Gov. Newsom to Address Homelessness, Mental Health in His 2nd State of the State Speech on Wednesday

California’s governor is expected to call for better mental health care to help the state’s huge homeless population when he addresses one of the state’s most pressing problems in his second State of the State speech.

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom offered what he called “a little preview” of his Wednesday speech.

“We’re committed to radically re-imagining our behavioral health system. Not mental health system — our behavioral health system,” Newsom said.

Behavioral health is a broader approach that includes not just mental well-being but also addresses interrelated physical challenges such as drug and alcohol abuse or poor diet and exercise.

Newsom recently called for changing provider reimbursements during an interview by the Public Policy Institute of Californian to promote “the integration of brain health and physical health in a way that we think also would do justice to this deeper issue of homelessness.”

Newsom’s State of the State address is set for mid-morning in the ornate Assembly Chambers and is likely to be more focused than his marathon budget address last month that lasted nearly three hours.

The Democratic governor will speak while his most vocal critic — President Donald Trump —visits Southern California. Newsom and the Republican president have repeatedly traded tweet storms over whether California’s leaders are doing enough to get transients off the streets. Trump on Tuesday criticized Los Angeles’ officials for failing to stem that city’s homelessness epidemic, warning that the federal government will intervene if Los Angeles doesn’t “clean it up fast.”

While homelessness in most states has declined, the number of people living on California streets jumped 16% in 2019 to about 151,000. Local governments have historically handled the bulk of homeless services, but state officials have boosted funding in recent years by more than $1 billion.

This year, Newsom wants to spend another $750 million combating homelessness and wants to give the money to as yet unnamed regional administrators instead of local governments. The independent Legislative Analysts’ Office has criticized that approach, saying it likely won’t have a meaningful impact.

Newsom counters that the homelessness problem is so bad the state needs to try something different. Earlier this year, he sent camping trailers from the state fleet to cities in need and ordered excess state land to be used for temporary shelters.

He’s asking state lawmakers for nearly $700 million, doubling to $1.4 billion by 2022 including federal funds, to shift the focus of California’s Medicaid program that provides free or low-cost medical services. He wants state and local emphasis on preventative health care, but with a broad approach that could include non-traditional assistance in finding housing, even providing rental assistance if homelessness is linked to heavy use of expensive health care services.

The governor also created a state and local “behavioral health task force” to look at the link between mental illness and substance abuse.

He expects to offer changes this spring to a tax on millionaires approved by voters in 2004 to help those with mental illness who are homeless, among other efforts.

White House Domestic Policy Chief Calls California ‘Occupied Territory’ Amid Trump’s Visit to the State

A White House aide called California “occupied territory” in a tweet touting President Donald Trump’s visit to the state on Tuesday.

“Just landed in California. POTUS power swing through occupied territory,” Joe Grogan, director of the Domestic Policy Council, tweeted Tuesday night.

Grogan’s comments come just as Trump landed on the West Coast, where he’s expected to visit several western states including California — home to a few Republican enclaves, but historically a secure Democratic heavyweight. Occupied territory typically refers to land that has been conquered by an opposing force, such as another country’s military.

CNN has reached out to the White House and to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office for comment on Grogan’s tweet.

Trump is heading to the Golden State this week for a combination of political and official engagements — and to counter-program his potential Democratic rivals as they convene in Nevada.

The tweet is representative of Trump’s ongoing clashes with California. The President has bashed the state before for its immigration and environmental policies. He lost the state to his 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by a wide margin, for which he blames the loss on unfounded claims of illegal voting.

He’s also waged a battle against the state’s lawmakers. Two of them — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff — led the push to impeach him.

On his upcoming trip, Trump is expected to visit wealthy enclaves in Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley to collect campaign cash and to discuss water access issues with farmers in the conservative-leaning Central Valley. But otherwise his westerly journey will occur outside the nation’s most populous state and its hubs of American entertainment and technology in favor of friendlier territory in states like Arizona and Nevada.

White House Domestic Policy Chief Calls California ‘Occupied Territory’ Amid Trump’s Visit to the State

A White House aide called California “occupied territory” in a tweet touting President Donald Trump’s visit to the state on Tuesday.

“Just landed in California. POTUS power swing through occupied territory,” Joe Grogan, director of the Domestic Policy Council, tweeted Tuesday night.

Grogan’s comments come just as Trump landed on the West Coast, where he’s expected to visit several western states including California — home to a few Republican enclaves, but historically a secure Democratic heavyweight. Occupied territory typically refers to land that has been conquered by an opposing force, such as another country’s military.

CNN has reached out to the White House and to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office for comment on Grogan’s tweet.

Trump is heading to the Golden State this week for a combination of political and official engagements — and to counter-program his potential Democratic rivals as they convene in Nevada.

The tweet is representative of Trump’s ongoing clashes with California. The President has bashed the state before for its immigration and environmental policies. He lost the state to his 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by a wide margin, for which he blames the loss on unfounded claims of illegal voting.

He’s also waged a battle against the state’s lawmakers. Two of them — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff — led the push to impeach him.

On his upcoming trip, Trump is expected to visit wealthy enclaves in Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley to collect campaign cash and to discuss water access issues with farmers in the conservative-leaning Central Valley. But otherwise his westerly journey will occur outside the nation’s most populous state and its hubs of American entertainment and technology in favor of friendlier territory in states like Arizona and Nevada.

Songwriter and ‘Good Times’ Actress Ja’Net DuBois Dies in Glendale

Ja’Net DuBois, who played the vivacious neighbor Willona Woods on “Good Times” and composed and sang the theme song for “The Jeffersons,” has died.

DuBois’ song “Movin’ on Up” provided a joyous intro to “The Jeffersons” during the show’s 10-season run.

BernNadette Stanis, who played Thelma Evans Anderson on “Good Times” and remained close to DuBois, said she learned of her death Tuesday from the actress’ daughter.

“She used to keep us laughing all the time,” Stanis said, warmly recalling her friend. “She was very, very talented. If she wasn’t singing … she was creating a character to make us laugh.”

Police in Glendale, California, said they received a report about DuBois’ death late Monday. She appeared to have died of natural causes and no investigation is ongoing, police Sgt. Dan Stubbs said. No additional details, including her age, were immediately available.

