Monday Essentials: Hermosa's Summer Concerts, Surf Festival, Lasagna, Saikley 6-Man

"The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser - in case you thought optimism was dead." ~Robert Brault

Here are five things for your Monday morning in Hermosa Beach: 

1. The first of four summer concerts on the sand in Hermosa Beach launches the series on Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. on the south side of the pier. Blues hip hop artist ZZ Ward will perform.
2. The International Surf Festival kicks off Wednesday when the Annual Charlie Saikley 6-Man Beach Volleyball Tournament takes to the sand south of the Manhattan Beach Pier for two days of competition that begins at 9 a.m.
3. Monday, July 29 is Lasagna Day! Did you know that the word “lasagna” referred to the pot the dish was cooked in and not the food itself when the dish originated? At least that's one of the three theories about the origins of lasagna, according to wikipedia. Check out our lasagna recipes on partner site Huffington Post or tell us where the best place is to get a lasagna in Hermosa Beach. Tell us in the comments. 
   
4. Make sure you're "Patched In" to get alerts on breaking news as it happens in town this week (and after), make sure you are signed up to get our emails. Click on the 'get the daily newsletter' at the top, right corner of this page. (If you see something that says, "hi, username," then you're already registered. In that case, click on "email settings" under the drop-down tab under your name.)
5. Summertime means sunscreen and sunglasses, so be sure to put them on today as the ultraviolet index level in the Los Angeles area is rated 10 today, according to the National Weather Service. The reading indicates what the UV exposure is expected to be at noon, when the sun's rays are at their strongest. A very high exposure level reading of 10, or greater, means a fair skinned person could suffer a sunburn in about four minutes if not protected. Ultraviolet radiation is blamed for a host of health problems, including skin cancer and cataracts.