La Perla Del Mar is the newest wedding and reception destination on the Central Coast of California! Discover the pristine coastal setting of La Perla's mission style chapel and historic school house and gardens.



Celebrate your special day in the authentic, old world charm of La Perla Chapel and vintage Schoolhouse, just steps from the beach. Enjoy an experience that transcends the ordinary, creating memories that last a lifetime.



Tables and seating available for 150 guests, vintage pew seating available for 80. Sound and light systems, BBQ patio and large dining patio, one block from elegant restaurants, lodging onsite and nearby. Kayaking, surfing, golf, hiking, fishing, boating, wine-tasting.

Contact us to reserve your chapel wedding. Dial (805) 748-5547 or send us an email at laperladelmarchapel@gmail.com.



Testimonials

"Thank you for the beautiful 'La Perla del Mar' angel and for sharing your beautiful chapel with all our family and friends. It was so fun working with you. Thank you for all the hard work and time for making it perfect." --Heather and Patrick

Labels: Weddings

This is an excerpt from a short film (20 minutes long) called "True Chillin'" - written by and starring drama students from Judkins, Paulding and Mesa Middle School and the Aaron Metchik Acting Studio, filmed at La Perla Del Mar.



Join the Summer Youth Acting Program by contacting Aaron Metchik at MetchikStudioInfo [at] S10Productions.com or leave a message at (323) 488-9388.

Labels: Aaron Metchik, Acting, Classes, Film

La Perla Del Mar is hosting "Unearth", a photo exhibit by Chris Burkard on June 5-6.



In a discipline where precociousness is a rarity, Chris Burkard stands out. The twenty-year-old has been shooting for only two years, but already has demonstrated a singular talent for composition and lighting. In fact, a Burkard photo is almost instantly recognizable as such. "I've always been artistically inclined," said Chris, "and photography is such an expressive medium, it's perfect. I aim to document a place and time." That "place" has been predominantly the rough-hewn central coast of California surrounding his Pismo Beach home, where he got his start with an old Pentax bought at a Goodwill auction. "It taught me about light," Chris laughed. Though a relative newcomer to surf photography, Chris cites the late iconic Ron Stoner as an influence.

You can view Chris Burkard's Surf Photography at www.burkardphoto.com.

Labels: Chris Burkard, Events, Photo Exhibit

La Perla Del Mar is pleased to host the exhibit of artwork from Nipomo High School's AP Art class on June 2 from 6:30-8:00pm. Presenting a variety of art form and style. Many pieces will be for sale.

Labels: Art Show, Events

Learn fun dances and new jazz techniques at Meridith and Kelly's Summer Dance Camp. Offered at La Perla Del Mar on June 23-26 11am-2pm and July 14-17 11am-2pm.



$75 fee ($50 for additional family members) includes warm up/workout focusing on flexibility and muscle strength, technique class aimed to improve all jumps and turns, and jazz/pop dance combinations that will be performed for parents on the last day of camp. 1-2 years dance experience and ages 10 and up recommended.

Kelly and Meredith danced at the Studio of Performing Arts for 9 years and danced 2 years at Dellos Performing Arts Center. They have been professionally trained in Los Angeles over the past 2 years and want to share their love and knowledge of dance with the aspiring dancers of the Central Coast. Next year Meredith plans to attend UCSB and Kelly plans to attend UCDavis.

All proceeds will go directly to Meredith and Kelly's college funds.

Contact Meredith and Kelly at krtaylor90 [at] hotmail [dot] com with any questions.

Labels: Events

The Surfrider Foundation San Luis Bay Chapter will be celebrating International Surf Day with a BOARD MEETING on Friday, June 20 from 6:30-9:00pm. Several local shapers will be displaying their craft at La Perla Del Mar.

Come meet the shapers and check out their latest designs. All ages welcome. Come listen to a little music, enjoy a cold beer, and chat it up with some of our most talented local shapers. $1 donation suggested.