Stanis said DuBois appeared to be in good health when they appeared two weeks ago at a signing event. Her birth date was something she kept to herself, Stanis said.

“Nobody really knows,” said Stanis, who recalled telling DuBois, “’Oh, you’re so lucky. Nobody knows your age, girl!’

DuBois had a prolific career beyond the 1970s hit “Good Times,” winning two Emmy Awards for her voice work on the WB series “The PJs.”

DuBois’ Willona was the single, sexy neighbor and best friend to star Esther Rolle’s Florida Evans. Though the comedy had plenty of one-liners, DuBois’ appearances gave an extra dose of comedic relief. DuBois showed off more of her dramatic skills when a young Janet Jackson joined the show as the abused child Penny; DuBois’ character would go on to adopt Penny, and the story line also forged a long, close relationship with Jackson, who would go on to become a multiplatinum superstar; she cast DuBois as her mother in her 1986 “Control” video.

DuBois’ career started in theater, where she appeared in Broadway productions of “Golden Boy” and “A Raisin in the Sun,” according to a biography on her website. A performance in “The Hot l Baltimore” in Los Angeles caught the eye of Norman Lear, who developed “Good Times” and “The Jeffersons.”

DuBois’ Willona was a “true diva back then, fancy dressing, the wigs, doing the thing. … the real woman woman,” said Stanis. “She brought it, didn’t she?”

Her film credits included 1970’s “Diary of a Mad Housewife,” “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.”

She was credited in numerous other films as varied as “Basic Instinct,” “Next Friday” and “Tropic Thunder,” which included “Movin’ on Up.”

DuBois was a co-founder of the Pan African Film Festival, which since 1992 has showcased films meant to promote a greater cultural understanding of people of African descent.

The festival, which is being held in Los Angeles and runs through Sunday, on Tuesday released an image mourning DuBois, calling her “Our Founder, Now Our Angel.”

Trump to Send More of California’s Water to Central Valley Farmers

Hoisting the spoils of victories in California’s hard-fought water wars, President Donald Trump is directing more of the state’s precious water to wealthy farmers and other agriculture interests when he visits their Republican Central Valley stronghold Wednesday.

Changes by the Trump administration are altering how federal authorities decide who gets water, and how much, in California, the U.S. state with the biggest population and economy and most lucrative farm output. Climate change promises to only worsen the state’s droughts and water shortages, raising the stakes.

Campaigning in the Central Valley farm hub of Fresno in 2016, Trump pledged then he’d be “opening up the water” for farmers. Candidate Trump denounced “insane” environmental rules meant to ensure that enough fresh water stayed in rivers and the San Francisco Bay to sustain more than a dozen endangered fish and other native species, which are struggling as agriculture and development diverts more water and land from wildlife.

Visiting Bakersfield in the Central Valley on Wednesday, Trump is expected to ceremoniously sign his administration’s reworking of those environmental rules. Environmental advocates and the state say the changes will allow federal authorities to pump more water from California’s wetter north southward to its biggest cities and farms.

The Trump administration, Republican lawmakers, and farm and water agencies say the changes will allow for more flexibility in water deliveries. In California’s heavily engineered water system, giant state and federal water projects made up of hundreds of miles of pipes, canals, pumps and dams, carry runoff from rain and Sierra Nevada snow melt from north to south — and serve as field of battle for lawsuits and regional political fights over competing demands for water.

Environmental groups say the changes will speed the disappearance of endangered winter-run salmon and other native fish, and make life tougher for whales and other creatures in the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.

After an initial study by federal scientists found the rule changes would harm salmon and whales, the Trump administration ordered a new round of review, California news organizations reported last year.

The overall effort “ensured the highest quality” of evaluation of the rule changes, Paul Souza, Pacific Southwest director for the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is under the Interior Department, said in a statement Tuesday.

“We strongly disagree that the proposal will reduce protections for endangered species,” Souza said.

Beyond operational changes in the federal Central Valley Project water system, the administration’s changes allow for more habitat restoration, upgrades in fish hatcheries and the water system itself, monitoring of species and other improvements, Souza said.

Careers of California politicians can rise and fall on water issues. It’s often rancorous, as when Republican Rep. Devin Nunes in 2017 celebrated passage of a House resolution weakening environmental protections by tweeting a photo of cupcakes decorated with Delta smelt, a Northern California fish nearing extinction.

Trump mocked environmental limits on water deliveries in California in his 2016 campaign visit, saying they were all about “a certain kind of 3-inch fish,” the smelt.

Conservation groups have promised new rounds of water lawsuits to try to block the redone environmental rules.

“The species really are in much worse shape” than in earlier years, Doug Obegi with the Natural Resources Defense Council said. “We are at the point where we may watch them wink out … potentially in the next few years.”

Another big change alarming conservation groups and some water agencies outside of Southern California is the pending award of a permanent federal contract from the Bureau of Reclamation to Westlands Water District, a Central Valley-based water agency that is the nation’s largest irrigation water district.

The Bureau of Reclamation is under the Interior Department, led by Secretary David Bernhardt, who was a lobbyist of Westlands Water District in Washington through 2016. Trump nominated Bernhardt to join the Interior Department, initially as deputy secretary, the next year.

The then-Republican-led Congress in 2016 approved legislation allowing California water agencies to pay to make their federal water contracts permanent. Westlands has jumped toward the front of the line, closing its public comment period last month.

Interior officials said Westlands still owes around $200 million from the initial cost of nearly a half-billion dollars.

Conservation groups and some Northern California water agencies fear Westlands’ permanent contract — and political power — will help it claim a bigger share of water when drought and over-demand reduce supplies, said Patricia Schifferle, an California water-law expert and activist.

In December, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration said it planned to sue the Trump administration over their proposed new rules, saying they do not do enough to protect endangered species.

That lawsuit still has not been filed. Wade Crowfoot, secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, said state officials are still negotiating with the Trump administration about whether they would change the proposed rules to address the state’s environmental concerns.

“From our perspective, if we can resolve our concerns and ensure adequate protection of these endangered species, then we think it would be important to do so and we could avoid probably years of litigation,” Crowfoot said.

