These photos are from a Bottle Share we attended yesterday at Sophie\’s Place in Redondo Beach. The event was put on by Adam\’s Fine Wine and Liquor which is also located in Redondo Beach. I became aware of the event as I happened to meet one of the owners of Sophie\’s Place a couple weeks ago, one thing lead to another and we linked up via Facebook. When I first heard about the event it sounded interesting enough, but I had never attended a bottle share before so I was not sure what to expect. As the event date drew closer a few beer names started appearing on the list. When I saw that someone was bringing some Three Floyds beer, I knew I had to attend.
So, what is a bottle share? Well, a bottle share is when a bunch of people get together, each bringing a nice bottle or two of their favorite beers, then everyone shares what they brought so people can try something new. I am not sure how many people came, but it was probably 20 or 30. Between all of us, this is the list of beers that were brought.
These photos are from our third Business N Beer gathering that we had last night at Monkish Brewing Company, in Torrance. We had a very nice group of people that showed up and it was our biggest group to date with about 17 or 18 attendees. The interesting thing, for me anyway, was that the group consisted of a few people from our first gathering at Select Beer Store; there were a few from our gathering last week at Abigaile and there were many people that were attending for the first time. As I looked around at our group it was hard to believe that most of the people did not know each other prior to their coming to Business N Beer. It was pretty cool to watch and listen as there was business being done.
It seemed that most of the attendees had never been to Monkish Brewing before, so I was quite happy to introduce them to the wonderful Belgian style ales and beer that Henry produces and it seemed most of the newcomers opted for taster flights, which is a great idea. Especially when trying a beer for the first time. With eight different offerings, Henry probably has something you will like. I like them all.
So, next week, August 2, we will be at Strand Brewing Company, also in Torrance. Strand Brewing is another micro brewery, which means they do not serve food. You can bring outside food in or have it delivered. I hope to see you there, and if you \”Like\” our Facebook page or sign up for our email list on BusinessNBeer.com you can keep in the loop for our upcoming events. If you enjoy craft beer and networking with other business owners, you are going to really enjoy our gatherings. I promise. Continue reading
Today we went to Ortega 120 in Redondo Beach for another Networking at Noon. I am sure it was pure coincidence that the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) scheduled two Networking at Noon events this month with the second one falling on National Tequila Day, and Ortega 120 boasting over 120 different kinds of tequila. I know I was not complaining. I have been to Ortega 120 a couple times, both being on Cinco de Mayo, so it was always really crowded. Going there for lunch gave me the opportunity to look around and check out the decor; it is pretty cool. The food is good too. Naturally, if you enjoy tequila, you have to go there at least once. Come for the tequila, stay for the food. They make tortillas right there on site. They are so good.
One of the owners, Demi Stevens, gave us a little history of Ortega 120 and after hearing it, you have to admire her business savvy. As usual, everyone got an opportunity to give their 30 second sales pitch, which I again devoted to BUSINSSnBEER. We also gave away two certificates for a free beer at one of the upcoming events. I was happy to see the interest BUSINSSnBEER seems to be getting. Will see how many show up Thursday at Monkish Brewing. Continue reading
Today we headed over to the Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrance to take a few nature photos. The Madrona Marsh is what they call a vernal marsh in that it gets its water solely from rain; or melting snow, but primarily from rain around here. It is the last vernal marsh in the South Bay, and is one of the few wetlands in Los Angeles County. As it is July 21, the marsh is not very marshy but there are still some interesting things to photograph.
The last time I went to Madrona Marsh was back when I was the leader of my son\’s Tiger Cubs den in the Cub Scouts. Of course, then we had a guide to help point things out. The Madrona Marsh is free to visit but they do have guided tours as well. It is something that can be fun for the entire family. Check out the Friends of Madrona Marsh website for more information. Continue reading
Last night we had our second Business N Beer gathering; this time at The Brewery at Abigaile in Hermosa Beach, CA. Abigaile is a brewpub that currently offers five really nice brews with the Full Nelson, an XPA, being my current favorite. The Brewery\’s brewmaster, Brian Brewer, came over and talked beer with our group. I know several mentioned that they enjoyed the experience. This week we had a few more people show up than last week, but it was an entirely different group of people. This shows me that our networking group will grow and as people return to subsequent events they will meet new people. That is what it is all about.
