Visitors planning a trip to Southern California and Santa Monica now have access to a colorful and completely redesigned Web site loaded with useful information. URLs for the site developed by the Bayside District Corporation (BDC) are www.downtownsm.com and www.thirdstreetpromenade.com.

�With thousands of visitors coming to see us online daily from across the country and across the world, our goal in redesigning the site was to offer them the most timely and relevant information to meet their needs for future travels to Santa Monica and Southern California,� said Kathleen Rawson, executive director of the BDC.

The new Downtown Santa Monica and Third Street Promenade Web site includes a comprehensive calendar of current events and activities in the area. Some examples of what�s in this Events section are listings for �meet-the-author� events at the iconic Midnight Special Bookstore, as well at Borders Books and Music and Barnes & Noble. Jaime Lee Curtis, actress; Arianna Huffington, political pundit; Suze Orman, financial guru and Gore Vidal, man of letters, among other celebrity writers, have all made appearances at area bookstores.

There�s also information on cooking classes at Sur La Table � the source of culinary professionals and home chefs for top quality cookware and hard-to-find kitchen tools � and Border Grill � the restaurant created by gourmet chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, known as well for their Food Network show, �Too Hot Tamales.� Here too find listings for upcoming music events, live theater and product sampling events, among other activities.

The Press Room under Bayside District also has current and archival news releases about the Bayside District.

For quick reference of Downtown Santa Monica locations, the site categorizes businesses by Shopping, Dining, Beauty & Fitness, Arts & Entertainment and then further delineates information in these categories. Santa Monica stores include standards such as A/X Armani Exchange, Abercrombie & Fitch, Anthropologie, Benetton, Gap, J. Crew, Urban Outfitters and Victoria�s Secret. But, stores and restaurants unique to the area make Downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade a special draw. Among these are retailers Fred Segal, Hanna Hartnell Studio, Hype and Mudra, as well as restaurants such as hot breakfast spots Blueberry Bakery & Caf� and Jinky�s Caf� and the all-raw food experience of Juliano�s Raw.

There�s also a Visitors section that includes directions to the area, where to park, hotel & travel resources, taxi & bus services and a walking map. A Local Services section offers listings on everything from where to get your shoes shined to where to buy postage, make copies or pick up a flower arrangement.

All sections provide additional links to businesses and restaurants, if available. The site also provides links to Web sites for the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau, two sources for much more information on this city by the sea.

The Bayside District Corporation manages Downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade, a busy open-air pedestrian street in Southern California drawing a mix of tourists and locals, street performers and artists. Downtown is home to some of LA�s best shopping and dining, as well as several movie theaters and other entertainment venues.

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Contact: Marivi Valcourt Bayside District 310.393.8355