Trump Administration Waives Contracting Laws to Speed Construction of Border Wall

The Trump administration said Tuesday that it will waive federal contracting laws to speed construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Department of Homeland Security said waiving procurement regulations will allow 177 miles (283 kilometers) of wall to be built more quickly in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The 10 waived laws include requirements for having open competition, justifying selections and receiving all bonding from a contractor before any work can begin.

The acting Homeland Security secretary, Chad Wolf, is exercising authority under a 2005 law that gives him sweeping powers to waive laws for building border barriers. Secretaries under President Donald Trump have issued 16 waivers, and President George W. Bush issued five, but Tuesday’s announcement marks the first time that waivers have applied to federal procurement rules. Previously they were used to waive environmental impact reviews.

The Trump administration said it expects the waivers will allow 94 miles (150 kilometers) of wall to be built this year, bringing the Republican president closer to his pledge of about 450 miles (720 kilometers) since taking office and making it one of his top domestic priorities. It said the other 83 miles (133 kilometers) covered by the waivers may get built this year.

“Under the president’s leadership, we are building more wall, faster than ever before,” the department said in a statement.

The move is expected to spark criticism that the administration is overstepping its authority, but legal challenges have failed. In 2018, a federal judge in San Diego rejected arguments by California and environmental advocacy groups that the secretary’s broad powers should have an expiration date. An appeals court upheld the ruling last year.

Congress gave the secretary power to waive laws in areas of high illegal crossings in 2005 in a package of emergency spending for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and minimum standards for state-issued identification cards. The Senate approved it unanimously, with support from Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The House passed it with strong bipartisan support; then-Rep. Bernie Sanders voted against it.

The waivers, to be published in the Federal Register, apply to projects that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will award in six of nine Border Patrol sectors on the Mexican border: San Diego and El Centro in California; Yuma and Tucson in Arizona; El Paso, which spans New Mexico and west Texas, and Del Rio, Texas.

The administration said the waivers will apply to contractors that have already been vetted. In May, the Army Corps named 12 companies to compete for Pentagon-funded contracts.

The Army Corps is tasked with awarding $6.1 billion that the Department of Defense transferred for wall construction last year after Congress gave Trump only a fraction of the money. The administration has been able to spend that money during legal challenges.

20-Year-Old Parolee Arrested in Stabbing at Chino House Party: Police

Joan Gomora is seen in an undated booking photo released Feb. 17, 2020, by the Chino Police Department.

A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing at a house party in Chino over the weekend, officials said Monday.

Joan Gomora, 20, of West Covina, was already on parole for assault with a deadly weapon when he was arrested Sunday night, according to a news release from the Chino Police Department.

He’s now accused of stabbing a man multiple times during a gathering on the 6800 block of Joy Court around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Gomora and the victim had been arguing before Gomora began punching the man, then grabbed a knife, investigators said.

The 20-year-old victim was taken to the hospital with internal injuries from his stab wounds and rushed into emergency surgery. The man was in stable condition Monday and expected to survive, police said.

Detectives say they found evidence at the scene that linked Gomora to the crime, and an arrest warrant was obtained. SWAT officers tracked the suspect to a residence in Norwalk, on the 12700 block of Elmcroft Avenue, and took him into custody around 8 p.m. Sunday.

About an hour later, officials served a search warrant at Gomora’s West Covina home on the 2700 block of South Azusa Avenue in hopes of uncovering additional evidence. They did not say whether anything was found.

Gomora was being held without bail Monday night and scheduled to appear in court Wednesday to face an attempted murder charge, inmate records show.

California to Formally Apologize for Internment of Japanese Americans During WWII

Les Ouchida was born an American just outside California’s capital city, but his citizenship mattered little after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States declared war. Based solely on their Japanese ancestry, the 5-year-old and his family were taken from their home in 1942 and imprisoned far away in Arkansas.

They were among 120,000 Japanese Americans held at 10 internment camps during World War II, their only fault being “we had the wrong last names and wrong faces,” said Ouchida, now 82 and living a short drive from where he grew up and was taken as a boy due to fear that Japanese Americans would side with Japan in the war.

On Thursday, California’s Legislature is expected to approve a resolution offering an apology to Ouchida and other internment victims for the state’s role in aiding the U.S. government’s policy and condemning actions that helped fan anti-Japanese discrimination.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s executive order No. 9066 establishing the camps was signed on Feb. 19, 1942, and 2/19 now is marked by Japanese Americans as a Day of Remembrance.

Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi was born in Japan and is one the roughly 430,000 people of Japanese descent living in California, the largest population of any state. The Democrat who represents Manhattan Beach and other beach communities near Los Angeles introduced the resolution.

“We like to talk a lot about how we lead the nation by example,” he said. “Unfortunately, in this case, California led the racist anti-Japanese American movement.”

A congressional commission in 1983 concluded that the detentions were a result of “racial prejudice, war hysteria and failure of political leadership.” Five years later, the U.S. government formally apologized and paid $20,000 in reparations to each victim.

The money didn’t come close to replacing what was lost. Ouchida says his father owned a profitable delivery business with 20 trucks. He never fully recovered from losing his business and died early.

The California resolution doesn’t come with any compensation. It targets the actions of the California Legislature at the time for supporting the internments. Two camps were located in the state — Manzanar on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in central California and Tule Lake near the Oregon state line, the largest of all the camps.

“I want the California Legislature to officially acknowledge and apologize while these camp survivors are still alive,” Muratsuchi said.

He said anti-Japanese sentiment began in California as early as 1913, when the state passed the California Alien Land Law, targeting Japanese farmers who some in California’s massive agricultural industry perceived as a threat. Seven years later the state barred anyone with Japanese ancestry from buying farmland.

The internment of Ouchida, his older brother and parents began in Fresno, California. Three months later they were sent to Jerome, Arkansas, where they stayed for most of the war.

Given their young ages at the time, many living victims such as Ouchida don’t remember much of life in the camps. But he does recall straw-filled mattresses and little privacy.

Communal bathrooms had rows of toilets with no barriers between users. “They put a bag over their heads when they went to the bathroom” for privacy, said Ouchida, who teaches about the internments at the California Museum in Sacramento.

Before the last camp was closed in 1946, Ouchida’s family was shipped to a facility in Arizona. When the family was freed, they took a Greyhound bus back to California. When it reached a stop sign near their community outside Sacramento, “I still remember the ladies on the bus started crying,” Ouchida said. “Because they were home.”