Labels: Events

LA Casting Connection presents Actors Weekend Workshop Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd and 4th at La Perla Del Mar. This is a perfect opportunity for aspiring actors to explore their potential and for working actors to hone their skills. Connect, learn, and showcase your talent with one of the world’s top casting directors, Janet Hirshenson, C.S.A.

Janet Hirshenson, is one of the most successful casting directors in the world! The casting company, with partner Jane Jenkins, has cast the films: Cotton Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Parenthood, When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me, Mystic Pizza, Ghost, Troy, The Da Vinci Code, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, Jurassic Park, The Cinderella Man, Apollo 13, Transformers, and over 120 other top grossing films. She also cast over 20 TV shows.

Janet is currently casting: NC-17, Near Dark, The Surrogates with Bruce Willis, GI Joe, with Channing Tatum and Dennis Quaid, Angels and Demons with Tom Hanks and Naomi Watts, and I love You Beth Cooper, with Hayden Panettiere, and The Last Full Measure with Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman.

Due to her busy schedule, Janet rarely conducts actor workshops, and we are thrilled to welcome her to The Central Coast to get acquainted and work with our local talent pool!

She is constantly searching to discover new actors. She recently wrote a top selling book "A Star Is Found" about her experiences casting the Industry's top grossing movies with her casting partner Jane Jenkins, and will bring copies with her to the workshop.

The mission of the LA Casting Connection is to work with top industry professionals to bring our local actors guidance, training, and the necessary relationships to succeed as working actors.

Ages 8 to 16: 10am to 1pm, 17 and up: 2pm to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday.

All levels welcome - Limited enrollment.
SIGN UP TO HOLD YOUR RESERVATION: NO WALK-INS!
THIS WORKSHOP WILL FILL UP FAST, MAKE SURE YOU GET A SPOT.
$215 for two-day workshop ($15 discount for previous workshop participants)

For information and reservations, email lacastconnect@yahoo.com or call (805) 773-2256.

Veteran TV and Film Casting Director Cathy Henderson Martin is hosting the event.

Sign-up Form (PDF)

Labels: Events

The 14th Annual San Luis Obispo International Film Festival takes place March 7-16. Several screenings will take place at La Perla Del Mar! Visit www.slofilmfest.org for more information and scheduling.

Labels: Events, Film, News

A portion of an article by April Charlton at the Times-Press-Recorder is shared below. The entire article is available here. (12/13/2008).

When Shell Beach resident Shelley Malcolm learned the Shell Beach Methodist Church on Windward Avenue was likely set to meet the fate of the wrecking ball, she knew she couldn't let it happen.

But she also knew that she alone couldn't afford to buy the church and save it from ruins, so Malcolm enlisted the help of friends Jim Murphy and Garin Sinclair to help keep the wrecking ball away.

Malcolm, her husband Doug, Murphy and Sinclair joined forces, formed a partnership and bought the church, as well as the adjoining property - the historic one-room Bellevue schoolhouse that was moved from San Luis Obispo to Shell Beach in 1947.

The church was closed and put on the market more than a year ago because of a dwindling membership, according to Methodist Church officials.

"The whole community was heartbroken over the (potential) loss of this lovely building and church," Malcolm said. "I said, 'Someone has to buy the building and do something with it.' Jim Murphy and Garin Sinclair didn’t even hesitate."

The couples will run the church and adjacent building, which is still undergoing renovations, as a business, renting out the facility to individuals and groups, to help recoup some of the monthly mortgage payments, Malcolm said.

The church can seat 100 to 150 people, and has four bathrooms. The adjoining schoolhouse can be used as a staging area for the bride and her bridal party. An adjoining patio also has been constructed between the two buildings.

Malcolm knew that they couldn't call the church by its original name - Shell Beach Methodist Church - and after some thought, she and Sinclair came up with its new name, "La Perla del Mar," which translates to "the pearl by the sea."

