The 5th Annual Jazz on the Lawn concert series returns to Santa Monica City Hall August 1st & 8th from 5pm-7pm.

Bring a picnic, blanket and beach chair, and enjoy some hot funk and Latin jazz. Get up and move to the music then cool off with a self-serve frozen dessert from The Big Swirl truck – all part of Jazz on the Lawn! Free parking after 4pm at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

Lineup includes:

August 1 – Pinot, High energy funk/soul jam band rooted in jazz

August 8 – Bobby Matos and his Afro-Latin Ensemble, Cuban and African rhythms fused with jazz.

For more information, visit Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division at (310)458-8350 or www.smgov.net/arts.

Getting to the Annenberg Community Beach House for Dollar Splash Mondays is a breeze on the all new Mini Blue Beach Ride! That’s right: just $1 to use the Beach House pool on Mondays all summer long, and 50-cent each way to get there.

The Beach Ride leaves Virginia Avenue Park on the hour starting at 10am every Monday until August 30. Return trips leave on the hour starting at 10:30am (last trip at 5:30pm). Need to know more about the Beach House? Visit: www.annenbergbeachhouse.com

All passengers on the 1st shuttle of the day are GUARANTEED pool entry! The Beach House Ride runs Mondays only. Service ends August 30.

For more information, call (310) 451-5444 or visit BigBlueBus.com.

By Erika Kerekes

I’ve lived in Sunset Park for 13 years, and I think I stop at Bob’s Market (Ocean Park Blvd and 17th St) five times a week on average. I love Bob’s Market more than I ever thought I would love a local family-owned grocery store.

I love that everyone who works there knows me and several call me by name when I walk in. I love that they know my kids.

I love that I can ask a real person – Jim, the produce manager – whether the plums are sweet and where the cherries come from. I love that when I was craving sunchokes (don’t ask), Jim ordered me a case. And that he saved me a knob of fresh horseradish root before Passover because he knows I like to grind my own.

I love that the butchers (Hi Rich and David!) will special-order things for me, or will give me a sample sausage to take home when they’ve got a new variety in the case. I really love the catering orders I’ve gotten from them, both for my office and for my kids’ school. They’ve even opened early so I could pick up my order on days when I had to provide breakfast for 300 kids.

In case you were wondering, I have absolutely no financial interest in or relationship to Bob’s Market. Other than never wanting it to close, because it’s a treasured resource in our Santa Monica neighborhood.

Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau Creates British Tourist Mannequin and
Invites Fans to Suggest to Sandy Monica’s Next Adventure for a chance to Win a $500 Shopping Spree To Santa Monica Place.

WHAT:

Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) announced a fun online contest, featuring English tourist “Sandy Monica.”  Who is she? Sandy is a life-size mannequin masquerading as a British socialite vacationing in Santa Monica.  Sandy Monica is determined to experience Santa Monica life by experiencing the seaside destination to partake in at least one activity each day for the 30 days while she is in town.  She will then be put on display as part of the Mannequin Collective art exhibit, a community arts program developed by Santa Monica Place in partnership with Otis School of Design to celebrate the grand opening of the new shopping venue.

During her stay “resident experts” and fans of Santa Monica are invited to help plan Sandy’s activities by submitting suggestions for creative, fun and exciting “must-do” activities during her visit to America’s favorite beachside city.

Fans of Santa Monica are encouraged to submit their activity suggestions by visiting http://www.santamonica.com/sandy-monica-contest between July 15 and July 30, 2010.  The most creative suggestion, as chosen by SMCVB on Aug. 3, will receive a $500 gift card to shop at Santa Monica Place, opening on Aug. 6, 2010.

From a bike ride along the beach, a trip on a Segway, to a whirl on the famous Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel, Sandy Monica will be sharing photos of her daily adventures on her website and Facebook page.

WHY:

A fun opportunity to create excitement with a creative campaign to generate 30 days of awareness for Santa Monica as a destination, and to celebrate Santa Monica Place’s grand opening, Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) created the identity “Sandy Monica” for its mannequin, which is set to debut at the Mannequin Collective art exhibit.

A reflection of Santa Monica Place’s ongoing commitment to the arts and its community the exhibit will feature 100 mannequins, each created by Santa Monica businesses, designers and artists in celebration of the grand opening of Santa Monica Place outdoor shopping mall on Aug. 6, 2010.

