Blogtown

Ahmed Alsoudani at L and M Arts Venice

2012-01-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

I had a little window of time to myself to go check out the latest exhibit at L&M, though I had to wait until this remarkable summery January mind blower of a day started to turn golden hour before I could force myself to be remotely inside.

Maybe it was because all seemed so well in the world outside that I was even more affected by the art of Iraqi-born, New York-based Ahmed Alsoudani inside.

I entered the West gallery, and was delighted to see the bright colors and whimsical (from a distance) paintings. As you can usually have the whole place to yourself on a weekday, you can really take your time and stand there and take it in when it's not the opening night squeeze experience. When I did just this, it soon became clear that a whole lot more was going on in these works than a bright circus-y good time.

Baghdad-born Alsoudani left Iraq 15 years ago, but it's clear that the destruction and mayhem of that war-torn land is present in every stroke. Spooky faces, disembodied bits, violence, meat cleavers and claws compete with the cheerful hues to impart what a dichotomy life is EVERYWHERE these days. At least that's what I took from it all.

All of the charcoal and acrylic paintings in the show are titled Untitled, 2011, so you kind of have to interpret it all yourself, with the limited knowledge of Alsoudani that is provided. And you SHOULD interpret your feelings for art for yourself anyway.

I felt sad that a lot of the pain within this exhibit is the fault of my own country. I felt even harder core that we should be going nowhere near Iran (duh). I felt grateful that art helps us to (hopefully) better understand our fellow People of the world. I felt like going back outside and embracing the gratitude and luck that enabled me to breathe sea air in deeply as the sun turned orange and purple a few blocks to the West, without the threat of war immediately overhead.

So I did.

The Ahmed Alsoudani exhibit is on at L&M now until March 3. See what YOU think.

L&M Arts
660 Venice Boulevard
Venice

Solidarity Forever!

2012-01-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

I was zooming back from the beach this morning, when I saw this poster on one of those power box things along Venice Boulevard:

I love it, of course ... but I would raise this poster's "Spring" to "Forever". That's the whole point, that we're all in this together, and we simply must look out for each other. From little things like watching someone's baby or bringing them produce as a surprise on their doorstep, to big things like not voting like a crazy person for crazy people and policies. And when those crazy people and policies somehow weasel their ways into being, then banding together to oppose them and make things right.

If you've watched any of the Republican debates or read anything at all about any of the front runners on that side, you simply have to laugh. Out LOUD. Watch the State Of The Union tonight, and sigh in relief that even though President Obama has had his hands tied behind his back by BOTH parties the entire time he's been in Office, and has wussed out on some things (but triumphed in many others, I mean, c'mon!), the guy is smart. Compassionate. A daily dynamo amid super daunting circumstances. And still manages to be cool (did you see him sing Al Green?!). That's the guy I want at least TRYING to lead with some dignity and some fairness, since this is the system we currently have in place. Meanwhile, the PEOPLE can be creating positive change with the POPULIST Movements, hands free. By demanding it.

The Party System has to be abolished. No one can get anything done, and it's way too far past corrupt to really fix at this point. Everyone's in everyone's pockets, and we all know it. Which begat the Occupy Movements. Which will surge again this Spring. With leadership. And Solidarity - because that's the only way anything that has ever elevated the spirits and character of this country - or the World - has ever happened.

Get smart. Chins up. Fists raised. Together.

The Wino-Strut of Artist David Phillips

2012-01-17T14:29:00.000-08:00

I first learned about the art of David Phillips in probably the best way possible. I was walking down the beach last year when I came upon this crazy piece of art (that I now know is called "Birth") just sitting there in the sand.

It had the curious name "Wino-Strut" across the front of it, compelling enough for me to write a little story about it at the time. Then I got an email from the artist - David Phillips - who somehow had seen the Blogtown article, and contacted me to invite me to his studio. THEN I got a random email from a reader - Matt - that they had come upon some more Wino Strutting on the beach and thought I might find it interesting. I did.

So time flies and things pile up and I didn't get to the studio, but then I got an invitation from Phillips to the Hotel Erwin for his opening during the Art Crawl last Summer.

I went, it was great, and I had a new friend in Mr. Phillips. But I still didn't know the whole story. So a bunch more time passed, exchanging messages and trying to find a time to sit down and tell the tale, until it's a new year and you gotta make things happen, so we finally sorted it out and here we go.

