Highlights From The Neighborhood
By Stephen Sutton
It’s been a busy spring for the Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association (BHNA), whose volunteers have been planning and executing a number of special events over the past few weeks. Here are some quick highlights since our last newsletter.
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Our neighborhood TREE-age (“triage”) events continued with a well-attended weeding and clean-up event on April 6, starting at the Corto Place parkway (on Broadway near Taco Bell). Several residents joined in weeding to maintain the beauty of our recently landscaped parkway as well as several newly planted tree parkways throughout the neighborhood.
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BHNA sponsored Earth Day events starting with a ladybug release party at the Mann Elementary School STEAM Fair on April 18. Kids were delighted to learn about these beneficial insects and have an opportunity to see them in action on the raised container beds we helped plant and maintain. BHNA also gave away dozens of small pouches of live ladybugs to families to enjoy in their home gardens.
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BHNA also collaborated with Rose Park Neighborhood association to host an Earth Day Celebration on April 21(John Muir’s birthday). The popular event featured painted lady butterflies that each family was given to release in the park and enclosure. Rose Park volunteers hosted Tai Chi, kids crafts and activities. BHNA also gave away birthday cake, native milkweed, books, and trash pickers. Thanks to all who donated and attended!
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BHNA also recently partnered with Long Beach's Clean Team and LitterFreeLB on May 11 for a trash clean-up event throughout Bluff Heights (including the alleyways!). We even managed to get in a little weeding and watering to help maintain the landscaping at Corto Place parkway.
UPCOMING EVENTS
BHNA will host a History Walk and Happy Hour on June 1 at 3 p.m. with local historian and photographer Val Pfeifer. We will begin at our Corto Place parkway (next to Taco Bell on Broadway near Orizaba) and take a short walk through the neighborhood, visiting the 10 oldest houses in Bluff Heights. You’ll learn interesting information and history about Long Beach, architect Miner Smith (which you can read more about in this newsletter), and much more. We kindly ask participants for a $10 donation, which will go toward BHNA’s efforts.
GOOD NEWS: We have once again been awarded the July 4th grant, enabling us to host our BLOCK PARTY! If you’d like to volunteer to assist with planning and/or on the day of the event for logistics, setup and cleanup, leading kids’ games or other activities, please reach out to stephensuttonrealtor@gmail.com.
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Miner Smith’s Craftsman Homes
By Val Pfeifer
Long Beach has 18 historic districts, including the Bluff Heights Historic District, which was given historic landmark status by the City of Long Beach on July 13, 2004.
One of the most predominant architectural styles found in our neighborhood is the Craftsman style, which flourished in the 1920s. The ultimate designer of these homes was the well-known builder Miner Smith from New Jersey. After moving to Los Angeles, Smith quickly found a concentration of clients in the Long Beach area clamoring for his unique designs, which included highly coveted architectural elements you may have noticed while strolling the neighborhood.
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Miner Smith was an experienced stone mason, and this highly accomplished trade reflected his signature architectural elements. Front porches often featured stone masonry piers (pedestals) with recesses featuring Ogee arches at the top and a planter shelf at the bottom. Some porches have balusters and planters fashioned as tree trunks. Other organic architectural notes included a secondary pier cap with acanthus leaves at all four corners. Smith’s dentils (small, rectangular blocks that form a molding) on the front porch beams have a slight slope up to the center, and entry doors occasionally have a letter “M” incorporated into their design.
The interior of a Smith home features custom fireplaces built of stone masonry and built-in cabinets, breakfast tables, ironing boards, shoeshine kits, etc. Smith inspired many home builders who copied his signature elements, which made Southern California Craftsman homes attractive and easy to sell.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are actually three styles of Craftsman: Chalet, Bungalow, and Airplane. The architectural styles are technically based on the direction of the roof ridge. With the Chalet, the roof ridge is perpendicular to the street, while the Bungalow’s roof ridge is parallel with the street. Airplanes have a characteristic small second floor that looks like a pilot’s cabin.
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Born in Slovenia, Val Pfeifer emigrated to Orange County, New York (home to West Point) when he was 16 years old. He earned his U.S. citizenship then spent 2 years in Germany after WWII, where he gained valuable experience as a draftsman. Val became an architect when he was 49 years old and spent many years designing innovative commercial and industrial architectural projects, including the printing plant for the Washington Post. Val moved to Long Beach in 2017 and began his active life of volunteering with Long Beach Heritage (at the Bembridge House) and with the Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association. Watch this newsletter for other interesting history articles from Val in the months ahead!
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Airplane Craftsman have a characteristic pilot’s cabin. | |
Chalet Craftsman rooflines are perpendicular to the street. | |
Bungalow Craftsman have a roofline that is parallel to the street. | |
Long Beach Architecture Week
This year, two Bluff Heights homes will be featured on the Great Homes tour, part of LB Heritage’s Long Beach Architecture Week.
