2011.
Shhhhh. We're taking a nap. Actually, we're in the process of converting the whole site to a CMS. It may take a week or two more. While you're waiting, you might want to look through some of our past content. Or even better, buy a book. By the time you're finished reading it, we'll probably be back. (Jan. 12, 2008)

2010.
After a spate of uninspired posts, it looks like now is as good a time as any to take a break. See you again after the holiday. (Dec. 18, 2007)

2009.
A couple of very cool looking exhibitions going on at Gallery C in Hermosa Beach through Jan. 5. First, Kenny Harris shares his "Recent Paintings" of empty interiors. Then you have Roland Reiss' "Onshore Flow," a whole other thing. Check 'em out. (Dec. 15, 2007)

2008.
Alright Paul Silva! (Dec. 14, 2007)

2007.
The Daily Breeze unveils its new website. More features, more video, more ads, more photos, more links and more crossover news from outside the South Bay. (Dec. 14, 2007)

2006.
About a week ago we learned that the Health Department was going to come and spray poisonous chemicals all around our property in an effort to eradicate a certain insect that poses tremendous danger to the entire California economy. We didn't like the idea of poison being sprayed all around our property, but we eventually acquiesced on the condition that they not spray while certain smaller family members were home. Another day was chosen for the spraying. On the next day, rain washed all the poison away. Hopefully. (Dec. 14, 2007)

2005.
That’s it, from now on we’re hitting the Walk button no matter what. Never again will we be fooled by those weirdos who stand there on the corner but have not pushed the button. Never again will we assume that everyone standing on the corner even wants to cross the street. Really, we don’t care if it insults you – this assumption that you have not pushed the button. We’ve missed the signal too many times to assume that anyone knows how to cross the street in this town. (Dec. 8, 2007)

2004.
Certainly the impending opening of a Pinkberry in Hermosa Beach at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Aviation – in the former location of the last South Bay vestige of Dunkin’ Donuts – has all the beach city hipsters buzzing. Well, for our money, the coolest South Bay yogurt shop in the South Bay is the cleverly hidden Frozen Monkey in Torrance. Never has frozen yogurt been so cool. (Dec. 8, 2007)

2003.
This link won’t more than a few days, but The Beach Reporter has on its home page a rendering of the building that will replace the one that used to house the famous El Sombrero restaurant before it recently burned down. One look at the oversized, Spanish Colonial ugliness will confirm that the design is a product of the Tomaro Design Group, makers of the similarly lame McMansions throughout the South Bay. Really, why do people hire these guys? Blah! (Dec. 8, 2007)

2002.
There is supposed to be some serious storming over the next few days, and during the expected downpour you're likely to hear at least one person complain about how L.A. drivers don't know how to drive in the rain. Well, we covered that fallacy in an article some time ago. Read up so you'll be ready. (Dec. 6, 2007)

2001.
The Palos Verdes Art Center will host “The Circus Comes to Town,” a exhibit featuring the work of 17 artists all working in a circus theme. The show will run through Feb. 3. Also showing will be the Center’s annual PVAC Artists Holiday Exhibition with recent work by members of the Art Center’s eight artist groups and “Greenhouse Laboratory,” featuring watercolors by Lawrence Yun. (Dec. 6, 2007)

2000.
By the way, this is the 2000th post on this site, since we started counting. That probably means something. (Dec. 6, 2007)

1999.
Apparently, business owners and others in El Porto are dropping the name in favor of North Manhattan Beach because they want to connect themselves to the upscale image that comes with Manhattan Beach. That's all fine and good, but it will always be El Porto. Business owner didn't name the area, and they really don't get to change it. The real question is why in the world they believe they have the power to change a historical name that exists only in the mind of people with a historic connection to the place. (Dec. 3, 2007)

1998.
Forecasters are predicting huge surf this week on all west-facing beaches in the South Bay. If you're that kind of person, grab your stick and get ready. If you're not, this isn't the week to take up surfing. (Dec. 3, 2007)

1997.
Manhattan Beach Confidential gives us an overview of the least expensive home in Manhattan Beach west of Sepulveda, asking the question "Is a ZIP code alone really worth a million dollars, regardless of the home or location?" (Dec. 3, 2007)

1996.
LAist recently noted all 24 of the places Raymond Chandler lived in Southern California, and the post confirms a rumor we had heard but never confirmed -- that the famous mystery author lived in Redondo Beach at one time. More precisely, apparently Chandler once lived at 224 S. Catalina Avenue in Redondo Beach. (Dec. 3, 2007)

1995.
Best lost/found poster ever.

(Dec. 3, 2007)

1994.
So obviously the site hasn't recovered from the recent holiday. We promise we'll be back tomorrow with more useful posts. In the meantime, it's obvious that all the new gizmos were using (Youtube, the polls) are slowing down the site, so we're going to use them less in the future. Bear with us as the ones currently on the home page cycle off. See you tomorrow. (Nov. 28, 2007)

1993.
We do.

(Nov. 26, 2007)

1992.
The Torrance Art Museum will feature its all-media juried exhibition, "All-In," beginning Nov. 17 through Dec. 15. We actually really love these kinds of shows. You see a lot of great local discoveries and there's a lot of variety. Really a great way for a gallery and an audience to get out of their ruts. (Nov. 16, 2007)

1991.
The Angels Gate Cultural Center will feature work by Benicia Gantner and Kim Schoenstadt, two painters who "work directly on gallery walls, addressing issues of landscape and spatial relationships." The exhibition opens Nov. 17, and runs through Jan. 13. (Nov. 16, 2007)

1989.
Really funky beach house in Manhattan Beach named a cultural landmark. Surprise, it's not a bulky Spanish colonial revival. (Nov. 16, 2007)

1988.
Hermosa Beach businessman deals with some family issues and moves one step closer to dedicating a plaque to himself. (Nov. 16, 2007)

1987.
So at least one South Bay children's author is trying to make something of the Reggie phenomenon. Who wouldn't want a furry Reggie for the house? (Nov. 15, 2007)

1986.
Remember when the South Bay was full of art house movie theaters? Now, nothing. Real shame. (Nov. 15, 2007)

1985.
Torrance turns into LEGO-land, and not in a good way. (Nov. 15, 2007)

1984.
In a world full of things that aren't very cool, thankfully Portishead remains so:

(Nov. 15, 2007)

1983.
Richard Frank, founder and publisher of The Beach Reporter, retires. (Nov. 9, 2007)

1982.
Friday's poll:

1981.
Vibrant arts coverage could do a lot to grow the South Bay's small number of institutions, but anyone looking to the Breeze for that will be surely disappointed in the coming months and years ... The end of arts coverage? (Nov. 7, 2007)

1980.
The Aesthetic is…

• not overly concerned about the writers’ strike.
• selling a book.
• not getting out as much as it used to.
• also pretty tired of airplane banner advertising.
• spending way too much time in the car.
• pretty sure that we got more trick or treaters in our neighborhood than you got in yours.
• going to let its subscription to Print Magazine lapse, and possibly replace it with Outside.
• frankly quite bored with local elections.
• still an avid fan of Cafe Pierre in Manhattan Beach.

1979.
Hope Chapel weighs a trade with El Segundo corporate developer. Hard to see which growth-obsessed land baron makes out the best here. Perhaps that corner deserves more than either of them. (Nov. 2, 2007)

1978.
The five worst development projects in South Bay history. (Nov. 2, 2007)

1977.
Depending on who you ask, Britney Spears is either shopping for property in Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach. Some claim that there’s no room for such a clueless spoiled brat in these parts, but really, would her addition much alter the clueless spoiled brat quotient in either of these towns? (Nov. 2, 2007)

1976.
Thought we'd ask:

1975.
Just want to say thanks to all those who have downloaded "The Killing Summer." Hope you're enjoying it. For all of you still on the fence, take a shot and buy the book. (Oct. 29, 2007)

1974.

Not too many bands from the South Bay got to be as big as the Beach Boys. There are a lot of things we like about this old footage of the Beach Boys. We love the goofy British host, and we love that the band is playing a stage the size of a trash can lid. And we love that in "I Get Around," Mike Love actually looks like he's enjoying being in the band. Wait for the second song, "When I Grow Up to Be a Man." It's classic. (Oct. 29, 2007)

1973.
Wow, give the Daily Breeze's Andrea Woodhouse credit for crafting one of the best articles you are likely to read about local surfing's evolution to modern technology and marketing. And she gets extra points for recognizing that most of the sources she needed for her story are in the 310 area code. A nice touch: A separate article about how Hermosa Beach is more than happy to let other cities whine about who deserves the "Surf City" title. Hermosa Beach , apparently, is much more about actually surfing. (Oct. 28, 2007)

1972.
San Pedro's Warschaw Gallery will present "P. Suasion," featuring paintings by Katy Crowe, Susan Joseph, Jay McCafferty, Joe Potts, Coleen Sterritt and Roy Thurston, from Nov. 3 to Dec. 29. (Oct. 27, 2007)

1971.
The spotting of the infamous medfly in Palos Verdes reminds us of the all-time lamest effort to pacify the public about their fears of pesticide spraying. From many years ago: "There is no danger to the public, but you are advised to cover your car." (Oct. 26, 2007)

1970.
This seems exactly like the kind of statement that will spur the gods of irony to punish me, but I’ll go ahead and say it anyway ... Let's face it, we've been lucky. (Oct. 26, 2007)

1969.
She calls herself a Halloweenist. Now that's a great word. (Oct. 26, 2007)

1968.
In case you didn’t see it in print, the Easy Reader’s article on Garrison Frost and his book, “The Killing Summer,” is now online. Our thanks to out to Robb Fulcher for the nice treatment. (Oct. 24, 2007)

1967.
We noted the passing of Hermosa Beach icon Boots Thelan in 1908., predicting that it wouldn’t be long  before the vultures were circling around his properties at the corner of Pier Avenue and The Strand. Well, the Easy Reader reports that Thelan’s heirs have put up for sale land on which the Mermaid, Poopdeck and Good Stuff now stand. If it sells, look for the Mother of All Ridiculous Approval Processes for whatever project (hotel, restaurant, condos?) the buyer dreams up. It took the city decades to figure out what to do with the Biltmore site, and in the end, the best they could come up with was a park. (Oct. 22, 2007)

1966.
Glancing through the beach city papers this weekend, we couldn’t help but notice that the Manhattan Beach Downtown Business Association continues to run ads with the slogan: “Downtown Manhattan Beach: Just West of Ordinary.” We discussed this campaign extensively some time ago in our column, “You suck, now come buy our crap.” As long as the MBDBA continues to run this ad, we will think of it as “just east of our extended middle finger.” (Oct. 22, 2007)

1965.
Every small town has its quiet artists. Eizo Eto was one of Hermosa Beach's. The Beach Reporter was among many local papers to note his passing. (Oct. 22, 2007)

1964.
We heard there's an article about "The Killing Summer" in this week's Easy Reader. We haven't seen it ourselves. Check it out. (Oct. 19, 2007)

1963.

A twist on the Mobile Oil Pegasus. We pass by this particularly cool piece of street art every day on our way to work. Right on La Cienega at La Tijera. (Oct. 19, 2007)

1962.
This story about a guy driving from New York City to Los Angeles in a little over 31 hours reminds us an interesting South Bay angle to the famous Cannonball races of the early 1970s – essentially illegal cross country road rallies – that were immortalized in the 1981 film “Cannonball Run.” Apparently, the original races actually terminated in Redondo Beach at the Portofino Inn, and we recall fondly noticing that the climax of the movie took place there as well. If only the Redondo Beach pier area were remotely that interesting today. (Oct. 18, 2007)

1961.
The top 50 dystopian movies of all time (via Coudal). Hard to argue with much of this, only we would have put “Blade Runner” at No. 1. (Oct. 18, 2007)

1960.
We had actually wondered. Now we know. (Oct. 18, 2007)

1959.
Interesting that the South Bay's latest designer residential development, Three Sixty at South Bay (a place so wonderful it comes with a prepositional phrase right in the name!), is so secretive about where it actually is. Is it El Segundo? Is it Manhattan Beach? Is it Hawthorne? Clues are everywhere, but answers are hard to come by. Oh wait, now we see that it’s in Hawthorne, but in that weird part of Hawthorne just recently annexed from El Segundo. Anyway, it must be a bad sign for Hawthorne if the main selling points of this "between the city and sea" project are all the other nearby cities, such as right-next-door Hollywood. (Oct. 18, 2007)

1958.
Living in the South Bay, and in Los Angeles for that matter, is sometimes a lot like living in a small apartment with too many roommates. You want to go to the bathroom, someone's already in there; you want to make a sandwich, someone's already digging around in the frig; you want to watch "Lost," someone else insists on "Grey's Anatomy." This is exactly how it feels trying to park your car, run into a store for some eggs, or drive home from work. There are people everywhere, seemingly only put on the planet to frustrate you. But these aren't bad people clogging up your activities. In fact, they're normal people just like you. But they're always there, and they always make you want to find a bigger place of your own with more room. (Oct. 17, 2007)

1957.
It's election season in the South Bay, important races in many cities, and we've been electrified by the candidacy of, well, no one. Anyone expecting big ideas to come forward after this election is going to be sorely disappointed. (Oct. 17, 2007)

1956.
Thinking a lot about trees these days. First, a neighbor tore down a young redwood from his front yard. Couldn't believe someone could do that. "Isn't it illegal," she said. "Aren't they some kind of endangered tree or something?" Then came the wind, and we're still sweeping up pine needles and pepper corns from our lawn and patios. And then someone told us that the eucalyptus are actually some kind of invasive weed. We've always thought that a street with trees was much better than a street without trees, and we'll take the shade of a eucalyptus any day. When they traded the eucalyptus for those skinny Chinese box trees in Torrance, it made that city a lesser place. Weed or no weed. (Oct. 13, 2007)