The resolution, co-introduced by California Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido, makes a passing reference to “recent national events” and says they serve as a reminder “to learn from the mistakes of the past.”

Muratsuchi said the inspiration for that passage were migrant children held in U.S. government custody over the past year.

Ouchida said Japanese families like his always considered themselves loyal citizens before and after the internments. He holds no animosity toward the U.S. or California governments, choosing to focus on positives outgrowths like the permanent exhibit at the California Museum that provides an unvarnished view of the internments.

“Even if it took time, we have the goodness to still apologize,” he said.

Federal Agency to Pay for 11K Miles of Strategic Fuel Breaks in 6 States, Including CA, to Help Control Wildfires

The Bureau of Land Management has announced plans to fund 11,000 miles (17,703 kilometers) of strategic fuel breaks in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada and Utah in an effort to help control wildfires.

The fuel breaks are intended to prop up fire mitigation efforts and help protect firefighters, communities and natural resources, The Oregonian reported Saturday.

According to the BLM, wildfires are becoming bigger and more frequent across the Great Basin states. Between 2009 and 2018, more than 13.5 million acres of BLM land burned in the project area.

“Recovering from the devastating effects of wildfires can take decades in the rugged, high-desert climate of the Great Basin. These tools will help firefighters contain fires when they break out,” said acting Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management Casey Hammond in a news release. “That’s why creating fuel breaks is incredibly important to the entire basin, the people who live in these communities, and our wildland firefighters.”

Fuel breaks are intended to break up fire fuels by creating breaks in vegetation that slow a blaze’s progress. By implementing them strategically, they help firefighters control the spread of fire, and can protect homes and resources.

Some scientists debate the effectiveness of fuel breaks, raising questions about whether these efforts are worth funding.

But the BLM reports that assessments of more than 1,200 fuel breaks found that 78% of them helped control wildfire and 84% helped change fire behavior. According to the news release, “the BLM has extensively documented that fuel breaks, and other types of fuel treatments, are effective.”

Jennifer Jones, a spokeswoman for the BLM, said the program will help streamline the implementation process by reducing or eliminating the need for environmental analysis.

The timeline for implementation and the location of fuel breaks will depend on what offices develop plans and apply for funding.

Because BLM offices have not requested funds, said Jones, the BLM can’t provide a figure for what the plan will cost.

“Costs will depend on how many fuel breaks are actually constructed, what types of fuel breaks are constructed, where they are constructed, whether they are constructed by employees or contractors,” Jones said.

The public can comment on the plan for the next 30 days, after which the BLM will make final decisions.

Democrats Gaining Voter Edge in California House Battles

Republicans hope to recapture seven California U.S. House seats lost in a 2018 rout, but Democrats are gaining ground among registered voters as the party looks to hold districts that could be critical in the fight to control Congress.

Registration numbers are just one indicator of the way the vote might swing — elections ultimately are decided by who shows up. But the favorable tilt for Democrats and independents who tend to vote like them is a warning sign for the GOP heading toward the state’s March 3 primary election. Democrats control the House 232-197, with one independent and five vacancies.

One example: At this stage in 2018, Republicans held a slim registration edge in the 39th District, anchored in the one-time GOP stronghold of Orange County and now held by Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros.

But Democrats grabbed a tiny registration advantage in the district later in 2018 and it’s continued to grow. State figures released last week show Democrats have built up a nearly 3 percentage-point margin over the GOP as Republican Young Kim angles for a November rematch against Cisneros.

It’s a similar story in the neighboring 48th District, where Democrat Harley Rouda pulled off an upset over longtime Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher two years ago. His GOP rivals this year include Michelle Steel, who heads the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

The district known for its famous surf breaks and swaths of suburbia remains welcoming terrain for the GOP — the party holds a 6-point registration edge, according to the most recent figures. But that’s down more than 4 points from the same juncture before the 2018 primary.

Comparing those two points in time, Democratic registration has increased about 16,000 and the GOP headcount by just over 2,200. The number of independent voters also surged.

It’s part of a broader pattern in California, which has grown increasingly liberal for decades. Democrats control every statewide office, hold 46 of the state’s 53 House seats and dominate both chambers of the Legislature.

Orange County, once considered conservative holy ground, was carried by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race and Democrats in 2018 won four House seats wholly or partially in the county. Meanwhile, Republican registration statewide has slipped under 24%, below even independents.

But other factors are in play this year.

Keen interest in the unsettled Democratic presidential primary will inevitably drive up voter registration numbers. President Donald Trump, who is widely unpopular in California outside his core Republican base, may be pushing moderate GOP voters into the independent ranks.

The state’s newest voters, including many Hispanics and Asians, tend to be liberal-minded and are mostly keeping a distance from the Republican label. And it’s possible a bevy of changes in the state voter registration system intended to increase participation may be working against the GOP.

The expanding reach of Democrats in California, even into traditionally Republican areas, “has been a long-time trend … and more specifically since the 2016 election,” said Paul Mitchell of the nonpartisan research firm Political Data Inc.

Torunn Sinclair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the political arm of House Republicans, emphasized that a “trend doesn’t always spell results.”

Sinclair pointed to the battleground 21st District in the Central Valley farm belt, which has a large Democratic registration edge but had been in GOP hands until the 2018 election. This year, former GOP Rep. David Valadao is trying to reclaim the seat from Democrat T.J. Cox, who took it from him in 2018.

“The seven Democrats who won ran with a blank slate in 2018 now have to run on their records,” Sinclair said in an email. “They have to answer for why nothing is getting done” in Washington.

The new data isn’t all encouraging for Democrats. Independents have long been the fastest growing voter group in the state as many new voters, especially the young, turn away from the traditional parties.

The increasing Democratic slant in competitive districts was underscored in statistics compiled by Political Data Inc.

Looking only at first-time registrations — people who have no prior history of voting in the state — Democrats had signed up nearly 1.4 million voters statewide between April 2018 and January 2020, while Republicans tallied about 525,000.

Democrats had a 4-1 edge among new Latino voters, and nearly a 3-1 advantage with first-time Asian voters. The tally of new independent voters also eclipsed the GOP increase.

