From Santa Monica Close Up:

"Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputies, Los Angeles Police Officers, and Los Angeles Firefighters responded to a collision involving a motorist and a man riding an electronic scooter on Pacific Avenue. The incident occurred on Friday, prompting a swift response from emergency services.

The injured man was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. His condition remains unknown at this time. The cause of the collision and the determination of fault are currently under investigation."

Santa Monica Close Up is a photo blog by Santa Monica based Photojournalist/Press photographer Fabian Lewkowicz. Fabian is the former staff photographer for the Santa Monica Daily Observer Press, Santa Monica Mirror, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Corsair.

Venice Beach Football Club and Nike will be hosting a street football celebration & tournament at the world-famous EVenice Beach.

Who will unlock mad brilliance? Come watch the best footballers battle it out on the boardwalk.

EVENT OVERVIEW

This Sunday 6/23, Venice Beach Football Club and Nike will be hosting a street football celebration & tournament at the world-famous Venice Beach before Brazil kicks off their Copa America against Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium on Monday.

VBFC will be putting on a show for the neighborhood to enjoy the city’s finest footballing talents, Brazilian national team supporters groups, unveiling of the mural on the handball wall (Ronaldo/Vini Jr/Ronaldinho) done by Maxi Bagnasco.

The day will debut a 2v2 competition, live art and custom airbrushing by @lanice, futevolei and beach pickup games, along with Brazilian DJs, musicians, dancers, and more. Nike will be raffling tickets to Copa America games and giving away fresh gear throughout. The day will be capped off with a live samba concert as the champions are crowned Icons of the Estadio.



TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW

4v4 teams are picked by captains pre-selected by VBFC to build their teams. 8 teams will compete in a 1hr 45min pickup qualifier, whereby at the end the top two teams with the most wins will advance to a Championship Final.



2v2 COMPETITION

A competition style made popular in South America that pits teams of two against each other. No goalies, first to two goals wins. A game fit for only the toughest and most technically skillful on the court that is guaranteed to draw attention and

LIVE SAMBA CONCERT & CELEBRATION

Throughout the 2v2 competition and the Championship Finals, a live samba band will be jamming out to create the perfect backdrop of sounds for the highlight of the day.

For more info, Click Here.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

LA28 has finally announced the venue for the 2028 Olypmic Skateboarding events.

And to the dissappointment of the Venice Neighborhood Council, they did not pick the Venice Skatepark.

(No really, the VNC was going to try to rally to have the event at the Venice Skatepark, we listened in on one of the painfull meetings about it. You'd think some of the VNC "skateboard enthusiasts" in charge would know the skatepark is nowhere near the same thing as purposedly built and designed venues for large-scale skate events like X-Games, US Opens, etc...)

Skateboarding will be held out in the Valley. Home of the Ramp Locals.



LA28 is going to create an X-Games style event venue to host all the skate and BMX events. Here is the newly released rendering:



"In the updated venue plan, LA28 reaffirms its commitment to the San Fernando Valley, which was not included in either the 1932 or 1984 Games. The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the Valley will host the youthful, high-energy Olympic competitions for BMX Freestyle and BMX Racing along with Skateboarding Park and Street. The precision sport of Archery will also be in Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Santa Monica is still set to host all the beach volleyball events.

June 20, 2024

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:

BEACH AREA WARNINGS:

· Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State beach. Near Will Rogers Tower 18

100 yards up and down the coast from the creek.

· Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu

100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon.

· Sweetwater Canyon Storm Drain at Carbon Canyon Beach

The entire swim area.

· Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey

The entire swim area.

· Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the public restrooms.

· Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.

· Trancas Creek at Zuma Beach

100 yards up and down the coast from the creek.

· Malibu Pier in Malibu

100 yards up and down the coast from the pier.

Use the map below to obtain the current water quality status of your favorite beach location. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into a particular location. Click on the marker to identify the sampling location. This map is updated as conditions change.

On Thursday morning, Daisy the Venice Healer had a seizure while on the boardwalk.

According to her video, she became paralized, going in and out of conscious.

She recently had surgery to have her botched butt and hip implants redone and was told to stay inside and rest so her body can recover, but she chose to come out to Venice Beach, which she believes is the reason she started having seizures.

