Hotsheet 1/8/25: Libraries reopen; Reality star runs for mayor

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Thursday, January 8, 2025
Today is National Bubble Bath Day!
Elvis Presley would be 91 today.

 

☀️ Good Morning, Santa Monica!

Is it just us, or does the ocean breeze feel a little crisper this week? Whether you’re grabbing your morning matcha on Montana or taking a brisk walk down by the Pier, it’s going to be a beautiful week to be on the Westside.  

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Two library branches will reopen the public
The Ocean Park and Fairview branches of Santa Monica Public Library will reopen to the public with full service, in person operations beginning January 20.  The Fairview branch (2101 Ocean Park Blvd.) will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while Ocean Park branch (2601 Main St.) will welcome the public Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  Services are expected to expend to four days in July.

Plus…

▶︎ California Roadhouse — a dining and entertainment venue inspired by Route 66 — to open on Santa Monica Pier.  SM Mirror

▶︎ Coachella promoters to bring music festival to Santa Monica Beach Pollstar

▶︎ Reality TV star Spencer Pratt is running for mayor of Los Angeles YouTube

▶︎ Tesla is no longer the number one electric vehicle maker  AP

▶︎ ‘6-7’ tops list of most overused words of 2025  AP

 

Thursday, January 8 North of Montana Association Meeting via Zoom Lincoln Middle School PTSA 9:00 AM – Library John Adams Middle School PTSA 6:30 PM – Zoom Tuesday, January 13 Santa Monica City Council 5:30 PM – City Hall Wednesday, January 14 Santa Monica Planning Commission 5:30 PM – City Hall

Ten things you don’t want to miss in the week ahead…

1. Family-Friendly Skate
Squeeze in one more spin on the seasonal rink at 5th & Arizona before it melts away for good. Ice at Santa Monica continues through January 19.

2. Broadway…in L.A.!
Date‑night alert: the musical adaptation of The Notebook runs through January 25 at the Pantages, pairing Ingrid Michaelson’s songs with all the sweeping, tear‑jerker romance you’d expect.

3. Foo Fightin’ at the Kia Forum
Rock royalty returns Inglewood when Foo Fighters take over the Forum on January 14. Hearing “Best of You” live with a few thousand friends is worth the extra hour in traffic.

4. ‘Rocky Horror’ Rocks On
Dress up, throw rice, and scream “Don’t dream it, be it!” The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a decades-long Saturday night tradition at the NuArt Theatre (11272 Santa Monica Blvd) in West L.A.

5. Laugh Live with Leno
No need to stay up ’til 11:30 p.m. — comedy legend and former Tonight Show host Jay Leno performs most Sundays at 7:00 p.m. at the Comedy and Magic Club (1018 Hermosa Avenue) in Hermosa Beach.

6. ‘Star Search’ Returns
Watch out, Simon Cowell!  TV’s original talent contest gets a new millennium reboot (and a new host, Anthony Anderson) when it debuts on January 13 on Netflix.

7.  Holy Toledo!
The Toledo Show — featuring “the coolest cat in Hollywood” mixes smoky jazz, funky bass lines, and standing-room-only energy Sundays at Harvelle’s (1432 4th Street).

8.  Hollywood’s ‘Golden’ Night
The biggest names in television and movies gather at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday night for the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards.  Not red carpet ready?  Check out the festivities live on CBS.

9.  Polar Plunge!
Jumpstart 2026 with Santa Monica’s eighth annual Polar Bear Plunge on January 10 at Annenberg Community Beach House (415 Pacific Coast Hwy). Check in at 10 a.m. for the 10:15 ocean dip and optional buoy swim.

10.  Movie Openings
Thrill-seekers hit theaters for the Gus Van Sant crime thriller Dead Man’s Wire ( limited release January 9) and the epic drama I Was a Stranger.

Bonus: Basketball Bonanza
Hoops season is in full swing! UCLA men host Maryland Saturday at Pauley Pavillion;  the Hawks visit the Lakers Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena and the Wizards take on the Clippers Wednesday under the Intuit Dome.

ON SALE NOW Bruno Mars: The Romantic Tour October 2 & 3 | SoFi Stadium Sign up for the presale Tina – The Tina Turner Musical April 14 – 19 | Pantages Theatre Sign up for the presale MJ: The Musical April 21 – May 3 | Pantages Theatre Sign up for the presale TV Taping: Pop Culture Jeopardy January 9 – 11 | Sony Studios Get free tickets Frozen January 23 – 25 | Lincoln Middle School On sale now

 

Bru’s Wiffle
2315 Wilshire Boulevard
310-453-2787

Owner Ebru Fidan Caplan‘s westside brunch spot is best known for chicken and waffles. Only open til mid-afternoon.  Indoor and outdoor seating available and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available. In 2025, they moved locations across the street and merged with sister restaurant Flapjax Diner.  There is a second location on Washington Boulevard in Marina Del Rey.  Lines can be long — especially on the weekends — but the food is worth the wait.  Service is friendly, portions are large. You can’t go wrong with the Dwight Special and a mimosa or Bloody Mary.

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Tickets for the 202 Los Angeles Olympics will be made available to the public via a lottery system.  To join the pool, you must first register for the LA28 Ticket Draw by March 18.  Ticket drops begin in April.  For more information and to get in on the action, hit up LA28.org.

Enjoy the warm weather, Santa Monica.  See you next week!