It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...
On Board For The Bay
Curator and Artist Landon Knox, 16, (left) with guests, view the art exhibited at ‘On Board For The Bay’ Art Show and Silent Auction at The Victorian on Sunday, October 23, 2011. 100% of Proceeds will benefit Heal the Bay.
All You Can Carry Pumpkin Patch
All You Can Carry Pumpkin Patch 2011 - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz
People carry pumpkins during the 'All You Can Carry Pumpkin Patch for $5.00'at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.
GREEN THUMBS
Santa Monica College President Dr. Chui L. Tsang (left) and Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould plant parsley during the Organic Learning Garden grand opening ceremony at Santa Monica College on Tuesday, October 25, 2011.
With about 1,200 square feet of growing space, the garden’s centerpiece features a fenced-in area with ground-level beds and wooden and concrete planting boxes, storage shed, outdoor sink and benches. Also inside the iron fence is an underground cistern that captures rain runoff from the Art Complex, as well as a pump for that water. The gate is open during daylight hours.
Surrounding the fenced area is a combination of grass and landscaped areas with two sundials, one of them interactive, designed by astronomy professor Gary Fouts; stone water fountain; benches; and a trellis with Canadice grapevines
Winter crops such as beets and lettuce, bok choy and fava beans, carrots and kale, and much more have been planted.
About a dozen groups of students and employees have each claimed a stake to a patch of dirt and are busy planting fresh and healthy food. Eventually, the growers will be able to eat the fruits of their labor or donate the produce to a food bank.
The garden – which had been a seedling lying dormant for years in the hearts and minds of many SMC students and employees – is now the center of busy planting and learning.
“This is a dream come true at last,” said English professor Dana Morgan, who worked with students to spearhead the project.
Completed on time and on budget, the new garden, located on a triangular piece of property, was finished just before the school year began.
“The Organic Learning Garden is a great example of how greening the curriculum can take theory into practice and build community while teaching students about sustainability,” said SMC Director of Sustainability Genevieve Bertone.
Students and employees have been given plots – on the ground or in planters – and are tending to their seedlings. The groups include Club Grow, Associated Students, Disabled Students Center, English and biology classes, and the Management Association. The Modern Languages Department and Organic Arts (made up of arts majors) will be joining the garden this month.
“What is really great is we see a garden community being established on our campus. All these people are collaborating to learn from each other and produce healthy food,” Morgan said. “We have people with no experience and some who have been gardening for years. This diversity is one of our goals.”
The $225,000 project – designed by the Los Angeles landscape design firm Meléndrez and constructed by South Bay Landscaping, is funded by Measures U and S, bond measures approved by Santa Monica-Malibu voters. The idea for the project originated with the Associated Students, which wanted a garden to showcase sustainable farming methods, and was also passionately supported by many employees. Morgan and Greg Brown, director of facilities planning, were the primary leaders on the project and were named “EcoHeroes” last spring for their work on it.
Morgan said that aside from the Associated Students, the SMC Environmental Affairs Committee, Center for Environment and Urban Studies, and Board of Trustees were also active in the process.
“Through the activity of planting seeds, harvesting, watering, weeding, digging, and saving seeds,” Morgan said, “we connect with farmers who supply our produce today, and with our ancestors who farmed for generations.”
For information, call the SMC Center for Urban and Environmental Studies at (310) 434-3909.
COMMUNITY ART PROJECT
Teachers, parents, and students help paint Artist David Legaspi’s a multicultural-themed and environmental-themed murals at Franklin Elementary School on Sunday, October 23, 2011.
Venice Vintage Motorcycle Rally
People look at motorcycles during the 4th annual Venice Vintage Motorcycle Rally on Saturday, October 22, 2011.
Three men discuss Baron Margo’s unique motorcycle, in the ugliest division, during the 4th annual Venice Vintage Motorcycle Rally on Saturday, October 22, 2011.
