Santa Monica Close-up

UNDER-WHERE? A) Kristen Egan and Ian Forester, event staff from City of Hope, hang underwear on clotheslines along the Third Street Promenade from Wilshire to Santa Monica Blvd. on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, while promoting City of Hope’s Underwear Affair™. B) Jeff Baker and  wife Hayley walk underneath the underwear with their children Taylor, 14; Chloe, 13; Jonah, 9; and Lily, 7, during City of Hope’s Underwear Affair™ on Wednesday. City of Hope is bringing awareness to “below the waist” cancers such as cervical, colorectal, ovarian, kidney, testicular and bladder. City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope's research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation.  Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics.

The Tourism Malaysia Los Angeles Cultural Troupe perform  at the Third Street Promenade during the 'Taste of Malaysia' on Sunday, May 11, 2008.  Taste of Malaysia is a day celebrating the delicious food and colorful culture of Malaysia.

(above) Chef Mior pours Teh Tarik (pulled tea) during Taste of Malaysia at the Third Street Promenade on Sunday, May 11, 2008. Teh Tarik is the national drink of Malaysia. In Malaysia, there are also occasions where Teh Tarik brewers gather for competitions and performances to show their skills in making this drink. This tea is special in that it is prepared using a unique technique. The tea is poured from a hand held high into a container held in a hand below. The tea is poured back and forth in this manner to create a thick froth. Aside from cooling down the tea to drinking temperatures, it is believed that this method mixes the tea with the condensed milk more thoroughly. Chef Mior has competed and won many Teh Tarik competitions in Malaysia and showcased his talents in several Asian countries, Australia, the Middle East and the UK.  (top) Chef Mior tosses and flips the Roti Canai, Malaysia version of the pankake, during Taste of Malaysia.

(above) Founder and CEO of  02 Max Fitness, Karen Jashinsky (bottom right) leads her teenage students through a 'Bosa Ball' demonstration during the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce's 26^th Annual 2008 Wellness & Safety Festival at the Third Street Promenade on Saturday, April 26, 2008.

(left) Sasha Petrenko, 9, and (right) Spicer Emge, 12, from the Los Angeles International Fencing Club, give a demonstration during the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce's 26^th Annual 2008 Wellness & Safety Festival at the Third Street Promenade on Saturday, April 26, 2008.