South Bay Events Blog

The Pacific Ocean is the lifeblood of the South Bay and is the main reason people visit or relocate here. Whether you like to surf, swim, scuba dive, sail or fish, the accessibility of the sea is what makes the Beach Cities so desirable over other areas. George Freeth brought surfing to the U.S. mainland via Redondo Beach way back in 1907, and the area has attracted surfers ever since. Besides surfing, there is a healthy diving community in Redondo Beach and Palos Verdes, with dive shops scattered around the area.

Body Glove is an internationally-known brand that proudly calls the South Bay home. The local waterman community wouldn’t be where it is without the foresight of twin brothers Bill and Bob Meistrell, who established the company in 1953. Known best for inventing wetsuits, the brothers soon began to attract a huge following. What began as a small store evolved into a diving center to buy regulators, air tanks, snorkeling gear, masks and spearfishing equipment. The other half of the store houses surfboards, leashes, swimsuits, wax and much more for serious surfers.

As the company has grown exponentially, Body Glove now sponsors local surfers Alex Gray, Holly Beck, Jamie O’Brien and dozens more. Their dive boat is a permanent fixture off the coast of Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. Events such as the opening of lobster season are centered around Dive n’ Surf, Body Glove’s local retail arm located near the Redondo Beach Pier. They are a huge part of the local community, hosting events such as the D-Man Festival and the Annual Yard Sale to cater to those who spend time in the ocean.

The pioneering spirit of the Meistrell brothers carries through today as the name Body Glove is synonymous with the South Bay. Stop by and check out their selection of diving and surf gear, whether you want to get started or are a seasoned expert. Dive n’ Surf is located at 504 North Broadway
Redondo Beach, Ca. 90277.

Gritty working class anthems and Bruce Springsteen-esque enthusiasm drive their way into The DIVE at BriXton this Friday night with a can’t miss performance (because we’re giving out tickets) by Jesse Malin & The St. Marks Social. Malin, a former solo artist, punk rocker, and in gerneral misanthrope gets to share his version of what rock n roll means to him, “To me, rock n roll is an exorcism that begins every night when the sun goes down…”

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE JESSE MALIN AT THE DIVE @ BIXTON FRIDAY NIGHT

For at least the last 10 years Malin has stayed true to his punk/folk singer roots, never straying too far away from a “dirty microphone.” Malin’s music with the St. Marks Social connects with the most fundamental rock n roll emotions, see for yourself in this video off his latest album, “Love it to Life.”

Enjoy your beer because from October 10-23, Los Angeles moves into its 3rd ever beer festival starting Monday at Naja’s Place on the King Harbor side of the Redondo Beach Pier. The 3rd Annual LA Beer Week officially begins its two-week adventure in the most idyllic of South Bay beer shrines featuring Stone Brewing Co. as the craft of choice. Stone will be doing a “total tap takeover” at Naja’s by hooking up 40 different taps of their signature brews like Oaked Arrogant Bastard and others (Stone Cali Belgique IPA and Stone Levitation Ale). Maybe even a cask ale too? High level players & brew masters from Stone will be on hand to discuss fermentation, field questions, and in general schmooze with the people.

Thankfully this is a two session event with the first clanking off right after school at 3pm and the second starts at 8pm. Tickets will no doubt go fast and are limited to 200 patrons per session. Beer drinking events continue on throughout LA, from Santa Monica to Hollywood, take a look a t LAist for exact dates & events.

LA Beer week crescendos October 23 at Union Station in downtown LA with an all out, leave your kids at home craft beer tasting extravaganza that features over 70 beers to taste from. For a complete list of ticket information and participating breweries go to http://www.labeerweek.com.

The Redondo Beach Pier Association invites the South Bay to its 2nd Annual Taste of the Pier this Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4:00 pm at the one and only Redondo Beach Pier. Tasting tickets are only $1.00 and can only be purchased at Brixton (cash only). The event is free to attend and KJAZZ will be sponsoring most of the live music acts like The Peninsulans Jazz Orchestra and others. Explore and sample a variety of small bites, live music, and live performers, artwork, and a face painter too.

The Redondo Beach Pier offers a variety of oceanfront dining, entertainment and shopping choices for all ages. To find out more about local events at the Redondo Beach Pier check out the Redondo Beach Pier Association or e-mail the Redondo Beach Pier.

