One of my favorite things about living in Santa Monica is the summer tradition of the outdoor Twilight Concert series at the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday nights. Locals and tourists gather at the beach for free concerts July 9–Sept. 10, taking place 7–10 p.m. These concerts really kick off the summer vibes in Los Angeles! Recent entertainment included Latin classics, Cubanismo! and Chicano Batman. You just couldn’t help but salsa the night away with the sand between your feet and a glass of vino in your hand! Ayayayayayyy! I rarely recognize the diverse line-up each summer, but that’s what I love about these concerts. The music scene in Los Angeles is pretty solid, but this provides more of a social aspect. You get exposed to new bands you normally wouldn’t check out ,and you walk away with a new experience and, maybe, a few new friends! Since I live close to the pier, my friends come to my place before we Uber to the beach, where we set up a picnic and get ready to soak up the epic Southern California sunset. We all pitch in and bring wine, snacks and blankets. We had quite the spread with Italian meats, cheeses, loaves of bread, olives, fruit and veggies; it was foodie heaven! Sometimes it’s hard to feel a sense of community in such a big city like Los Angeles, but these concerts bring everyone together, and you really see the culture of Santa Monica. The pier in general attracts a diverse group of people, both tourists and locals, and it’s refreshing to see everyone hang out and relax. Not to mention, it’s a great segue into the weekend. I mean, who wouldn’t want to kick it at the beach after a long day of work and drink wine, have a picnic, listen to new music and watch the sunset with some of your favorite people? For me, that is the definition of a beautiful, simple life. Salute! — Rafie Iannello, account director, Pacific Rim