Santa Monica’s once-gleaming Third Street Promenade could use a breath of fresh air, and one tech entrepreneur is giving the world a peak at what full-blown botanical overhaul might look like. Tech founder Raad Mobrem took to X to share a striking, utopian rendering of the iconic open-air shopping corridor, reimagining the struggling concrete pedestrian … Read more
Santa Monica will soon get a new breakfast and lunch spot as Met Her at a Bar plans to launch an outlet on Main Street. The café with a neighborhood vibe, serving “authentic Belgian waffles and Colombe coffees,” will open its doors to customers in August this year. Owners Mindy and Vinny Kinne, a husband-wife … Read more
They’re robo-cops. Santa Monica has become the first city in California to crack down on bike lane violations using security cams powered by artificial intelligence. The initiative targets vehicles that illegally park that stop or park illegally in the cyclist’s side of the road, forcing peddlers into the street where the risk of an accident … Read more
Santa Clara County agricultural officials have launched an unusual door-to-door tactic to track down approximately 1,300 grapevine and desert willow plants sold at Costco locations in California that may be carrying a destructive invasive pest. The unusually aggressive effort zones in on customers who purchased these plants between April and early July 2026. Officials are … Read more
Southern California’s very first Gap store is packing up its khaki trousers and denim jackets for good soon, swapping out retail history for high-density apartments. The historic storefront on Wilshire Boulevard and 20th Street in Santa Monica is set to close July 23, after several decades of operation. “Gap has been proud to be part … Read more
Los Angeles’ food scene just got a major dose of ’90s nostalgia with the opening of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed pizzeria in the heart of Santa Monica. Foodies are already buzzing about the premium prices — with full pies ranging from $39 to $54 — but the bigger question is whether the experience is … Read more
Fans of the iconic “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” will need to shell out some serious cash to chow down at the first official franchise pizzeria in Santa Monica, with prices outraging many. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria (1444 Third Street Promenade Santa Monica, CA 90401) opened with a soft launch last week, ahead of … Read more
Los Angeles’ restaurant scene had a big night at the 2026 James Beard Awards, with some of the city’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurants being crowned with major awards at the “Oscars” of the food world. The annual awards ceremony, held Monday night at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House, recognized excellence in the food and restaurant … Read more
One of Santa Monica’s most legendary nightlife institutions has officially returned from the dead. Circle Bar, the dimly lit Main Street haunt that reportedly served everyone from rock icon, Jim Morrison, to pioneering author, Truman Capote, finally reopened a few weeks back after nearly three years of sitting dark. Circle Bar’s comeback arrives as Santa … Read more
Santa Monica’s iconic Pacific Park is officially turning 30, marking three decades since amusement rides returned to the famed Santa Monica Pier for the first time since the 1930s. The beloved oceanfront attraction celebrated the milestone Tuesday with a birthday-themed light show on its world-famous Pacific Wheel, displaying “Happy Birthday” messages, anniversary graphics, and a … Read more
Southern California residents have a ticket to ride — all the way to the coast and back, just in time for summer. A seasonal Beach Bus service connecting Antelope Valley to Santa Monica officially returned on Monday, giving residents in Palmdale and Lancaster a cheap escape from the high desert heat for less than the … Read more
Since it started in 2012, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has raised over $60 million for men’s health. Dan Abraham is riding for his 12th year. He says he is riding for men’s health, suicide prevention and prostate cancer awareness. Kris Noble rode in the event for his first time. Noble is a one year cancer … Read more
The latest cult sandwich spot in Los Angeles isn’t tucked inside a trendy strip mall or an influencer trap — it’s hiding in an industrial corner of Santa Clarita, next to warehouses and storage units. Chef James Dalton — the longtime private chef to Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts — quietly opened Table 504 last week, … Read more
It’s supposed to be all peace, love and perfect sets — but one Santa Cruz session turned into a shoreline scrap straight out of “Point Break.” A wild early-morning clash between two surfers at the famed Steamer Lane was caught on camera, showing tempers flare from a brief smackdown in the sea to a full-on fight … Read more
A cult-favorite Venice burger stand is heading north — and bringing its famously cheap cheeseburgers with it. The Win~Dow is set to open a new location on Santa Monica’s Montana Avenue this May, expanding the brand’s growing footprint across Southern California. The smashburger spot — known for its $4.50 cheeseburgers — first launched in 2019 as a tiny … Read more
Finally some good news about the Third Street Promenade area of Santa Monica, which has seen rampant closures in recent months and years. Mayor Caroline Torosis told the California Post the Entertainment Zone model that allows for open alcohol consumption, adopted in the summer of 2025, is working. “We’re testing out what works and what … Read more
A Santa Monica product designer is putting hard numbers to what locals have long known in their bones: nearly three in 10 storefronts on the Third Street Promenade sit empty. The designer built an interactive map tracking occupancy along the corridor, and the numbers aren’t pretty — 28.5% of storefronts are vacant, a bleak snapshot … Read more
Santa Monica locals are reeling after learning a beloved British pub will soon give way to a Taco Bell Cantina — prompting outrage online and fears the beachside city is losing yet another piece of its identity. The Britannia Pub, a fixture at 318 Santa Monica Blvd. for three decades, confirmed its lease will expire July … Read more
It’s last call at a beloved bar at one of Downtown Santa Monica’s best-known corners — the latest high-profile fatality in an ongoing apocalypse turning the commercial core of the upscale beachside burg into a graveyard of empty storefronts. The Misfit Bar and Restaurant, a softly-lit gastropub inside the city’s historic Clock Tower building, will … Read more
While the New Orleans Pelicans gave the Lakers all they could handle in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, a real pelican wreaked havoc on a college baseball game some 120 miles north. As UC Santa Barbara was facing off with Loyola Marymount University at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium in Isla Vista, an enormous pelican flew onto … Read more