Portal to Love on September 11

To honor September 11 and to provide a healthy opportunity for people to experience and participate in art, music and other creative expression, Drum for Love will offer its Debut Portal on the beach at Granada and Ocean Blvd. on September 11 from 11:11 am to 10 pm. Some of the activities include dance, music, live Art, Chant, Eclectic Music, Spoken Word, Laughter, Performance Art, Spiritual Activism, Sound Alchemy, Drumming, and a Portal that caters to the senses. Tickets cost $15.

Free Trade

Long Beach is about to join hip communities like West L.A. and Echo Park with its own Long Beach Time Exchange. Actually, time banks, community groups which enable members to earn "time dollars" for services provided to other members and then spend those "time dollars" for other services, are catching on around the country. The kickoff event for the L.B. Time Exchange will take place at the 2nd City Council District Art Gallery at 435 Alamitos on Sunday, September 12 from 1 to 4 pm. Besides learning about the time bank, people can enjoy free food, music, and comedy.

Vegetarians do it with Relish

To celebrate International Vegetarian Day on Friday, October 1, Compassionate Cuisine fair will be held at Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden on the CSULB campus. All proceeds go to support Animal Acres, a farmed animal sanctuary. The event runs from 7 to 11 pm and features gourmet vegetarian dishes donated by Whole Foods, Zephyr, Viento Y Agua as well as Seabirds, a vegan street food truck. There will be speakers and music to help wile away the time. Tickets go for $35 in advance or $45 at the door.

ICT announces new season

International City Theatre has a challenging season for 2010-2011. From a musicals based on Gertrude Stein and bluegrass to a May/December romance in the Harlem Renaissance, the plays are pushing the envelope in all sorts of ways. The ICT's reliably high production standards and the comfortable setting at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center guarantee many satisfying nights at the theater.

Art Deco at the Queen

Labor Day seems an odd match-up for a big Art Deco shindig, but that's an easy way to remember the dates for the Queen Mary Art Deco Festival -- September 3-5. A day-pass costs $200, but you can view the Art Deco Bazaar, attend lectures and view the vintage car show and Art Deco showcase for the price of a day pass, $24.95.