Long before Santa Monica became a global destination, it was a humble seaside town defined by salt air, sunshine, and a sense of belonging. Families gathered on the sand, cyclists rolled down Ocean Avenue, and […]

Every year, the Santa Monica Conservancy issues a list of the best Santa Monica preservation projects and the most distinguished individuals working in this field. These awards are the equivalent for the preservation community of […]

By CHARLES ANDREWS First, these public service announcements.  People tell me it’s not always easy to find a copy of The Mirror on Fridays. Nor to remember to search online on the right day. So […]

In a move that stunned many civic leaders, the Santa Monica City Council voted this fall to suspend and overhaul the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program, cutting off funds that for years had helped the city’s seven […]

By CHARLES ANDREWS DAN HALL NATALYA ZERNITSKAYA CAROLINE TOROSIS JESSE ZWICK Why am I singling out four of our City Council members, especially for my NOTEWORTHY music and arts recommendations calendar? – available in your […]

The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium stands as more than a shuttered venue awaiting revival—it remains an active force in global performance architecture and cultural memory, its influence reverberating through concert halls from London to Tokyo […]

By CHARLES ANDREWS TOROSIS, ZWICK, HALL, ZERNITSKAYA Why am I starting this music column off with the boldface, all caps names of four Santa Monica City Council members? Because they made themselves legendary a week […]

What were they thinking? On Wednesday morning at 12:30 am on October 15th, we were blindsided when the Council voted four (Jesse, Caroline, Dan, Natalya) to three (Lana, Barry, Ellis) not to extend RPG’s exclusive […]

By CHARLES ANDREWS CuriousCity: SANTA MONICA SELL OUT Saturday, 10-18-2025, BE THERE Only one CURIOUS CITY column in the last year. It’s good to be back. Thank you, TJ, and Dolores. But first, this important […]

By CHARLES ANDREWS THE RESURRECTION OF CURIOUS CITY: FRIDAY! HONEST! Long promised, finally delivered. Every other Friday now, in print in the Santa Monica Mirror, and online. Best way to get it, plus my weekly […]