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“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/
Hey Wrigley, We Love Long Beach is excited to be coming your way! We want to give you the opportunity, in a safe and friendly environment, to get to know your neighbors better. (There will be free pancakes, sausage, eggs, fruit, vegan delights, orange juice, and coffee.) Also face painting for kids and a live DJ to set the mood. Remember LB, community is the home that WE build together, valuing our differences and the common good, to make Long Beach a great place to live. Please spread the word and invite your neighbors. We can’t wait!
“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
“There are definitely some difficult times when you’re a store owner, but sometimes I stand in my store alone, and I can’t believe it is mine,” says Heather Duncan, owner of Second St. boutique Blue Windows. “My desire from the start was to make Blue Windows into a lifestyle store, where someone can find something for just about anybody.” And from cookbooks to women’s clothing, custom-made jewelry and cute baby gifts, Duncan’s store truly covers it all.
Having grown up near El Dorado Park, Duncan attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied classical singing. But her secret joy was frequenting the city’s small shops. “I guess you can say I was always a buyer. I had a hope chest, even as a teen, that was full of things for my future,” she recalls. In 2004, after working for the store’s previous owner for a few years, Duncan seized the opportunity to own Blue Windows, recently mentioned in Sunset Magazine’s Belmont Shore Holiday Shopping Guide.
“A huge part of the success of the store has been my loyal customers and my great staff,” Duncan says. She looks forward to new ways of being creative and to making a difference in Long Beach. “I have recently come up with the idea of dedicating our store window display each month to a different charity. A portion of the store’s profits will be donated. I’m excited to see how this new challenge effects me personally, and my customers, too.” SCOTT JONES
This year We Love Long Beach and Whole Foods Market have partnered and are participating in the Belmont Shore Christmas Parade on Second Street. The parade is Saturday, December 5th and starts at 7pm. We hope to see you there.
“As an outdoor personal trainer, I need to be so much more innovative and creative with my surroundings,” says Jed Miller, owner of Level 9 Personal Training. “We don’t go heavy out there. I have learned from my experience that it is much safer to use your own body weight, rather than bulky gym weights, and yet still produce the results that my clients want.”
Upon graduating high school, Miller joined the army—an experience, he says, that helped his understanding of how people can accomplish great feats as a team. “When people share common goals and realize they don’t have to do it alone, they work harder and stay focused,” explains Miller, who has taken his military lessons and has applied them to his fitness training. “My clients naturally push and feed off one another and celebrate their accomplishments together.”
Having moved to Long Beach just this past year, Miller says he’s quickly fallen in love with the city. “The people in Long Beach have been very warm and welcoming to me. I feel like I was absorbed into this city like a sponge,” he says. His desire is to begin expanding into more areas in the city: “I am looking forward to 2010. I feel the responsibility to bring health and fitness to people that might not typically have the opportunity to be educated and experience fitness at little to no cost.” SCOTT JONES
Here is the Jed’s website: http://www.level9personaltraining.com
Patchwork is a unique event showcasing emerging crafters, delicious food, and local music. Some items include home goods, clothing for men, women & children, paper goods, accessories, affordable artworks of all kind. We Love Long Beach is proud to co-sponsor with Patchwork at this event, and hopes that you can tell others. Please come out and support over 60 local vendors. Thank you! Let us celebrate our city!
“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
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