Blessing of the Animals and Art Exhibit, 2026 We look forward to our 19th Annual Blessing of the Animals! Featuring: – Walk-Up blessings in the First UMC Courtyard; – Kids can bring stuffed lovies to be blessed, and have making crafts and listening to story time. – New this year! View beautiful animal photography by Larry Naylor, with an artist talk scheduled for Sunday, October 18 after worship. Don’t miss this annual tradition celebrating beloved creatures! Saturday, October 3, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Courtyard and Fireside Room

Local Event: 19th Annual Blessing of the Animals

Los Angeles County

Santa Monica

California

19th Annual Blessing of the Animals

Blessing of the Animals and Art Exhibit, 2026 We look forward to our 19th Annual Blessing of the Animals! Featuring: – Walk-Up...

Tina Gage

Scott Snowden

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Venice-Mar Vista

Los Angeles

Westwood-Century City

Brentwood

Marina Del Rey

Culver City

Chris Lindahl

Pacific Palisades

Beverly Hills

West Hollywood

Studio City

Encino-Tarzana

Laemmle Monica Film Center

PEAKING: Psychedelics and the Pursuit of Happiness, a new documentary from 10-time Emmy Award-winning director Jordan Kronick, opens this Friday, October 2, at the <a href="https://www.laemmle.com/film/peaking" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Laemmle Monica Film Center</a> in Santa Monica.
The film takes viewers inside real psychedelic experiences as they happen, following professional athletes, military veterans, people struggling with addiction, trauma survivors and others exploring psychedelics in connection with healing and recovery. PEAKING looks at psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, MDMA, ibogaine and Bufo, while experts including Rick Doblin, Robin Carhart-Harris and Heroic Hearts Project founder Jesse Gould provide context on the science and evolving psychedelic movement.
Featured participants include two-time Stanley Cup champion Daniel Carcillo and former NHL player Stephen Johns, along with military veterans and others whose experiences are documented on camera. The film also examines the history of psychedelics, from their criminalization in the 1960s to their growing presence in medicine and public conversation.The Friday, October 2 screening will be followed by a special Q&amp;A featuring documentary participants Thomas Wyatt, a retired U.S. Army combat veteran, and Chalvia Brown, a former U.S. Air Force veteran and trauma survivor.
Tickets and showtimes are available through Laemmle Monica Film Center.
<a href="https://www.laemmle.com/film/peaking" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">laemmle.com/film/peaking</a>
<a href="https://peakingdocumentary.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">peakingdocumentary.com</a>

Local Event: PEAKING: Psychedelics and the Pursuit of Happiness (Film Premiere)

PEAKING: Psychedelics and the Pursuit of...

PEAKING: Psychedelics and the Pursuit of Happiness, a new documentary from 10-time Emmy Award-winning director Jordan Kronick,...

PEAKING: Psychedelics and the Pursuit of Happiness (Film Premiere)

WHAT: Handel, Mozart, and Respighi featuring organist Haesung Park with the Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s, Dwayne S. Milburn, music director and conductor 
WHEN: Friday, October 2 – 8:00 PM 
WHERE: St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA  
PROGRAM: Handel, Organ Concerto, HWV 295, The Cuckoo and the Nightingale; Respighi, Botticelli Triptych; Mozart, Symphony No. 39, K. 543 
TICKETS: $49 general admission | $10 students with ID at the door | Children under 16 are free 
INFO: <a href="https://musicguildonline.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">musicguildonline.org</a> | 310.573.0722  Pacific Palisades, CA — The Music Guild at St. Matthew's launches its 42nd concert season on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. with brilliance, color, and celebration. Led by Music Director and Conductor Dwayne S. Milburn, the acclaimed Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew's welcomes internationally recognized organist Haesung Park for a program featuring Handel's beloved Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295 ("The Cuckoo and the Nightingale"), Respighi's colorful Botticelli Triptych, and Mozart's majestic Symphony No. 39. 
"This season opener invites audiences into a world of wonder, beauty, and discovery," said Music Director Dwayne S. Milburn. "This program spans centuries of musical imagination, from Handel's joyful dialogue between organ and orchestra to the luminous colors of Respighi and the profound expressive depth of Mozart. We are especially delighted to welcome organist Haesung Park for Handel’s “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale”." 

