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Showtimes and more info here.

With incredible sadness do we have to inform you about the unexpected passing of Pete Toulios, owner of Lil Devils Boutique on 4th Street.

4th Street is in shock and so incredibly sad that words cannot express our loss. His warm smile and big hugs are irreplaceable and will be greatly, greatly missed.

We love you, Kiddo!
4th Street BIA

‘KIDS In MOTION’ Fair – Part of the 4^th Street in Motion Festival May 9^th 11am – 5pm – Showcases Fitness & Health Activities At Burbank Elementary School

Recognizing the vital role it can play in countering the growing childhood obesity problem in the US, the Luther Burbank Elementary School is hosting a FREE family-oriented festival to promote fun yet healthy eating and exercise habits for area children and their parents. The event is entitled Kids in Motion.

According to Gretchen Swenson, board member of the Rose Park Neighborhood Association and Kids in Motion co-chairperson, “Many children in the Rose Park neighborhood—as in other urban areas—have no access to backyards and parks in which to play. And the prevalence of passive pastimes (e.g., video games) further limits the amount of exercise these children get.”

The Garden of the Mind project at the Luther Burbank School is designed to address this situation. Scheduled on Mother’s Day, Kids in Motion is the kick-off event to promote this project. Garden of the Mind will create a drought-resistant green area in which families can enjoy the outdoors and kids will have access to a playground even when school is not in session. “We’re re-landscaping the school entrance on Junipero as well as coordinating a backyard fruit and vegetable initiative,” adds Lorraine Griego, Principal of Luther Burbank School.

This kick-off event will run in conjunction with the 4th Street in Motion alternative transportation festival being held in the Retro Row district of 4th Street between Junipero and Cherry Avenues the same day. (Events are subject to change without notice. For an up-to-date schedule of activities, visit www.4thstreetLongBeach.com

KIDS IN MOTION ACTIVITIES
Bike Giveaways: Youngsters can earn raffle tickets to win several bikes by participating in fun, inventive fitness programs. Four bicycles have been donated from the Chief of Police, Jim McDonnell, Bike 90800 and local bike shops.

Backyard Fitness Instruction: Dan Latham, the incoming president of the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance has joined with the owners of Western Physical Therapy to teach kids how to get fit by using easily found items.

Yoga for Kids: Certified yoga instructors including David Hennage  (www.yogadude.net) and Burbank faculty will introduce kids to the benefits of strenuous stretching and the calming effects of meditation. Many of these methods are used within the classroom to de-stress and focus the children’s attention.

Fitness Boot Camp: Peter McMahon of StoneCORE Training & Fitness will step up the action by focusing on the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility and awareness that supports efficient movement (www.stonecorefitness.com).

SafeMoves Bike Rodeo: Children in wheelchairs and those who have brought their own bikes and helmets can navigate a rigorous course with specialists at hand to teach safety techniques (www.safemoves.org).

Paper Airplane Competition: Xump will host “Test Flight,” a paper airplane competition guaranteed to bring out the child in each of us (www.xjump.com).

KIDS IN MOTION ENTERTAINMENT
Dance for Fun and Fitness: Two top-notch dance troupes, including the experienced Aguilas of the Burbank Bailadores, will demonstrate their talents in ballet folklόrico (a Spanish folk dance) and DD’s hip hop dance troupe to show what happens when a child is physically and mentally active.

Live Radio Broadcast: Swoop’s World Radio, a Long Beach-based radio talk show and supporter of bicycling in Long Beach, will report first-hand on all the activities. Swoop’s broadcasts on the BlogTalk Radio Network. See them at the Garden of the Mind booth. (www.swoopsworld.com).

LA Sparks WNBA Team and Mascot Sparky: Team members and Sparky will be on hand to perform and offer one-on-one coaching (www.wnba.com/sparks).

KIDS IN MOTION HEALTH EDUCATION
Tichenor Orthopedic Clinic for Children Offers FREE Health Services: According to Lori Woodruff, Tichenor executive director, representatives will explain the exclusive services the clinic provides to Long Beach residents that improve the functional abilities of children with musculoskeletal limitations. There are 5 Tichenor programs
(http://home.earthlink.net/~tichenorclinic/):

· Therapeutic Development – A multidisciplinary team provides therapy services in an early intervention group setting.  Services are planned in partnership with the families to address individual needs and goals.

· Play Group — Children 3-4 years old with mild delays meet in a group setting to engage in activities that encourage skill mastery in all developmental areas.

·  Orthopedic Care – Children who are uninsured or underinsured are seen by an orthopedist in an outpatient setting.

· Outpatient Therapy – Children see physical, occupational and/or speech therapists for therapy that promotes an optimal level of function, developmental skills, mobility and fitness for each child.  Every family receives a home program so that the parents and children can continue exercise and activities at home.

·  Rich Kempster Swimming Instruction – This swim instruction utilizes the Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Courses.  Instruction is personalized to fit each child’s special needs and abilities.

