Blossom Chronicles

Le Garage: No Ordinary Antique Store

Bret Blumenthal’s Le Garage Home & Garden in South Redondo Beach offers shabby chic antiques and custom-built furniture.

You can’t categorize Le Garage Home & Garden in any single way. The shop on Pacific Coast Highway—easily recognizable from the street by the curved green awning and decorously arrayed windows—stocks antiques like stately armoires, wonderful old vanities and mirrors fit for the Palace of Versailles, as well as things for the garden like stone sculptures, potting benches and a bistro set. Interested in shabby chic? The distressed tables, ornamental sconces and big, upholstered stools are right up the shabby chic alley. “A lot of people have shied away from using that term,” owner Bret Blumenthal, 46, said. “They will use beach chic, cottage chic, or French country, something along those lines.” Regardless of what you call it, people come "…

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Do You Know Your Mother's Day Trivia?

Patch takes a look at the holiday that celebrates Mom.

Today's the day when millions of moms across the country—85 million at last count in 2009, according to the U.S. Census Bureau—are celebrated with flowers and homemade cards. In honor of Sunday's celebrations, Patch rounded up some facts about baby names, florists and Mother's Day history. The average adult celebrating Mother's Day is expected to spend $152.52 on activities, gifts and cards, up from $140.73 in 2011 and $126.60 in 2010, according to the National Retail Federation's Mother's Day consumer spending survey. Total spending is expected to reach $18.6 billion, compared to $16.3 billion in 2011 and $14.6 billion in 2010. Much of that money will be spent at the thousands of florists, as well as the multitude of jewelry and other …

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Free Frito-Lay Chips at Ralphs Today

Frito-Lay is giving away free chips today from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at participating Ralphs.

It's Free Flavor Friday! To promote its new chip flavors, Frito Lay is partnering with Ralphs stores across the country Friday to give away more than 2 million sample bags. New Doritos Jacked tortilla chip flavors include Enchilada Supreme and Smoky Chipotle BBQ, while BBQ Rib and Bacon and Cheddar Potato Skins are among the new Ruffles potato chip flavors. The giveaway lasts from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. Want free chips? The Ralphs at 1413 Hawthorne Blvd. in North Redondo Beach is participating in the giveaway. Find a list of other participating Ralphs stores online.

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$1 Ice Blended Drinks at Coffee Bean

From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. today, savor the cool and sweet Cookies & Cream Ice Blended and the decadent Mocha Mudslide Ice Blended for only $1 at your local Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Take a moment to beat the heat today and enjoy a deliciously cold treat at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.  From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, the neighborhood coffee and tea shop will be offering two tasty Ice Blended flavors for just $1 each.  The Cookies & Cream Ice Blended combines creamy vanilla with coffee and chocolate cookie pieces, while chocolate-lovers can indulge in the Mocha Mudslide Ice Blended—consisting of chocolate, cream and coffee, along with a chocolate drizzle. The only participating Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Redondo Beach is at 1617 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. in Riviera Village. Locations inside grocery stores and airports are not participating. Click here for a list of other Coffee Bean locations nearest to you.

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Triathlon Lab Moving to North Redondo

Triathlon Lab will move from its current location near the harbor to a spot on Aviation Boulevard in North Redondo Beach.

Local sporting-goods store Triathlon Lab will soon be moving out of the converted gas station it's called home for nearly nine years and into a 5,000-plus-square-foot store in North Redondo Beach, according to owner Lloyd Taylor. "It's been an amazing ride so far," Lloyd said. He announced the move late Tuesday night on the Triathlon Lab Facebook page and Twitter account, as well as on his own Twitter account. Moving from the location at the corner of Catalina Avenue and Beryl Street is "bittersweet," said Lloyd, who opened the store with his wife after a three-year career as a professional triathlete. A second location was later opened in Santa Monica. The new store, which will continue to cater to triathletes of all levels, is located at…

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USC Report: Rents to Rise 10% in L.A.

Foreclosures and rising demand by young people are to blame.

The cost of renting an apartment in Los Angeles is forecast to rise 10 percent over the next two years, and foreclosures are partly to blame for driving demand and prices, it was reported today. During the first quarter of the year, the average rent nationwide was $1,008 per month, surpassing the previous all-time high set in the third quarter of 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported based on data from RealFacts. Aside from foreclosures driving people out of homes and into apartments, rising demand by young people is driving rents up, the Times reported. Westsiderentals.com is operating 14 hours a day to meet demand from renters. The company has even seen a bump in interest for its "platinum" relocation service, which offers to chauffeur …

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Greg Geilman

7:45 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Hope my landlord doesn't read this. ;)   more ›

Nutrishop Closes its Doors

The owners of Nutrishop Redondo Beach decided to take the business to Monterey Park, according to a Facebook post.

After more than five years on the outskirts of Riviera Village, Nutrishop Redondo Beach is no more. According to a statement posted on the business' Facebook page, the owners decided to move the business to Monterey Park. The final sale ended April 28. "Over the past 5-plus years, we have made many amazing friends and (helped) thousands of people change their lives," a representative of the store wrote on the Facebook page. "We hope that even though we are leaving the South Bay that (every one) of our customers will continue to raise the bar on their personal fitness success." The store specialized in supplements, vitamins and weight-loss products. With the Redondo store's closure, the only Nutrishop location in the South Bay is at 24223 …

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Why Shop at a Farmers Market?

Green your plate a little bit and support small businesses by shopping at one of Redondo's farmers markets.

One of the best ways to help the environment, support your community, and provide for your family healthy, fresh, organic food is to buy local and buy in season! How? By visiting the local farmers markets! Redondo Beach has two farmers markets, and both are located in South Redondo. On Thursdays from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., the city hosts a market at Veterans Park that features dozens of vendors that sell produce, meats, cakes, prepared food and more. Riviera Village hosts its own certified farmers market on Fridays from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Avenue I between Catalina Avenue and the Esplanade. What is a farmers market? A place where local farmers or growers gather to sell their goods directly to the public. It can be held indoors, outside, …

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False Seafood Labeling Targeted

L.A. County Health officials launch crackdown on fish mislabeling violations.

Sparked by findings that more than half of all fish is wrongly labeled at restaurants and markets in Los Angeles County, a swift crackdown has been launched to ensure consumers are protected and get what they are paying for. Moving quickly to address the public's alarm about the false labeling, County Supervisors Tuesday voted to direct the Department of Public Health to work with federal and state agencies to address the issue of seafood mislabeling in Los Angeles County. “Consumers must have confidence that the fish they are buying at restaurants and grocery stores is safe and labeled correctly,” said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich in a statement. The Board of Supervisors approved studying the possible use of the Food and Drug …

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Mike Kowal

10:26 am on Monday, April 30, 2012

Not sure if organic is really organic. But there is something fishy going on!   more ›