Camera store: Paul’s Photo
Paul’s Photo has prospered during the transition from film cameras to digital cameras by offering photo classes and excursions — from Madrona Marsh to Kilimanjaro and places in between, including Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Death Valley, Monterey and Alaska.
“Running stores offer runs, nurseries offer planting classes. We’ve created a symbiotic ecosystem with our stores sales, printing lab, classroom instruction and photo excursions.
Shopping: Del Amo Fashion Center
Last October, Del Amo Fashion Center completed a $200 million effort to restore Del Amo Fashion Center to the upper echelon of luxury shopping centers.
The “Grand Entrance” welcomes shoppers with a two-story square wall of glass with panes designed to cast shadows across the Grand Court’s curving, cream colored interior as the sun rises, until light and shadows can spill in from the enormous skylights. The skylights hover 61 feet over the main floor.
Grocery store: Trader Joe’s
Next fall, the South Bay’s ninth Trader Joe’s will open in Hermosa Beach in what was formerly known as the Ralph’s Shopping Center on Pacific Coast Highway. The foodie emporium has over 400 stores nationwide, each one designed to fit the local neighborhood, according to spokesperson Alison Morhizuki.
Realtor: Donald McVicar
What makes Donald McVicar a good negotiator is the eight years he spent negotiating shipping fees for a Japanese fishing company. What makes him a good Realtor, he said, is his institutional knowledge and personal commitment that comes from having grown up in the beach cities.
Beach Charity – Pediatric Therapy Network Mardi Gras
Pediatric Therapy Network celebrated its 5th annual Mardi Gras evening at the Miyako Hotel in Torrance.
Beach Sports – Gaffney’s Groms
A group of fellow surfing dads founded South Bay Boardriders Club
Hospital: Torrance Memorial
Amid widespread consolidation in the medical industry, Torrance Memorial Medical Center has remained independent and locally governed. But that hasn’t stopped it from remaining a leader in its field.
Real Estate office: 3 Leaf Realty
3 Leaf Realty broker Jerry Carew has a simple explanation for why home sales are picking up. It’s March.
“In good years and bad, the cycle is the same. Home sales are slow in January and rise to a peak in May or June. Last year it was May. The previous four years it was June,” he said.
Best Pilates studio — RockIt Body Pilates
RockIt Body Pilates offers a trademark blend of Pilates, cardio and weight training. Classes feature pumping music, and students are perched on hybrid reformers that the studio modified to enhance the workout. The 50-minute classes lengthen and strengthen key muscle groups, and pack a safe, fun metabolism boost. 1834 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, (310) 744-1004 and 1718 S. […]
Best Chiropractor: Derek Levy, DC
Unlike most doctors, Chiropractor Derek Levy describes his patients as generally healthy. “People at the beach lead a healthy lifestyle. So when they come to see me it’s usually for minor aches and pains that are easy to take care of. I deal with neck and lower back pain all day long.
Best veterinarian — Hermosa Animal Hospital
Pets are everywhere these days, growing increasingly accepted in places like restaurants where they were once shunned. With this in mind, Hermosa Animal Hospital tries to do more than respond to veterinary emergencies. The hospital’s six staff veterinarians aim to extend a pet’s life for the good of both animal and owner. 560 Pacific Coast […]
Best dive shop: Dive N’ Surf
Maria Kazankova is Russian sports psychologist, actress and world champion free diver, which is more than enough to qualify her a a dive instructor at the South Bay’s best dive shop.
Best yoga studio — The Green Yogi
You might think people would want to spend their weekend mornings relaxing in bed. But step inside Manhattan Beach’s The Green Yogi on a typical Saturday morning, and you’ll find eager students waiting for popular instructors like Jamie Horgan and Heather Archer. “I think what sets us apart is our talented instructor team, ultra-clean environment […]
Best nutrition store — Lindberg Nutrition
Atkins, South Beach, Paleo: diet fads and crazes have gone in and out over the years. But Lindberg Nutrition has been around long before them, and will likely outlast them too. The store began operating in Torrance in 1949 with one woman’s desire to preserve the wholesome nutrition of food on a farm. They opened […]
Best bike shop — Hermosa Cyclery
Hermosa Cyclery has been operating from its beachside location for more than 40 years. In that time, it has become a critical part of the city’s cycle-centric beach culture, offering rentals to visitors and outfitting locals with a stock of stylish Strand Cruisers. It’s also a feel-good local story with the four owners, all previous […]
Best trainer — Lou Sidella, Body One Fitness
There’s a sign at the entrance to Lou Sidella’s gym that reads “Motivated People Only.” Sidella, who has been training in the South Bay since 1998, is the owner of Body One Fitness in Redondo Beach and serves as a trainer there. With a recent redesign of his shop that expanded the number of racks, […]