It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Paris: Women and Bicycles

Former LA County D. A., and Photographer, Gilbert "Gil" Garcetti, 68, with Cultural Affairs Manager for the City of Santa Monica Jessica Cusick discusses his photographs during the opening reception of his show  'Paris: Women and Bicycles' at the Annenberg Community Beach House on Thursday, June 17, 2010.

For about four years, Gil Garcetti photographed women riding bicycles in Paris. Women of all ages, smartly dressed, use bicycles to get to work, visit friends, go shopping, go to the movies or the opera, even to go to funerals! The weather is never an impediment - these women ride in the snow, the rain and the heat - and with their Parisian flair and beauty they catch the eye. They ride their bicycles because they have an environment that is safe and encourages the use of bicycles whenever possible. Garcetti is working with the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition to help urban areas of Southern California encourage bicycle use and thereby reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and fight the growing epidemic of obesity in America. Admission is free. For more information: 310-458-4904
Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 10:20PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

KIWANIS MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS

Eighth Grader from Lincoln Middle School Ryan Roberts performs Concerto in C Minor, Movement 1 & 2 on the Oboe during the Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica's 61'st Annual Music Scholarship Awards at the Santa Monica Family YMCS on Wednesday, June 16, 2010.
 
Students from Santa Monica and Malibu Middle Schools and High Schools competed for 24 awards, consisting of an Instrumental Category and a Vocal Category. First through fourth place were awarded in both categories for 6th through 8th grades, 9th & 10th grades and 11th & 12th grades. All groups are adjudicated by professional judges in their field. The first place winners in each category performed for all those attending the luncheon.

Students, their parents, and SMMUSD music department teachers and accompanists attended a luncheon given by the Santa Monica Kiwanis Club on Wednesday, June 17th, in which the students received scholarships and certificates of merit.
 



Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 12:22PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Outstanding Professional Achievement Award

(above) SMC President Dr. Chui L. Tsang presents the Distinguished Alumni Awards for Outstanding Professional Achievement to The Doors drummer and SMC Alum John Densmore, 65, during Santa Monica College's 80th Commencement Ceremony at Corsair Field on Tuesday, June 15, 2010. (top) Densmore recites his poem, "Belly Song" during Commencement Ceremony.
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Densmore has remained an active musician and writer way beyond his years with The Doors, but has long been associated with the group and its legendary lead singer, the late Jim Morrison. The Doors was the subject of an Oliver Stone feature film of the same name and, this year, was featured in the acclaimed documentary, “When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors.”
 
Densmore was far more than merely the rhythmic engine of The Doors.  Strongly influenced by jazz skinsmen like Elvin Jones and the supple grooves of the Brazilian wave, he brought a highly evolved sense of dynamics, structure and musicality to his beats.
 
Inexorably drawn to music from childhood, Los Angeles-born Densmore honed his sense of dynamics playing with his high school marching band.  In the mid-’60s he joined guitarist Robby Krieger in a band called Psychedelic Rangers; shortly thereafter they hooked up with keyboardist Ray Manzarek and Morrison, and an explosive chapter in the development of rock ‘n’ roll began.  A raft of paradigm-shifting recordings and epochal live performances by The Doors would follow.
 
Morrison’s death in 1971 marked the end of an era, though the surviving trio recorded two more albums of songs and an instrumental backdrop for the late singer’s recorded poetry. The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and in 2006 they were awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy by NARAS® and given a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
 
The versatile musician explored reggae and jazz in subsequent projects, wrote books and articles and became active in L.A.’s adventurous theater community. He earned an L.A. Weekly Theatre Award for the music he created for the Tim Robbins-directed stage production Methusalem. He also co-produced the play Rounds, which was given the NAACP award for theatre in 1987.
 
Densmore’s autobiography, Riders on the Storm: My Life With Jim Morrison and The Doors, was published in 1991 and was a New York Times bestseller.  He's written articles and essays for Rolling Stone, London Guardian and The Nation and has contributed to many nationally syndicated newspapers.
Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 10:59AM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

VINTAGE FLIGHT

A vintage U.S. Army Biplane flies above Santa Monica Bay on Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 09:25PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

HOLD ON

A couple ride on a jet ski in Santa Monica Bay on Sunday, 18, 2010.

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 09:11PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

PAL Charity Golf and Tennis Classic 

Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould (left) and his partner Santa Monica Police Activity League Board Member Neil Carey rally during the Santa Monica Police Activities League Charity Golf and Tennis Classic at Mountain Gate Country Club on Monday, June 14, 2010. Money raised through the classic helps support scholarships for PAL youth, SAT and ACT prep courses and homework assistance.

Posted on Monday, June 14, 2010 at 05:59PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

SANTA MONICA PIER PADDLEBOARD RACE 2010


Santa Monica Pier Paddleboard Race 2010 - Images by Fabian Lewkowicz

Thousands gathered at the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, June 12, 2010, to witness and take part the revival of competitive paddleboard racing, a Southern California tradition first made popular in Santa Monica, CA during the 1940s. The race began at 8 am on the sand immediately adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier and featured both a 5.5-mile and 1 mile course leading competitors around the historic pier.

Presented by Honolua Surf Co., the event was a benefit for Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica based non-profit organization dedicated to the health of Southern California’s coastal waters.

“It was fantastic to once again see so many paddlers of all ages taking to the waters around the Santa Monica Pier. After a hiatus of more than 50 years, paddleboard racing has been restored to the pier and we are proud to be a part of that,” said Pat Fraley of Honolua Surf Co.

The event hosted more than 200 paddle contestants, traditional Polynesia outrigger canoes, and a dory boat race featuring area lifeguards rowing sprints through the surf zone. Racers ranged in age from 11 to 73. Spectators cheered the racers and listened to renowned surfers and paddleboarders recount the sports’ rich local histories. The fastest time on the 5.5-mile course was awarded to lifeguard Anthony Vela and the 1 mile course winner was Ryan Kwanten.

Ben Franz-Knight, executive director of the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation said, “The Santa Monica Pier is an icon worldwide. We are thrilled to present exciting entertainment and sporting events that honor our past and bolster our ongoing community engagement activities. We are part of the vibrant fabric of Southern California’s fun in the sun culture and events like this paddleboard race, place us right in the center of that activity.”

“We are fortunate to have received so much support for our mission to support the health of Southern California’s coastal waters and watersheds,” said Natalie Burdick, Heal the Bay’s constituent development manager. “Embracing and celebrating our oceans with events like this helps to get the community interested and involved in keeping our coastal waters safe, clean and healthy.”

Event partners and major sponsors included: Honolua Surf Co., ZJ Boarding House, Positive Existence, Santa Monica Daily Press, Hawaiian Tropic®, LAcarGuy.com, Power Balance, Lemon Moon, Coreban, Surftech, Boardworks Surf, C4, Hovie SUP, Rusty, Joe Bark, Anderson Surfboards, Honest Tea, Lanakila Outrigger Canoe Club and National Doryman’s Association.



Posted on Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 01:35PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Masanga Marimba Ensemble 

Dr. Ric Alviso, California State University Northridge world music professor and director of the Masanga Marimba Ensemble performs with his students at the Santa Monica Farmers Market on Sunday, May 30, 2010.
 
Masanga Marimba plays traditional and popular music from Latin America and Africa. The instruments used in this ensemble consist of 7 Zimbabwean marimbas of various sizes along with vocals, drums, percussion, saxophone and trumpet. The word “Masanga” comes from an African word that means the coming together of rivers or roads representing the meeting of African, Latin and American traditions in this group.



Posted on Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 12:27PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint
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