Another local secret is venice canals, not just around Christmas...quiet peaceful neighborhood, of…read morethe rich and famous, hard to believe you aren't too far from the going ons of the city! Park nearby and you can easily get lost and look at the beautiful homes and canals

tl;dr: It used to be better. I question whether it's worth seeing anymore…read more.. **** This year's parade was kind of a dud and a disappointment for me. I had such high expectations after stumbling upon the parade a couple of years back and there was greater participation. There used to be a flotilla of big barges filled with singers in costumes, lots of singing and lights, spaceships, etc... I read that there used to be something like 40 entries in the recent past but this year there was barely a dozen... For the entrants, I want to give them props for participating. I remember a couple of Christmas crooners like the guy in the tacky gold lounge suit, and another barge with a bunch of black guys singing a capella, these guys were cool. But, my biggest adoration goes to the mom who was in the water dragging her raft along with the kids and grandma in tow. That's dedication! I know this is just a local community parade and that I shouldn't be complaining but I remember it for what it was and I was hoping to see more of the same... Seems like this has gone the way of the Pasadena Doodah Parade when that was once bigger and more fun too...

This was so much fun!!! Found parking right at Santa Monica place and the parking wasn't too bad…read moreprice wise. Only paid $1 for 90 mins and it was a quick walk down to the pier. Check in was a breeze and I have to admit to feeling pretty lucky as I watched two people try to talk the check in staff into wristbands. Geared up with a glass that fit nicely into my plate, I walked into quite the foodie vibe. It's been years since I've been to any sort tasting event and this one was a wonderful start. Lots of booths set up with not much of wait (except the oysters, those were popular!!) The oyster shucking contest had just ended when I arrived and a band decked out in shiny captain uniforms were taking the stage. I watched a mermaid get wheeled away, spotted Captain Jack Sparrow and listened to the band get the party started. Lots of crowd favorites being played and great energy from them. The food was a delight, my favs were Shoreline's cones (really complex, fun taste) The Lobster's pizza was spicy and delicious, and Water Grill's crudo on a shell was delicate and subtle. BTW, they had a spot to recycle your shells which go back into the ocean to create a breeding habitat. Win, win. I paired all this with a chardonnay that was perfect. I ended the evening with Sweet Rose Creamery sorbet and a Levain bakery chocolate chip cookie because I'm wild like that. Really appreciated that it was all single use plastic free--more like this please!! I loved the event--one bone to pick, I left around 6:45 because I had to pick up my kid, but the event was scheduled to end at 7:30 and booths were closing up at 6:30. I'd be pretty irritated if I'd bought a full price ticket and watched everything shut down when I still wanted to taste and sip. If that was fixed and someone appreciates an evening of entertainment and tasty food with the money to purchase, this is a great way to get out and enjoy.

Much better than previous years. There are less booths but the quality has gone up. It is a very…read morebusy high end seafood festival. I had a blast at the VIP which costs more and gets you early entrance. There are very limited tables and seating so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Parking is really difficult and costly now so metro training is the best value for a 8 min walk. Now the food........My favs......Maestros shrimp, Albright fish, Sweetfin tuna. In the VIP area my favorites are......Michaels oysters, Blue ribbon sushi(extra stars for the fresh quality), Edgar, Vamos vamos and Soko Sushi was all beautifully done. Appreciate Emporium Thai's yummy noodles. Alcohol I did not get to try too many. I stuck to Ysidro and Dulce Vida. Had a lovely time no matter what. Thank you to the organizers taking care of a top notch event. I will see you next year.

