NOVEMBER 2020
Spooktacular Pet Photo Contest Winners
Although costume parties and trick-or-treating weren’t in the cards this year, that didn’t stop our pets from getting into the Halloween spirit! A huge thank you to all the participants of the Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association’s Spooktacular Pet Photo Contest.

Can you imagine how hard it was to select the Ghoulish Gold, Spooky Silver, and Boo Bronze prize winners, considering how fabulous all the photo entries were? Each and every pet was either a Bluff Heights “Super-Canine” or “Super-Feline!” star. Final decisions were made, and we are proud to announce the following winners:
Get Giddy with a Kitty
at Feline Good Social Club!

The weekend before the safer-at-home orders were announced, a friend and I made our first visit to downtown Long Beach’s Feline Good Social Club. Easter was approaching, and they were hosting an event where you could make spring-themed crafts while visiting with the adoptable cats that roam, nap, play, and win hearts in the lounge.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks about the time it was first published in 2010. I just re-read it (and I never re-read books) and believe the book had an even greater societal impact on me at this time. The story is very well-researched and strongly intertwined with Mrs. Lacks’ family and how they were affected once they learned that cells were taken from their mother without her knowledge. 
Dino Fun on Vista

September 26 through October 2 was a crazy time on Vista Street! It was a “Wild Walk Through Bluff Heights During Dino Week!” Who knew that thousands of years ago, dinosaurs roamed the area and that the Bluff Heights Neighborhood Association needed help counting the dinosaur footprints on Vista? 
Bread With Gusto

In Spanish, the word gusto means taste, flavor, pleasure and to savor and in English, gusto means to doing something with zest, enjoyment and style. Both sets of definitions of this word describe both founder of Gusto Bread’s Arturo Enciso’s passion and pleasure in embracing ancient knowledge to create fully organic breads and pan dulces and the foods themselves, which are richly textured, flavorful delights.
New Go Long Beach App Released

The old Go Long Beach app is out and a new one is up and running.

The new app, released September 28, does many of the things the former app did but with added features.
PART THREE OF FOUR
Did Ryan Really See a Dinosaur in His Backyard? Part 3

Ryan and his parents talked about what they were going to do because it was not every day that a T-Rex decided to live in the ravine at their house. Where did this dinosaur come from? Are they all dreaming or did this baby dinosaur hatch from a prehistoric dinosaur egg? 

Before they could finish breakfast and get ready for school, they realized they had to make some big decisions. What do you do with a dinosaur in your backyard? They decided to go to school or work and then they would make decisions over the weekend. Ryan went to his elementary school, Bear Creek, and his mom and dad went to teach at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Remember, I told you his mom and dad are very smart, but they did not know exactly what to do with a dinosaur in their backyard.
Pumpkin Pie
Is Not Just for Thanksgiving!

by Sheryl Edwards

During my 30 years of teaching, I was always amazed at how many children simply did not understand that pumpkin pie came from that orange gourd we carve for Halloween. They were familiar with both, but just did not connect the dots! 

It is a family tradition in our house to buy two pumpkins; one for carving and the other for cooking! Children of all ages enjoy digging into the slimy center of a pumpkin, and it is relatively simple to make yummy pumpkin pie filling from scratch. We always cheat and use a frozen pie crust. It is an aromatic and satisfying process. Most of the time, our pies are rather grainy and somewhat disfigured, but always delicious! Seriously, you can’t mess it up!

One of my favorite books for children is Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. This charming story begins on Halloween. A witch has grown a huge pumpkin, and decides to make pumpkin pie. However, no matter how hard she tries, she just can’t get the pumpkin off its vine. With Halloween just hours away, the witch reluctantly accepts the help of a ghost, a vampire, and a mummy. None of them can pull hard enough to get that pumpkin off the vine. Ultimately, with the help of a little bat, the group is able to work together to free the pumpkin, and the witch finally makes her pie!

The book is pleasingly repetitive, which makes for a great read-aloud for young children. The characters are humorous and the artwork is delightful. (And you’ll love reading it any day of the year!)

Order the book (you can find it on Amazon), read together, and then make that pie! 

Happy baking!
Gondola Getaway is Open for Business 
Established in 1982 in Naples Islands, Long Beach, The Gondola Getaway is the oldest and largest fleet of Gondolas in America. One of the things that makes the Gondola Getaway so special is the enchanting canals of Naples Islands and its well-trained Gondoliers. The meandering canals, five bridges, calm bays and gorgeous homes make for a memorable romantic adventure. Book your Getaway HERE.

Fresh Produce at Local Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets and farm stands are great places to browse, sample, and buy fresh produce and handmade products. Visit the market at Bixby Park (130 Cherry Avenue) every Tuesday starting at 3:00 p.m. and every Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. 
Find more details HERE.


Let's keep saying thank you to our healthcare and other front-line workers
by making some joyous noise at 8:00 pm every night.
STAY INFORMED ON CITY AND DISTRICT NEWS

District 2 - Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce (562) 570-2222

District 3 - Councilwoman Suzie Price (562) 570-6300