| OPA March Monthly Meeting Recap: Here is the full meeting recording. Click here for the talk from SMPD about all things SaMo law enforcement and including an interesting walk through of the SMPD Crime Dashboard that we all have access to here. |
| Ocean Park Pi Day (3/14) Pie Baking 101: 🥧Back by popular demand, join Lissa and Tess for Pi(e) Day! We are planning to make apple pies with pie pastry using this ridiculously easy recipe from the 1978 Betty Crocker cookbook (flaky! inexpensive! takes 10 minutes start to finish! no packaging waste! vegan! delicious!), so if you want to learn to make pie, come on over for Pie Baking 101. RSVP to samosocialclub@gmail.com |
| SMPD Chief Jacob Discusses Policing Santa Monica: “Over the past several months we have reached full sworn staffing for the first time in many years. That stability allows us to deploy officers consistently and proactively across the city. Instead of simply moving from call to call, officers now have more capacity to intervene earlier when they see unlawful behavior or conditions that could escalate. That shift toward proactive policing leads to more officer-initiated activity, more enforcement when appropriate, & more arrests. Our goal is not to chase numbers, but to establish a consistent baseline of enforcement that addresses problems early and prevents repeat incidents in the same locations.” More details here. |
| CoStar Data Shows Santa Monica Retail Market Showing Signs of Rebound: Investor activity is also increasing. Over the past 12 months, retail property sales in Santa Monica totaled about $143 million, up from $135 million the previous year, according to the report. Data cited by CoStar shows retail availability along the Promenade has fallen from a peak of 15.1% in 2024 to about 13.6%. The rate remains above the historic average of roughly 8.2%, though asking rents remain among the highest in the country at about $70 per square foot, despite declining slightly over the past year. More details here. |
| Most Loved Business Voting Closes this Friday: This is your last chance to give a little gratitude for the spots that make this city feel like home. Please consider nominating OPA business members DMN8, CLICK HERE to vote now! |
| Councilmember Lana Negrete Newsletter: Here is her weekly newsletter, with Public Safety stats (including a one year review of SaMo Bridge program that focuses on getting people experiencing homelessness off the streets), Economic Development updates, and more. |
| Friends of Sunset Park Pulls Out of City Grants Program: FOSP informed City officials Friday it would not participate in the City’s new grant program, making it the second neighborhood group to reject the new restrictions. The letter from the Board of the 37-year-old organization said it was “outraged” by new demands to participate that are “unreasonable, unwarranted, and unwelcome.” More details here. Note that OPA has applied for the grant and is working with the City to comply with their new rules. |
| Monday Deadline to Apply for the One SaMo People’s Academy: This new civic learning program is designed to build understanding, transparency, and trust between residents and their local government by offering an inside look at City operations, priorities, and opportunities for engagement. Free. Six weeks. 25 spots. Don’t wait. More details here. |
| Get in shape at any age with DMN8! Exercise and weight training are vital for staying mobile and healthy as we age. Book a consult with Sam to learn more about how DMN8’s 28 Day Challenge can help you build muscle, burn body fat, and provide you with the framework you need to be your best self. Don’t forget to ask about the Neighborhood Discount for being an OPA member! More details here on this great OPA Gold business’s offerings or email Sam at sam@dmn8.com. |
Things to Do This Weekend
- Compression with a Cop (Thursday 10am-12pm): Join us at Restore Hyper Wellness 1031 Montana. This is a fun way to meet some of our officers and learn about wellness options in the city. More details here.
- Unleash Your Inner Parista (Thursday 4:30 – 6:30pm): Paris Hilton and International Delight are hosting a “glamorous” coffee experience featuring product sampling and exclusive merchandise. @ Ocean & Colorado Plaza, 1566 Ocean Ave. More details here.
- Pasjoli’s PJ & Friends Dinner Series (March 12 – April 23): Chef Dave Beran’s beloved bistro dinner series returns to Pasjoli for a third year with an all-new lineup of guest chefs. Each edition invites a chef friend into the Pasjoli kitchen to cook their own take on a bistro menu. This year’s lineup: Travis Swikard of Callie (March 12), Daniel Patterson of Jacaranda (March 19), Sathia Sun of Donna’s (March 26), Dan Rabilwongse of Budonoki (April 9), Kevin De Los Santos and Katya Shastova of Vin Folk (April 16), and Mei Lin (April 23). opentable.com/r/pasjoli-santa-monica
- Duke’s Malibu Reopening This Week! The sunny, surf-loving all day restaurant right on Pacific Coast Highway has been closed since the devastating Palisades Fire tore through the area. Now, the restaurant — which was spared by the flames but not the fire’s fallout — is making its grand return, reopening for limited hours on Friday. More details here.
- Jameson’s Pub is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all weekend long with green beer, Irish food specials, live entertainment, and giant-sized drink specials: They’re opening early at 6am on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday 3/17, with live DJ sets, giveaways, and more! Celebrate the luck of the Irish at Jameson’s, and don’t forget to wear your green! 2702 Main St.
- Community Reopening Day at HEAL THE BAY Aquarium (Saturday 12 – 4pm): Celebrate the Community Reopening of Heal the Bay Aquarium on the Santa Monica Pier with FREE admission! After weeks of flood recovery and restoration, the aquarium is back and ready to welcome guests again. Meet marine life ambassadors, connect with the team, and celebrate the community that helped restore this beloved ocean education center. 🐟 FREE. @ 1600 Ocean Front Walk (Under the Santa Monica Pier) More details here.
- St. Paddy’s Day Celebration on the Promenade (Saturday 6 – 9 pm): Enjoy three hours of live Irish and popular music by Shamrock Sean and the Irish Cabbage Band, along with a themed photo booth, interactive lawn and table games, festive giveaways and on-stage trivia throughout the night. The free event will transform the 1300 block of Third Street Promenade More details here.
- Jay Leno to Headline Fundraising Gala for Palisades High School (Saturday 6pm): The “Stand Up for Pali” gala and auction aims to raise funds for student programs and activities at the school, which was heavily affected by the wildfire. @ Luxe Hotel palihigh2026.ourschool.auction
- Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am – 1:30pm):Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day a little early, we have special guests, the Triple B Band 10am-1pm and Rising Phoenix Morris Dancers at noon! Soccer Stars is on the lawn with skills building activities for the kids. The Los Angeles Dept of Health will share life saving tips and hands only CPR training and the GSFF Heritage Grain and organic almond pop up. All this and more.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
- Upcoming OPA Book Club Meetings: Planned dates are April 1 (The Housemaid), May 6 (Demon Copperhead), June 3 (Remarkably Bright Creatures). Email alexabarrett@gmail.com for more info. All meets areat 6pm at the Ocean Park Library (2601 Main St.).
- Community Paint Party (3/22 @ 1pm): Gather on Second and Hill for Graffiti Removal, Mutual Support and Celebration! You are invited to paint a section of the wall to cover up the hateful language (if you wish) and Support each other and Celebrate this resilient community with food, music and good people! Come Celebrate Our Diversity Together!
- OPA Monthly Meeting: Monday, April 13, 6p.m. @ Ocean Park Library
- Want to Volunteer for Future OPA-Sponsored Heal The Bay Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Ups? Contact Dave Tann at dogtowndave@yahoo.com. He is the coordinator for the OPA/Heal The Bay events, always meeting at Tower 26. Dates this summer are 6/28, 7/26, & 8/30.
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