East Long Beach's 1st Wine Lounge

East Long Beach's first "Wine Lounge Bistro" -The Red Barrel opens in the Circle Center

The first East Long Beach "wine lounge" and bistro, The Red Barrel, opened this Saturday February 22, 2014 in the Circle Center.

Co-owners Vanessa Durand and her mother Nancy Durand got their business license on Friday and had everything up and running within 24 hours for the Saturday opening. 

The concept for The Red Barrel is a comfortable lounge with great food and soothing music to accompany good wines in an environment for great conversations.

The restaurant seating includes tables for eating, a cozy wine bar with seating and an expansive "lounge" conversation area with comfortable sofa's, chairs and "coffee tables"  specifically for your drinks and plates  of "wine foods"-all lighted by a row of chandeliers.   Those paired "wine foods" include East Long Beach's first charchuterie plates- prepared deli-style meats, cheeses, breads and fruit.  The menu also includes tapas, cheeses and main entries. The main entries include salads, filets, chicken and pastas.  

On Saturday March 1st, the Red Barrel hosted full house as friends and local "foodies" came by to check the newest eatery out.

To see the COMPLETE write-up-with photos of the inside of The Red Barrel on the Long Beach 4th District BLOG-CLICK ON: RED BARREL

City Prosecutor meeting in Los Altos

City Prosecutor Doug Haubert neighborhood coffee this Monday in Los Altos 

City Prosecutor Doug Haubert will be holding a neighborhood on Monday February 10. The event is being hosted by  Mario and Elisabeth Cruz at their home on Charlemagne Street.

Haubert is a 4th District resident and is very familiar with neighborhood issues.

The neighborhood  coffee will be from 6:30 pm- 8:00 pm at 2315 Charlemagne Ave.

For more information email:

cityprosecutordoughaubert@gmail.com

or visit: www.DougHaubert.com

Subway coming to Los Altos Center

Subway sandwiches to replace former Quiznos at Los Altos Center North

Just a few short months after Quiznos closed next to the new Starbucks at the Los Altos Center North, a new Subway store will open in the exact same space. 

Ironically, at the Palo Verde and Stearns shopping center that is the home to Los Altos's original Starbucks, a Subway store is also located there.

No information on the opening date of the new Subway store in the Los Altos center was available.

Stearns Park house fire proves Los Altos has a fire engine problem..

Los Altos Center Adjacent Neighborhoods and Los Altos Center businesses lost the closest fire engine (water carrier)  from Station 17 by Stearns Park due to budget cuts

     LBReport.com picture by John Jayes-more pictures on LBreport

LB Report.com has a story (LB Home Burns Across Street From Fire Stn 17 ) about the results of a very late night fire ACROSS THE STREET from Fire Station 17 this week (CLICK here for story and photos: LBREPORT ).  

Fire Station 17 does not have a water carrying "fire engine" located at the station.  With the removal of the water carrying "fire engine" from Station 17, the closest water carrying fire engine to the Los Altos Center businesses and neighborhoods now comes from Station 22 at Atherton and Palo Verde Streets by CSULB.  Los Altos residents are keenly aware of how impacted the CSULB area surface streets get at certain times of the day.

Map of LACAN ( in blue)  with surrounding Fire Stations

When Engine 22 (Atherton/Palo Verde) is unavailable, LACAN's nearest fire engine would come from Station 19 (near Vet's Stadium) or Station 5 (on Wardlow in El Dorado Park).  

It should be notes that Engine 22 is a "paramedic assessment" engine company, meaning that a firefighter-paramedic rides aboard the fire engine. That designation requires the engine company respond to medical emergencies in addition to fires. That includes local freeway accident emergencies. When Engine 22 is on any type of an emergency call ( or otherwise unavailable), the closest water carrying fire engines to the Los Altos neighborhoods are Engines 5 and 19. 

Station 5 is on Wardlow Road in El Dorado Park and Station 19 is on Clark Ave.  near Vet's Stadium. The engine company from Station 18 at Wardlow and Palo Verde (much closer than Station 5-see map) was also eliminated a few years ago in a round of budget cuts. 

