June OPA Monthly Meeting on Monday (July 13): The meeting is at the Ocean Park Library @ 2601 Main St. starting with food and mingling at 6:00pm. We will also be hybrid on Zoom. Click here to add the OPA monthly meeting and Zoom link to your calendar. Here's the zoom link, and here's the schedule:
6:00 - 6:30: Food, refreshments and mingling
6:30 - 7:30: Guest Speakers:
John Erickson:
SaMo Police Department
SaMo Fire Department
Others TBD
7:30 - 8:30: Board business, including the upcoming calendar of events.
Blue Notebook - A Weekly SMPD Recap June 21 - 26: Here is the police dept’s weekly activity recap.
State of the City on Main St. on Thursday, July 23 as a Free, Open-Street Celebration:
From 4 to 7 p.m., city and partner booths will offer community resources, giveaways and family activities, with guided tours of the historic Shotgun House and music by DJ Bukue One.
Santa Monica Poet Laureate Jay Baldwin will give a reading, and Mayor Torosis will deliver the State of the City address from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m.
Live performances from 5:30 to 7 p.m. will feature the Santa Monica High School Orchestra Ensemble and the Spirit Fingers Trio.
Main Street will be closed from Ocean Park Boulevard to Hollister Avenue from noon to 10 p.m. Limited metered parking is available, and paid public parking is offered at Main Street lots 9, 10, 11 and 26. Organizers encouraged carpooling, biking and transit.
WSJ Publishes Critical Story about SaMo: This story (free to access, but need to register with them to view it) is entitled “On the California Coast, a Picture-Perfect City Falls on Hard Times.” Some key notes:
“Santa Monica is in recovery mode after string of problems, including financial woes and vacant storefronts,” “but the recovery remains tenuous in a retail district still checkered with empty stores—including a three-level space in a struggling nearby mall that Nordstrom abandoned last year. Downtown retail and restaurant vacancy rates, at around 20%, are among the highest in Los Angeles County, according to CoStar.”
“The interventions are beginning to yield results. Property crime has dropped, city statistics show, and the police department is projected to be fully staffed for the first time in two decades. The city balanced its budget by reaching deep into reserves and squeezing additional revenue from higher parking fees and outdoor advertising. At the pier, foot traffic is finally nearing prepandemic levels of roughly 12 to 14 million visitors annually.”
Council to Consider Parcel Tax for November Ballot: The measure -- which requires a two-thirds majority for approval --would establish an annual parcel tax of $495 per taxable parcel within the city, with the amount adjusted annually for inflation. More details here.
Annual Santa Monica Rent Increase is Capped at 2.6%: Landlords have until August 1 to notify tenants if they want to increase rents by Sept. 1. Owners can increase rent controlled units up to a 2.6% (capped at $70). More details here.
The Street Seen: 2810-2818 Main St (@ Ashland Ave): In 1912, a 5-store commercial building (2810 to 2818 Main St) is constructed on the west side of Main St, just north of Ashland Ave. To accommodate the widening of Main St in 1926, the 1-story brick building is moved back (west) 40 ft. More details here.
Know Before Your Ride - E-Bike Safety Information: The city published this guide that includes information for adult writers, kids, and parents of kids who are riding.
Venice Family Clinic dermatologist shares summer skincare tips, warns against online fads: Her top recommendation is daily sunscreen. "Sunscreen is the single most important preventative care tool for healthy skin," she said, noting UV exposure adds up through car windows and errands. She advises broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning, favoring lotions or creams over sprays, and reapplying roughly every 80 minutes when the UV index is above 2, especially when sweating or swimming. UPF clothing, wide-brim hats and sun-protective gloves add protection. More details here.
City Council Candidate Debate: Last week, the SaMo Dem Club hosted a debate with all 10 candidates vying for three spots. Watch it here.
LOTS OF FOOD NEWS:
“Met Her on Main” Opening Soon! Here’s a cute 1-minute YouTube video the owners made about what to expect when they open (targeting August) in a gorgeous newly built space at.
Not No Bar on The Infatuation’s “The Best Pizza In LA” List: “The pizza at Not No Bar can be difficult to procure. The buzzy cocktail bar-pizzeria is walk-in only and lines form quickly on the weekends. But your reward is bubbly-crusted, Neapolitan-ish pizza that goes toe-to-toe with the best on the Westside. The topping options are swapped out regularly, but if you see La Blanca, get it. The ricotta-layered white pie is squiggled with pesto and topped with a heap of frilly mustard greens that cut through the richness nicely. The room tends to be less packed on Sundays and Mondays, which means you might be able to glimpse spinning dough action at the back pizza counter from your seat.” 2424 Main St. More details here.
