What I Love about Santa Monica“The Santa Monica Life” is a weekly roundup of the local fun, food, drinks, and lifestyle goings-on in Santa Monica. When the fun is so close, it’s easy to leave the car at home and walk, bike, or bus to all the exciting stuff our city has to offer. Isn’t that why we love it here?

So, you survived another Obamajam this week. Congratulations! You deserve to have a little fun — and a drink.

Are you a Bloody Mary fan? Well, you’re in luck. According to the L.A. Times, Del Frisco’s Grille in Santa Monica and Tito’s Vodka are hosting the first Bloody Mary Battle on June 28.

“Bartenders from Del Frisco’s Grille, The Lobster, Lago, Areal and Blue Plate Taco will present their versions of the classic drink for the competition. Attendees will be able to try all five, and vote on their favorites, for $20,” the L.A. Times reports.

According to the L.A. Times, “The fan favorite, along with some input from the official judges, will determine the Bloody Mary Battle winner. A portion of the proceeds will benefit a charity of the winning bartender’s choice, and Tito’s will match the donation.”

So, it’s drinking for a good cause! Feel good and do good at the same time. Tickets can be purchased here: www.smbloodymarybattle.eventbrite.com.

Maybe you have a sweet tooth and enjoy a good bike ride. Look no further than your friendly neighborhood Bike Center in Downtown Santa Monica.

Santa Monica Centric went on one of the Santa Monica Bike Center’s walking or biking tours, specifically the one with a bunch of pit stops Sweet Spots Bike Tour, which gives participants a chance to sample some of the best sweet stuff Santa Monica has to offer.

“As a resident of Santa Monica, I was thrilled to find new dessert shops and see parts of the city I had never explored before. It makes me want to sign up for their other tours as well!” Santa Monica Centric reported.

Stops on the Sweet Spots Bike Tour include Sweet Lady Jane, Sweet Rose Creamery, and La Monarca Bakery.

Maybe you are interested in visiting what L.A. Eater calls “Santa Monica’s next great dining destination,” Cassia, which opened quietly last weekend.

“Consider the space, which is part of an historic Art Deco building from the 1930’s. Expansive, airy, bright, and made of the right bones, the multi-faceted place has a bit of something for everyone,” according to L.A. Eater. “There’s a bar up front with top-notch drinks by Kenny Arbuckle (La Descarga, Bestia), with cocktails like a lava flow piña colada with housemade coconut liqueur and strawberry balsamic gastrique.”

Of course, there is always the beach. One — and perhaps the only — silver lining of the historic drought we are facing is that our beaches are cleaner, the L.A. Times reports.

“Water quality along Southern California’s coast improved last year amid the record-low rainfall largely because lower amounts of storm runoff flowed down to the area, according to the annual Beach Report Card released Wednesday by Heal the Bay, an environmental group,” according to the L.A. Times.

But you may not want to swim near the Santa Monica Pier. The water immediately surrounding the Pier was given an F this year for water quality by Heal the Bay, joining Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro and Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey on the nonprofit’s “Beach Bummer” list. So, steer clear.

Have you got a tip for Living the Santa Monica Life? Send them to editor@santamonicanext.org.

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