House You Can Afford ▸ Just Good Fun in Long Beach CA

Maybe Spend Your Aloha Friday, Saturday, Sunday Golfing?

Jun 21 2013 Comments

Celebrate Aloha Friday through golfing near Long Beach homesA treasure trove of golf courses are located near your Long Beach home and though Hawaiian shirts may not be the norm at most of them, you’ll definitely find the Aloha spirit. On the green you’ll see people taking turns amicably, friends greeted warmly, and above all you’ll experience the beauty of the sunshine and ocean breeze. It may not be the Ko’olau or Kapalua Golf Course, but Long Beach certainly carries some weight when it comes to hitting the links.

Great Long Beach Golf Courses – The Perfect Aloha Friday Activity

When those who work and live in Long Beach talk public golf courses, the five listed below rank pretty highly.

    • Bixby Village Golf Course, located at 6180 Bixby Village Drive
    • El Dorado Park Golf Club , located at 2400 North Studebaker Road
    • Recreation Park South, located at 5000 East 7th Street
    • Skylinks Golf Course, located at 4800 East Wardlow Road
    • Heartwell Golf Course, located at 6700 East Carson Street

In terms of private courses in Long Beach, top on the list is Virginia Country Club, located at 4602 North Virginia Road. However, Old Ranch Country Club, located at 3901 Lampson Avenue in Seal Beach is pretty popular, too.

If golf is not your thing, don’t worry because there is plenty of exploration you can do near your Long Beach home. Take a look at my 10 Summer Adventures Near Long Beach homes post and have a great Aloha weekend!

 

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10 Amazing Summer Adventures Near Long Beach Homes

Jun 20 2013 1 Comment

Enjoy Summer Fun Near Long Beach HomesThis post is dedicated to parents with Long Beach homes who seek to answer the statement, “I’m Bored” this summer. I hope these activities and places will help you to embrace your local community and teach your children who live in Long Beach the value of their surroundings!

Exploring Adventures Near Long Beach Homes

1. Played Frisbee Golf Lately? El Dorado Park West, at 2800 Studebaker Road, has a great FREE course that is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The perfect way to exercise and test skills as a family, this nearly 6,000 foot, 18 basket course will build some solid memories! call 562.570.3100 to find out more.

2. Need to Cool Off? The Belmont Plaza Pool,  Martin Luther King Jr. Park Pool, and Silverado Park Pool offer admission for kids and seniors for $3 or less and $4 for adults all summer for morning or afternoon swimming. Click here to find out more.

3. Tennis Anyone? Were you aware that more than ten tennis courts are available for no-cost play near your Long Beach home? Of course you could also choose to pay $6/hr Monday through Thursday and play at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, as well.  Learn more here.

4. Want More General Play? The City of Long Beach offers Summer Fun Days at most local parks, too.  From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids between 5 and 12 years of age can stop in for crafts, games, and other supervised, structured, free activities. Check the list here to see if the park near your Long Beach home is participating.

5. Lots of Camp Options, too! Long Beach kids can sign up for all types of day camps, for a fee, too. Click here to see.

6. Camp Is Not Just For Kids! Adults can find classes throughout Long Beach too, from yoga and fitness to sewing and ceramics, many options are available. See the online class catalog – page 16 is where the adult classes begin!

7. Ready for Some Music? The Long Beach Municipal Band has concerts scheduled at local parks throughout July. See dates, times and places here.

8. Jump in the Ocean or Visit the Sea Fest! The Long Beach Sea Festival has plenty to offer at well all summer long, you can view scheduled events online at their website.

9. Interested in Nature? Walk the trails or visit the Nature Center at El Dorado Park this summer and learn some fascinating things!

10. For a daily list of Long Beach happenings, visit 100 Days of Summer and find even more fun to do near Long Beach homes!

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Say Aloha Near the House You Can Afford

Jun 14 2013 2 Comments

Celebrate Aloha Friday with Ric Dizon and the house you can affordThis weekend is a time to celebrate fathers everywhere, and here are some fun events to consider near the house you can afford in Long Beach. If you’re still wondering about gift ideas, check out my Father’s Day post, which lists ideas to have Dad feeling the Aloha spirit in no time!

