We are absolutely dripping in festivals this weekend, so much so, that we will henceforth refer to all festivals as "fests" to save on space.

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Photo above by Brian Addison.

It was once home to a place that catered to pups’n’kitties but now, it shall cater to the sweet-tooth cravings of humans: the old Pussy n Pooch location in DTLB (222 E Broadway), which closed last year, will now be home to the Long Beach Creamery’s second location following its flagship location in Bixby Knolls.

“Got keys this week for our next shop in Downtown,” said owner Dina Amadril. “A long road ahead keep those ice cream vibes flowing, for sure.”

Long Beach Creamery is the stuff of Long Beach legend. Like her friend-in-business, Laurie Gray over at The Pie Bar, Amadril began her work out of her home when on August 22, 2013, she held her first tasting at her home, with 10 strangers sampling 12 flavors, from Lord Windsor Coffee to Biscuits & Jam, Madagascar Vanilla to Goat Cheese Whiskey Fig.

That is the humble, Long Beach-style beginnings of what has become Amadril’s life, The Long Beach Creamery—something I had discussed with her nearly three years ago when she was opening her first shop.

“It was not difficult to work from home at first,” Amadril had said. “Originally, I had my Kitchen Aid freezer attachment and a cute turquoise Cuisinart ice cream maker. But as demand grew—I ended up with 5 Cuisinarts and 3 Kitchen Aid attachments—and no room in my freezers. Capacity was becoming a problem. Around this time I also started researching what it would take to make this official: the regulations, investments and equipment… All the little ice cream spinners were starting to wear on me, so I made a big move and invested in a $10K Emery Thompson Blast Freezer.”

Soon after, it all became a reality—and now, she is pushing out of her heart’n’home of the Bixby/Wrigley neighborhoods and into the hustle’n’bustle of DTLB. Spoon in hand, it’s time to take the leap and go full on urban.

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Photo courtesy of Ten Mile Brewing.

Meanwhile, the Long Beach Island of Signal Hill will be introducing the various warehouses and tax-haven businesses to craft beer by way of Ten Mile Brewing.

Named after Ten Mile Creek in Sierra Nevada and created by father-and-son team Dan and Jesse Sundstrom, this brewery was built on the back of Dan’s homebrewing experiments.

As his craft became more artistic and less experimentation, his brews were getting requested more and more–from events to small gatherings of close friends.

Set to soft open by the end of this month, the location at the southwest corner of Willow and Cerritos will offer a ton of beers. To be specific, here’s what they offer and how they describe it:

  • Helles Munich Lager
    • “A clean, malt-forward German lager with a smooth, dry finish. The subtle use of Haullertau hops helps to balance the malt-forward flavor so it’s not too sweet. This is a refreshing, everyday beer.”
  • Citrallenial American Pale Ale
    • “A refreshing and crowd-pleasing ale. Using a blend of Citra, Amarillo and Centennial hops makes this beer not only delightfully bitter, but gives it a wide range of fruit and citrus characteristics. This is a classic and welcoming American Pale Ale.”
  • Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged | Russian Imperial Stout
    • “A robust, dark ale with a lot of personality. Search for the coffee, chocolate and roasted malt flavors that dominate this popular beer.”
  • Double Edge IIPA
    • “Intensely hoppy! Using an initial blend of five different hops, then dry hopped with Cascade and Amarillo. This beer pushes the boundaries of what you can and should put in a glass.”
  • Dark Side of the Mooo Milk Stout
    • “Welcome to the dark side! A favorite of many, this is a delicious, full-bodied stout.  Detect its hints of coffee and roasted malt. We use lactose sugar for a sweet and creamy style, making this the perfect beer for breaking into the world of dark ales.”
  • Orange Limey British Golden Ale
    • “A hoppy and bright, golden-colored beer. The British Golden Ale is a newer style, developed in Britain in the 1980’s. We’ve recreated this style using classic British malts and tossing in orange peel for a fresh twist.”
  • “The Swarthy Czechsman” Czech Dark Lager
    • “Never tried a dark lager? It is thought that lagers in general would have been predominantly dark until about the 1840’s. Our Swarthy Czechsman boasts a complex flavor profile ranging from rich fruit and caramel to cola with a moderate level of hop bitterness.”
  • Hidden Hollow | Kentucky Common
    • “A pre-prohibition style, this beer would have been served generously in saloons on the American Frontier or wild, wild west. Its high carbonation, mild flavors and dry finish make this a refreshing and unique choice.”
  • Belgian Dubbel
    • “This is a deep red ale with complex malt, banana, and clove flavors.”
  • Dunkles Bock
    • “Another dark lager style, this is a distinctively malty German lager. This style emphasizes the toasty qualities of Munich malts with a dry finish.”
  • American Barley Wine
    • “A well-hopped American interpretation of the most savory of English ales. The alcohol strength and hop bitterness combine to leave a lasting impression on your senses.”
  • Belgian Tripel
    • “This is a strong, belgian-style ale featuring firm bitterness and a hint of spice. Highly aromatic, you may detect flavors of banana or even bubble gum. These tasty notes combine with the supportive clean malt character to produce a surprisingly drinkable beverage.”
  • Acadian Fog | New England IPA
    • “A highly hopped version of the classic American IPA that focuses on citrus and fruity flavors of hops rather than bitterness.”