Rain Barrels Anyone?

Long Beach Office of Sustainability is offering free rain barrels to homeowners on a first come first served basis. There's only 100 available, so you need to apply soon. The application process is somewhat awkward -- print out form and then scanning it into an email, but think of the water you'll save for watering plants around the yard.

And don't forget Earth Day!

Goodwill is hosting a massive collection event from 8 am to 3 pm on April 17 at the CSULB Pyramid for clothes and household items as well as e-waste. Long Beach Office of Sustainability has scheduled a rain barrel installation at North Library on April 19 and there's a big to-do at Recreation Park on April 24. Aquarium of the Pacific will sponsor special events on April 24 and April 25 and El Dorado Nature Center will have guided walks with activity tables on April 24 from 10 am to 2 pm.

April is Library Month

Long Beach Public Library is pulling out all the stops to celebrate National Library Month. There will be a Library-a-Rama Open House at the Main Library from 10 am to 3 pm on April 24 and Artful Healing Workshops at a couple of the branches. Bach Library will have a craft event for making books, Burnett is holding a health fair and Eldorado will host a program on vegetable gardening. All the branches have eye-popping lime green brochures with a complete list of all the upcoming events or you can check the website. I've just begun to explore the library's cache of helpful website in its Delicious page. Check it out!

Water Department Challenges drought tolerant gardeners

Starting April 7, Long Beach Water Department will begin accepting applications for its new Lawn to Garden Incentive Program. Applicants who submit plans for converting their thirsty front lawns or parkways with drought tolerant landscaping can receive a rebate of $2.50 per square foot for up to 1,00 square feet. The website also offers an online training in draught tolerant landscape design.

The Water Department also offers free classes on selecting beautiful drought-tolerant plants (May 1 and June 12) and designing a drought-tolerant landscape (May 15 and June 26). You can email waterconservation@lbwater.org to sign up. The classes are held at 1800 E. Wardlow and run from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Plants! Get 'em while they're hot!

Long Beach City College is holding its annual 4-day plant sale to support it horticulture certification program. Experts will be on hand to give gardening advice and explain plant displays as well as conduct the new feature, drought tolerant gardening for dummies. The varieties available for sale include ornamental, vegetable and herb, and succulents.

The sale runs from Wednesday, March 31, to Saturday, April 3, from 9 am to 6 pm on the LBCC Pacific Coast Highway campus. Parking is available in student lots at Orange and PCH.

In with the Zen Crowd in Long Beach

Everything Long Beach also reports that the Yokoji Zen Mountain Center may open a center for Zen practice in Long Beach. Residents of the city center will practice sitting meditation and mindful living and welcome members of the public to visit and participate in the activities of the center. There may also be urban features like an exhibit gallery or a performance space. A representative of the Mountain Center will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Church on April 8.

Award-Winning Restaurants

Everything Long Beach reports on top-ranking Long Beach restaurants in the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association Awards.

Four Stars: Awarded to restaurants that score an average of 90 or more points
DaVinci—Italian
Chelsea aboard The Queen Mary—Seafood
Parker’s Lighthouse—Seafood
Lasher’s—American
Tracht’s—American
Phil Trani’s—Italian
Elise’s Tea Room—Before Five

Three Stars: Awarded to restaurants scoring between 85 and 89 points
Alegria Cucina Latino—Ethnic (Spanish)
Viva Café at MoLAA—Ethnic (Spanish)
Utopia—Contemporary
Café Sevilla—Sunday Brunch
Michael’s On Naples—Promising New
Lotus Café—Ethic (Vietnamese)
La Palapa—Mexican
Jimmy’s Fish & Grill—Seafood

Two Stars: Awarded to restaurants with scores between 80 and 84 point
Café Piccolo—Italian
Café Ambrosia—Contemporary
Baba Ganoujj—Ethnic (Middle Eastern)

Special Venue
George’s Greek Café

Shape Note Singing in San Pedro

It's still a month and a half away, but I wanted to get this in the blog so I won't forget it. A traditional shape not singing will take place all day at Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro. It's free to watch or to sing and there's a pot luck lunch planned too.

Talk about Green Buildings

Sunset Magazine has a blurb about a website called Vertical Farm with an intriguing concept for the future. High rise buildings designed to grow crops. The idea is financially impossible right now, but as more and more people move to urban areas, bringing the crops to the city may make more sense in the future.

Remembering a Curmudgeon

Mark Twain, who mixed biting wit with heartfelf wisdom to create his unmistakable American voice, died in April 1910 and lots of events are planned to celebrate the centennial. Most of the activities are in the museums in Hartford and Hannibal, but a few projects are based in California, like the Mark Twain Project at UC Berkeley which is releasing online authoritative texts of Mark Twai's writings.