Phillips is from Tulsa, Oklahoma (Sooners!). His Grandmother was a painter, so from a very early age, Phillips knew that he too wanted to be a painter - in fact, he started with oils. He grew up and wanted a larger audience for his art than perhaps Oklahoma offered, so "Art brought me here" - Here being Venice, California. He had come out and stayed on a friend's couch in Venice, and knew that was the only place that made sense for him to settle. Which he did, right on Abbot Kinney. He got a job as a PA, which let him afford to get a studio (which he says is in Venice, but really it's Marina Del Rey...Ha, David!) and he was off to the races.

Phillips would load up his truck with paintings and just hound gallery owners to see his stuff. Soon enough, after not taking no for an answer ever ("I was gonna be a painter whether they liked it or not!"), he got a gallery rep. This led to a spot on CBS News about his art, and he's been able to work on his painting full-time ever since. He IS a painter.

{At this point, we decided to leave the beach-adjacent studio and conduct our interview on the sand. I thought this appropriate as it's where I first discovered his work, and I feel great guilt and oppression over being inside when I know a remarkable sunset is shaping up outside. See below.}

He's been hired by Urban Outfitters to do works, he gets a bunch of private commissions, but with all the edge and fun and good times and free wheelin' vibe of the beach, he started thinking about doing art that was more accessible to an even larger audience ...

Willem De Kooning is "the end all, be all for me", says Phillips, and he recalled a story about De Kooning selling a painting (One of his "Woman" paintings, which later sold for $20 million) to a guy for a case of wine. De Kooning had to walk the outsized painting all the way uptown to claim his payment, and Phillips thought that would be called a "Wino Strut". This would become his name for his otherwise anonymous pieces that he leaves behind. He figured why let the graffiti artists have all the fun, and maybe the next step beyond graffiti as public art would be a contemporary artist leaving behind works that people could actually take home!

This began the Wino-Strut practice and Brand of "Giving someone a HAPPENING ... The experience IS the art!" So the installation like "Birth", that first led me to this interesting fellow, and his studio. Then he painted 500 bottles, inserting painted scrolls of abstract faces inside, and placed them all along the coast, from Venice (Marina Del Rey) to Malibu, for people to discover along their morning walks and keep. This little caper did earn him a call from the LAPD, who thought that he might be planting pipe bombs all over vs. just making someone's day. Sigh.

Phillips had just done an installation the very afternoon that we spoke, lining a bunch of bottles along the entrance to Groundworks on Main Street. Rather than think of the art as fleeting, Phillips sees it more as "Disrupting someone's monotony. This art HAPPENED. And now they have an illustration of a memory." How great is that?

We wound up our interview back in the studio, where there are multiple works in progress, as well as lots more bottles being prepared for a 3,000 bottle onslaught, perhaps somewhere near you. I was gifted with one, and it makes me smile just to glance at it and think of the lift one like it is going to give someone else, totally unexpectedly. Another day brightener in Venice.

Phillips is a big fan of the Ferus/"Cool School" of art, and loves to mingle with those guys (Bell, Lodato, etc...) around town at Larry's Venice, The Erwin, the Art Crawl, VENICE ... and keep that inspired torch burning.

I'm so happy to know the story behind it all now, and look so forward to hearing about - or just again stumbling upon - what new hijinks Phillips has in store for the unassuming audience. He has followed his dream, and both had and brought fun to many in doing it. And that's about the highest form of living one can do. May he long continue his wino strutting!

PS - 1.18.12

THEN today, after posting this story yesterday ... Wino-Strut strikes again! Perhaps in celebration ... it looks like one!

Right outside Casa Linda, brightening everyone's day!

David Phillips
www.Wino-Strut.com

Stephanie Hobgood Hair Grand Opens on Abbot Kinney!

2012-01-03T23:13:00.000-08:00

New Year, new endeavors! I'm so happy and proud to report that my BFF, Stephanie Hobgood, is opening the doors of her very own private hair studio today on Abbot Kinney! After living and working in Venice for years, then switching over to Sunset Plaza (in between styling the locks of you name the celeb, all over the place), she is back in the neighborhood for real, with Stephanie Hobgood Hair.

The very first time I walked in the light, airy bare space to just check it out with Steph, I immediately said, "This place has good vibes." It does. One whole wall is windows looking out toward the sunset sky over the beach a few blocks away. The rest of the room feels exactly like you're in the room getting done up before you head out to the set of a late night show. Steph has Henry Diltz rock photos around the room, because she is rock, and you can feel the Venice of the place as you look at The Doors walking down The Boardwalk back in the day. Black and White and Metal sums up the interior, but the warmth of Steph and the bright sunshine cozy the place right up.