In the Central Valley’s 21st District, where agriculture dominates the economy, Democrats enrolled over 12,000 new Hispanic voters; Republicans, 3,200, according to Political Data. The largest share of new Hispanic voters, however, enrolled as independents, with a sprinkle to other minor parties.

Among other key races:

—The 10th District in the Central Valley is represented by Democratic Rep. Josh Harder, who ousted Republican incumbent Jeff Denham in 2018. Democrats held a 3-point registration edge in 2018 and have added to it since, including enrolling about 13,000 new voters aged 18 to 34 while Republicans added 7,300 in that age group.

—The 25th District north of Los Angeles is vacant after Democratic Rep. Katie Hill resigned amid a sex scandal and House ethics probe. The Democratic margin is about 6 points, up from just under 4 points two years ago. Democrats signed up new Latino voters in the district by a margin of more than 3-1, compared to Republicans. Former GOP Rep. Steve Knight, who lost to Hill in 2018, is among those seeking the seat.

—The 45th District in Orange County, held by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, continues to have a Republican tilt. But the registration margin has been more than cut in half since 2018. Democrats have added about 25,000 first-time registrants, Republicans about 15,000.

—The GOP registration edge in the 49th District, anchored in San Diego County, has been shrinking for years and Democrats have drawn nearly even this year. The seat is being defended by Democratic Rep. Mike Levin, who’s being challenged by Republican Brian Maryott.

ICE Subpoenas San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the 1st Time New Tactic Is Used in CA

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took the rare step of serving four administrative subpoenas Friday to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for information on four Mexican nationals wanted for deportation.

The immigration subpoenas are the first of their kind in California, though they’re just the latest deployment of a new, month-old Trump administration tactic aimed at so-called sanctuary cities and states.

ICE, the Department of Homeland Security agency responsible for arresting and deporting people in the U.S. illegally, used the subpoenas Jan. 15 in Denver for what was believed to be the first time. The agency subsequently used them in New York and on Thursday in Connecticut.

According to an ICE spokeswoman, the subpoenas are not court-ordered or signed by a judge. But if the Sheriff’s Department does not comply, ICE said it can coordinate with federal prosecutors to seek an order from a federal judge that would compel the Sheriff’s Department to comply.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.

ICE Subpoenas San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the 1st Time New Tactic Is Used in CA

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took the rare step of serving four administrative subpoenas Friday to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for information on four Mexican nationals wanted for deportation.

The immigration subpoenas are the first of their kind in California, though they’re just the latest deployment of a new, month-old Trump administration tactic aimed at so-called sanctuary cities and states.

ICE, the Department of Homeland Security agency responsible for arresting and deporting people in the U.S. illegally, used the subpoenas Jan. 15 in Denver for what was believed to be the first time. The agency subsequently used them in New York and on Thursday in Connecticut.

According to an ICE spokeswoman, the subpoenas are not court-ordered or signed by a judge. But if the Sheriff’s Department does not comply, ICE said it can coordinate with federal prosecutors to seek an order from a federal judge that would compel the Sheriff’s Department to comply.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.

The 15 Best Things to Do in Santa Monica & Venice Beach in a Weekend

You’ve probably seen photos the fun ferris wheel on the pier and thought I can’t wait to visit Santa Monica in California! Or videos of muscle beach and palm tree-lined walkways in Venice beach and wondered if you could maybe visit both beach towns on the same weekend. Well, you’re in luck because these are the best things to do in Santa Monica and Venice beach over a weekend or better yet a 3-day weekend.

Both Santa Monica and Venice Beach are west of downtown Los Angeles and just north of Los Angeles International Airport, along the Pacific Ocean. If you are driving from Northern California or San Diego County, they are easily accessible via the 5 and 405. If you are from out of state, you are just a hop, skip, and a jump from LAX.

Because we drove, we had a car at our disposal, but one is not strictly necessary. Each town can be explored on their own by foot, and you can travel the 4 miles between the two by renting bikes (see below), walking, or using a taxi/Uber/Lyft. (Or if you are a Zipcar member, there are multiple locations in the area to pick up a car.)

These two quintessential SoCal coastal towns offer so many fun things to do that it can be difficult to decide what you should spend your time and money on. Which is why these are only the best things to do in Santa Monica and Venice Beach.

We were able to fit all of these activities into three days. We stayed at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Venice Beach and we only used the car to drive to dinner at night. We mostly explored by foot or bike.

These are the highlights of our trip, what we saw and experienced, and where we spent our time. I hope this list helps you create your itinerary for when you visit these Southern California towns! Let’s get to the best things to do in Santa Monica and Venice Beach!

Oh, if you are also packing up for this trip and need some cute beach outfit ideas, view 21 Cute Beach Outfits for Your Summer Outfit Inspiration!

The Best Fun Things to Do in Santa Monica

Santa Monica has that very cool vibe and posh feel. Its mix of high-end and California cool style has many travelers from around California and the world calling this city one of their favorite seaside spots in California.

The Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica

This is the original Muscle Beach, begun in 1933 by gymnasts and acrobats to have a place to train. Soon, athletes of all kinds were making their way to the oceanside venue and, in the 1950s, a weight pen was added and became a haven for bodybuilders and fitness buffs. Popular lore holds Muscle Beach as the “birthplace of the fitness boom.”

Today there is still a weight pen, numerous adult-sized exercise equipment (rings, parallel bars, balance beams, climbing apparatus, etc.), and a grassy area. You can even test your mettle on a rope climb or hone your swinging skills. We had fun just hanging out, drinking a smoothie and watching all the activities (with a bit of envy and awe). This is definitely on the top of things to do in Santa Monica, even if you’re just a spectator.

Walk Santa Monica Pier and Enjoy Pacific Park

Built in 1909, the pier was originally a promenade and popular fishing spot for locals. An amusement park was added in 1916 and lasted until the Great Depression. It was resurrected on a small scale in the mid-1940s but never became the destination it once was. In 1983 a full-scale renovation was begun that took almost a decade to complete, yielding what we have today: carnival rides, games, food, and a fun place to gather.

