I’m proud to call Torrance, California my hometown

It suits my quiet personality


If I’m going to get asked what my hometown Torrance, California is known for, I’d say it is home to the U.S. headquarters of two huge Japanese automakers, Toyota Motor Sales and American Honda Motor Company.

On a serious note, Torrance, California is really just a serene town city in the South Bay of LA, California, which suits my quiet personality. In fact, and this makes me really proud as a resident, my hometown is known to be one of the safest cities in L.A.

My friends and I would sometimes joke around that Torrance police can be too zealous of their duties, trying to find any reason at all to write a traffic ticket. And that reminds me, traffic in Torrance can be notorious, particularly in 405 or 110 freeways.

Overall though, Torrance is such a great comfort zone for me, and for some very good reasons too. Despite being a quiet, ordinary town, here’s a rundown of the five things I consider to be extraordinary about my dear Torrance:

The beach is basically my neighbour

Torrance has a long stretch of white sandy beaches along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

One of the major beaches in the area is the Redondo beach, known for its good waves for surfing. Redondo beach is in the northern part of a smaller yet more popular beach, the Torrance beach.


Most locals refer to it as RAT beach, with meanings including Right At Torrance, and Redondo and Torrance. My friends and I usually hang out in here because it’s less crowded and quieter than the surrounding ones. We’d just bum around, play beach volleyball, or do a bit of boogle boarding whenever it’s a sunny day.

You can be artsy and chill at the same time at Paint n Pour

Since Redondo Beach can get a little packed, my friends and I look for alternative hangout spaces in the area. We found a gem of a place recently in Redondo beach called Paint ‘n Pour. It’s a place where you get to be a painter even for just a few hours.

Now, my friends and I are not exactly what you would consider artistic or creative. But we enjoyed the whole three hours of painting session because they had art instructors who guided us step-by-step.

Do you know what made Paint ‘n Pour more awesome? While you’re unleashing your inner artists in a 16×20 canvas, you can drink to your heart’s content–with choices of red or white house wine, beers, and soft drinks.

There’s a lot of nice natural views if you’re in the mood for a ride

Since I’m an introvert, I cherish quiet and stillness. I appreciate it more if it involves scenic views of nature. I guess a part of why I love hanging out by the beach is the lovely view of waves crashing on the shore with the vast sky as backdrop.  It’s a bonus that the sound of waves calms me.

But since nearby beaches can get crowded, I get a fix of my personal time by driving along the coast, and taking in the natural beauty of the sky, beach, and long, winding roads.

My favourite? If you’re atop Hawthorne Hill, in a lot at the end of Via Pinzon in Palos Verde, you can see a picturesque view of the city from Santa Monica Harbor to Los Angeles to San Pedro Harbor.

Steve’s Char Burgers serves the best comfort food

Well, at least for me. Especially if I’ve had a bad day.

Steve’s Char Burgers is my saviour when I want some quick comfort in the form of food. My favourite from their menu is the breakfast burrito with ham.

A few years back, I remember getting into a disagreement with my best friend over a guy. I know it may sound a bit immature, but it upset me so much. I went over Steve’s to order some Patty Melt with onions, and my best friend’s version of chili cheese fries. What we would usually order is chili cheese fries with lettuce, onion, tomato, and pastrami, and dip it in ranch mixed with some pepper and Tabasco.

You can brew your own beer

I can’t exactly remember when the craft beer industry in Torrance boomed, but I’d say it made my town a little more interesting.

There are a number of awesome microbreweries in town, particularly in the industrial areas across from the courthouse, and in Lomita across Torrance Memorial. You’d probably be familiar with the popular ones like Strand Brewing Company, Monkish Brewing Company, and Smog City Brewing Company. My old friend Jill Fowler, writer at scholaradvisor, likes this beer a lot and we used to go out and drink it often when I was in town.

If you want to try brewing your own beer though, South Bay Brewing Supply in Old Torrance is your best bet.

Special occasions are made more special by Andes Florist

Special occasions at home wouldn’t be complete without flowers from Andes Florist.

My dad gave me a dozen hand-tied Ecuadorian roses during my graduation, and told me I had bloomed as beautifully as the roses. It made me feel really special, especially because the flowers looked really exquisite!

My dad also told me that he once had to make it up to my mom, but did not know what to give her as peace offering. So he went to Andes in the hopes of finding something, but could not decide which one to give mom.

Claudia, the shop owner, assisted him, and was only shown a picture of my mom before suggesting an arrangement of tulips, lilies, and roses. Needless to say, all went well, and even better I should say, between mom and dad.

Andes Florist always has something when we need them, plus they have such great service.