The following is a submission from the Santa Monica Conservancy.
The Santa Monica Conservancy releases their first 2025 installment of the Santa Monica Mosaic, in partnership with Pacific Palisades Historical Society, on March 16th at 5 p.m.
The Way We Were: Shared Memories of a Village Lost is a free, evening live stream event, celebrating the history of the Pacific Palisades with four community leaders, who will reflect on the region’s rich heritage, share fond memories of life in their cherished village, tell of the devastating loss in the Palisades wildfire, and describe their hopes for recovery.
With a deep connection to the Palisades spanning decades, Mosaic moderator Libby Motika will lead conversations with Bill Bruns, former editor of the Palisadian-Post; Roberta Donohue, a longtime community advocate; and Vanessa Pellegrini, a member of the founding family of a beloved legacy business, Vittorio Ristorante, destroyed in the fire. The discussions will begin with an overview of local history by Randy Young, curator of the Pacific Palisades Historical Society.
“As our community struggles with the overwhelming impact of the wildfire catastrophe and commits to building a better future, we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with our friends at the Santa Monica Conservancy in exploring the Palisades experience as it has been, and as we aspire to see it become.”
– Donna Vaccarino, acting president, Pacific Palisades Historical Society
Registration is NOW OPEN for the livestream webinar. There will also be a limited capacity Mosaic screening at the Conservancy’s headquarters, the Shotgun House, on the day of the event—email Alissa Reid at alissa@smconservancy.org for more details.
