Steve Icin and his wife Suzi, who are here from Australia on their honeymoon, use an iPad to look at an interactive art installation by Beck’s entitled the ‘Green Box Project’ at the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday, October 20, 2011. A special augmented reality app is needed to view the virtual art pieces.

Beck’s, through The Green Box Project, will fund and showcase 1,000 projects by individuals with unique creative vision. The resulting art pieces will be experienced via augmented-reality in Green Boxes located around the world and will be permanently displayed in the fund’s virtual gallery. There are 30 Green Boxes holding exclusive virtual pieces by renowned artists in the US, UK and Italy.

First grade students Violet Varner, 6, (right) and Sadie Lovett, 6,  takes cover under their desks during the Great Southern California Shakeout at  Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH) on Thursday, October 20, 2011.

Over 8 million people throughout Southern California participated in the Shake Out Drill, the largest earthquake preparedness activity in U.S. history! Families, school children and business workers participated in the drill. In summary, The ShakeOut Scenario estimates this earthquake will cause some 2,000 deaths, 50,000 injuries, $200 billion in damage and other losses, and severe, long-lasting disruption. The report has regional implications and is a dramatic call to action for preparedness.

Visual Artist Richard Ankrom paints Merry Go-Round on the Santa Monica Pier carousel building  the on Tuesday, October 18, 2011. 

Santa Monica Police Department Chief Timothy Jackman and Santa Monica Fire Department Chief Scott Ferguson discuss the youth’s photographs during Santa Monica Bay Human Relations Council's Third Annual Kids With Cameras Photo Exhibit & Conversation at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica satellite campus at John Adams Middle School on Saturday, October 15, 2011.

This year’s theme was Public Art as Community Wealth. The project involves participation in photojournalism workshops by local youth selected from the Police Activities League, Boys and Girls Club and Santa Monica Family YMCA. 'By showing them the community’s wealth expressed through public art, the children are exposed to a world many of them would not experience otherwise. This opportunity will enrich their lives in a way that will alter their futures for the better,' says Timothy J. Jackman, Chief of Police. 

Fabian Lewkowicz, a professional photojournalist who has supervised and mentored the group in the past is joined by photographers Dr. Charles Haskell,Nick Steers and Bill Beebe and the City Public Art coordinator Malina Moore whose expertise and experience in Santa Monica’s artwork is invaluable. The youth met once a week (for eight weeks) exploring the rich displays of public art in the city. 

Among the artwork photographed were ‘Santa Monica’ (1934) in Palisades Park by Eugene Monrahan, ‘Chain Reaction’ (1991) by Paul Conrad and’ The Dinosaurs of Santa Monica’ (1989) by Claude and Francois LaLanne. 

The Santa Monica Human Relations Council, a partnership of local community organizations, individuals, institutions, and businesses endeavors to improve human relations and advocates a socially just community through its various projects.

Plug In Day Parade - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

Some 200 Electric vehicles  drive on Main Street during the National Plug In Day Parade on Sunday, October 16, 2011.

New and legacy plug-in vehicles by GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, SMART, Ford, Tesla, Coda and others participated in the flagship parade through downtown Santa Monica.

“Only a few years ago, major automakers were literally crushing electric cars. Today, virtually every auto company in the world is selling or developing a plug-in car, and consumers are snapping up each and every one, stimulating our economy while helping the environment. You’ll see hundreds of these vehicles in National Plug In Day activities. And remember: EVs are powered by domestic electricity, so every cent we spend to run them stays in America,” says Plug In America co-founder and Sierra Club member Paul Scott.

Plug In America is leading the nation’s plug-in vehicle movement. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. We drive electric. You can, too. www.pluginamerica.org.

The country’s largest-ever plug-in parade was organized by Plug In America.

The original "Gidget," Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman, 70, show photos to children of her surfing during "Wake Up With The Waves" at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, October 15. 2011 The children's interactive concert series are held every Saturday morning at 9AM through October 29, 2011. Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman was the real life inspiration for the fictional character of Franzie (nicknamed Gidget) from the 1957 novel, Gidget: The Little Girl with Big Ideas, written by her father Frederick Kohner.

Santa Monica Fire Fighters run through a Pier Fire Drill at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, October 15. 2011. They were timing to see how long it takes respond to a fire on the pier from dispatch to water. They completed the drill in 14 minutes without lights and siren they. With lights and sirens they predict it would take 10 minutes.

A couple snap a shot amid the sunset from the Santa Monica Pier on Friday, September 9, 2011.