Barsha Wine Giveaway

How healthy is your lifestyle? The Blue Zones Project of the Beach Cities would like to make it healthier – and more fun. With its new campaign, Wine @ 5, they’re asking adults to look for a friend and a glass of wine around 5pm each day, to connect socially, “downshift” and “belong.” The medical benefits of a little wine are a nice bonus.

To promote Wine @ 5, they are sponsoring a very cool giveaway – a massive gift basket from Barsha, the new wine store on Sepulveda in Manhattan Beach. The gift basket, valued at $200, is chock-full of good-for-you goodies including wine, coffee, tea, and chocolates.

To enter, all you have to do is take the Blue Zones pledge for healthy living. A winner will be drawn at random from all Manhattan Beach residents who sign up during the month of February.

That’s it – you’re done! You’re on the road to a healthier lifestyle already. And now that you’ve got a glass of wine in your hands, stop by and visit the lively community of readers at Manhattan Beach Confidential, the official host of the giveaway. Here’s to your good health!

Roundhouse Aquarium Fundraiser

Love the Roundhouse Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier? Now’s your chance to show it! Coming up on Tuesday, January 29 is a fundraiser for the Roundhouse, to be held at one of its closest neighbors, The Strand House. An $80 ticket gets you two drinks, Strand House appetizers, and the knowledge that you’re helping a worthy cause. All proceeds will go toward much-needed repairs at the Roundhouse.

Need more convincing? The Roundhouse is an amazing community resource, teaching young and old alike about marine life and conservation. It’s open to the public free of charge, seven days a week. But it takes support from the community – lots of it – to keep the Roundhouse “afloat.” Even if you can’t attend the fundraiser, consider making a donation to the cause.

Roundhouse Aquarium Fundraiser, January 29, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Location: The Strand House, 117 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach. Contact: Friends of the Roundhouse, 310-344-7251.

Skechers Friendship Walk

So you’ve heard all about the Pumpkin Race, but did you know that the fun begins several hours earlier? The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, a fund-raising walk to benefit the Friendship Circle and local schools, will offer beach-side activities and fun starting at 8:00 am on Sunday, October 28.

The annual 3.4-mile walk, which goes from the Manhattan Beach Pier to the Hermosa Beach Pier and back, was created by the Skechers Foundation. Funds raised from the walk will benefit the education foundations of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo, Palos Verdes, and Torrance; as well as the Friendship Circle, a South Bay nonprofit that brings social and recreational opportunities to special needs kids (this year the goal is to raise $1 million).

On the morning of the walk, event check-in and Kids Zone activities (including a bounce house) will begin at 8:00 am. Following an opening ceremony at 9:00 am, the walkers will get started at 10:00 am. Legendary Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda, Dancing with the Stars co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet, and fitness expert Denise Austin will be on hand serving as co-hosts for the event.

Interested in walking? Individuals, families, team leaders and team members can register for $25 either online or by mail. Registration on the morning of the event is $30. Participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt, goodie bag, and complimentary water and drinks along the walk route. And of course, when you’re finished, can celebrate your accomplishment by racing pumpkins!

Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, Sunday, October 28 begins at 8:00 am at the Manhattan Beach Pier. Information:  http://www.skechersfriendshipwalk.com .

Snoopy’s Costume Party

When most people think of Knott’s Berry Farm at Halloween they think about the super-scary Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt. But kids ages 3 to 11 can enjoy their own special Halloween fun at  Snoopy’s Costume Party in Camp Snoopy (known throughout Halloween as “Camp Spooky”).  

Snoopy’s Costume Party, which runs on weekends in October, offers loads of special non-scary treats for the littlest one in your family (don’t forget to bring them in costume!). As soon as kids arrive, they can get special trick-or-treat bags and a series of clues to lead them through the “Spookie Ookie Scavenger Hunt” for Halloween treats. (Your reading-aged kids will enjoy following the clues and trying to think them through; your littlest ones might just make a beeline for the trick-or-treat stops because they aren’t hard to find.)

 

At Grizzly Peak Lodge, they can enjoy silly stories in front of the “fire” and they can take part in special Halloween cookie decorating. There’s also plenty of fun waiting for them in the Great Pumpkin Hay Bale Maze, a maze that’s not too tricky or scary, and at the Creepy Crawly Critter Cave, where a naturalist will show them all sorts of slithery little critters.

In the afternoon, they can take part in Snoopy’s Costume Contest and Parade as they march through Camp Spooky and compete for special prizes. All of this is included in regular admission prices – and don’t forget that they can enjoy the rest of the park while they’re there too.

