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!

I love this event. I've been coming to this event every year. Although prices start getting higher…read moreand higher lately. I usually get 12 tickets and I used to try 4-5 dishes but now it is only enough maybe two or three maximum. I try to come as early as possible to avoid the lines because after 7 PM line gets longer. They are also live music throughout the Festival. Fun event.

I liked the idea of Belmont Stroll and Savor because it gives you the opportunity to try out a lot…read moreof different things on second street that you normally wouldn't have. All the food here is sample sized and they don't take money, but instead, you pay with tickets, which can be purchased in several areas in the street. My main complaints with this is that a lot of the food wasn't as fresh because it was sitting outside in a warm container vs being made to order like it normally would and that the selection was a lot smaller than I expected. I feel like the samples weren't necessarily a good representation for if you were to actually order something there normally. Overall, the concept is good but I feel like it could've been executed better.

This museum is in a really nice location. It's right next to the beach and you can't beat that. I…read morebought my tickets online and they had a special for 50% off. There's also free parking next to the museum which is a plus. It was my first time at this museum and it's a pretty small museum. When I went, the second floor was closed because there was an event that night. I went to see the Robert Williams exhibit which is on the main floor and there was a lot to see. There's also a lower level with an exhibit for local high school artist which is cool. Although the museum was small I was there for almost an hour. I thought the description of the pieces were very detailed and helped me understand what I was looking at.

Love it here! There are two buildings. It's the building on the right…read more The computers were down on the Saturday I visited, so admission was free. Otherwise, general admission is $15 and admission for seniors is $10. I visited during the Robert Williams exhibit. Great, comprehensive collection of artwork, past and present. Paintings and sculpture, large and small. There's a small gift shop located immediately next to reception. The basement exhibit was artwork created by middle school, up and coming artists. The second floor was an exhibit surrounding paper and books. Although visitors are not allowed to go outdoors, awesome ocean view from the second floor window and patio. You can either take the stairs or elevator. Parking: I parked on the next block. Free, residential street parking.

Beautiful, yes. Quiet, yes. But the staffs really do make people uncomfortable. As if they're the…read morestrict parents or mall cops, telling you to move, to not stand there too long, no picture setup, don't stop for more than 30s, don't talk too loud The garden is the size of a small practice soccer field and there are at least 10 staffs

Absolutely loved visiting the Japanese Garden at CSULB! It's such a beautiful, quiet, and…read moreincredibly clean space, perfect for clearing your mind. The peaceful atmosphere makes it an ideal spot for college students to unwind between classes, and honestly, staff could benefit from that calm escape too. Everything is so well maintained, and you can really feel the serenity the moment you walk in. Just a heads up, make sure you have reservations before you go & no snacks allowed. Highly recommend this hidden gem!

It's really well designed with a great ambiance the people who work here are sweet lots of…read morepatience. It has a variety of candies and I have bought here they even have my old time favorites. They also custom design candy and throw parties.

We spontaneously came across this candy store while strolling Belmont shores and decided to stop in…read morebecause I saw a sign for sour Swedish candy... and I was so excited to find out they have my favorite Swedish sour raspberry bottle candy! I've been looking for these in stores for many years since my favorite candy store closed down in NorCal! The employees were really kind to let me try a piece of candy before purchasing! Just make sure you ask them for a sample because they grab the sample for you. This is to keep the candy clean from strangers hands :) Such a nice hidden gem, especially if you're looking for any retro or Swedish sour candy.

My grandkids enjoy the art and crafts of the sheep and love all the animals, plants, big trees and…read morespecially all the houses.. Everyone was very friendly to us The restroom was very clean.