The Ocean's End Cemetery
Caitlin McClure volunteers in Santa Monica Pier Aquarium’s Deep Sea Lab during Heal the Bay's annual Halloween and Dia de los Muertos celebration on Saturday, October 22, 2011.
Sonic Generations of Skate
Tony Hawk - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk catches air during Sonic Generations of Skate at Venice Beach on Saturday, October 22, 2011. Sonic Generations of Skate is a completely unique team competition that pays homage to the three generations of vert skaters that have come through So Cal over the past few decades. Each team consists of one 40-something skater (first generation), one 30-something skater (second generation) and one teen/20-something skater (third generation) competing against other teams with the same mix. The contests includes individual runs, high air, best trick and team doubles.
The power team of Tony Hawk, Andy Macdonald and Mitchie Brusco took first place at the first-ever Sonic Generations of Skate. The unique new contest featured the world’s best vert skaters from three generations battling in a series of four contests set against the famed Venice Beach boardwalk. The all-new format pushed the skaters to raise the bar with a variety of incredibly progressive tricks, including a rare 900 in competition.
“This contest really represented skateboarding well, including all the eras and styles,” said Tony Hawk. “The format was an all-new type of challenge, so we really had to come with a strategy. It’s great that we had this new way to compete.”
The contest included four competitions (individual runs, high air, team triples and best trick) featuring teams that had skaters representing each generation. The teams finished in the following order:
First Place: Tony Hawk (first generation), Andy Macdonald (second generation), Mitchie Brusco (third generation)
Second Place: Kevin Staab (first generation), Sandro Dias (second generation), Paul-Luc Ronchetti (third generation)
Third Place: Steve Caballero (first generation), Pierre Luc Gagnon (second generation), Elliot Sloan (third generation)
Fourth Place: Sergie Ventura (first generation), Lincoln Ueda (second generation), Adam Taylor (third generation)
The day kicked off with individual runs where skaters showed off McTwists, Cab heelflips, and 720s to impress the packed crowd. Tony Hawk and Andy Macdonald both took first place in their respective generations, giving their team the winning edge they needed to set the tone for the rest of the competition.
What started as a doubles competition became a triples contest with each team dropping in a third rider to up the ante. Andy Macdonald and Mitchie Brusco did a series of board switches, just before Tony Hawk stepped it up with a tail stall on Macdonald’s board while he was doing a 50-50 grind.
The big story of the day was the Best Trick contest where skaters threw down major show-stoppers. Sandro Dias stood out with his 900 (2 ½ flip rotation) — a trick rarely seen, especially in competition. 14-year-old Mitchie Brusco impressed the judges with his first-ever kickflip varial 540. Elliot Sloan added to the craziness with a 720 tailgrab. Sergie Ventura wowed the crowd with a 50/50 body varial to switch 50/50 to fakie. Tony Hawk showcased his signature ollie 540 and landed a kickflip McTwist. Lincoln Ueda continued the insanity with his signature samba flip.
“We’ve produced hundreds of contests, and this was one of the most exciting I’ve ever seen,” said Rick Bratman, CEO of ASA Entertainment. “Watching all the legends have so much fun and push themselves made me feel like a new fan all over again.”
The skaters all expressed what an amazing event it was for skateboarding. “This was the most fun contest I’ve ever skated in my life,” said Mitchie Brusco.
Sonic Generations of Skate, produced by ASA Entertainment and Sega® of America, will be broadcast nationally on FOX Sports Net (FSN) beginning on November 25 at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. Since broadcast schedules are subject to change, please check local listings for specific air times. For more detailed information on Sonic Generations of Skate visit www.sega.com/sonicskate. To learn more about Sega or Sonic Generations, please visit www.sega.com. For ASA Entertainment, visit www.ASAEntertainment.com
The Beatles at Barnum
The Beatles at Barnum - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz
The award-winning Santa Monica High School Symphony Orchestra with local rock band "Father Knows Best," performs Beatles favorites during "The Beatles at Barnum," at Barnum Hall on Friday, October 21, 2011.