🌱 Stinky Cheese At Oh La Vache + LB Chef On Supermarket Stakeout

Get on up, Long Beach, and happy National Dark Chocolate Day! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. Here's everything worth knowing around town today.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn about stinky cheeses, Oh La Vache has the information. Also, Gladstone’s Visoth Tarak Ouk competed on “Supermarket Stakeout.” Finally, there was a shooting in an apartment on Atlantic Avenue near Broadway.

First, today's weather:

Cloudy. High: 63 Low: 46.

Here are the top five stories today in Long Beach:

1. Oh La Vache at 2112 East Fourth Street will host a stinky cheese class called “What The Funk.” Taking place On February 18 and 19, attendees will learn about and taste the “bloomy rinds, washed rinds, blues, and gloriously moldy” specimens. Did I mention that there’ll be wine? (Oh La Vache)
2. “Supermarket Stakeout,” a Food Network show, has selected Long Beach’s own Visoth Tarak Ouk, chef at Gladstone’s, to compete. We learned Wednesday that he was filming his episode, although there’s no word when it’ll air. He’ll be competing against three other chefs in the show that values “personality, ingenuity and out-of-the-box thinking.” And no, he can’t tell you if he won until after his episode airs. (Press-Telegram)
3. There was a fatal shooting in an apartment “on Atlantic Avenue just north of Broadway” on Sunday. A small group of individuals got into an argument. One man took out a gun and killed another man at the location. The shooter fled. If you have information, please connect with detectives Michael Hubbard or Leonel Valdez at 562-570-7244. (LB Post)
4. What is the status of Long Beach’s bar scene? After focusing quite a bit on the local restaurant scene, we learned Thursday that the bar scene is dealing with its own set of challenges. “People are afraid to come out,” owners say. Some “offered fundraising promotions where the proceeds went to bars that were struggling.” Besides that, guests are looking for a neighborhood feel, which frequently depends on a particular bartender. (LB Local News)
5. Do you have a shelf full of books you want to share with others? Are there no little libraries near where you live? The Long Beach Public Library might be interested in taking the books off your hands. All branches, except Alamitos and Harte, now accept “gently-used, new or like-new donations.” You need to bring your donation inside; don’t put them through the book drop. (@lbrecycles)

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Today in Long Beach:

• Level 1 Basic Obedience at Bark! Bark! Daycare (9:30 AM to 10:30 AM)
• Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking (Virtual Free Trial Class) (3 PM to 4:30 PM)
• Tiger Sharks (Tuesday/Thursday) Water Polo at the Long Beach Petroleum Club (5:25 PM to Feb 10, 6:15 PM)
• Karaoke at Alex’s Bar (8 PM)
• DiPiazza’s presents Music, Comedy, And Poetry Open Mic Night (9 PM)

From my notebook:

• Our Carmilitos neighbor is looking for a younger cat to adopt. Needs to be good with dogs and kids. (Nextdoor)
• A Cal Heights neighbor is looking for recommendations for a tax preparer. (Nextdoor)
• Our South Wrigley neighbor lost their two French bulldogs. Did you see them? (Nextdoor)
• A Grant neighbor needs to borrow some moving blankets for Friday, February 4th 2022. (Nextdoor)
• A neighbor at The Plaza is thinking of installing a tankless water heater. Does anybody have any input? (Nextdoor)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you soon.

— Sylvia Cochran

About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8.