The Program 
The concert opens with Handel's delightful Organ Concerto in F Major, HWV 295 “The Cuckoo and the Nightingale”. Inspired by birdsong, the work blends sparkling orchestral textures with virtuosic organ passages that evoke the calls of the cuckoo and nightingale. Hear organist Haesung Park bring the restored Pardee Memorial Fisk organ to life! 
Next, Respighi’s Botticelli Triptych transforms three Renaissance paintings into glowing orchestral scenes. Audiences will encounter a succession of musical images, from the radiant beauty of Spring to the dreamlike atmosphere of The Adoration of the Magi and the dramatic sweep of The Birth of Venus. 
The night concludes with one of Mozart's final symphonies, Symphony No. 39. The work unfolds through soaring melodies, graceful dances, and moments of profound emotional depth, culminating in a finale of dazzling vitality. Audiences will experience Mozart at the height of his creative powers, where elegance and expressive intensity coexist in perfect balance. 

The Guest Artists 
Dr. Haesung Park began her music studies at the age of four in her hometown of Seoul, South Korea. She received her musical training at the Korean National University of Arts, her Master of Music degree from Boston University and her Doctor of Musical Arts degree with outstanding honors from the University of Southern California where she studied piano and organ with Norman Krieger and Dr. Ladd Thomas, respectively. Dr. Park has an extensive career as a collaborative pianist and recitalist and can be heard as the featured pianist on the soundtrack of the documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story, which was recorded at the Capitol Records studio in Hollywood. Dr. Park is currently the organist and pianist at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades as well as at Vallejo Drive Seventh Adventist Church in Glendale. She is also the principal keyboardist for The Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s. 

Free Pre-Concert Talk 
A free pre-concert talk, “Liner Notes,” will take place at 7:10 PM, offering audiences additional context about the music, composers, and historical figures featured in the program. Members of the ensemble will join Music Director and Conductor Dwayne Milburn. “Liner Notes” is free and open to all ticket holders. 

Ticket and Venue Information 
Tickets are $49 general admission. Students with ID attend for just $10 at the door. Children under 16 are free. Tickets may be purchased online at <a href="https://www.musicguildonline.org/event/bach-collegium-san-diego-presents-handels-messiah/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">MusicGuildOnline.org.</a>

About Music Guild at St. Matthew’s 
The Music Guild at St. Matthew’s presents “World-Class Music close to Home” in Pacific Palisades. Now in its 42nd season, the Music Guild is anchored by the critically acclaimed Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s – a 35-member professional ensemble founded in 1985 and under the direction of Dwayne S. Milburn. The Guild presents distinguished guest soloists and ensembles in seven thoughtfully curated programs, complemented by their Choral Arts Initiative, new music commissions and world premieres, and community concerts at local service organizations. Known for intimate acoustics, welcoming hospitality, and accessible pricing, St. Matthew’s Music Guild nurtures a vibrant community of artists and audiences. For programs, tickets, and season passes, visit <a href="https://musicguildonline.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">MusicGuildOnline.org.  </a>

Local Event: Music Guild at St. Matthew’s opens their 42nd season with   “Handel, Mozart, and Respighi” 

Music Guild at St. Matthew’s opens their 42nd...

WHAT: Handel, Mozart, and Respighi featuring organist Haesung Park with the Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s, Dwayne S....

Music Guild at St. Matthew’s opens their 42nd season with   “Handel, Mozart, and Respighi” 

Our Second Saturday Divorce Workshop is designed to equip you with the legal, financial, and emotional information you need to make the right decision for your marriage and your life.&nbsp;&nbsp;Speakers will include attorney Kevin Kensik along with CDFA Dianne Shumway, Megan Higinbotham, Ph.D., and real estate agent, Lynn Aglipay. For more information go onto Second Saturday.com South Bay. We&nbsp;look forward to meeting you. Location will be at 701 Silver Spur Rd., Rolling Hills Estates, Ca. 90274, Peninsula Center Library in the PURCELL room.

<a href="https://www.secondsaturday.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Second Saturday Divorce Workshops | Find One Near You</a>

Local Event: Second Saturday Divorce Workshop

Palos Verdes

Second Saturday Divorce Workshop

Our Second Saturday Divorce Workshop is designed to equip you with the legal, financial, and emotional information you need to...

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Posting Activity

19th Annual Blessing of the Animals

OCT

3

10:00 AM

1008 11th St, Santa Monica, CA

PEAKING: Psychedelics and the Pursuit of Happiness (Film Premiere)

Music Guild at St. Matthew’s opens their 42nd season with “Handel, Mozart, and Respighi”

Second Saturday Divorce Workshop