House You Can Afford ▸ Aloha Friday

Aloha Friday Brings Fun Near Your Long Beach Home

Aug 9 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday Fun Starts With a Long Beach homeThis week’s Aloha Friday is here with some super fun events near your Long Beach home!

Any serious cycling race enthusiasts who live in Long Beach should come for the USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships.  Head over to the VELO Sports Center for racing on Friday, August 9th and Saturday August 10th.  Admission is only $10 per day, but you’ll be amazed at the speed you’ll see.  Click here to buy tickets.

The Long Beach Jazz Festival is happening this weekend at Rainbow Lagoon Park near your Long Beach home, too.  On Friday, August 9th, the gates open at 5 p.m., and the show goes from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.  On Saturday, August 10th and Sunday, August 11th,  the gates open at 11 a.m.  Shows run all day,  from noon to 10:30 p.m.  Click here to see the full schedule and buy tickets.

For the most amazing family event (and one that will FILL you with Aloha spirit) come to the 81st Annual Great Sand Sculpture Contest.  It will be at Granada Beach on Saturday, August 10th and Sunday, August 11th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  There will also be food, live music, arts and crafts, vendor booths, and kids activities.  And, of course, amazing sand sculptures.  It’s a great beach tradition near your Long Beach home.  Click here to read more about it.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend enjoying these one-of-a-kind events that can only be found near your Long Beach home! If you happen to be looking for Long Beach real estate or need to find out how much of a home loan you can qualify for to start your home search, call me or click here. I’d love to help you out!

 

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News, Events Tagged With: , , , ,

Living in Hawaii – Ready to Move?

Aug 6 2013 Comments

Living in Hawaii - buy a Hawaii HomeDid you move into your Long Beach home hoping to enjoy a peaceful beach community – would you rather be living in Hawaii? Perhaps it’s Southern California’s infamously bad traffic or maybe it’s just my Aloha Friday posts that have you longing for Hawaii. Maybe you’re thinking it would be nice to have a home in Hawaii, the perfect place to rest your head after an exciting Aloha Friday. I find that most people think that a home in Hawaii will always be just a dream, never a reality. However, that doesn’t have to be true!

Here’s a nice little piece of reality! The state of Hawaii actually has a number of Hawaii home buying programs aimed at low to medium income home buyers, especially for first time buyers. Income-eligible, first-time homebuyers can take advantage of the Hula Mae Mortgage Loan Program, a Hawaii buying program of the Hawaii Housing & Development Corporation. The program offers 30-year mortgage loans with interest rates starting at 2.95% and 30-year mortgage loans with down payment assistance and interest rates starting at 3.45%. To see eligibility rules, contact me directly or click here.

Whether you need assistance from a Hawaii buying program or not, a little education about the process of buying a home in Hawaii will be helpful. So, call me to discuss how we can make your dream of living in Hawaii come true. We will explore many options, including Hawaii buying programs and find a way to get you there!

Filed Under: Community News, Hawaii Homes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Kick Off Aloha Friday with Events Near Your Long Beach Home

Aug 2 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday - Fun Times Near Your Long Beach homeAloha Friday is here and there are some great events near your Long Beach home! Relax and enjoy a weekend down by the sea with a mix of free  events involving music, crafts, and exhilarating speed.

On Saturday, August 3rd, Mike Vitale is playing at The Pike at Rainbow Harbor. Bring lawn chairs and blankets and chill out to Vitale’s acoustic tunes. The concert is from 5 to 7 p.m. Click here for more details.

There’s going to be even more great live music playing near your Long Beach home at the Wilmore 9 Festival. Head over to downtown Long Beach on Saturday, August 3rd and Sunday, August 4th, from noon to 10 p.m. In addition to live bands, there will also be five theaters screening the films of new filmmakers. Galleries will showcase the work of artists and photographers and crafters will demonstrate and sell their unique creations. You can even grab something tasty at one of the food trucks parked around the festival! Visit the Wilmore 9 Festival for more details.

For some excitement near your Long Beach home, check out Southern California Speedboat Club’s races. They’ll be held Saturday, August 3rd and Sunday, August 4th at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Click here for the complete schedule.

If you’d prefer to spend your weekend searching for Long Beach condos or homes, give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d love to assist you in finding the perfect mortgage for a house you can afford.

Filed Under: Aloha Friday Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Start Your Aloha Friday with A Splash Near Your Long Beach Home

Jul 26 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday near your Long beach homeIt’s Aloha Friday and that means it’s time to think about how you will be spending the weekend near your Long Beach home!

Have you ever been to the dragon races? You’ll be thrilled by the speed, tradition and competitive spirit found at the Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival! Held this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28, the Marine Stadium near your Long Beach home will be filled with dragon boats in one of the largest competitions of this newly recognized international sport.

All weekend long you can visit Long Beach’s Marina Green Park on East Shoreline Village to see the FIVB World Tour. This Beach Volleyball extravaganza sponsored by ASICS World Series is free and you’ll be able  to see a host of volleyball showdowns and pick up some sunglass and frisbee swag. See the website for details.

If you live in Long Beach and would rather spend some time indoors, you may want to visit the Omelette Inn for breakfast and an exhibit of colorful acrylics focused on Long Beach Harbor activities. Located at the corner of Third and Pine Avenues, it’s a perfect way to start off your morning! Read more about this local business and eatery by clicking here.

 

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News, Events Tagged With: ,

Long Beach Home Rates & Fun Events This Aloha Friday!

Jul 19 2013 Comments

Your Aloha FridayBegins with Great Long Beach Home RaesIt’s been a great week with Long Beach home rates rolling back to lower levels and I hope that has you pumped and ready to celebrate the weekend this Aloha Friday! Whether you choose to spend your time enjoying community events or searching for a Long Beach home, call me to see how you can lock in a great mortgage rate, for a new home, second home, or to refinance. House You Can Afford and iMortgage can lock in your rate for 150 days, giving you plenty of time to shop around and qualify for the right Long Beach home.

