MKPOA Block Party

On Saturday, October 16th, here in Pacific Palisades, the Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association (MKPOA) threw its annual Block Party with big assistance from lead sponsor ACS Security who underwrote much of the cost of the party.  MKPOA Board members, including yours truly, arrived early to set things up, blow up ballopns and generally get prepared for the event, which was staged along the Marquez Avenue community commercial district.

A "Spiderman" bounce house was set up in the lower parking lot at the corner of Sunset and Marquez.  Local merchants were set up with displays all along Marquez Avenue.  Flo Elfant brought copies of her Pacific Palisades Emergency Preparedness booklet for local neighbors to take home with them (you can download a copy from http://www.paliemergency.com).  Board members were on hand to sign up new members and to answer questions posed by residents.

Flo Elfant - Emergency Preparedness Expert

Alex making preparations

Board members ready to serve

Whirlie the clown with her celebrity rabbit was more like the 'Pied Piper' as kids followed her everywhere she went. The team at ACS donned their chef's hats at prepared hot dogs for everyone's enjoyment.  The Gregory Alper Quartet provided musical entertainment and were joined by some students from Alper's music academy.

ACS - Always on alert and Ready to Cook!

Kids love Whirlie

Gregory Alper and company

Time to eat hot dogs

To make everyone feel extra safe, the LAPD and LAFD were on the scene in force.  A raffle. led by Haldis Toppel and Christy Dennis with gifts from local area businesses put lots of prizes in many resident's hands.  Local martial arts expert James Gasvie from Max Impact Martial Arts got his hat handed to him by two darling girls from his dojo.

 

 The festivities were great fun for kids and adults alike.  The balloon guy Danny Moreno was very creative as this balloon dragon shows.  Love on 4 Paws Stopped by as an introduction to the puppy obedience contest ... they were all very obedient.

I'm a dragon - better watch out!

Love on 4 Paws

Balloon Maestro Danny Moreno

Rabbits are so lovable

MKPOA thanks all of the companies and individuals who sponsored this year's block party and contributed prizes for the raffle, including:

ACS
Alicia's  Place
Alper Music School
Bailey Electric Co.
CVS
Edlen Realty
Hair Nails and Skin Care
Innate Chiropractic Center
Knoll's Pharmacy
Mission: Renaissance
Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association
Max Impact Martial Arts
Nutritional,Fitness Consultant
Oasis Palisades
Palisades Animal Clinic
Palisades Construction
Palisades Heating & Air Conditioning
Palisades Plumbing
Paws n’ Claws Grooming Salon
Prudential CA Realty
Ralph's
Ronny’s Market and Deli
Ronny’s Parklane Cleaners

A full set of photographs from the MKPOA Block Party have been posted online at:
http://s563.photobucket.com/albums/ss72/jarea6020/MKPOA%20Block%20Party%20Oct%202010/

That is it for this post and as always, if I can be of any assistance to you or any of your friends, family or colleagues with any of your real estate needs (residential, commercial or otherwise) or if I can help find a real estate professional for you to work with in your local community, please let me know.  It would be my pleasure to help.

Jim Rea
Keller Willliams Palisades

Pico Festival in Santa Monica Today

 The 5th Annual Pico Festival gets underway today along Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica from Centinela Ave. to the ocean.  Sponsored by the Pico Improvement Organization and the City of Santa Monica, the festival being held today from 11 am to 4 pm features a Classic Car Show, food, music, art and a large Sidewalk Sale from participating Pico Blvd. Merchants.

 The event will benefit the grassroots organization, Project Lemon-Aid, to raise funds for the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation fund, “For The Arts,” an endowment that provides arts education (including music, visual arts, dance and drama) for students in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.  In addition, a special fundraiser will be held at the festival’s Classic Car Show to benefit Cody Williams, the Santa Monica High School linebacker who sustained serious spinal injuries in a game in September, 2009.

Visitors to the Pico Festival will see original artwork in all mediums at the Virginia Ave Park Art Pavilions where Pico art galleries, studios, and artists will display their work.  Children will also be able to participate in live art events at the Children’s Activities Pavilion, either watching new works being produced, or making their own unique creations. Live musical acts will perform on the Pico Festival stage, including groups from SAMOHI, Santa Monica College and other local schools.  Pico stores will showcase their wares in booths, and food vendors will offer delicious cuisine of all kinds. The Pico Improvement Organization will also give away free hot dogs to the first 1,000 visitors starting at 1pm.

 

Two Starline Tours double-decker buses with guides will operate the length of Pico in Santa Monica, directing passengers to various sites and events.  Visitors can stop and see artists exhibiting their work at various locations along Pico Boulevard.  Pico galleries and studios will be open and many will be demonstrating artistic and creative techniques.  Special coupons and discounts will be offered on festival day.

