Valentine the Porcupine Book Release and Dance Party!

Our favorite local bookstore, Gatsby Books, is hosting a book release and booksigning for Derrick Brown's Valentine the Porcupine Dances Funny, with illustrator Jenny Lewis, on Saturday, February 19th at noon.

Fun activities for the kids and a dance party(!) follow the reading.

After the Dance Party, 17 year-old Science Fiction/Fantasy author Kevin Liston will read from and discuss his new book, Legends of the Significants.

If you haven't been to Gatsby Books, you will be delighted at the collection of books Sean has acquired, and the great community he is cultivating through these wonderful FREE events.

I found this fascinating video on the process Jenny Lewis used to illustrate the book. Enjoy!

Acres of Books Revisited

If you are missing Acres of Books, like I have been, there is still an opportunity to walk down the aisles and remember the good old days, as well as take a few souvenir books and fruit crates for FREE! On Wednesday afternoons from 1:30-4, the back door is open to friends and well-wishers who would like to take a piece of Acres of Books home with them. I found a great midcentury illustrated book on houseplants and grabbed a few crates for Mr. Mod's office. Check it out - through February.

Happy New Year!

The view from the Seal Beach Pier - surfers waiting for a swell beneath the snow-capped San Gabriels.

Lyons at Night - Music and Live Art event - Sat, Nov 13th, 4-10pm

Corinna the Christmas Elf book reading at Gatsby Books - Saturday, Nov 13, at 12pm

I am excited that a friend from MOPS is having a book reading and signing event today. Author Suzanne Sumner Ferry will be reading "Corinna the Christmas Elf" at Gatsby Books, today at 12pm.

Gatsby Books is located at:

5535 E. Spring St.
Long Beach CA 90808
(562)208-9783
GatsbyBooks@hotmail.com

Refreshments will be provided.

Haute Dog Howl-o'ween!

It's been a tradition for us to attend the halloween dog parade. It is so much fun to see all the dogs (and their people) in their costumes. Good times!

Happy Halloween!

Oh what to do this Halloween?

I definitely recommend the free Community Carnival on Sunday at Grace Brethren Church. It has been our tradition to volunteer over the last several years, but this will be the first year for our kiddos, so we will be squiring them around until they eat too much candy and play too much Guitar Hero and insist on going to bed. This is a seriously fun event for kids - with a (literal) ton of candy to be passed out, bounce houses to enjoy, a skate park to be skated upon, and game booths galore. A special "pumpkin patch" area for the littler set to enjoy a quieter evening is a highlight as well.

We're hoping also to attend the Howl-o-ween Parade for dogs and their people friends at Belmont Shore, on Sunday, October 31, at 2:30pm. The start and finish of the parade is at Livingston Park, 4900 E. Livingston Dr. (at Park Ave). The vendor fair and pet adoption is in the park from noon to 5pm.

Dog in a pumpkin costume - yes, please!

And you can always count on Gregorio Luke to present a passionate and thoughtful lecture on any given subject - this one is on the traditions of Dia de los Muertos, at the Long Beach Playhouse on Thursday, October 28th at 9pm.

Get Out this Weekend! Long Beach Events...

Can you believe it's October already?! I can't wait for the crisp weather of Fall. Do we have that in Long Beach?

Here are some weekend events:

Saturday, October 2

Interfaith Blessing of the Animals, Marine Park Stadium, 5225 E. Paoli Way, Long Beach, 90803.

The event starts at 12pm.

More info at Bless the Pets!

Long Beach is having an Open Artist Studio Weekend. I've always wanted to go to this - I love to watch artists in their environments and talking about their work. Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4:30pm. Tour map and schedule below.

Gatsby Books, our favorite new and gently-used bookstore, is having their regular Saturday story time for kids, beginning at 12pm. Miss Jen will be reading her favorite children's books about cats, and might bring her guitar for a sing-along.

Gatsby Books is also hosting their first book club on Sunday at 3pm, moderated by Peter Markman, a professor of Comparative Literature from California State University Long Beach, where they will be discussing The Great Gatsby, of course! Refreshments will be provided.

Gatsby Books

5535 E. Spring St.

Long Beach, CA 90808

(562) 208-9783

Story-Time for Kids at Gatsby Books - Saturday, September 11 at 12pm

I'm so thrilled about Gatsby Books opening in Long Beach. Sean has put together a really great collection of books and some fun family-friendly upcoming events, including Story Time every Saturday at noon, and the upcoming acoustic show for kids and science nerds alike by the Amoeba People on Saturday, September 25th at 1pm, for free! Let's show our support for the independent bookseller - hooray!

I photographed Gatsby the Owl for the flyer - isn't he the most delightful little creature you have ever seen?

(x-posted at blog.modernfrill.com)

The Amoeba People at Gatsby Books - Saturday, September 25th

I'm so happy we have a great new/used bookstore on the Eastside of Long Beach, Gatsby Books, at the corner of Spring and Bellflower.

Sean has already found me a book that is harder to find in print, at a great price! I have gone in a few times since the soft opening on August 1st and always find something to love...