While you can actually go to Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier any time of day, nighttime is a very special time. The park, lit in neon and bright lights, resembles something out of Willy Wonka. All the rides, carnival games, and food vendors are on glorious display and it’s a true feast for the eyes. The highlight for us was riding the Pacific Ferris Wheel, which afforded us a night view of both Santa Monica and Venice Beach. This is definitely a place to bring kids if you’re traveling with family. Peter and I brought my little sister here and she loved it. It’s one of the best things to do in Santa Monica for kids.

TRAVEL TIP: If you are here during the summer on a Thursday night, you can enjoy one of their free twilight concerts (7-10 pm).

Third Street Promenade In Santa Monica

What’s a vacation without a little shopping, right? I found the perfect venue in Santa Monica to be the Third Street Promenade. This upscale shopping and dining area is a far cry from the trinkets and fried food you’ll find along the beach or at the pier.

You can wander down the pedestrian mall and find high-end goods from Armani, clothing retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropologie, Fred Segal, and J. Crew, as well as small boutiques, bookstores, jewelers, and home goods. You can get a spa treatment, step into a nail salon for a quick mani or pedi, or take advantage of one of the many hair salons. Oh…and there is a Tesla dealership! If you can’t find it at the Third Street Promenade, they probably don’t make it. You won’t find a shortage of things to do here!

You also have the opportunity to take in a movie at one of three theaters, catch a concert in the evening, or watch an entertaining street performer. This is also where the Saturday Organic Farmer’s Market is held.

TRAVEL TIP: In Santa Monica, use one of the downtown parking structures for super affordable rates. We paid $0 on our first visit and only $1 on our second!

Santa Monica Farmer’s Market

California, the land of milk and honey and abundant produce. There’s no better place to witness the bounty of this West Coast state than at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. You can choose from the Saturday downtown location (featuring primarily organic fare) or Sunday’s Main Street/Heritage Square location. Both offer everything from soup to nuts…literally.

You have produce, meat/poultry/fish/seafood, flowers, baked goods, as well as food vendors that offer a lot of options for breakfast and/or lunch. You can find Asian greens and Mexican cactus, scrumptious cinnamon rolls or French macarons, herbs and spices, as well as fresh eggs. The Sunday market also has music, arts and crafts, and activities for children, such as face painting and pony rides.

We went to the Sunday Farmers Market in Santa Monica and loved it. We were surprised by the number of breakfast options they had.

Relax on the Beach & Go For An Ocean Swim

Last, but not least, don’t forget to dip your toes in the Pacific Ocean! The hot sun and warmer temperatures during the summer make a quick stroll along the ocean’s edge a very pleasant experience. The water itself is pretty cold, so full immersion is only for the brave (even the heartiest of surfers wear wetsuits year-round).

Sunday Brunch at One Pico

Located within Shutters on the Beach (hotel), One Pico is the perfect place to have brunch. This upscale restaurant provides a beach view of Santa Monica that you can enjoy while having a nice mimosa or gin fizz and dining from their seasonal market menu. I loved their lemon ricotta pancakes, and their Eggs Benedict was done to perfection. Linger a while and enjoy the view!

TRAVEL TIP: If you’d like something more casual, try their downstairs restaurant, Coast Beach Café, and Bar.

Bike from Santa Monica to Venice Beach (Or Vice Versa)

A crossover activity, I suggest that you rent bikes at Venice Beach and bike your way to Santa Monica (or vice versa). Bikes are easily rented at several venues at both beaches; ours cost $7/hour per bike. Once you’re mounted up, take the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (aka The Strand), a paved path that meanders along the coast.

The path itself is 22 miles long and runs from Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades south to Torrance, but the VB-SM route is about 4 miles one way (20 minutes if you don’t linger at any of the beaches!). It’s a great way to enjoy the ocean and get a little exercise at the same time.

Things to do in Venice Beach

Once you’ve biked your way from Santa Monica to Venice beach it’s time to enjoy all the craziness that Venice Beach has to offer. It is a unique place, to say the least, but its uniqueness is part of the attraction. I would say that the vibe from Santa Monica is very different from Venice Beach. Venice Beach has a grungier style and careless attitude. If in Santa Monica you get a new handbag in Venice Beach you get a tattoo.

Venice Beach Boardwalk

I never get tired of visiting boardwalks—Atlantic City, Coney Island, Santa Cruz—and the Venice Beach Boardwalk is no different. A bit more bohemian, and definitely with a laidback California vibe, but all the usual suspects can be found here. Street vendors, fortune tellers, chalk artists, restaurants, and food carts line the 1.5-mile Ocean Front Walk. You can get pierced or tattooed, get a healthy acai bowl or a greasy corndog, watch jugglers and skateboarders, there is something for everyone.

TRAVEL TIP: Many of the performers along the Venice Beach Boardwalk are nothing short of amazing and entertaining, so be sure to bring a few dollar bills to reward their efforts.

Muscle Beach Venice

Along the Venice Beach Boardwalk is Muscle Beach Venice (not to be confused with the original in Santa Monica). Look for the gated area with all the weightlifting equipment and prepared to be in awe of some of the bodies and feats they perform here. There are even bleachers, so you can park yourself and get an eyeful!

This muscle beach definitely has a tougher vibe than the one at Santa Monica.

Venice Beach State Park

If you’d like to witness some other athletic endeavors, head over to the Venice Beach Skate Park. We hung out around the perimeter of this mammoth man-made course that was filled with skateboarders of all ages. We witnessed them performing tricks, riding rails, maneuvering stairs, and doing some scary aerial stunts.

Venice Beach Canals

Visit the Venice Canal Historic District. This area, located inland a few blocks between Muscle Beach and Venice fishing pier. It was built in 1905 in homage to the town in Italy of the same name. Quite popular when built, the canals fell into disrepair mid-century and some were filled in. A renovation project took place in 1992-93 making the neighborhood desirable again.

Today it is a quiet, lovely neighborhood with walking paths and bridges that allowed us to wander to our heart’s delight. We only wish we could have borrowed one of the homeowner’s boats and taken a ride through them the canals!

TRAVEL TIP: Check the local tide charts, as the canals look swampy and have very little water during low tide. You definitely want to go when they’re full!

Lunch at Simmzy’s

We loved this local pub. It has a great selection of craft beers on tap, ranging from 4.6% to 10% alcohol by volume, with some fun names like Smog City Hoptonic, 3 Weavers Kill the Lights Dark Lager, Noble Man’s Milk (stout), and Great Divide Espresso Yeti Imperial Stout. They also feature some locally made wines.