Long Beach Events Near the House You Can Afford

Come down to the beach on Saturday evening for some sunset movie fun at 5825 East Appian Way where families can settle in for some low-key, aloha-styled family fun watching the Lorax outdoors, away from their Belmont Heights homes. The movie and parking are free, so bring some lawn chairs and blankets and a little money for kettle corn to enjoy on your night out. Click here for a map of the location.

Sunday, June 16th is the perfect day to join in the hunt for fabulous finds for the house you can afford at the Long Beach Antique Market, unless you have something special planned for Dad! Held all day long in Long Beach Veterans Stadium, located at 4901 East Conant Street, you can peruse more than 800 vendors, in your search for the perfect eclectic item for your Long Beach home. From nautical and Hawaiian treasures to bikes, vintage clothing and furniture, you’ll be delighted with the selection. Visit their website to learn more.

As always, if you see a Long Beach home you are interested in learning more about on my website, give me a call. I can help you determine how much house you can afford and maybe even find the perfect Los Altos home for you!

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Enjoy the Aloha Spirit with a Dive Expo Near Long Beach Homes

Jun 7 2013 Comments

Long Beach homes Celebrate Aloha Friday with Ric DizonThis weekend, on Saturday, June 8th and Sunday, 9th divers will gather from their Long Beach homes (and all around the world) to attend the largest Dive and SCUBA Expo in the United States! Celebrating 26 years, the 2013 Scuba Show brings hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of dive enthusiasts to the Long Beach Convention Center. Diving professionals share their knowledge at seminars, a film festival will entertain, and tons of prizes will be awarded, as well. Learn more at the SCUBA Show.

If you’d like a less crowded, but just as informative free activity near Long Beach homes, pay a visit to Rancho Los Alamitos. With over 4 acres of beautiful gardens, animals, historic blacksmith shop and barns, you’ll find plenty to do. Located at 6400 Bixby Hill Road and open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, a step back in time at the Rancho will sooth your soul and teach you about Tongva village of Povuu’ngna.

Of course with the beautiful weather near Long Beach homes, it seems like a bicycle ride could be the perfect weekend event, too! Look for the Shop, Dine, BIKE Long Beach stickers in local restaurants and take advantage of “biker discounts.” Visit BikeLongBeach.org to view maps and suggested bike routes, like this easy, historic Bluffs ride, which will show you the many treasures near Long Beach homes.

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Embracing Aloha at Home in Long Beach

May 31 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday with Ric Dizon and your home in Long BeachIt’s time to welcome another Aloha Friday and I, Ric Dizon, sincerely hope it has YOU enjoying your home in Long Beach! An energetic and vibrant community, there is always something to do in Long Beach! Listed below are a couple of family events that caught my eye – both will provide an opportunity to enjoy a sea breeze, too. Think Aloha and enjoy your weekend!

This Saturday, June 1st marks the first Long Beach Sea Festival Kickoff Extravaganza at Marina Green Park on Shoreline Drive. From 1 to 7 p.m., you’ll learn about Sea Festival events held near your home in Long Beach from now through September! They’ll be bringing in the food trucks and live music (Knyght Ryder will be playing) and crafts, jumpers, bubbles and face painting will round out the fun. Even better, Disney’s Finding Nemo will be shown at sunset.

Sunday’s Bully Free Zone picnic at Houghton Park’s Skate Park brings together volunteers, residents, local vendors and sponsors who live in Long Beach and are committed to autism awareness. There will be face-painting, a large collection of skate and sports demos, as well as an arts and crafts area open from 12 to 5 p.m. An area of retreat for children (and adults) who become overstimulated will also be provided. Authors and speakers will offer suggestions on handling bullying, too! Learn about it at the Autism Long Beach website.

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Ric’s Top 10 Gifts for Dads Who Live in Long Beach

May 28 2013 4 Comments

Ric's Top 10 Gifts for Dads 2013It’s time – Father’s Day is June 16th this year – and that means it’s time for Ric’s Top 10 Gifts for Dads Who Live in Long Beach! You love your dad, but shopping for him can be so hard! Here are a few gift ideas you can find online as you consider what to purchase near your Long Beach home.

Ric’s Top 10 Gifts For Dad

10. For a modern and healthy twist on a classic wallet, think steel and get Dad the sleek, stainless steel Zippo wallet. He’ll be styling whenever he goes out.

9. If your dad enjoys grilling in the backyard of his Long Beach home, you’ve got to get him a Grillbot. Save him the hassle of cleaning the grill all year long with this entertaining gadget!

