Main St. Day of the Dog Block Party This Saturday 12-7pm: Main St will be closed to vehicular traffic and transform into a pedestrian paradise all day with vendors and entertainment planned from 12 – 7pm between Pier and Strand. Don’t miss the last Santa Monica Block Party of the summer! Join us on Main Street for live music, outdoor art displays, free activities for all ages and a partnership with Day of the Dog, North America’s largest pet festival. See you there! Click here for Facebook event details.
OPA Heal the Bay Beach Clean-Up THIS Sunday Sept. 8: The event runs 10am – 12pm, starting at Tower 26 (end of Ocean Park Blvd at the beach). All needed supplies are provided. Parents, students, families and neighbors are all welcome. Email Dave Tann with questions.
OPA Sept. 9 Monthly Meeting is THIS Monday: This month’s meeting will be at the 2601 Main St. Library starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Here is the Zoom link to join the meeting starting at 6:30pm. Here’s the draft agenda and here’s schedule:
- 6:00 – 6:30pm: Food, refreshments and mingling
- 6:30 – 6:45pm: SMPD update
- 6:45 – 7:15pm: City Manager David White
- 7:30 – 8:20: Board business, including upcoming calendar of events (11/2 Howl-o-Ween, 12/8 Holiday Party, OPA Election, & more)
Help Requested @ OPA Booth Saturday: OPA will have a booth from about 11:45 – 6:45pm and could use help staffing it, and especially with setup and take down. We’ll have a canopy-covered table on the street where we can answer neighbors’ questions, talk OPA, collect email addresses and hand out swag. Sign up here or reply to this email if you’re available to help.
Woman Sexually Assaulted in 2nd Beach Attack This Week: “A homeless man was arrested after sexually assaulting a woman who was sitting on the beach in Ocean Park late Wednesday night…The assault took place at around 11:30 p.m. on the 2800 block of the beach near the Venice border…The suspect tried to talk to the woman before hitting her on the head with a bottle, strangling and sexually assaulting her…According to a source familiar with the incident, the victim, who is in her forties and did not appear to be homeless, was sitting on the sand.” More details here. SMPD will be in attendance at Monday’s OPA meeting and we are in touch with them about addressing this.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month 2024: This SaMo.gov blog post details events and resources for the month, including the Public Library’s Reading List, which includes fiction and nonfiction curated for adults and teens and the Sept. 24 Suicide Prevention Month Proclamation at the Sept. 24 City Council meeting.
The Street Seen: Inventing the Groceteria (Main St. at Bicknell): “Santa Monica is the birthplace in 1915 of the groceteria – the self-service of the cafeteria applied to the purchase of groceries.” Read more here.
Starting September 3, You’ll Have to “TAP Out” at DTSM Rail Stop: This SaMoNext report details The MTA’s “goal to increase fare compliance and to ensure their system is used for legitimate travel needs.” They launched TAP-to-Exit at a North Hollywood Station in May and have seen “a notable increase in the number of customers paying fare, as well as a drop in crime and other issues reported by riders via Metro’s Transit Watch app.” They surveyed customers at the NoHo Station since they launched the pilot and found “91% reported feeling the station was cleaner and 86% thought it was safer.”
SMPD Accepting Applications for their Community Academy: Click here to learn more about the academy starting Oct. 9. The academy meets every Wednesday from 6-9pm at the police department for about 10 weeks. More details here.
The Blue Notebook – A Weekly SMPD Recap August 24-30: Click here for the weekly blog detailing police activity.
Blue Plate Oysterette 15 Year Celebration: They are offering a dozen oysters for only $15 now through Sept. 8 along with a “special anniversary menu filled with favorites from the past decade and a half” including “classics like Oysters Rockefeller, Fried Seafood Combo, Ahi Tuna Sandwich, & more. 1355 Ocean Ave. https://www.blueplateoysterette.com/
Things To Do This Weekend:
- Art Break Day (Friday 11am – 4pm): On the first Friday of September, volunteers across the globe create art making spaces and invite their community to come together to connect through art making. Join with your community and the world as we celebrate the amazing benefits of art and the power it has to connect us with ourselves and each other. This free event includes all art supplies and facilitators. @ Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Ave. https://www.meetup.com/sevenarts/events/302429362
- Abbot Kinney First Friday Food Truck Fest (Friday starting at 5pm): About two dozen food trucks are expected to line the street for the monthly event. https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/
- SaMo Pier’s 115th Birthday Celebration (Friday all day): This includes live performances, food specials, kids activities, a beer garden, and an outdoor screening of the movie Barbie in partnership with Street Food Cinema. FREE. https://www.santamonicapier.org/pierbirthday
- Bergamot Station 30th Anniversary (Saturday all day): The day-long celebration features multiple performances, art exhibition openings, food, drink, and more. FREE. https://bergamotstation.com/bergamot-30th-anniversary
- Main St. Farmers Market (Sunday 8:30am – 1:30pm): We are excited to announce that we have a double booking at the Main Street Farmers Market this Sunday with Sophia Vandenberg at 9am and the GM Jazz Quartet from 10am-1pm. So bring family or a friend pick up some fruits and veggies, grab a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. Relax and stay for awhile.
- Americana in the Park (Sunday 4-7pm): Head over to Gandara Park for this annual music concert series featuring two bands each week every Sunday in September. Bring your picnic, blankets, and beach chairs to soak up the sounds of Americana music, from its roots to modern forms. Enjoy craft activities for all ages, tasty treats from local food trucks, and a vibrant community experience in Gandara Park, 1819 Stewart St. This Sunday features local group Mariachi Los Catrines opening with Los Straitjackets headlining with high energy instrumental guitar rock and roll from around the world. FREE. More details here.
- Next Week: Community Corp. Summer Social (Thursday 5:30pm): The community is invited to celebrate their “collective work improving lives and neighborhoods at our 2024 Summer Social! This event will offer live music from the Samohi Jazz Band, cocktails, and camaraderie!” @ California Heritage Museum, 2612 Main St. More details and RSVP here.
