I [heart] LB Murals

We Love Long Beach, along with Council Member Robert Garcia and the Molina family, has sponsored the creation of 17 murals on the old Press Telegram Building as it's being refurbished into lofts. The painting will take place this weekend, June 12 and 13, and the public is welcome to come and watch or lend a hand. Refreshments will be served at the kick-off ceremonies at 11 am on Saturday.

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.

Crafts Fair at Marine Stadium this Sunday November 29

We Love Long Beach is organizing an indie crafts fair at Marine Stadium from 11 am to 5 pm this Sunday. They are working with Patchwork, a group that has run crafts festivals in Santa Ana for several years. There'll be clothing, paper goods, and affordable art as well as music and edible goodies.

Christmas Comes to Belmont Shore

All the merry gentle merchants down on Second Street are gearing up for Christmas. They've teamed up with Food Finders and We Love Long Beach to set up drop off points for canned food or sealed box foods donations. A list of the locations is on their site. The parade theme is "A Magical, Musical Christmas" this year, and 12 marching bands have signed up to perform. Before the parade begins at 7 pm on December 5, there'll be a one mile fun run called the Jingle Jaunt, sponsored by the Gazette newspapers. There's a sign-up page on the Gazette site. And speaking of magical and musical, groups can sign up with the Belmont Shore Business Association to sing Christmas carols on weekends or weeknights to bring a little holiday cheer to us intrepid shoppers.

I Love We Love Long Beach

Sweet tooth alert! We Love Long Beach has struck up a deal with Cookies by Design. During September, if you stop by the the cookie shop at 5205-A Pacific Coast Highway and say "We Love LB" you will receive one of their new tasty treats. The "cookie cupcake" is a delicious cupcake with a cookie on top. Sounds like a win/win situation. Hours are 8:30 to 6 Monday to Friday and 10 to 4 on Saturday.

We Love Long Beach has more plans for October. On the 7th there's a dinner at Domenico's on 2nd Street. Print the flyer at their website and bring it in and 25% of your tab will go to WLLB. Then on the 11th, they're sponsoring a fitness class at 10 in Livingston Park. and the next Saturday, the 17th, there will be a Neighborhood Breakfast in Bixby Knolls.

Did someone say free pancakes?

I love Long Beach and I love pancakes, so I was delighted to learn that the group We Love Long Beach is serving up breakfast this Saturday, August 1 in Livingston Park from 9am to 12 noon. Donations are welcomed but if you just can't scrape together any change, you can get pancakes and eggs for free and meet some very generous and friendly people who love this city

Love-In--Long Beach Style

I’ve been coming across references to We Love Long Beach all over the place and tomorrow at last I’ll get up close and personal with this funky, spunky little group of individuals at its Spring 2009 BBQ cosponsored with 3rd District Council Member Gary DeLong. From 1 to 5 pm at Marine Stadium Park (just down the hill from my humble abode), the local firefighters and women’s roller derby (!) will be flipping free hamburgers, and if that’s not enough, there’ll be music, art, activities for the kids and a huge raffle.

WLLB’s stated purpose is to know and serve the people, the neighborhoods, and the city of Long Beach. What better way to warm the body and soul than by sharing a burger on a sunny day? The group was founded in 2008 by a brother and sister, Scott and Robin Jones, fourth generation Long Beachers. They’ve sponsored monthly breakfasts and a couple of picnics to promote neighborly sharing, caring, and community building from the ground up. With any luck, I’ll have more to report tomorrow on this pragmatic approach to idealism.