· Pauline Klyng Communication Development – Children are assisted in the development of their functional communication skills using assistive technology.

In addition, Molina Health Care will be conducting workshops in the upcoming weeks to assist enrollment of uninsured children to MediCal and Healthy Family programs.

About The Luther Burbank’s Garden of the Mind Project
The Garden of the Mind project (taking its name from Luther Burbank’s eulogy) focuses on innovation, education and community through the permanence of heritage, the wisdom of art and the science of sustainability. The Garden of the Mind plans for 2010 include: 1) restoration of the schools entry, façade and grounds based on the school’s historical significance to Long Beach and the philosophy and science of Luther Burbank, a world renowned botanist; 2) launching a food initiative based on fruits and vegetables that can be grown in one’s backyard; 3) reinstating a weekend playground to help maintain children’s health and fitness; and 4) supporting expanded roles of Burbank’s parents within the neighboring community.

About The Long Beach Bike Festival
4th Street In Motion is part of the second annual Long Beach Bike Festival, spanning three days—May 7-9th—and is among the city’s ongoing efforts to make Long Beach one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the U.S. The Long Beach Bike Festival is produced by the Downtown Long Beach Associates, the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, the City of Long Beach, and the 4th Street Business Improvement Association. Visit www.longbeachbikefest.org.

About 4th Street
Dubbed Retro Row, the 4th Street District stretches between Junipero and Cherry Avenues and is one of the city’s finest independent shopping and dining venues. Retro Row has been recently featured in Lucky and Sunset magazines, as well as in the New York Times (Travel Section, October 2007), Los Angeles Magazine’s Best of LA issue (August 2008), The District Weekly (September 2008) and in the Grunion Gazette. The 4th Street District offers over 30 unique shops and restaurants from which to choose and is home to the newly renovated Art Theatre, built in 1924. Visit www.4thStreetLongBeach.com.

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Stop by the Penske Smart Cerritos booth at the festival and discover pioneering vehicle that has been perfectly designed for your everyday life, and one that offers maximum comfort, agility, safety, ecology and driving fun (not to mention a small footprint for dealing with the ‘challenging’ parking climate in our ‘hood).

For more information, visit the smart center Cerritos website!

The 1^st Annual ‘4^th Street In Motion’ Festival is rolling onto 4^th Street/Retro Row (between Cherry and Junipero Avenues on Mother’s Day, May 9^th (11 am -5 pm)! This FREE event—part of the LB Bike Festival, May 7-9^th—will showcase fun for the whole family!

Event highlights (click on the image at left to view the day-long entertainment schedule):
*all events/times are subject to change without notice!

The Pike Music Stage: Sponsored by our friends at The Pike Restaurant/Bar, day-long musical offerings (at 4^th @ Cherry) include:
• Bear Face • They Are The Eggmen • The Champanties • The Commotions • DJ KatoSpace • Plus: Don Pie!

The Long Beach Film Festival: TLBFF presents an afternoon of bicycle films and music/comedy at The Art Theatre starting at 1 PM:
• ‘Triplets of Belleville‘: The classic Oscar award-nominated, animated surreal adventure film!
• Live improv by Laughing Stock Development
• Bicycle film shorts TBA
• ‘Riding Bikes with the Dutch’: The debut of new original work by pro documentarian and videographer, and Long Beach native, Michael Bauch, followed by a live Q & A with Bauch.
• Live music: Eugene and The 1914!

Lola’s Mexican Restaurant Food Court & Beer Garden: In addition to Mexican delicacies by our friends at Lola’s, you’ll find a selection of additional food vendors offering hunger-satisfying eats—from vegetarian fare to sweet treats such as: Ashley’s Bar & Grill, Calbi Fusion, Repicci’s Shaved Ice, Shortin’ Bread Artisan Baking, Slice Truck, Tropical West.

4th Street Vine Grotto: Sample some of the finest (and affordable) boutique wines from 4^th Street Vine in their spacious courtyard (behind this wine lover’s haven @ 2142 E.4th.

Alternative Transportation & Bike Vendors: A  host of some of the coolest wheel-based vendors will showcase their latest models: Penske SMART Cerritos, Nirve Bikes, HB Scooters, JL Velo, Moxi Roller Skates, and more!

Miscellaneous Vendors & Non-Profit Organizations: Beach Greens Organic Produce, Best Buy, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Grunion Gazette, Imonni Vintage, LB Depot for Creative ReUse, Liberty On 4th, Marrillyn McDowell Studio of Dance, Salon Pop, Servpro, Wadell & Reed, World Evolution & more!

