When Endless Summer Gives Way To Bottomless Mimosas
The sun is out, people are surfing, riding bikes and running along The Strand, and are dressed in shorts, t-shirts and flip flops.
There is the near-constant “thump thump” sound of volleyballs being hit for games and classes on the sand.
Thump. Thump. Thump-thump-thump. Thump-thump.
It’s October – or it could be November – and to the casual observer (or traveler) it would be impossible to distinguish this activity from any other time of the year. After all, it’s Southern California, land of the endless summer.
But to the trained eye, there are subtle ways to tell that fall has arrived in the Los Angeles coastal beach town of Hermosa Beach. Here’s five ways to know:
1.) The Too-Early Sunsets In Hermosa Beach
In the summertime, the sun sets at around 8 o’clock. In October it’s around 6:30. And then after Daylight Savings Time it’s 5:30, which is way too early. There is one advantage to this, tho if you know where to go, you can watch the sunset while having a Happy Hour drink at these places.
2.) The South Bay’s Top Fall Events
The fall is known for its events, including Halloween parties, most recently the Smackfest Events Oktoberfest and most significantly, the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair with its legendary beer garden. Not all of these events are in Hermosa Beach but they count because they are so close to Hermosa and they define fall in all of the Beach Cities.
3.) Houses On The Strand Have Halloween Decorations
There’s the giant spiderweb – complete with a giant spider – and other decorations at houses on The Strand, a sure sign it’s Halloween in the South Bay. Rocktober lives here.
4.) The Locals Are Complaining That It’s Too Cold
This is not unusual for locals. They also complain when it’s “too hot.” Once you’ve lived here a while, you tend to complain about anything regarding the weather when it’s not between 72-77 degrees with a slight cooling ocean breeze. From a wardrobe standpoint, you can tell it’s the fall (or winter) because about half the guys are wearing jeans and shoes to the bars instead of shorts and sandals.
5.) The Hermosa Beach Pier Bars Are Crowded On Saturday And Sunday Mornings With People Drinking Bottomless Mimosas
Hermosa is the king city of the transplants, and on fall Saturdays and Sundays, people who are originally from other parts of the country go to the pier to watch their college alma mater teams or NFL home teams. They do this primarily at Sharkeez, Patrick Molloy’s and American Junkie, which offer free mimosas with breakfast.
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