1955.
The Redondo Beach Art Group will hold its second Power of Art exhibition this weekend. They couldn't score the same great venue as last year (the AES power station), so they're holding the thing at the Alta Vista Community Hall. More information here. And a cool article in the Beach Reporter here. (Oct. 12, 2007)

1954.
Restaurants playing soccer on the television will tend to have slightly better food than ones playing Telemundo, and much better food than ones tuned into “Ellen.” ... Simple guidelines for eating at cheap Mexican restaurants. (Oct. 10, 2007)

1953.
That wind last week seems to have taken out at least part of one of the South Bay’s classic Fifties diner signs, specifically the shorter sign outside the Hot-N-Tot on Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita. As of last night, part of the sign was still laying on the sidewalk. No word on whether the owners plan to put it back up. (Oct. 10, 2007)

1952.
The Torrance Art Museum is planning its All-In Juried Art Exhibition Nov. 17 through Dec. 15. More information here. Wanna toss in your hat, or rather, your art? The deadline for submissions is Monday, Oct. 29. (Oct. 10, 2007)

1951.
Remember when everyone in Palos Verdes was so thrilled to have Donald Trump in the neighborhood? As he continues to pile up this type of crap, those days are increasingly over. (Oct. 2, 2007)

1950.
We too have been to Wilson Park in Torrance -- usually to visit the exceptional farmers market on Saturdays -- and found ourselves downright stunned at the size of the nearby residential development going on next door. Well, apparently, we aren't the only ones put off by the thing. (Oct. 2, 2007)

1949.
Spent a brief amount of time in downtown Hermosa Beach lately, and was struck yet again by all the new construction and business turnover. Will that place ever be done? Really, it's been 15 years since all this renovation started, and we still have to put up with jackhammers and covered sidewalks? (Oct. 1, 2007)

1948.
Manhattan Beach Confidential seems to have taken on the issue of why one would choose to buy in Manhattan Beach instead of Hermosa Beach. Nothing like a little intercity rivalry to boost those web stats. While most comments from readers have been fairly level-headed, we do expect a certain amount of online fisticuffs to break out any day now. Having spent several years in both cities, we definitely have an opinion on this subject, but we'll let MBC's readers have the field. (Oct. 1, 2007)

1947.
There's every indication that Torrance Truth has given up the ghost. Not much had happened there for a long time, then suddenly there was a last gasp about the upcoming School Board election, then nothing more. A quiet demise for a site that, in no small part, helped decide the outcome of that city's last election, ousting a longtime mayor and his colleagues on the dais in the process. (Oct. 1, 2007)

1946.
Several months ago when we saw the For Sale sign on the Pitcher House, we feared the worst but hoped for the best. Now we find out that it was the worst. The Pitcher House is closing after, like, a billion years. Hermosa Beach has lost a lot of cool stuff over the years, but this loss particularly hurts. (Sept. 29, 2007)

1945.
Local papers take note of two fun public art projects:

• Julian Beever's chalk art at the Redondo Beach pier.
• Dawn and Neal Von Flue's mural of Hermosa Beach history.

(Sept. 29, 2007)

1944.
And as the blood flows easily through my outstretched legs, I will think to myself about what a savvy traveler I am, what a master of Internet technology I have come to be, and how, yes, I truly deserve to be recognized for this with priority seating. .. The air of superiority. (Sept. 25, 2007)

1943.
If you get a chance, head over the Torrance Art Museum and check out the latest. The museum's main gallery is featuring "Themes and Variations: New Abstraction in Los Angeles," including paintings, sculptures and site-specific installations by 12 regional artists. Artist Fran Siegel fills the entire Gallery Two with "Overlap," a site-responsive installation. And San Pedro artist Yong Sin nabs the South Bay Focus space with "Rule Out." (Sept. 25, 2007)

1942.
Blues whales dying. Navy sonar tests. Coincidence? We think not. (Sept. 22, 2007)

1941.
We thought you might find it interesting that the artist name that bring the most search engine traffic to this website is Raymond Pettibon. We're pretty sure it's not because we have a ton of content about him -- we don't. Must simply be that he's popular. (Sept. 19, 2007)

1940.
You know, for all that hand-wringing over the development of the Metlox site in downtown Manhattan Beach, it actually turned out to be ... not that bad. (Sept. 19, 2007)

1939.
Why do developers and builders of bad things almost always defeat local opposition? Garret Keizer recently explained exactly why in the Los Angeles Times. And his words should be required reading for anyone looking to fight the good fight in the always-threatened South Bay. (Sept. 19, 2007)

1938.
We always appreciate hearing about new websites in the South Bay, so we were pleased to get a nice note recently from Susan, who runs Random Madness in Torrance. (Sept. 19, 2007)

1937.
Back in the mid-1990s when we edited one of the weeklies around here, there was a call from a local photographer who claimed that he had documented all the area's notable homeless (such as Tarzan, the one who wore nothing but a leopard-print Speedo and did tumbling exercises all over downtown Hermosa Beach, and The Lady in White, who wore white robes and ate ducks in Manhattan Beach's Polliwog Park). He thought our readers would be interested and offered to send us a few examples. We said we were interested, but no pictures ever arrived and he was never heard from again. (Sept. 17, 2007)

1936.
As the city of Redondo Beach convenes its 1,438^th meeting to gauge resident opinion on potential new development in its harbor area, we can’t help but remember our own days covering such public forums. Those memories were captured to near perfection recently by The Onion. (Sept. 15, 2007)

1935.
Interesting little calculator in the LA Times let you see how South Bay home prices and sales have fared by ZIP code in the last year (Redondo Beach is OK, Manhattan Beach doesn’t look so hot, and some parts of Torrance are absolutely abysmal). The area-wide drop in home sales prompts one to wonder what will become of all those thousands of real estate agents serving the area. Sure, the ones that work hard will survive, but what of all those who only got into the business because they liked the idea of playing volleyball most of the week? Alas, there will always be used cars to sell. (Sept. 15, 2007)

1934.
We had often wondered what was up with that ridiculous billboard on Crenshaw Boulevard in Lomita. Now we know. (Sept. 14, 2007)

1933.
The Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center is featuring "Fresh Perspectives," with art by Judy Davies and Nan Wollman, through Sept. 27. The show displays work with less traditional media, including glass fusion, enamel on copper, Monotype or Chine Colle, Cyanotype blueprints, and mixed media sculpture. (Sept. 7, 2007)

1932.
Evelyn Guy had read my article and realized that she had much to tell me about Thomas Pynchon. Before moving to the place on 33^rd Street, Pynchon had lived in a small bachelor apartment behind her house on The Strand ... Thomas and Evelyn. (Sept. 5, 2007)

1931.
Just learned of an interesting South Bay website called Manhattan Beach Confidential. Is it the insider's gab about Manhattan Beach social and political intrigue that the city has always yearned for? No, it’s actually just about real estate, which in that city, might be the same thing. But that’s not to say it isn’t interesting. (Aug. 29, 2007)

1930.
Just heard from the South Bay Parkland Conservancy that the California Coastal Conservancy has begun feasibility studies to determine if it will be possible to purchase the AES Redondo Beach site (aka, the old Heart of the City site) for a park. This study have included a site visit and meetings with local elected officials. No, this doesn’t mean that a big beautiful waterfront park is a certainty, but it is further proof that a bunch of people still give a shit and are willing to spend the time to see it through. One rarely sees that with folks who back local initiatives. Most of the time, those folks just show up for a couple of months, dump a lot of crap in your mailbox and are gone again after the election. But not these park people. They’re still here, and working hard at it. (Aug. 29, 2007)

1929.
When we last checked, this Daily Breeze article about a Rolling Hills Estates man who has been sentenced to jail for doing some fixes around his house without a permit (apparently, there was some confusion about whether the property in question was the city's or not) has prompted 523 reader comments. That's got to be a record of some kind, particularly in that they are nearly unanimous is condemning the city and the courts. (Aug. 29, 2007)

1928.
Those who have been following such things know that Google's new Street View feature is one of the coolest -- and at the same time, creepiest -- features on the web. For those not in the know, the feature allows somebody using Google Maps to not only see a map and overhead satellite image of the address in question, but also view a 360 degree image of the street from ground level, with full functionality to move up and down the street and rotate the view. You access the feature by doing a search in Google Maps and clicking on the Street View button in the top right. While folks in San Francisco and a few other major cities have been enjoying the feature, Los Angeles was only recently added, and that includes large sections of the South Bay. Most of the beach cities are included, with service limited to major streets such as Sepulveda, Pacific Coast Highway, Highland, Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Pier Avenue and Artesia. Other major areas included are Hawthorne Boulevard, Catalina Avenue and Harbor Drive in Redondo Beach, Riviera Village, Downtown San Pedro, Gaffey and Pacific Avenue. Significant omissions include the entire peninsula and Old Torrance. (Aug. 28, 2007)

1927.
Really, would it kill you to snow once in a while? ... An open letter to The Beach. (Aug. 27, 2007)

1926.
Certainly we're not the only ones to notice that Terminal One at the Los Angeles International Airport is totally ridiculous, an embarrassment to the city. This is the terminal that houses budget airline Southwest, so we're not totally surprised that it doesn't look as spiffy as, say, the United terminal. But the fact that so many people come in and out of there should long ago have convinced someone of the need to improve, if only for public relations. The idea that this is some people's first impression of Los Angeles in inexcusable. The food options are a joke. The seats are uncomfortable. And let's make this clear: Worst. Bathrooms. Ever. Seriously, one would think that someone would have done something by now. (Aug. 27, 2007)

1925.
The folks at Life on the Edge didn’t much appreciate D.J. Waldie’s piece in the Los Angeles Times Opinion Section over the weekend, particularly the line where he describes San Pedro as a “nowhere place.” Frankly, we were a bit surprised to see Waldie – otherwise known as something of an intellectual when it comes to Southern California history – dismiss one of our favorite communities. (Aug. 23, 2007)

1924.
With all the Beckham worship going on these days around Los Angeles and the South Bay, it was kind of refreshing to get Henry Rollins' take. In case you're curious, that is Henry Rollins, formerly of the seminal South Bay punk band, Black Flag. (Aug. 23, 2007)

1923.
Nice little update on the rather pricey repairs to the Los Angeles International Airport Theme Building. Our take: it's totally worth it. (Aug. 22, 2007)

1922.
Angels Gate Cultural Center's Visual Arts Director Marshall Astor recently traveled to Thailand, where he met with a number of local artists. The result of these meetings will be a unique exhibition at the Center called "Five Feelings, Angels Gate International Exhibiton 2007: Thailand," beginning Sept. 2 and running through Nov. 4. Looks pretty interesting. (Aug. 22, 2007)

1921.
So the container home in Redondo Beach has darn near been beaten to death in the press, but thankfully, the container bug is thriving elsewhere as well. As we mentioned some time ago, folks in ground-shifting Portuguese Bend have been turning to the big metal boxes more and more for everything from storage to foundational support. Anyway, looks like the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council knew better than to stand in the way of the trend, and adopted new rules that encourage their use. (Aug. 21, 2007)

1920.
We picked up a postcard announcing a new exhibition coming to Cannery Row Studios in Redondo Beach called "Obsession," put on by the Photographic and Digital Artists Group of the Palos Verdes Art Center, Sept. 1 to 30. There will be an opening reception on Sept. 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. (Aug. 21, 2007)

1919.
A little more about The Killing Summer. The book takes place in Hermosa Beach in 1947. It's a fictional account of a interesting time in the beach cities, when the older culture, one more dependent on Los Angeles for its identity, begins to give way to the surf culture that will define the area in the modern area. But it's not nearly as boring as that sounds. This is the story of Charlie Rogers, a lifeguard and vanguard surfer, fighting for the love of his life with the local gangster, Joey Knight. The famed Biltmore Hotel provides the background for this beach noir. (Aug. 17, 2007)

1918.
This post takes us a little outside of the South Bay, but we've always liked the Long Beach Press-Telegram. It's just a good solid paper with a nice balance of local and national news. A good read. Now we learn that this MediaNews publication might be experiencing some major problems under the new ownership. This, mind you, is the same ownership that controls the South Bay's Daily Breeze. We just hope everything we read isn't true. (Aug. 17, 2007)

1917.
We have to confess that we've been a little dismissive of the beach bluff restoration projects in Redondo Beach and Torrance. But the more we learn of the project's successes, the more we're coming around. The return of the blue butterfly is just a part of it. Nice recap in TBR. (Aug. 17, 2007)

1916.
The Beach Reporter has a nice article on the latest large-scale project in Manhattan Beach potter Frank Matranga's studio. (Aug. 17, 2007)

1915.
Alright then, here it is. The book. The new layout. Still lots of tinkering to do, but this is pretty much the gist of it. (August 16, 2007)

1914.
Visitors to the site will find something very cool here tomorrow, maybe Thursday at the latest. (August 15, 2007)

1913.
We spent a recent morning chasing the little one through the playground at Hermosa Beach's Valley Park. Nice little facility they've got there. Anyway, we were hanging out by the fire truck when we heard a commotion in the trees. Some crows were making a racket. We looked up and realized that the hapless crows had managed to piss off a hawk. There might have been eight crows in all, but by the looks of it, they needed perhaps another eight to match this highly motivated hawk. (August 15, 2007)

1912.
The Beach Reporter's Question of the Week this week has to do with the possibility of the Hermosa Beach Art Walk going to a weekend-long event in the future. While we're big fans of art events like the Art Walk, particularly ones that feature actual artists, this development doesn't sound that good to us. The reason has to do with the history of the Fiesta Hermosa. Long ago, before most Hermosans were Hermosans, the Fiesta was a small public art show called the Fiesta de las Artes put on by local artists in the downtown area. Then someone had the idea to make it a bigger deal. With that larger size came the need for more sponsors, more attractions, and more of everything. The event morphed into a fundraiser for the Chamber of Commerce, and eventually became the ridiculous disaster that it is now, so much so that the word Artes was dropped from the name. So if the Art Walk folks do want to grow beyond their current size, they should pay close attention to avoid the fate of Fiesta de las Artes. (Aug. 11, 2007)

1911.
So the unveiling of Reggie the alligator's new home at the L.A. Zoo would seem to be the perfect ending to the saga of this wayward reptile. A little too perfect, don't you think? We're supposed to believe that an alligator that eluded the world's best hunters for more than a year is suddenly caught by a couple of park employees only to willingly become a PR shill for his captors? If you ask us, this alligator at the zoo is a double, an invention designed to make the public feel safe and happy. And Reggie is still out there. (Aug. 11, 2007)

1910.
Unconvincingly Upbeat Headline Dept.: Beaches somewhat cleaner. (Aug. 9, 2007)

1909.
We like to read Los Angeles Magazine on the airplane. And we were particularly pleased, while flipping through the pages on our way to Sacramento this week, to find so many mentions of the South Bay in the current Best Of issue. No, nothing from the South Bay was actually named the Best Of anything, but there was a nice multi-page spread on Hermosa Beach (with not one mention of drunks or the burned out Sharkeez). Becker Surfboards, Cafe Boogaloo and The Spot get nods, as does our old pal Rebecca Perry at The Lily Pad. Nice job, Becca. For the more politically-oriented, there's an interesting breakdown of San Pedro's port woes by former L.A. Busines Journal editor Mark Lacter. Oh wait, we were wrong, the Point Vicente Interpretive Center does make the Best Of list for "Views to Sigh For." (Aug. 9, 2007) (*Aug. 10: Local Richard Foss points out that the Strip Joint in Redondo Beach  received an award as "Best Wood Stripper" in the home improvement section, and the Whale & Ale won a "Best English Pub" award.)

