A Downtown Santa Ana Block Party
This Saturday July 16th
Free Admission at All Venues 9pm-2am

My posse’s on Broadway, it’s time to get ill” -Sir Mix A Lot

Summer is in full effect. We’ve got the block party all lined up.
From the east end to the west end of Downtown Santa Ana eleven venues focus on presenting late-night Orange County with diverse venues, delectable food, and eclectic live entertainment. Great talent has been booked so be ready to twist, two step, jiggy, strut, sway, spin, whatever it is you do to great music.
Bring your posse. Make new friends. Come walk the walk. Explore.
To give you something to represent you are down with our posse we are conducting a “scavenger hunt”and we have an awesome prize. Participants who finish will receive a limited edition “Posse on Broadway” t-shirt while supplies last.

Design courtesy of our friends at Villains and Vagabonds
Details- You will receive a map with all the venues. Visit 4 of 11 venues. You’re gonna have to hit up 2 venues on Broadway and 2 that are not, get the designated acknowledgement at each location bring it to the shirt pick up area and you get your shirt!

Check out our website or Facebook page next week for event photos.
Mark your calendar for next month’s adventure Saturday August 20th.

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Participating Venues:

Bistro 400

The Crosby

The Copper Door

Chapter One

Memphis

The Gypsy Den

Lola Gaspar

Original Mike’s

Proof

Festival Hall

Rancho de Mendoza

Sponsored By Downtown Inc

Now in its third annual year, Posse on Broadway brings live music and top DJ’s to the streets and venues of Downtown Santa Ana. A block party featuring 6 venues, 6 events, every 3rd Saturday of the summer June 19, July 17 & August 21.

June 19 Posse presents a FREE outdoor concert with LA folk outfit THE WATSON TWINS and local singer songwriter Barrett Johnson from 6-9pm on the 2nd Street Promenade. Directly following the concert, Proof Bar, Memphis Santora, The Crosby, Gypsy Den and Lola Gaspar host live music, DJ’s and food and drink specials until the last call.

Visit www.downtown-santaana.com for more information.

SATURDAY, JUNE 19

2nd STREET PROMENADE (Broadway/Sycamore)
6-9pm-Free-All Ages

The Watson Twins
with Barrett Johnson
& DJ Weird Beard

NORTH BROADWAY (1st-4th Sts.)
9pm–2am-Free

PROOF BAR:
J. Logic
Evol
DCON
bootmachine5000

THE CROSBY:
TVD
TSC-1 & Dijon
Thomas PM

MEMPHIS:
noMSG
Casual Touch
Acid Girls

GYPSY DEN:
Special live performances

Save the Date for 2nd installment of Posse on Broadway, July 17 with a free concert with Abandoned Pools (Tommy Walter of The Eels) and The Colourist. Details coming soon.

JUNE 11-JULY 11
OVER 28  LOCATIONS TO VIEW WORLD CUP SOCCER MATCHES
GO TO: DOWTOWN-SANTAANA.COM for a  full list of participating bars, restaurants and other locales to view world cup soccer games as well as daily schedule updates.
Sponsored by Downtown Inc.

http://www.santaanapubcrawl.com

Take advantage of this week’s (freakishly-weird) warming trend and grab a seat on the best patio in Downtown Santa Ana.

If you’re looking for something to do in Santa Ana this weekend, check out the Art Walk at the Santiago Art District Saturday night starting at 7pm-afterward, be sure to stop in for a bite to eat!

THURSDAY – 01/15
5:00-7:00PM: Crazy Happy Hour Specials
1/2 OFF ALL APPETIZERS AND DRINKS!

Jason’s Downtown Restaurant will be open from
5:00PM-11:00PM for dinner/bar service.
FRIDAY – 01/16 (6:30PM-9:30PM)
Bill and Ted’s Jazz Machine
www.myspace.com/billandtedsjazzmachine

Interested in seeing some great local jazz? Come and check out Bill and Ted’s Jazz Machine this weekend at Jason’s Downtown restaurant in Santa Ana. They play all types of jazz including swing, bebop, bossa novas, and soul jazz. They will definitely get your toes tapping with their sweet and smooth sounds! So live a little and come out this Friday night…

SATURDAY – 01/17 (8:00PM-11:00PM)
The “Groove Revolution”
Worldwide CD Release Party!

www.myspace.com/grooverevolution

Trumpeter Bijon Watson and Bass Trombonist Chris Creswell met as members of the 1994 Disney All-American College Band, and the 1995 Disney-Grammy All-American Jazz Band. The two have remained friends and colleagues ever since, and with the addition of Keyboardist/Composer Carlos Ordiano; and featuring Drummer Felix Pollard, Bassist Rene Camacho, and Guitarist Jeff Askew, the Groove Revolution was formed. The Groove Revolution’s unique sound can only be described as an eclectic fusion of Jazz, Rock, Funk and R&B, with infectious rhythms and boundless energy.
The most recent “evolution of the revolution” features Saxophonist Louis Van Taylor and vocalist William “Hanford” Lee.

