Hey, neighbor!

Still smiling about what may have been my most Torrance weekend ever.

Saturday started with a basketball game at Wilson Park, then a farmers’ market run for my weekly salsa and guac—plus mini pancakes, because apparently you can buy a take-home pack to toss on the skillet later?! Important information.

A quick stop at Del Amo, a wander through the TRYST international art fair, and opening night of Frozen with Torrance Theatre Company (here I am!).

Basketball. Farmers’ market. Local art. Community theater.

If there were a Torrance bingo card, I think I nearly filled it.

Here’s your weekly wave.

In this issue:

🌊 Meet the woman behind nearly 30 years of tennis — and now pickleball — in Torrance
🌊 Beach volleyball, Friday night lights + plenty of reasons to stay local this weekend
🌊 Another giant sports mural is coming to Torrance (and TPD's Del Amo rent is $10 a year)

Meet Courtney Hance, who has spent nearly 30 years turning a tennis center into a community.

At two in the morning, while Courtney Hance’s youngest son is competing halfway around the world, her phone starts buzzing.

It’s the regulars from the South Bay Tennis and Pickleball Center.

“I’m gonna be so tired in your class tomorrow,” they’ll text. “But Keaton’s playing great.”

For Courtney, that’s what nearly 30 years at the center have become: people who celebrate together, worry together and show up for one another.

When Courtney and her husband took over the South Bay Tennis Center in 1997, there wasn’t much there.

“It was empty,” she said. “Just like a blank slate.”

Courtney grew up playing junior tennis in Palos Verdes, earned a Division I scholarship and briefly explored the professional tour before realizing she liked teaching better. She and her husband built the center one lesson and league at a time, while raising four children of their own on the courts.

Then one of her sons asked if they could paint a few extra lines on the tennis courts.

Pickleball had arrived.

Courtney agreed, never imagining how quickly it would take off.

“You have instant success,” Courtney said. “I have kids who are 7 years old who can rally right away. I have 80-year-olds who have never done a sport in their life.”

But ask Courtney what she’s proudest of, and she doesn’t talk about how many people are playing.

She talks about Mike, a longtime player fighting cancer whose friends text before his treatments: “We’re playing for you today.”

She talks about Karen working her way back after knee surgery.

And she talks about those middle-of-the-night messages when her own son is playing overseas.

“South Bay Tennis and Pickleball has provided a home and a safe space for a lot of people,” Courtney said. “We support them, and they support us right back.”

Three More Things

What if you don’t have anyone to play with?​
“Just come alone.” Courtney points newcomers to the center’s drop-in open play: put your paddle in the rack and rotate into games with other players. “It’s really social.”

Courtney’s advice if you’re pickleball-curious:​
“Everybody’s afraid their first class. Come out, try it. You’re going to sweat, have fun and learn a lot.”

Why she still gets on the court:​
“It gives you a sense of confidence. I really encourage people, at any age, to try something new.”

Find Courtney Hance at the South Bay Tennis and Pickleball Center.

Next week, meet the teacher who grew up in Torrance schools — and now has a classroom of her own at Anza Elementary.

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

​Suggest an event. | Feature your event.​

One of the South Bay’s great summer traditions returns to the sand this weekend. The AVP Manhattan Beach Open brings three days of pro beach volleyball to the pier, with some of the country’s best players competing steps from the ocean.

Even better: general admission is free. Wander down, find a spot and catch a match. Pretty good excuse for a beach day.

Manhattan Beach Pier | Friday–Sunday | Free

Friday, August 14

South High Stadium — South vs. North Torrance Football at 5 p.m. Friday night lights are back. South and North meet for an early-season crosstown matchup at South High. Time to break out the school colors.

Mom Said Yes — Rusty de la Croix Blues Band at 8:30 p.m. Settle in for a Friday night of guitar-driven blues, from deep standards to more upbeat favorites.

The View Music Bar — Viva México: Una Noche de Juan Gabriel at 9 p.m. A full live band takes on Juan Gabriel favorites from Querida to Amor Eterno. This one is built for singing along.

Saturday, August 15

Sidecar Doughnuts — Bookstore Romance Day with The Fleuria at 10 a.m. Books and doughnuts is a pretty convincing Saturday morning plan. The Fleuria mobile bookstore pops up with a book exchange, freebies, mystery ARCs for the first 20 book buyers and 15% off doughnuts and coffee.

Nearby: 10th Street, Manhattan Beach — Women & Girls Surf Clinic at 10 a.m. Curious about surf competitions but not quite ready to enter one? South Bay Boardriders Club is hosting a free clinic for women and girls to practice heats and pick up a few competition tips.

Nearby: Dockweiler State Beach — Alive Day 2026 at 10 a.m. Dive N’ Surf and Wounded Heroes of America bring veterans, families and friends together for surfing, boogie boarding, food and music, while honoring those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Madrona Marsh Preserve — Discovery Zone at 10:30 a.m. Little nature detectives can investigate feathers, seeds, shells, animal tracks and other finds from the marsh. Think mini field lab for curious kids.

Western Museum of Flight — Celebrity Lecture with Mike Rabens at 11 a.m. Former U.S. Navy fighter pilot Mike Rabens shares the story of the X-47B, the first fighter-sized autonomous aircraft to take off and land on an aircraft carrier.

Absolution Brewing Company — Blue, White & Gold Pop-Up at 12 p.m. Galaxy fans take over the brewery with a market of fan-owned businesses before the LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo watch party at 5:30.

Nearby: Sprinkles N Stuff, Lomita — Fidget & Trinket Trade-A-Thon at 2 p.m. Bring at least four fidgets or trinkets and prepare to negotiate. Kids can trade from their collections, decorate a mini trading board and leave with a mystery sensory goody bag.

