By Melonie Magruder
Lookout Staff

December 22, 2011 -- From blues at a funky bar to a sit down dinner at a 5-star hotel, Santa Monica residents have plenty to choose from to usher in the New Year. And for those lucky enough to have free holiday time over the next couple of weeks, there is plenty of cheer to be found. The Lookout has assembled an overview of opportunities in our city by the sea.

For Music Lovers, Santa Monica Place has a series of concerts in the Center Plaza from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Local artists will be rocking it December 26 through January 2, including hip hop supernovas Shwayze and Cisco on January 1. For a lineup, go to www.santamonicaplace.com/events.

Harvelle’s will be the place to swing New Year’s Eve. Sax and harmonica master Jimmy Z and the Z Tribe (Etta James, The Eurythmics, Rod Stewart, etc) will be onstage with champagne, party favors and funky groove. Reservations: www.santamonica.harvelles.com.

For Theatre Lovers, the Santa Monica Playhouse again offers its Annual All-New One-Time-Only New Year’s Eve Musical Review with a buffet supper, family-friendly music, sing-a-longs and champagne revelry. Reservations: www.santamonicaplayhouse.com.

Also onstage is a Magical New Year’s Eve at Magicopolis, which includes champagne, pizza, party toys and Magic Class Soft Drink Popcorn Surprises. It’s a totally different escape from reality for the New Year. Reservations: www.magicopolis.com.

Miles Memorial Playhouse is presenting Boomkat Dance Theatre’s “Stations: A Los Angeles Holiday Story” (www.milesplayhouse.org) and Santa Monica Playhouse’s The Other Space is offering “A Kwanzaa Special Event: Stogie Kenyatta’s the World Is My Home-The Life of Paul Robeson.” Both through December 30.

For foodies, local restaurants are offering an embarrassment of riches. Wokano is throwing its 2nd Annual Black & White Masquerade Ball on December 31 with hors d’oeuvres, champagne, DJ Frankie spinning and a menu tantalizing with delicacies. Costumes and masks are de rigueur. http://wokcanonewyears2012.eventbrite.com/

Santa Monica Place’s Dining Deck’s fine restaurants are all offering New Year’s Eve specials, and you can start with toasts and views of the Pacific.

Zengo has a 4-course gastronomic menu with musical stylings from Gold Dust Entertainment; La Sandia starts off in its Tequila Bar before laying out a Mexican feast (reservations for both available at www.richardsandoval.com). Sonoma Wine Garden is offering all you can eat AND drink for one-price-fits-all of $125 ( www.sonomoawinegarden.com) and Ozumo lays out a 5-course Japanese feast (www.ozumosantamonica.com).

Elsewhere in town, La Cachette Bistro will offer New Year’s Eve dinner specials in addition to their regular, mouth-watering menu, along with champagne, music, party favors and champagne (www.lacachettebistro.com).

Lago has a “Bursting with Bubbles” five-course dinner with sparkling prosecco (www.LagoSantaMonica.com) and Melisse is so popular, they are offering two seatings for their gastronomic adventure (rated two-star by Michelin) on New Year’s Eve (http://melisse.com).

Ocean & Vine at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel will feature live entertainment and a four-course prix-fixe menu of California Contemporary cuisine New Year’s Eve (with two seatings) and a Champagne Brunch on New Year’s Day (http://www.loewshotels.com/en/restaurants/ocean-vine/overview).

One Pico at Shutters on the Beach has been called “the best hotel dining room in Santa Monica” by Travel and Leisure magazine and their New Year’s Eve dinner will show you why (http://www.shuttersonthebeach.com/santa-monica-fine-dining).

Upper West’s four-course prix-fixe dinner includes champagne and favors, house music and a screening of the Times Square New Year’s countdown on a 12-foot screen.

But if you want to work up an appetite before all that partying, Ice at Santa Monica is open for skating under the sun or stars at 1324 5th Street. Admission and skate rental are a mere $12. More information is at http://iceatsantamonica.com/.

And for football fans, the Rose Bowl game will be celebrated with tailgate parties and pep rallies for both teams. The schools’ marching bands, players, cheerleaders and school dignitaries will be on hand for per-game festivities at the 1550 parking lot just north of the pier.

University of Wisconsin’s pep rally takes place December 31, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and University of Oregon’s pep rally takes place January 1, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free and open to the public, with discounts for local restaurants, vendors and entertainment available at http://www.santamonica.com/deals/.

Santa Monica Place will be celebrating the Rose Bowl all weekend with food and drink specials, brunches, an appearance by Ron Dayne (Heisman Trophy winner and 2012 Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Inductee). There will be live football and basketball games on eight 50-foot plasma television screens in the Food Court, and a football field display in the Center Plaza where guests can relax and catch the games from bean bag chairs. More information at www.SantaMonicaPlace.com/Events/RoseBowl.

Happy partying to all.