MORE FUN Stuff!:
• Long Beach Roller Derby’s “Shoot the Duck” contest. Sign up at the LBRD booth to enter (winner earns $100 gift certificate to Moxi Rollerskates; runner-up scores 2 tickets to LBRD’s next bout in June pitching the Terminal Island Tootsies against the Bixby Rollerettes).
• Cyclone Coaster Vintage Bike Club: Showcasing some of the coolest vintage bikes around!
• LA Coast Women’s Rugby Football Club
• Rock Wall: Sponsored by Kafe Neo
• ‘On The Grind’ Skate Demo (2-2:30 on 4^th): featuring skaters from the Long Beach documentary film, ‘On The Grind’, and special guests (Ms. Laurietta King, mother of slain skater Michael K. Green, will be at the ‘On The Grind’ booth talking about the story behind the new Michael K. Green Skate park on 14th & Pacific and the film). Stop by the booth to register to win tickets for the upcoming screening at the Art Theatre, May 15^th).
• Atlantic Studio Hair Salon: $10 services at their booth! Also, enter to win a basket of goodies (valued @ $400). All proceeds go to Luther Burbank Elementary.
• L.B. Craft Mafia: Make your own Mother’s Day cards! 
• Bike Wash: Sponsored by Pedal Movement
• Bike Valet: Sponsored by Pedal Movement & LB Cyclists
• Mother’s Day Orchids for sale from The Orchid House

‘Kids In Motion’ Kids Activity Fair (on the grounds of Luther Burbank School), hosted by the ‘Garden of the Mind Project’ of Luther Burbank School and featuring a full day of kids’ activities and fun, food and drinks:
• Backyard Fitness Classes: Hosted by Dan Latham, founder of Cyberobics & President-elect, Cal. Assn. Health Phys. Ed. Recreation & Dance and Peter McMahon of StoneCore Training.
• SafeMoves Bike Rodeo: A fun, yet challenging course for kid’s on bikes or wheelchairs to get input from experts on safety.
• Yoga for Kids: Taught by certified yoga instructors including David Hennage aka The Yoga Dude and Burbank faculty.
• LA Sparks WNBA Team members & mascot Sparky.
• Free health services & information from Long Beach’s Tichenor Orthopedic Clinic for Children
• Dance groups: Bailadores performing ballet folklorico and their well travelled hip-hop dance troupe.
• Broadcasting live: Swoops World Radio, a big supporter of bicycling around Long Beach and our local Internet radio station.
• Xump Kids will give away free games & host “Test Flight’, a paper airplane competition!
• Enter to win a bike! Kids participating in the Burbank events can enter to win a bike, two bikes are being provided by Chief of Police Jim McDonnell & Bike 90800 non-profit program in Houghton Park.

Sponsors & Supporters:
‘4^th Street In Motion’ festival would like to thank the following: 4th Street Business Improvement Association, City of Long Beach, Fresh and Easy Markets, Grunion Gazette, Kafe Neo, LA Coast Women’s Rugby Football Club, LA Sparks WNBA Basketball Team, Lola’s Mexican Cuisine, Long Beach Bike Festival, Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, Look! Graphics, Molina Health Care, Number Nine Noodles, Office of the Chief Police – Long Beach, Penske Smart Car Cerritos, The Pike Restaurant & Bar, 2^nd District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, Ralph’s supermarket, SoCal Harvest, Tichenor Orthopedic Clinic for Children, and Western Physical Therapy.

About The Luther Burbank’s “Garden of the Mind” Project: The Garden of the Mind project (taking its name from Luther Burbank’s eulogy) focuses on innovating education and community through the permanence of heritage, the wisdom of art, and the science of sustainability. 2010 Garden of the Mind plans include: restoring the schools entry, façade and grounds based on the school’s Long Beach historical significance, and the philosophy and science of Luther Burbank, a world renowned botanist, launching a food initiative based on backyard fruits and vegetables, reinstating a weekend playground to help maintain children’s health and fitness, and supporting expanded roles of Burbank’s parents within the school and neighboring community.

About The Long Beach Bike Festival: The 2nd Annual Long Beach Bike Festival spans three days this year—May 7-9^th—and is among the ongoing efforts to make Long Beach one of the most bicycle friendly cities in the U.S. The Long Beach Bike Festival is produced by the Downtown Long Beach Associates, the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, the City of Long Beach, and the 4th Street Business Improvement Association.

About 4th Street: Dubbed “Retro Row”, 4th Street is Long Beach, CA’s Independent Shopping & Dining District! Featured recently in both Lucky and Sunset magazines, as well as in the New York Times (Travel Section, October 2007), Los Angeles Magazine’s “Best of LA” Issue (August 2008), and The District Weekly (September 2008). The 4th Street District stretches from Junipero to Cherry Streets, offering over 30 unique shops and restaurants to choose from, and is also home to the newly renovated Art Theatre.

*all events/times subject to change without notice… check back here for updates!

The AIDS Assistance Foundation Thrift Store annual fund raising event is on! Its annual one-of-a-kind ART SALE kicks off with a launch party, Friday, March 26th 6-9pm, with refreshments and music! $10 donation. The Art Sale continues thru May 2nd. The Thrift Store is located at 2011 E. 4th Street; 562-987-5353.