Eat & Drink

16 Favorite Sweets from Long Beach’s Favorite Sweet Shops!

By Kathleen Mest Photos by Monique Kuhlman Last year’s *LB908 March Madness: Sweet Tooth Edition brought a sweet victory to Simone’s Donuts. A favorite of ours for many years and obviously for many others in the community. How many of us have brought a box of donuts to work, grabbed a ham & cheese croissant or a midnight treat? Raise your hand! But to find out what the most popular sweet treats are, I asked each of our LB908 March Madness “Sweet Sixteen” top finalists, “What’

“Nauti or Nice” Holiday Pop-Up Bar is Back at Port City Tavern

By John Grossi | Photos submitted by Port City Tavern Port City Tavern has become one of the most popular neighborhood bars in Long Beach since it opened in 2020, thanks in part to their cocktail program, events, and overall creativity when it comes to curating local fun. But owner, Dylan Davis, and his young group of energetic and talented staff, especially show-off during the holidays. Sticking true to their year-round Long Beach “Port City” pride, “Nauti or Nice” is a naut

Community

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE: VOLUNTEER CLEANUP GROUPS AROUND LONG BEACH

By Monique Garcia Photos by Craig Van Sickle “This is our neighborhood. This is your neighborhood… join us,” invites Cascia Lutz, volunteer lead with Clean Streets United, a volunteer-led community group. We love to think of Long Beach as a big city with small-town vibes, and in many ways, that’s true. But with all its charm and energy, Long Beach is still a big city and sometimes needs a helping hand keeping it clean. That’s where our amazing volunteer neighborhood and beach

4 days ago

Events

INTRODUCING THE 908 HOLIDAY FAIR

This year, we’re throwing our first ever Holiday Fair in East Long Beach. The two-day fair, from 12pm-5pm on November 29th and 30th, will be located in the expansive 3rd story event space in Sports Basement on Bellflower Blvd. Inside a festive atmosphere, the fun will include a large small business gift market, live holiday music from local school choirs and musical groups, delicious food and drink, Santa Claus, lots of photo opps, and multi-cultural, holiday-themed crafts fo

Nov 26, 2025

908 DAY: DEALS ALL OVER LONG BEACH!

September 8th is 908 DAY! A CITYWIDE CELEBRATION OF LONG BEACH! Join the annual celebration of hometown pride all over Long Beach! You...

Aug 7, 2025

Things to Do

Non-Profit

A Message From Long Beach Rescue Mission President, Jeff Levine

Written By Jeff Levine Jeff Levine As we step into a new year, I find myself reflecting on the idea of “New Year’s resolutions.” They represent our best intentions—hopes for growth, healing, and change. January invites us to pause, to look honestly at where we have been and where we long to go. And yet, we all know how easily good intentions can fall short. Beneath that reality is a deeper truth we all share: while the desire for renewal is real, lasting change requires fidel

2025 BIG BANG ON THE BAY RAISES OVER $100,000 FOR LOCAL NON-PROFITS

Photos and Story submitted by the Eminent Giving Initiative This past July, the iconic community block party and fireworks show lit up the sky over Alamitos Bay. The summertime tradition of Big Bang on the Bay has made a lasting and charitable impact on the city of Long Beach. “This year’s Big Bang on the Bay was nothing short of extraordinary, considering the obstacles we had to endure to make it happen,” says event producer Shane Hardy, and founder of Eminent Giving Initiat

Music, Arts, & Entertainment

Heart to Heart

Through all kinds of music, Alexa and Justin Haynes-Pilon are side by side onstage and off If music be the food of love, Alexa and Justin Haynes-Pilon play on. The couple will be featured in Musica Angelica’s concerts in the First Congregational Church of Long Beach on Jan. 31 (repeated in the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles on Feb. 1), and the title of the concert seems to refer directly to them: "Valentine to the Viola da Gamba" They’ll be playing the viola d

6 days ago

Youth Activities

Photo of Rockett Academy submitted by LBFD

ROCKETT ACADEMY: INSPIRING AND PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION FOR A CAREER IN EMERGENCY SERVICES

By Brittany Hart Scholten The Darren Rockett Youth Cadet Program (AKA Rockett Academy), named in honor of firefighter Darren Rockett, has become a unique program for young people in Long Beach and surrounding cities. It gives teens unprecedented hands-on experience and shows them that careers in emergency services are within reach, even for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Photo of Rockett Academy submitted by LBFD “The biggest goal for me is just that they gain confiden

COME ONE, COME ALL! NEURODIVERGENT, NONVERBAL, IN A WHEELCHAIR, CEREBRAL PALSY, DOWN SYNDROME, YOUNG OR OLD… ANYONE WHO’S BEEN TURNED AWAY ELSEWHERE… YOU ARE WELCOME AT MIXED MIRACLE ARTS.

