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Film and fashion historian Kimberly Truhler discusses iconic costume design, focusing on the Golden Age of the Hollywood film industry and female style icons who emerged in the 1940s and 1950s.

Jacaranda’s three-concert celebration of Benjamin Britten’s centenary continues this Saturday, April 27.

Seven Days, Music, Santa Monica, History

Jacaranda Presents "Curlew River" Saturday As Part Of Benjamin Britten Celebration

Posted Apr. 25, 2013, 12:05 pm

Jacaranda’s three-concert celebration of Benjamin Britten’s centenary continues this Saturday, April 27 with a concert staging of “Curlew River,” a chamber opera (1963) intended for performance in a church.

Jacaranda opens a three-concert celebration of Benjamin Britten’s centenary this Sunday in Santa Monica.

Seven Days, Music, Santa Monica, History

Jacaranda Hosts Benjamin Britten Centenary Celebration In Santa Monica Tonight

Posted Apr. 7, 2013, 8:58 am

Jacaranda joins the citywide Benjamin Britten 100/LA celebration with a three-concert survey of his music beginning today, April 7 with “February House: Brooklyn’s Original Party Place” at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica

The Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women willpartner with a variety of City and local organizations to present a range of programming celebrating women’s achievements, among them lectures, exhibitions, and panel discussions.

Seven Days, Santa Monica, History, Women

Women’s History Month In Santa Monica Begins With Events

Posted Mar. 3, 2013, 9:05 am

The Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women (COSW) celebrates March as Women’s History Month with several events. The 2013 theme is “Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).”

The Santa Monica Conservancy will host a Route 66 talk this Sunday, March 3.

Seven Days, Santa Monica, Pier, History

Learn About The History Of Route 66 At A Free Santa Monica Discussion On Sunday

Posted Feb. 28, 2013, 8:41 am

The Santa Monica Conservancy will this Sunday, March 3 host a discussion called "Route 66: The Allure of the Road” at the Santa Monica Main Library's multi-purpose room, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard.

Palisades Garden Walk was renamed Tongva Park on Tuesday. Council members renamed Town Square as Ken Genser Square last October.

News, City Council, Parks, Santa Monica, History, City Hall

New Recreation Area Outside Santa Monica City Hall Renamed Tongva Park

Posted Feb. 15, 2013, 9:30 am

“Palisades Garden Walk” will be an answer to a trivia question: what was the park wedged in between City Hall and Santa Monica Beach named during its development and construction? Indeed, Palisades Garden Walk is now a footnote in the history books as the newest public open space and recreation area in Santa Monica will be named Tongva Park.

Santa Monica Playhouse presents 'Bananas! – A Day in the Life of Josephine Baker' this Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 pm and Sunday, Feb. 17 at 3 pm.

Seven Days, Theater, Santa Monica, History

What's Hot: Santa Monica Playhouse Presents 'Bananas! – A Day In The Life Of Josephine Baker'

Posted Feb. 15, 2013, 8:59 am

Santa Monica Playhouse this weekend presents a one-woman cabaret based on the fascinating life of Josephine Baker written and performed by award-winning actress Sloan Robinson accompanied by pianist Aeros Pierce.

News, Santa Monica, History

Peace Memorial Coming To Woodlawn Cemetery In Santa Monica

Posted Feb. 15, 2013, 8:56 am

Santa Monica will finally have a memorial dedicated to the residents who fought in wars on behalf of the United States since the City’s incorporation.

News, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, History

Santa Monica Celebrates Black History Month With Two Guest Speakers

Posted Feb. 14, 2013, 8:23 am

Santa Monica College celebrates Black History Month 2013 with two guest speakers this month at two events that are free and open to the public.

Santa Monica College students have created videos that look back at the City's history.

News, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, History

Santa Monica College Class Captures History Of The Westside In Video Segments

Posted Feb. 9, 2013, 11:12 am

The gambling ships of the Santa Monica Bay. The women of World War II who made up nearly half the workforce of the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica. The film industry’s extensive presence in Culver City.

Opinion, Columnist, History

Honoring Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Posted Jan. 19, 2013, 8:52 am

Georgia. Summer 1965. There were 17 of us walking in an orderly line, as directed by the Deputy Sheriff of Baker County. I recognized some of the faces from church and some were new to me. No one was talking. We didn’t know what to expect. We were all nervous and all wanting to appear strong.

The Marion Davies Birthday Celebration will be held Sunday, Jan. 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Seven Days, Santa Monica, History, Annenberg

What's Hot: Marion Davies Birthday Celebration This Sunday, Jan. 6

Posted Jan. 5, 2013, 9:19 am

In honor of her birthday, Santa Monica Conservancy docents turn the spotlight on Marion Davies: actress, philanthropist, famed party hostess, and mistress of media tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

Nat Trivers has been announced as the keynote speaker at the 28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration on Saturday, Jan. 19.

Seven Days, Holiday, Santa Monica, History

Former Santa Monica Mayor Nat Trives To Be Keynote Speaker At MLK Celebration

Posted Dec. 27, 2012, 6:00 am

Former Santa Monica mayor and longtime civic activist Nat Trives will be the keynote speaker at the largest Santa Monica event celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Saturday, Jan 19.

Santa Monica’s California Heritage Museum on Main Street needs help in the form of mowing the lawn, trimming trees and bushes, and planting flowers after the City cut its maintenance support.

