Eighth District Councilwoman Rae Gabelich takes the hard road

PHOTO by RUSS ROCA

Eighth District Councilwoman Rae Gabelich became the best listener on the Long Beach City Council by remembering how it felt not to be heard when she was a community activist. Actually, that’s how she came to represent the Eighth District representative, period. “I got tired of going to my councilmember and trying to get him to understand the concerns of the neighborhoods—trying to get him to see how his eyes were being blinded to actions that were going on behind closed doors and their impact on the city. He was just so oblivious to it. One day, I said, ‘I’m tired of this,’ and I pulled papers to run. It was an impulsive act. It’s turned out to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done by choice.”

A little less hard for Gabelich was picking her favorite things about Long Beach:

Fried calamari at Phil Trani’s “Thick pieces of calamari, not too breaded, then fried just perfectly. Some calamari is too greasy, too thin, too breaded. Not Phil’s. Sometimes I order the calamari appetizer, then order it again from the dinner menu.”

3490 Long Beach Blvd | Long Beach 90807 | 562.426.3668 | philtrani.com

House painter Gus Goodstadt “In 30 years of paying for the kind of upgrades and redo’s that go along with owning a home and rental, I’ve never had anybody give such precise attention to detail and quality. Gus plays by the rules—he’s a Long Beach licensed contractor—and takes great pride in his work. And he’s not the most expensive, either.”

Gus Goodstadt | 562.426.2755

Watermelon martini at E.J.’s “Just make sure you tell them you want it really cold.”

4306 Atlantic Ave | Long Beach 90807 | 562.424.5000

Dr. Shad Groves, chiropractor “He specializes in neurochiropractic care, which means he knows how the brain connects with whatever part of the body is giving you trouble. Remember how you’d go to the chiropractor and everything would crack? He doesn’t do that.”

Back to Health Chiropractic | 3620 Long Beach Blvd | Ste C-11 | Long Beach 90807 | 562.997.0966

Fish and chips at Hof’s “The fish is moist, there’s not too much batter and the French fries are the perfect size. The serving is very generous, too.”

4251 Long Beach Blvd | Long Beach 90807 | 562.424.0390 | hofshut.com

Yoga classes with Andrea Testa “She has given me much peace of mind and a place to find my own balance. She practices what she preaches and is involved in the community. She provides a retreat from urban life.”

Free Spirit Yoga | 3910 Atlantic Ave | Long Beach 90807 | 562.989.9959 | freespirityoga.com

Tags: best of, city council, Long Beach, rae gabelich