These Missions are Possible

Westways Magazine featured three great travel books in the most recent issue: Saints of California, A Guide to Places and Their Patrons by Edward and Lorna Mornin, The California Missions: History, Art, and Perservation by Edna E. Kimbor and Julia G. Costello, and Yosemite & the Southern Sierra Nevada by David T. Page. They look like great sources for two of my dream vacations: walking from one mission to another and climbing Mount Whitney. Speaking of walks, an interesting tour in Poway is described on the same page of Westways. The Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center offers guided walks in the preserved site of an ancient Kumeyaay village on Saturday from 9 am to ll:30 am.

Festivals are busting out all over

April is aglow with festivals. Little Tokyo hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival on April 10 and 11 with a kimono fashion show, martial arts demonstrations and performers on many stages, including the Hawaiian Village Pavillion. The Scandinavian Festival holds a Viking court on the Cal Lutheran University campus in Thousand Oaks on April 17 and 18 with food court, folk dancing, and a Viking encampment. The California Poppy Festival covers over 55 acres in the Lancaster City Park on April 24 and 25 with live entertainment, food, and home and garden workshops. The ever popular Los Angeles Times Festival of Books also takes place on April 24 and 25 on the UCLA campus with author discussions and oodles of booths for buying books and getting them signed.

A Whale of a Walk

The grey whale migration has probably peaked but the views from the cliffs of Palos Verdes is still stunning. I didn't know that a volunteer group, Los Serenos de Point Vicente, leads walks on the rugged coast throughout the year, besides their annual Whale of a Day held in early March. The docents share information about the natural and cultural history of the area on tours of Abalone Cove Shoreline Park, Forrestal Nature Preserve/Ladera Linda Community Center and the Trails at Trump National.

Sweeten Your Spring

Lots of interesting food-sharing websites are listed in Sunset Magazine this month. FallenFruit has an active group mapping "public access" fruit trees in many L.A. neighborhoods (none in Long Beach yet). They're also sponsoring an interesting open participation project called EatLACMA where you can send in videos of how you eat. After you set up an account, you can check Neighborhood Fruit to find public fruit trees or people in your area willing to share fruit from their trees or (if your trees are laden with fruit) you can sign on to share some of your bounty.

The other sites are more localized, like Forage Oakland, Santa Barbara Food Not Lawns, and ForageSF (which sponsors wild food walks . . . cool).

A Step in the Right Direction

We're getting new sidewalks! A notice was left on the doorstep Thursday alerting us that sidewalk repair will take place within 60 days. They'll trim and remove trees (if needed), cut out roots and romovedl all damaged sidewalk and curb. By Friday, spray painted hieroglyphics had appeared on the walk in front of our house. We've been waiting so long for the much promised new sidewalk, it's hard to believe it's really going to happen. The only down side is that we may have to park on the next block for a day or two. Public Works gave their number to call with questions, 562-570-5160.

Mental Health Village

Just wanted to create a link to Mental Health Village website. This extraordinary group was mentioned in The Soloist, this year's Long Beach Reads One Book selection. Organized for the people who come for help not the convenience of the staff, this organization has brought about innovation in the way the needs of homeless people are addressed.

Good for you inside and out

My poor husband suffers from seriously dry skin. His fingers are chapped and cracked even in the balmy Southern California weather. So I checked out Philoxia's Lip to Toe body balm, with oodles of natural balm and beeswax. A quarter ounce costs $9.95 and then there's $6 shipping. The website's fun to browse through--lots of candles and candle accessories and puns galore.

Another wholesome, organic product on my radar is Salba whole food bars. They contain Omega 3 essential fatty acids, protein, calcium and other good things and come in three flavors: Cranberry Nut, Mixed Berry and Tropical Fruit. The website lists the Whole Foods Store in Long Beach as a source.

The Bragg Live Foods website is so vast that I've only begun to explore it, but at first glance, they've got apple cider vinegar drinks, salad dressings and nutritional seasonings. I think a lot of their products are sold at Whole Foods too. They also have 10 or so books about healthy living.

More Stops along the Spiritual Plane

There's a workshop in Palm Springs April 17 to 20 at the Hilton Palm Springs Resort to give instruction in The Reconnection, an energy-transfer healing process developed by Eric Pearl. The website is not very forthcoming about the entrance fee though, which is never a good sign, but his book, The Reconnection, costs $14.95.

The I Can Do It Conference in San Diego from May 14 to 15 features a stellar roster of inspirational and spiritual gurus like Marianne Williamson, Caroline Myss, and Joan Borysenko. The entry fee is also stellar or should I say astronomical -- $275 for two days or $190 for a single day plus extra bucks for post and pre convention events. A recorded version of the conference is going for $125.

Interesting Retreat Possibility

I've seen ads for the Sunburst Sanctuary before, but I finally took the time to check out the website. It was founded by a student of Paramahansa Yogananda, and sponsors guest weekends to meditate, practice yoga, and dine with the residents. It's not clear what sort of donation is expected or if there's much proselytizing, but the pictures of the grounds near Lompoc look very refreshing. The website offers a free how to meditate ecourse.

Could there be such a thing as a solar pool?