1908.
Rest in peace, Boots Thelan. You were one of the few true characters left in a town that was once full of colorful personalities such as yours. Our question is how long it will take the real estate vultures to descend on Thelan's numerous important land holdings in and around Hermosa Beach's downtown, not the least of which is the land where his famous Mermaid Restaurant now sits. Our guess is that the moment the news of Thelan's passing hit the streets, the phones of his heirs started ringing. (Aug. 3, 2007)

1907.
Got a nice note from Hermosa Beach's Rosamond Fogg recently calling our attention to the publication of "Parts Per Million," a new book by Joy Horowitz that chronicles the onoing battle in Beverly Hills over the alleged health hazards of the oil wells at Beverly Hills High. Although we haven't heard much from Fogg of late, locals might recall that she was the lead opponent of the failed effort in the 1990s to open new oil drilling in Hermosa Beach. Anyway, Fogg was gloating a bit, using the horrors of "Parts Per Million" to show what Hermosa Beach narrowly escaped. Apparently, the book even talks quite a bit about Fogg and her efforts to reveal the various hazards that were being glossed over the proponents of the Hermosa Beach plan. Perhaps this book should be necessary reading for those who continue to contend that the city was wrong to cancel this project, and that it should pay the oil company in question for damages. (Aug. 2, 2007)

1906.
Kind of nice to see the recovery of the El Segundo Blue Butterfly. While we haven't been too impressed by the aesthetics of the newly "restored" bluffs in Redondo Beach and Torrance, we can't help but give the folks props on this one. Nice job to all the dedicated folks. (Aug 2, 2007)

1905.
Looks like Mojo, the robotic work of art/annoying spotlight on top of San Pedro's Centre Street Lofts, is going to be fixed. These types of kinetic pieces often fall into disrepair right after they are installed, then sit there for years doing nothing until they are quietly replaced by a statue of guy. We'll see what happens to this one. (Aug. 2, 2007)

1904.
Then they have won. (July 30, 2007)

1903.
We could have seen this news about the 424 area code coming. In fact, we did. Thanks to the Breeze's Nick Green for exposing this sham for what it is. Next time you find yourself frustrated by having to dial 11 digits to make a phone call across the street, just remember that it was your elected officials who let you down when it mattered. (July 26, 2007)

1902.
Life on the Edge has some new details about the ongoing gutting of the Daily Breeze. Sounds like a real mess over there. The site also notes the absolute ass-kicking the readers are giving the new la.com section in the comments. Back in January, we ran an article called “Who will weep for the Daily Breeze?” The article is a bit out of date, but the question remains. Like it or not, the Breeze is the South Bay’s main conduit for news. Look at how readers in Santa Barbara have reacted to the dismantling of the News-Press. Why has there been nothing like that in the South Bay? (July 25, 2007)

1901.
Manhattan Beach's Planning Commission will be holding a public hearing on a revised Mansionization ordinance today, July 25, at 6:30 p.m. Apparently, there's a new proposed loophole in the ordinance that will allow a number of super-big-monstrosities to still be built. (July 25, 2007)

1900.
Estilo. So elegant. So cheap. (July 25, 2007)

1899.
It hates your freedom ... it often doesn't make any sense at all ... Ways in which the San Diego Freeway is like Al Qaeda. (July 19, 2007)

1898.
Just a little while ago, everybody was trying to find a way to save the Millie Riera sign in Redondo Beach's Riviera Village. Now the city is solving the problem, apparently, by auctioning it off. What a weird outcome. (July 19, 2007)

1897.
Who knew that the Daily Breeze’s Nick Green was such a soccer nut? Green is the author of the weblog 100 Percent Soccer, which has just been picked up as his paper’s first regular blog. The move gives the Breeze an inside track on all things Beckham. We find this move vastly more interesting than the paper’s recent inclusion in the new print entertainment section inspired by the Los Angeles News Group’s website la.com. (July 18, 2007)

1896.
It's hot outside. Does your sunscreen measure up? (July 17, 2007)

1895.
Online downloading and and mail delivery services like Netflix have nearly brought down all the big chain video rental places, and put yet another nail in the coffin of the local independent video store. But there is still one great reason to go to the indies for your movies, and that's the opportunity to get new releases sooner than you can get them everywhere else. New video releases tend to come out on Tuesdays, but in order to get an edge on the competition, a lot of independent stores release them as soon as they come in. Doing this would kill a big chain store, but a little store can get away with it because it is under the radar and its volume is so small. So, which South Bay stores do this? Well, we'll let you figure that out on your own. (July 16, 2007)

1894.
Sorry about the lack of posts this week. Lots going on over here, including some major changes to the site. We'll be back with new stuff over the weekend, and more substantive changes in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. (July 13, 2007)

1893.
For years, the most consistently interesting aspect of the Los Angeles Times’ opinion page has been the illustration work of Santa Barbara assemblage artist Susan Tibbles. Since 2000, Tibbles has done more than 140 works for the L.A. Times. It has always fascinated us how an artist who works in three dimensions has been able to make such an essential contribution to a newspaper that exists in only two dimensions. Anyway, Tibbles had an exhibition of her newspaper work last year at Loyola Marymount, but you can see even more of her work here. (July 7, 2007)

1892.
The Palos Verdes Art Center opened its annual Juried All-Media exhibition starting yesterday. The exhibition is juried by Rodman de la Cruz, retired El Camino College professor. Also on display will be the Center’s annual “Small Treasures” show, which features work of a smaller nature. Medora Wildenberg, an artist who teaches at El Camino College, juried this one. Both shows run through Aug. 24. (July 7, 2007)

1891.
Looks like we missed some cool stuff over at the Angels Gate Cultural Center recently, particularly the opening reception for “I Just Can’t Get Enough,” an exhibition of work by Cal State Long Beach faculty, MFAs and BFAs. Not to worry, though, the show runs through Aug. 19. While you’re there, be sure to check out “Little Boy Blue,” a collection of photographs by Scott Angus. Both shows run through Aug. 19. (July 7, 2007)

1890.
Another opening we missed was the latest at Gallery C in Hermosa Beach. They’re showing “Color Strips,” featuring work by Kirtland Ash, as well as “Six (Summer Group Show”, featuring work by Lisa Adams, Lori Cozen-Geller, Kyoung Ha Yoo, Cristy Thom, Trine Wejp-Olsen and Jean Wolff. You can view a slide show of some of the work here. (July 7, 2007)

1889.
The Fourth of July: a conversation. (July 3, 2007)

1888.

(July 2, 2007)

1887.
We always thought that meetings of public committees had to be held in public except in a few strict instances: personnel matters, pending litigation, trade secrets, perhaps a few others. We are fairly certain that the Brown Act does not allow for closed sessions when committee members want to avoid the "cheers and jeers" of the public, or when they just feel like being honest. So what gives with this closed meeting regarding a huge development in the South Bay? (June 30, 2007)

1886.
Long ago, there used to be a Van's Belgian Waffle place over on Cataline Avenue near the Edison Plant. Our family would go there every now and then and we generally regarded it as the best place ever. Since it left, the space has been a coffeehouse and a pornographic restaurant, but nothing nearly as cool as Van's. No doubt, Van's was the source of our general obsession with Belgian waffles. In recent years, tired of the lame Belgian waffles that one find in various restaurants, we acquired our own waffle iron and have tried all sorts of recipes. Most were good (we've never had a bad waffle), but they all failed to reach that point of perfection. In our memory, the waffles at Van's had a certain crispiness to the outside, and yet were fluffy inside. We've tried all kinds of different ways to achieve this, but have never quite got it. Then, thanks to Google, we find this, which promises to be the Perfect Waffle, crispy and all. Is it what it claims to be? We'll find out this weekend. (June 29, 2007)

1885.

(June 27, 2007)

1884.
Ah yes, the important stages of life: the first day of school, high school graduation, your first love, your first house, and … the first time a band from Seattle names itself after you and takes your name as its url ... I am not a pop band from Seattle. (June 27, 2007)

1883.
Were you actually surprised? (June 27, 2007)

1882.
The Daily Breeze does a little soul searching about its new feature allowing readers to post comments to articles. Thankfully, the paper is keeping the feature, but making a few tweaks to keep the crazies to a minimum. (June 25, 2007)

1881.
At last, Marmaduke Explained. (June 25, 2007)

1880.
Like a great neighbor, Donald Trump is there. (June 22, 2007)

1879.
Political fallacies that keep us stupid. (June 21, 2007)

1878.
One of our readers suggested we mention the proposal to open a Condom Revolution store on the corner of Eighth and Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach. Truth is, we don't have much of an opinion about it, other than to point out that the Chamber and a bunch of other city leaders fought hard to pass an initiative to clean up this exact stretch of PCH just a few years ago (How's that working out?). We are much more intrigued that the Mortice & Tenon, which has sported a "Going Out of Business Sign" on the window for what seemed like decades is actually, finally, going out of business. We never thought we'd see the day. (UPDATE: forget the porn shop) (June 20, 2007)

1877.
The Manhattan Maybe, the Lomita Leave, the PV Pass ... Beyond the Torrance Turn. (June 18, 2007)

1876.
Has the Hermosa Beach Surfers Walk of Fame become too crowded? The Breeze investigates. First off, it’s no surprise that something involving Roger Bacon has turned out funky. Just the same, Cooperstown has a lot more names, and surfing’s at least as old as baseball, right? (June 13, 2007)

1875.
We didn't have plans to link to the Breeze's story on the Redondo Beach container house. We've already given it a lot of attention. But then one of our reader's asked us to, so here it is. (June 14, 2007)

1874.
The Palos Verdes Art Center his hosting a lecture by DJ Garrity, sculptor-in-residence at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, on Monday, June 18 at 7 p.m. Garrity will discuss the creation of both Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial as well as public sculpture in general. The cost is $80 ($50 for Palos Verdes Art Center members). Participants in Garrity’s workshop will have the opportunity to create a unique stone garden sculpture using the human face as a template. Both novices and experienced sculptors are welcome; stone and tools are provided. That workshop is also pretty pricy. For more information or to register, call (310) 541-2479. (June 14, 2007)

1873.
Can we agree that the common abbreviation for the Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital -- King-Harbor -- isn't exactly the best? In the South Bay, we already have a King Harbor, and it's not a hospital. It's a harbor, and it has been around a lot longer than the embattled medical facility in South Los Angeles formerly known as King-Drew. So when we pick up a newspaper and see a headline about King-Harbor's imminent closure, or the high death rate, or other problems, we are easily confused. (June 12, 2007)

1872.
Although we have spent the better part of our lives in the South Bay, we never saw the Palos Verdes Peninsula referred to as The Hill until we picked up a copy of the Palos Verdes News. Now the Breeze is doing it. As we’ve found ourselves opining about the South Bay over the years, we’ve resisted using that designation for a number of reasons. First off, the only people who regularly call it The Hill are people from Palos Verdes, and you don’t get to make up your own nickname. Second, there are lots of hills in the South Bay, and it’s not right to arbitrarily throw a capital T in front of the “the” in reference to one. We wouldn’t let Manhattan Beach start calling itself The Beach, would we? Lastly, and this if probably the big reason, the name The Hill just reeks of snobbery, and we can’t abide by that. The first time we saw it, in the Palos Verdes News, the author had the gall to also use the term Flatlanders (with a capital F, no less). Thus, daring us to come up with a variety of nicknames instead of The Hill (June 11, 2007)

1871.
Interesting bit in Curbed Los Angeles about the coming market war on Rosecrans in Manhattan Beach. (June 11, 2007)

1870.
A newly opened collection of photographs offers new images of an unfortunate period in South Bay history ... A sad day in Palos Verdes. (June 8, 2007)

1869.
Bill Brand of the South Bay Parkland Conservancy has an interesting op-ed in the Daily Breeze today that provides a nice update on the progress of things at the AES Power Plant site in Redondo Beach. He is optimistic that a park is still possible there. (June 8, 2007)

