The Strand, Manhattan Beach

I don't know who on earth can say a bad thing about the Strand. It's pretty hard to complain about things when you're right on the beach. The Strand is the "street" the borders the beach in the south bay. It's not really a street, though, so much as it is a boardwalk. The strand is what people run, bike and skate up and down; and, the properties that are on the strand are prime real estate. I had the privelege of living at 39th and the Strand for nearly a year and it is pretty phenomenal to hear the waves crashing as you fall asleep. And, it wasn't so awful to wake up in the morning and just hop over the gate to be literally on the beach.
The weird thing about the South Bay (and, actually, Los Angeles in general) is that there aren't any beach front businesses. There aren't any restaurants or bars on the beach in Manhattan Beach aside from the few on Manhattan Beach Blvd and the Strand. Other than that, it's all residences. And, the residences are a pretty penny. The tiny apartment we lived in on the Strand was pretty expensive and El Porto isn't even the most desirable part of the beach. But, I thought it was worth it. All the great restaurants are a hop, skip, and a jump away; and, if you live near Manhattan Beach Blvd, then all of the best ones are right there. You can wake up in the morning and run on the beach or go for a swim. And, you can walk anywhere worth going along the strand. The only thing that leaves a little for wanting on the Strand and in any part of the South Bay is that it's hard to get to any other part of Los Angeles. But, with a view like that then who cares, right?