Then they can stop at the Classic Car Show, which will include 50 custom cars at the SGI parking lot at 26th and Pico. Pico Auto businesses will have booths, a dj and a mariachi band will provide music.  Trophies and prizes will be awarded in various classes.

 

A new feature of this year’s festival will be a “Bowl, Bike and Ski Triathlon” organized and sponsored by Bayshore Bowl, Virtual Ski, and Triathlon Sports (more details to be announced soon).  A number of Pico Restaurants will also join the festival by offering special tastings and coupons and many merchants will offer activities and events that will continue past 4pm.

At participating locations along Pico Boulevard, a large Sidewalk Sale will tempt fashionistas and bargain hunters.  Participating stores will have racks and tables with exciting merchandise on the sidewalk and some merchants will have their entire store on sale. Types of merchandise include fabulous men’s, women’s & children’s apparel, shoes, jewelry, and much more.

For more information, visit www.picopassport.com or Pico Festival on Facebook.  As in the past Pico Festivals there will be painting/drawing and photo contests that pay cash prizes and are open to the public.  For photo requirements contact Marissa Lopez at lafoto@lafoto.info or for painting requirements, contact Randy Ball at dovetailframer@verizon.net.

The Pico Improvement Organization is a Business Improvement District encompassing the entire length of Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica.  The district contains a growing number of attractions and businesses from Santa Monica College’s performing arts venues and planetarium to one-of-a-kind clothing boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops, designer furniture and more. A zone of small clubs and cafés are found along the eastern boulevard while Shutters on the Beach and Casa del Mar hotels mark Pico’s western terminus.

That is it for this post and as always, if I can be of any assistance to you or any of your friends, family or colleagues with any of your real estate needs (residential, commercial or otherwise) or if I can help find a real estate professional for you to work with in your local community, please let me know.  It would be my pleasure to help.

Jim Rea
Keller Willliams Palisades

Big Sur Food and Wine Festival

The Big Sur Food and Wine Festival will be taking place, in and around Big Sur, California from November 4th through the 7th, 2010, the second annual outing for this important California wine charity event.  The event, presided over by Toby Rowland-Jones, features wine tastings and lectures, winemaker dinners, hiking trips, side excursions and a live auction/dinner at Ventana Inn and Spa.

The Big Sur Food and Wine Festival is a giving organization that holds events to promote Big Sur as a culinary destination, supporting the overall health, character and vitality of the Big Sur community.  Its intention is to stimulate the local economy and give a portion of event proceeds to support local nonprofits, arts and education programs, sustainability projects, and talented Big Sur residents who would greatly benefit themselves and the community through a wine and/or culinary scholarship.

Toby certainly knows his way around a world class wine event.  In addition to his duties running the Big Sur Wine & Food Festival,  Toby has in the past kept a small army of sommeliers running smoothly and efficiently (and deliciously, I might add) at the Central Coast Wine Classic (http://www.centralcoastwineclassic.org) one of our favorite wine events of the year.  Be sure to check out the CCWC every July in beautiful Avila Beach, California.

2010 Participating Wineries

The Festival includes some of the finest wineries, winery owners and winemakers from across California.  They generously show great support for the charitable activites carried out for the beneficiaries of the Festival.

Au Bon Climat	L'Aventure	Talbott
Ridge	Continuum	Paul Lato
Pisoni	Clos Pepe	ROAR
Siduri	HdV	Testarossa
Patz n Hall	Drew	Chappellet
Breggo	Alma Rosa	Kunin
Bernardus	Roederer	Margerum
Wind Gap	Hitching Post	Lioco
Adelaida	Ramey	Tobin James
Arcadian	Miura	Heller
Justin	Galante	Bonny Doon
Qupe	Demuth	Cold Heaven
Kristi-Lynn	Tablas Creek	Windy Oaks
Perception	MacPhail	Wrath
B Kosuge	Morgan	Brewer Clifton
Saxum	Thomas Fogarty	Morgan
Alban	McIntyre	Poppy

Madeleine	Torbreck	J.Lohr
Hahn Estates

For additional information about the Big Sur Food and Wine Festival, and to purchase tickets online, visit their website at: http://bigsurfoodandwine.org .

Additional contact information:

Big Sur Food and Wine Festival
P. O. Box 31
Big Sur, CA  93920
(831) 667-0800
Email: info@bigsurfoodandwine.org

That is it for this post and as always, if I can be of any assistance to you or any of your friends, family or colleagues with any of your real estate needs (residential, commercial or otherwise) or if I can help find a real estate professional for you to work with in your local community, please let me know.  It would be my pleasure to help.

Jim Rea
Keller Williams Palisades