1868.
We would have thought that after several iterations Hermosa Beach residents would understand the equation:

citizen committee = total waste of time

Really, isn’t this something like the fourth or fifth such committee? What ever happened to the recommendations of the so-called Economic Development Review Committee and its far-flung strategic plan for the downtown? Sometimes it is as though the institutional memory of your typical beach city community is three minutes. (June 8, 2007)

1867.
Apparently, the arches of the theme building at LAX need a lot more work than originally thought. It will take an extra six months to fix everything. Just so you know, the arches don’t hold the restaurant up. (June 7, 2007)

1866.
Although it’s probably more appropriate to connect Charles Bukowski, geographically, to the larger downtown Los Angeles area, the author did spend a great deal of his later life in San Pedro. So it’s probably appropriate that the folks at San Pedro-based smog.net would host one of the better Bukowski sites out there, bukowski.net. Not only does the site feature a lot of Bukowski’s writing, but there’s also a bunch of other cool stuff including photos, art, his FBI file and other oddities. Worth a look. (June 7, 2007)

1865.
Perhaps the favorite playground of my youth was the one at Hermosa Beach’s Valley Park ... Rocket ships and swings. (June 6, 2007)

1864.
Tonight's the night for the Manhattan Beach City Council to set about tinkering with the city's visual identity. On the agenda for tonight is a new city logo that may or may not end up being the city's new seal. (June 5, 2007)

1863.
Certainly there were many – people who haven’t lived here for long – who sweltered through those hot days in April and May, who thought that summer had arrived early ... The June Gloom. (June 5, 2007)

1862.
Cruising through the beach cities over the weekend, we did happen to see the Greenbelt Gates art project along the greenbelt. We actually found it to be kind of fun to look at, and really, what more can we ask of art? If you’re looking for a deeper meaning in this piece, how about the inescapable notion that Christo has seriously jumped the shark. (June 5, 2007)

1861.
We’ve never had a chance to visit the place, but Flazh!Alley Studio in San Pedro always sounds interesting. Normally only open by appointment, the gallery will be open to the public during downtown San Pedro’s monthly First Thursday. This time around, the gallery is hosting a new exhibition “KIRSZENCWAJG!” featuring giclées and other works on paper by Sam Kirszencwajg. Flazh!Alley Studio is an adults only venue located at 1113 S. Pacific Ave., Suite B. (June 5, 2007)

1860.
About that Green Line extension to the airport, don’t hold your breath. (June 2, 2007)

1859.
Tomorrow will mark the next public meeting in the ongoing effort draft a new Master Plan for the Angels Gate Cultural Center. At this meeting, the public will be able to view conceptual drawings of possible futures for the site. The meeting will be held in the Center’s Building H from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, click here. (June 1, 2007)

1858.
We don’t know very much about Andy Jenkins, but he apparently hails from San Pedro and runs Bend Press which, among other things, is a pretty interesting website featuring local news, cool links and baseball stuff. He goes right into the links page. (June 1, 2007)

1857.
We try not to link to too much partisan national stuff here because there are lots of other places you can go for that. However, we were stunned to learn that the FDA has ordered a small cattle rancher to stop testing his cows for mad cow disease because it might force larger producers to do the same. Aren’t the Republicans supposed to be all about the free market? Remember, this is the same FDA that doesn’t want you to know whether or not your meat was cloned or not. (June 1, 2007)

1856.
Some cool pictures of the LAX Theme Building. Is it open yet? (Via Curbed L.A.) (May 26, 2007)

1855.
People in the South Bay generally don’t take to the streets en masse. They’re not big rioters, and they’re not so much for the shouting. They have their own way of doing things ... Thou dost protest. (May 25, 2007)

1854.
So, they got him. Some theories:

• After proving that he could not be taken against his will, he let himself be caught to get out of the putrid water of Lake Machado.
• He is still there, and this alligator they caught is merely a double that Reggie duped into taking his place.
• In order to save face, the city planted an alligator robot in the lake and then "captured" it.

(May 25, 2007)

1853.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram reviews “Up at the Gate 2007,” currently showing at the Angels Gate Cultural Center. (May 25, 2007)

1852.
Yay, our airport is average! And our water is decent! Proposed tagline: "The South Bay is just OK." (May 25, 2007)

1851.
The latest trend in municipal branding is to have both a city seal and a logo. The original intent was for the seal to act as the official imprimatur of city business, while the latter was to serve less official purposes such as marketing, public relations and whatnot. Increasingly, however, we’re seeing less of the seals and more of the logos, and often seeing the two merged into one graphic element altogether. Which often gives one the impression that these cities are marketing concepts instead of governments. Manhattan Beach’s City Council is tinkering with a logo, and has become so enamored of the effort that it is considering replacing its seal with it. Perhaps it is to be expected that a city known for bulldozing over everything more than a year old would want to chuck a city seal that wasn’t bothering anybody. Still, when one watches these elected officials talk about colors and directions and “add this” and “get rid of that,” one thinks that changing something as time-honored as the seal should require a significantly heftier referendum. After all, folks, we've seen your yard signs. (May 25, 2007)

1850.
A little bit of street art that L.A. Taco found in Hermosa Beach. (May 25, 2007)

1849.
When something bad happens the surfer says "bummer." When something bad happens, the Buddhist says "karma." ... The surfer and the Buddhist. (May 23, 2007)

1848.
We vaguely remember a restaurant at the corner of Second Street and Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach that was in a building made to look like a giant ship. The name of the place was My Ship. (May 23, 2007)

1847.
The Daily Breeze notes the latest darkening of the Lawndale Mega-sign so we don’t have to. (May 23, 2007)

1846.
On a rare evening out, we ventured to the Redondo Beach Pier and had dinner at Old Tony's. Odd, as longtime locals, neither of us had ever had a meal there. The food was great, and the atmosphere something out of old South Bay. We continue to discuss whether the man in the next booth was a mobster. Afterwards, we took a quick walk around the pier and then went upstairs to the bar for a quick drink before heading home. Well worth doing again. (May 21, 2007)

1845.
Joel Grover nails an EZ Lube in the South Bay. We only mention it because we’ve been to that EZ Lube and we had already decided not to return. From LA Observed. (May 18, 2007)

1844.
The In-N-Out secret menu. Now you know. (May 18, 2007)

1843.
Too bad this auction is over because, man, this sweet ride would look good at the beach. (May 18, 2007)

1842.

Say hello to a blooming jacaranda. They're purple and they're everywhere. (May 17, 2007)

1841.
San Pedro’s Warschaw Gallery is featuring “Sampler: Recent Works” through June 30. The exhibition is a group show featuring Ali Acerol, Ray Carofano, Mark Dunham, Richard Godfrey, Eric Johnson, Susan Joseph, Ron Linden, Jay McCafferty and Gary Szymanski. (May 17, 2007)

1840.
Hermosa Beach’s Gallery C has a few interesting things going on. “Scars of the Past/Face of the Future” is a video installation by Bull.Miletic. “Urban Instincts” shows off the talents of Gisela Colon. And artist Michael Sokolis shows his stuff in “Transfigured Light.” To see a slide show of some of the work, click here. The shows run through June 23. (May 17, 2007)

1839.
Heard about a cool website the other day called Lost South Bay. It's just getting started, but the idea is to talk about things that were once important to us in this area that are no longer there. We particularly liked this piece on the shopping mall at the corner of Sepulveda Boulevard and Artesia Boulevard. (May 14, 2007)

1838.
You may have seen all the press a few months ago around Martin Schall, the German photographer who visits Los Angeles and posts breathtaking images on his website You Are Here. Well, we were curious if Schall ever made it down to the South Bay on his visits, and sure enough, he does. He's got some nice arial shots of Palos Verdes and King Harbor, a nice mural in El Segundo, and the LAX Theme Building, just to name a few. (May 14, 2007)

1837.

There must only be a handful of working enclosed telephone booths left in the greater Los Angeles area. The only we've ever noticed in the South Bay is this lost box at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive and Hawthorne Boulevard. Really, it's not much to look at, but in its own way, it's one of the things we like most about PV. (May 14, 2007)

1836.
Why do they even bother providing sidewalks here? Clearly, they don’t intend for anyone to walk here, and the few that do seem isolated, miserable, lost ... No place for walking. (May 11, 2007)

1835.
ExxonMobile will pay a mere $250,000 for releasing toxic gas into the South Bay air last March. Its Torrance facility is the second biggest source of toxic emissions in the county and the sixth biggest in the state. (May 11, 2007)

1834.
Yesterday we mentioned one of the artists involved in the “FR8” installations that are part of the Art on the Waterfront event on Saturday. We thought we should mention them all, as there are quite a few: David Deany, Beth Elliott, Mark Farina, Jeff Foye, Jocelyn Foye, Megan Geckler, Bean Gilsdorf, Dan Gilsdorf, Pato Hebert, Eric Medine, Christine Nguyen, Joe Sola, Matthew Thomas, Michael Webster, Jaco Bouwer, Sabine Maier, Hilary Mushkin, Agnes Nedregard, Karolina Sobecka, Sebastien Pesot, Mikael Prey, Aaron Valdez, S. Vijayaraghavan, and  Slobodon Dimitrov. Some of these folks work in installation art, others do video or photography. (May 11, 2007)

1833.
We’ve been doing some illustration lately. If only we had seen Wally Wood’s 22 Panels That Always Work, it would have been easier. A useful resource for any illustrator or comic artist. (May 11, 2007)

1832.

LA Observed tipped us off to a fascinating new trove of historical photos now available online from the UCLA Library. These digital files of photos from 1920 to 1990 from Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Daily News contain a lot of interesting images from the South Bay. We particularly love this 1962 shot of surfers in Redondo Beach. Check out that sweet surfboard trailer on that 10-speed. (May 11, 2007)

1831.
A letter writer to the Easy Reader tipped us to the fact that all this maneuvering by the AVP to get permission to charge admission on South Bay beaches might have more to do with solidifying the league's value in its ongoing sale. Interesting. (May 11, 2007)

1830.
The Port of Los Angeles is holding its second annual "Art on the Waterfront" event on the L.A. Waterfront in San Pedro on Saturday, May 12, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The festival, along the Main Channel of the nation's number one container port, is free and open to the public. Produced by Angels Gate Cultural Center and San Pedro Arts Association, Art on the Waterfront will bring together a broad collection of artists. Activities for the day include art and video installations in cargo containers called "FR8", an artisan fair, chalk art exhibitions, skateboarding demonstrations, artist-led children's activities and the team from Radio Disney. Food vendors will also be on-hand. By the way, remember that cool installation by Megan Geckler at the Torrance Art Museum a while back? Well she is among many artists involved in “FR8,” so you know it will be worth checking out. The Angels Gate weblog has lots of information about the exhibit, as well as photos of the setup. (May 10, 2007)

1829.
During her re-election a while back, South Bay Congresswoman Jane Harman took a lot of flack for her early support for the Iraq War as well has her endorsement for many of the president’s strategies for fighting the war on terrorism. Harman has been trying to move away from her earlier self, to point that she can make this call to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (May 10, 2007)

1828.
It is hard to imagine any other reason that the Daily Breeze ran this wire story other than for its exploitative value, and that probably explains why we read the whole thing and shared it with everyone we could find. But to really appreciate the article one must take a look at the reader’s comments at the bottom. In the short time that the Daily Breeze has included this comment feature on its website, we haven’t seen a single article get this much feedback from readers. (May 10, 2007)

1827.
Just want to remind any South Bay artists out there that the Hermosa Beach Art Walk is still looking for artists for its Aug. 18 event. This looks like a great opportunity to connect with a new audience, as well as with other artists, in a very non-Fiesta atmosphere. Visit www.hbartwalk.com to download the simple application. (May 7, 2007)

1826.
There are so many things we love about this story in the Breeze, we hardly know where to start. Nice job, Andrea Woodhouse Sudano. (May 7, 2007)

1825.
While lots of people complain about the cheap wine typically served at such functions, little did we know just how important it was to the success of an art gallery opening until we read in the Easy Reader about how a random investigator from the Alcohol Beverage Control essentially killed two Hermosa Beach openings by citing them for serving alcohol without a license. Let’s just hope that guy doesn’t show up again. (May 6, 2007)

1824.
In the old days of the 1990s, officials from the Association of Volleyball Professionals made enemies just about everywhere by making sure to be as arrogant as possible at all times. Those guys are all gone now, but with his quotes in the latest issue of The Beach Reporter, current AVP Commissioner (read, owner) Leonard Armato seems anxious to return to those glory days.

1823.
Redondo Beach’s now famous container home popped up on Curbed LA recently. Apparently, it’s finished. Sure looks good in the photo. (May 4, 2007)

1822.
The Los Angeles Times picks the Torrance Farmers’ Market as the fifth best in Southern California. (May 4, 2007)

1821.
The five best public art pieces in the South Bay. (May 2, 2007)

1820.
Reggie is back, and badder than ever. (May 1, 2007)

1819.