The store is very welcoming and has a cool vibe without being pretentious or exclusionary - the stoneway entrance is midcentury modern and there are bookish gewgaws and little charming touches everywhere, along with comfortable chairs to relax in. Sean plans on hosting story-time for kids beginning in the fall and some upcoming family-friendly events, including an acoustic show of science-related songs, stories and poems with The Amoeba People on Saturday, September 25th at 1pm, for free!

(photo credit: the amoeba people / www.facebook.com/TheAmoebaPeople)

Gatsby Books
5535 E. Spring Street (Spring St. and Bellflower Blvd.)
Long Beach, CA

Doomies Home Cookin' - the Revenge Brunch! Saturday, August 28th.

Doomies makes the most amazing vegan food - wish he would open up a restaurant again! But in the meantime, you can enjoy an absolutely delicious brunch (all you can eat) at the Meet Market on Saturday, August 28th, 10am-2pm.



Doomie’s Revenge Brunch
@ The Meet Market
3206 W Sunset Blvd (at Descanso)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

the back story:

Two weekends ago Doomie’s Home Cookin’ was honored with the chance to host a guest brunch at The Meet Market. While we felt that most of the initial dishes were a delicious success and the attendance far exceeded our expectations on 24hrs notice, overall we left feeling failed and defeated. Once all the seats filled up,, people had to wait for an open table. Once some food ran out people had to wait for new food to be made. Some people left disappointed. It was a nightmare for us. This Saturday, we want revenge.
On Aug 28, Doomie’s Home Cookin’ returns to The Meet Market to once again battle the hunger of LA’s Vegan community.
This time we’ll be ready for you! Our game plan for success includes:
*WAY MORE FOOD
*$10 for all you can eat or $8 for a one trip to-go box to combat the problem of limited seating
*Greater variety of items
*A focus on Lunch items
*Foods that cook quicker and serve easier
*Additional Doomie’s Kitchen staff

Busker Fest! on Saturday, August 28th

Come say so long to Summer and enjoy the best of local Long Beach music at Busker Fest, in the East Village.



Pick up wooden nickels to drop at the feet of your favorite band , with a chance to win a 5-day recording session at Compound Studio with Anthony Arvizu.

Buskers compete from 5-7:15 PM
Jay Buchanan opens the main Stage opens at 7:15 PM
Crystal Antlers hit the stage at 8:00 PM
Delta Spirit close the show starting at 9:00 PM

A little map to guide the way:

Fun Events this Saturday!

Celebrate National Day of the Cowboy - a free event at the B and B Stables in Cerritos



and the LB Street Food Fest at the Queen Mary Park, a benefit for the LBCC Student Scholarships and Adopt-a-Teacher Program

Free ongoing Mosaic Workshop! Sundays through August

From their website:

In conjunction with the EARTH exhibition, 2cc and professional mosaic instructors Dawn Mendelson and Luz Mack-Durini will launch a series of fun-filled and educational mosaic workshops open FREE to the public. The workshops will begin in April and continue through August. They will be held on most Sundays from 10:00 am - 1 p.m.

All ages welcome. No experience necessary. Workshops will be conducted in English and Spanish and are set up so that anyone can join in at ANY TIME. Participants will create both mosaic art pieces to take home and work on communal pieces for the gallery's wildlife garden.

Each month we will explore a environmental different topic, have a guest speaker or see a film and create a mosaic artwork. Our final workshop on August 22nd will be a celebratory BBQ in the garden. At the end of summer, the 2,500 sq. ft area behind the gallery will be transformed. We will utilize the knowledge we have gained about our native environment and select drought-resistant plants that attract wildlife. We will have a community planting. We will create an environment for wildlife to find food, water, shelter and a place to nest. The communal mosaic artwork that has been created will be installed. The garden will serve as a quiet place for the community to relax and groups to gather. Every opportunity to come together is a potential to breakdown barriers, gain understanding and build community.

For more information on our instructors, please visit their websites.

Dawn Mendelson www.daybreakmosaics.com
Luz Mack-Durini www.l-durini.com

Please join us by registering for the free classes. Registration ensures that we have enough mosaic materials and healthy snacks for everyone to enjoy. Please either call (562) 901-0997 or email 2ndcitycouncil@earthlink.net. Please use the subject line "Mosaic Workshops.

Fourth Annual No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale - Sunday, June 13

Coming up on Sunday, June 13, is the Fourth Annual No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale, part of Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale, to raise money towards eradicating childhood hunger in the US.

Make the trip to Scoops Gelato on 712 N Heliotrope Dr. in East Hollywood, just north of Melrose, between Normandie and Vermont, from 2-5pm.

There will be amazing food and an even more amazing raffle. If you are a fan of Glee, you will for sure want to attend! There will be raffle prizes from The Golden State, and other amazing restaurants, free organizing bootcamp sessions from Bneato, yoga packages from U Studio, Dodger tickets, dresses from Rachel Pally, and a prize which includes a tour of the set of Glee, guided by one of the show's producers! The Frysmith Truck will also be on hand for more deliciousness.