The food was wonderful, with most dishes tending toward American, Mexican or Asian flavors. We loved the grilled sweet corn, had a tasty shrimp, citrus & avocado salad, and devoured the Tuna Banh Mi.

TRAVEL TIP: This joint gets pretty busy, so go early for lunch or between meals after the rush.

Enjoy Drinks at Sunset at Hotel Erwin Rooftop Bar

The Hotel Erwin, located a block from the Venice Beach Boardwalk, has the only rooftop bar in Venice Beach, appropriately named High Lounge. From this vantage point, you can see out to the Pacific Ocean, which made it the perfect place to relax and have a drink at sunset. We hung out on comfy, padded lounge chairs and sipped cocktails while we watched the sun lower itself into the horizon, producing colors more beautiful than those of our drinks! Highly recommended sunset activity!

Palisades Park

I’d also like to suggest that you make a short foray north to Palisades Park. This 26-acre park sits above the ocean on sandstone bluffs and affords some of the most gorgeous photo ops we had our whole trip. Wander through the rose gardens, check out the Camera Obscura, and head to the overlooks for a view of Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Stay Stylish,
-V

PS: If you love the beach make sure to view 117 of the Best Beach Quotes for Instagram Captions.

The post The 15 Best Things to Do in Santa Monica & Venice Beach in a Weekend appeared first on Stylishlyme | Personal Fashion Blog.

The 15 Best Things to Do in Santa Monica & Venice Beach in a Weekend

You’ve probably seen photos the fun ferris wheel on the pier and thought I can’t wait to visit Santa Monica in California! Or videos of muscle beach and palm tree-lined walkways in Venice beach and wondered if you could maybe visit both beach towns on the same weekend. Well, you’re in luck because these are the best things to do in Santa Monica and Venice beach over a weekend or better yet a 3-day weekend.

Both Santa Monica and Venice Beach are west of downtown Los Angeles and just north of Los Angeles International Airport, along the Pacific Ocean. If you are driving from Northern California or San Diego County, they are easily accessible via the 5 and 405. If you are from out of state, you are just a hop, skip, and a jump from LAX.

Because we drove, we had a car at our disposal, but one is not strictly necessary. Each town can be explored on their own by foot, and you can travel the 4 miles between the two by renting bikes (see below), walking, or using a taxi/Uber/Lyft. (Or if you are a Zipcar member, there are multiple locations in the area to pick up a car.)

These two quintessential SoCal coastal towns offer so many fun things to do that it can be difficult to decide what you should spend your time and money on. Which is why these are only the best things to do in Santa Monica and Venice Beach.

We were able to fit all of these activities into three days. We stayed at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Venice Beach and we only used the car to drive to dinner at night. We mostly explored by foot or bike.

These are the highlights of our trip, what we saw and experienced, and where we spent our time. I hope this list helps you create your itinerary for when you visit these Southern California towns! Let’s get to the best things to do in Santa Monica and Venice Beach!

Oh, if you are also packing up for this trip and need some cute beach outfit ideas, view 21 Cute Beach Outfits for Your Summer Outfit Inspiration!

The Best Fun Things to Do in Santa Monica

Santa Monica has that very cool vibe and posh feel. Its mix of high-end and California cool style has many travelers from around California and the world calling this city one of their favorite seaside spots in California.

The Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica

This is the original Muscle Beach, begun in 1933 by gymnasts and acrobats to have a place to train. Soon, athletes of all kinds were making their way to the oceanside venue and, in the 1950s, a weight pen was added and became a haven for bodybuilders and fitness buffs. Popular lore holds Muscle Beach as the “birthplace of the fitness boom.”

Today there is still a weight pen, numerous adult-sized exercise equipment (rings, parallel bars, balance beams, climbing apparatus, etc.), and a grassy area. You can even test your mettle on a rope climb or hone your swinging skills. We had fun just hanging out, drinking a smoothie and watching all the activities (with a bit of envy and awe). This is definitely on the top of things to do in Santa Monica, even if you’re just a spectator.

Walk Santa Monica Pier and Enjoy Pacific Park

Built in 1909, the pier was originally a promenade and popular fishing spot for locals. An amusement park was added in 1916 and lasted until the Great Depression. It was resurrected on a small scale in the mid-1940s but never became the destination it once was. In 1983 a full-scale renovation was begun that took almost a decade to complete, yielding what we have today: carnival rides, games, food, and a fun place to gather.

While you can actually go to Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier any time of day, nighttime is a very special time. The park, lit in neon and bright lights, resembles something out of Willy Wonka. All the rides, carnival games, and food vendors are on glorious display and it’s a true feast for the eyes. The highlight for us was riding the Pacific Ferris Wheel, which afforded us a night view of both Santa Monica and Venice Beach. This is definitely a place to bring kids if you’re traveling with family. Peter and I brought my little sister here and she loved it. It’s one of the best things to do in Santa Monica for kids.

TRAVEL TIP: If you are here during the summer on a Thursday night, you can enjoy one of their free twilight concerts (7-10 pm).

Third Street Promenade In Santa Monica

What’s a vacation without a little shopping, right? I found the perfect venue in Santa Monica to be the Third Street Promenade. This upscale shopping and dining area is a far cry from the trinkets and fried food you’ll find along the beach or at the pier.

You can wander down the pedestrian mall and find high-end goods from Armani, clothing retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropologie, Fred Segal, and J. Crew, as well as small boutiques, bookstores, jewelers, and home goods. You can get a spa treatment, step into a nail salon for a quick mani or pedi, or take advantage of one of the many hair salons. Oh…and there is a Tesla dealership! If you can’t find it at the Third Street Promenade, they probably don’t make it. You won’t find a shortage of things to do here!

You also have the opportunity to take in a movie at one of three theaters, catch a concert in the evening, or watch an entertaining street performer. This is also where the Saturday Organic Farmer’s Market is held.

TRAVEL TIP: In Santa Monica, use one of the downtown parking structures for super affordable rates. We paid $0 on our first visit and only $1 on our second!

