Hey, neighbor!

Well, we’ve survived the first full week of school—and apparently our reward is an extreme heat warning.

It’s hot. It’s humid. The backpacks are back in action, the pencils are already a little less sharp, and at our house, the windows are all open, the fans are running overtime and certain family members have taken to sitting around with ice packs.

So do what you can to stay cool out there, Torrance. Remember the water bottle. Maybe get a popsicle.

Here’s your weekly wave.

In this issue:
​🌊 Meet the woman making it easier to learn, make and perform right here in Torrance
🌊 One last splash, Coldplay in the park + a very full final weekend of August
🌊 Meet Torrance’s newest councilmember, vote on the airport’s new look + see what’s being made behind unassuming Torrance doors

🎉 P.S. Thank you to the Downtown Torrance Association for inviting us to share more about The Tide at your meeting last night! It was great to be there.

Meet Cori Munro, who thinks you shouldn't have to leave Torrance to get serious about making art.

Want to learn improv? Take private voice lessons? Get better at the guitar? Maybe even learn what happens backstage at a theater?

Cori Munro wants you to be able to do it here.

Cori is the Cultural Services Supervisor for the City of Torrance and helps oversee the new City Academy of the Arts – Torrance, or CAAT, an expansion of the arts education already offered through the Torrance Cultural Arts Center.

There are beginner classes, more advanced training and private lessons across music, dance, theater and visual arts. But don’t let the word “academy” scare you.

“I would just love if anyone and everyone can come and enjoy the arts and learn,” Cori said, “even if it’s just a hobby.”

Cori grew up in a creative family in Chicago. Her parents were actors, her mom sang and danced, and her dad painted. Art was simply part of life.

Now she wants to make it easier for Torrance residents to find their own way in.

Take improv. It’s the kind of class someone in the South Bay might assume requires a drive to Hollywood. Instead, CAAT offers it right here for adults, teens, younger students and seniors, taught by an instructor whose credits include Emmy-winning television writing.

“You don’t have to want to have a career in the arts to be involved in the arts,” Cori said.

You can paint because you like to paint. Learn an instrument because you've always wanted to. Or simply make something alongside other people.

Cori’s own relationship with Torrance began as a volunteer actor with Torrance Theatre Company in 2023. She enjoyed it so much she kept showing up.

A year later, she was working for the city. Today, she’s helping create more ways for other people to find their own place in Torrance’s creative community.

Her advice? “It’s never too late.”

Ready to try something new? Fall registration for City Academy of the Arts – Torrance is now open, with classes beginning the week of Sept. 13.

THREE MORE THINGS
What if you have absolutely no experience?
​Come anyway. “Anyone and everyone is welcome and can find something here that they are interested in.”

What class is Cori considering taking herself?
​Private voice lessons. “I’ve always wanted to take voice lessons.”

What does Cori love about Torrance?​
The cultural diversity, the people and, she adds, “Great food too. So we’ve got something for everyone.”

Next week, meet the man getting Torrance on its feet every Thursday night.

Know someone quietly making Torrance better? Hit reply and tell us who.

​Suggest an event. | Feature your event.​

For the past month, Torrance Art Museum has been less museum, more working studio. Nine artists have been creating right inside the gallery for Studio System, letting visitors see the sketches, experiments and works-in-progress that usually happen behind closed doors.

Now it’s time to see where it all landed.

Saturday’s closing reception is a chance to see the finished work, meet the artists and take one last look at a gallery that’s been changing all month. If you stopped in earlier, even better. You get to see what became of all that beautiful mess.

Torrance Art Museum | Saturday from 6–9 p.m. | Free

Friday, August 28
​Madrona Marsh — Friday Fun at 10 a.m. Preschoolers can start the morning with stories, science, art and a kid-sized tour of the marsh alongside their grown-ups.

South Bay Table Tennis — Youth Tournament at 6:30 p.m. Young players 17 and under can test their skills in a round-robin tournament, which means plenty of games regardless of who wins.

Hermosa Brewing Company — Torrance Comedy Underground at 8 p.m. Natasha Collier, Rosalee Mayeux and Jonathan Galeano headline a night of stand-up at the Torrance taproom.