Pasjoli on Eater's "38 Best Restaurants in LA" List: Years out from opening in 2019 as a French fine dining restaurant, chef Dave Beran’s Pasjoli has settled into a new rhythm as a neighborhood bistro — and it may be the best iteration of the restaurant yet. Warm light from pendants overhead bounces off the brick walls, casting a soft glow onto diners below. A semi-open kitchen offers a glimpse of the chefs at work, plating crudo in a shallow puddle of olive oil and near-perfect circles of beef tartare. The upscale French roots are still there, in dishes like a rich French onion souplette that may be more cheese than soup, and delicate crepes caviar in beurre blanc. But Beran’s also brought a casual playfulness to the menu that makes Pasjoli feel more confidently itself than ever. la.eater.com/maps/best-los-angeles-restaurants-eater-38-essential
Cobi’s Featured on Celeb Podcast “Dinner on Me”: Modern Family’s Jesse Ferguson sat down with Celeb Chef Curtis Stone at the Michelin-recognized Main St. Indonesian restaurant. 2104 Main St. instagram.com/p/DaN5LL3jfkK
New California Laws Now in Effect: The image below summarizes many of the new laws that went into effect on July 1, including a new minimum wage, gas tax increase, food label changes, and SB79 targeted on increasing housing near transit. This NBC4 article goes into more detail.
Councilmember Dan Hall Newsletter: Here is his weekly newsletter, with his thoughts on news in and around the city over the past week, upcoming calendar of events, and much more.
Things to Do This Week
Tipsy Scholar A Cabaret of Cabernet: Join our sommelier and winemaker Amanda Rubin for a fun and interactive evening as she guides you through a flight of our Cabernet Sauvignon. Learn all about this grape, identify aromas and flavors while gaining insider tips straight from the experts. $30 per person. Wednesday, July 15, AJA Vineyards, 1417 2nd St. More details here.
Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen Grand Opening: The Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized restaurant is coming to Santa Monica. Created by Chef Imran Ali Mookhi, the restaurant showcases elevated Pakistani and Indian cuisine, handcrafted mocktails, and bold South Asian flavors made with exceptional attention to detail. Thursday, July 16, 7p.m., 115 Santa Monica Blvd. khansaaboc.com
The Lobster Celebrates 27th Anniversary: Enjoy freshly-made pizzas by Chef Govind Armstrong, a live DJ, drink specials, and happy hour pricing all night as the iconic oceanfront restaurant toasts 27 years in Santa Monica. Thursday, July 16, 6 - 9p.m., 1602 Ocean Ave. thelobster.com/events
Annenberg Beach House Sunset Picnic - Route 66 Edition: Bring your own picnic and enjoy a relaxed night by the ocean. Come with friends, family, or on your own and join a communal table. There's live music, ocean views, complimentary s’mores (while supplies last) & board games. Thursday, July 16, 5-8p.m., 415 PCH eventbrite.com/e/sunset-picnic-route-66-edition-tickets-1987961278699
COAST 2026 (Sunday): The revival of the COAST Open Streets festival will serve as the grand finale for Santa Monica’s soccer celebrations. Spanning from the Promenade and Metro E Line station across to Ocean Park, Colorado, Arizona and the iconic Santa Monica Pier, the city will come together for an unforgettable day of music, food and culture. santamonicacup.com/events/coast-2026-0zc31
OPA & City Meetings
City Council Meeting (Tuesday 5:30 pm): Meetings are hybrid and can be viewed on this YouTube channel. Click here for agenda.
OPA Connects Meeting (Wednesday 12pm): Here is the Zoom link.
Planning Commission Meeting (Wednesday 6pm): More details & agenda here.
Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting (Thursday 6pm): Click Here for agenda.
Town Hall co-sponsored by FOSP and PNA (Thursday 6:30pm): The city is planning to use the Palm Motel at 2020 14th Street (south of Pico Blvd. in Sunset Park) to house homeless people. More details here on the plan and you can learn more at this meeting at Santa Monica College, HSS (Humanities & Social Sciences) Lecture Hall 165 (Stromberg Lecture Hall). Parking is free after 6 PM in Parking Lot 3, right next to the HSS building on Pico Blvd.
Upcoming Calendar of Events
OPA Book Club : Next planned date is Aug 5 (The Night Watchman). Email [email protected] for more info. All meets are at 6pm at the Ocean Park Library (2601 Main St.).
OPA Monthly Meeting: Monday, July 13, 6pm @ Ocean Park Library
Ocean Park Social Club Summer Picnic Series: Mark your calendars for our bi-weekly summer evening picnics at Hotchkiss Park on the following Thursdays 5:30-7:30pm: July 23, Aug 6, Aug 20, and Sep 3.
Want to Volunteer for Future OPA-Sponsored Heal The Bay Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Ups? Contact Dave Tann at [email protected]. He is the coordinator for the OPA/Heal The Bay events, always meeting at Tower 26. Dates this summer are 7/26 & 8/30.
Resources
Police non-emergency Phone #: Call 310-458-8491 or click here for more info.
Santa Monica 311. Submit non-emergency requests to the City.
Santa Monica Alerts. Sign up for emergency text and email alerts.
SaMoNews. Subscribe to the official newsletter of the City of Santa Monica.
Board and Commission Openings. Volunteer to serve the community!
City of Santa Monica Career Opportunities. Get paid to serve the community!
Santa Monica Animal Shelter. Support our municipal Animal Shelter!
Locals Discount Program is Back! OPA has partnered with the SaMo Public Library to launch a Community Discount Program. Local Ocean Park participating businesses include Fitoor and Junior Cookies. Check out the full list here and expect more to come!
