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Sand Between Your Toes
Beach Volleyball at the Beijing Olympics + Visiting Manhattan Beach
Local heroines Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who hail from our local beach towns, head into the Beijing Games as the top-ranked women's Beach Volleyball players in the world. The pair is on a 101-match, 18-tournament winning streak, and hope to win gold in these Olympics as they did in Athens (2004). The two women, both of whom are 31 years-old, have been playing together since 2001 and Beijing is their third Olympics. The 2nd ranked team in the world is also an American pair: Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh are close buddies with Misty and Kerri and our whole family loves to watch these girls compete. Beach volleyball has become one of the hottest tickets at this year's Olympic Games, so set your Tivo to record the last stages of these competitions: the Quarterfinals will take place on Sunday, August 17, the Semifinals on Tuesday, August 19 and the Finals on Thursday, August 21.
Many of the top American beach volleyball players train on the beaches of Southern California; in fact, Manhattan Beach is famous for its association with this exciting sport, so we spent a summer day exploring the charming beach community with the kids. We started our day in town, where we picked up sandwiches and cookies for a beach picnic at Becker's Deli, and rented bikes from Fun Bunns for a sunset ride. Our kids were anxious to check out the volleyball action, so we meandered down to the beach (it was hard to pull ourselves away from all those cute shops in town -- see below for our faves), picked our spots and spread our blankets with a view of the nets. Finally, summer sand between our toes! After oogling the athletes' prowess, we walked down the Pier's "Volleyball Walk of Fame," where our kids found the names of beach volleyball champs embedded in brass medallions along the path (The famed Manhattan Beach Open takes place this year from Sept. 19 - 21). Keep walking to the end, and you'll find the Round House Aquarium, a hands-on facility where kids can learn about local sea life, and take a welcome shade break. Even summer days must come to an end, but we extended ours as much as we could by taking a leisurely ride down the bike path and stopping for ice cream cones at Manhattan Beach Creamery on our way back to the car. Our kids loved scampering around this cozy community, an ode to So. Cal's Endless Summer lifestyle.
Directed By: NBC
2008, Rated U, August 08
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Olympic Coverage:
- Why It's Worth It: Most beach players start playing indoor volleyball, which is a highly popular sport for girls, in particular, in Southern California. These top athletes are great role-models for all kids, and watching them compete is exciting for the whole family. Click here to give show your kids some great slide shows on the NBC Olympics website, which is replete with all the sporting information you can handle.
- Know What You're Watching: Most folks understand the terms "dig" and "sideout" but, do a little homework on the sport and you'll be able to throw around terms like "facial" and "roof". Click here for an excellent glossary of volleyball terms
- Presidential Ball: George Bush, in Beijing for the Games, visited Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh and hit a few balls with them over the weekend. Click here for a photo and story.
- How Come May-Treanor and Walsh Aren't Ranked First? Although they have more Olympic qualifying points than any other team, there is a rule that puts the host country's team first (as long as they finished in the top six).
- Athlete Bios: Misty and Kerri -- who are on a 101 match, 18 tournament winning streak -- as well as the US's second ranked team of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, are inspiring representatives of the Southern Californian sporting ideal (Moms, take heart - they're in their 30s!). Click here to learn more about Misty May-Treanor (her Dad was a volleyball Olympian, her mother played tennis at UCLA, her cousin is US tennis Olympian Taylor Dent, and Karch Kiraly was her babysitter). Click here to learn more about Kerri Walsh (she also comes from a family of athletes, and went to Stanford where she was a first team All American for her four collegiate years). Click here for more on Elaine Youngs, and Nicole Branagh.
Our Tips for Talking with your Kids about the Games.
- Sports Savvy: Athletes train from early ages to make it to the pinnacle of their sports -the Olympic Games. Families can discuss the dedication it takes, both from the athletes and their families, to persist in stiff competition and grueling training regimens.
- Olympics Savvy: With China hosting the Games, there is plenty of contraversy about that country's human rights record. The US team chose a former child soldier from the Sudan to carry our flag at the opening ceremony - click here for more about Lopez Lomong.
- Volleyball Savvy: Wondering what's going on with indoor volleyball? Click here to learn more about our US men's and women's Olympic competition.
