Patti Astor was ‘Queen of the Scene,” from NYC to Hermosa Beach
by Kevin Cody Patti Astor was the “Queen of the Scene” in New York City in the early 1980s, according to ARTnews; and for the past decade, a muse and mentor to the emerging Hermosa Beach’s art scene, according to ShockBoxx gallery owner Mike Collins. Astor passed away last week at her home in Hermosa […]
Best of the Beach Dining & Entertainment 2024 Winners
Best Bakery Beckers Bakery and Deli If you’ve ever seen a sugar cookie shaped like a surfboard on a party tray, you know where it came from. It’s one of the many items Beckers sells that are instantly identifiable. This bakery has been in downtown Manhattan Beach for three generations. Locals who were gumming oatmeal […]
Hermosa Surfer Walk of Fame photographer Mike Balzer
by Kevin Cody In 2001, Surfer’s Journal editor Steve Pezman invited Hermosa Beach surf photographer Mike Balzer to bring his portfolio to the magazine’s San Clemente office. The Surfer’s Journal founder and former Surfer magazine editor was planning a photo spread on South Bay surfers. But after viewing Balzer’s portfolio, Pezman spiked the idea. Pezman […]