Driving away from Angels Gate Sunday, we couldn’t help but snap a few pictures of San Pedro’s famous three-eyed fish. We also captured its partner, the one-eyed octopus, for posterity. (May 1, 2007)

1818.
The Getty Center is hosting an exhibition of iconic photographs of Los Angeles by Torrance photographer John Humble through July 8. (May 1, 2007)

1817.
Certain undeniable truths, No. 3. (April 30, 2007)

1816.
The Hermosa Beach Art Walk is looking for artists for its one-day event on Aug. 18. It will be an all-day sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Applications can be downloaded at www.hbartwalk.com. (April 30, 2007)

1815.
The Easy Reader has this week’s issue up on its website, which may or not be an indication of what it will do in the future. Most of the time, the website lags one or two weeks behind the newsstand, and from what we’ve heard, that reflects Publisher Kevin Cody’s belief that giving the content away for free online degrades the value of the advertising in the print edition, which after all, pays for everything. That’s certainly a defensible position, although it does fail to recognize the paper’s website can also be a platform for advertising, and thus a revenue generator. Both The Beach Reporter and the Daily Breeze websites are kept current and generate new revenue through advertising. Something else worth noticing is that the Easy Reader has updated its online look to reflect the recent redesign of the newspaper. Perhaps this is an indication that it intends to invest a little more into its website in the future. Perhaps that will mean selling advertising. We’ll just have to see. (April 28, 2007)

1814.
The Palos Verdes Art Center wants people to see paper in a totally new light. “Paper Dreams,” running through June 2 in the Center’s Beckstrand Gallery, features the work of five artists who seek to take paper to entirely new levels. The exhibition features work by Marjorie Alexander, Rie Hashiyanagi, Yoshio Ikezaki, Tanja Rector and Genie Shenk. The exhibit was guest curated by Jean Clad. (April 28, 2007)

1813.
It would seem kind of odd that this growth in self storage comes at a time when one would think South Bay residents are best able to store their own things ... More space but less room. (April 27, 2007)

1812.

Lots happening at the Angels Gate Cultural Center this Sunday, April 29. For starters, the Center is hosting its annual Open Studios wherein dozens of artists will open their work spaces for the public. It’s a really great even that we have enjoyed numerous times. As part of the Open Studios event, all of the Center’s classrooms will be demonstrating the wide variety of art programming available there. The Center’s Downstairs Gallery will host an opening reception for “Jerrin Wagstaff and Carleton Christy: New Works.” Last, but not least, the Center’s Gallery A will host an opening for “On Site at the Gate 2007,” the Center’s annual all-California show. This year, the show is being guest curated by Aimee Chang, curator of contemporary art at the Orange County Museum of Art. We’ve always loved this show because it brings a lot of different and very cool art to the Center. But we’re even more interested in it this year because The Aesthetic’s own Garrison Frost is one of the featured artists (one of his pieces is pictured above). Other artists in the show are Peter Belkin, YaYa Chou, Michelle Deniaud, Julie Easton, Tara Fadenrecht, McLean Fahnestock, Asad Faulwell, So Jung Kwon, Roger Marshutz, Tom Miller, Lowell Nickel, Jeffrey Allen Price, Jessica Schieffer, Denise Scott, Paulina Swietliczko, and Valerie Wilcox. Both shows will run through June 10. (April 26, 2007)

1811.
A few years ago, we would have wholeheartedly thrown our support behind an initiative like the one currently being pursued over Hermosa Beach’s downtown. But now, we find that we just don’t give a shit anymore. Hermosa long ago sealed its inane bargain – trading drunk bikers for drunk twenty-somethings – and the time has long passed for the City Council to reverse its many comically bad decisions. The frat boy utopia that the bar owners want (with all its attendant parking and policing problems) is far from what might have been down there, but it is probably the best the residents can hope for at this point. All these people arguing over this dead carcass would do the city immeasurably more good if they got together on a plan to create more cheap parking. (April 26, 2007)

1810.
Beginning Friday, April 27, The Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center feature “Black and White Photography,” featuring work by Allan Conrad, Pauline Falstrom and Mark Tanner. The show will run through May 12. (April 26, 2007)

1809.

I realized that the Beacon Street in the photographs was gone, long gone, done in by that old city scraper, the redevelopment agency ... Beacon Street. (April 25, 2007)

1808.
Spent a good deal of time this past weekend driving around the South Bay, so now we can say with some authority that there really isn't a day when one can expect to be treated decently by the San Diego Freeway. One would expect to see some drop-off on, say, a Saturday morning or a mid-Sunday afternoon. But no, there is no window. Perhaps if one were to try it a 2:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning. But if the sun is up, there is no hope. (April 23, 2007)

1807.
Yes, another greater than/less than. (April 21, 2007)

1806.
Given our firsthand knowledge of how much it sometimes sucks to be a newspaper writer, we have long tried (sometimes not so successfully) to avoid saying anything bad about local newspaper scribes. But, wow, this tasty hanging curveball is testing our resolve. (April 21, 2007)

1805.
Hey, whatever happened to the proposed Dewey Weber statue? Seemed like an interesting idea, and it actually seemed to have some momentum, but we haven't heard much in a while. (April 21, 2007)

1804.
The Brewery Art Walk is going on in downtown L.A. this weekend. We’ve been a couple of times and highly recommend it. (April 21, 2007)

1803.
The Angels Gate Cultural Center is embarking on a process to create a master plan for both the Center and the 64-acre coastal Angels Gate Park. Stakeholders from the L.A. region are encouraged to attend and share your ideas regarding the future of this important cultural site. The first meeting will take place this Saturday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Center’s Building H. More information on the master planning process is here. (April 20, 2007)

1802.
Occasionally, our work takes us through the Sacramento Airport, where we often encounter the marvelous “Samson,” by sculptor Brian Goggin. Here’s another view. (April 20, 2007)

1801.
Katherine Gould, Director of the Palos Verdes Library, has a pretty interesting weblog. Lots of interesting stuff about the ins and outs of running a library. (April 18, 2007)

1800.
“From the era of Spanish ranchos and the early Palos Verdes housing developments, Japanese farmers on the Palos Verdes Peninsula played a significant role in cultivating vegetables for California dinner tables in the early 1900's.” The 40 Families Project. Fascinating. (April 18, 2007)

1799.
The Daily Breeze yesterday ran the somewhat obligatory article about the possibility of erecting a better fence to keep people from getting too close to the edge. This comes on the heals of yet another death from falling off the cliffs at Point Fermin. Commenters to the Breeze article and our friends at Life on the Edge are decidedly against the idea of a higher barrier. We have to agree that the fence doesn’t make a ton of sense – our favorite argument is that, in order to really do the job right, we would have to run the fence all around the peninsula to Redondo Beach.

Actually, this whole discussion reminds us of a recent article in the New Yorker about people jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. The article describes how efforts to build a better barrier to keep people from jumping off the bridge have always been rejected by local officials, despite the near universal agreement among those who know that it would greatly reduce the suicides. The article's a long one, but it's nonetheless a great read.

Deliberate tangent: Since we first read this article several months ago, we haven’t been able to shake the story related by a suicide prevention worker who told of how they went to the apartment of a recent jumper and found a note that read: “I’m going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump.” Needless to say, since reading that, we do our best to smile at strangers more. (April 18, 2007)

1798.
When the fabric started coming back in the 1990s, I even considered buying a pair of the thick cool corduroy pants that everybody was wearing. But once the prospect of actually wearing them drew near, some kind of natural defense mechanism kicked in ... Why I won't wear corduroy. (April 17, 2007)

1797.
Skeletal renderings of popular cartoon characters. (April 17, 2007)

1796.
There is something to this moment that seems so real, so permanent, as if it will always be this way ... Another time. (April 16, 2007)

1795.
Darren Policare, one of our favorite South Bay artists, has some stuff up on the web. (April 16, 2007)

1794.
Hermosa Beach artist Scott Berum let us know that he has some new paintings up on his website, www.themoot.com. (April 16, 2007)

1793.
I cannot count the important life lessons that I’ve learned simply by driving the streets of Los Angeles and the South Bay ... Lesons of the street. (April 13, 2007)

1792.
An additional note on our recent article, Without a car, in which we explored the possibility of whether it was possible to live in various parts of the South Bay without frequent use of an automobile. In the piece, we stated that it was pretty much impossible to survive in north Redondo Beach without a car, a claim that some readers have argued is untrue. One reader in north north Redondo Beach says she has walking access to all sorts of goods and services, and is even linked to the greater Los Angeles area via the Green Line. Well, OK then. (April 13, 2007)

1791.
Arguably, no passage from any book has impressed us as much as the one in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon in which the main character, Sam Spade, relates an odd little story about a man named Flitcraft. It’s pure genius. Reading it again just now, we were reminded not only of just how perfectly this passage nails human nature, but also that it also does a fine job of summing up post-Sept. 11 America. (April 13, 2007)

1790.
At the risk of talking too much about the Breeze, we want to follow up on 1775., wherein we wondered if the newspaper’s new policy of allowing readers to post responses to stories was catching on. Over the last few days, we’ve noticed more and more posts from readers, and in almost every case, these reader responses make the stories more interesting and informative. Good examples of how this works are the reader posts to the Breeze’s nice story about the community rallying to support Redondo Beach pier icon Tony Trutanich. This could turn out to be the single best decision the paper has made in a long time. (April 12, 2007)

1789.
The Palos Verdes Art Center is currently soliciting entries for its 2007 Juried All-Media Exhibition. The deadline for entries is April 27, so if you’ve got something interesting you want to share, get it ready. Artists may submit up to five entries, and there is no entry fee. For more information, contact the Center at (310) 541-2479, or by email at scanty@pvartcenter.org. (April 10, 2007)

1788.

It’s possible that no artist has ever merged art and politics as well as Mark Lombardi. The artist died in 2000, but his work lives on as living testimony that conspiracy can be quite elegant if rendered properly. We originally learned of him in a Punk Planet article reprinted in the Utne Reader. While it’s hard to truly get an idea of his art from images on the web, you can see a little bit of what he was up to here and here. You can also see more on Google. (April 10, 2007)

1787.
Anyone wanting to know why the Daily Breeze’s op-ed page has absolutely zero traction in the South Bay should look no further than this drivel. The Breeze saves a great deal of money going with these wire columns (they can buy them in a bundle for five or ten bucks a shot, opposed to paying a real writer a lot more). Problem is, they’re totally boring and totally disconnected from the local readership which, believe it or not, actually has a lot of real shit to care about and wouldn’t mind some insight from the local newspaper of record. These articles just fill space – and when you’re bleeding readers like the Daily Breeze, that’s just a huge waste. (April 10, 2007)

1786.
Because we move pretty fast these days, we don't often take the time to read the paper version of the Easy Reader, instead catching it online when we can (even though the paper rarely puts up its current issue). So we were caught off guard this week when we saw the new redesigned cover. We think it looks great, and we hope they do the same to the interior of the paper. Unfortunately, we couldn't find an online image of the new look, but the old look can be seen here. (April 7, 2007)

1785.
Even before Manhattan Beach's latest moves to slow down the mansionizing of its city, there were larger trends at work playing against developers in the South Bay ... Has the tide turned on development in the South Bay? (April 6, 2007)

1784.
We’ve been listening to Edward Goldman on KCRW for years, and have always found his reviews to be interesting, if hard to understand through his gravelly accent. Now the art critic Edward Goldman is the subject of some rather nasty accusations as reported from Tyler Green at Modern Art Notes. We’ll see how this affects Goldman’s standing in the L.A. art community. (April 5, 2007)

1783.
Following up on 1778., a few people have let us know that the Manhattan Beach City Council on Tuesday night went against our expectations and rejected both a controversial lot merger on The Strand and started the process on a moratorium on future mergers until appropriate limits could be identified. That’s a stiff slap in the face for those who contend that what is good for the real estate industry is good for everyone else as well. Back in the glory days of real estate – just a few years ago – real estate agents and developers would proudly boast that they “owned” Manhattan Beach. Apparently, they don’t. Here's some coverage in the Breeze. (April 5, 2007)

1782.
The El Camino College Art Gallery is hosting an interesting new show, entitled “Through the Looking Glass,” featuring 11 artists who lead the viewer “down the path into their own fanciful universes.” Participating artists include: Lucy Baker-Holdmann, Raoul De la Sota, Daniel Du Plessis, Rosie Getz, Ursula Kammer-Fox, Adonna Khare, Stuart Rapeport, Sonia Romero, Christopher Schneberger, Elena Mary Siff, Robin alle. The show runs through April 27. (April 5, 2007)

1781.