News, Museum, Main Street, Santa Monica, History

Santa Monica's California Heritage Museum Seeks Maintenance Help

Posted Dec. 3, 2012, 1:10 am

The California Heritage Museum located at 2612 Main Street is seeking community help after losing city maintenance support.

Columnist, History

Remembering New Haven On November 22, 1963

Posted Nov. 20, 2012, 11:49 pm

Friday November 22, 1963 in New Haven was unusually warm for a November day. As a senior at Yale I majored in French language and literature. That day I had several French classes in the morning. After my classes were finished I was asked to come to the office of the French Department.

News, Museum, Santa Monica, History

Santa Monica History Museum Receives $5K Grant From Boeing Nonprofit

Posted Nov. 13, 2012, 12:45 am

The Santa Monica History Museum has received a $5,000 grant from the Employees Community Fund of Boeing CA, an employee-owned and operated nonprofit organization that requires an employee recommendation for its community grants program.

Memorial Day is appropriately set aside to honor our fallen war veterans -- those who made the Supreme Sacrifice for this great country.

Opinion, Holiday, History

A Simple 'Thank You' Goes A Long Way On Veterans Day

Posted Nov. 12, 2012, 7:26 am

When people think of veterans, they often think of warriors, but Hurricane Sandy offers just the latest reminder of the significant humanitarian and often times life-saving work performed by our veterans on a daily basis.

Artis Brewster, Sr. with The Modernaires in 1969. He passed away on Nov. 23, 2008.

News, Music, Santa Monica, Education, History

His Music Still Lives - Artis Brewster’s Santa Monica Journey

Posted Nov. 12, 2012, 5:38 am

Traveling south at midnight along the Pacific Coast highway from Malibu to Santa Monica felt a lot like it did when we all grew up together in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. This nighttime passage took place after a great showing of alumni from the Santa Monica High School class of 1972 at our 40th reunion at Dukes -- formerly the Malibu Sea Lion -- along the rocky shore line of Santa Monica Bay.

Julia Morgan was a pioneering woman in a man’s field, the first female architect to receive a California license, the first woman to graduate from prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and only recently recognized as one of our most creative talents.

Seven Days, Santa Monica, History, Annenberg

Julia Morgan Tours At Annenberg Community Beach House Sunday, Monday

Posted Nov. 9, 2012, 1:07 am

Santa Monica Conservancy docents are presenting special Julia Morgan-themed tours at the Annenberg Community Beach House this Sunday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tours are part of “Julia Morgan 2012,” a statewide festival sponsored by Landmarks California.

Walter Mess, who at 99 years old, worked prior to the war with WWI MOH hero William J. Donovan as civilian secret agent in Europe Overseas special assignment, during the war became the senior flotilla commander for all MU operations as a skipper of a boat very similar to the P520 in the Burma theater of war.

News, Santa Monica, History

Santa Monica-Based OSS' Surviving Members Honored At Hotel Shangrila

Posted Oct. 21, 2012, 2:46 am

From 1939-41, Hotel Shangrila in Santa Monica and its beaches were OSS MU training grounds for Santa Monican recruits, whose secret wartime adventures led to today's Navy SEAL operations.

Development, Opinion, Santa Monica, Columnist, History

Landmarks: Preserve, Protect… Alter?

Posted Oct. 19, 2012, 11:00 pm

Not everything is treasure to everyone. To you it’s just an old beat-up baseball cap, but it happens to be the one my father bought for me at the last game played by a baseball team then known as the Milwaukee Braves.

Designating Chez Jay as a local landmark became an issue thanks to the Civic Center Specific Plan, which specified “design parameters” for how a restaurant adjacent to PGW should look in order to keep consisted with the themes of the new civic park.

News, Restaurant, Santa Monica, History

Chez Jay Qualifies For Santa Monica Landmark Status

Posted Oct. 12, 2012, 2:01 am

A piece of Santa Monica history earned a victory of sorts Monday evening at City Hall, as the Landmarks Commission unanimously voted the famed Chez Jay meets the qualifications to be designated a local landmark.

Justin Morrill was a Representative and a Senator from Vermont, most widely remembered today for the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act that established federal funding for establishing many of the United States' public colleges and universities.

Opinion, Columnist, History

Justin Morrill: A Hero In Every American Hometown

Posted Sep. 14, 2012, 11:00 pm

Justin Morrill, 1810 – 1898, is a hero in every American hometown. We have all benefited from his historic piece of legislation, The Morrill Act, creating the Land Grant Colleges. If you went to UCLA you went to a Land Grant College.

John Cage’s 100th birthday is celebrated at four events across Santa Monica today through Sunday, Sept. 9.

Life And Arts, Music, Santa Monica, History

John Cage 100th Birthday Celebration Events Begin Tonight

Posted Sep. 6, 2012, 6:36 am

Jacaranda’s pre-season CAGE 100 Festival begins tonight to celebrate John Cage’s 100th birthday (Sept. 5, 1912) with an emphasis on his time as a young man composing and lecturing in Santa Monica.

The images and documents in this exhibition are from the start point of open space (circa 1874) deed of land purchase by Senator Jones from Col. Baker.

News, Exhibits, Santa Monica, History

Life At The Miramar Exhibition Extended Through October

Posted Aug. 16, 2012, 1:16 am

Residents of Santa Monica as well as visitors to the historic, picturesque seaside community will get a rare “inside glimpse” of what life was like in the area over a century ago when a fascinating new exhibit, “Life at the Miramar,” at the Santa Monica History Museum, which has been extended through Oct. 18.

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