![Darren’s Dare [restaurant review]](https://easyreadernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DarrenWeissChelsea-75x55.jpg "Darren’s Dare [restaurant review]")
Best of the Beach 2014, Best Surf Shop Shaper: ET Surf’s Pat Ryan
Mr. Pat Ryan has been faithfully at the helm of ET Surf’s planer since 1972. Versatility is Ryan’s forte. He can shape a 4-foot-11 grom board all the way to boards for lifeguard and big wave charger Tom Seth and every type of ocean apparatus in between. “I surf a lot, I paddle a lot, […]
Best of the Beach 2014, Underground Shaper of the Year: Dan Cobley of Danc Surfboards
Q&A with Dan Cobley of Danc Surfboards Q. What’s the key to your success as underground shaper? A. My outfit? [Cobley was sporting his cyclist tights, matching Spy Optic Sunglasses and his trademark tooth gap that I was disappointed to hear is going to be filled in with a new tooth.] Perseverance and customer satisfaction. […]
Best of the Beach 2014, Men’s Clothing: Spyder Surf
After walking into Spyder Surf, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the variety of surf garb. At the flagship store on Pacific Coast Highway, fluorescents, florals, stripes, solids, and flannels are organized by brand. Double that at Spyder 2 on Pier Avenue, and it’s easy to see why a surf shop that was started […]
Best of the Beach 2014, Surf Shop: ET Surf
ET Surf is a “Surfer’s Surf Shop,” with hundreds of surfboards in stock at all times..
“We are about surfing actually,” laughed shop co-manager Dan Connell “We might not make as much as profit by carrying the more profitable things, but we’ve got all your surfing needs.”
Best of the Beach 2014, Surf Camp: Perfect Day Surf Camp
Started in 2001 by Robbie French, Perfect Day Surf Camp has camps at Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, and Torrance Beach. The summer program caters to toddlers, children, teens, and adults with private, group, and camp lessons for surfing and Stand-Up Paddling. With a sponsorship by Quiksilver and Roxy, Perfect Day Surf Camp, offers […]
Best Yoga: Yoga Loft, Manhattan Beach [Best of the Beach 2014]
![Best Yoga: Yoga Loft, Manhattan Beach [Best of the Beach 2014]](https://easyreadernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/yoga-loft.jpeg "Best Yoga: Yoga Loft, Manhattan Beach [Best of the Beach 2014]")
Never underestimate what a small group of strong, highly flexible women can do. Yoga studios have popped up all over the South Bay in recent years, but what Yoga Loft owner Suzy Nece describes as “the little studio that could” has somehow managed to rise above the yogic din. Partly, it’s about location; the Yoga […]
Best of the Beach 2014: Listing/Selling Agent, Ed MacLaughlin
Ed MacLaughlin, a real estate agent with Shorewood Realtors in Hermosa Beach, has connected South Bay residents with their dream properties for more than a decade. MacLaughlin said he enjoys helping first-time homebuyers navigate the system, and puts a premium on […]
Best sliders: Hot’s Kitchen
Do not tell Sean Chaney, owner and executive chef of Hot’s Kitchen, that his burgers have won the “best sliders” category. He gets mad. “I think of tiny little one-ounce burgers when I hear the term sliders,” Chaney told me. “But these are quarter pounders. I’m full after one.” To be fair, the burgers at […]
Best Mexican under $10: El Burrito Jr.
El Burrito Jr. is true beach Mexican. It’s a street-side shack with walk-up window and a cash-only policy. But this is no ordinary street Mexican. The burritos are filled to the brim with fresh rice and beans, fantastic carne asada and homemade salsa and guacamole. The service is fast, the portions generous and the you […]
Best romantic dining: The Bottle Inn
Nestled next to The Strand on 22nd Street in Hermosa is the quaint Bottle Inn, a cozy little Italian spot with Old World charm. The decor is old school, the menu traditional and the space intimate and dimly-lit, making this little gem an ideal restaurant for a romantic night out. The Bottle Inn has been […]
Best outdoor dining: Hennessey’s Taverns
Hennessey’s Tavern has had a monopoly on the outdoor dining category for some time. And while the street-side tables at the Redondo and Manhattan locations are great, we all know it’s the roof-top patio at Hennessey’s Hermosa that brings home the bacon. Right on the corner of Pier Plaza and the strand, the roof-top at […]
Best neighborhood bar: Gasser Lounge
Walking into the Gasser Lounge on Aviation is like walking into a David Lynch dream sequence. Everything is dim, red and sexy. And for a rock n’ roll bar with a biker mentality, the Gasser is pretty darn classy. Maybe it’s this magic blend of grit and glamour that brought home the second win for […]
Best margarita: Palmilla
Palmilla has mastered the art of the modern margarita with concoctions ranging from raspberry serrano to sweet chipotle and fresh, spicy mango. The ingredients are what sets Palmilla’s margaritas apart Bartenders like the affable Kevin Williams pluck market-fresh watermelon, mint, limes and cucumber from a beautiful menagerie of fixings lining the marble bar. Unlike other […]
Best late-night dining: The Kettle
Late night dining is tough in the beach cities. For transplants from cities like Chicago and New York, it can be unsettling to realize that your food options after 10 p.m. are little more than fast food and 7-11. Thank god for the Kettle. Since 1973, the Kettle has provided tasty breakfast, lunch and dinner […]
Best view: The Strand House
It seems almost unfair to award best view to the Strand House. It’s like watching Meryl Streep win her 18th Oscar. But, as is the case with Meryl, when you got it, you got it. The Strand House took over the Beaches property at the corner of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and the strand in 2011 […]