"It's like a pearl to us; a little jewel in Shell Beach," Malcolm said. "We just fell in love (with the name) and no one else was using it."

The neighborhood has embraced the idea of transforming the former church into a quasi-community center where people can take yoga classes, gather for church services or get married, if they choose, Malcolm said.

She also said she and her partners feel blessed to have been able to save the church and historic schoolhouse, once again opening the buildings to the community.

Already on calendar at La Perla del Mar, at 205 Windward Ave., are church services, yoga classes, acting classes, voice workshops, art shows and weddings.

Labels: News

La Perla Del Mar is hosting an Art Show - Holy ART! - on February 29 from 6:00-9:00 p.m.



La Perla del Mar will become a gallery of varied works by talented young artists David Malcolm, Eric Soderquist, Burly Vreeland, Guy Quezada, Hillary Amborn, Tyler Kritz and Christopher Zacker. Enjoy the art and visit the Central Coast's newest special events venue. Food, beverages, and music. Experience the beginning of a new season of cultural and artistic events at La Perla!

Labels: Art Show, Events, Film

Formerly the Shell Beach Methodist Church, La Perla del Mar is now the home of "At the Cross" ministry. Pastor Paul Sisemore leads worship service Sunday mornings. Services are at 10:30am and include Sunday School for children.

The recent dedication of La Perla del Mar was led by Pastor Paul and former Shell Beach Methodist Church Pastor Joe Nunziato (late 1950's-60's) with several church leaders from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County, including Pastor Randy Ouimette (St John's Lutheran Church), Pastor Patricia Muran (Iglesia de la Santa Cruz, Santa Maria), Pastor Dennis Jones (Sonset Place), Carol Wilcox (Cambria Pres), Pastor Pat Patmor (Women's minstry leader).

Labels: Church

La Perla Del Mar is hosting Advanced Acting Classes with professional Actor, Director and Producer Aaron Metchik on Sunday afternoons. Take your acting to the next level. Check our Calendar for class times.



It is Aaron's desire to create an advanced, professional caliber, acting class in the Central Coast where actors of all ages can come on a weekly basis to receive the same type of training and guidance that they would in a professional acting studio in Los Angeles.

Combining the techniques he has learned at top acting studios and through his professional experience, Aaron's class will cover advanced script breakdown techniques and methods for creating honesty and depth in any character. Students will keep their skills sharp by putting up a scene or monologue at least twice a month in class.

Whether you enroll for fun or to pursue acting as a profession, you will receive the tools and the guidance necessary to make more powerful choices in any scene and to create memorable performances full of depth and honesty.

For more information or to reserve a space in a Central Coast class, call (323) 488-9388 or email MetchikStudioInfo [at] S10Productions.com.

Aaron Metchik

Aaron Metchik has over 15 years of professional acting experience. He has played major roles in seven motion pictures and over fifteen television shows, opposite such notable stars as Sissy Spacek, Keanu Reeves, Lara Flynn Boyle, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tim Curry, Jim Belushi, and Rachel Leigh Cook.

Aaron has directed adult and child actors in both theater and film and has also coached professional actors privately, including central coast native mega-star, Zac Efron, before he landed his starring role in High School Musical.

Aaron grew up on the central coast before moving to Los Angeles and earning his B.A. at the UCLA Film School. After graduating, Aaron wrote the teenage sports screenplay "Slammin'" for Warner Bros. Studios, and in 2007, he directed the independent feature film "Ten Years Later" from a screenplay that he also wrote.

Aaron currently lives and works in Los Angeles where he studies acting at the world renowned Ivana Chubbuck Studios. (Mrs. Chubbuck is the private acting coach to Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Charlize Theron, Terrence Howard, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more of Hollywood's elite actors) Aaron studies with Ivana directly in her "Masters Class" every week.

Labels: Aaron Metchik, Acting, Classes, Workshops