We’ve always thought the classic Dewey Weber logo was one of the best surf logos out there. Sure, perhaps some bias is built in: the first surfboard we ever owned was a heavily-dinged single-fin short board purchased from the used rack at Dewey Weber Surfboards on Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach. But as our interests have leaned toward design over the years, the logo still has its appeal. We like how the heavy block type plays against the whimsical cursive. And we like the rectangle set inside the larger rectangle with concave sides. But most of all we like how that red and white look together. We were always curious who put this design together, but only recently thought to actually ask the Weber family, which now runs the business down in San Clemente. They told me that Dewey actually designed the logo himself, probably with the help of an artist who did the actual execution. They couldn’t recall the name of that artist. (April 4, 2007)

1780.
Curbed LA has done us all the immense favor of posting a 1972 BBC documentary of English architect/critic Reyner Banham exploring Los Angeles as only he could. This is about the coolest thing. There are more than a few South Bay images to see. We were particularly amused by the Hermosa Beach surfing scenes, the old Mattel building on Rosecrans Avenue, the empty San Diego Freeway and a fairly unsubtle dig on Rolling Hills. Bonus question: who is the surfer he interviews and exactly which Hermosa Beach surf factory is the footage taken? (April 4, 2007)

1779.
The Torrance Art Museum has some new shows that you might find interesting. “Command Z,” guest curated by Ted Fisher and Douglas McCulloh, presents work by artists “exploring the leading edge of digital photography.” More than 20 artists are participating. Also at the museum, “Spatiotemporal Variability,” featuring eight new abstract paintings by Maggie Lowe Tennesen that explore universal systems and patterns. Lastly, South Bay artist Diane Reeves presents a woven and collaged black and white photographs in “Duets.” (April 3, 2007)

1778.
Manhattan Beach's City Council on Tuesday, April 3, will take up a number of development-related issues that could determine the character of the town for many years to come. Residents who want to have a say in these matters really ought to turn out. The matters at hand are complicated -- relating to lot mergers and mansionization -- but really boil down to the same question: What kind of town do you want to live in? Truthfully, we don't have high expectations that the City Council will do the right thing here. This is, after all, the same council that caved to Leonard Armato and has enabled the backers of undergrounding to wage class war against their neighbors. And looking into the details of Tuesday night's agenda, it does look as if the fix is in. But there is always the chance that residents, showing up en masse, can make a vote to cheapen the city too much of an embarrassment to cast. One thing they certainly will not do, however, is stop the local real estate industry and its mouthpieces from making their laughable lecture on property rights to people whose neighborhoods will be carved up and cast into the shadow of their clients' ever growing ego palaces. (April 1, 2007)

1777.
From the coverage in the Daily Breeze and the L.A. Times, it looks as though the official ceremoney to name Bruce's Beach park in Manhattan Beach was a nice event. We'll still ask, though: Why do all of this and not apologize for the misdeed that led to all this? And for all those asking if Manhattan Beach was the only place capable of doing such a thing, the answer is not remotely. (April 1, 2007)

1776.
All this talk about living in downtown Los Angeles prompts me to wonder where in the South Bay it is possible for someone to live with minimal use of a car, where most of your daily needs are a short walk away ... Without a car. (March 30, 2007)

1775.
We were pretty intrigued by the recent decision by the Daily Breeze to allow visitors to its website leave comments at the end of all its articles. When other newspapers have done this successfully, it has led to an often colorful sharing of ideas, instant feedback and new information. Of course, sometimes the practice is a disaster. At present, it looks like the Breeze’s use of website comments is off to a slow start. Clearly, afraid of spamming and inappropriate postings, the operators of the site are screening posts. That’s smart, but this delay could be contributing to the fact that one almost never sees comments on the site’s stories. Sure, occasionally, a group of responses will pop up, but for the most part the empty comments section communicates that there is either something wrong with the system or that no one is reading the content. We’ll keep watching. (March 30, 2007)

1774.
Wouldn’t it be cool if every South Bay city website featured a map showing all the places one can find free wi-fi? The city of Torrance has one. (March 30, 2007)

1773.
One of the most original – and most influential – artists ever to come out of the South Bay was Rick Griffin. A product of the Palos Verdes/Torrance surf scene, he went to Narbonne High School in Harbor City. His early artwork came out of the surf scene, and he eventually became staff artist at the nascent surfer magazine, cranking out hippy surf images for the magazine and for surf icons such as Greg Noll. Eventually, his odyssey led him to the Bay area and the psychedelic scene, where his posters, comics and artwork became legendary. Learn more about him, and see some of his work, here. (March 28, 2007)

1772.
This great post on Life on the Edge busts the developer of the Seaport Homes condos for trying to deceive potential buyers into thinking that the development is actually in Rancho Palos Verdes and not in San Pedro. Commenters also tangle with the developer’s misleading use of the phrase “Palos Verdes Peninsula of San Pedro” and ridiculous notion that buying a condo would somehow tap a person into the elite Palos Verdes lifestyle. (March 27, 2007)

1771.
Yesterday, we pointed readers to the Daily Breeze article noting that six of Los Angeles County’s top 10 sources of toxic emissions were in the South Bay. We thought that was kind of a no-brainer, actually, given the large number of refineries and whatnot in the South Bay. A much better question for us was how these South Bay sources ranked statewide. So we went and checked a little further on the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory for 2005, which was the basis for the story, and found that two of the facilities listed are actually in the state’s top 10, and that four are in the state’s top 20. ExxonMobile, which ranked second in the county, is actually the sixth biggest emitter of toxic chemicals in the state. Chevron in El Segundo ranked eighth in California, ConocoPhillips in Wilmington ranked 12^th and the Dow Chemical Plant in Torrance ranks 14^th. We don’t see any South Bay facilities in the nation’s top 100, thankfully. Feel free to run the numbers yourself. (March 27, 2007)

1770.
This article from the Daily Breeze follows up nicely on post 1768. We suggest printing it out to read the next time you feel yourself about to sing the praises of a company like Chevron when it throws your PTA or Chamber of Commerce a few bucks. (March 26, 2007)

1769.

We’ve always felt that an artist doesn’t necessarily need to swim in the mainstream art world to find an audience or success. Perhaps no one illustrates this truth better than Mark Ryden, a longtime favorite in the lowbrow art community who is now breaking into the bigs with an exhibition at the Michael Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles. Ryden’s journey to the mainstream is chronicled in a great article in the LA Weekly this week. Recommended reading. (March 24, 2007)

1768.
Ahh, the South Bay. The beaches, the sunsets, the clean air … OK, maybe not the clean air. Lots of folks will probably want to portray this week’s accidental leak of poisonous chemicals from the ExxonMobile refinery in Torrance as a rare occurrence. And possibly it is. But don’t think for a minute that the several refineries in the South Bay don’t have a tremendous negative impact on our air or our health. Chevron, ExxonMobile and the rest like to talk about what they give to our communities. But they take a lot too, and we hear precious little about that. (March 24, 2007)

1767.
“I didn’t know I needed to be revitalized.” (March 24, 2007)

1766.
Sure, north Redondo Beach needs a bike path. And somebody should do something useful with those utility right-of-ways. What the new path will lack in scenic value will be more than up in transportation value. (March 24, 2007)

1765.

While there isn’t too much left in north Manhattan Beach and El Porto to remind us of the area's glory days in the 60s, there is still Sloopy’s ... Sloopy's is good. (March 20, 2007)

1764.
OK, it’s official. We couldn’t care less about the big plane landing at LAX. (March 20, 2007)

1763.
The Daily Breeze op-ed section has recently offered itself up as a battleground for both sides in the ongoing effort to change the way the approval process for new development in the city of Redondo Beach. First, Redondo Beach Chamber President Marna Smeltzer weighed in with her opposing view of the petition going around. A week later, petition supporter Jim Light gave his view. We don’t have much to say about the issue at this point, other than to again express some dismay that Smeltzer, as the leader of a group that receives so much city funding and support, is even allowed to offer opinions on political issues, nonetheless claim that she isn’t just a mouthpiece for city officials. Certainly, we’re missing something there. Anyway, the websites for the organizations on either side of the issue are here and here. (March 20, 2007)

1762.
Today's article in the Los Angeles Times about the city of Manhattan Beach changing the name of Parque Culiacan to Bruce's Beach gives us another chance to say that if the city really wanted to recognize that a wrong had been perpetrated on that site many years ago, it simply should have officially apologized. To do anything else without an apology seems half-hearted. (March 19, 2007)

1761.
A few more misconceptions, again. (March 16, 2007)

1760.
A reader let us know about Redondo Beach artist Omaha Perez. Visit his website to see some of his amazing work. (March 15, 2007)

1759.
The folks over at Curbed Los Angeles aren’t too optimistic about the city of El Segundo’s idea to perhaps trade its power plant for a luxury resort. Money quote: “If built, it would be the only beach resort operating between Santa Monica and Huntington Beach. It would also likely be the smelliest.” (March 15, 2007)

1758.
It probably isn’t fair to only thank the SUV driver who chooses not to kill me in the crosswalk. What about all the other people I encounter in the course of a day who don’t kill me? ... Thanks for not killing me. (March 14, 2007)

1757.
We have links to both the Angels Gate Cultural Center and the center’s blog, Up at the Gate. But we’re going to add the personal site for Marshal Astor, the Center’s visual arts director. The site features some of his art, as well as his thoughts on all sorts of things. He’s also the main guy behind Life on the Edge, which documents life in San Pedro. (March 14, 2007)

1756.
We’ve been pretty rough on Assemblyman Ted Lieu recently. First, we weren’t too pleased when he went silent on the anti-consumer area code overlay, then we laughed out loud at his proposed legislation to stop people from buying their own ultrasound machines and limit teen access to tanning salons. Well fair is fair and we have to give Lieu some credit for getting involved in the Green Line Coalition that seeks to fix the ridiculous mistake made by transportation officials several years ago in not extending the county’s multi-billion-dollar rail line to Los Angeles International Airport. Moreover, Lieu has authored the Assembly bill to get this new project going. (March 14, 2007)

1755.
Apparently what was too good for Hermosa Beach residents isn't too good for residents of Los Angeles. While Hermosa Beach's City Council balked at the idea of citywide wi-fi coverage, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has put forward a plan to blanket his entire city in free or low-cost wireless Internet service. Sure, it's not a slam dunk to pull this off, but it's always better to be for something than against something. Makes for better press. And the citywide conversation his plan has started has been great for the city. Hermosa Beach could have been first, but now it will likely be last. (March 12, 2007)

1754.
To a lot of people who think of themselves as artists – most of them, really – the sight of a Vija Celmins drawing typically just makes them want to go home and lie down ... Vija Celmins at the Hammer Museum. (March 10, 2007)

1753.
Los Angeles has just a handful of iconic structures, buildings that are as much a part of the city as the Empire State Building is of New York City. So we should be very concerned when one of our few iconic buildings, the LAX Theme Building, gets in trouble. We are pleased to learn that there was no debate as to whether or not to do the repairs on this great structure. We hope that it reopens soon. (March 10, 2007)

1752.
We noted some time ago that the Hermosa Beach Art Walk was considering scrapping its 2007 series of sidewalk events. Apparently, rather than suspend the event altogether, organizers told their friends that they are now looking at a one-day event, and that is the plan they are taking to the city. (March 10, 2007)

1751.
Contrary to the headline of this article in the Palos Verdes News, we’re not raving about the Terranea resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. Something that most people tend to forget about these kinds of luxury resorts, particularly ones on the coast, is that they tend to make enjoyment of these fantastic natural landscapes exclusively the domain of the wealthy. Palos Verdes, in its eternal need to compete with the Monterey Peninsula in all things golfy and exclusive, has never hesitated to offer up large swaths of land to the elite (yes, we’re talking to you, Donald). Terranea is just another chapter of this story. One merely needs to look at the people in the photos on the development’s website to know who is -- and who is not -- welcome at this particular seaside resort. (March 10, 2007)

1750.
Donna Littlejohn gives good coverage to the Los Angeles City Council’s recent decision to designate downtown San Pedro as an arts, culture and entertainment district. This designation could protect certain artist-friendly uses, such as studios and galleries, as the area gentrifies. We hope it works. (March 8, 2007)

1749.
If you took a VW bus and rolled it into a ball, what would you get? Something like this, probably. (March 8, 2007)

1748.
Now things will get interesting. The Daily Breeze’s website will now allow readers to leave comments on articles. (March 8, 2007)

1747.
Another greater than/less than. (March 7, 2007)

1746.
Gallery C in Hermosa Beach has some (fairly) new shows up, and we like the looks of them. “Soft Focus” features the work of Holly Williams-Brock, and “In God I Trust” features the work of Joseph P. Gerges. Check out the works on Gallery C’s slideshow. (March 6, 2007)

1745.
"A stranger also saw this object." Absolute proof of a UFO over Palos Verdes last November. Or not. (March 6, 2007)

1744.
One of the things I like most about The Strand in Hermosa Beach is the wall that runs the length of it from north to south, separating the cement walkway from the sand ... The Great Wall of Hermosa Beach. (March 5, 2007)

1743.
Looks like a new public art piece being installed in downtown San Pedro will shine a light on visitors. Maybe not in a good way. Thanks to LAO for drawing our attention to it. (March 5, 2007)

1742.
As we’ve noted before, the recent purchase of the Daily Breeze by MediaNews has already resulted in a lot of cross coverage with all of the corporation's Los Angeles newspapers. Articles in other MediaNews papers such as the Daily News and the Long Beach Press-Telegram appear in the Breeze if they even remotely involve the South Bay. The reverse happens if the argument can be made that the Breeze article is remotely relevant to the city of L.A. or Long Beach. A recent example is this recent opinion piece on neighborhood councils that ran in the Daily News on Feb. 28, and was subsequently reprinted in the Breeze on March 2. While we don’t have a problem with this type of consolidation per se, it is a little risky as the paper tries to reconnect to its desired South Bay audience. The neighborhood council article is much more interesting to Daily News readers than Breeze readers, only a fraction of which live in the city of Los Angeles. But this is probably going to be a trend with the Breeze. Expect more coverage of L.A. city news, which will probably be of interest to the Breeze’s readers in San Pedro, Harbor City and Wilmington, but totally useless to those that live in Palos Verdes, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo and other incorporated South Bay cities. (March 3, 2007)

1741.
A new show is opening March 3 at the Warshaw Gallery in San Pedro. “Conner Everts: Selections from the King David Series,” will run through April 28. (March 2, 2007)

1740.
Heard that the MediaNews cuts at the Daily Breeze have begun, and that plans are in motion to cut 30 to 50 jobs from the South Bay daily. Apparently, the editorial department will be spared this first round of cuts. The weeklies that were purchased as part of the deal for the Breeze are also feeling the squeeze, reportedly. (March 2, 2007)

1739.
The Photographic and Digital Artists, a new collective of artists affiliated with the Palos Verdes Art Center will be presenting a new exhibit entitled, “Of Mind and Body:  Images of Being Well,” at the MaGriffe Galerie in San Pedro (3624 So. Gaffey Street), March 6 through May 20. (March 2, 2007)

1738.
At the risk of breaking our policy of not boring people to death with talk of the upcoming local elections, we are nonetheless going to break our silence to talk about the races for Redondo Beach treasurer and city clerk. It has long been our opinion that, despite all the big talk about what they intend to do in office, anyone running for these positions is merely looking for a way to get paid a lot of money without having to do much, if any, work. Upon his election, one recent incumbent immediately hired a full-time employee to do all his work. Another was famous for spending more time on his boat than behind his desk. The reality is that hired staffers perform all of the day-to-day work in these departments, leaving incumbents little to do all day but plan their cake-walk re-elections. Really, the last day of real work the winner in either race will ever put in will be the last day of the campaign. On a side note, our pal Bob Pinzler shows how most of what people are saying in these races is just crap. (March 2, 2007)

