South Bay by Jackie Weekend Guide February 28, 2019

Yesterday, I attended the Manhattan Beach State of the City Address hosted by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. The event brought together all the players within the city (city council, fire and police, school district, city management, public works and more) to inform business owners and residents on the fiscal and physical health of the city, in addition to recent accomplishments, ongoing projects, future endeavors and forecasts. I learned A LOT – some of it surprising (student enrollment decline), some of it really exciting (Fiber Master Plan pilot program). If you have any interest in what is happening in your town – from pothole repairs to how city funds are spent - a State of the City Address is a terrific way to stay informed.
The Beach Cities Free Fitness Week continues through Sunday, March 3. Free Fitness Week is a partnership between BCHD and local studios and gyms to provide opportunities for residents to get healthy, and have fun being physically active! The Free Fitness program was designed by BCHD to introduce people of all income and ability levels to a wide variety of fitness offerings, including yoga, Pilates, cycling, strength training, boot camp and more. Over 20 fitness studios in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach have joined the community initiative. Some classes require pre-registration while others are available on a first come, first served basis…. and it’s all FREE! For a full class schedule and descriptions, visit the website at http://www.bchd.org/freefitness.
Ragin Cajun Cafe is celebrating Mardi Gras through Tuesday, March 5. It’s a week-long party with live crawfish, snow crab, king crab and shrimp boils, along with Hurricanes, moonshine, beads and traditional Cajun music. They’ll have traditional King Cake again this year, too. Find the baby and win a prize!
Live Music Schedule:
FRIDAY: Alligator Beach 7:00 – 9:00
SATURDAY: High Life Cajun Band 7:30 – 9:30
SUNDAY: Alligator Beach Trio 5:30 – 7:30
MONDAY: Chuck Mathieu 7:00 – 9:00
TUESDAY: Chuck Mathieu & Friends 7:00 – 10:00
Special Mardi Gras Events:
Saturday, March 2 – Crawfish Eating Contest 12:00
Tuesday, March 5 – Fat Tuesday ALL DAY
For additional information, visit the website athttps://www.ragincajuncafe.com/. Ragin Cajun Cafe is located at 525 South Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA.
If you’re an early riser, you still have time to make this…… Join the South Bay Cities Council of Governments at the 20th Annual General Assembly to celebrate the past and future of the South Bay today, Thursday, February 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center. The program will begin with a review of the previous 20 years and what has changed in the South Bay with a panel of historians. Then speakers will discuss coming changes to the South Bay including the growing entertainment areas, other proposed major projects, and explore the challenges and opportunities that the South Bay needs to address in the future. This event is FREE and open to the general public. For additional information, visit the website at http://southbaycities.org/meetings-agendas/general-assemblies/20th-annual-general-assembly. The Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center is located at 801 East Carson Street, Carson, CA 90745.

I attended the Opening Reception last weekend, you don’t want to miss this…. The El Segundo Museum of Art presents Experience #39: EATFebruary 28 through May 18. Curated by Dr. Bernhard Zuenkeler with curatorial assistance by Holly M. Crawford, EAT is a group show examining the creative power of food and eating across place and time. Over the centuries eating has been a tremendous accelerator of driving imagination and cooperation. Our bodies turn food into energy so that we may survive, thrive, and create. One of the fundamental actions of our lives. We sleep. We breathe. We eat. We love. Without eating nothing moves. But do we pay enough attention about what we eat, how we eat and when we eat? Do we care about preparation of our food, our celebration of eating together? Over the centuries, eating has been a tremendous accelerator of driving imagination and cooperation. Eating has been a driving force for the arts and vice versa. Cooking is certainly a form of art. The preservation of food, the development of new forms of food is a creative task. ESMoA’s Experience 39: EAT will invite every visitor to find inspiration about what a diverse and creative power food can develop. As always, admission is FREE! For additional information, visit the website at https://esmoa.org/. ESMoA is located at 208 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245.
