Jackie's South Bay Weekend Guide

Yikes! This weekend is going to be a little nutty….imagine hundreds of participants riding stationary bikes on the beach, an array of military vehicles parked at Del Amo Mall, beers from every South Bay brewery in one place at the same time, hundreds of people snooping through other people’s homes, classic war planes flying over Torrance.…then throw in a parade, poker tournament, wine tasting, food and music festival and outrigger canoes and what have you got? Just another weekend in the South Bay!

Select Beer Store & Tap Room will be celebrating American Craft Beer Week 2013 with a couple of special events. On Thursday, May 16 from 5 p.m. to midnight, they’ll be hosting More Gargoyle!! with Stone Brewing Company. They’ll be pouring Stone’s Levitation, IPA, Arrogant Bastard and others. On Saturday, May 18 from noon to midnight, they’ll be hosting a Local Brewer’s BBQ and total tap takeover featuring local favorites, El Segundo Brewing, The Brewery at Abigaile, Monkish Brewing, The Dudes’ Brewing Co., Smog City Brewing, Strand Brewing and Beachwood BBQ & Brewing. Wyatt’s BBQ Catering Company will be on-site grilling up some hot and tasty BBQ on their mobile rig! For more information, visit the website at http://www.selectbeerstore.com or call 310-540-1221. Select Beer Store is located at 1613 South Pacific Coast Highway in Riviera Village in Redondo Beach.

Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach hosts a monthly Wine Academy on the third Thursday of each month. Wine loving friends can gather to socialize, taste and learn from experts about new wines in a relaxed, fun, atmosphere. This popular event is open to the public and runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and offers wine lovers an opportunity to enjoy an intimate, casual, wine-centric social gathering. Well-priced at $25 per person in advance, $35 at the door, the Wine Academy features expert, interactive presentations of exceptional wines, boutique and/or limited production wines, along with tantalizing wine-paired hors d’oeuvres prepared by Executive Chef Chris Garasic. For more information or to make reservations, call 310-546-4995 or visit the website at www.shadehotel.

The American Martyrs Parents Association presents the 40th Annual Sophisticated Snoops Home Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19. Guest will have an opportunity to view five enchanting and unique homes located throughout Manhattan Beach. These homes offer a variety of decorating styles that will inspire you to try something new and different in your own home. Presale tickets are $30 and are available for purchase at locations throughout the South Bay. Tickets will also be for sale at each of the homes for $35. Guests can begin the tour at the home of their choice. For more details or tickets by mail, call 424-212-7800.

The City of Torrance honors the armed forces at the 54th Annual Armed Forces Day Celebration and Parade Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19. The parade is Torrance’s longest standing tradition and both residents and visitors are encouraged to gather along the parade route and cheer for our sons, daughters, parents, friends, husbands and wives who have been called to duty in defense of our country. The parade takes place on Saturday, May 18 and gets underway at 1:30 p.m. The route runs along Torrance Boulevard starting at Crenshaw Boulevard and ending at City Hall. There is also a free concert and military vehicle exhibit scheduled over the weekend. For more information, visit the website at www.TorranceCA.Gov/ArmedForcesDay.htm.

The Western Museum of Flight will be sponsoring a Flyover of Classic War Planes during the Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade on Saturday, May 18. These impeccably preserved planes will be on display at the Torrance Airport and include a C-53 Skytrooper, BT-13 Valiant, P-51 Mustang, C-45 Expeditor and T-6 Texan. If you’ve ever imagined what it was like to fly in one of these magnificent warbirds, here’s your opportunity to find out! Purchase a raffle ticket for $10 for a chance to be a passenger during the parade flyover! Raffle tickets are available for sale at the Western Museum of Flight or on the website at www.wmof.com. The drawing will take place on Thursday, May 16 at noon, so be sure to purchase tickets before then. Winners do not have to be present for the drawing and will be contacted. Tickets for the flights will be distributed at the Museum Will Call. The Western Museum of Flight is located at 3315 Airport Drive, Red Baron #3 in Torrance. For more information, call 310-326-9544 or visit the website at http://www.wmof.com/.