Saturday, August 29
​South Bay Tennis & Pickleball Center — DUPR Pickleball Tournament at 8:30 a.m. Men’s, women’s and mixed doubles teams take the outdoor courts for a DUPR-rated round robin, with 3.0 and 3.5 divisions. Registration is already closed, but spectators can still catch the action.

Nearby: El Retiro Library, Redondo Beach — Sensory Storytime at 10:30 a.m. A gentler storytime designed for kids ages 0–5 with sensory challenges or neuro-differences. The sensory-friendly setting gives little ones and their families more room to enjoy stories at their own pace.

Nearby: Riviera Village — BeachLife PupCrawl at 12 p.m. Bring your four-legged drinking buddy for an afternoon crawl through six dog-friendly Riviera Village spots, with Tito’s cocktails, pup activities and swag along the way. Each stop benefits a different local dog rescue.

George Nakano Theater — Cruising J-Town at 2 p.m. Hot rods, street racers and gardeners’ trucks tell more than a century of Japanese American history in Southern California. Author and CSULB professor Oliver Wang digs into the South Bay’s car culture with special guests Tod Kaneko and Glenn Kuwata.

Wilson Park — Coldplay USA at 5 p.m. Pack a blanket and settle in for Coldplay’s biggest hits, tribute-band style, as part of Torrance Summer Nights.

Torrance Art Museum — Studio System Closing Reception at 6 p.m. After a month of watching nine artists turn the gallery into their working studio, see where all that making ended up. The artists will be there for a final look at the work and the process behind it.

Mom Said Yes — GrooveTown at 8:30 p.m. Donna Summer, Prince, Chaka Khan, Chic and more get the cover-band treatment for a night of disco, funk and R&B. Plan on dancing.

Sunday, August 30
​Torrance Cultural Arts Center — Sip of Japan at 11 a.m. Sake, Japanese beer and spirits, food and cultural experiences fill the afternoon, but let's be honest: we're curious about the live tuna-cutting demonstration.

Nearby: Seaside Lagoon, Redondo Beach — Local Anchor’s One Last Splash at 11 a.m. Give summer one more proper send-off with an afternoon at the lagoon featuring local businesses, community groups and plenty of beach time.

Nearby: Manhattan Beach — A Sunday concert doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Squeeze in two free summer concerts in one afternoon: Hugo closes out the Metlox Music series from 2–4 p.m., then Stone Soul takes the stage at Polliwog Park from 5–7 p.m. Grab dinner or pack a picnic for the second half.

Weather Forecast? Hot. Does that cover it?
⛅ Fri 73°/86° Partly Cloudy
⛅ Sat 70°/82° Partly Cloudy
☀️ Sun 68°/80° Sunny

⚠️ Extreme Heat Warning in effect until Friday at 8 p.m.

🍽️ Must Try Onki | Gamjatang Jeongol | Pork, potatoes, mushrooms and green onions bubbling away in a Korean hot pot. One of Eater’s newest South Bay picks, right here in Torrance. ​The Find →

🎶 On Repeat “Summer Breeze” by Seals & Crofts — For a weekend when we could really use one. ​Hit Play →​

🏡 Eye Catching 816 Faysmith Ave. | That built-in window seat is charming, but the backyard wins: pool, fire pit, big grassy lawn, and a pool house with its own fireplace. It’s summer with a floor plan. ​Let's Go →

🍋 A little neighborhood lemonade stand. Ten-year-old Julia is carrying on a family summer tradition that started when her older sister Clara was about her age. Most summers, they set up shop to make and drink lemonade, earn a little spending money and, maybe best of all, meet the neighbors who stop by. Julia’s mom says they’ll keep doing it as long as she wants to. We hope that’s a good long while.

⚽ Have you caught the new season of Ted Lasso yet? It’s been back for a few weeks now, and I’d forgotten how nice it is to have Ted’s relentless optimism as a bright spot in the week.

📚A book I’m still thinking about. I just finished Theo of Golden by Allen Levi thanks to a reader recommendation (hi, Fehrn! 🫶) and loved its reminder that being a good person often comes down to paying attention to the people around us. I closed it wanting to move through my own little corner of the world a bit more like Theo.