The Jokers will be performing tonight, Thursday, February 28 from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at PV Bowl's Cove Bar. The Jokers are a new classic rock band of veteran South Bay musicians billing themselves as playing “the party hits you grew up with!” They play Old School dance rock, from Roy Orbison to the Young Rascals, Creedence Clearwater Revival to the Beatles, the Stones to Marvin Gaye and the Four Tops to the Eagles. PV Bowl's Cove Bar (21 and over) is located at 24600 Crenshaw Blvd, between Skypark Drive and Lomita Boulevard in Torrance. On Saturday, March 2, the band will rock the intimate Lomita Alehouse from 8 to 11 p.m. The Alehouse is located at 24123 Narbonne Avenue in Lomita. To learn more about The Jokers, visit the Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/The-Jokers-1969396543158056/.
Women’s Voices in Tech Networking Happy Hour will take place tonight, Thursday, February 28 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Shade Hotel MB. This mixer brings together some of the most influential and inspiring women entrepreneurs, investors, and tech executives in Los Angeles. Who is this event for? Women leaders in tech, women entrepreneurs in tech, and the men and women who support and invest in them! They’ll be celebrating diversity at this month’s mixer with special guests Kenni (Lethridge) Kaufman, Head of Studio, Magnopus and Nicole Holmes, Senior Director, Information Security & Technology, Scopely. Enjoy networking in a fun, relaxed atmosphere; mingle with highly successful men and women in the entrepreneur, startup, and tech space; connect to fellow techies that can help you advance your career or business; meet developers to recruit for projects; and maybe find your next client, employee, business partner or co-founder. This event is FREE to attend. For additional information, visit the Eventbrite page athttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/womens-voices-in-tech-happy-hour-the-shade-hotel-manhattan-beach-tickets-55158100363. Shade Hotel is located at 1221 North Valley Drive, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy offers a calendar full of special activities and monthly events. To see what’s on tap for March, visit https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/palos-verdes-peninsula-land-conservancy-activities-march/.
St. Francis Episcopal Church presents the annual Designs for Diningfundraiser on Friday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Benefitting the St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund, this annual event features creative trends in entertaining and themed-table designs. Other highlights include guest speakers, boutiques, demonstrations, and silent auction — including a Photo Safari for 2 in South Africa at Zulu Nyala’s private game reserve. A light lunch and refreshments are included in the ticket price and will be served throughout the day. Proceeds from this annual charity event will benefit the St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund which has helped 25 very needy and deserving students with financial and mentoring assistance to date. Tickets for the event are $40 in advance and $50 at the door. For additional information, call (310) 375-4617 or visit the website at http://www.stfrancispalosverdes.org. St. Francis Church is located at 2200 Via Rosa, at the northwest entrance to Palos Verdes Estates, off Palos Verdes Boulevard.

Riviera Village presents First Friday on March 1, from 5 to 8 p.m. This free, monthly event is the place to be every first Friday! Head to the Village and enjoy live music, food samplings, gallery viewing, promotional offers and more while you dine and shop. Riviera Village merchants and art galleries stay open until 8 p.m. The energy will be fueled by live music at various locations from 6 to 8 p.m. For additional information, visit the website at http://rivieravillage.net/.
It’s an adult version of a bounce house….. Torrance Memorial Medical Center will offer free take home colon cancer test kits during itsAdvances in Cancer Care event on Saturday, March 2 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The event will feature a GIANT, INFLATABLE COLON on-site for guests to walk through, as well as an Advances in Cancer Care lecture, which will discuss the latest developments in prevention, genetic testing, screening guidelines, diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. The health fair and brunch will take place from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. followed by the lecture from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and FIT test kit distribution. This event is FREE to attend. Hoffman Health Conference Center is located at 3315 Medical Center Drive, Torrance CA 90505.
Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach will host the workshopDream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls on Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the office of WPromote in El Segundo. Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls will help girls grow up to be strong, successful, happy adults. Dream It, Be It targets girls in secondary school who face obstacles to their future success. It provides girls with access to professional role models, career education and the resources to live their dreams. Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach works in partnership with girls in a conference setting to provide them with the information and resources they want and need to be successful. The topics covered include career opportunities, setting and achieving goals, overcoming obstacles to success and how to move forward after setbacks or failures. There is no charge for participating girls. For additional information and registration, visit the website at https://www.simanhattanbeach.org/dream-it-be-it/. WPromote is located at 2100 East Grand Avenue, El Segundo, CA 90245.
