This was the cutest, mini aquarium! There's even an upstairs and with an overview of the…read moredownstairs. Heads up, thy don't allow food nor drinks in, but have a small table for you to leave your stuff on. I love how sweet the lady was while welcoming everyone in. It's free but donations are welcomed. It's the perfect end to the pier. Definitely check it out!

We visited on a Friday and it was super packed! Literally, everyone was shoulder to shoulder. Best…read moreto enjoy it on a slower day. This is a small compacted aquarium with two levels at the end of Manhattan Beach Pier. Hours vary due to certain days. Last time I tried to bring my friends here it was closed on a Tuesday morning and didn't open until about 2pm. It is free entry, but they do ask for a small donation of $5 to keep the aquarium running. There are jellyfishes, gold fishes, small eels, and starfishes. Not much to see, but it was free and made it entertaining for us. Staff were friendly and if you had any questions they kindly answered them.

The second of two events I attended this past Sunday, the Westside Food and Wine Festival was held…read moreat the Palisades Ballroom & Patio of the Courtyard by Marriott LA Westside in Culver City from 4-7pm. The event allows you to arrive anytime during the event. I arrived at the venue at 4:30 pm, lined up to check in and off I went to explore the area. There were several vendors in the check in area but I proceeded inside. The area was too small for the crowd. It was very hard to move around and lives were confusing. To make matters worse, there seemed to be no AC so it was definitely hot inside. Attendees were also provided with one stall bathroom each for make and women. I don't drink so I was looking for food. However, food ran out fast by 5pm. This was the reason I barely had any pictures because there weren't any food available. This was legitimately Pizza fest nightmare relived. I get it, this event is for the benefit of the Westside Food Bank but it could have been handled way better than it was. It's either they limit guests or get a bigger venue and please allow enough food for all the attendees. I feel sorry for those who chose to drop by later than I did.

I was very exited for this event but unfortunately it was a let down.. BIG LETDOWN! We arrived on…read moretime at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Culver City. The event was held outside on a patio and a very small indoor room. Crowded and definitely fire hazard! If the fire department sees this, definitely will be shut down. Very limited food and wine booths. Maybe less than 30 booths altogether and Vendors was out of food within the first hour. If so many tickets were sold, why didn't they let their vendors know to prepare food for the numbers of tickets sold? I feel bad for those who pays $50 or so for this event and end up with not much or no tastings if they ran late. A friend arrived 45 minutes into the event and nothing was left. She did not get any food tastings only a few alcohol beverages.

This will be the HOTTEST culinary festival of the year! Unlimited tastings from top chefs, wines,…read morespirits, cocktails, beer and more. We get to try great food & beverages from many different restaurants at the same place at the same time. How awesome is that! I can't wait to party with my friends at Manhattan Beach Food & Wine! Don't forget 10/11 & 10/12.... "Manhattan Beach Food & Wine" at Manhattan Village!!

Zen arts is the best event planning and performing arts company in the business. Every single year…read moreI use Zen arts for my birthday party and they take my party from basic to spectacular every single time. I have had burlesque dancers, circus acts, magicians, dancers, bubble girls! Honestly I couldn't ask for anything better when I hire this company. They help with decorations, setup and idea suggestions. I highly recommend their services to anyone who is trying to throw the best party. Also I have seen their performers at many musical festivals all over the country. They have a very high standard of work and their owner Doug Miller is very easy to work with. He has a team of performers that can fulfill any desire for any type of party. I highly recommend reaching out for all your event and party needs!

There's no question in caliber when it comes to Zen Arts. They deliver in skill, professionalism,…read morecustom design, and an array of exceptional specialities of talent. Each of their events are made to perfection and nothing less. From ideating concepts to their seamless execution, the Zen Art's team exudes years of experience at top notch. Beautiful display of performers, costuming, choreography, and spectacle!

How many hundreds of times have I driven by the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center? It has been…read moremany years, way back to the time there was a pottery store on the property. I finally had a chance to visit for a Tarzana Music Night last week. What a fun event! Because the weather was being forecasted to be cool with the potential of rain, the event was held indoors. Things were comfortable, but we were in close quarters with the other attendees. The sound was great and the performances were a lot of fun. I was primarily there to see a good friend perform, but I also had the chance to see some other talented musicians. I think each one was a singer songwriter, and I enjoyed each performance. Each one of the people that was working at the venue, which I imagine may have been on a volunteer basis, was friendly and a lot of fun. Normally the music nights are held outdoors, and I can imagine that most of the year, it is a lot of fun being in the open air.

What a cool place I never knew was here! Check out their events on their website! If you write them…read morethey will write you back too. They have a small outdoor stage with string lights hanging beautifully all around, a few picnic tables and fold out chairs for when there's an event to watch. When the chairs aren't there I imagine thats what they use for the outdoor dance floor under the stars, too! A few people brought their dogs on leash. I saw a few people brought in their own food, chilled out and ate while they watched the live band. They do have a very small amount of drinks, chips, and cookies for sale at a stand but thats it so if you don't want junk food def bring what you do want. They do have an indoor bathroom. PARKING - Def uber/LYFT to them. There are only a few spots in the back you can get to from the side street (not from Ventura blvd) and thats it! So do yourself a favor and get a ride. Lyft must know about this place because the driver knew exactly where to meet us in the back when we booked our return. For us it was a calm but fun summer evening hang outside! I don't know what its like without a band playing but hope I get a chance to check that out too.

I just attended the Manhattan Beach Annual Family Campout. It was a WONDERFUL event that was…read moresuperbly well-run. My family had a fabulous time! I was surprised at how much staff was involved. We arrived, checked-in and received our wrist bands. Setting up our pop up tent took about 60 seconds (thank you Costco), and we were off to explore the activities. We were the first to play on the bounce obstacle course, be human hamsters, and slide down the hills on ice blocks. These were all superbly fun activities. Next came sports. My son loved kick ball the best. I was impressed with how enthusiastic most of the staff were. It makes a difference when they interact with the kids like they want to be there and like kids. Dinner was served promptly at 5:30. They had hotdogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, watermelon, baked beans, cookies and chips. Everything was from Costco. I enjoyed my veggie burger, Cheetos and cookie. We quickly ate dinner and headed straight for story time at the amphitheater. It was a long story time, approximately 30 minutes. The main children's librarian was there to read a bunch of books. I zoned out and listened to an audio book. Followed by this was a Movie in the Park where us Campout attendees were treated to hot cocoa, coffee, popcorn and ice cream. Lights out at 10pm. I was EXHAUSTED. There were kids playing outside and being noisy, but they soon settled down. We were up super early because kids get up at the crack of dawn. Breakfast was about 25 minutes late, but they had Peet's coffee and OJ ready. Breakfast was pancakes, turkey sausage, eggs, yogurt, cinnamon rolls, cereal, milk and fruit. It was a good spread. Right after breakfast was the fishing derby. We didn't catch anything, but it was fun trying. They provided fishing poles for us. Bottom Line: A perfect first family camping trip thanks to the staff at the Manhattan Beach Annual Family Campout!