The Long Beach District Weekly

NOVEMBER 21, 2009

Miles Clements — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:19:18 +0000

Beach Cleanup: Help pick up the shore. 10-10:30am.
MEET AT 1 S Granada, Long Beach 90803. beachcleanup.org.

Tellebration: Celebrate the power of storytelling. 7:30pm. $5.
EL DORADO NATURE CENTER 7550 E Spring St, Long Beach 90815. 562.570.1745.

San Pedro Loft Tour: Visiting the Vue, Centre Street Lofts, LaSalle Lofts and more. 1-5pm.
VISIT grandvision.org for more info.

Documentary Festival: “Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness.” 6pm. $5-10.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY LONG BEACH 4260 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach 90807. hslb.org.

Psychostar: With Jessie Deluxe; Evil Beaver and more. 9pm. $7. 21+.
QUE SERA 1923 E Seventh St, Long Beach 90813. 562.599.6170; thequesera.com.

TO DO: COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING

Ellen Griley — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:30:45 +0000

You could spend your Saturday morning wrapped within the confines of a thick, warm blanket—long underwear optional, depending on your respective sunlight/shade situation—but everybody knows a weekend optimally maximized is a weekend best-lived. This Saturday, members of the East Village Association will leave the down comforts of bed, sleeping cats/dogs and the like to plant trees downtown with the North Pine Neighborhood Association and others. Yes, you probably could use that extra hour. But so could the city.

The Promenade at Broadway, Long Beach 90802. RSVP to Lena Gonzalez 562.570.6919; lena.gonzalez@longbeach.gov. Sat 9am-noon. eastvillagelongbeach.com.

THIS WEEKEND: EL PERRO DEL MAR IN-STORE

Miles Clements — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:29:59 +0000

Swedish songstress El Perro del Mar stops by Fingerprints this Sunday to celebrate the release of her new album, Love Is Not Pop. Details are on the flier above. Below is the video for her song “God Knows.”

Watch This Video on Youtube

TO DO: WAHOO’S TURNS 21

Ellen Griley — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:45:24 +0000

There are those who argue—as a group of sloppy-drunk friends said on a recent Sunday evening—that Wahoo’s Fish Tacos should just as well merge with Chronic Tacos, but as the lone soberish man in the room noted, Wahoo’s Banzai Burrito is quite good: “Oftentimes when one searches out a fish burrito, they find themselves eating a mess of breadcrumbs and fried grease,” said the friend, “but the Banzai is delicious. Eat half and take the rest home.” On Saturday, the restaurant celebrates its 21st anniversary and attendees will receive free grub and gift cards. Wahoo!

Wahoo’s Fish Taco, 6449 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Ste C-1, Long Beach 90803. 562.430.7034. Sat 11am. wahoos.com.

SAD STATE OF STATE: POLITICAL SAUSAGE-MAKING AND SERIAL DIDDLING

Steve Lowery — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:09:35 +0000

Don’t know if you heard, but California Treasurer Bill Lockyer recently laid into fellow Democrats while testifying about legislative reform. “It’s impossible for this legislature to reform the pension system, and if we don’t, we bankrupt the state. And I don’t think anybody could do it here because of who elected you.” Yeah, I know. He went on to blast, “I’m sorry. Two-thirds of the bills that I see come out of the Assembly, if they never saw the light of day, God bless them. It’s almost a courtesy. You’re expected to move the junk along. . . . Just stop it. Just stop it. Just stop it. They’re junk. And they’re consuming all your staff time with junk.” Yeah, and there was plenty more.

But don’t get all smirky, Republicans. The only reason that you aren’t coming under scrutiny is that you don’t have a significant role in Sacramento—probably owing to the fact that your present ideology runs the gamut of “No! No! No! No! No! No!” It also explains why the face of your party in the state is serial diddler Carrie Prejean.

Your leading contender for governor is eBay exec Meg Whitman, who has—seven months before the primary—already spent a reported $19 million on her campaign running as an outsider. Yeah, money in politics—that’s mavericky.

Despite the cash, a recent L.A. Times poll showed that two-thirds of the electorate had no strong opinion of Whitman, and the third that did strongly believed she’s a crappy drummer.

[FOR MORE, GO TO VECTOR CONTROL]

NOVEMBER 20, 2009

Miles Clements — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:10:03 +0000

Farmers Market: Fresh for the weekend. 9am-2pm.
DOWNTOWN SAN PEDRO Sixth St, San Pedro 90731.

Plain and Simple: Betsy Lohrer Hall and Yong Sin. 10am-5pm.
ANGELS GATE CULTURAL CENTER 3601 S Gaffey St, San Pedro 90731. angelsgateart.org.

Swingin’ Utters: With Los Mysteriosos, Dirty Filthy Mugs and more. $15.
ALEX’S BAR 2913 E Anaheim St, Long Beach 90804. 562.434.8292; alexsbar.com.

Cooking Class: Thanksgiving 101. 6:30pm. $75
PREP KITCHEN ESSENTIALS 12207 Seal Beach Blvd, Seal Beach 90740. prepkitchenessentials.com.

Mondo Celluloid: Screening “Blacula.” 11:55pm.
ART THEATRE 2025 E Fourth St, Long Beach 90814. arttheatrelongbeach.com.

TO DO: LEMON SUN

Ellen Griley — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:30:02 +0000

The pop gods shineth on thee tonight at Alex’s Bar as Lemon Sun brings just a dash of mod to round out a stellar local bill that includes Greater California, ForceFieldON and Two Guns. In the midst of recording a more “psychedelic, rootsy and western” batch of songs, the five-piece promises “effortless charm” (Amoeba Records) that’s guaranteed to leave you “refreshed and desiring more” (L.A. RECORD). There’s no better way to confront the fall doldrums—this week, at least.

Alex’s Bar, 2913 E Anaheim St, Long Beach 90804. 562.434.8292. Thurs. Call for time. $5. alexsbar.com.

FLICKR PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Miles Clements — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:41:19 +0000

Photo by Ross Fletcher. Join our Flickr pool.

MILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE

Daniel de Boom — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:38:33 +0000

Andy Hatcher, retired Sgt USMC, looks over at Cody McCasland (8) during a break in the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Qualcomm Million Dollar Challenge, an annual event that raises money for challenged athletes. Hatcher is a vet who lost his leg in the Iraqi War and races for Operation Rebound. Cody was born with sacral agenesis, which resulted in both his legs being amputated.

TO DO: TELLEBRATION

Ellen Griley — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:25:43 +0000

Ed note: No idea how I messed this up. It’s on Saturday. Sorry, guys!

For some, fall can be an annoying time of inward reflection; for others, it’s all gravy, baby (lots of gravy). But for pretty much everyone in this country, fall—especially Thanksgiving—signals a return to the family dinner table, where even the most fragmented clans, it seems, can bond over a shared story or 10 from when times where simpler. So why not bone up on your storytelling skills during tonight’s Tellebration? Hosted by the Long Beach Storytellers, adults and children 10 and older are invited to spin yarns and share memories. Just remember: beginning, middle, end. No rambling!

El Dorado Nature Center, 7550 E Spring St, Long Beach 90815. 562.570.1745. Sat 7:30-9:30pm. $5 donation. Reservations requested.