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“People in the neighborhood are always coming up to me: ‘Mrs. Robinson, when is the next feeding? I don’t want to forget,’” says neighborhood activist Alice Robinson. On every third Wednesday of the month since 2003, Robinson and her friend Stella Davis have provided their neighborhood with lunch—for free. “It’s great because Stella and I get to use the little money that we do have from our Social Security checks to give back to our neighborhood,” Robinson says. “It’s rewarding because we have met so many people in the past few years and have built a relationship with them.”
Robinson, who lives near Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, grew up in the ‘30s in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 1969 she moved to Long Beach with her husband, Bennie, and purchased a house near Cerritos Ave. and PCH (for $16,700!), where they started their family. In the mid ‘90 Robinson’s son, Bennie Jr., was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed. “For over a year I took care of my son until he suddenly passed away,” Robinson recalls. “I was left devastated; I just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.” For Robinson, this tragedy was a major turning point in her life. “I never wanted to leave the house after my son’s death, until one day my daughter encouraged me to get outside myself and volunteer in the community,” she says.
The first of her community lunches—which now average 70 to 80 people—sprang from Robinson’s desire for all people in the neighborhood to be able to share a meal together. “Growing up in Alabama, everything was segregated. With our feedings, homeless and non-homeless are all gathered around one table. That is the way it is supposed to be. It’s all for a worthy cause. As long as we are able to do it, we are going to do it.” SCOTT JONES
“People know me as ‘the train man,’” says Greg Ruvolo, owner of El Dorado Park’s Caboose Corner. “My father and I opened this train park in 1995 after spending eight years restoring the train and five years negotiating the train’s park location.”
In the early 1970s, Greg’s father, Tony, was the owner of the park train at the Long Beach Pike. “My father loves trains, so growing up I was always around them,” he recalls. When the Pike closed in 1977, the two chose to sell the train and to move on. A few years later, though, they found a tattered park train, originally built in Virginia back in 1946 and powered by a live steam engine, inside a piano store in Colton. “Every weekend we worked on the train, rebuilding it back to working order,” Ruvolo says. In 1990, the duo was given the opportunity to operate the refurbished park train in El Dorado Park.
Today, the average attendance at the Caboose Corner is about 400 people per weekend. Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., the train chugs along a one-and-a-half mile route through the park. Visitors can board for $2, and there are also Christmas Festival night train rides and kids’ birthday-party packages. “It’s rewarding for me to see so many kids around here enjoying the train. This hasn’t been a job—it’s been my passion,” says Ruvolo, dressed in his blue-and-white conductor’s overalls.
“We have been around for 14 years now. I love seeing the dream of my dad and myself come to life. The train has allowed us to become closer. We think that we are one of Long Beach’s best-kept secrets.”
More Information:
Website: http://www.caboosecorners.com/
“I am resolved to be dedicated to helping people and our community to do better,” says Omar Mayorga, a 17-year-old senior at Millikan High School and participant in the school-sponsored FOCUS (Finding Opportunities to Create Unity through Service). “I love being a part of the class. A lot of times it is easy for people to just talk about creating change and doing something good on campus or in the community. With FOCUS, we not only discuss the events, we also accomplish them.”
Growing up on Long Beach’s Westside, Mayorga, the youngest of five children, watched his mother take on the task of providing for her family as single parent. “We saw a bunch of stuff growing up: gangs forming and how people treated us differently because of my ethnicity and where I lived,” he recalls. The gang lifestyle was always presented as an option. “In 2006 my cousin passed away because of gang violence. That is when it hit me: I didn’t want to take the path of my cousin.”
As a freshman, a teacher invited him to a local fundraiser 5K beach walk to raise money for the Children’s Clinic in Long Beach. “This event motivated me to want to help people. I saw some of the families in need at the event, and I knew that I needed to step up,” says Mayorga. He continues to plan service events with his FOCUS class, and next year he plans on attending LBCC in order to get his Associates’ degree in culinary arts. “All I know is that I want my life to be remembered for doing something that matters in the community. I want that to be my legacy.”
“The reason that I came to Los Altos was because I wanted to create a unique coffeehouse that could offer a special meet-up experience, a gourmet product and a great atmosphere,” says Mikael Hashoul, owner of Toorak Coffee. With a wide selection of drip coffee, gourmet espresso, whole-leaf teas and lots of other delights, Hashoul hopes that Toorak will be the new community space in Los Altos. “We want to allow for personal connections to happen between people, where they can have a conversation, an interaction and share ideas in a warm environment.”