Snoopy’s Costume Party at Camp Spooky at Knott’s Berry Farm, weekends in October from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park 90620

Blogger disclosure: Knott’s treated us to a morning at Camp Spooky to enjoy Snoopy’s Costume Party with our kids.

World Famous Pumpkin Race

Have you seen any decked-out pumpkins racing down hills recently? It must be October, because the World Famous Pumpkin Race is just around the corner and everyone’s getting their pumpkins in top racing form.

The 22nd Annual World Famous Pumpkin Race Festival is scheduled this year for Sunday, October 28. The festival begins with the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk activities beginning at 8:00 am. Then, from noon to 6:30 pm at the Manhattan Beach Pier, it’s pumpkin racing time. The open qualifying rounds (single elimination) will take place from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and the semi-finals and finals will begin at 4:00 pm. Throughout the races you can enjoy family activities and Halloween-themed festivities.

New to the pumpkin races? All you need is a pumpkin, two axels, four wheels – and a little creative flair. You can make your pumpkin ahead of time (pumpkin race kits are available at Grow Produce for $20) or can buy the pumpkin racing kit on-site and get help installing the axels from a pit crew of experts at the RaceGenius booth. Then you just line up to race, wait for your heat, and let your pumpkin fly down the hill.

One last word of advice: Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to super-charge your pumpkin with a hidden turbo engine. The dreaded Mallet o’ Justice stands ready to bring Cheater Pumpkins down.

World Famous Pumpkin Race, Sunday, October 28 at the Manhattan Beach Pier, noon to 6:30 pm. See www.pumpkinrace.com for more information.

Photos via World Famous Pumpkin Race

TEDx Manhattan Beach

As parents, we often wonder: How we can support our children in finding that “thing” that inspires and excites them? How do we help them find their passion and purpose? The TEDx Manhattan Beach conference, titled “Journey to Purpose: Dream, Educate, Thrive,” will explore these topics and more on October 13.

 

The full-day conference aims to bring dynamic, leading-edge thought leaders and educators together to share their ideas and expressions about purpose – how to define and find purpose, and its effect on the human mind, spirit and well being. Speakers include John Hall, the autistic CEO of a multimillion-dollar company, and Emma Doyle, a sixth-grader with a passion for cake decorating.

Early bird tickets are on sale for $115 from now through October 7. After that, ticket prices go up to $125.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading” that began as a conference bringing people together from technology, entertainment, and design. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. TEDx Manhattan Beach is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that was founded as part of Leadership Manhattan Beach and is now a volunteer-run, stand-alone, not-for-profit organization.

The TEDx Manhattan Beach conference will take place on October 13 from 9am to 5pm at Manhattan Beach Middle School, 1501 North Redondo Avenue, Manhattan Beach.

Knott’s Scary Farm

Do you love spooky, creepy, and spine-tingling thrills? Have we got a scare for you! This year Knott’s Berry Farm is celebrating their 40th annual Halloween Haunt, in which the whole park is transformed at nighttime into “Knott’s Scary Farm.”

What’s so scary about an amusement park? As soon as you head in, your eyes start trying to focus in the dark amid all sorts of creepy fog effects and lighting. Inside you have a choice of 13 different terrifying mazes and 9 scary shows, plus some of the regular rides that are tricked out with extra-ghoulish features. Then, just when you think you’re safe, there are a whole bunch of creepy characters who pop out at you from every corner throughout the park. At one point walking down the pathway we thought we were looking at a ghostly statue, until she suddenly sprang to live and started chasing people down the path. Yikes!

The Halloween Haunt is a special ticket event not covered by regular Knott’s Berry Farm admission or a Knott’s Season Pass. Ticket prices are $36 – $52 pre-sale online and $60 on the day of event. For “Trapped,” Knott’s reservation-only, interactive maze , the cost is $60 per reservations with up to 6 guests per party. If you want to get a jump on the evening, you can sign up for the pre-haunt “Boo-fet” (prices starting at $21.95) before the Haunt opens for the night.

So what’s inside the scary attractions? We had a chance to sample a few:

Trick or Treat – This is a classic haunted house, in which each room of the “house” has something ready to jump out and terrify you. Try not to be the person who is asked to sit at the dining room table (like I did…and nearly jumped six feet in the air!).

Dominion of the Dead – Is is possible to have a soothing haunted house? This one is eerie in a dreamlike way, with the ethereally haunting music to match. To give you an extra shiver up your spine, some of the costumed actors reach out and tickle you lightly with a feather.