A historical landmark, close & free to visit…read more Originally part of the ancestral village of Povuun'nga, the traditional place of origin of the native Gabrielino-Tongva people of the Los Angeles Basin, named Rancho Los Alamitos when the land was conceded to Manuel Nieto, and finally to Fred & Florence Bixby, whose children donated the family ranch to the City of Long Beach in 1968. To enter, visitors proceed to the Bixby Hill residential security gate at the intersection of East Anaheim Road and Palo Verde Avenue. Entrance is strictly at 1pm, as the guard will not allow entrance prior to that. Operating hours are 1pm - 5pm Wed - Sun. Initial visit, the barn area w/ the livestock was closed off due to a water main break. Tours of the Adobe Ranch is via a docent-led tour, which can be made at the Rancho Center. No photography is permitted. Tom was the docent, and he was quite knowledgeable of the history of Rancho Los Alamitos, allowing passage into each room on the first floor. Second floor was closed to visitors. My favorite room was the kitchen, as I marveled at the various appliances, such as the still operational refrigerator, with the condenser on top, instead of bottom. Also, the heavy, built to last stove, which probably served a countless number of meals for the family & staff working the ranch. There were a few objects which were available to touch, such as an early proto version of a View-Master. The cherry on top of the Adobe Ranch visit was pulling the rope attached to the dinner bell, signifying everyone to "come & get it!". The handsome, well-maintained garden landscape surrounding the property provides natural beauty & plenty of photo opportunities. Second visit was more fun, as the barn & livestock areas were open to the public, again! Preston, a magnificent Shire horse, towers over almost all visitors, and stuns with his majestic beauty. In the world record books, a Shire horse named Sampson is the largest recorded horse ever, at 7' 2.5" tall & 3,360 lbs. Not to be outdone, Fred the donkey bombastically greets people with his hee-haws. A few rescue horses, sheep & a coop full of chickens provided plenty of enjoyment. A pleasurable afternoon can be had at Rancho Los Alamitos. Visitors gaze back in time upon a working ranch, experience how things were built to stand the test of time, opposed to planned obsolescence of most machinery & appliances, today. Visiting Preston, Fred & the other animals, alone, is worth the drive. I look forward to coming back & I highly recommend giving Rancho Los Alamitos a visit.

Such a cute concept with spaces being utilized throughout the area. Think of the gum alley in…read moredowntown SLO town or Seattle. Here in downtown Riverside, you have Mariposa Alley (Butterflies). During lunch we were trying to figure out what was around the area that was worth checking out. This popped up and was a 2 minute walk away. Just around the corner from Main Street next to a parking structure. It's a small little alley way that house all the fun cute butterflies hanging off the wall. The same concept as Collette Miller with the famous Angel wings scattered all over the place. One side of the wall is a massive mural of butterflies and flowers while the opposite side are butterflies. All different sizes and shapes hanging off the wall. You have the colorful wings lower down for that perfect photo op as well as smaller one hanging off the wall. A cute little walkway that's hidden off the Main Street. It's tucked in between the parking structure and city hall. A fun photo spot that's well maintained and clean. Alleyway was not messy one bit and in pretty good shape and clean.

Nice little walk downtown to look at art and have lunch nearby. The owner of Tio's Tacos is to…read morethank for the alley. They're a short walk away.

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!

This is such a fun spot with so many food options all in one place and love that concept! There's a…read morehuge variety of cuisines with decent amount of vegetarian options too, although some few places do have more limited selections. They also have great dessert and drink spots. However many times I have been here, it's always been busy - which honestly says a lot about how popular it is. The decor and atmosphere are super cute and make it a nice place to walk around, hang out, or chill. Parking can be a little tricky and limited at times, but after a few rounds you usually end up finding a spot. Definitely one of the better food hall-style places I have been to so far and worth the drive every time.

Went here on Saturday. We had brunch reservations in one of the restaurants. Number 1 warning to…read moreall people coming here to visit. Parking is terrible! If you are lucky, you would find street parking a block or two away. It is very inconvenient. Even Valet parking is terrible. It is congested in the parking lot. Aside from parking. Anaheim packing district has many restaurants and outside venue shops all in walking distance. Entertainment and lots of drinks, food and snacks to choose from. This place is a cool place to chill. Lots of people and decor everywhere. I recommend stopping by to checkout the different vendors.