Jackie's South Bay Weekend Guide for Sept. 25

By South Bay by Jackie (Star Patcher)

Autumn officially began this week and you know what that means – ‘tis the season of festivals, fairs, car shows and fundraisers! There are a lot of terrific events scheduled this weekend - and it’s actually possible to attend all of them! No kidding…..but you might want to take Monday off.

It’s that time of year when our collective thoughts turn to…..lobster. The South Bay pays homage to all things lobster at the annual Redondo Beach Lobster Festival beginning Friday, September 26 and running through Sunday, September 28. While lobster may reign supreme at this classic South Bay event, there are plenty of other reasons to attend. The music line-up features live bands and DJ’s playing throughout the weekend, as well as stand up paddle board lessons, carnival midway games, face painting and balloon art. There are several lobster meal packages available for your dining pleasure, including the popular Lobster Feast and for the first time, the Lobster Bistro. The Festival takes place at the Seaside Lagoon next to King Harbor, just north of the Redondo Beach Pier at 200 Portofino Way in Redondo Beach at the corner of Harbor Drive and Beryl Street. Free bike parking will be available courtesy of the Beach Cities Cycling Club and Hermosa Cyclery. For additional information, visit the website at http://www.lobsterfestival.com/.

The Rotary Club of South Bay presents the fifth annual Charity Rat Ride on Saturday, September 27. This is a bike tour, not a bike race. It’s strictly for fun and it’s a rare opportunity to explore the South Bay from a two wheeled perspective. The start and finish line is located at the Seaside Lagoon because the RAT Beach Bike Tour is partnering with the Redondo Beach Lobster Festival! All riders will be admitted to the Lobster Festival for lunch and a huge party at the end of the ride. The event features non-stop music, mechanical bull riding, paddleboard lessons, kid’s area, cocktails, food, sun, sand and surf! There are three different rides for all levels – the Metric Century (62 miles), the Metric Half Century (31 miles) and the Metric Quarter Century (15.5 miles). This year’s event promises to be larger than ever with more diverse routes through the South Bay. All three rides take advantage of the splendid coastal location incorporating the bike paths along the Strand and Esplanade. Entry fees go to several charities supported by the South Bay Rotary Club including the Scott Newman Center and the Pediatric Therapy Network. The entry fee includes a t-shirt, hat, refreshments, roving bike support, lunch and entry to the Lobster Festival. The event will proceed rain or shine and helmets are required. For more information, visit the website at www.ratbeachbiketour.com.

Drug Take Back - Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal on Saturday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Manhattan Beach Police Station. Prevent abuse and theft by ridding your home of potentially dangerous expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs. The MB Police Department is located at 420 15th Street in Manhattan Beach. NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

The El Segundo Kiwanis Club presents the 38 Annual Richmond Street Fair on Saturday, September 27 from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. Expect five big blocks of fun with arts & crafts, rides, live entertainment, beer garden, music, dancing, raffle prizes and more. El Segundo has a burgeoning food scene and local restaurants will be featuring the finest offerings from their kitchens as well as vendors from all over Southern California. Bring the whole family and make a day of it. The Richmond Street Fair is located on Richmond Street in Downtown El Segundo. The Fair will take place in the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of Richmond Street and the west 100 and 200 blocks of Grand and Franklin Avenues. For more information, view the flyer here http://www.richmondstreetfair.com/.

608 North Gallery presents the Opening Reception: In This Moment… a solo exhibition featuring the works of Janet Milhomme, on Saturday, September 27 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Janet Milhomme is a Los Angeles photographer and mixed-media artist who has worked in the fields of journalism, marketing, public relations and publishing. Her photos have been published internationally in newspapers, magazines and books. Her photos have been published internationally in newspapers, magazines and books. In recent years she has participated in a number of curated and juried exhibitions. Janet has received awards from galleries as well as the New York Center for Photographic Arts and Women in Photography International. Her photos are held in private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. The exhibition will be on display through October 26. Gallery Hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 608 NORTH Art Gallery is located at 608 North Francisca Avenue in Redondo Beach. For additional information, call 310-376-5777 or visit the website at http://www.608north.com.

The Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation presents South Bay’s Got Talent on Saturday, September 27. South Bay’s Got Talent is a local talent competition for all residents of the South Bay. Witness the best and brightest stars from the South Bay including vocalists, musicians, dancers, aerialists, comedians and more! Performers will be competing in front of the audience and a panel of judges. Trophies will be awarded for first, second and third place winners and a special acknowledgment will be given to the audience favorite. The performance begins at 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $15, $20 and $25 and can be purchased here https://itkt.choicecrm.net/templates/TORR/?prod=TCAF/SBGOTTALENT. For additional information, contact the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation office at (310) 378-8100, by email at contest@torrancearts.org or visit the website at http://www.torrancearts.org/. The Torrance Cultural Arts Center is located at 3330 Civic Center Drive in Torrance.