"The City's Neighborhoods Past & Present"

The Historical Society of Long Beach and

 Long Beach City College Foundation seeks submissions on neighborhoods

The Long Beach City College Community Studies Program and the Historical Society of Long Beach have announced in an email to the community that they are welcome submissions for the Third Long Beach Community Studies Conference with the 2014 theme of  "The City's Neighborhoods Past & Present" .

The Conference will be held at LBCC's Liberal Arts  Campus on Saturday, April 26, 2014.  

The emailed information includes:

From Alamitos Beach to Zaferia and every neighborhood in between, we welcome your stories!

The intent of the third conference on Long Beach Studies is to showcase the wide ranging and interesting work being done today about our diverse communities. We welcome proposals that explore a deeper understanding of our communities. 

Among the topics that presentations might address are:  

How did neighborhoods originate and change over time?  

How have people in commercial and residential areas cooperated or competed?

The selection of the theme of neighborhood associations and civics groups arises from a desire to explore the diverse and complex communities making up the city and to consider the possibilities of a common civic culture. We see the theme as all inclusive. Please do not hesitate to submit presentations that don't specifically focus on neighborhoods. The committee hopes to learn about local projects and will make presentation selections that inform the study of greater Long Beach.

For more information and to download the submission form CLICK ON: HSLB

The deadline to submit is  February 15, 2014.

   

Email submissions to: craigh@hslb.org   Subject line:  LBCS Conference

Mail submissions to: 

Historical Society of Long Beach  

4260 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach CA 90807

City Attorney Meet and Greet at Ecco's

City Attorney Charles Parkin meets Los Altos residents at Ecco's Pizza

 Long Beach City Attorney Charles Parkin  met with Los Altos residents on Wednesday January 8, 2013 in a "Meet and Greet" sponsored by Los Altos Realtor Michele "K" Kreinheder at Ecco's Pizza. Parkin was introduced to the crowd of 30 people by Councilman Gary De Long.

A lifelong resident, Parkin outlined his experience working for the City of Long Beach since 1984. Parkin has worked in the City Attorney's office since 1995, being promoted throughout the years reaching the position of Assistant City Attorney.  Parkin has spent his entire 18 year law career working for the City of Long Beach City Attorney's Office.

  

When City Attorney Robert Shannon retired, Parkin was appointed Acting City Attorney by the Long Beach City Council in June of 2013, then after a recruitment process, the City Council appointed him as Long Beach City Attorney in August 2013.

Since his appointment,  Parkin has managed and supervised the Long Beach City Attorney's Office and its 64 employees and 20 attorneys.

 Parkin's opponent in the April election is one-term Long Beach City Councilman James Johnson.

 After a short presentation outlining his qualifications, Parkin took questions from the 40 plus people at the "Meet and Greet".

One question asked of Parkin was what was the advantage of having an experienced attorney vs. a politician in the position of City Attorney.  Parkin clarified that to be elected as a City Attorney you must be licensed attorney.  Parkin noted his 18 years in practice and litigation at the Long Beach City Attorney Office. Parkin also noted that Councilman Johnson is an attorney but there are no records of any cases that Councilman Johnson has ever litigated as an attorney. 

For More information on Long Beach Attorney Charles Parkin

CLICK ON:  PARKIN

LB City Attorney coming to Los Altos

Long Beach City Attorney Charlie Parkin coming to Los Altos

Interim Long Beach City Attorney Charlie Parkin  will be at Ecco's Pizza from 6 pm to 8 pm on Wednesday January 8 for a "Meet and Greet".

Sponsored by Los Altos Realtor Michelle "K", Parkin  (who is running for election to the post he was appointed to after Robert Shannon resigned), will outline his 18 years experience in the City Attorney's office and take questions.

In a community email, Michelle "K" wrote:
" I firmly believe Charlie is the right person for the job and once you meet him I think you will agree. Join us on Wednesday, January 8 at Ecco's Pizza from 6 pm to 8 pm. Pizza is on me!" 

Michelle asks that you RSVP so she can plan for the event. You can reach her at 562-243-2171 or Michele@longbeachhomeshere.com .

Michele "K" blogs at Better Living Long Beach: http://michelekblogshere.com/