8. A tech-y Dad who lives in Long Beach and likes the outdoors will appreciate an Uco Arka LED Lantern. It’s a lantern, a flashlight, and also has a USB port so he can charge his phone or laptop while camping – simply amazing!

7. Got a a Dad who loves fishing? The Kombo Fish Tool is a great gift and has Aloha style, too! Complete with a fish bonker, a filet knife, a scooper, and a sharpener all wrapped up in a day-glo green shell, it’s hard to find a better gift. Did I mention it also floats, too? Genius!

6. To really make Dad’s day, you might consider getting him the complete 40-DVD collection of Clint Eastwood’s films. Featuring classics alongside more recent films, this could set the scene for a great movie marathon! You could even plan to stop by and watch with him, if you live in Long Beach.

5. Is Dad an athlete? Your gift will surely impress if you bring the FitBit FLEX – it combines tech and fitness like no other!

4. Perhaps you have a golfing Dad? Tee time at Skylinks at Long Beach or El Dorado Park are an awesome choice!

3. For the more practical Father a leather iPad case may be the way to go (or a nice pair of shoes).

2. Don’t forget that a gift from the heart is always a good choice, too. So put the kids up to making something really good (the stickier and sweeter, the better!).

All the gifts listed above would make any Dad smile, however, there’s one that will outlast them all, a requirement in Ric’s Top 10 Gifts for Dads. In it you can combine thought and fun, quality and the Aloha Spirit. That’s right – I wasn’t going to miss out on the chance to bring some Aloha into Dad’s life for my number one choice!

1. Whether you choose coconut buttons, loud colors or tame, the gift that’s top on my list that EVERY Dad needs this Father’s Day is an ALOHA Friday Hawaiian Shirt. Ask me where to get the coolest ones so he can wear it in style!

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Memorial Day Weekend Starts With Aloha Friday For Long Beach Homes

May 24 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday & Memorial Day For Long Beach HomesAloha Friday is a celebration of life and embraces honoring those who have gone before, as well. This Memorial Weekend is filled with events that do the same near Long Beach homes. Whether you wish to spend your time honoring troops and loved ones who have served or creating new memories with family and friends, at HouseYouCanAfford.com, we hope you take time to be grateful and remember all that you have.

If you’d like to start off your Memorial Day weekend in a traditional fashion, you can visit the Gold Star Manor Ceremony at Spring Street, near Long Beach homes, just west of Santa Fe Avenue at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 24th. Special guest Major General David Berger, has a stellar Marine Corps history as a 31-year infantry combat veteran and commanding general and will be in attendance. Enter at the gate on Spring or find out more by calling 562.426.7651.

On Saturday, May 25th, families will be congregating at Marina Green Park beginning at 6:30 a.m. to join in the excitement and give back at the Children Today 5k/10k Run Fundraiser. Come see what it’s all about at Shoreline Drive on the Beach Bike Path as they celebrate their 5th year of raising funds for Children Today’s Play House. Registered participants receive a t-shirt and goodie bag at this rain or shine event.

Sunday, May 26th brings another Memorial Day tribute locally as Gold Star Mother Elaine Brattain, speaks at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos at 9:30 a.m. Held in the Liberty Theater, Building 6, at 11200 Lexington Drive, all are welcome with photo ID.

Lastly, the annual “Tolling The Boats” will be held on Monday, May 27th, at 11 a.m. by the U.S. National Submarine Memorial West, as well. Captain Thomas Ishee, commodore of San Diego’s Submarine Squadron 11 will speak and all are invited to attend at 800 Seal Beach Boulevard.

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Plan For Bike Riding Near Long Beach Homes This Aloha Friday

May 17 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday Celebrates Bike Riding Near Long Beach HomesBeautiful skies and warm weather kick off the perfect start to this week’s Aloha Friday near Long Beach homes.

Were you aware that May is National Bike Month? Bike riding provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy the surroundings of the house you can afford and this week the City of Long Beach is sponsoring several events to help you get moving!

On Saturday, May 18th you can take part in a “Lawns to Gardens” FREE bike tour hosted by landscaper Green Genie and the Long Beach Water Department. You’ll see a variety of Belmont Shore home lawns that have been transformed into garden landscapes of thirty Belmont Shore homes. The four hour ride begins at 10 a.m. This is not just a “ride by and point” tour, however, since you can bring all your drought-tolerant landscape questions. You may just discover the answer you need for your Long Beach house you can afford! You must RSVP, so email [email protected] if you’d like to attend.