Adia In-Home Care, a non-medical, in-home care service, is proud to announce the free symposium Beginning the Conversation on Sunday, September 28 at The Journey of Faith Church. Join industry experts for a free, informative symposium to learn more about Geriatric Care Management, Housing Options, In-Home Care, Daily Money Management, Real Estate, Long Term Care Financial Planning, Estate Planning and Communicaring: communicating with care. The event will take place between 1 and 2:30 p.m. Doors open at 12:45 p.m. Guests will receive a planning packet to take home with helpful resources and information. A complimentary lunch will be provided to attendees. This is a free, community event and all are welcome and encouraged to attend. The Journey of Faith Church is located at 1243 Artesia Boulevard in Manhattan Beach. The symposium will take place in The Harbor Building on the 3 floor, rooms 301 – 303. For additional information about Adia In-Home Care and Beginning the Conversation, please visit the website at www.adiacares.com or call 310-370-0555.

You don’t want to miss the annual Rods, Rides and Relics Classic Car Show on Sunday, September 28 presented by the Redondo Beach Pier Association. A favorite with local car enthusiasts, the exhibit takes place on the Redondo Pier from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Now in its twelfth year, Rods, Rides & Relics features some of the finest classic cars in the South Bay. 100 cars will be displayed over the water on The Pier while a DJ spins oldies but goodies. Take a stroll along the pier, view the cars and then vote for your favorite. The event is open to the public, admission is free and hanging out on the pier surrounded by classic automobiles is certainly a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The Redondo Beach Pier is located at 100 Fisherman’s Wharf in Redondo Beach. For more information, visit the website at http://www.redondopier.com/event/8th-rods-rides-relics-classic-car-show-on-the-pier/.

The Roundhouse Aquarium presents the annual fundraiser, Sea Starry Night Jam, taking place at The Strand House on Sunday, September 28 at 7 p.m. The event features a silent auction and live musical performance. Renowned guitarist Robby Krieger and his band, Robby Krieger’s Jam Kitchen, will be performing. Robby Krieger is best known as the guitarist from the classic rock band The Doors. He wrote many of their most popular songs including Light My Fire, Love Me Two Times and Love Her Madly. He is considered one of the top 100 guitarists of all time, according to Rolling Stone Magazine, and he continues to influence American culture. The Strand House, one of Manhattan Beach’s most revered culinary destinations, will be hosting the event. Attendees will enjoy The Strand House’s renowned hand-crafted cocktails and award-winning cuisine. General admission tickets are $100 per person. The VIP Package includes two tickets and a meet and greet with Krieger for $600. You must be 21 or older to attend this event. Please be sure to have your ID on you. Tickets are non-transferrable and non-refundable. All funds raised will directly support the Roundhouse Aquarium’s mission to spread marine and environmental awareness through the Oceanographic Teaching Stations. For additional information and ticket purchase, call 310-379-8117 or visit the website at http://www.roundhouseaquarium.org. The Strand House is located at 117 Manhattan Beach Boulevard in Manhattan Beach.

ShopLocal.us presents the second annual Small Indie Business Grant program. Over the next two months, ShopLocal will be accepting submissions from small independent business owners in the South Bay who wish to highlight, in a 2-minute or less video, one thing that a grant award would be used for to contribute most to their success as a small business. If you are a small independent business owner – or you know a local business that may qualify, share this link or sign up at: http://www.shoplocal.us/grant/. The submission period ends September 30. All of the finalists will be featured online throughout the month of October. Three selected winners will be eligible for a piece of the grant award package currently valued at over $5,000. The grant program has expanded into a celebratory gala. On October 29, ShopLocal.us presents the South Bay Business Mavericks Gala which will feature an educational panel with some of the South Bay’s most prominent business mavericks and leaders. The three lucky grant winners will be revealed during the Awards Ceremony on the night of the gala on October 29 in Torrance. For additional information, contact Heidi Butzine at heidi@shoplocal.us.

These are just a few of the events taking place this weekend, so be sure to check the calendar links and ‘Things to Do’ page on my website http://www.southbaybyjackie.com for details on these and other events happening throughout the South Bay.

This morning on The South Bay Show – South Bay Spotlight, our guests were Leslie Page, Chair Elect of the Redondo Beach Chamber and Lorrie the Lobsta, Dean of Lobsta University and today, it was all about the Redondo Beach Lobster Festival! Don’t worry, if you missed the program, you can listen to it here: http://southbaybyjackie.com/september-25-2014-redondo-beach-lobster-festival/. Tune in every Thursday at 7 a.m. to keep up with what’s going down in the South Bay!

Tomorrow morning on The South Bay Show – Manhattan Beach 360, our guests will be James O’Callaghan, President of the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce; David Kissinger, Director of Government Affairs for the Real Estate Association; and Robb Stroyke, Partner at Stroyke Properties, Inc. We’ll be discussing the hot, hot, hot real estate market in Manhattan Beach. You can listen to tomorrow’s show here: http://southbaybyjackie.com/september-26-2014-mb-real-estate/. Tune in every Friday at 8 a.m. for all the latest Chamber news and events!

The South Bay by Jackie Weekend Guide is brought to you by British Choice. British Choice is a professional cleaning service operating out of El Segundo and serving the greater South Bay area since 1986. They work around your schedule, are extremely efficient, reasonably priced and they go the extra mile to keep your home sparkling. For a free estimate, contact Jacqueline Fortune at 310-676-9053. British Choice is the right choice for all your cleaning needs!

Have a fabulous South Bay weekend!

Jackie

http://www.southbaybyjackie.com