This week, Jazz on the Lawn returns with Mostly Kosher, Santa Monica Spoke Hosts an update meeting, the city will host a discussion on preservation and change in Downtown Santa Monica, you can take a picnic on the Promenade, and head to the Pier for free music as part of the Twilight Concert Series.
Mostly Kosher Performs Jazz on the Lawn
This Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m., Stewart Park (1836 Stewart St.) will be buzzing with the sounds of Mostly Kosher, “acclaimed Jewish cultural revival band, radically reconstructs Judaic and American cultural musical roots through ravenous post-klezmer beats and arresting Yiddish refrains,” according to the event’s Facebook page.
Besides music, there will also be food trucks.
Preservation and Change in Downtown Santa Monica
This Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club (1210 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401), the city will continue its series of workshops on preservation and change in Downtown Santa Monica with a panel discussion on what it means to maintain the area’s historic character while evolving to address the needs of the future.
“We have been out doing extensive community outreach to elicit feedback on the Downtown Community Plan and hearing what people think works and what doesn’t in the Downtown,” said Travis Page, one of the city planners working on the Downtown Community Plan, which will guide change in the city’s urban core over the next two decades.
“This workshop will provide insight to the diversity of sentiments our community members and leaders have while recognizing the unity of our community where common goals and views are shared,” he said. “While most people think of preservation as saving older buildings, we want to emphasize that it goes much further than that and is also about maintaining the look and feel of the Downtown, including things like sidewalk design, street trees, access to light and air, and other elements that make our Downtown remarkable.”
For more information or to RSVP, visit the city’s website.
Santa Monica Spoke Update Meeting
The local chapter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Santa Monica Spoke, will be hosting an update meeting this Saturday morning from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at its headquarters at 1640 5th Street.
“We will be joined by City of Santa Monica’s Mobility Manager Francie Stefan and members of her department to get updates on the #GoSaMo Campaign and why it is important for pedestrians and bikes, staff changes and welcome new staff, projects like Safe Routes to School and why #GoSaMo is important for pedestrians and bikes and healthy active transportation!” according to Spoke’s website.
There will also be an update on Breeze Bike Share as well as coffee and bagels.
Picnic on the Promenade
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., the nonprofit that runs the city’s thriving downtown, has brought back the summer lunchtime festivities with Picnic on the Promenade every Friday through August 26.
On Friday, August 12 from 12 to 3 p.m., leave the cubicle and head to the Promenade, between Arizona Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd., for some fun activities on your lunch hour.
“This annual summer series eases locals and Promenade walkers into the weekend every Friday afternoon with music, classic board games, Ping-Pong, interactive challenges, and free services from Downtown merchants. Bring a lunch or grab-and-go from one of Downtown’s award-winning eateries and soak in the sun,” according to Downtown Santa Monica.
Marc Baker and RÜFÜS at the Pier
The Twilight Concert Series continues this Thursday at the Santa Monica Pier with Marc Baker and RÜFÜS DU SOL.
You can sample music by RÜFÜS here.
Don’t drive to the concert if you can avoid it, though. Remember, you have plenty of options.
Santa Monica got a brand new light rail line in May when Expo phase II opened to Downtown Santa Monica, connecting the seaside city to Downtown Los Angeles and the region’s growing transit network. The Downtown Santa Monica Expo station is only four short blocks from the Pier, making it a pretty convenient option.
If you are coming from a place that’s not near an Expo line station, chances are you are near a Big Blue Bus stop, and the Big Blue Bus connects to the Expo line at the Westwood, Bundy, 26th Street (Bergamot), and 17th Street stations. The Big Blue Bus is also rerouting its lines that serve Downtown Santa Monica on Thursdays to avoid delays.
Last year, Santa Monica also launched a city-wide bike-share system, Breeze. It was the first of its kind in Los Angeles County (Metro launched its bike-share system in Downtown Los Angeles today). If you don’t have a bike or maybe you want to ride to the concert but get home another way, Breeze gives you the option to skip the traffic.
If you have your own bike, though, the Pier will also be providing free bike valet parking so you can drop your bike off in a secure place and not worry about whether it will be there when the concert is over.
If you have to drive, you are better off carpooling, since it will get you a discount on parking.
“Parking is available for the Twilight Concert Series for $10 – 20. The rates apply to vehicles entering the below lots after 4 p.m. Any vehicle entering one of these three lots with 4 or more people of any age will receive a voucher that they can turn into the bike valet stand for a $5 rebate,” according to the city. Just make sure there aren’t more people in your car than there are seat belts.
