legendary movie were filmed unassumingly sits on a beautiful mature tree-lined street known to be a favourite of the movie industry when selecting properties to film on-location. Although this is the house where Ferris & his family "lived," don't expect to knock on the door & find Ferris, Jeannie, nor their parents --- this is a private occupied residence. Although it may be tempting for some, please do not trespass, & please do not disturb the occupants. If you're a fan of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" & just happen to be in the Long Beach area, take a few moments to check out "The Ferris Bueller's Day Off House"....it'll put a smile on your face! Tips: * Address: You'll know it when you see it! ;) * Privately owned home. Not open to the public. Tours not available. * Please be respectful of the occupants & neighbors * Be sure to check out the house across the street...it just may look familiar! ;)

TED is great at challenging people to think…read more Sharing ideas. Inspiring. The bathrooms were clean and the staff was, like Tina Turner said to me once, simply the best. Better than all the rest. Thank you

Probably shouldn't be spilling the beans about this, but it's one of the greatest new developments…read moreat the Long Beach Convention Center, and I just can't keep it to myself. TED (Technology Entertainment Design) has decided to call Long Beach its new home. This is good news for the city and good news for the residents who want to take advantage of the influx of brain power and talent to downtown for one week each year. Do yourself a favor and check out the talks on the websites to find out how incredible an honor this is, and how lucky we are to have a convention of this caliber to call Long Beach its headquarters. Most of the convention is private and extremely exclusive (it costs 6,000 dollars to get in and is completely sold out for next year), but there is the chance that if you time it right, you might bump into a few of the speakers and participants while they are strolling around Pine Ave. in between lectures.

On Juneteenth I attended a celebration at the Korean Bell of Friendship to celebrate freedom by…read morehelping ring the bell. It was a wonderful day, and one I recommend for others to attend, not only to feel the vibrations of the bell when it is hit with a large hanging tree trunk, but also to celebrate the liberation that was given to a criminally oppressed people. And to also understand that liberation, although won at battles, still has not full embraced and enveloped all. So that bell has not fully been rung, and thus we must continue, until we hear the greatest knell in history the one that indicates that all humans have an unfettered chance to reach their best future with confidence. The celebration was sponsored by local political players. Suitably, there were a lot of speeches. But I never hate a speech just because its long. I genuinely hear speeches because they might contain words that move me into action or new perspective, and thus I always try to hear them to understand their value. One of the most memorable speeches of the day, was a person who explained that freedom and liberty has not reached all modern day people (duh!) because freedom, true freedom, means that all have a fair and equitable chance to attain economic prosperity. And from my limited perspective, what she said made sense, a whole lot of it. A person might have the freedom to wear what they chose, to eat what they crave, to dance in their style and funk, to offer their devotion to their deity. However, if all these freedoms do not include a chance to build wealth, without external interruption that is driven by who a person is, then freedom is superficial. Yes, money is the root of all evil, but money is also the foundation for legacy, protection and choice, and, well, freedom. And thus, she reminded all present that we must continue to fight against injustice and thus the bell rang and made each of us an instrument of peace. Beyond speeches from political leaders there was also songs performed by vocalists- a mother and daughter. A lot was happening fast, and sometimes the sound system gave up, so I am afraid I did not get their names. But I do remember them singing a song, right before the bell rung that had the following lyrics: "What would you do, if you had nothing to fight for and nothing to die for?" What would a person do in a world marked by substantial peace? Would we be happy or would we miss the fight? Meaning is the gift of the battle the persistence needed to continue even when all seems at rest? Injustice has created warriors that understand that a white flag will never be planted. The day was meant to celebrate freedom and deliver of message of positive togetherness as the moment celebrated Juneteenth using Korean spirt. But the speeches brought the seemingly opposing concepts together using the thread of a universal recognition that freedom is a wonderful thing. This link was greatly conveyed but fell short in the Mexican sweetbreads that had small Juneteeth flags planted on them. I know I am being petty because Mexican bread can be used to celebrate Juneteenth, for sure I get that. But I would have rather had celebratory bites from the Black/African American community. I know I am being petty, but, hey, that is my freedom. That choice seemed more convenient rather than being connected to the greater purpose of freedom. The last activity of the celebration was ringing the actual bell. Like 7 people, grabbed the wooden log. And we gently slammed it into the bell. The bell rung with vibrations that my skin could feel. We could slightly hug the bell to have ur bodies feel the vibrations. And the experience was memorable. I do not know how many people have the opportunity to hug a bell as it sends off vibration after being hit. But if you have the opportunity seize it, I think you will be a better person for it, or at least, know what ringing feels like on the skin not just the ear drums. As I walked back to the car, I enjoyed the blue views and ocean breeze. I also saw a kite flying high. Yes, it had a string to it, but it was flying free.

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.

Cute place! If it…read morewere taller, I'd think that Rapunzel lived here! Actually, real people do live here in this one bedroom/one bathroom structure, but we didn't invade their privacy. We just quickly walked around the front after parking the car on the side of the road. It's a curvy, narrow road, so we didn't stay for very long. We really liked the way the mailbox matched the tower! Cool, huh?

The city is looking for a tenant/caretaker right now…read more https://www.dailybreeze.com/2018/12/07/this-tiny-medieval-like-stone-tower-in-palos-verdes-estates-needs-a-new-caretaker/amp/ The city will not be doing a remodel of the interior and they would have to clear any changes to the tower. "Nobody would be able to come in there and gut it and make it into a triplex," he said. There was discussion about making it a non-occupied historical monument, but there was worry that it would require security or police presence. "It was decided the most logical and practical way to deal with this is to have a tenant who cares about the property," he said. "For some people, it's like a dream come true." To inquire about applying for tenancy, contact the Palos Verdes Estates City Manager's Office at Citymanager@Pvestates.Org