The League of Women Voters Torrance Area will host Brunch with the Chief on Saturday, March 2 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Depot restaurant. Torrance Police Department Chief Eve Irvine will share an update on crime in the South Bay and discuss women’s role in law enforcement in celebration of Women History Month. Tickets are $30 for LWV members $30 and $40 for non-members $40. Note: click on the DONATE button on the LWV page and put ‘Brunch” in the note. For additional information and ticket purchase, visit the website at http://www.lwvtorrancearea.org/?fbclid=IwAR39TKOx7ynoVI7jhLJGKus2bxLhtU-8ahrpkQTGDlUwuXNtPEOP0oPjYfU. The Depot is located at 1250 Cabrillo Avenue, Torrance, CA 90501.
The Woman’s Club of Hermosa Beach presents the annual Adrienne’s Search for Children’s Cancer Curefundraiser on Saturday, March 2 at the Kiwanis Hall. The event takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. and benefits Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The evening will feature a catered dinner, a huge silent auction, live music, magician, arts and crafts for the kids and a cash bar. Tickets are $35 per person and free for kids 12 and under. It’s going to be a fun night for a great cause! For additional information and ticket purchase, call 310-940-9200 or visit the website at http://www.womansclubofhermosabeach.org/. The Kiwanis Hall is located a 2515 Valley Drive in Hermosa Beach.
The Richstone Family Center presents the annual ###strongAffair of the Heart Gala: Shaken not Stirred on Saturday, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Porsche South Bay. The evening begins with a cocktail reception during which guests can bid on an array of unique silent auction items and enjoy a selection of wine tastings presented by Bristol Farms. The night continues with a gourmet dinner and live auction featuring once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Celebrate the exceptional people who have shown tremendous commitment to their mission to treat and prevent child abuse, and are dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in need. Online ticket sales have closed. Please contact Allison at (310) 970-1921 x 137 or via email at mailto:atanaka@richstonefamily.org atanaka@richstonefamily.org with inquiries. For additional information and ticket purchase, visit the website at https://www.richstonefamily.org/. Porsche South Bay is located at 14610 Hindry Avenue, Hawthorne, CA 90250.’s>

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Absolution Brewing presents Beer & Magic on Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Drop by the taproom for a night of amazing illusions and optical wonders, along with a large selection of CRAFT BEER! No reservations required, see you there! For additional information, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/absolutionbrewing/. Absolution Brewing Company is located at 2878 Columbia Street, Torrance, CA 90503.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Torrance Historical Society will highlight 30 years of Dee Hardison’s community service for the City of Torrance with a program entitled Musings from Madam Mayor on Sunday, March 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. As only the second woman to ever serve as Mayor of Torrance, Dee has quite a story to tell. And who best to tell that story than her two sons, Brad and Mark, and husband, Lowell. Opening remarks will be delivered by Torrance City Manager, LeRoy Jackson. Light refreshments will be served, including Dee’s famous peanut brittle! A video of Torrance Mayor emeritus’ life will be running in a continuous loop throughout the day during this open house-style event. On display will be personal items, awards, campaign memorabilia and photos. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary, but seating is limited to first-come/first-served. For additional information, contact the Museum directly at 310.328.5392 or visit the website at http://www.TorranceHistoricalSociety.org. The Torrance Historical Society & Museum is located at 1345 Post Avenue, Torrance, CA 90501.
The Rolling Hills Country Club will host a Wedding Showcase on Sunday, March 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. Rolling Hills Country Club is a brand-new premier wedding venue nestled in the rolling hills of Palos Verdes, overlooking the stunning Los Angeles skyline. Come revel in what a wedding could be at the club by attending an actual ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner reception. Executive Chef Johnny De Vivo is preparing a traditional plated dinner inside the Skyline Ballroom, while partner and outside culinary chef Andy Najpauer wows you with not-so- traditional items such as Indian and Kosher offerings out on the Vistas lawn. Southern California’s top wedding planners and vendors will be present to showcase what services are available for your wedding. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see what a true wedding looks like at an exclusive private golf club on the hill. Tickets are $75 per person and includes the entry fee, hosted cocktails and wine tastings, small bites and a full 3-course plated dinner. For additional information and to RSVP, visit the Eventbrite page at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wedding-showcase-at-rolling-hills-country-club-tickets-54438893195. Rolling Hills Country Club is located at 1 Chandler Ranch Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274.

