Every once in a while I write an article that I know ahead of time is going to upset some people; I am relatively confident there will be those that are not going to like this article. I am okay with that and apologize ahead of time if you don\’t approve of my thoughts.
A couple months ago, at a Torrance City Council meeting, there was a topic of discussion regarding a free \”summer\” concert series that runs from January through October on Saturday evenings from 6:00-9:00 PM at the courtyard on Cabrillo by El Prado. Since the event is sponsored by BFD Buffalo Fire Department and The Depot restaurants and the owner, Chef Shafer, is known for his support of local charities it was pretty open and shut as to whether or not the City of Torrance would grant Shafer the permit he requested to hold these concerts.
When it came time for public comments there was one gentleman that lives somewhere in the courtyard complex and he came complaining about the noise. Naturally, Shafer had the deck stacked against the guy as he had customers come in and talk about how much they enjoyed the concerts. What I found odd was the one young lady that said she lived a couple blocks away and could hear the music, but wished it was louder so she could hear it better. Continue reading
These photos are from Chef Shafer\’s 17th Annual Halloween Ball, benefiting the Pediatric Therapy Network which was held yesterday in Old Torrance. Chef Shafer is the owner of The Depot and Buffalo Fire Department restaurants, both located in downtown Torrance. He was also the recipient of this year\’s Torrance Citizen of the Year Award and I suspect that this event is one of the reasons he was presented with this honor. Chef Shafer said when he started this fundraiser there were less than 50 attendees and he was able to host it in his restaurant. Yesterday\’s event had more than 750 attendees and required several tents out together which took an entire block of Cabrillo Avenue.
Besides the costume party, live musical entertainment and dinner there were a couple of auctions and some raffles to help raise monies for the Pediatric Therapy Network (PTN). There were four tables of items available in the silent auction which offered everything from beer to a big screen TV. It was obvious that by the end of the night a very large sum was raised for the PTN and judging by the photos, everyone had a great time.
The Pediatric Therapy Network is a Torrance located non-profit children\’s therapy center founded by therapists and parents committed to providing quality services for children with special needs. Their ambassadors seemed to enjoy the event as much as everyone enjoyed having them there. This was my first time attending, but I have a feeling it will not be my last. Continue reading
Thursday afternoon, Mayor Frank Scotto gave his 2012 State of the City Address at the Marriott Hotel in Torrance, CA. It was a very well attended event that included not only Mayor Scotto\’s State of the City Address, but also included a presentation of the Torrance Citizen of the Year Award to Chef Michael Shafer, owner of The Depot restaurant in Torrance; as well as a special award to Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce (TACC) President and CEO, Donna Duperron to recognize her involvement and work with the Chamber and the City of Torrance.
As this was a part of the City of Torrance Centennial Celebration, there was a short video talking about the history of Torrance as well as where the city is headed. Mayor Scotto\’s address followed up on this and while Torrance has had some issues in recent years, and there continue to be some hurdles to overcome, the future looks great. As a long time resident, it was good to hear.
I have donated the watermark to the Rheumatoid Patient Foundation to help bring awareness to the only charity specifically for RA/RAD. Continue reading