I want to thank the entire staff of Abigaile for the pleasant experience, especially our server, Travis and of course Brian for spending some time with our group. I\’d also like to thank everyone that came out and I hope to see you at our next event on July 26 at Monkish Brewing in Torrance. Monkish Brewing will be the first of several micro breweries we will be visiting. Continue reading
These photos are from SummerFest 2012, Manhattan Beach Young Professionals (MBYP) 2nd Annual Beer & Music Festival which was held yesterday, July 14, 2012. The event, which was held at Raleigh Studios and was sponsored by Chevron, was a fundraiser for the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce and the PS I Love You Foundation. The event was a blast, seriously; we had so much fun. As you look through the photos you can see that everyone seemed to be having as good a time as we did.
The great beer, food and music were surpassed only by the beautiful people, vibe and weather. The combination made this event the kind I enjoy photographing the most. I would like to thank the MBYP for the invitation, the sponsors for the fantastic food and libations and to all the attendees for helping make my photos turn out so well. Speaking of photos, you may have noticed there are a lot of them. For ease, you might want to click the slideshow link above the photos, click the full-screen icon, grab a beer, sit back and enjoy. Each photo is displayed for 2-3 seconds.
These photos were sponsored by BUSINESSnBEER.com; the new networking group that supports local business, local brewers and American craft beer. No dues, no rules, just networking with other business owners that enjoy great beers. Continue reading
Thursday morning, Tanya and I headed out to Beverly Hills and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to visit a new rheumatologist, Dr. Mariko Ishimori, MD. After Tanya\’s last experience with Dr. Forouzesh she decided that she could not handle the stress of having a doctor that changed attitudes and commentary with each visit. The fact that he had been giving her Cimzia as samples that were already allocated to other patients was the straw that broke the camel\’s back. I was not really sure what to expect as we entered the Steven Spielberg Building and our introduction to Dr. Ishimori.
As it was our first visit, I will not go into much depth other that to say that there were additional blood tests ran and an appointment with an endocrinologist was set to check out the issues she is having with glands in her neck. I will make a few observations though. For one thing, Dr. Ishimori\’s office ran with clock-like precision. When they say an appointment will start at 10:20 and will lat an hour, it actually starts at 10:20 and lasts an hour. Confidential patient files were not lying all over the counter at Dr. Ishimori\’s office. Everyone acted quite professional. I remember thinking that is was almost like Spielberg was directing everything so that there was this precision.
Dr. Ishimori not only took the time to take a very extensive history of Tanya\’s past, but she did something I never saw Dr. Forouzesh do; she actually took the time to feel and look at all of Tanya\’s joints. Hands, elbows, toes, knees, neck and whatever else that moved. Contrary to Dr. Forouzesh\’s assessment that the Cimzia was not going to work, Dr. Ishimori determined that the Cimzia seemed to be doing exactly what it should be doing. That is why a visit with an endocrinologist was set up; perhaps there is more going on than just the RAD (Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease). Continue reading
The Business N Beer networking group had our first get-together last night at Select Beer Store in Redondo Beach, and I have to say, I was very happy with the turnout. Even though there were last minute cancellations by some, we still had 10 people show up. Even though I was the only one that knew everyone, the people that did show up immediately began introducing themselves and it looked like a group of old friends talking over a nice beer.
We had a real estate agent, insurance agent, merchant processing, telecommunications and the IT sector represented and I heard several conversations with almost everyone seeming to have made at least one new business lead. It proved that the concept of doing business over a beer was a pretty good idea. I even had one gentleman come over and ask what Business N Beer was; hopefully he will show up at a future gathering.
Business N Beer is a networking group that meets every Thursday evening at 6 PM at a different location in the South Bay. The goal is to network with other business owners in an informal setting while supporting local business, local brewers and American craft beer. Next week we will meet at The Brewery at Abigaile in Hermosa Beach. I have been told by the owner of The Brewery that there will be something special for our group, so this is one you do not want to miss. You can get full details for that event as well as the others that are currently scheduled at BusinessNBeer.com. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading
Today was the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce\’s (TACC) July Networking at Noon; this time held at Lisa\’s Bon Appetit located at 3511 Pacific Coast Hwy in Torrance, CA. Lisa\’s Bon Appetit is a catering service that also has a cafe for dining in, as well as a banquet room (which we used) and a bakery. They have been in Torrance for 33 years, so obviously they are doing something right. I can tell you that their french dip was nice and I really liked the bread on Tanya\’s sandwich. Everything is made there from scratch, so as you can imagine the desserts were pretty amazing.
I used my 30 second introduction to invite everyone to Business N Beer and we gave away two certificates for a free beer at any one of our Business N Beer meet ups. Hopefully a few will show up Thursday at our first event being held at Select Beer Store. We may have found a new source for printing, so networking is bringing new business. Continue reading