My friends and I had so much fun sampling all the vendors at EAT Show LA! We walked away totally…read morestuffed, probably having consumed 3000 calories in the span of 4 hours. ORGANIZATION: The event was organized quite well! Before walking into the main hall, we were given one of those drink and food holders to put our food and drink on for the duration of the event. The food hall is divided into 12 different sections, each highlighting a specific set of vendors. You can only go through each section once, so grab everything you can!!! FOOD: There was a wide variety of foods and vendors, from alcoholic drinks, to Indian food, to Mexican ice cream, to sliders. I wouldn't suggest going if you're a picky eater. HIGHLIGHTS: It was quite a while ago, but I remember really liking all of the vendors that served some type of raw fish. The Halal Guys, Helados Pops, Hamasaku, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, Macchiato, Baohaus, Otium, Pig Pen Delicacy, and a few others I forgot, I really loved! Otium was probably my favorite savory place, and Macchiato and Baohaus served my favorite desserts! LOWLIGHTS: Hamasaku barely had any fish left by the time I got to there, so I got fish scraps and rice LOL. I mean, it was really delicious, but yeah I was hoping to get their actual nigiri. I would try going to the section that has them early! :) Lady M was also quite disappointing. I'm glad I got to try them out here without shelling out $9 for a slice of crepe cake. OVERALL: Yes, the $60 for admission is pricey af, but it's a great way to try a lot of amazing food places for, in perspective to how much I spend eating out in a month, not that much. I would definitely consider coming back next time! Can someone hook it up with a discount code tho? ;)

Amazing place to die in and also this place is very great with customer service for sureread more

My visit to Tournament of Roses was truly magical. There were beautiful flowers everywhere, along…read morewith little birds and squirrels that made the park feel so alive. Toward the back, I found a charming gazebo and an enormous tree that seemed to have stood there for generations. There was something so peaceful and powerful about it. I especially enjoyed soaking up the sun while admiring the wide, open lawns stretching out in front of what appeared to be a beautiful mansion. If you're looking for a quiet place to unwind and appreciate nature, this park is absolutely worth a visit. 命に感謝。 @FireLordRia

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Associations opens its doors to the public for guided tours at no…read morecost. By attending these tours you get an opportunity to visit the Wrigley house, otherwise know as the Tournament House. Not only do you get to see the house, but you also get an introduction to the traditions of the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game. The information gathered from the tours was impressive, unfortunately most of the original furniture is no longer within the house. To attend these tours, you do need to get tickets online. Tickets are only available during part of the year. Tours are led by volunteer members of the Heritage committee and are approximately two hours long at 2pm. Limited parking is available onsite. Plus, there is street parking on the street- please observe the parking signs as most parking is limited to two hours on Lockhaven Street.

9:30AM - 12:00 Noon 300 Paseo Del Mar in Palos Verdes Estates on the Playing Fields of Malaga Cove…read moreSchool Overlooking the Blue Pacific Generations have picnicked while listening to the live music and sung along to The Star-Spangled Banner or run a three-legged race with siblings, parents or friends. You may have laughed, cheered or been moved to tears by guest speakers from Jimmy Stewart to SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell, Marvel's Stan Lee,Tommy Lasorda -so fun!

Again this year, what a great way to spend 4th of July morning…read more Festivities begin at 9:30 am and last through the morning. Admission to the event is free to the public, but (as I recently learned) "donations are gratefully accepted as it is not funded by the city but by local residents & small PV businesses". Considering that I'm there almost every year, it's time I chipped in, and so I shall. The burgers, grilled fresh in the open ocean air, were exceptionally good this year! I shoulda had two. The live band was outstanding this year, too. As the party was breaking up & I walked back to my car, I heard a kid say, "It's just good fun." 'Nuff said. See ya next year!

Summertime in the LBC. The weeklong public mural festival has been renamed Long Beach Walls and…read moreArt Renzei. Read all about it here: https://lbpost.com/hi-lo/pow-wow-is-now-long-beach-walls-heres-your-guide-to-the-colorful-mural-festival https://www.longbeachwalls.com/ https://www.artrenzei.com/ https://www.instagram.com/longbeach_walls/ There are events centered around this week. One past year, Sun Bum (sunscreen) was a sponsor and held an event at the beach that ended in a movie showing. Some year before that, KCRW held a party in collaboration. This last time, I joined in the free yoga session (with RSVP). Led by Pedal Movement, bike tours are held during this time to visit the murals. The run club I'm involved in throws a couple of the murals in the downtown area being worked on into the running route during this time. Volunteer opportunities are available (such as being on site with the artist making sure they have what they need.) Look out for it next summer!