Experience the diverse architecture of Long Beach with a tour of four excellent examples of Crafstman, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, and Midcentury Modern homes. These architectural gems will take you back to 1913 and up to 1958. The homes have been lovingly furnished with antique and/or period appropriate pieces, some of which are totally one of a kind. The unique original features of the homes demonstrate the craftsmanship of bygone eras such as intricate mouldings, leaded glass windows, ornate murals, charming tiled fireplaces, and even a milk door or two.
Note that the homes have steps or stairs and may not be ADA accessible.
GREAT HOMES TOUR
JUNE 9, 12 to 3 p.m.
Purchase tickets ($50) here:
https://kahlo.ticketspice.com/long-beach-architecture-week-2024
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My Health & My Heights
By Frank Ginipro
It's not often that one can find time to stop and smell the roses. Having spinal surgery should not be the best option for making this time, but when your surgeon wants you up and walking the very next day, or at least when the anesthesia and painkillers wear off, you get with the program.
In my case, I got myself up and out like a Marine on his way into the militarized zone. I started with a walker, then a single crutch, then just a velcro-laden back brace (think bullet-proof vest), and finally, nothing but my two legs. With Bluff Heights as my territory, I walked and walked. I started with my own Wisconsin Ave. block, and then added Molino Ave. and then more blocks until I managed to walk the entirety of Bluff Heights. I now have added Rose Park and Bluff Park to my route of daily walks, and I can truly say that I love walking our neighborhoods. Of course, I could be biased—being a Board Member of the Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association—but that shouldn't matter.
Repetitive walking might seem boring for some, but in my case, it is not. I walk with a dual purpose. One is to build my back strength, and the other is to challenge my good friend, Joe, who lives in the Bronx, New York, with almost daily images taken during both our walks—his in NYC (solely for exercise) and mine in Long Beach. Our objective is to find beauty everywhere around us, and with spring blooms hitting Long Beach much sooner than in the Bronx, I may have the upper hand. I usually take photos of plants, animals, and statuary. I chose this direction as no permissions and no long conversations are needed that would slow me down, considering my focus has always been to just keep walking.
Here is a selection of photos from my daily walks in and around Bluff Heights. I can honestly say that I really enjoy both taking my walks and taking these photos. I hope that anyone looking at them will see the same beauty I found just walking around our neighborhood.
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Fabulous Feta
By Maria Kootsikas
As a child in the 1960s, I remember how much I loved going to the Long Beach Greek store with my mom, grandma, and great aunt. We always bought feta cheese and, of course, had to try it first. The shop owner, Mr. P., would give us samples to try before buying. He would slice off a nice piece for me to try and wait for my nod of approval. I felt so grown up.
My mom would drive from Orange County to Long Beach almost every week to go to the Greek store because our local big box grocery stores didn’t carry many ethnic items at that time. Now you can find feta everywhere, which is a good thing (at least for me) since our local Greek store unfortunately closed many years ago.
Today, most everyone is familiar with green salads that have feta sprinkled on top. I remember returning from a work trip in the 1980s and mentioning to my mother how feta must now be famous because it was served on my green salad that was part of my airline meal. I explained that it was called a “Greek salad,” expounding on how good it tasted. This was when people would complain about airline food the same way we still complain about hospital food.
Traditionally, a Greek salad is a mixture of tomatoes and cucumbers (without any lettuce), known as a village salad (horiatiki salata). Personally, I think the best part of this salad is the chunky pieces of feta placed on top, sprinkled with a bit of olive oil and oregano. But crumbling the feta on top of your salad is very good, too.
My mom was surprised to hear how ubiquitous feta had become, although she was not too surprised. We loved eating feta, cut into 2- by 4-inch chunks, and served with my grandma’s and great-aunt’s fantastic home-made bread and Kalamata olives. Sometimes, they even made us home-made french fries.
Feta means “slice” and dates back to the 1600s when it was cut into slices for storing in wood barrels. This way of making artisanal feta is still practiced today in parts of Greece such as Thessaly, Epirus, Thrace, Macedonia, the Peloponnese, and the island of Lesvos, where sheep and goats graze freely on rocky terrains.
In 2002 Greece received product designation of origin (PDO) status from the European Union with the strict requirement of at least 70% sheep’s milk and 30% goat milk. Personally, I like the extra zing of eating feta packaged in brine. Besides the source of milk used to make the feta, how and where it is made, along with how it is aged, is important to determine its PDO status.
Today you can find all types of feta, like French feta or Bulgarian feta. Even Costco and Trader Joe’s sell feta. Most likely they are made with different ratios of cow or sheep milk and must but must be named something other than Greek feta. Costco feta goes by the name Organic Feta and is 100% sheep milk. Trader Joe’s feta is named Trader Joe’s Authentic Greek feta, and is made from sheep milk and imported from Greece. However, Trader Joe’s Crumbled Feta hails from Wisconsin.
