Sheldrake Coffee Roasting celebrated its 50th anniversary on Sept. 30, with owner Mike Sheldrake as representatives from government dignitaries presented certificates honoring the milestone.
Long ago, I learned the secret to a great cup of Joe is not fresh ground but freshly roasted beans. The aroma of the more than 100-year-old roaster at work serves as my personal alert to head over to Sheldrake, 4606 Second St. Sheldrake Coffee Roasting is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Dean Anthony Salon
Dean Anthony Salon on Second Street, in Belmont Shore, will move at the end of the month.
The salon will temporarily relocate to its sister location, Salon Drew, on Nov. 3, according to a sign on the door.
The salon is a high‑end, education‑driven hair shop known for precision cutting, advanced color work, blonding, extensions and corrective color. For more information, go to deananthonylb.com.
Halloween cocktails
The Haunting at The Ordinarie has an all-new lineup of spooky cocktails, collectible mugs and vintage Halloween oddities. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
Halloween carolers sing at Pete’s Spookeasy at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
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The Haunting at The Ordinarie has an all-new lineup of spooky cocktails, collectible mugs and vintage Halloween oddities. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
When the hot weather means pumpkin spice hot drinks are no longer a priority, cold drinks have become the seasons go-to.
Here are a few of my favorite haunts in October:
Dead Man’s Cove at Port City Tavern on Anaheim Street, near Ximeno Avenue, is a Halloween pop‑up bar.
The pop-up features a full transformation with fog, lanterns, shipwreck prop, and a themed cocktail menu built around rum, tiki‑inspired drinks, smoky presentations and “cursed” variations of its regular craft cocktails.
Pete’s Spookeasy at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach is the hotel’s Halloween‑season transformation of Pete’s Sunset Grille Hyatt. Pete’s Spookeasy seems to have the best Halloween-themed food around. The annual Halloween event started as an employee recognition for staffers — and morphed into a monthlong food, drink and entertainment event.
The Haunting at The Ordinarie on The Promenade in downtown is a dark cocktail pop-up from the same team behind our Christmas Miracle experience. There is an all-new lineup of spooky cocktails, collectible mugs, vintage Halloween oddities and plenty of eerie surprises throughout the bar. The owner and his family decorate every corner themselves, and this year its bigger, stranger and spookier than ever.
Bamboo Club transforms into The Tremble Club for Halloween. Located on Anaheim Street, it has two of the popular cocktails. First is the Perfect Specimen, made with Brugal 1888 Rum, juices and a dark rum float. It is served bubbling with a creepy baby doll head garnish. Second is the Soylent Green, an international cocktail that should include a rideshare home. It has tequila, cachaça, absinthe and alcoholic coconut boba.
Roxanne’s on Warlow will host a Halloween Holiday Cocktail/Mocktail making class on Oct. 17.
2nd & PCH shopping center
Brodard Vietnamese Cuisine officially opened Oct. 1.
It is best known for its signature nem nướng cuốn — an absolutely amazing spring roll featuring a salted grilled pork patty wrapped in rice paper, with fresh herbs and vegetables. I remember picking up a trayful once from the Fountain Valley location. My car broke down on the way home and I ended up tipping the AAA driver in spring rolls — the driver was thrilled and got me back on the road in record time.
Pura Vida Miami, in the 2nd & PCH shopping center, has a health steak-and-eggs dish, served with avocados. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
Another new spot at the 2nd & PCH shopping center is Pura Vida Miami, which I didn’t think I was hip enough to dine at. The new all‑day café faces Marina Drive, and initially, it always seemed to have diners that looked chic in yoga pants. Frankly, I thought most people just ordered their highly rated smoothies on their way to a massage or spa treatment in the center.
I was wrong.
Last week, I went in for breakfast and General Manager Richlee Harley suggested I try the steak and eggs. Expecting a classic diner breakfast, I was pleasantly surprised with hard boiled eggs, sliced lean beef and avocado slices artistically arranged on a plate.
It also has a pastry case with a large selection of sinful treats — try the gluten free cookies.
VisitLB honored
Meet Long Beach has been voted the best convention and visitors bureau) in the far West for a record 10th consecutive time, taking home the gold in the industry’s Stella Awards.
The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center also took home the gold, winning for the ninth time in its history.
“No other CVB has won a Stella so many times, let alone taken home the award 10 years in a row,” Samantha Mehlinger, vice president of communications and marketing, wrote in an email.
If you want to check out what “out of towners” see when researching Long Beach as a destination, go to visitlongbeach.com.