In the mood for a food fest? Make sure you have enough room on your plate for Saturday, October 15th when the The Home Depot Center host an array of yummy food trucks & local restaurants in the inaugural South Bay Food Fest. Over 25 of the tastiest food trucks and restaurants will be cooking up good eats from 12:00PM – 7:00PM. This foodie event will feature live music, eating competitions, a VIP area, and a kid´s fun zone with a pumpkin Patch.

General admission tickets are $10, $30 for family four packs, and $40 for VIP tickets. VIP tickets will include: one-hour early admission, access to the VIP Lounge in the American Express Stadium Club, and a South Bay Food Fest commemorative t-shirt. Purchase tickets at The Home Depot Center Box Office, Ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticket master Charge-by-Phone at (800) 745-3000.

Here are just a bite size sample of the food trucks coming to The South Bay Food Fest: Shrimp Pimp Truck, Coolhaaus Ice Cream Sandwiches, White Rabbit Truck, the Tornado Potato Truck, and much more.

   Oktoberfest, the worlds biggest, most inviting beer drinking festival exports its Bavarian heritage to the South Bay and beyond this October. What started as a way to celebrate the matrimony of Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese in 1810 eventually grew into the carnival like atmosphere that engulfs every Oktoberfest celebration today. For whatever reason, the people of Munich were invited to this royal marriage which turned out to be a five-day raging party centered around horse racing. Soon, tradition set in and annual gatherings morphed into anniversary celebrations that held all types of activities like goose chases, an agricultural show, barrel races, and mush eating contests. By the turn of the 20th century Oktoberfest had mechanical rides, beer tents, food vendors, and live music.

In summary, think of Oktoberfest as an extension of a wild wedding party that was cross bred with the evolution of the modern fair or amusement park. Also, much of the entertainment that surrounds Oktoberfest showcases local, regional, and national Bavarian customs (i.e., horse carriages, lederhosen, wooden kegs). The one ingredient that makes everything about Okotberfest seem amazing is beer. Much of German and Bavarian culture revolves around a stein of beer or a whiff of schnapps, but there’s an engineering spirit that endures and is reflected in Germany’s beer.

Every German brewery must adhere to strict standards as beer is something that not only tastes great but also is a conduit for national pride. According to the Reinheitsgebot (established in 1516) all German beer must be brewed with the following ingredients: hops, barely, malt, yeast. Oktoberfest beer usually comes in an amber color and boasts anywhere from a 4.5% – 6.0% ABV. The official beer style of Oktoberfest is called Marzen (Marzenbier) which generally has a mild hoppy flavor and medium to high alcohol content. Only six breweries in Germany are allowed to serve this type of beer at Oktoberfest: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten. Other domestic breweries that make a stylish Oktoberfest beer are Samuel Adams, Beck’s, and Harpoon. Anyone of these German or Domestic Oktoberfest beers is worth a hoist (preferably in a stein).

Oktoberfest Events in the South Bay

• Alpine Village: Oktoberfest Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until October 23rd, The Alpine Village in Torrance boasts the most authentic German style Octoberfest in the South Bay. Bring your stien and listen to The Haderlumpen & Udelhoevner Dorfmusikanten Oom Pah Pah band imported directly from Germany as you flap your wings to the Chicken Dance. This year the festival pours all types of tasty craft beers like Bitburger Premium Pilsner, Warsteiner Dunkel, Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard, Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, and much more. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online.

 

This month South Bay Events & Saint Rocke join forces to host an evening of gourmet foods, live music, and UNIQUE GRAPES. Come explore the diversity of varietal wines from the Central Coast of California, Spain, and Italy Tuesday night at Saint Rocke’s Vintage Room. Sign-up with South Bay Events below and receive a $5.00 DISCOUNT. Cost for SBE fans is only $24.99, normally $29.99.

These full bodied red wines will be paired with a 3-course meal and a sommelier will be present to educate patrons about the historical roots of these distinctive reds. Live music featuring Sheela Bringi Premasoul and artist: Peter Zambas will start around 8pm.