Unlike Swiss cheese, which was originally known as Emmentaler cheese, or American cheese (which is not really cheese at all), feta has always been known as feta and is really a Greek cheese going way back in time to when Polyphemos, the one-eyed cyclops in Homer’s Odyssey, was believed to make feta.
It’s wonderful that feta is now so easily accessible because it’s my favorite breakfast: a piece of bread with a chunk of feta drizzled with a little olive oil on top and a sprinkle of oregano. The only thing that would make my breakfast even better would be a side of my grandma’s home-made french fries.
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Each issue we will publish a photograph from our neighborhood. This photo of the patriotic squirrel restaurant was submitted by John Bazz. This is Bluff Heights, of course we have squirrel restaurants with picnic tables and fresh fruit.
If you have photos that highlight the beauty and uniqueness of our neighborhood, please send them to info@bluffheights.org
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Long Beach Pride Parade
The City of Long Beach is thrilled to host the vibrant 41st Annual Long Beach Pride Parade, a spectacular event celebrating diversity and unity within the LGBTQ+ community.
This year’s theme, “The Rhythm of the Rainbow,” invites participants from all walks of life to contribute to the colorful expressions of pride and resilience. Find more information HERE.
Sunday, May 19, starting at 10:00 AM Location: E. Ocean Blvd between
Lindero Ave and Alamitos Ave
The 4th of July Block Party
July 4th is just a few short weeks from now and it is now time to remind you to mark your calendars and join the celebration on Vista between Obispo and Orizaba. There will all your old favorites, including Uncle Sam, pet parade, bike parade, water balloon toss, cake walk and chili tasting competition. This year we are adding additional activities for kids and we are hoping to add a Farmers Market with free tomato plants if we receive the second grant we are applying for.
Please consider donating a cake for the Cake Walk and/or making your favorite chili (vegan or meat) for the Chili Contest. We are in the process of collecting items (gift cards and items for gift baskets) for our popular raffle. Please also consider donating items or sponsoring an event with your financial support.
See you on the 4th!
Backyard Bounty
The second Sunday of the month is Backyard Bounty day in Bluff Heights. Share the bounty from your backyard by placing it in front of your house. Take a walk through the neighborhood, get a little exercise, and enjoy the bounty. Find the label HERE.
Sunday, June 9 and July 14, starting at 9:00 AM
Fresh Produce at Local Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets and farm stands are great places to browse, sample, and buy fresh produce and handmade products. Visit the market at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Avenue) every Tuesday starting at 3:00 PM and every Saturday starting at 9:00 AM
Find more details HERE.
Saving Water Is the Long Beach Way
As we face unprecedented drought across California, we all need to do our part to conserve water. HERE is a flyer from the Long Beach Water Department outlining the new rules. Find more information on water conservation HERE.
Is it Time to Trim your Waste-Line?
It's really simple to trim your "Waste-Line!" All you need to do is collect your e-waste, hazardous waste, and/or old tire waste and bring it to one of three local collection centers under the conditions set by the City of Long Beach on this flyer.
You will feel much lighter now that you took care of those extra notches on your Waste-Line! Doesn't being a loser feel good?
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STAY INFORMED ON CITY AND DISTRICT NEWS
District 2 - Councilwoman Cindy Allen
(562) 570-2222
LBPD Blotter
On March 17 2022, the Long Beach Police Department debuted a new tool for the Long Beach community to access information about police activity and investigations.
To view this new community resource, and other Police Department information, please visit the LBPD Homepage and LBPD News.
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PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES,
ESPECIALLY OUR SPONSORS
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Ms. Theresa Marino
aka
Theresa on 3rd
Neighborhood Advocate & A Neighbor Who Cares
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Coastal Real Estate Experts
Stephen W. Sutton | stephensuttonrealtor@gmail.com
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The Bicycle Stand
Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital
Dr. James Dohn
Flamin Curry
Gallagher's Pub and Grill
Granny's Donuts
Hot Java
Hug Life Ice Cream
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Hug Life Ice Cream
La Parolaccia Osteria
Nice Alterations and Tailoring
Park Pantry
TC Raw Eats
Tru Nature Juice Bar
Syndicate Barber Shop
The Wine Crush
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Click HERE to inquire about showing support in our newsletter. | |
YES, I'M A SUPPORTER!
The Bluff Heights Neighborhood and Historic District is a great place to live. Your $10 of support will go a long way toward making your neighborhood even better through our communication outlets, community events, and critical activities!
THANK YOU to all the neighbors who have already donated!
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DO YOU KNOW A LONG BEACH LEGEND OR A BUSINESS WE SHOULD FEATURE?
SEND US STORY IDEAS!
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