1737.
Yesterday, we linked to an interesting photo on the South Bay Camera Club’s website. Today, we bring you this interesting shot of what might otherwise be a banal liquor store on Catalina Avenue. But in the hands of Agust Agustsson, it’s fantastic. There are lots of other great shots of the South Bay on the website, and we fully encourage you to take a look around. (March 1, 2007)

1736.
In a thinly disguised effort to catch that damned alligator once and for all, the Los Angeles City Council recently allocated bond funds to drain Lake Machado in Harbor City so that Reggie will have no place to hide. Sure, they claim the point is to rid the lake of a variety of pollutants, but we know the real truth. Of course it won’t work. Reggie will never be found or caught. (March 1, 2007)

1735.
Used to see this crazy thing around the beach cities all the time. Haven’t seen it in a while, which makes us all the more glad that Frank Goroszko caught it on film. (Feb. 28, 2007)

1734.
A friend of this site tipped us off to a couple of new publications coming out of the South Bay. In another attempt to dispel the notion that South Bay residents are increasingly self-regarding, there is Luxury Life & Style, “a magazine dedicated to the luxury lifestyle in the South Bay.” Also hitting the area is Beach Volleyball Magazine which, if it succeeds, will disprove our long held notion that the sport peaked in popularity in the late 1980s. (Feb. 28, 2007)

1733.
Want to write for the Torrance Truth blog? They’re looking for new people. (Feb. 28, 2007)

1732.
For the record, an airplane did not crash into the old Farrell’s in Torrance. It crashed right in front of it. In the 1980s. Now you know. (Feb. 28, 2007)

1731.
Saw a big "For Lease" sign on the side of the Pitcher House in Hermosa Beach yesterday. Although our first thought was that this was for the empty space right on the corner that has always gone unused, the square footage that was being offered on the sign made it look like the whole building was being offered. Which sounds a heck of a lot like this Hermosa Beach institution's days are numbered. Is the Pitcher House closing? (Feb. 25, 2007)

1730.
Nick Green of the Daily Breeze cranks out an impressive set of stories about the ongoing decay of Torrance's original downtown. In the first, he looks at the history of the area and catalogs the problems. In the second, he reviews some of the ideas floating around. No one doubts that the big malls, such as Del Amo, are causing the economic downfall of these downtowns. Of course, no other newspaper has been a bigger booster of Del Amo and its potential advertisers than the Daily Breeze, but we're happy to set the irony aside and just appreciate some good reporting. (Feb. 25, 2007)

1729.
Nice to see this group of our elected representatives coming together to correct one of the dumbest transportation decisions of all time, namely, the ridiculous idea of having the Los Angeles Green Line train stop short of the airport in Redondo Beach. The new Green Line Coalition has lofty goals, but we’ll see if this is anything more than a press release. (Feb. 25, 2007)

1728.
It's hard to have much hope for the Daily Breeze when its former owners sell off its iconic, yet by all accounts lousy, office building on Torrance Boulevard, thus ensuring that it will now be located in some cheap, anonymous office space probably on Hawthorne Boulevard. On a side note, what exactly is little about the Little Company of Mary? (Feb. 24, 2007)

1727.
The Angels Gate Cultural Center has an interesting new show going called “110%: Recent Works by Faculty from Art Center's Photo & Imaging Department.” The show features photography by Mark Berndt, Paul Bielenberg, Robert Cavalli, Sam Davis, TonyDi Zinnio, Thomas Gugler, Mark Harris, Patrick “Pato” Herbert, Micol Hebron, Richard Houston, Paul Jasmin, Dennis Keeley, Mona Kuhn, Steve Lavoie, Pete McArthur, Ken Merfeld, Paul Ottengheime, Patti Peters, David Safian, Norma Smith, Stramat Jeannette, David Strick, Peter Suszynski, Suzanne Valles-Chavez, Rudy Vega, Everard Williams and Josh Withers. Works on display convey the diversity of contemporary photographic practice, and employ a range of tools, from large format to digital, mixed media to 19th century alchemy. In the Center’s Downstairs Gallery is “New Studio Artists,” featuring work by Raul Arellano, Kimiko Miyoshi, Peggy Reavey and Jack Tillotson. This show runs through March 10. (Feb. 24, 2007)

1726.
Where we are: South Bay city slogans. (Feb. 22, 2007)

1725.
Driving down Vista Del Mar, you may notice a sign at Grand Avenue reading “El Segundo Beach,” with an arrow pointing toward the water. While we can't think of any better name for that beach, we're not entirely sure that it is, in fact, in El Segundo or that it borders any part of El Segundo. We've long been under the impression that the Hyperion Water Treatment Plant is actually on City of Los Angeles property, effectively creating a barrier between El Segundo and the shore. The beach itself, we're pretty sure, is state property. Still, we'd rather have that beach called El Segundo Beach than Chevron Beach or Hyperion Beach or anything like that. If anyone has some information to the contrary, we'd love to hear it. While we're at it, we're also pretty sure there aren't any lakes in El Segundo either. (Feb. 21, 2007)

1724.
We're getting pretty sick of the media reporting "surprise visits" by American officials to different parts of the world, as if these big-wigs are just landing their planes and showing up at the front door of these world hot spots without any warning to local military or security officials. I'm sure no one in Pakistan knew Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was coming, and that Condi's visits to Beruit and Baghdad were just total whims, throwing caution to the wind. Of course, the only people who were actually surprised by these visits were the media, who no doubt felt they had to cover up their lack of inside information by claiming that no one knew anywhere. (Feb. 21, 2007)

1723.
Credit goes to Life on the Edge for highlighting this story about a volunteer effort to beautify downtown San Pedro. We'll say the same thing here that we did over there. And that is that sure, we’re as much for beautification as anyone else, and we’d love to see downtown San Pedro take a turn for the better, but there’s something about the way this effort is being framed that strikes us as downright creepy. Are they really saying that people should volunteer their time just to make a good impression on the newcomers who are buying into the new condo developments? Are these new neighbors some kind of royalty? What kind of self-image does this project? (Feb. 17, 2007)

1722.
We really like The Beach Reporter's 30th anniversary birthday issue for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it takes a historical look at the last 30 years in the beach cities. Even though all four cities have enthusiastic historical societies, recent history is often lost amid photos of the first schoolhouse and stories of the real estate barons who founded these towns. But it's recent history that often most directly shapes what's going on now. It's a shame when we forget important decisions and actions of the last 20 or 30 years. And that's why this retrospective in The Beach Reporter is all so important. (Feb. 16, 2007)

1721.
Hermosa Beach continues to get off scot-free for giving its beach to the AVP while everyone eyeballs Manhattan Beach for even considering doing so. (Feb. 16, 2007)

1720.
We’ve known for some time about the existence of elsegundo.net, but haven’t made it a regular stop. Anyway, spent some time looking at it recently and found it to be one of the better local websites around. Every city could use a website like it.  (Feb. 16, 2007)

1719.
Work by Dennis O. Callwood and Keiko Fukazawa are featured in a new exhibition at the El Camino College Art Gallery. Done in collaboration with inmates from the Challenger Memorial Youth Center at Camp McNair in Lancaster,Callwood’s art represents an interesting combination of photography and graffiti. Fukazawa works in painted ceramics. The show will run through March 9, 2007. (Feb. 14, 2007)

1718.
It’s official. The average urban dweller experiences as many as 5,000 advertising messages a day. Which prompts the question: Do ads work? (Feb. 14, 2007)

1717.
Up at the Gate has a nice run-down of upcoming shows in which studio artists from the Angels Gate Cultural Center are participating. They do get around, don’t they? (Feb. 14, 2007)

1716.

Anyone who has lived in Manhattan Beach for any length of time is familiar with the rather obtuse piece of public art that sits in front of the city's City Hall Annex on 15th Street. The steel and paint sculpture was created by artist Harold Roach and acquired by the city in 1982. Beyond that the city did some restoration to the piece in 2000-2001, we don't know much about it. We can say that pretty recently El Segundo had a piece in front of its City Hall that was very similar to Manhattan Beach's. Must have been the same artist. (Feb. 12, 2007)

1715.

Intersection of Western Aveue and Palos Verdes Drive North. (Feb. 12, 2007)

1714.
In the weeks before the Manhattan Beach Planning Commission rejected full paid seating at the Manhattan Open beach volleyball tournament, one found quite a bit of outrage in the community about how the city might close off the public beach to benefit a private interest. What is interesting is that all the while everyone was railing on Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach was quietly giving away the keys to its own public beach. Something else to watch in all this is the way officials tend to fend off responsibility for this travesty by saying that the California Coastal Commission has the final say. That’s a cop-out. If officials didn’t want it to happen, they could block it. (Feb. 10, 2007)

1713.
While doing a little research on SST Records, we happened upon this interesting scan of the Easy Reader's coverage of the infamous Black Flag concert on July 22, 1979. It reminded us of when we went digging through The Beach Reporter's coverage of the same event, and found very little. In fact, we recall there was nothing on that following Thursday. The week after, though, there was merely some heresay coverage, with a heavy dose of city spin. (Feb. 10, 2007)

1712.
Another body found at the bottom of a cliff in San Pedro/Palos Verdes. Kinda feels like the bodies are piling up over there. It is just us? (Feb. 9, 2007)

1711.
Not long ago, LA Observed noted that Jim O'Shea, the new editor of the Los Angeles Times, has taken up residence in Manhattan Beach. That seems like an odd place to live while he tries to learn the personality of the city his paper covers. But perhaps that will translate into more coverage for the beach cities, which have always been treated like faraway islands in the storied pages of the Times. (Feb. 9, 2007)

1710.
Several decades of work from Manhattan Beach artists will be on display in “Manhattan Beach Revisited” at the Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center from today through March 22. The Beach Reporter has a preview. (Feb. 9, 2007)

1709.
A few years ago, we were able to put our finger on an industry report that put the number of real estate agents in the South Bay in the thousands – an amazing figure that probably put that line of work among the most common in the area, right up there next to bar back. We have never been able to find an updated version of that report, but it wouldn’t be crazy to assume that the number is still way up there. People wear real estate licenses like T-shirts in some of these beach cities. Anyway, along comes this report in the Wall Street Journal that the ranks of those in “the business” are falling out with the recent slowdown in the market. We wonder how this national trend is reflected in the local employment market. (Feb. 9, 2007)

1708.

Vija Celmins ranks right up there in our list of favorite artists – easily in the top five, maybe even number one. Anyway, a major retrospective of her drawings is now being shown at the Hammer UCLA Museum. The show runs through April 22. Above is probably our favorite Celmins work, “Untitled (Big Sea #1). And yes, it’s a drawing. (Feb. 6, 2007)

1707.
When you visit these forests, it is impressed upon you that you are a guest there, and the permanent residents will not bother you if you don’t tromp around the place arrogantly as if you owned the place ... The South Bay could use a few bears. (Feb. 5, 2007)

1706.
Here in the South Bay, we're represented on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors by Don Knabe. And, well, he's got a problem. (Feb. 5, 2007)

1705.
Wow, who knew that Robert August, one of the two stars of the seminal surf film, "Endless Summer," was originally from Hermosa Beach? (Feb. 5, 2007)

1704.
We haven't been following this too carefully, but it seems the sale of the Daily Breeze to MediaNews has had an interesting outcome in what was once quite a battle for the readers and advertising dollars of San Pedro. You might recall that the Breeze's More San Pedro and the Press-Telegram's San Pedro Magazine were both vying for the community news market, along with the independent Random Lengths, Copley's PV News and the Daily Breeze. Well, with the purchase of the Breeze by MediaNews -- which already owned the Press-Telegram -- one would think that battle would be over. Not so, as apparently both publications are continuing to be published for the time being. We noticed all this while reading all of the above at Jerzy Boyz car wash this weekend. Couldn't help but notice that Shanna Thompson, formerly of Copley's PV News now has a column in San Pedro Magazine and is listed as a staff writer on More San Pedro. (Feb. 5, 2007)

1703.
Elections are scheduled for March 6 in several South Bay cities, offer voters a chance to ... zzzzzzzzzzzz. (Feb. 5, 2007)

1702.
With all the activity around Hermosa Beach's Centennial celebration, we totally overlooked the fact that Hermosa Beach was not the only South Bay city celebrating its 100th birthday this year. Turns out little Lomita is also celebrating its centennial, and the city this week put up banners down major streets to let everyone know. This might seem odd to those who know that Lomita was incorporated in 1964. However, according to the website history of the city, 1907 marks the year the W. I. Hollingsworth Company made its first investment in the area and began the development that would eventually become the city. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1701.
Brian Arthurs, the longtime managing editor of The Beach Reporter is moving on. Starting next week, Dawnya Pring will take over the job. We wish them both well. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1700.
Bondo at the Easy Reader writes up a short review of the latest shows at the Torrance Art Museum. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1699.
The Beach Reporter profiles Manhattan Beach artist Joe Mancuso. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1698.
Ceramic artists looking for studios in the South Bay fact a tough search. While a home studio is always the best, sometimes it’s just not feasible. While some folks have found opportunities at the Palos Verdes Art Center or the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, the search continues for others. We got a note recently from an artist who recently moved into town who tells us the Ceramic Art Research Institute over by LAX has great studio opportunities for artists. If you want to know more, send them an email. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1697.
San Pedro history buffs may enjoy this 1901 short film showing the building of the harbor. The film was shot by Edison Films and is archived on the Library of Congress’ American Memory website. LA Observed found it first. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1696.
A serious time chewer. via Coudal. (Feb. 3, 2007)

