Though December is a month filled to the brim with countless holiday festivities, it’s also home to a different kind of celebration.
This month is the most common time for couples to get engaged — with winter in general being colloquially dubbed “cuffing season,” a season when people find a long-term partner to hunker down with during the colder months.
Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are the most popular days of the year for folks to pop the question — and here in Long Beach, we’ve got plenty of marvelous places to do it.
From historic event venues with sweeping views of the city’s coastline to art museums, Long Beach offers couples of all kinds great options for the life-changing question — and for weddings themselves.
The recently reopened Fairmont Breakers, a historic hotel that’s been completely renovated and updated, boasts the Poseidon Ballroom — a 100 guest banquet space — for weddings. Despite its gorgeous construction, what sets this venue apart is its local history.
1 of 3
“We have heard so many stories of loved ones getting married, celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, and so many special occasions, generation after generation, that we feel the building has a special place in the heart of Long Beach,” Maureen Leary, Fairmont’s director of sales and marketing, said in a phone call. “We are so thrilled to have such a strong emotional and historical connection with the community.”
With the hotel’s recent reopening, Leary said, the Fairmont Breakers is excited to continue its tradition of hosting weddings, engagements, and more — helping to solidify the location’s reputation as a top-notch romantic destination.
“We can’t wait to continue these traditions and celebrate special occasions and moments with our guests,” Leary said. “Weddings are such a beautiful occasion with the coming together of two people and two families that lasts an eternity through generations. To be able to be a part of that is a great honor, and we treasure each one.”
Another local historic option is 440 Elm — a landmark venue built in 1913. The former church can hold up to 1,100 people on its grounds or up to 500 in the sanctuary. Because the Elm Venue has a larger meeting space, they sometimes partner with the Breakers — though 440 Elm doesn’t offer overnight space.
1 of 3
There’s also The Ebell Club Long Beach, at 290 Cerritos Avenue, which has a 180-person capacity for sit-down wedding receptions — and of course, the Queen Mary boasts a wedding chapel and various banquet facilities for event hosting.
But if a historic hotel isn’t quite your speed, check out the city’s myriad artistic venues.
Those include the Long Beach Museum of Art, which can accommodate 250 seated guests, the Museum of Latin American Art, the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at Cal State University Long Beach, and standalone venues such as The Betty on Colorado Street.
The city also offers plenty of other hotel venues, including Marriott Long Beach Downtown — which offers poolside ceremonies — Hotel Maya, The Westin Long Beach’s Centennial Ballroom with harbor views, and more.
Openings and closures
Last we all learned of massive store closures at Party City and Big Lots. Locally we are feeling the closure blues with
Two major nationwide retail chains — Big Lots and Party City — both announced that they’re going out of business this week, with stores across the country expected to be shut down in the coming months.
Aside from those big chains, Solita Tacos and Margaritas at 1 Pine Ave. also recently announced its closure. That business moved into the location just about two years ago, after Rock Bottom Brewery closed.
But it’s not all closures — Long Beach will soon welcome a new business, Zarape Cocina & Cantina. They’re planning to move into the former Rubio’s Coastal Grill location at 4702 2nd St., with plans for a summer opening.
San & Wolves Bakeshop, a vegan Filipino bakery owned by Kym Estrada, has also set a soft opening date for Thursday, Feb. 6. “We are open to the public at a limited capacity (hence “soft opening”). Everyone is welcome,” the business wrote online. “This is not the grand opening. Our grand opening will come later around March or April.”
Shrimp trays
San Pedro Fish Market — known for its “World Famous Shrimp Trays” — has been based in San Pedro since 1956, with the business expanding to a second location in Alamitos Bay in 2020.
Two weeks ago, owners announced a new location at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, according to third generation owner Michael Ungaro.
The news came after more than two years of negotiations. San Pedro Fish Market plans to open at the new 17,509 square-foot facility in 2026 after extensive renovations to the existing facilities there.
This week, the family also unveiled plans for the new eatery at their flagship location. The Ungaros signed a 49-year lease to rebuild in San Pedro’s West Harbor development.
The new building is huge — some 55,000-square-feet — making it one of the largest restaurants in the United States, with a 3,000-seat capacity.
The new restaurant will have mostly outdoor eating with a waterfront view — just like the San Pedro Fish Company that I remember, where families would sit on outdoor picnic benches and eat with a view of the fishing boats catching their food.
As the redevelopment of the San Pedro waterfront — previously home to Ports O’ Call Village — continues, San Pedro Fish Company is still up and running in a temporary spot on the 42-acre West Harbor grounds as the restaurant’s legacy location is built.
