$100 million Hermosa Beach civic center will save city money, consultant tells council

by Kevin Cody A proposed $100 million Hermosa Beach Civic Center, potentially financed by the sale, or lease of city-owned property, staff reductions, and bonds, received a positive reception from the city council during a three-hour city facilities meeting Wednesday evening, November 29. “I believe in investing in our community, like our predecessors did,” Mayor Justin Massey said. “The buildings we love, the places we love are here because someone had the vision and spent the money to make something…

Frida and Diego: coming to life on the Day of the Dead

By Bondo Wyszpolski

Folkloric and surreal, an operatic tale of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera “El último sueño de Frida y Diego” by Bondo Wyszpolski The glowing heat of an intense orange-and-blue set pervades “El último sueño de Frida y Diego” (The Last Dream of Frida and Diego), a two-act opera, in Spanish, by composer Gabriela Lena Frank…

“La Syndicaliste” – Under siege [MOVIE REVIEW]

By Neely Swanson

“La Syndicaliste,” directed by Jean-Paul Salomé based on the book written by Caroline Michel-Aguirre, tells the horrific but true story of Maureen Kearney, the dedicated head of a union representing workers employed by Areva, France’s nuclear power company. Maureen fought tenaciously to protect employees throughout Europe who maintained the vast empire of French nuclear power…

Bagel Blues, gingerbread giant, culinary events, and more restaurant news.

By Richard Foss

Holiday cheer, or lack thereof: According to a survey, the day before Thanksgiving is the busiest night of the year at bars. It’s sometimes called Blackout Wednesday, and there are good and bad reasons people might tend to overdo it that evening. Some folks are celebrating a reunion with friends and family the day before…

Chickens Gone Global

By Richard Foss

Fried chicken has been multicultural from its beginnings, a Scottish cooking style married to a West African tradition of battering using a seasoned flour. Those traditions combined in the American South in the 1830s and were an instant hit. Regional styles quickly developed, with cornmeal used in some areas, wheat in others, and seasonings mild,…