1695.
Palos Verdes blogger John Stodder will have to spend 15 months in jail for his role in the Fleishman-Hillard overbilling scandal. We have enjoyed reading his web posts and hope that he lands on his feet when all this is over. (Jan. 31, 2007)

1694.
Marshall Astor over at Life on the Edge calls the city out on its mismanagement of the Warner Grand Theater in downtown San Pedro. His points are all good. (Jan. 31, 2007)

1693.
The anonymous folks at Torrance Truth have some harsh words for the Torrance Unified School District’s handling of two recent boondoggles: the registered sex-offender volunteering at Anza Elementary, and the closing of Hull Middle School. From the writer’s level of anger, we have to think that the Torrance School Board has some constituency relations issues. (Jan. 31, 2007)

1692.
Angels Gate Cultural Center is now accepting entries for its 2007 On Site at the Gate exhibition. This year’s all-California, all-media exhibition will be juried by Aimee Chang, Curator of Contemporary art at the Orange County Museum of Art. For more information, download the thingy. (Jan. 27, 2007)

1691.
Remember that nasty sewage spill last year in Manhattan Beach? Well, it turns out it wasn’t such a rarity after all. According to a new county report, the Santa Monica watershed has been the recipient of more than 11.6 million gallons of raw sewage since 2002. Of the more than 200 sewage spills in the report, more than 90 percent were never properly reported the health officials. In other words, we're up to our ankles in crap and we don't even know it. Supervisor Don Knabe, who demanded the report in the first place, has all the information on his website. (Jan. 26, 2007)

1690.
From our home in the South Bay, there are all kinds of interesting day trips available to us. But our favorite has always been to catch the Green Line at Marine Avenue on a Sunday and go downtown via a Blue Line connection. You pop out on Fig and all sorts of interesting things await you -- the library, Garment District, MOCA, Chinatown, the rotating bar and the Bonaventure. But our favorite part of every trip has always been to grab a drink at the Intercontinental and then take Angels Flight down to the Grand Central Market, Broadway and, of course, the Bradbury. So what great news to hear that our favorite funicular is coming back this summer. (Jan. 26, 2007)

1689.
Hermosa Beach is named one of the 10 best surfing beaches – surfing the Internet, that is. (Jan. 25, 2007)

1688.

The Palos Verdes Art Center is opening a couple of exhibitions Jan. 26. “Marks, Scratches and Doodles,” in the Center’s Beckstrand Gallery features drawings by 26 Southern California artists. Pictured above is “Roots,” by Jamiel Sweetman. Work by members of the Society for Calligraphy, Southern California, will be shown in “More than Words: The Art of Calligraphy” in the Center’s Norris gallery. Both shows run through March 17. (Jan. 25, 2007)

1687.
While we’re talking about the Palos Verdes Art Center, we may as well note that it’s raffling off another house. Actually, it’s the same house as last year (last year’s winner took the cash). Anyway, it could be yours. (Jan. 25, 2007)

1686.
We called the California Public Utilities Commission last week to inquire if anybody in the South Bay had been stuck with any of the new 424 area code numbers as a result of last summer’s overlay. When we finally got someone on the line, he told us that we would have to ask the actual telephone service providers if they had begun dipping into their new trough of numbers. So, we still really don’t know. Although we did hear that CAA had been issued a 424 number, so apparently something’s going on. (Jan. 24, 2007)

1685.
Leave it to Curbed L.A. to let us know that the uppity little Target on Sepulveda Boulevard just off the 110 in Harbor City has been torn down. We’d always thought this was a second-tier Target, and thank the Mother Company for putting it out of its misery. (Jan. 24, 2007)

1684.
Looks like Acura has saved the city of Lawndale's electronic billboard on the 405. The sign was blank yesterday morning, but lit up with Acura ads for the evening drive home. (Jan. 23, 2007)

1683.

The Library of Congress' American Memory project has some amazing images of the South Bay, including the above image from 1908 of the Redondo Beach coastline. We believe this shows the original salt marsh located where the AES power plant is now. Just click on the photo to see a larger version. (Note: Sorry about the broken link all day yesterday. We pulled the photo from the site to one of our own pages, so it should be better now. Enjoy.). (Jan. 23, 2007)

1682.
Got an interesting tip from Bill Brand over at the South Bay Parkland Conservatory about a new report about parks in Southern California. Called "The Green Visions Plan for the 21st Century Southern California,” the report supports Brand’s argument that the South Bay is extremely park poor, rating right down there with East L.A. and South L.A. “The report even notes how the high incomes in the South Bay are inconsistent with this lack of park space,” writes Brand, adding “And yes folks, the figures include the beaches.” The report, the result of a collaboration of USC, the State Coastal Conservancy and other government agencies, is available for download here. The one upside: To the extent that they exist, South Bay parks tend to be well equipped and maintained (Jan. 20, 2007)

1681.
Redondo Beach police purchase absurd vehicle. Are they really going telling us that our precious Homeland Security funds can’t be better spent? (Jan. 19, 2007)

1680.
On the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, someone had placed a Confederate Flag in a window high above a fairly busy intersection where it was sure to be seen by a lot of people ... Capture the flag. (Jan. 18, 2007)

1679.
Bean Gilsdorf and Dan Gilsdorf at Angels Gate. (Jan. 18, 2007)

1678.
KPCC visited the Torrance Farmer’s Market last weekend and talked to some folks about how the cold weather is affecting the crops. We’ve mentioned before that Torrance’s might be our favorite South Bay farmer’s market. (Jan. 18, 2007)

1677.

Architecturally, few things are more sad than a clock tower that doesn't receive the proper care. We hate seeing old outdoor clocks with missing hands, always telling the wrong time. And we hate the digital clocks above banks long closed, missing lights, nothing but meaningless dots. But the El Porto Building in Manhattan Beach is even more frustrating. The clock is long gone, but the building's owners have chosen to leave us with its face, void of hands, forever empty, forever telling us nothing. (Jan. 17, 2007)

1676.
It has been more than two months since Mary Jo Ford lost her biannual bid for State Assembly on the Republican ticket, and yet her campaign signs still dot the district. She had this same problem two years ago when, even though there seemed to be plenty of money to print her signs and put them up, there was amazingly little left to take the stupid things down. If her desire to be elected is such that she runs again in 2008, the public should ask her if she can be trusted to fix government if she can't even clean up after herself. (Jan. 17, 2007)

1675.

The Lawndale electronic billboard on a recent gray day. (Jan. 14, 2007)

1674.
Those looking for the first outward sign of change in the Daily Breeze editorial section since the paper’s purchase by MediaNews, it might have been this byline by Rick Orlov. Running a story by Orlov, practically a legend at the Los Angeles Daily News – could be an early sign of consolidated coverage. (Jan. 13, 2007)

1673.
The Daily Breeze encourages local leaders to protect our murals from graffiti. We agree, but as you know we’re ambivalent when it comes to graffiti on billboards. (Jan. 13, 2007)

1672.
One of the more interesting places to wander around on the Internet is the Los Angeles Public Library Photography Collection, where thousands of Los Angeles-related photos are archived and searchable. We will respect the library’s copyrights and not link to any of these images, but a simple search under a South Bay city name such as “Hermosa Beach” will yield all kinds of fascinating stuff. Try it out. (Jan. 11, 2007)

1671.
For the Torrance Art Museum, the New Year begins Jan. 13 with the opening of a bunch of interesting shows. The main gallery (aka, the big room) will host “It Figures,” which will focus on figurative are by 10 artists: Barbara Berk, Joe Biel, Annie Buckley, Drew Dominick, Mary Beth, Heffernan, Faris McReynolds, Michael Barton Miller, Holly Topping, Liat Yossifor and Mary Younakof. Gallery Two will host “Drawn In,” featuring the product of guest curator’s ongoing “Drawing in Residence” program wherein artists have dropped by her home or studio and made drawings all day. Featured artists include: Geoff Allen, Joe Biel, Lynne Berman, Hillary Bleecker, Ismael De Anda, Martin Durazo, Nancy Evans, It Can Change (An Oakland-based art collective), Alison Goldberg, Alexandra Grant, Todd Gray and Kyungmi Shin, Liz Harvey, Seth Kaufman, Sarah Moseley, John O’Brien, Yoshua Okon, Elizabeth Saveri, Martin Schnuer, Marcus Seldinger, Susan Silton, Joe Sola, Indigo Som and Oriane Stender, Eric Golo Stone, Carrie Ungerman, Rachel Urkowitz and Nives Widauer. The South Bay Focus Gallery will present “Carol Es: A Girl Apart,” featuring San Pedro artist Carol Es. All the exhibitions will run through March 9, 2007. (Jan. 11, 2007)

1670.
San Pedro’s Warschaw Gallery on Jan. 13 will open an exhibition of recent paintings by Gary Szymanski. The stuff of his that we’ve seen on the web seems to involve repeating organic shapes over patterns of one kind or another. We like. (Jan. 11, 2007)

1669.
I don’t know, maybe if I’m nice enough, they’ll just give it to me. Hell, I don’t even know how long they’ll want it. I could just wait around for a sale or something ... Stealing coudal.com. (Jan. 10, 2007)

1668.
One of the interesting things about Los Angeles is that, unlike other cities where interesting things tend to congregate in cool neighborhoods, some of the coolest stuff is often off by itself in the mostly unlikely places. One of our favorite examples of this is Lomita’s Patisserie Chantilly, quite possibly the best dessert bakery in Los Angeles. Not only are the desserts amazing, but the quiet, simple atmosphere just begs you to sit down and have a tart and a coffee. It’s amazing that a place like this could survive, nonetheless thrive in a banal mini mall off perhaps the most nondescript intersection (Lomita Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue) that the South Bay has to offer. Definitely worth a visit. We couldn’t find a website for it, but here are some reviews and photos. (Jan. 9, 2007)

1667.
“This isn't the first time I've taken on a contentious issue and it won't be the last." That’s the money quote from yesterday’s Daily Breeze article about South Bay Assemblyman Ted Lieu’s proposed law limiting teen access to tanning salons. Constituents may recall his last groundbreaking legislation which targeted the trend of expectant parents purchasing their own ultrasound machines – and by trend we mean that one celebrity couple bought one. Look for the intrepid assemblyman to soon propose another controversial law banning use of the potentially dangerous salad fork. Give ‘em hell, Ted. (Jan. 9, 2007)

1666.
Interesting story in the Breeze about Manhattan Beach’s effort to save historically significant buildings, to the extent that any are left. A related photo essay finds one pretty cool place on The Strand. (Jan. 9, 2007)

1665.
If there is a lot of concern in the community about the future of the paper, I’m not hearing it ... Who will weep for the Daily Breeze? (Jan. 8, 2006)

1664.
So, at page 76, we've just really scratched the surface of Pynchon's latest, "Against the Day." It's a serious book, we can tell, but it's likely that we haven't even hit the first plot point yet, or even know the main characters yet. But it's something. We'll let you know our thoughts when we're deeper in. (Jan. 6, 2007)

1663.
Once again the question must be asked: Where is it written that pro beach volleyball must make money? And if this is written somewhere, where does it say that this sport should enjoy the use of public space in order to ensure this profit? Manhattan Beach should tell the AVP that if it wants to be the NBA, it can build an arena and play all its games there. (Jan. 4, 2007)

1662.
While local divers probably know all this stuff like the back of their hands, we didn’t know about all the shipwrecks off the shores of the South Bay. That is, until we discovered this website. Click here for more information about wrecks in Santa Monica Bay, and here for wrecks in and around San Pedro. (Jan. 3, 2006)

1661.

The Riviera Village Jesus Van. (Dec. 28, 2006)

1660.
A person from Paris is called a Parisian. A person from New York is called a New Yorker. But what do we call ourselves in the South Bay? ... What we are: South Bay demonyms. (Dec. 21, 2006)

1659.
Some Christmas classics:

• The search for Santa Claus continues
• And a safe holiday to you too, jerk

(Dec. 21, 2006)

1658.
Back in the 1950s, Redondo Beach resident Truman Bethurum was one of the first contactees, or, people who claimed to have been abducted by aliens (not the kind in aliens one encounteres in front of Home Depot). Here's the long version of his story, as well as a shorter take from the Daily Breeze's Josh Grossberg. (Dec. 19, 2006)

1657.
Daily Breeze editor Phillip Sanfield plays the good soldier, saying how the recent purchase of the paper will be a good thing. And maybe he's right. No one really knows at this point. (Dec. 19, 2006)

1656.
We heard a few people talk about this article (now in the Monterey Herald) on San Pedro gentrification soon after it appeared in the Los Angeles Times, but we never read it for ourselves, until now. It's a pretty interesting take on how the San Pedro's bohemian culture might be affected by proposed development. (Dec. 19, 2006)

1655.
Hearst, MediaNews and Copley finally wrap up the sale of the Daily Breeze and its attendant weekly newspapers. First out the door is the Breeze's publisher, Art Wible, who let's face it, never had the look of a guy digging in for the long term. L.A. business seer Mark Lacter has some historical perspective on Dean Singleton's decade-long quest to incorporate the Daily Breeze into his Los Angeles newspaper scheme. (Dec. 16, 2006)

1654.
As the city of Redondo Beach approves another thing for its waterfront gateway, we have to marvel at the unique approach being taken by the City Council in the area of harbor improvement. Unable to generate any muster any viable plans for actual improvements to the harbor area itself (recall the disastrous Heart of the City project), it has instead decided to concentrate on beautifying the way in and out of it. Apparently, they feel no one will ever ask, a gateway to what? (Dec. 15, 2006)

1653.
Yes, stealing another person's surfboard is truly low. Karma will get you. (Dec. 15, 2006)

1652.
Way back at the beginning of the year, we made a few predictions about what we thought would happen in 2006. Let's look back and see how our predictions fared ... How our 2006 predictions fared. (Dec. 15, 2006)

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