Southern California Close-Ups: Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach

The poles are there, but where are the fishermen? The Redondo Beach Pier at King Harbor.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Redondo Special, a charter boat, has a welcoming party as it returns to dock after a morning of fishing.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Bright lights, beach city: The welcome sign for King Harbor.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Shops and eateries beckon along the Redondo Beach Pier at King Harbor. A hot dog, anybody?  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Visitors to George Freeth Way gaze at the beach near the Redondo Beach Pier.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Green Temple is a calm, Asian-inflected vegetarian restaurant in Riviera Village.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Towering palm trees provide a beachy backdrop as a boy tackles the rings at Veterans Park.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The sun sets near the Hermosa Beach Pier.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Pedestrians stroll along Pier Avenue as it connects to the Hermosa Beach Pier.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Lunch is enjoyed on the patio of Watermans restaurant near a bench made of painted skateboards.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

On a summer’s day, The Strand is a mix of pedestrians and bicyclists.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

I’ll get it! A game of volleyball is played in front of the famed Good Stuff restaurant along The Strand.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A cyclist casts his shadow against the patio area of Hennessey’s Tavern along The Strand.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A mural depicting life in Hermosa Beach by artists Neal and Dawn Von Flue.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Parker Roman-Quesada, 5, plays on a statue of Los Angeles lifeguard and noted surfer Tim Kelly.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The Manhattan Beach Pier at dusk.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A walkway leading down to the beach.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

A section of The Strand in Manhattan Beach.   (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Tea Trent, 5, plays with a kite at Parque Culiacan.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Janelle Kulpa of Playa Vista, right, admires little Logan as the Bichon’s owner, Bridget McInerney of San Juan Capistrano, looks on. They were hanging out in front of Simmzy’s Pub.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Theme Building and its Encounter lunch-and-dinner restaurant hover over LAX. They just came out of a three-year renovation in 2010.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Seagulls are along for the ride as a motorboat makes its way out of the channel at Marina del Rey.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jay Leno in his Burbank garage.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)