By John Grossi There’s a magical place in the northeast corner of Long Beach where the benefits of martial arts are available to...

Health, Faith, and Wellness

Life is Great

in the 908

Shop our Merch

Just For Laughs

4TH OF JULY HUMOR

4TH OF JULY WEEKEND MEME DUMP

Shop Small

Let's Meet Our "Life is Great in the 908" Winter Subscription Box Vendors

By Kathleen Mest Photos submitted by businesses Our LB908 mission has always been to support our local small businesses. Our “Life is Great in the 908” Subscription Box is delivered directly to your home and is always a surprise! Introducing our local vendors from our January 2026 Subscription Box! These businesses aren’t just about products, the products reflect the local people behind them! OH.MY.DATES. Website: eatohmydates.com Instagram: @ eatohmydates OH.MY.DATES. is a s

1 day ago

Business & Professional Services

ALWAYS READY TO PARTY: TEAM THOMPSON RENTALS

By John Grossi Photo by Monique Kuhlman Oh *$%! Our party’s next week! What do we do? If you live in Long Beach and need last-minute tables, chairs, linens—or maybe even an entire party planned with food, music, location-design and coordination—you call TEAM THOMPSON RENTALS! Run by long-time locals Nick and Lexi Thompson, Team Thompson Rentals is here to make planning your party as easy as possible. They pride themselves on being available 24/7 and SPECIALIZING in last-minut

Beautify For The Holidays at Long Beach’s Own Sugar Cove!

By Brittany Hart Scholten | Photo by Monique Kuhlman Friendship, persistence, and community strength are all behind the story of Sugar Cove. Over 12 years ago, Kara Connell and Kelly Bockrath (best friends, roommates, and Long Beach locals) opened the shop together in Belmont Shore. The idea for Sugar Cove was born out of their enthusiasm for spray tans. “We were obsessed with spray tans,” shares Kara. In the early 2010s, they were driving to Cerritos since there were no loc

Human Interest

Schools & Education

CHILDCARE OPTIONS: THE BEST GIFT FOR PARENTS OF LITTLE ONES

Early learning and childcare can’t be wrapped in a one-size-fits-all package. So this holiday season, give yourself the gift of choice! The Long Beach Early Learning Hub, an online platform that connects daycares and preschools to local parents, was not only built to showcase the many options available in Long Beach, it was especially created to showcase the difference in parent’s choice, so that parents can find one that fits the parameters that matter most to them. Whether

COLLABORATIVE CO-TEACHING MODEL: BRINGING LONG BEACH STUDENTS OF ALL ABILITIES TOGETHER

By Brittany Hart Scholten There’s a lot of talk about neurodiversity these days and Long Beach Unified has employed an inclusive...

LB History

How Long Beach Rotary Founded A Park In the Middle Of Long Beach

By Natalie Hale Photos submitted by Rotary Club of Long Beach Tucked into a quiet stretch near Pacific Coast Highway and Junipero Avenue, Rotary Centennial Park is a safe and welcoming green space for nearby residents, families, walkers, and children at play. For two decades, it has been part of the neighborhood—familiar, reliable, and quietly cared for. Created in 2005 as part of Rotary International’s centennial celebration, the park transformed what had long been an unused

1 day ago

Homes &
Real Estate

Preparing For Anything: Easy Steps To Be Disaster Ready in LB

By Brittany Hart Scholten Photo by Justin Rudd Jake Heflin, Battalion Chief When someone picks up the phone and dials 911, they are placing their absolute trust in the people who will show up at their door. “This could be the worst or most vulnerable day of their life. They open the door to firefighters, who are complete strangers, and invite them into their most personal space to take care of them and their family.” Jake Heflin, Battalion Chief for the Long Beach Fire Depart

Innov8 Home Builder. Your Local, Boutique Contractor

By John Grossi | Photo by Monique Kuhlman Innovation. nnovation sounds great, but when it comes to taking the leap, it can be downright scary. Especially when you’re talking about your own home. Your own money. Your own life. Everyone has an idea of their “dream home.” But how do you know whether it’s the right time to completely transform the home you’re “comfortable in” to the home you’ve always wanted? According to General Contractor Takis Bilios, it’s not just knowing th