Seating Time: 7:00 PM
Serving Time: 7:30 PM

Food Pairing Menu Below

1. FIRST WINE:Lucas & Lewellen – 06 Cab Franc WITH Endive stuffed with goat cheese and honey roasted walnuts




2. SECOND WINE: Mandolina 07 – Barbera WITH Pizza al Prosciutto




3. THIRD WINE: Campos de Risca – Monastrell 09 WITH Paella

E-MAIL BIZOPS TO SIGN UP FOR YOUR 5$ DISCOUNT. YOUR NAME WILL BE PUT ON A GUEST LIST.

Ever had to pass on a craving for something sweet because it wasn´t gluten-free? If so, prepare to indulge in the sweeter side of learning by signing-up for a gluten free baking class with Cupcake Couture´s Executive Pastry Chef, Stephanie Franz. Participants learn how to bake the following sweet treats in just one class: A black and white cupcake, A strawberry shortcake that’s made with vanilla bean cake filled with homemade strawberry jam and vanilla buttercream on top, and A salted peanut sandwich cookie with caramel ganache in the middle.

Wednesday´s class is led by Franz, who recently won the Surf´s Up episode of Cupcake Wars on Food Network. Tips on what type of gluten free substitutes work best for desserts, such as gluten free flours and ingredients, are also revealed throughout the class. In the end, participants get to take home an exclusive recipe packet detailing all the desserts made in class.

The class is $75 per person but mention South Bay Events when you sign-up and receive a 10% discount. A minimum of four people must sign-up for class to be held. To sign up for class e-mail Cupcake Couture or call 310.372.9200.

The notion of dancing and listening to music is what comes naturally to kids and is easily done when the upbeat rythmm of ska meets the melodic sound of reggae. Even a cable network like Nick Jr. understands the addictive sound The Aggrolites play is fun for all ages. Click here to watch the video The Aggrolites did for the kid’s show “Yo Gabba Gabba.”
This Saturday night The Aggrolites bring their “Dirty Reggae” sound to Brixton on the Redondo Beach Pier for a night of skanking and a touch of Lee Perry. To sign-up for a chance to win a pair to tickets to see The Aggrolites live in person, click here, and follow the simple steps toward a free pass.

The 6th Annual D-Man Festival made it’s appearance at The Sea Side Lagoon this past Saturday and drew over 1,000 people out to not only support local bands and culture, but to also support a great cause. The D-Man Festival was so aptly named after Darren “D-Man” Marsee, who unfortunately passed away in 2005 after a brief battle with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After his passing, Darren’s loved ones and his former

employer, Dive N’ Surf, started the festival in order to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Since it was first started in 2006 the festival has raised over $82,000, and with every passing year it grows in size. With such sponsors as Volcom, Body Glove and the ever so important Dive N’ Surf, as well as a line up of local bands, the event has become a staple in the lives of South Bay locals.
Sean Chapman, a South Bay local and the guitarist for Tomorrows Bad Seeds, says that the band makes a “note to keep the date open every year for the D-Man Festival,” not only to support their friend Darren’s cause, but also to give back to their community. “There aren’t really all ages venues in South Bay” says Sean, “so kids never really get to see a lot of shows, especially ours.”

That’s where the D-Man Festival comes in. It creates the perfect environment for people of all ages and from all walks of life to come out and have a good time. With live music, food, games and giveaways,

the D-Man Festival has something for everyone. Jenny “Looney” Lane, a friend of Darren’s states that “preserving surf culture’s what we’re here to d o.” Surf culture by nature is the easy going celebration of life and the D-Man Festival is exactly that.

Although it may have been born out of tragedy, the D-Man Festival flourishes in the spirit of life. It’s no longer just an event that raises money to help find a cure; it’s become an event that also raises awareness and support for the community itself.

Steven Ingraham, the lead singer of West Swell, along with his band mates, made it very clear how much it meant to them to “support local music.” West Swell sold close to 100 tickets for the event. Marcus Vicari, who’s the bassist for West Swell added that “D-Man was the first concert that [he] went to two years ago” so he’s “proud and happy to be playing for friends” this year. Sean of TBS also reiterated that same notion when he said, “I’ll speak on behalf of the band. We love where we live; we love where we’re from.”
So South Bay, be proud. Support local; support life.

Thanks Amanda Graziano for the articles AND pics!