"Pow! It's the impact that art has on a person. Wow! It's reaction that art has on a viewer."…read morePowWow - a gathering that celebrates culture, music and art. The weeklong event that originated in Hawaii has expanded out to other parts of the country and world, including its 5th year in Long Beach. I was a bit disappointed the first year or so because they brought in a lot of outside artists when there are so many talented ones here. It also seems as if there is little collaboration between the artists and the places they paint. Businesses offer their walls and artists are given the freedom to create whatever inspires them at the time. Sometimes, the pieces seem random, whereas, others perfectly reflect the feel of the establishments. This year, I was happy to see a lot more local artists represented in the community. Some of them even took the time to collaborate with either the business or Parks & Rec to design pieces that emulate the nature of the places. I live close to Drake Park and was happy to see 3 artists beautifying it by adding more color and character. By request from neighborhood folks, Crisselle Mendiola and Jason Keam added butterflies to match the playground while Bodeck Luna depicted young people shooting hoops along the wall facing the basketball court. Another highlight from Pow! Wow! Long Beach was the closing party in the Promenade. I absolutely loved that KCRW DJs Mathieu Shreyer and Anthony Valadez came and served us some eclectic dance music. I can't wait to see what's in store next year!

I went to the Grand Avenue Festival by chance this year and it was such a great time. I heard about…read moreit somewhere and thought it would be pretty interesting and you can go watch some performances for free at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (which I've always wanted to go into since I've moved back). And admission to MOCA was free as well. Plus all the other things going on. I didn't get there till about 2:30pm...just took the metro and exited Civic Center and it was just a block away. Very convienent. I'm really starting to love the Metro. But once we got there we grabbed the free ticket for a hip hop orchestra called "Da KAH", which would be in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The group was very entertaining, and I love the fusion with hip hop and classical. Great energy, great music, wonderful acoustics, beautiful environment. The food they had there were from all the local restaurants out there, and it was very yummy food. Not your average street food. We had a hazelnut kit kat pastry from Kendell's and that was delicious. YUM. You can also enjoy some vendors and great activities for kids. I was able to catch some live performances, one by a Jessica Fichot which I ended up buying her CD, cause Ithought her music was fun and she's so cute. It's mostly in french, so I don't understand much...but then again, there's a lot of english songs out there that I don't understand, but still love. Overall, it was a great time. Saved gas by taking the metro...admission free...music...free....MOCA free...can't go wrong with FREE.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people complain about getting things for free…read more The Grand Avenue Festival is unfortunately full of these types. Free admission to MOCA and REDCAT. Free shows in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Free opera performances in the Dorothy Chandler. Free drum circles. Free culture everywhere you look. And yet, you'll still be stuck behind the old couple who were irked the chamber music concert featured Mozart's string quartet in G major Köchel 387 instead of something more obscure that the philistines wouldn't know. The Grand Avenue Festival gives people who otherwise wouldn't have the means a window into culture with which Los Angeles is armed to the teeth, and yet you get the privileged who swoop down from on high to scoff. The festival is a wonderful event, with so many different performers and artists to be found along the street. You can listen to someone sing a piece from "Tosca," then watch a demonstration on how to play a Celtic Bronze Age horn using circular breathing, stroll into one of the museums, tour the concert hall garden with the China rose fountain, sample some of the local fare, watch a dance recital, play in a drum circle, and watch a performance in the Concert Hall ... all in the SAME HOUR. I look forward with great enthusiasm to the festival's return. FYI, shows in the Concert Hall are ticketed (but the tickets are free), so just stop by the booth in front when they start distributing them. Everything else is pretty much fair game.

Located off Pacific Coast Hwy in Redondo Beach. It's on the back wall of Fantastics. It has Kobe in…read morea Dodgers jersey along with Mookie, Freddie, Ohtani and his dog Decoy also Ice Cube in his lowrider with the Championship trophy. It is hard to get a full clear pic due to the dumpster in front of Ohtani. Overall a very cool mural.

Unexpectedly cool mural on the side of eat fantastic in Redondo beach! Stopped by before having my…read moredine LA breakfast at confections by kirari west!