Two lifelong friends who met in a Santa Monica elementary school classroom 57 years ago will kick off the museum's summer programming with a talk and tasting that traces their families' roots through food.

Daniel Alonzo and Rev. Kathleen Benjamin will present "At the Table: Exploring Food, Family, and Our Shared Histories" on Saturday, July 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Santa Monica History Museum, 1350 7th Street. The free program brings together African American and Mexican American perspectives on heritage through storytelling, images, and a food tasting at the end.

Alonzo is a second-generation Santa Monican and great-grandson of Ruperto Casillas, who arrived in the city in 1902 from Valle de Guadalupe in Jalisco. He's also the artist behind "Whale of a Mural," the self-financed work he completed in 1983 on the Fourth Street and Ocean Park Boulevard underpass. Benjamin is president of the Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council and has more than four decades in culinary arts, including running her own catering company, Your Private Chef.

The July 18 event is a project of the Community Wellbeing Program from the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council, presented alongside the Quinn Gallery exhibit "Food and Family: African American and Intercultural Traditions." Registration is required through Eventbrite, and late entries will not be permitted.

Airport history takes the stage in August

On Saturday, August 15, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., local historian Nina Fresco will discuss her book "First Around the World: The History of the Santa Monica Municipal Airport," published in April 2026 after more than a decade of research.

According to Fresco's account, the Santa Monica airport was established in 1921 using California's first public bond measure for airport acquisition. It became home to Douglas Aircraft and served as the base for the first round-the-world flight and the first Women's Air Derby. Douglas left the city in the 1960s.

Admission to Fresco's talk is included with museum entry: $5 for adults, free for students, seniors, active military, and SNAP/EBT cardholders. A book signing follows, with copies available in the museum shop. RSVP through Eventbrite is required.

Annual dinner to honor Olympic legacy

The museum's annual dinner celebration is set for Sunday, October 4. This year's event will honor Santa Monica's Olympic legacy ahead of the 2028 Games, according to the Santa Monica Star. Additional details, including ticket pricing and venue, have not yet been announced; the museum directs residents to santamonicahistory.org or 310-395-2290 for updates.

If you go

The Santa Monica History Museum is open Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free on the first Sunday of every month. The museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating since 1975, is also a Museums For All partner offering reduced-cost access to SNAP/EBT cardholders.

Upcoming at the museum:

  • Saturday, July 18, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.: "At the Table" talk and tasting with Daniel Alonzo and Rev. Kathleen Benjamin (free, RSVP required)
  • Saturday, August 15, 2–3:30 p.m.: Book talk with Nina Fresco on Santa Monica airport history ($5 admission/free for qualifying visitors, RSVP required)
  • Sunday, October 4: Annual dinner honoring Santa Monica's Olympic legacy (details TBA)