Wilson Park — Family Movie Night: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie at 5 p.m. Mario on the big screen, outside under the stars. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for this free Torrance Summer Nights movie night.

Torrance City Hall — Lights of Hope at 5:30 p.m. Hundreds of lights will glow outside City Hall, each honoring someone touched by cancer. The annual display is presented by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Mom Said Yes — Hot Yacht Band at 8:30 p.m. Smooth grooves ahead. Hot Yacht Band sails in with the sounds of Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and more from yacht rock’s golden era.

Sunday, August 16

The Enclave — SoCal Etsy Guild Market at 12 p.m. Shop local artists and crafters while live music plays at The Enclave. It’s free, family- and pet-friendly, with plenty of food and drinks nearby when browsing turns into lunch.

Dodger Stadium — Torrance Dodger Day at 1:10 p.m. Torrance heads to Dodger Stadium as the Dodgers face the Milwaukee Brewers for the city’s annual Dodger Day. Tickets are sold out, but if you snagged one, wear that Dodger Blue.

Smog City Brewing — Aloha Fridays + Live Music with This Fox at 6 p.m. Ease out of the weekend with live music on the patio, a fresh pour and dinner from Aloha Fridays food truck, which will be serving from noon.

All Weekend

Nearby: Manhattan Beach Pier — AVP Manhattan Beach Open. Three days of pro beach volleyball take over the sand for one of the South Bay’s signature summer events.

Nearby: South Coast Botanic Garden — Hide and Seek: Art Meets Nature. Eight sculptures are hiding across the garden’s 87 acres, including six works from LACMA’s collection. Grab the activity guide and turn a garden wander into a very artful game of hide-and-seek.

James Armstrong Theatre — Disney’s Frozen. Arendelle is sticking around for another weekend. Catch Torrance Theatre Company’s Frozen Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 or 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Across LA — Dine LA Restaurant Week. An excuse to make dinner plans: Dine LA kicks off Friday with special prix-fixe menus across the county. Torrance picks include Benihana, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ and North Italia, or venture nearby for spots like MB Post, RYLA, The Arthur J and Little Sister. Just ask for the Dine LA menu.

Weather Forecast? Might we suggest beach volleyball?

⛅ Fri 68°/76° Partly Cloudy
⛅ Sat 66°/77° Partly Cloudy
☀️ Sun 66°/78° Mostly Sunny

🍽️ Must Try Ichimiann | Cold Soba | Handmade buckwheat noodles, served chilled and tucked away in Old Torrance. Exactly what we want for lunch on a warm August day. ​The Find →

🎶 On Repeat “The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley | For one last windows-down drive before the backpacks come out. ​Hit Play →​

🏡 Eye Catching 2107 W 237th. | It’s the yellow door, slate-blue cabinets and big front windows for me. ​Let's Go →

🌽 Torrance made the New York Times Cooking section. Chef Elijah Deleon traces his cooking back to family recipes and trips to the Torrance Farmers’ Market, where he became “obsessive with heirloom varietals.” His charred corn and cheddar salad is inspired by the esquites he ate after soccer games growing up. Suddenly, our weekly farmers’ market run feels very culinary.

🍭 The ultimate snack stand. Is there anything more magical to a kid than walking into a convenience store with permission to pick something? My boys loooove a "snack stand," so one summer day I decided to take them to the ultimate one: 7-Eleven. My 3-year-old walked through the door, looked around wide-eyed and yelled, "WOAH!" Turns out, choosing exactly what you want from an entire wall of treats is still an unmatched childhood experience.

☀️ Did you know this about the steps to Torrance Beach?

🚌 Last call for the Last Hurrah. Torrance schools are back next week, which means this is your reminder to steal a little magic from the first morning and give it to the night before instead. Our memory-making idea? Pizza, fresh pajamas, one last summer bedtime story. Done.

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

🏈 Another giant sports mural is coming to Torrance​
Remember the massive Dodgers mural that appeared near Del Amo this spring? Artist Robert Vargas is coming back for round two. The City Council approved a new LA Chargers mural on the north side of the DoubleTree by Hilton Torrance, across the building from his Samurai of the Diamond Dodgers mural. Vargas hopes to unveil it around Sept. 8, just before the NFL season gets underway. And yes, this one will have a QR-powered animation, too.

🧠 A new mental health pilot is headed to Little Company
​Providence Little Company of Mary in Torrance is one of five hospitals chosen for a new L.A. County pilot aimed at freeing up mobile mental health crisis teams. Right now, those teams can be called to private ERs to evaluate whether a patient needs a temporary psychiatric hold. Under the new program, the county will train ER doctors to make those evaluations themselves, leaving crisis teams more available to respond to 988 calls in the community. County officials hope to begin the pilot by the end of the year.

🌳 Twenty years of imagination
​Happy 20th birthday to the Annenberg Treehouse at Wilson Park. When the 2,500-square-foot play structure opened in 2006, it made history as California's first universally accessible treehouse in a public park. Two decades later, it's still hosting pirate adventures, secret club meetings, games of tag and countless "five more minutes!" negotiations before heading home.

🚓 TPD's Del Amo rent: $10 a year
​Torrance Police will keep its substation at Del Amo Fashion Center for another decade after the City Council approved a new lease through 2036. The substation gives officers a base at one of the city's busiest destinations. The rent? Just $10 a year, or $100 for the entire 10-year lease.

🎨 Fall plans start Aug. 18
​Set yourself a reminder: Torrance resident registration for the city's fall recreation classes opens Tuesday, Aug. 18. The new Seasons Guide is out now, with everything from Early Childhood Education and youth programs to classes and activities for adults. Fall classes begin the week of Sept. 13; non-resident registration opens Aug. 25.