The Kiwanis Club of Torrance hosts the annual Texas Hold ‘Em Charity Poker Tournament on Sunday, May 19 at Palos Verdes Bowl. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and a silent auction. Practice play begins at 12:15 p.m. with the tournament getting underway at 1 p.m. sharp. Pre-sale tickets are $100 per player. At the door, tickets will be $125. Re-buys will be available. The funds raised from this event go into scholarships for all high schools in Torrance. A Ben Aranda scholarship is awarded to each high school with a Kiwanis sponsored youth group and a Callen and Thompson scholarship to one student each. Seating for this event is limited so reserve your spot now! For more information and to reserve a seat, contact Laurie Love at laurielove@socal.rr.com. Palos Verdes Bowl is located at 24600 Crenshaw Boulevard in Torrance. For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Torrance, visit the website at http://www.torrancekiwanis.org/.

The inaugural Tour de Pier brings one of the hottest indoor fitness activities – stationary cycling – to the Pacific Ocean to raise funds for cancer and children’s charities on Sunday, May 19. Up to 400 stationary bikes will be in front of the Manhattan Beach Pier for this four hour event featuring celebrity athletes and cyclists of all levels. Top instructors from the South Bay’s Spectrum and Fit On Studios will guide riders through one or more 50 minute sessions with energizing music and loads of excitement. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. with the event getting underway at 1 p.m. The event features Olympic Cyclist Tony Cruz and other top athletes for a fun and philanthropic ride in the sun. This one-of-a-kind fundraising event benefits both cancer and children’s charities, including: The Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The Livestrong Foundation, The Cancer Support Community Redondo Beach and The Friendship Circle of the South Bay. In addition to cycling, the event is intended to promote healthy living through a Health & Fitness Expo with food, beverage and product samples and a Kids Fun Zone with games and activities. For additional information and registration, visit the website at www.tourdepier.com.

The King Harbor Yacht Club hosts the sixth annual King Harbor Sea Fair on Sunday, May 19 from 12 to 5 p.m. This free, family friendly event offers a unique opportunity to prepare for the summer boating season. The event features free outrigger canoe and sail boat rides, kid’s crafts and activities, stand-up paddleboard demonstrations, life jacket and safety show and a variety of boat and marine displays. In addition, a Coast Guard helicopter rescue demonstration is scheduled to take place. Food and beverages will be available for purchase along with live music and a free raffle drawing with fabulous prizes. King Harbor Yacht Club is located at 280 Yacht Club Way in Redondo Beach. The King Harbor Yacht Club has a strict ‘no dog on premises’ policy, so please leave your canine friends at home! Paid parking is also available in the Marina and in nearby city lots. For more information, call 310-863-2487 or visit the website at www.khbf.org.

The Taste of Hawthorne Food & Music Festival takes place on Sunday, May 19 at the Hawthorne Airport. Sponsored by the Economic Development Council of Hawthorne and California Produced, the event will highlight the diversity of cultural cuisines in the community and will run from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. Admission is free and guests will enjoy live entertainment by Grammy Award winning band Ozomalti. The entire family will delight in an eclectic array of food booths, artisans, 15 breweries, Kitchen Kid Korner, fun activities for children of all ages, as well as a car show. In addition, there will be special appearances by Food Network and Travel Channel celebrities! Be sure to bring an appetite! The Hawthorne Airport is located at 12101 South Crenshaw Boulevard in Hawthorne. For more information, visit the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TASTE-of-Hawthorne/386286928123388. 

It’s never too early to begin planning for your financial future and you’ll want experienced professionals with a proven track record and flawless reputation on your team. Brigante, Cameron, Watters & Strong, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, is the largest full-service accounting firm in the South Bay.  BCWS is dedicated to providing professional services of the highest quality and is offering a special promotion for our audience. Mention The South Bay Show or South Bay by Jackie and receive a 10% discount on tax services (new clients only). Give them a call at 310-542-0011 or visit the website at www.bcws.com. April 15 may have come and gone but there’s always next year! 

As always, check the calendar links and ‘Things to Do’ page on my website, www.southbaybyjackie.com, for details on these and other events throughout the South Bay.

On The South Bay Show this morning, our guest was Julie Coll. Julie is a Board Member for the King Harbor Yacht Club and Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the sixth annual King Harbor Sea Fair taking place this Sunday, May 19. Don’t worry, if you missed the show, you can listen to it here: http://southbaybyjackie.com/may-16-2013-king-harbor-sea-fair/.

Have a great South Bay Weekend!

Jackie
www.southbaybyjackie.com