Tina Bergen, 31, owner and operator of Firefly Pilates Studio, gives her client  Shauna Brittenham, 26, a private Pilates session on Friday, June 13, 2008. The Pilates Method (or simply Pilates),  is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates during the First World War with the proposal to improve the rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. Joseph Pilates believed mental and physical health are essential to one another. He recommended a few, precise movements emphasizing control and form to aid injured soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching,and stabilizing key muscles. As of 2005 there are 11 million people who practice the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States.

1) (right to left) Santa Monica Mayor Herb Katz; Lucia Eames (daughter of Charles and Ray Eames); Eames Demetrios (grandson of Charles and Ray Eames); Katherine Tobin (member, Board of Governors, U.S. Postal Service) and Linda Kingsley (senior vice president, strategy and transition, U.S. Postal Service), unvail the pane of 16 stamps during the Dedication of Charles and Ray Eames stamp ceremony on Tuesday, June 17, 2008, at Eames Office in Santa Monica. 2) Santa Monica Mayor Herb Katz speaks  while Bonnie Gibson translates with sign language during the dedication.  3) Mayor Katz and Lucia Eames (Daughter of Charles and Ray Eames) sign autographs during the ceremony. The objects that appear on the stamps were selected from among hundreds of items created by the designers and represent the breadth of their extraordinary body of creative work. The pane of 16 stamps represents the Eameses’ significant contributions to modern design, including furniture, architecture, film and exhibits. Today most of the Eameses’ furniture and many of their products are still being made and can be found in private homes and public spaces across the country.  Charles and Ray Eames used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design, including the molded plywood chair, accessible to all Americans.  An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. The stamps were created by USPS Art Director and Designer Derry Noyes.

Street performer Winston Chavez, 31, AKA Captain Sparrow , entertains around the Santa Monica Pier on Sunday, June 15, 2008.

A ship sales south in Santa Monica Bay on Sunday, June 15, 2008. 

Surf instructor Robbie French, owner of Perfect Day Surf Camp, gives surfing lessons to her young campers on Friday, May 30, 2008, at Santa Monica Beach. Perfect Day Surf Camp is sponsored by Quiksilver and Roxy and located in Southern California's beautiful Redondo, Hermosa and Santa Monica Beaches.

Volunteers construct a giant blue and gold ship made from plywood at Santa Monica High School on Sunday, June 8, 2008. The vessel will stage the 18th Annual Grad Nite celebration on June 19, for the graduating senior class.  The ship is 30 feet high and 85 feet long. It take three weekends to construct the vessel and one weekend to dismantle it. Two hounded and fifty volunteers work on the Grad Night project.  The evening will include a DJ, dancing, carnival and casino games, food, a complimentary DVD of the evening, lots of prizes and much more. Tickets are $75.00 in advance or $100.00 at the door.

(TOP) UCLA Chancellor Dr. Gene D. Block gives the commencement address at Santa Monica College during the 78th Commencement Ceremony at Corsair Field on Tuesday, June 10, 2008. (CENTER) Rob Rader, Chair of SMC Board of Trustees, gives a graduate her diploma during the commencement ceremony (ABOVE) SMC graduates wait to receive their diplomas.