“The Santa Monica Life” is a weekly roundup of the local fun, food, drinks, and lifestyle goings-on in Santa Monica. When the fun is so close, it’s easy to leave the car at home and walk, bike, or bus to all the exciting stuff our city has to offer. Isn’t that why we love it here?
Santa Monica will raise its minimum wage, the City Council decided this week, a popular local eatery reopens after a fire, learn the ropes of Santa Monica’s new bike-share system while meeting your neighbors on a community ride this weekend, and get spinning on Lincoln at Cyclepathic.
Minimum Wage on the Rise in Santa Monica
Santa Monica’s City Council Tuesday voted to raise the minimum wage most businesses will have to pay their employees to $15 an hour by 2020. The ordinance would also set the minimum wage for hotels and motels in the city at $15.37 an hour by 2017.
The ordinance still has to return to the Council for a second vote, though that is mostly a formality.
While the pay raise schedule was agreed upon, there were still some details to be sussed out, including those around seasonal workers, learners, and certain provisions relating to restaurants.
“After voting for the ordinance, the council directed city staffers to set up a broad-based working group, including stakeholders, to go over and possibly fine-tune provisions in some of these areas,” the L.A. Times reported.
Breeze Bike-Share Community Ride
What better way to spend your Sunday than learning the ropes of Santa Monica’s new bike-share system while getting to know your neighbors?
Join Santa Monica Spoke to learn the ins-and-outs of the city’s newest public transportation option on Sunday, January 17 at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to current and prospective bike-share member. Registration is required, though. Send an email to RSVP@SMSpoke.org in order to RSVP today.
“You’ll learn how to use the Breeze bike share system, including checking out, locking, flexibility of ‘out of station locking’ and ‘hold’ features, multiple bike check out on one account and more! We’ll then take a short tour of Santa Monica bike infrastructure to demonstrate how some of these features work and can be used,” according to Santa Monica Spoke’s website.
“You’ll also learn basic bike safety tips and Rules of the Road to help reduce conflicts and keep your rides SAFER & FUN — all while enjoying the community and connecting with Bike Local businesses. Surely to be a day of fun and excitement. At this first event we will visit and get a short tour of the Main Street Farmers Market,” the site reads.
The site says that this is a monthly event, so if you miss this one, stay tuned for information about the next one.
Tar & Roses reopens months after kitchen fire
A favorite local eatery, Tar & Roses at 602 Santa Monica Blvd., is back in operation months after a kitchen fire forced it to shutter its doors, according to the L.A. Times.
The Times reports: “Originally scheduled for fall, the rebuild took longer than anticipated. This was ‘due to a combination of issues dealing with the lengthy City of Santa Monica permit approval process, and the insurance company,’ said [chef-owner Andrew] Kirschner.”
Fans of the restaurant need not worry about getting their favorite dishes again. The Times reports: “The menu will remain the same — that is to say, it will still be seasonal. But the popped corn and the oxtail dumplings are definitely on the reopening menu, per Tar & Roses’ Instagram feed. Here’s hoping the crispy pig tails are on the menu too.”
Cyclepathic Spins on Lincoln
The Santa Monica Daily Press named Cyclepathic the Santa Monica business with the best vibe of 2015 and according to Santa Monica Centric, it’s honor well deserved.
“If you’re new to indoor cycling, Cyclepathic is the ideal place to discover the benefits of this workout. You don’t need special shoes or equipment. Just arrive, check in, and let one of the staff members help you get set up on your bike. Then, you’re ready for the workout,” Santa Monica Centric writes.
Located at 720 Wilshire, Cyclepathic is part of the Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.’s newly-expanded district.