Born in Israel, Hashoul moved to Australia to start a family with his wife. While living there, he became fascinated with the country’s coffee culture, studying it via books and classes and setting off on a search for the best coffee in Australia. In 2004, Hashoul opened his first coffeehouse to a wave of excited and faithful customers. Four months later, he opened two more locations, and one year after that, his fourth. But with a desire to move to the United States, Hashoul sold the four stores in Australia to begin afresh in Southern California. “We wanted to bring the Australian experience [here],” he says.
Hashoul finds American culture a lot more fast-paced than Australia’s. “We hope that Toorak will allow our customers to take a moment and reflect on their life, relax and enjoy their family over a cup of coffee outside the rat race,” he says, adding that he looks forward to introducing more music nights, social activities and new partnerships with the neighboring schools. “The coffeehouse does not belong to the owner, it belongs to the community,” he says. “We want to start the year together as a neighborhood and society.”
Toorak’s Website: http://www.toorakcoffee.com/
“No matter how fantastic a woman you are, your life partner is not going to magically show up at your door. You have to get yourself ready and then go out and find him,” says Bobbi Palmer, owner of Date Like a Grown Up. Created to help successful women over 40 understand themselves and men better, Date Like a Grown Up offers dating and relationship advice to clients via telephone. “The reason why I call it Date Like a Grown Up is because it is really about becoming a more confident, authentic and educated woman who can enjoy life’s journey,” Palmer says.
For a time, Palmer defined success along tangible lines—a big office that overlooked the city, for example. “My life was good: I had nice things, lots of great friends, I traveled and then I turned 40,” she recalls. This middle-aged milestone made her rethink everything she once believed about men, relationships and her own desires. “I think that I realized that it was all a sham. I had been living my life with a fear of depending on someone and being hurt.”
After working though some of her deep-seated fears and insecurities through psychiatrists, seminars and lots of first dates, Palmer found the confidence and courage to accept love into her life. At 47 she met her husband Larry, who, she says, “rocked my world.” But it did not stop there. “When I got married I felt that I had a lot to share with other women, and that is why I became a dating coach,” she says. Today, Palmer has a Web site, a dating resource blog and in January she will host a dating teleseminar for older women. “Clearly, by focusing on making some changes and learning some new things, I was able to find the ultimate happiness of my life. I see it working for my clients, as well, time and time again.” SCOTT JONES
For more information:
Website: http://www.datelikeagrownup.com/
December 9th 2009
“The whole restaurant started with a passion of knowing where our food comes from and supporting our local economy and neighborhood,” says Natalie Gutenkauf, owner of recently-opened restaurant the Factory. For Gutenkauf, this endeavor is a dream come true: “I can remember telling my husband [I wanted to open] a restaurant. He thought that it was a great idea, but also crazy.”
Gutenkauf caught the cooking bug when she married her husband, Eric. “I think my husband inspired me greatly. He is in the food industry and brought a different level of foodiness into my life,” she says. Previously a stay-at-home mom, Gutenkauf became a traveling chef, teaching cooking classes around Long Beach. But she grew tired of loading all her cooking equipment in the truck every day.
Inspired by Andy Warhol’s own New York City studio the Factory, Gutenkauf launched her Factory with the intent of “creating a food scene” in our city. “We have wine tastings, food pairings, beer-making classes and our own market. And our chef is a rock star who trained under Wolfgang Puck,” she says. And someday, Gutenkauf hopes, the Factory will be the go-to destination of Long Beach’s foodies. Written by, SCOTT JONES
“Every other garage in Long Beach has a surfboard in it,” observes Graham Day, who cites this as one of his reasons for opening Shelter surf shop on Fourth St. in 2007. “People are surprised when they come in to the store; they are always saying, ‘This is how a surf shop should be’ or ‘This is how it used to be when I was a kid.’
“The other reason we opened Shelter was Long Beach’s rich surf history,” Day continues. “Historically, Long Beach was one of the best waves around. In fact, one of the surfing legends, Duke Kahanamoku, always made sure to surf Long Beach when he was in Southern California.”
Having grown up in the South Bay, Day moved to Huntington Beach as a teenager. With a father and uncle who grew up surfing, the sport was in his veins; it was only natural for him to be captivated by its lifestyle. “It’s always been about my time in the ocean—the shared experience with my friends and the inspiration that comes through music and art,” Day explains. After he and his wife Kim moved to Long Beach 18 years ago, he “quickly felt that Long Beach kind of existed on its own. It’s not LA and it’s not OC, and I liked that and fell in love with it.”