Visiting Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach Open - September 19-21
Age Recommendation: all ages
Time Allotment: all day
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Adventure:
- Gear Up: Fun Bunns is easy place to rent beach gear for the day. Our kids chose rollerblades and surfboards, we picked up an extra beach umbrella and bikes for the day. From jogging strollers to wetsuits, one-stop rentals help kids keep their patience. Forgot your sand pails? Stop into to Toy Jungle to pick up shovels, kites, bubble wands and boogie boards. Diane's Swimwear has a great selection of bathing suits, sweats and sandals for mom and the kids. (Fun Bunns 1116 Manhattan Beach Blvd. 310-372-8500, Toy Jungle: 1014 Manhattan Beach Blvd. 310-798-7744, Diane's Beach Wear: 1125 Manhattan Ave. as well as 125 Manhattan Beach Blvd. 310-546-9868.)
- Hit The Strand: Manhattan Beach is all about the boardwalk, but you've gotta know the rules to be cool. Bikers and skaters use the beachside pathways; pedestrian traffic takes the higher road. No dogs allowed and remember - the speed limit is 8 mph!
- Roundhouse Aquarium at the end of the Pier: This jewel of an aquarium is just small enough to feel intimate and serious enough to educate everyone in your crew about local sea life, all in hands-on fashion. If you visit on a Sunday, start your day on the beach with story time at 11:30. As you stroll along the pier, look down to check out a beach volleyball hall of fame - most of the sport's champs trained on this sand, and if your kids look down at the nets, they will see plenty of athletes practicing their sets and spikes. (Rondhouse Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier 310-379-8117 Mon. - Fri.: 3 pm -sunset, Weekends: 10 am - sunset. School class tours, parties and volunteer programs available.)
- Beach Food: Pick up sandwiches and choose from a mouth-watering display of cookies at Beckers Deli. Need a cool treat on a hot day? Kids will love locally made ice cream and fun flavors at Manhattan Beach Creamery. (Beckers: 1025 Manhattan Ave. 310-372-3214. Weekdays: 9-5:30, Weekends: 8-6. Manhattan Beach Creamery: 1120 Manhattan Ave. 310-372-1155).
- Be Jeweled: We love playing Pretty, Pretty Princess with our girls, but if you want the real thing, don't miss a stop at 23rd Street Jewelers. We took a "shade break" and admired the goods. Admittedly, this is a lot pricier than an ice cream cone, but browsing is free! 919 Manhattan Ave., #C, 310-374-9923.
- Don't Wanna Ruin Your Day with a Parking Ticket: We hear you. Click here for a detailed description of the 9 lots available, length of meters, and prices. Best way to start your day is by parking at Metlox Plaza, under the new Shade Hotel. Park on level two, where meters run for eight hours, and bring the kids to play upstairs at a wonderful, interactive water fountain. Antique lovers will like that the plaza was built on the site of the old Metlox ceramics factory. Pick up snacks at Noah's Bagels, Jamba Juice and Le Pain Quotidian, before heading for the beach, a few city blocks away. Metlox Plaza parking entrance is at Manhattan Beach Boulevard, just off Ardmore For weekend evenings, there are valets for $7.00 flat fee.
- Concerts in Polliwog Park: Our definition of heaven is music on the beach as the sun goes down. Celebrating its 30th year, Concerts in the Park continues this summer series through Labor Day. Sundays, 5-7 pm, free...including the sea breeze!
Our Tips for Extending this Adventure:
- AVP Tour Dates: Click here for beach volleyball competition - the AVP tour is coming to Manhattan Beach over the weekend of September 19. The tournament is a huge event in Manhattan Beach.
- Hit the Sand: To learn more about signing up to play in a beach tournament, click here.
- Polliwog Park - Concerts in the Park: It doesn't get any better than live music on the beach at the end of the day. Celebrating their 30th year, the Concerts in the Park run through Labor Day. Be at Pollywog Park from 5-7 to enjoy free music al fresco, complete with stars and sea breezes. Concerts run from 5-7 pm, Redondo Ave. & Manhattan Beach Blvd. Curbside parking. Open seating. No dogs, wheeled vehicles or BBQs.
- Where adults eat: We can't resist the updated, elegant Greek fare at Petra's and it's fun to imagine having enough time to while the morning away at Uncle Bill's Pancake Shop, enjoying coffee and carbohydrates while watching the beach action. (Petras: 451 Manhattan Beach Blvd. 310-545-8511, Uncle Bill's Pancake House: 1305 Highland Ave (310) 545-5177)
