I hope you all have most of the shopping, wrapping, shipping and trimming finished because Christmas is just around the corner. If you’re still scrambling, gift certificates for local shops, restaurants and services are a great last minute idea.
Taking place for over 40 years, the Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights Extravaganza in Torrance (also known as Candy Cane Lane), is one of the largest holiday decoration displays in the country. You can walk or drive through the neighborhood reveling in the sights, sounds and scents of the season. It’s a wonderful way to spend the evening and one the entire family will enjoy and remember for years to come. The wildly extravagant decorations are on display from December 1 through January 1 from about 6 to 10 p.m. For more information and directions, visit the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sleepy-Hollow-Christmas-Lights-Extravaganza/214158315880.
Tonight is the last night for the Santa Float Tours in Gardena, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. For schedules and routes, check out the links here: http://southbaybyjackie.com/special-events.php.
Find out what's happening in Redondo Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Everyone is invited to attend a special holiday event hosted by Isabelle Mizrahi, Celebrating The True Meaning of Christmas in You, on Thursday, December 19. Isabelle, a Health Coach and resident of Rancho Palos Verdes, will discuss the significance of Christmas and how this seasonal inspiration can influence one’s day to day experience throughout the year. The presentation will examine the challenges of accepting individuals, and other groups of people, during the course of daily life and how to develop bonds and dialogue to achieve this end through unity, gratitude, forgiveness and healing. The event will take place between 7 and 9 p.m. in the Conference Room at the Palos Verdes Library. This is a free, non-denominational event and everyone is welcome to attend. Light Refreshments will be served after the presentation. The Palos Verdes Library is located at 701 Silver Spur Road in Rolling Hills Estates. For additional information, contact Isabelle at 310-896-2499 or through her LinkedIn account at www.Linkedin.com/in/IsabelleMizrahi.
Experience the rich flavor of Innis and Gunn oak-aged Scottish beer at Total Wine & More’s Special Beer Tasting Event on Friday, December 20. Crafted in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Innis and Gunn brew is percolated in oak chips and incorporates vanilla, whisky, peat and sweet toffee flavors. Beer Advocate rated the Innis and Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer as an 85 (very good) and a 90 (outstanding). Total Wine & More’s tasting will include Innis and Gunn’s core range, seasonal and limited editions beers from and 4 to 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Total Wine & More superstore located at 1505 Hawthorne Boulevard in South Bay Marketplace. For more information and to make reservations, call 310-542-1460 or visit the website at http://www.totalwine.com.
Find out what's happening in Redondo Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The El Segundo Public Library is hosting the final Concert in the Library for the fall season this Saturday, December 21. This free series is open to the public and features classical and jazz programs, as well as music from different ethnic traditions. The concerts take place in the Friends of the Library Room on the third Saturday of each month at 2 p.m. and will include light refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library. This weekend features Mambo Martini for a little jazz and swing. The El Segundo Public Library is located at 111 West Mariposa Avenue in El Segundo. For a complete list of shows and other information, call 310-524-2728 or visit the website at http://www.elsegundo.org/library/.
The Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K takes place this Saturday, December 21. The event gets underway at 5:30 p.m. beneath the lights of the Manhattan Beach Pier. Celebrate the holidays and the Winter Solstice at the most unusual running event in LA. The entire course will be lit by real luminaries under the stars to guide you. Participants will race out and back, north to the jetty at 45th Street. The super low tide creates a perfect running surface of hard packed sand like a dirt road so running with or without shoes is an option. Baby joggers work great and are encouraged as the kids love being that close to the sea. Glow Necklaces and beachy t-shirts are guaranteed to all pre-registered runners and to late registrants while supplies last. Unique awards will be given to the top five and a chance to stand on the podium in all 28 age divisions. Packet pick up and late registration is Friday, December 20 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Village Runner store located at 1840 Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach and from 3 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the Manhattan Pier on race day. The cost is $35 ($40 for late registration) for the 5K and $30 for the kid’s races. For additional information and registration, visit the website at https://racewire.com/register.php?id=3550.
As always, check the calendar links and ‘Things to Do’ page on my website www.southbaybyjackie.com for details on these and other events throughout the South Bay.
On The South Bay Show this morning, we chatted with Jeff Atkinson. Jeff is the Event Director of the Manhattan Beach Yuletide 5K taking place this Saturday night in Manhattan Beach. Don’t worry, if you missed it, you can listen to it here: http://southbaybyjackie.com/december-19-2013-jeff-atkinson-manhattan-beach-yuletide-5k/.
The team here at South Bay by Jackie (yes, there is an actual team these days!) wishes all of you a very, merry Christmas and fabulous South Bay weekend!
Jackie
