Hopefully, my profile informs you just a bit, about why I love LB. Heres some more info as to why:
Like I said, I grew up in Lakewood. I moved out of my parents house when I was 22, My bestfriend and I shared a two-bedroom apartment at 1740 Redondo #15, a few buildings south of The Executive Suite. Man, did we ever hear our share of ruckus late night street brawls, all coming from the drunk patrons leaving that bar. After 2 years, I moved into a classic, vintage one-bedroom down on Rose Place, directly behind the old Francois Manhattan. I became friends with the owners, the Barto family. Hank Barto even hired me on as the only weekend-night valet, where my pay was the large tips customers gave me for parking their cars, plus, Hank fed me every night after my shift ended, telling me to order whatever I wanted from the menu. It is still my favorite place I've rented. The city had just finished constructing the bike path along the beach, and numerous were the days when I rode my old, vintage, Western Flyer bike from the marina to Belmont Shore. I remember the times I used to stop and admire the old, chain-link fence-surrounded Pacific Coast Club. I still wish the city would never have let that marvelous piece of architecture be demolished, just so Rob Bellevue could erect the first of the monstrosities that began taking away the cities magnificent skyline. I loved the older architectural style of some of downtowns original buildings. I still have an old, very heavy, mortar brick, and a piece of exterior decorative scroll from the Jergins Trust Building. Now that was one fabulous building, which of course, the city allowed to be demolished. (The New Pike? Give me a break! Another one of the cities continuous mistakes!)
After 2 1/2 years on Rose Place, I moved into a three-bedroom house on Ocean. You can see that house in the movie "Its A Mad, Mad World." Its the oldest house on Ocean. While living there I took a job at the now-gone Edwards Beverage Company on Second Street, right next to Pollys Coffee. After my first week there I was promoted to assistant manager. Now that was a great job, as well as a great place to work. However, the owners decided to close it and focus on their chain of Pollys Restaurants. After two years there, we closed up. I was heart broken. I had become close friends with all our employees, and recall my lunch walks down Second to have a cup o' Joe at the old Midnite Expresso with my friend and Midnite manager, Janet. Go see Janet at Pollys Coffee.
Anyone remember the old classic KNAC radio? Sing along..."KNAC...KNAC...KNAC, Long Beach...KNAC" I won so many prizes on the morning "KNAC Java Club" hosted by Norm McBride; I even still have my classic "101.5 KNAC Java Club, 'I'm A Java Junkie'" coffee cup. And no, I won't sell it. I remember the time on air when DJ Mary Jo, announced that "The beavers back in town for you listeners in the know!" Well, "The Beaver" was actually Beaver Brand labeled bags of the first ever strain of Indica to hit LB. Classic! By the way, the beautiful white statue of the Virgin Mary outside of the old monastery on Redondo and Ocean; some of us used to refer to Her as "Mary on the Half-Shell."
I could probably go on about my many, many, adventures in Long Beach, but I'll save that for another day.
Carmel has no residential feel; its primarily focused on the tourists. Long Beach has a feel, from downtown to Belmont Shore, to the "Gay Ghetto" area to Bixby Knolls, and slowly progressing north. What a fantastic city!
I love Long Beach!