I came across a website for a group called One Block Off the Grid. At first, I thought it was an effort to construct banks of solar panels to actually power a block of homes. (How cool is that?) As I looked through it though, it seems more like they act as a middle man to negotiate a group discount between several homeowners in an area and a local solar panel installer. The site does have good information about federal and SCE incentives for going solar, but it's not clear how unbiased the deal-making would be.

Where were you when the lights went out?

I took a walk around the neighbor during Earth Hour (last night from 8:30 to 9:30) but I was back consuming energy (DVD, lights, laptop) shortly thereafter. The Earth Hour people have set up sites on Flickr (including some taken on board the Queen Mary) and Youtube for photos and videos of the event, and they have the best (like the Golden Gate Bridge unlit) on the Earth Hour website.

Rock out with a new furry friend

May 8 is the 6th Annual Pet Adoption Day at the PD Pitchford Companion Animal Village (7700 East Spring Street). Mark and Brian of KLOS will be on hand to amp up the fun. The live broadcast will last from 10 am to 3 pm, and trainers and vets will be on hand to answer questions on pet care. For all those license-challenged doggies out there, a one-time late fee amnesty for past due licensing renewals will be available for all onsite registrations.

Avast! It's Port of Long Beach

In one short week, April 1, it will be time to sign up for free 90-minute tours of Port of Long Beach. The tours, which cruise by the gigantic cranes, the new eco-friendly hybrid tugboats as well as thriving wildlife areas, are offered from May to September, but they're very popular so it's important to sign up as soon as possible.

Health Department gets money to promote diet and biking

Long Beach will be on the receiving end of up to a million dollars of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. The money will go to new programs to reduce tobacco use and to institute healthier food policies and bike friendly business districts. For more contact Michael Johnson, City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, at 562.570.4012.

Buddy, Can you Spare a Book?

Actually, the Friends of the Long Beach Public Library is asking for spare change during April which is National Library Month to help bolster the city's library book budget after drastic budget cuts. Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske's office will provide "Library Round-Up" collection boxes to any business in the 5th District that wants to support the library.

Fremont Elementary Markets the Community

Saturday, April 17 will mark the first Belmont Heights Community Market. A pancake breakfast is scheduled as well as booths selling tomato seedlings and used books and an e-waste disposal site. Any local vendor interested in setting up a table is welcome for a $30 fee. Profits will go to Fremont's science and computer labs. For more information email markymorel@yahoo.com

Long Beach Roller Derby HIts the Dome

The sporting ladies of the Long Beach Roller Derby League will butt heads and other body parts at the Spruce Goose Dome on April 9. The doors open at 7 and the action begins at 8:30 as the 4th Street Retro Rollers face the Terminal Island Tootsies. Tickets go for $15 and $25, and there will be a one hour after party with the player after the game is over.

El Dorado Nature Center Gets its Stream On

After months of restoration work, the man made stream at El Dorado Nature Center will be ready for its close-up at the ribbon cutting ceremony this Saturday, March 20 at 10 am. The paths along the stream, which have been closed due to the construction, will also open up this weekend along with new bridges across the stream. Efforts were made to use sustainable techniques rather than hard surfaces such as concrete and to reinforce paths to avoid erosion and re-landscape with native plants.

Will Long Beach Get Supersize Speed

Google is currently searching for a few good locations to test its super high speed network called Google Fiber. The new project is said to be able to provide Internet connection at 100 times the speed than most people have today. The service won't be free, but Google promises to make the fee comparable to other providers' fees. The city of Long Beach is courting Google to pick our fair city as one of the test sites. There's a web page on the city website for techies and other interested Long Beach residents to express their interest in using the new network.

Love Those We Love Long Beach Events

I'm happy to hear that We Love Long Beach will be giving my neighborhood a couple of big hugs this month. On March 19 and 20 volunteers from the group will participate in A LOT Series 1, a new effort by the Long Beach Arts Council to bring visual and performance art to vacant lots in the city. The performance, a new work by Heidi Duckler featuring the Collage Dance Theatre and dancers from the Khmer Arts Academy, will be held at 1546 East Anaheim at 6 pm. On Friday there will be a discussion after the show.

Then, get out your bibs and syrup bottles for a pancake breakfast at Los Altos Park on March 27 from 9 am to 11 am. I just think it's great that this group spreads good cheer and good food throughout the city.

2010 List of Neighbor Groups Now Online

The City of Long Beach Neighborhood Resource Center has launched The List 2010, a directory of the city's many local groups. There are neighborhood organizations, condo and homeowner's groups, and special interest groups listed with a map that shows the groups' headquarters location. Contact information and guidelines on meeting schedules are also included.

Pedal Movement's Got a New Home

Bike Hub, the new Pedal Movement headquarters at 1741 Long Beach Boulevard is already up and running, but the official grand opening will take place on Saturday April 3 from noon to 10 pm. There'll be food and DJs and prizes as well as bicycle competition. How about a flat tire competition? I might have a shot at that one.