https://californialover.com/branding

Faces of SoCal, 26825 Rolling Hills Rd, Rolling Hills Estates, CA (2026)

12/18/2020

INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE ALERT!!! Michelle Collins, owner and founder of , has loved innovating education since she was in college. Michelle received her teacher credentials at St. Nicholas Montessori School, and she learned how children best learn and how to give them the best possible start to their lives. When we visited her school, which she started in 2006, we were amazed at how beautiful and well-looked after the grounds were. Upon getting to know Michelle further, we experienced first hand her passion for all things learning.

“The Montessori method that I teach with came from Marie Montessori, who was the first Italian female physician. She worked with mentally challenged children, and took her theory of understanding human nature and anthropology into education,” said Michelle. “The difference between a play-based and Montessori style school is that, in Montessori, you have mixed age groups and each child works at their own pace. There is no limitation to their learning; the children move very fast.”

After many years of working with younger children and special needs children, as an assistant kindergartener teacher, and as a principal, Michelle knew she wanted to own her own school and teach by her own program. She searched for the right school property for 3 years, and eventually opened Rolling Hills Montessori. Over the years that the school has been open, Michelle has found new ways to innovate the curriculum and give her students the best possible education.

“My goal is to make my students successful when they leave; not just here, because to me thats a testament to the education that they’ve had when they go on to middle school,” said Michelle. “Theres not many students that don’t do well in this program. If a child wants to go outside and pick up leaves and make a montage, then we’ll make a montage… To me, especially being a mother myself, I think its very important that we get that solid foundation of emotional-social education, and then the academics will follow.”
—-continued in comments—-⬇️ @ Rolling Hills Montessori

11/24/2020

Matt originally did marketing, public relations and social media for local restaurants. When COVID-19 hit, many restaurants no longer needed his services. Since he lost a lot of his clients, he had more time to be able to pursue other business ideas.
Matt, an avid baker, had much more time and began to perfect his chocolate chip cookie recipe and other original foods.
“Since I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, I make an orange olive-oil cake as well,” said Matt. “It’s a beautiful combination of savory and smooth and it’s become a big hit within the community.”
A few weeks into the pandemic, Matt decided to further pursue his baking. He posted on his neighborhood’s NextDoor asking if anyone was interested in his cookies, which got many replies.
“That post just blew up,” said Matt. “That was when I knew that this could be a success within our community, which proved to be true.”
Since then, South Baked has become a popular name in the South Bay. Matt teams up with businesses like Aloha Bungalow around the Bay for pop ups regularly, and you can also purchase their goods off of their website. Check out their account for more info! @ Redondo Beach, California

11/17/2020

After being stuck at home during the first few weeks of the quarantine Tommy decided to buy an electric bike to explore his Manhattan Beach neighborhood. He had been born and raised in the South Bay, and knew how hilly his area is. The former CEO of a concert organizing company started wondering how much fun it would be for the people of the South Bay to use electric bikes when going uphill and how many more opportunities this would offer. Soon after, he came up with a solid business plan, found a great supplier for his e-bikes, and found a location close to the beach to start his new business.
“Especially now during COVID-19, people are looking for things to do,” said Tommy. “This is a great activity that people can do together and that is safe during the pandemic.”
These bikes have enough range to take you to many different areas in Los Angeles and are super fun to drive. Even better, they are safe for the environment and safe during the pandemic! Check out his instagram or his storefront on Highland Avenue for more information! @ Manhattan Beach Strand

10/16/2020

When was originally built in 1966, it was supposed to be an information center for brochures and pamphlets about the city of Redondo Beach. Since then, however, the octagon-shaped bungalow has evolved considerably. Over the years, the Riviera Village landmark has changed from a city help desk, to a home and garden shop, to a plant and art store, to what it is now. Emily and Brian Poage were asked to take over the store by Emily’s cousin in 2018, and they knew exactly what they wanted to do with the building. They wanted to keep the beach background but also create their own identity within the store. Not only do Emily and Brian now own this store, but they also own a clothing company brand called Aloha for People. They use the proceeds of this endeavor to help provide clean water access for people around the world. “We wanted to include that aloha spirit in this bungalow as much as we could, which was how we came up with the name,” said Brian. “At this point we’ve really expanded way beyond tshirts, and sell everything from handbags to local art, succulents to home decor.” These two have made this store their own and love what they can do for the community at the same time. Check out their instagram page for more information. Or better yet come visit them in person! Bonus tip: and while you’re there ask them about their free beach yoga class on Saturday mornings🧘‍♀️ Face masks required. @ The Aloha Bungalow

10/13/2020

✨✨GIVEAWAY BELOW✨✨When COVID-19 first hit the U.S., many of us were scrambling to find ways to stay busy at home. Carrie from .handmade.creations funneled all of her anxious energy into learning how to make bracelets for herself and friends as a passion project. After making bracelets for a few weeks, Carrie’s friends and family members loved her products so much that they pushed her to open an online store. “It started out as just a fun hobby to fill my nights and weekends,” said Carrie. “Making bracelets got me out of my head in the beginning of the pandemic, and gave me a way to escape my stress.” When her very first post on her page brought in more than 25 new orders, Carrie knew that this business could become something amazing. She is looking to expand her business and start selling her bracelets in local stores, as well as possibly expanding into necklaces. She is incredibly dedicated to making beautiful, handcrafted jewelry with a bohemian vibe that every customer will love. Check out her page for more information!
✨✨GIVEAWAY✨✨
Carrie offered to let us give away a $30 credit on her website! Here’s how to enter:
1.Follow .handmade.creations, , and
2.Like this post
3. Tag a friend local to the South Bay. Every extra tag is another entry in the giveaway for you!
That’s all! The giveaway closes on October 23rd at 11:59PM. Winner will be announced on stories and notified through Direct Message. Good luck to all those entering! 📸 @ Hermosa Beach, California