The personnel of the Groove Revolution have toured with Eric Benet, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Diana Krall, Harry Connick, Jr., Lionel Richie, Anastacia, Shelia E., George Duke, Chaka Kahn, The Staple Singers, Jessica Simpson, and Brian Culbertson to name a few. This special event marks the worldwide release of their self-titled debut recording. Fresh off a week of recording new material in the studio, don’t miss this opportunity to hear some great music from some great musicians!

www.jasonsdowntown.com

Amid the cookie-cutter homes in gated communities throughout Orange County, Santa Ana’s downtown has become a refreshing, urban oasis for adventurous home seekers. New businesses and a nascent artists village have drawn professionals who live in lofts and revel in the area’s Latin flavor, which differentiates the area from its starchier neighbors.

Beginnings

Santa Ana was founded in the late 1800s when William H. Spurgeon came on horse from Kentucky and bought the land, which was then part of the vast Yorba family ranch. He was the city’s first mayor when it incorporated in 1886. Public transportation, including the Red Car, train and trolleys, and roads were built in the next decades, allowing for a bustling downtown that attracted large department-store chains. These stores had closed by the late 1980s.

Changing direction

Ten years ago, the city of Santa Ana began promoting the concept of an artists village and encouraging the investment of millions of dollars in vacant historic buildings in downtown, which led to a reduction in crime.

“Santa Ana has a stigma, but some people are seeing more here now,” said Tanya Weeks, a real estate agent with Platinum Properties International, who lives in a loft. “We are the pioneers in here. But now many lofts are coming and this area will boom.”

Drawing card

Two years ago, the Olson Co. of Seal Beach built most of the 74 lofts in downtown Santa Ana, which spans the area bounded by 1st, Minter and Ross streets and Civic Center Drive. Within three years, city officials project as many as 300 more will be built, including 16 more by Olson.

“The biggest attraction for buyers is living and working in an in-town urban community,” said Bill Holford, Olson senior vice president of sales and marketing. “You have shopping, retail, services, dining and transportation all close by as opposed to living in the suburbs, where you have to commute to the different services.”

Stock report

Santa Ana’s two-story lofts, which were offered for $275,000 2 1/2 years ago, now fetch more than $500,000, Weeks said. Olson has not set prices for its 16 new ones. Four lofts currently are on the market and priced from $509,000 to $599,000.

The company’s existing lofts, with finished kitchens, painted walls and few interior divider walls, range from 1,400 square feet to 2,100 square feet. The closest traditional neighborhood to Santa Ana’s downtown is French Park, a tract of stately historic homes near Spurgeon Street and Washington Avenue. Home prices in that area range from $400,000 to $700,000. Surrounding areas also include aging rental homes and apartments.

Street scene

The downtown shopping area includes check-cashing outlets; discount clothing shops, travel agencies and jewelry stores, among other businesses.

Shoppers can also buy fresh fruit, ice cream and chips from vendor carts stationed on the streets.

The downtown area hosts an annual three-day Mexican Independence Day fair in September. About 75% of Santa Ana’s population is Latino.

Insider’s view

“What we have here is definitely not suburbia,” said Matt Lamb, the city’s downtown developer manager. “It’s definitely like nothing else in Orange County.”

Report card

Heninger Elementary School, Willard Intermediate School and Santa Ana High School serve the area. Their scores on the Academic Performance Index in 2003 were 641, 544, and 601, respectively, out of a possible 1,000. El Sol Academy and Orange County High School for the Arts are nearby charter schools with API scores of 559 and 841, respectively.

Historical values

Residential resales:

Year…Median Price

1990…$179,000

1995…$148,500

2000…$188,000

2003…$245,000

2004*…$430,000

*Through November

Sources:
DataQuick Information Systems

http://api.cde.ca.gov

http://www.santaanahistory.com

http://www.ci.santa-ana.ca.us/facts/default.htm