Delirium – All of your creepiest and grossest nightmares come to life in this haunted house. Cockroaches, slimy bugs, walking over dead bodies, squeezing through tight spaces…this one’s got it all.

Dia de los Muertos – This “Day of the Dead”-themed attraction is eerie in a fun house sort of way. Brightly colored creatures pop out at you from every corner and at one point you have to feel your way through a room filled with hanging skeletons. Don’t forget those 3-D glasses for an added effect!

End Games – Do you like your haunted houses sick, twisted, and bloody? Great! This one’s for you! Think chainsaws, grinders, torture…Plus, if you’re too scared to visit, you can also get your thrills watching other people get scared out of their minds. Check out Endgames Live! on Livestream during Haunt hours.

The Haunt is open from now through Halloween on Friday/Saturday nights from 7:00 pm to 2:00 am, and Thursday/Sunday nights from 7:00 pm to 1:00 am. Regular park admissions close after 5:30 pm on Haunt days. Knott’s Berry Farm is located at 8039 Beach Boulevard in Buena Park CA 90620.

Knott’s Berry Farm treated us to an evening at Knott’s Scary Farm; we did not receive compensation. All photos courtesy of Knott’s Berry Farm.

Crafted LA

Feeling crafty? Or do you just appreciate others who are? Either way, you’re going to love CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles, the country’s largest permanent indoor craft marketplace, located in San Pedro. And if you head over on Friday, August 24, you’ll be able to enjoy a massive Etsy craft party from 7:00 to 10:00 pm.

The craft party, part of Etsy’s Craft Party 2012 global celebration, will include loads of craft projects with the expert makers of CRAFTED (a small materials fee may apply for some booths), artist demos, food trucks and a wine bar, a live DJ and photobooth, a nail bar, a tie-dye station, a message-in-a-bottle make-and-take, and of course shopping and browsing around CRAFTED market stalls. Even better: There’s no charge for admission, and parking is free.

Leather and crochet jewelry and accessories by Lint and Buttons

CRAFTED marks a total makeover of a classic World War II-era waterside warehouse that is now home to hundreds of individual craft artists, designers, and artisanal food makers. The artists present their unique handcrafted goods in a vibrant patchwork of market stalls. You can find apparel, art, food, jewelry, home decor, paper goods, and toys in this massive marketplace every weekend. Read more about some of the CRAFTED LA members here.

CRAFTED is located at 110 & 112 East 22nd Street, San Pedro. Phone: (310) 732.1270. Click here for driving directions.

Manhattan Beach Fair T-Shirt

Are you an artist, a graphic designer, or do you have dreams of becoming one? Now’s the chance to show off your design skills, by entering the t-shirt design contest for the 40th annual Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair, to be held this year on October 6 and 7.

To enter, submit your original design to tshirts@mbfair.org by August 1. The winner will receive a $250 honorarium, a featured article regarding the winner, an invitation to the Fair Board dinner, and 2 new t-shirts with the winning design.

Not so artistic? The fair is also looking for volunteers. To learn more about volunteering, visit the fair volunteer page.

Fiesta Hermosa

Photo via Fiesta Hermosa

Ready to kick off the summer in style? Head on over to Fiesta Hermosa for a weekend of food, crafts, games, and music.

The festival, now in its 40th year, takes place over the three-day Memorial Day weekend (May 26, 27, and 28) from 10 am to 6 pm each day. As the largest arts and crafts fair in Southern California, Fiesta Hermosa will feature more than 270 artists and crafters in downtown Hermosa Beach.

This year, the festival will go “green”: The buses and generators will be fueld with clean-burning biodiesel, made from used vegetable oil donated by local restaurants Patrick Molloy’s, Sangria, and Café Boogaloo. Glass and plastic containers will be recycled by Consolidated Disposal, and the food court vendors will be using compostible plates and cutlery. Extra bonus: If you ride your bike, you can take advantage of the free “bike valet” service run by Hermosa Cyclery, in the sand just south of the Hermosa Pier. While you enjoy the festival, they’ll check the air in your tires and run on-site diagnostic check-ups.

For adults, the popular Charity Beer & Wine Garden features drinks served by town “celebrities”, including the mayor, city council members. For kids, there will be a a 30 foot slide, mechanical rides, rock climbing wall and bungee jump, pony rides, a petting zoo, facepainters, and games. Live bands will be playing throughout the weekend; you can view the full schedule here.

Fiesta Hermosa, May 26-28; 10am to 6 pm. Contact: Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau at 310-376-0951