LB-the best kept secret in Southern California! (Long Beach, Orange: hotel, homes)

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by GregJ

Somebody a couple posts back mentioned the traffic circle. Here's some news that might upset old time Long Beach'ers: the city is installing traffic lights at the Traffic Circle! Yikes! There was an article in the paper a few months back that said the traffic circle is the single highest intersection for traffic accidents in the entire city! It is pretty treacherous, though.

For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, the traffic circle predates all those new trendy traffic management circles you see around now. It goes back to the 1920's when Pacific Coast Highway was THE main thoroughfare between LA and San Diego. The circle intersects PCH, Lakewood Blvd and two other streets. In the center is a huge lawn with palm trees that back in the 50's and before was the big teen hangout spot in the area. As legend goes, kids used to park on the inside curb and hang out in the circle on Friday nights. It's actually big enough to hold a football field. The SE corner of the traffic circle was where the Circle Drive-In was for decades. It was demolished in the 80's to make way for a miserable office building. I have fond memories of fogged up windows at the Circle Drive In!

Long Beach was and still is an absolutely great place to live. What a great town!

I avoid driving on the traffic circle if I can possibly avoid it. My most recent attempt was going from Lakewood Blvd. south to PCH north. I was sweating bullets! I will usually drive on the Outer Traffic Circle, which is actually controlled by traffic signals! Greg, I worked in one of those office buildings you describe above, on the site of where the Circle Drive-In used to be (and the fogged-up windows ).

[GregJ]

Here's a cool detour for LB'ites: try taking the AquaLink watertaxi from Alamitos Bay to the Queen Mary or Aquarium. It only runs on weekends during the off season. Board at noon behind Khoury's Restaurant. The trip takes about 30 minutes and goes between the islands in the bay to dock at the bow of the Queen Mary.

After a pit stop, it goes over to the Aquarium and lays up for about 30 minutes (plenty of time to wander around) and then heads back to Alamitos Bay. All this for $3 round trip! Take your camera, the views are world class!

(No, I don't work for the Chamber of Commerce. Just a guy that loves his hometown).

[Rubylox]

I work at the University and have a decent job but I cannot afford the rent in any of the safer areas. I live in downtown where it is crime-ridden and where there's NO parking. You have to compete with families who seem to be living 20 to each household with each member owning their own car! I am looking to relocate.

I love the bike trail and other nooks and crannies that LB offers but most of my check goes to pay for a one room apartment and at this rate I will never, ever, be able to afford housing.

In all of the planning going on for more (expensive) housing, no one is looking out for the working poor. I am a college graduate and I consider myself a part of this particular class and there are many people like me.

[I Remember]

Around January of 1940, as a boy of 15, I took a part time job as theater usher for the Victor theatre on the Pike in Long Beach, CA. As was my habit, I stopped at a little hamburger stand for a coke and hamburger. I was grabbed with a choke hold from behind by a Long Beach Police Detective. Losing my hamburger, this detective roughed me up. The stand’s owner came to my defense saying this boy has done nothing wrong. The Detective threatened to close him down if he didn’t keep quiet. I was being used as a scapegoat for an excuse for this detective to come by our home to “investigate” me and visit his friend, my sister-in-law while my brother worked.
A short time later on my way to work at this same theater, I saw a group of people running toward the beach, Out of curiosity, I went with them to see what had happened. I never found out. I was seized by a police detective putting my arm in a hammer lock behind my back. A uniformed police officer asked what had this boy done? He was admonished by the detective not to worry about it. Being a farm boy having to do heavy manual labor on the farm from age 10 to 14, I merely straightened out my arm breaking loose. Had I been alone, I am sure I would have been killed as the detective threatened to “break my skull.”
I already was asked to quit my first job as a theatre usher at the Tracy Theatre a few blocks down the street because of harassment by this same police detective making inquiries about me. I loved my job because the shows were free. I enjoyed “Lady Be Good” and “Ecstasy” with Hedy Lamarr.
At that time the police were mostly controlled by the Mafia.
After I returned from the War in Dec 1945, I kived there until 1947 when I left to another city to get away from police terrorism.

[I hate cute usernams]

LB Rocks, but don't tell everyone let them move to the OC and stay out of my new home town.

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by I Remember

Around January of 1940, as a boy of 15, I took a part time job as theater usher for the Victor theatre on the Pike in Long Beach, CA. As was my habit, I stopped at a little hamburger stand for a coke and hamburger. I was grabbed with a choke hold from behind by a Long Beach Police Detective. Losing my hamburger, this detective roughed me up. The stand’s owner came to my defense saying this boy has done nothing wrong. The Detective threatened to close him down if he didn’t keep quiet. I was being used as a scapegoat for an excuse for this detective to come by our home to “investigate” me and visit his friend, my sister-in-law while my brother worked.
A short time later on my way to work at this same theater, I saw a group of people running toward the beach, Out of curiosity, I went with them to see what had happened. I never found out. I was seized by a police detective putting my arm in a hammer lock behind my back. A uniformed police officer asked what had this boy done? He was admonished by the detective not to worry about it. Being a farm boy having to do heavy manual labor on the farm from age 10 to 14, I merely straightened out my arm breaking loose. Had I been alone, I am sure I would have been killed as the detective threatened to “break my skull.”
I already was asked to quit my first job as a theatre usher at the Tracy Theatre a few blocks down the street because of harassment by this same police detective making inquiries about me. I loved my job because the shows were free. I enjoyed “Lady Be Good” and “Ecstasy” with Hedy Lamarr.
At that time the police were mostly controlled by the Mafia.
After I returned from the War in Dec 1945, I kived there until 1947 when I left to another city to get away from police terrorism.

Wow, kind of hard to believe this type of stuff went on back then! But then, the Long Beach P.D. has been known to generate controversy. I could remember back in the early 90s when the City of Long Beach was considering replacing its own police department with the L.A. County Sheriff's department. I wonder what would have happened if that really took place?

[Dennis P]

Originally Posted by I hate cute usernams

LB Rocks, but don't tell everyone let them move to the OC and stay out of my new home town.

Well, I think most people who aren't from California don't want to move here because of the earthquakes. The last bad one to strike the Long Beach area was in 1933. I've spoken with an elderly couple who go to my church who can remember what happened the day of that earthquake. A major disruption to everyone's lives, to put it mildly, especially since that was during the Great Depression.

Just remember when caught in an earthquake of any magnitude, you first need to KEEP CALM! Then remember to duck, cover and hold.

[WestSideGirl310]

Long Beach is o.k. I prefer the towns of Santa Monica up to Malibu!

[jdturny]

What do you know about Traffic Circle? My son in law was in a motorcycle accident there on 11/14/07 and we need witnesses. He has no memory of it.

[Mach50]

L.B. is a great city, and Belmont Shores is one of the best (if not the best) walkable urban style neighborhood in SoCal.

LBC is Sublime.