Tuesday, March 5 is Election Day for three cities in the South Bay. Redondo Beach is a mail-in ballot election. Manhattan Beach residents can go to their polling place or mail in their ballot. Palos Verdes Estates residents can go to their polling place or mail in their ballots. Now is the time to make your voice heard!
Team Referral South Bay will host the small business seminar Tax & Credit Strategies for Business Owners on Thursday, March 7 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at The Great Room. Two of the biggest factors impacting your business profits are the taxes you pay and your ability to access capital. Learn practical strategies from experts in the fields of accounting, payroll, entity structuring, business credit and debt elimination that you can use today to make and keep more money. This event is FREE to attend. For additional information and to register, visit the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/310687032914771/. The Great Room is located at 2810 Artesia Boulevard, Redondo Beach, CA 90278.
Here’s a HEADS-UP on a few events you’ll want to plan for now!
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/care-package-event/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/seaside-heroes-park-community-beautification-event/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/yoga-octagon-redondo-pier/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/rose-soiree/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/nextstep-la-dc-ride-paralysis/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/torrance-firefighters-association-spaghetti-dinner/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/opening-reception-douglas-kirkland/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/festival-of-the-kite/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/friendship-bowl/
https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/social-hour/
This event listing is current as of yesterday, but new events are posted EVERY DAY! Check the website for updates athttp://www.southbaybyjackie.co... for details on these and other events happening throughout the South Bay.

File this under, WOW…… How much would you guess a live auctioned, private Wine Dinner for 10 people would sell for? An astounding 21K! Robert Bell And Michael Franks from Chez Melange have partnered with PEF (Palos Verdes Peninsula Education Foundation) in raising much needed funds for all 17 public schools in PV by donating a private Wine Dinner for 10 people. Chez Melange and PEF have worked together to raise money through multiple live auctions in the past, but this specific dinner has been the best and most successful one yet. Clearly, the donors loved bidding and outbidding each other on this popular item!
There’s a new market coming to Manhattan Beach! Mother’s Marketwill soon be opening (March 16, 2019) a new location on Rosecrans Avenue and is now hiring. For additional information, visit the website athttps://www.mothersmarket.com/.
El Segundo Art Walk is now accepting ###strongfor this year’s Art Walk which will take place the third Thursdays of June, July and August. This fantastic event was the hottest ticket in the South Bay last year. Creative business spaces in El Segundo are paired with different artists and open their doors to the public to display the artwork. Last year, over thirty businesses participated including Sleepy Hollow Studios, South Bay Custom Motorcycles, Tyler’s Surfboards and Big Door Studios. Many businesses also treated attendees to sips, bites, live music, entertainment and performance art. If you are a local artist or El Segundo based business, you want to get in on this! Applications must be submitted by May 1. Those selected will be notified by May 25, 2019. For additional information and to download the application, visit the website at https://elsegundoartwalk.com/apply/.
This morning on The South Bay Show: South Bay Spotlight, Joe and I will discuss several local topics including the MB State of the City, local elections, the BeachLife Festival, EAT, Free Fitness Week, Mardi Gras and more. Don’t worry, if you missed the program, you can listen to it anytime at https://www.southbaybyjackie.com/joe-jackie-show-4/. Tune in every Thursday at 8 a.m. to keep up with what’s going down throughout in the South Bay!
Tomorrow morning on The South Bay Show: Manhattan Beach Chamber 360, we’re going to learn about the Gelson’s Give Back event taking place on Saturday, March 9 at the Manhattan Beach location. Listen to the podcast live at 8 a.m. or anytime athttps://www.southbaybyjackie.com/gelsons-give-back-event/. Tune in every Friday morning and discover what’s happening in Manhattan Beach!
Have a fabulous South Bay weekend!
Jackie
http://www.southbaybyjackie.com