She was taken to the hospital, where she said the prognosis "multiple grand mal seizures (loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions)". As well as dehydration and heart palpitations.

"I died and came back several times"

Daisy was released from the hospital later in the evening. "I don't have use of my legs right now...thank you guys for your support"

It happens more than you'd think. Analyzing a few surfing clips from a good swell at Malibu.

Five Fun Food Offerings Feature Smashie's Burgers, Mr. Nice Fry, Churrita Churro, Scoops Creamery, and Cosmic Funnel Cake; Arizona's eegee's frozen fruit beverage debuts in Mr. Nice Fry

Smashie's Burgers, serving smash burgers, loaded hot dogs, and a selection of freshly fried fries. Smashie's anchors the new "Snackville" at Pacific Park. Smashie's hot, fresh burgers are charbroiled on the griddle, topped with slices of American cheese, grilled onions, and all-new Smashie Sauce, then assembled and pressed for a crispy, melty, juicy, burger experience.



Mr. Nice Fry, serving fresh fry varieties including Skinny Dippers, Swirly Fries and Tater Wheels. Mr. Nice Fry satisfies boardwalk guests' cravings for all things golden, brown and delicious. Mr. Nice Fry's fun selection of fried potatoes is served with tasty dipping sauces and premium seasonings to keep tater lovers coming to the boardwalk again and again.

eegee's, an Arizona beverage staple since 1971, is making its Hollywood debut over the cool blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Located inside Mr. Nice Fry, eegees are the perfect blend of real fruit and frozen goodness that'll have you sipping on sunshine year round.

Churrita Churro, a classic fried dough treat gets a decadent upgrade at Churrita. Cinnamon sprinkled, dulce de leche filled, or chocolate dipped, get your churro fix, with or without creamy soft-serve ice cream at Santa Monica's hottest new sweet shop.

Scoops Creamery, located just inside Snackville's main entrance, Scoops Creamery serves frozen treats including hand-scooped ice cream, milkshakes, and sundaes. Scoops Creamery is open daily and offers six flavors of Dippin' Dots and freshly made funnel cakes, which you can top with your choice of Lappert's premium ice cream.

Cosmic Funnel Cake, Pacific Park's signature Funnel Cake is a boardwalk treat that can't be missed on any visit to the Santa Monica Pier. The name comes from the technique of pouring batter through a funnel into hot oil. The funnel gives the cake its signature texture. Funnel Cakes are typically served with a dusting of powdered sugar. At "Snackville" they are served at Cosmic Funnel Cakes and Scoops Creamery and can be topped with strawberries, whipped cream, or even a scoop of your favorite Lappert's premium ice cream.

"Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier has been an opportunity to apply our restaurant experience to some of my most beloved amusement park foods," said James Kent, Michelin-Star Chef and Executive Chef at Saga Hospitality Group. "We'll serve exactly what I want when I'm on the water with my family, namely the definitive smash burger and extra crispy fries."



Chef James Kent's culinary journey began at Bouley, leading to Le Cordon Bleu and Johnson & Wales. He honed his skills at renowned kitchens like Babbo and Jean-Georges before joining Eleven Madison Park. Under Kent's leadership as chef de cuisine, EMP earned four stars from The New York Times and three Michelin stars. In 2017, Kent set out to pursue his first solo project–an ambitious pair of restaurants in the landmark Art Deco building at 70 Pine Street in New York's Financial District. Kent opened Crown Shy, the first of those restaurants, in March 2019. Just six months after opening, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. After 18 months of pandemic-related delays, the pair opened SAGA–a fine-dining restaurant in the tiered spire of the building–in August of 2021. In October 2022, SAGA was awarded two Michelin stars.

James Kent passed away over the weekend. ‘We are heartbroken to share that James Kent passed away unexpectedly,’ his company announced. He was 45 year old.



For more info, Click Here.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.

Let’s welcome the new season with a bikeride with friends. Thursday Beach Fires are the backbone of our fun lil community so let’s run it up! Bring food, bring friends, bring beverages!! Any bike will do!

For more info, Click Here.

Find out about more upcoming local events, Click Here for the Event Calendar.