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ABOUT
SANTA MONICA
2006 MIDWINTER MEETING
Santa Monica, California
March 16-18, 2006
{bodytitle}The
State Capital Group's 2006 Midwinter Meeting will be held March 16-18,
2006 in Santa Monica, California. Perched on the Pacific Ocean, Santa
Monica enjoys year-round mild, humidity-free weather with refreshing
ocean breezes and mostly sunny skies with 343 average days of sunshine
annually. Santa Monica is easily accessible from Los Angeles International
Airport (LAX), which is approximately 10 miles away.
In addition to its beaches and world-class restaurants, other unique
points of interest in Santa Monica include:
LIVE THEATER AND LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT
- Harvelle's
Blues Club: Opened in 1931,
it is an internationally revered blues and R&B music venue
with top names performing regularly.
- McCabe's
Guitar Shop: Located on Pico Boulevard, it is a Southern
California legend and one of Santa Monica's best-kept secrets.
It is a guitar shop that counts among its customers some of the
most respected and admired guitarists in the world and also serves
as an intimate venue for artists such as Arlo Guthrie, John Hiatt
and Robyn Hitchcock.
- Powerhouse
Theater: Housed in a 1910 mission revival structure, the
original Southern California Edison electrical plant for the city
of Santa Monica, it presents a wide variety of performances.
- Santa
Monica Playhouse: A professional theater group that mounts
productions of work from classical to modern, as well as children's
matinees on the weekends.
- Third
Street Promenade: Anchoring the Downtown district, which
boasts the city's highest concentration of restaurants, the street
comes alive at night as it bustles with street performers, live
music in venues and open-air bistros and cafes.
MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES
- Bergamot
Station Arts Center: Home
to thirty five art galleries and ten or so other cultural entities
in a complex of artistically industrial buildings that cover seven
acres.
- Camera
Obscura: Located in Palisades
Park just north of Broadway, this is a walk-in version of a primitive
camera. A revolving turret on the roof enables visitors to capture
an image of the landscape surrounding the building and reflects
it onto a table.
- Edgemar:
A two-theater complex and art gallery inside of Frank Gehry's
architectural landmark building located on Main Street.
- The
Getty Center: A billion-dollar
masterpiece housing a world-renowned collection of pre-20th century
European art against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil
gardens and breathtaking views.
- Ocean Park:
Includes unique murals, eye-popping beachfront sculpture, seawalls
and statuary.
- Pico Boulevard:
A new and exciting ecclectic art district
with three galleries and an art-friendly coffeehouse offering
visitors a range of browsing options.
OUTDOOR
PARKS AND RECREATION
- Farmers
Markets: European-style markets
feature organic and exotic produce, flowers and herbs on Wednesdays
and Saturdays.
- Miramar Moreton
Bay Fig Tree: An astonishing 80 feet tall and 120 feet
in diameter fig tree located inside the gates of the Fairmont
Miramar Hotel; it is the second-oldest fig tree in California.
- Muscle
Beach & International Chess Park: World-famous outdoor
gym and adjoining 80-seat play area for chess enthusiasts.
- Palisades
Park: A cliff-top greenbelt overlooking the Pacific with
miles of lush greenery and shady palms.
- Santa
Monica Pier: Oldest pleasure Pier on the West coast, opened
in 1909 and home to the first solar-powered Ferris wheel and a
hand-crafted carousel (circa 1922) with 44 hand-painted wooden
horses.
- South Bay Bicycle
Trail: A 22-mile paved beachside stretch with cafes,
bicycle and rollerblade rental concessions.
- Will
Rogers State Historic Park: Home of the cowboy humorist
from 1924 until his death in 1935, it is a rustic 186-acre hideaway
perched on a hilltop in a virtual forest of towering trees, breathtaking
panoramic views, polo fields and hiking and riding trails.
For more information about Santa Monica and the greater Los Angeles
Area, visit the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau's
website at www.santamonica.com.
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