If learning about water conservation and landscaping ideas is not of interest, but you would still like to bike, you can ride down to the 30th annual Long Beach Pride Celebration. The Bikestation located at the First Street Transit Mall (downtown) will be offering free parking for your bike on Saturday and Sunday during the festivities.

On Sunday, May 19th families of all ages can join in the fun at the Kidical Mass Bixby Knolls with a family neighborhood bike ride from 1 to 3 pm. Meet up at Georgie’s Place, located at 3850 Atlantic, for free ice cream, safety tips, and a Safe Moves Bike Rodeo. Find out more by clicking here, and be sure to wear your helmet!

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Welcoming the Weekend Near Your Long Beach Home with Aloha Friday!

May 10 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday Near Your Long Beach HomeThis Mother’s Day weekend promises to be one of fun in the sun, the perfect way to celebrate an Aloha Friday near your Long Beach home!

Start your Aloha Friday off with free admission to the Long Beach Museum of Art (until 5 p.m.) and a shopping trip to the Farmer’s Market (open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Then venture over to the Annual Rummage Sale held on 3759 Orange Avenue, near your Long Beach home, at Cal Heights United Methodist Church! The rummage sale will give you a chance to find items of interest and enjoy the sunshine. Sale hours on Friday are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Saturday, May 11th, you can cheer on or race in the Tour of Long Beach, an annual event dedicated to raising funds for Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach. A full day of activity begins at 6 a.m., whether you participate in the 5 mile Family Fun Ride, or the 31, 62, or 100 mile course!  You’re sure to see friends and have a great time biking along the coast. Read about it here.

Sunday, May 12th, of course, is a day dedicated to mothers, no matter where they may live. However I hope you take special care of the Mother living in your Long Beach home and deliver her a day of great memories! A thoughtful gift or brunch away from home are treats to make Mom smile or choose from this list for sure winners!

 

 

 

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Celebrate “No Diet” Days Near Long Beach Homes

May 9 2013 Comments

Dining near Long Beach homesHolidays and family gatherings bring to mind fond food memories, plenty of which can be found near Long Beach homes!  With Mother’s Day and graduation celebrations, there’s no better time to share some local hot spots and dining delights where you can enjoy your “No Diet” days near the house you can afford in Long Beach.

Ric’s Top 10 “No Diet” Destinations Close To Long Beach Homes

1. Open Sesame, located at 5215 E 2nd Street – The food (mix of Persian, Mediterranean, Lebanese) is so incredible you’ll understand the reason for the crowd.

2. Café Piccolo, located at 3222 East Broadway - Ambiance and gourmet Italian cuisine complete with atrium and twinkling lights make this the perfect romantic getaway.

3. La Traviata, located at 301 N Cedar Avenue - Wonderful service and delicious food in this transport you to Italy hotspot.

4. Los Compadres, located at 3229 E Anaheim Street - Tasty Mexican food with fresh tortillas. Need I say more?

5. ASHA Moroccan Mediterranean Restaurant, located at 149 Linden Avenue in Suite E – Beautiful decor, outstanding service and delicious Mediterranean food make this a must try, too!

6. Canadian Pizza, located for pick up at 1241 E 4th Street, but they also DELIVER – If you’re in the mood for a decadent looking and tasting pizza, you’ve gotta call them at 562.980.7605.

7. Rascals Teriyaki Grill, located at 1760 Bellflower Boulevard – Fantastic Japanese and whether you prefer Shabu shabu and rice bowls or salads, you won’t be disappointed. Perfect lunch place!

8. La Creperie Café, located at 4911 E 2nd Street – Delicate and authentic, you’ll enjoy a delicious French meal and wish you had room for more.

9. El Torazo, located at 2801 E 10th Street – $1 tacos on and on Aloha Fridays! Great breakfast burritos and yummy salsa, too, and at these prices, eating here will definitely keep you in the house you can afford!

10. 555 East, located at 555 East Ocean Boulevard – Superb service, delicious entrees (known for extremely tender steak, though everything is good), 555 has been a Long Beach standby for decades and is worth the occasional splurge.

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