WHERE:

Submissions for Sandy’s next adventure will be accepted online at: http://www.santamonica.com/sandy-monica-contest.

WHEN:

July 15 – July 30, 2010 — Follow Sandy Monica’s adventures online at: http://www.santamonica.com/sandy-monica or on Santa Monica’s Convention & Visitors Bureau Facebook Page and submit your ideas for Sandy’s next adventure for a chance to win a $500 gift card to shop at Santa Monica Place Mall at http://www.santamonica.com/sandy-monica-contest.

August 6, 2010 – Sandy Monica will be on display during the grand opening of Santa Monica Place’s Mannequin Collective art exhibit.

By Gigi Davis

Photos that won the SM Festival contest are linked and displayed below. Thank you to all who submitted!! Categories: Food, Performance, People and Environment. Photo shown above is the winner of the Performance category.

For other winner submissions, please follow the link: http://www.facebook.com/SantaMonicaFest?v=wall&ref=ts

Thanks and see you next year!

The Santa Monica Pier has received the green light to roll-out the Twilight Dance Series with new sponsors added to the mix.  Bloomingdale’s Santa Monica, set to open at Santa Monica Place on Friday, August 6 has generously partnered with the Series as one of the newest members of the neighborhood and community.

“Bloomingdale’s prides itself in supporting organizations and causes that are important to the people and communities where we have our stores,” said Anne Keating, Senior Vice President Public Relations, Special Events and Corporate Philanthropy.  “This opportunity to be a part of Santa Monica’s annual summer season with the Twilight Dance Series in our new neighborhood is a perfect fit.”

Executive Director of the Pier Restoration Corporation (PRC) said, “It is now official, Thursday nights this summer have been saved!  Thanks to the incredible support of the community and our sponsors including Bloomingdale’s, we will have a full summer of great music on the Pier.”

Bloomingdale’s first concert sponsorship featuring Rickie Lee Jones is scheduled for Thursday, August 5, a prelude to the Santa Monica store Grand Opening on August 6.

“To have a company with the national reputation of Bloomingdale’s recognize the value of the Twilight Dance Series and show their commitment to the Santa Monica Community is fantastic,” said Kent Smith, Chair of the Pier Restoration Corporation, “We are looking forward to a fantastic summer and ongoing partnership with such an elite company as Bloomingdale’s as well as other generous sponsors including The City of Santa Monica, Australian Consulate, Bayside District Corporation and Pacific Park–just to mention a few.

(ABBREVIATED BAND DESCRIPTIONS)

July 8

Konono No. 1
Congolese Trance Dance-tronica

July 15

Australia Rocks The Pier
Talent to be Announced

July 22

Jovanotti
Italian Super Star

Jace Everett – Singer/Songwriter
Ana Tijoux – Chilean Rapera

July 29

Kailash Kher’s Kailasa
Indian Pop/Rock/Bollywood

August 5

Rickie Lee Jones
Duchess of Coolsville

August 12

Soulive
Funk Jazz Organ Trio

Breakestra
Hip-Hop Funk Beats

August 19

Mick Taylor
Legendary Guitarist/Former Rolling Stone

Tom Nolan Band
Blues, R&B and Soul

August 26

Beatlesfest
Abbey Road
Led Zepagain

September 2

Dr. John & the Lower 911
New Orleans Icon

Eddie Baytos & the Nervis Brothers
World Mardi Gras Music

Concert Information
As in past years, all Thursday night concerts are free to the public and begin at 7PM.  Information about the concerts including directions, parking, free bicycle valet and wine garden can be found at www.santamonicapier.org or call 310.458.8901.

Presenting Sponsors are the Bayside District Corporation, Pacific Park, Bloomingdale’s, Australian Consulate, City of Santa Monica, Beatlesfest and other sponsors include Naked Juice, CityTV, LaCARguy, Mariasol, Santa Monica Daily Press, WSR Creative, Big Blue Bus, Santa Monica Pier Lessees Association, Amoeba and Time Warner Cable.

About the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation
The Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation is a non-profit created in 1983 by the Santa Monica City Council to preserve and enhance the pleasure pier experience for people of all ages and for future generations.