10/07/2020

Nick from started his career in the restaurant industry when he was thirteen years old. Since then, it has been his dream to open a restaurant of his own. A few weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic came to light, a friend of his who owns a small strip mall offered Nick a space on Pacific Coast Highway. This store did not have enough room to hold a traditional sit-down restaurant like Nick had hoped for, but it was the perfect size for a sandwich deli. When deliberating whether or not to rent the space, Nick realized that the one thing the Redondo Beach area was missing was just that: a small sandwich deli close to the beach with amazing, homemade-style food. Riera's Place just opened seven weeks ago and is already well known throughout the South Bay, especially for their La Cubana Sandwich! Check out their page for more information. Have you had a chance to try out his sandwiches? Which one is your favorite? 📸 @ Riera's Place

09/30/2020

✨✨GIVEAWAY BELOW✨✨ has been a Redondo Beach institution for more than 30 years. When the gift and card store was going out of business in June of 2018, Kim and Lilah decided to swoop in and buy it. They were in the perfect position to take over the business, both wanting to start something new.
“It was scary to start our own business, especially since neither of us had ever done something like that before,” Lilah said. “It was a big challenge for us but it was the right time for both of us to put our all into something new.”
They took over the store and redesigned it, moving the focus away from a store dedicated to greeting cards and more toward California-themed goods and gifts. Kim and Lilah also decided to bring in the art of local artists as their way to support the community.
“The one thing I would note is the overwhelming local support during COVID-19,” Kim said. “It was hard to bring our business back after having closed it for three months due to quarantine. As soon as we were able to open our doors though, people were so happy to come in. We would not be here if the community had not supported us like they did.”
Kim and Lilah also had to open an online store from which they could sell their products when Card De A had to be closed. However, the store is now open again and ready for customers to come by and look at all of their fun products. Check out their instagram page for more information.
✨✨GIVEAWAY✨✨
Kim and Lilah offered to give away a gorgeous Redondo Bundle featuring one of Kim’s signature hats and one of Lilah’s signature candles! Here’s how to enter:
1.Follow , , and
2.Like this post
3.Tag a friend local to the South Bay. Every extra tag is another entry in the giveaway for you!
That’s all! The giveaway closes on October 12th at 11:59PM. Winner will be announced on stories and notified through Direct Message. Good luck to all those entering! 📸 @ Card de A

09/26/2020

We now have 1000 beautiful people following this account! Thank you all for helping us support the local businesses of the South Bay. We have a bunch of new interviews coming soon, stay tuned! What can you do to help? Tag a family owned South Bay business for us to feature!

09/25/2020

✨GIVEAWAY BELOW✨
Looking for a way to manage pain? Dr. Jennifer Randolph, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, specializes in pain management and women’s health and can help you find peace. She utilizes acupuncture to make people feel their best.

When she was pregnant with her first child, she moved to Nepal with her husband for six months. On this trip, she saw side of Nepal that was very different to the perspective that a tourist would get.

“The hospitals were not very compassionate towards women, and so the other women in the community filled that need, that compassion component,” said Jennifer. “This women supporting women mindset really fueled my fire to be a women’s health specialist and be there for women as much as possible.”

Jennifer’s passion is advocating for women and taking care of them in a new way. She has noticed over the years that the average doctor will often only give a few minutes of their time to their patients, and not fully pay attention to their needs.

“Something I see all the time is women coming to my office after having gone to doctor after doctor, and the doctors are telling them they’re fine. But they aren’t, and they don’t feel good,” said Jennifer. “When they come here, they have someone who finally will sit down with them and listen to the big picture of the issues. We don’t just prescribe a pill here. We want women to see change and feel better, all while being supported.”

Jennifer’s acupuncture sessions can help with a whole host of things such as migraines, asthma, stress, and sleep problems. They are even covered by most insurance providers! They are also following all CDC COVID-19 guidelines. Jennifer even hired a new person to her staff who’s sole job is cleaning the entire facility every day. Every major surface is cleaned every 20 minutes and all treatment rooms are completely disinfected after every patient, and aired out for two hours before the next patient is allowed in. Check out her page for more information.

✨GIVEAWAY✨
Jennifer was generous enough to give away an entire acupuncture session at $150 value! Here’s how to enter this giveaway:
continued in comments⬇️ @ San Pedro Acupuncture Health Center

09/15/2020

Nearly 10 years ago, Rana from started creating her signature paper plates because there were no paper products for Islamic holidays. She always felt that the parties she threw for her kids needed the traditional Islamic flair, but could not find anything suiting her preferences. She began making her porcelain-like paper plates using her own molds, until she realized that the production could move to a larger scale and become a real business. Not only are these plates made to be high-quality and eco-friendly, but they also look exactly like porcelain. In 2019, she introduced her porcelain-like paper plates in the National Stationary Show, where her products won best product in the wedding category. When COVID-19 hit, all the stores in which Rana had previously been selling her products in closed, and she had to find an alternative way to get her paper ware onto the market. This forced her to work on her website and figure out how to switch her marketing from wholesale to retail. All of Rana's beautiful products are available on her website, which can be found on the page. Rana's products are environmentally conscious yet convenient, and are just waiting for a place at your table! @ Eid Creations

Faces of SoCal

12/18/2020

11/24/2020

11/17/2020

10/16/2020

10/13/2020

10/07/2020

09/30/2020

09/26/2020

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09/15/2020

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