Found something delightfully Torrance this week? Hit reply and send it our way!

🏛️ Torrance's newest councilmember named​
Torrance has filled its final open seat at City Hall. The City Council appointed longtime resident and former City Treasurer Linda Barnett to represent District 4, filling the vacancy left when Sharon Kalani became mayor. Barnett worked for the city for 33 years, including 17 as treasurer. She was sworn in Tuesday night after several rounds of voting among 12 applicants and will serve through March 2028.

🎓 Meet TUSD’s newest student board members​
Four students are getting a seat at the table with Torrance Unified this school year. West High junior Esha Chethikattil and seniors Rachel Lee of Torrance High, Lauren Mun of South High and Abigail Campos of North High will serve as the district’s 2026–27 Student Board Members, bringing student perspectives directly to district leadership. Their goals include creating student forums and feedback channels and expanding career exploration and internship opportunities.

✈️ Help pick Torrance Airport's new look​
Torrance Municipal Airport/Zamperini Field is getting a new logo, and the city wants your vote. Two designs are in the running, both featuring a P-38 Lightning: one with a modern flight-path arch and another inspired by Torrance’s historic railroad bridge. Take a look and weigh in before the final design heads to the City Council. Place your vote in the very official Tide poll below!

Official Tide Poll: Which one gets your vote? Concept 1 (left above) Concept 2 (right above)

⚙️ Meanwhile, Torrance is 3D printing metal

Add this to the list of things being made behind unassuming Torrance doors: high-tech metal parts. Torrance-based 3DEO is drawing industry attention for a 3D-printing process that can produce components from materials including copper and stainless steel at scale. Those parts end up in everything from electronics to medical devices. The company has been doing it here since 2016.

🙋 Want a say in how Torrance works?

The city is looking for residents to fill four openings on its commissions, including Civil Service, Historic Preservation, Parks and Recreation, and the Commission on Aging. Commissioners help advise the city on everything from local parks to preserving Torrance history. Applicants must be registered Torrance voters and current on their Commission Certification, and applications are due by Sept. 17.

August started with cake picnics and ABBA in the park and then had us packing backpacks and talking Friday night football. In between: Frozen at the Armstrong, an international art fair and four more neighbors worth knowing. Before we turn the calendar, one more look.

The Neighbors We Met
​☃️ Jackie Siegle + Kyle Wilson: They found Torrance Theatre Company while living in Redondo Beach, then found friends, a creative home and eventually a reason to move to Torrance.

🏓 Courtney Hance: For nearly 30 years, Courtney has turned the South Bay Tennis & Pickleball Center into the kind of place where people come to play and end up looking out for one another.

👩‍🏫 Jordan Jacobs: Jordan grew up at Seaside, Calle Mayor and South High, then came right back to TUSD to become the kind of teacher she remembers needing herself—one who makes sure kids know it’s okay if they don’t get something the first time.

​
​🎷 Cori Munro: Cori is helping make creativity part of everyday life in Torrance, with more ways for residents of any age or experience level to learn, make and perform with the new City Academy of the Arts – Torrance, right here in their own community.

A Few Favorite Things
​🎭 Opening night of Frozen at the Armstrong: Three kids at their first live musical, a sold-out theater and a reminder that you can have a pretty spectacular night out without leaving Torrance.

🖼️ A very art-filled August: Between TRYST, NOMAD and Studio System, Torrance Art Museum gave us plenty to wander through this month. We saw artists from around the world take over unexpected spaces, then peeked inside the museum as its galleries became one big working studio.

🍅 Saturday morning salsa: A stop at the Torrance Farmers' Market, fresh salsa and guac in the bag, and nowhere particularly urgent to be. Makes a good argument for not scheduling anything Saturdays before noon.

🥤 A late-summer milkshake: The Daily Breeze named Blue Burro one of six L.A. County spots worth visiting for a milkshake, and we fully support this kind of journalism. Go classic, or make it a Mazapan or Choco Banana.

You Said It Best

💌 “Nothing is going to stop me from reading The Torrance Tide.” — Ed

See you in September. 🌊