Vol. 13, No. 6

A SILVER CELEBRATION
FOR OUR FARMERS’ MARKETS

The Santa Monica Farmers’ Markets turn 25 this summer! To acknowledge and celebrate our community of farmers and the strong support Santa Monicans have shown for California’s small family farms, special events are planned throughout the city all summer long.

▲ LIBRARY PANEL SERIES  Farmers, chefs, market shoppers, food writers, home cooks, market staff and guest speakers will hold forth in three free sessions at the Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., in the Martin Luther King, Jr., Auditorium. All sessions will include audience participation and fresh market food prepared by a local chef at the conclusion of each session. (See page 7 for panel details.) All Santa Monica libraries will also feature special displays of cookbooks and books on food and agriculture from their collections.

▲ THE FACE OF CALIFORNIA FARMING  Farmers’ faces will appear on the sides of Big Blue Buses throughout Santa Monica this summer, bringing the public face-to-face with real California farmers. Learn a little about each farmer’s family story and farming history.

▲ SPECIAL CHEF EVENTS  The market at Third and Arizona will feature special guest chef demos on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

▲ HEALTHY SNACKS FOR CITY COUNCIL  During the months of July, August and September, City Council snacks will consist of seasonal California produce purchased from the farmers’ market.

▲ SPECIAL RESTAURANT SELECTIONS  Chefs from the LA area’s finest restaurants will highlight California farmers’ produce on their menus during July, August and September. Recipes and menus will be available at the farmers’ markets and on our website at www.smgov.net/farmers-market.

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CELEBRATE THE FOURTH WITH FUN &
FIREWORKS AT SMC

Don’t forget that the best (and only) 4th of July fireworks show in town is “Celebrate America,” at Santa Monica College on Saturday, July 1. This annual outdoor festival, on Corsair Field at 16th & Pearl Streets, will feature the amazing pyrotechnics of Pyro Spectaculars, and entertainment by the rockin’ Tom Nolan Band, along with the smooth jazz sounds of Anthony Long. Gates open at 5 p.m., the entertainment starts at 6 p.m., and the fireworks begin at dusk. Admission is free and parking is just $5. Bring the family and a picnic (no alcoholic beverages, glass containers, BBQs or fireworks), or purchase food from one of the many vendors, and enjoy a safe and sane holiday with us! For more information, please call (310) 434-3000.






 

TWILIGHT DANCE SERIES
BRINGS SUMMER BACK TO THE PIER

Put your dancin’ shoes and get ready to party as the Twilight Dance Series returns for its 22nd season by the bay. The most anticipated outdoor concerts of the year will be held on the Santa Monica Pier on ten consecutive Thursday evenings from June 29 through August 31. Featuring the best in rock, reggae, Latin and folk music, with a special emphasis on eclectic world music, the free concerts begin at 7 p.m.

 ▲ June 29  PANCHO SANCHEZ  Latin Jazz & Percussion
As leader of the most popular Latin jazz group in the world today, Pancho’s congas and seasoned ensemble spin vivacious tales that pay homage to a half-century tradition that was born when Afro-Cuban rhythms merged with bebop. Behind every song, album title and guest artist, there’s a story Pancho Sanchez delights in telling.

▲ July 6  INDIGO GIRLS and MICHELLE MALONE  Legendary Folk Rock
Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers blend luscious harmonies and catchy melodies with the fearless social commentary typical of traditional folk music. Their inspiring energy and insatiable cult following make their live performances amazing and unforgettable. Their long-time friend and fellow folk rocker “Moanin’ Michelle” Malone will open the show.

▲ July 13  DICK DALE  Killer Surf Guitar
The “King of the Surf Guitar” invented the wild, wicked guitar music of the 50s and 60s that has been featured in many films and is always popular with Twilight Dance Series audiences.

Poster art by contest winner Jeff Verges will be seen everywhere this summer.

▲ July 20  MAVIS STAPLES and RICK HOLSTROM  Soul, Gospel and Groove
From her early days sharing lead vocals with The Staple Singers, to her powerful solo recordings, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples has blazed a rhythm and blues trail without relinquishing her gospel roots. Blues guitarist Rick Holstrom, who combines the traditional sound of the 40s and 50s guitar and vocals with hip-hop style break beats, has played with such luminaries as Jimmy Rogers, R.L. Burnside and Smokey Wilson.

▲ July 27  LYRICS BORN and DAARA J  Club-style Hip-Hop
A double feature of unusual hip-hop with a worldly twist: Born in Tokyo and raised in the East Bay, Tom Shimura, or “Lyrics Born,” makes the kind of robust, freewheeling hip-hop that followers of Outkast and Jurassic 5 will find appealing. The Senegalese trio Daara J plays a new brand of hip-hop, a mixture of French or American rap, reggae, roots, soul funk and Cuban music.

▲ August 3  THE AGGROLITES, JOEY ALTRUDA’S CLASSIC RIDDIMS and CHRIS MURRAY COMBO  L.A. Reggae
The reggae trifecta: three great LA-area reggae groups in one great night! Reflecting the love for rocksteady, ska and reggae in Southern California, the Aggrolites hit on something truly authentic with classic keyboard riffing and swinging horn-filled rhythms. Joey Altruda’s Classic Riddims pays tribute to the golden era of Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae, while Chris Murray, leader of the influential Canadian ska group King Apparatus, is a dynamic performer and gifted songwriter.

(continued on p. 5)
 

PROPOSED BUDGET MARKS REFOCUS
 ON CORE SERVICES

As SeaScape went to press, City Council was poised to act on the proposed $444.8 million city budget for Fiscal Year 2006-07, which begins July 1. The Council’s budget study sessions in late May included a presentation from City Manager P. Lamont Ewell on the national and local economic outlook (the former mixed, the latter moderately improving) and the city’s refocus on core services (safety & security, deferred maintenance, facilities operation), while addressing community priorities, needs and values and giving special attention to business systems, human resource practices and customer service. Ewell noted that several Enterprise Funds (funds that should be self-supporting, e.g., Pier, Civic Auditorium, cemetery) continue to be subsidized by the General Fund and are balanced for the coming year with one-time funds to allow Council and staff to study options this summer for ongoing operation of those funds.

The proposed General Fund budget, which pays for basic city services including police, fire, recreation and parks, library services and public works is $239.5 million of the total, an increase of 12.2 percent over last year. The increase is due primarily to a higher level of facility and infrastructure maintenance and replacement after several leaner budget years, increased operating hours at the Skate Park, full funding for the new Main Library and Virginia Avenue Park and 25 new positions to meet critical needs. The Capital Improvement Program (including housing-dedicated funding, 415 PCH construction, beach restroom accessibility work, Permit Center creation) and Enterprise Funds including the Big Blue Bus comprise the remaining $205.3 million of the budget. The complete budget, City Manager’s budget message and a brief description of the 2006-07 budget adopted June 20 are all available on the city website at www.smgov.net/finance.
 

TWO PILOT PROGRAMS DEBUT THIS SUMMER

To improve the experience of locals and out-of-towners at two of the city’s most popular venues—the Downtown/Third Street Promenade and the Sunday Main Street Farmers’ Market—the city will conduct two pilot programs for the summer, starting July 1:

Feedback from the community on both pilot programs will count in decisions to
extend or discontinue them beyond summer. Surveys will be provided by restroom
attendants and at the Sunday Farmers’ Market, and comments may be e-mailed to resourcemanagement@smgov.net. Let us hear from you!