Hi! We’re the Stickelbrucks—Tim, Sabine, Ella (10), Annie (8), and our happy goldfish Star—and we’re so happy to call the Hill Section of Manhattan Beach our home. We moved here from Munich, Bavaria, Germany, exactly ten years ago, and we’ve loved every sunny day since.

We were drawn to this neighborhood for so many reasons—the beach, the laid-back California lifestyle, the welcoming community, and the excellent school system. It’s everything we dreamed of and more. When we first met at a company event back in Germany, we bonded over a shared dream: one day, we’d live in Los Angeles. Fast forward fifteen years of marriage later, and here we are—living that dream with our two daughters.

Both our girls go to Robinson Elementary—Ella’s in 4th grade, Annie’s in 2nd—and they’re full of energy and curiosity. Summer for them means endless hours riding boogie boards at the beach. During the school year, you’ll find them on the basketball courts with MBYB or practicing volleyball serves. Ella is passionate about performing arts and loves being part of the Tada Stages program. She’s already becoming quite the triple threat—acting, dancing, and singing! Annie just started piano lessons and loves making music at home, just like her dad.

We even have a little goldfish named Star, who’s become a bit of a family legend. He joined us after Ella won him at the American Martyrs fair two years ago. Against all odds (and after several tank upgrades), he’s still swimming strong—even managing to hang in there while we juggle our travel schedule.

When it comes to work, Tim’s a creative entrepreneur at heart. He’s the CEO of a digital marketing company called Afacture and the founder of a cutting-edge AI startup, Flux AI, with offices in Hermosa Beach and New York City. His journey has always straddled music, entertainment, and technology. He started out in the music industry as a producer and label manager, worked with Apple during the launch of iTunes in Germany, and later consulted for Apple Music and other streaming platforms. More recently, he’s focused on artificial intelligence and is passionate about helping shape a positive future with this powerful technology.

As for me, I’m the operations manager at a global content management agency based here in California. I’ve always loved being in a creative environment and supporting the amazing talent on my team. While I’m usually behind the scenes, my heart beats for the arts.

As a family, we love to travel and explore—especially in nature. We’ve road-tripped to Yosemite, Sequoia, and Joshua Tree more times than we can count. When winter rolls around, we pack our skis and head to the mountains. Both girls are turning into fantastic little skiers. We also return to our hometown, Munich, every summer and winter. It’s our launching pad for adventures across Europe—France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the UK—you name it, we’re game!

Other pastimes include hiking in Palos Verdes or Topanga Canyon. When not hiking, we love to soak up everything the South Bay has to offer. Whether it's grabbing a pint at Culture Brewery, hunting for our next great read at Pages Bookstore, or cruising through town in our roofless BMW convertible on a sunny Sunday—we’re always up for something fun.

Some of our favorite local hangouts include Bonaparte Bistro, Ryla, Slice & Pint, and Radici. And when it comes to sports, it’s a house divided (but happily so!)—we cheer for the Lakers and our hometown soccer team, Bayern Munich.

We love to stay active and engaged. I’m an experienced mountain climber (hello, Alps!) and Tim is a dedicated runner—he’s even training for the NYC Half Marathon this March. We’re proud supporters of MBEF and contribute to the Manhattan Beach Community Coalition and other local charities.

We may have traveled far to get here, but Manhattan Beach is where our hearts are. Whether we're curled up with a good book, dancing around the kitchen to music, or soaking up the sun on the beach as a family, this place feels like home. Thanks for letting us share a little bit about ourselves—we can’t wait to meet more of our neighbors!