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Light, Bright Light |
By Clifford Williams
Special to The Lookout
November 21 -- Before you know it, Downtown Santa Monica
and the Third Street Promenade will be transformed into a winter
wonderland.
Winterlit – the annual Santa Monica holiday tradition that
brings festive activities to the Third Street Promenade –
will now extend to the surrounding streets with the addition of
an outdoor ice skating rink – Ice at Santa Monica –
at 5th Street and Arizona Avenue.
This year Winterlit will be brought to Downtown Santa Monica by
the Bayside District Corporation, the Big Blue Bus, Santa Monica
Place, Starbucks, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Holiday Inn -
Santa Monica Beach and the City of Santa Monica.
The Beat spoke with a few of the sponsoring organizations for their
thoughts on Winterlit 2007.
Santa Monica Place
“Downtown Santa Monica, Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica
Place have always had a synergy,” explained Ashley Walkley,
marketing manager for Macerich Company. “During the holiday
season, we find that combining our efforts to provide the best possible
experience for the local community benefits everyone.”
Walkley welcomed the addition of an ice rink to Santa Monica. “What
a festive way to bring the spirit of the season to Downtown,”
she said.
More importantly for Santa Monica Place, however, is the opportunity
to “share in the true meaning of the holidays” by partnering
with the 2,000 children-strong local chapter of the Police Activities
League (PAL) for the 2nd Annual Best Gift Ever Drive. The program
brings gifts to hundreds of children who might otherwise not receive
presents.
As the holidays approach, Santa Monica Place will be bringing you
“fun, family-friendly activities,” according to Walkley,
who encourages everyone to “Shop, get involved and enjoy Downtown
Santa Monica this holiday season!”
Starbucks
“When we heard that the Bayside District was launching the
first-ever ice skating rink in Santa Monica, we were thrilled to
be a part of it,” said Tiffany Lee, marketing specialist for
Starbucks.
“Starbucks continually looks for ways to give back to the
local community where we do business and this was the perfect fit,”
Lee said.
“The Starbucks-sponsored ice rink is a great way for residents
and families to come together and enjoy the holiday season,”
said Lee, who hopes that the rink will become a holiday tradition.
“On December 6, Starbucks and the Bayside District Corporation
will surprise residents with a unique event at the ice skating rink,
featuring fun activities for the whole family, a special presentation
and a surprise ice skating performance you don’t want to miss
from a world-renowned figure skater,” Lee said. “We
hope to see everyone there!”
City of Santa Monica
“The City of Santa Monica is pleased to help bring the first
outdoor ice rink to Santa Monica as part of the Winterlit holiday
program,” said Miriam Mack, economic development manager for
the City of Santa Monica.
“A number of things fell into place to make the rink a reality,”
said Mack. “The most important contribution was the use of
the land the City recently acquired. It is the right size and the
right location for the rink.
“It took a lot of work on everyone’s part, and we’re
very excited about having such a special holiday offering in Santa
Monica.”
Loews Hotel
“Since our opening in 1989, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
has been an active member in the Santa Monica community,”
said Rosalind Napoli, regional director of public relations for
Loew’s Santa Monica Beach Hotel.
“Our sponsorship of Winterlit 2007 is a great way to further
our good neighbor policy and our relationship with the community.”
After talking with the Bayside District about Winterlit, Loews Hotel
was “inspired” by all of the new activities and events
in Downtown Santa Monica this holiday season, Napoli said.
Loews is particularly excited to have Santa Claus among its guests,
as he prepares to kick off the season with the local PAL Best Gift
Ever Drive.
Napoli said the hotel also is delighted to play a role in bringing
“our own Rockefeller Center” to Santa Monica. Ice at
Santa Monica will be “a great activity for our guests and
clients to enjoy while they are visiting Santa Monica,” said
Napoli.
Big Blue Bus
As in past years, which saw a Candy Cane Bus and a Singing Snowman
Bus especially decked out for the season, a holiday bus will make
the rounds this year. But this year’s bus is still a surprise.
“The holiday bus is our holiday card to the community that’s
live and on the street for people to see,” said Dan Dawson,
customer relations manager for the Big Blue Bus.
“The Big Blue Bus is part of the community,” said Dawson,
explaining why his organization pitches in to support Winterlit.
“The Big Blue Bus makes sure people have an environmentally
sound way to get around, and that includes doing their holiday shopping,”
Dawson said. As the shoppers increase, the buses are there to do
their part for the economy, he added.
This year’s holiday shoppers also will want to know about
the Tide Ride that can shuttle them from parking structures to stores
in different shopping districts, cutting down on car trips and increasing
the number of visitors to Downtown businesses. (For more information
visit www.bigbluebus.com.)
Holiday Inn
“Holiday Inn is excited about participating in and supporting
Winterlit and especially Ice at Santa Monica in its inaugural year,”
said J. Chris Jones, general manager at the Santa Monica Beach Holiday
Inn.
Jones said the holiday program is a terrific tie-in for the winter
tourism business, with the ice rink a great new attraction for tourists
and employees in walking distance of the Holiday Inn. “Holiday
Inn looks forward to being a continuing partner and supporting the
program as it evolves,” he added.
For that extra room you may need during the holidays, ask for the
Winterlit Special to receive a 10 percent discount at the Holiday
Inn - Santa Monica Beach when you call 800-HOLIDAY (www.holidayinn.com/santamonicaca).
This article also ran in the Bayside Beat, the monthly newsletter
for Downtown Santa Monica.
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