Known for the art shows and music events that he holds at the store on the last Saturday of every month, Day looks forward to 2010. He intends to have even more swap meets and events in the coming year, continuing his support for local artists and designers—especially those inspired by the ocean in our decidedly non-surf-oriented town. “I love making things work where they shouldn’t work,” says Day. “It doesn’t get any better than that.” SCOTT JONES
“About four years ago, I found a bike frame in my neighbors’ front yard that they were giving away, and well, it’s been all downhill from there!” recalls Long Beach resident Jason Wood, aka “Woody.” He had no idea what he—and his bike—were getting into. With his outgoing personality and friendly smile, Wood has since become a popular figure, earning the nickname the “Mayor of Downtown.” “I’m known as the weird guy who will talk to anybody,” he says.
Born and raised in Norwalk, Wood moved to Long Beach 11 years ago. “I remember my first time driving through the city and seeing all the lights and thinking, ‘This is my home,’” he explains. In addition to working as a stagehand for such festivals as Coachella, last month Wood launched a fun, healthy and innovative way to earn some cash on the side. With “Take It Away, Biker,” his twofold advertising and courier business, Wood pedals through town on errands for his clients. “You got dry cleaning? We’ll pick it up! Got a headache at work? We’ll pick up some aspirin for ya!” he explains. Joining him on his assignments is a makeshift billboard that he totes behind him, open to those seeking to advertise their businesses.
Wood recently added his friend Zack to the team. “Zack has been phenomenal in taking over the biking and allowing me to take courier calls,” Wood says. On a recent weekend the two completed nearly 100 runs, biking anywhere from downtown over to Cal State Long Beach. “The good thing about this is that it’s completely green, and no one else is doing anything like it,” he says. Plus, it’s a surefire way to stand out: “I like being a weirdo. I don’t want to be like everybody else!” CAITLIN HOLLIDAY
Ten years ago, Chrissy Cox picked up a broomstick and began to teach herself how to fire dance. “I would make the same movements with the broomstick with one hand for five minutes to build up muscle memory, and then switch over to my other hand for five minutes,” says Cox, who would continue the same process for about an hour. It worked. A week later, she had moved on to poi, the ball-and-chain instruments lit by fire dancers for their routines. “I guess you can say that I am kind of a pyro,” she explains. “I have always been fascinated with fire, and I have danced ever since I can remember. The two were a perfect match for me.”
After moving from Santa Cruz to Long Beach in 2003, Cox quickly connected with the artists’ community, starting a fire-dance troupe—comprising a team of dancers and a drum squad—called Sirena Serptina. Cox finds that the live drum beats ground her, allowing her to stay focused on her dancing. “At the beginning, I would get so caught up in the music that I would forget that I was even performing in front of an audience,” she recalls.
Cox imagines fire dancing will always be a part of her life; she can easily see herself old and grey, continuing to challenge her mind, body and soul and entertain—and instruct—those around her. “My destiny is being a teacher,” she says. “Whether it is teaching yoga, poi or belly dancing, I find my joy and passion in helping to inspire a student—which in turn quite often inspires me.” SCOTT JONES
On New Year’s Day in 2008, Jeff Hyland and his friend Mike Tryon left Southern California on bicycles en route to Florida. They called the journey, which took them through the Southern states, “the Southern Tier.” “The purpose of the ride was to educate people about environmental conservation, and to inspire them to ride a bike more often,” Hyland explains.
For Hyland, this sort of adventure was something he could not pass up. In 2006 he spent a year in Costa Rica with famed biologist Jim Wolf, editing video on local insects and spiders. “Wolf’s dedication and passion for biology motivated me to want to do what I felt I was made to do,” Hyland recalls. Less than two years later Hyland was on the road, at work on his own documentary, at times sleeping in awkward places like horse stalls and hanging out at the Biosphere II in Arizona (minus Pauly Shore).
The journey to Florida took them over four months, and they poetically finished the ride on Earth Day. Over 170 hours of footage were compiled on the trip, which is being made into a four-part documentary series on major issues ranging from water conservation to climate change. “The environmental movement is about humans, not just polar bears,” says Hyland. “It’s about educating the future generations so that they can enjoy this planet as much as we have.” // SCOTT JONES
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