Up for some indoor soccer this weekend? Stop by the Long Beach Convention Center to witness the he 28th U.S. Futsal National Championship through the 21st! The convention center is located at 300 E. Ocean Blvd and you can find out more about the competition by clicking here.

Prefer some outdoor action? Long Beach Harbor will be a whirl of activity on Saturday, the 20th, as more than 70 water ski teams embark on the Annual Catalina Ski Race. Celebrating it’s 65th year, you’ll be shocked at the speed of these competitors as they ski between the Queen Mary and Catalina, some completing the course in under an hour!

Of course, you can also spend Saturday at Rumble on Pine. A free activity geared towards the entire family, the Pine Rumble is a combination Classic Car and Art Show, with plenty of children’s activities and food and drinks, including a beer garden. Held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach, this event is sure to make your weekend great. Find out more at their Facebook page.

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News Tagged With: , ,

Aloha Friday Fun Continues All Weekend Near Downtown Long Beach Homes

Jul 12 2013 Comments

Your Aloha Friday Weekend Starts Near Downtown Long Beach HomesStart your Aloha Friday by planning some time with the family relaxing and giggling outdoors by attending the free movie and popcorn night at Wardlow Park! Showing tonight, July 12th is Hotel Transylvania at 7:30 p.m. Wardlow Park is located at 3457 Stanbridge Avenue and you can pack up a picnic, lawn chairs and blankets for an even more memorable night!

On Saturday, July 13th, you’ll find lots to do near downtown Long Beach homes! Meet over at the Pike at Rainbow Harbor to enjoy outdoor dance music with Phat Cat Swinger. Blankets and lawn chairs can be brought to this event as well, and along with being free, attendees will also receive 90-minute parking validation! You’ll find people congregating on the Pike Event Lawn, located at the crossroads of Shoreline Drive & Pine Avenue between 5 and 7 p.m.

If you happen to be near Shoreline Village, however, you may also want to stop in and see the stilt walker on Saturday between 1 and 5 p.m. and enjoy their Seaside Summer Concert Series at the Off Boardwalk Stage, beginning at 2 p.m.

Downtown Long Beach will be buzzing Saturday as the 2nd Saturday Art Walk occurs at the Long Beach East Village Arts District on Ocean Boulevard, Linden Avenue, 1st Street, Broadway and Elm. Linden Avenue closes to traffic to become a free street art fair featuring paintings, sculpture, photography, dance and theatre, crafts and workshops by local artists between 4 and 10 pm. The spirit of sharing that you’ll see at this street fair (and seaside artwork) will no doubt extend your Aloha Friday fun. Find out more at their website.

Filed Under: Aloha Friday Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Experience the Aloha Spirit and Community Near Bixby Knolls Homes

Jul 5 2013 Comments

Aloha Friday Near Bixby Knolls homesEnjoy a little down time close to Bixby Knolls homes tonight at First Fridays Long Beach. There you’ll find a casual atmosphere and plenty of Aloha Friday spirit, along Atlantic Avenue, between Bixby Road and San Antonio Drive. Get to know those who work and live in Bixby Knolls! Art demonstrations and activities, local bands, s’mores and bubbles, classic cars and other old fashioned summertime activities, and so much more await you at this monthly event. Find out more at the Village at Bella Cosa, located at 3803 Atlantic between 6:30 and 8 p.m.

The Long Beach Funk Fest will be celebrating it’s fifth year on Saturday, July 6th. Featuring performers such as Shuggie Otis, the Blackbyrds, the Bernie Worrell Orchestra, the Circle City Band, Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Jungle Fire, Henry and the Invisibles, and the Funk Angels on 2 stages, this show will be just the right mix of food and funk. Plus, there will even be a Freedom of Funk Fireworks Show at 9:20 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and children under eleven receive free admission. Find out more at the downtown Long Beach website.

On Sunday afternoon, you can enjoy traditional Irish music and a meal between 4 and 7 p.m. at Auld Dubliner, located at 71 South Pine Avenue. Later that evening The Inglorious Tarantinos will pay with no cover at 10 p.m., too. Visit the pub online to see other upcoming bands.

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News Tagged With: , ,

Pirates, Dogs and Music Celebrate Aloha Friday

Jun 28 2013 Comments

Celebrate Aloha Friday news

Celebrate Aloha Friday with a wealth of events from dog shows to pirates at the pier and get to know Long Beach!

The Long Beach Dog Show comes to town this weekend with the Great West Terrier Association Dog Show through June 30th, 2013. Featuring the Long Beach Kennel Club and Kennel Club of Beverly Hills, this show will delight all ages and admission is free. Lot parking is $15 and you can find out more by visiting here or call: Jack Bradshaw, Dog Show Superintendent at (323) 727-0136.

On Friday, June 28th at 7 p.m., you can also take the family to a Shoreline Symphonic Winds performance which includes swing dances and childrens’ music programs. The show will be held at Bixby Park, located at 130 Cherry Avenue.  A free longtime community tradition, this musical extravaganza spans 63 years and makes for a perfect Aloha Friday event.

On Saturday, June 29th from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, June 30th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., you’ll be amazed at the Pirate Invasion of Belmont Pier. Located at Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier 25 39th Place, you’ll find pirates, buccaneers, live theatre, battle re-enactments, costumes, dancing, and more, including a kids zone and pirates market.  For more information click here.

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News, Events Tagged With: , , ,

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!

 

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News, Events Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Filed Under: Aloha Friday, Community News, Events Tagged With: , , , , ,
«Older Posts