Santa Monica Farmer’s Market

California, the land of milk and honey and abundant produce. There’s no better place to witness the bounty of this West Coast state than at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. You can choose from the Saturday downtown location (featuring primarily organic fare) or Sunday’s Main Street/Heritage Square location. Both offer everything from soup to nuts…literally.

You have produce, meat/poultry/fish/seafood, flowers, baked goods, as well as food vendors that offer a lot of options for breakfast and/or lunch. You can find Asian greens and Mexican cactus, scrumptious cinnamon rolls or French macarons, herbs and spices, as well as fresh eggs. The Sunday market also has music, arts and crafts, and activities for children, such as face painting and pony rides.

We went to the Sunday Farmers Market in Santa Monica and loved it. We were surprised by the number of breakfast options they had.

Relax on the Beach & Go For An Ocean Swim

Last, but not least, don’t forget to dip your toes in the Pacific Ocean! The hot sun and warmer temperatures during the summer make a quick stroll along the ocean’s edge a very pleasant experience. The water itself is pretty cold, so full immersion is only for the brave (even the heartiest of surfers wear wetsuits year-round).

Sunday Brunch at One Pico

Located within Shutters on the Beach (hotel), One Pico is the perfect place to have brunch. This upscale restaurant provides a beach view of Santa Monica that you can enjoy while having a nice mimosa or gin fizz and dining from their seasonal market menu. I loved their lemon ricotta pancakes, and their Eggs Benedict was done to perfection. Linger a while and enjoy the view!

TRAVEL TIP: If you’d like something more casual, try their downstairs restaurant, Coast Beach Café, and Bar.

Bike from Santa Monica to Venice Beach (Or Vice Versa)

A crossover activity, I suggest that you rent bikes at Venice Beach and bike your way to Santa Monica (or vice versa). Bikes are easily rented at several venues at both beaches; ours cost $7/hour per bike. Once you’re mounted up, take the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (aka The Strand), a paved path that meanders along the coast.

The path itself is 22 miles long and runs from Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades south to Torrance, but the VB-SM route is about 4 miles one way (20 minutes if you don’t linger at any of the beaches!). It’s a great way to enjoy the ocean and get a little exercise at the same time.

Things to do in Venice Beach

Once you’ve biked your way from Santa Monica to Venice beach it’s time to enjoy all the craziness that Venice Beach has to offer. It is a unique place, to say the least, but its uniqueness is part of the attraction. I would say that the vibe from Santa Monica is very different from Venice Beach. Venice Beach has a grungier style and careless attitude. If in Santa Monica you get a new handbag in Venice Beach you get a tattoo.

Venice Beach Boardwalk

I never get tired of visiting boardwalks—Atlantic City, Coney Island, Santa Cruz—and the Venice Beach Boardwalk is no different. A bit more bohemian, and definitely with a laidback California vibe, but all the usual suspects can be found here. Street vendors, fortune tellers, chalk artists, restaurants, and food carts line the 1.5-mile Ocean Front Walk. You can get pierced or tattooed, get a healthy acai bowl or a greasy corndog, watch jugglers and skateboarders, there is something for everyone.

TRAVEL TIP: Many of the performers along the Venice Beach Boardwalk are nothing short of amazing and entertaining, so be sure to bring a few dollar bills to reward their efforts.

Muscle Beach Venice

Along the Venice Beach Boardwalk is Muscle Beach Venice (not to be confused with the original in Santa Monica). Look for the gated area with all the weightlifting equipment and prepared to be in awe of some of the bodies and feats they perform here. There are even bleachers, so you can park yourself and get an eyeful!

This muscle beach definitely has a tougher vibe than the one at Santa Monica.

Venice Beach State Park

If you’d like to witness some other athletic endeavors, head over to the Venice Beach Skate Park. We hung out around the perimeter of this mammoth man-made course that was filled with skateboarders of all ages. We witnessed them performing tricks, riding rails, maneuvering stairs, and doing some scary aerial stunts.

Venice Beach Canals

Visit the Venice Canal Historic District. This area, located inland a few blocks between Muscle Beach and Venice fishing pier. It was built in 1905 in homage to the town in Italy of the same name. Quite popular when built, the canals fell into disrepair mid-century and some were filled in. A renovation project took place in 1992-93 making the neighborhood desirable again.

Today it is a quiet, lovely neighborhood with walking paths and bridges that allowed us to wander to our heart’s delight. We only wish we could have borrowed one of the homeowner’s boats and taken a ride through them the canals!

TRAVEL TIP: Check the local tide charts, as the canals look swampy and have very little water during low tide. You definitely want to go when they’re full!

Lunch at Simmzy’s

We loved this local pub. It has a great selection of craft beers on tap, ranging from 4.6% to 10% alcohol by volume, with some fun names like Smog City Hoptonic, 3 Weavers Kill the Lights Dark Lager, Noble Man’s Milk (stout), and Great Divide Espresso Yeti Imperial Stout. They also feature some locally made wines.

The food was wonderful, with most dishes tending toward American, Mexican or Asian flavors. We loved the grilled sweet corn, had a tasty shrimp, citrus & avocado salad, and devoured the Tuna Banh Mi.

TRAVEL TIP: This joint gets pretty busy, so go early for lunch or between meals after the rush.

Enjoy Drinks at Sunset at Hotel Erwin Rooftop Bar

The Hotel Erwin, located a block from the Venice Beach Boardwalk, has the only rooftop bar in Venice Beach, appropriately named High Lounge. From this vantage point, you can see out to the Pacific Ocean, which made it the perfect place to relax and have a drink at sunset. We hung out on comfy, padded lounge chairs and sipped cocktails while we watched the sun lower itself into the horizon, producing colors more beautiful than those of our drinks! Highly recommended sunset activity!

Palisades Park

I’d also like to suggest that you make a short foray north to Palisades Park. This 26-acre park sits above the ocean on sandstone bluffs and affords some of the most gorgeous photo ops we had our whole trip. Wander through the rose gardens, check out the Camera Obscura, and head to the overlooks for a view of Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Stay Stylish,
-V

PS: If you love the beach make sure to view 117 of the Best Beach Quotes for Instagram Captions.

The post The 15 Best Things to Do in Santa Monica & Venice Beach in a Weekend appeared first on Stylishlyme | Personal Fashion Blog.