But what you're really here for is the best hair cut/color/style of your life. Stephanie has been in the hair biz a long time, and has a loyal clientele. Over the years, many of these clients have become friends, and it is so exclusive and private now (Just Steph!), that it will be like going to your friend's pad to get your hair done and talk and chill with total anonymity ("It's like therapy!"), and without the hubbub and noise of a busy salon. Steph is so on the go, moving and shaking, between red carpet gigs for Oscar nominated actors, extreme sports heroes, etal ..., magazine shoots, special events, film festivals/junkets and all of that, that her schedule is always changing, and having her own space now allows her to take control of her own environment, and booking (by appointment only!). It's the perfect set-up, and she made it happen.

The location is so great for people hooking up a day of beauty too: the front space is Alexandra Wagner Skincare for you to get a facial. Next to her is Lavish Tan for a spray tan. Next to them is Kelley Baker Brows - the best. And now, in the back space is Stephanie Hobgood Hair, Ta DAH! You could walk in the front door, work your way back, and emerge out the back door looking the best you've ever looked. Try it!

Steph loves Venice, and a real perk of her new studio will be bringing her little Boston, Nico, with her to work, looking out at the tangerine sunset, and then loading Nico into her bike basket and heading out for a post-work day breath of fresh air. Dope. She loves the Abbot Kinney neighborhood and all its creative excitement. When I asked her, Why Venice? She shut her eyes and smiled and said, "Venice is my Homegirl."

Stephanie is MY homegirl. Who I couldn't be more proud of and excited for. If you would like her to make you look all hot, and have it done in the coolest rocking space, call for an appointment now, before it gets as busy as it's going to. New Year, new looks!

Cheers & Congratulations to my hair do-er, and dear, darling friend!!! Wow.

Stephanie Hobgood Hair
1636 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Second Floor
Venice
(310) 775.0299

*Studio photos by Jennifer Everhart

Frozen Lakes and Marshmallow Vodka, Starfish and Coffee

2012-01-03T22:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year 2012, Everybody!

I had a little hiatus while I went home for the holidays (that's skipping over Glogg Fest '11 and the raging Everhart Holiday Ball, suffice it to say - FUN), and am back and charged up, ready to Delve Into '12!!! How about you?

Home was Heavenly. Look:

Though there was not one snowflake on the ground in Minneapolis on Christmas Day (!), I quickly came to terms with that, and focused on loved ones instead. And OH, are they loved! Mom. I can't say enough about that saintly woman that will ever do her justice. I just looked at her and brimmed over with love and admiration. All my hometown friends (and their children!) just ruined me with their smiles and joy ... and Minnesota accents. They also introduced me to Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow Vodka - and then real marshmallows on top. Couple that with dear souls skating on a (semi)frozen lake and that was just IT. I sometimes feel that I'm not around enough and the kids of my dearest friends won't know me and I can't stand that, and then my dear Tonja texted me from her lake cabin up North and said that her little daughter went outside the cabin and said, "It smells like Carol!" Christine's daughters, Jane and Kate, said, "We have to Skype EVERY day!" I held my hands next to my Mom's and noticed how they looked alike. I cried when I left this time.

But then I came back to Venice and it's 80 degrees and the fog gave way to bright sunshine. I walked along the beach this morning with Jenny, back in the routine for the new year. I had a feeling we would see them, and then sure enough, DOLPHINS! It looked like a romantic couple of dolphins, more mellow and circling than going nuts like usual. Then we decided to explore the end of the jetty to see if it was true that Starfish hang out in Venice. We waded out and tried to time our searching for when the water would recede. Thousands of mussels attached to the rocks, but that looked to be it. Until Jenny - her eyes accustomed to reef searches in Tahiti all the time - yelled "Look!"

There at the bottom of the rocks was a big red Starfish! With a little orange friend next to it! We were jumping around like elated children. It was truly exciting, in the most natural way possible. My day could only have been made better - and I said so - by seeing one of our regular beach friends, the Beach Guru, Rajiv (He's never said anything that profound, but the total purity of his calm and happiness is written on his face so plainly every time we see him wave that I consider that Guru enough). Just then, his silhouette emerged out of the bright sunlight, I swear! I ran out of the water to tell him about the Starfish, which I'd never seen in all my years in Venice!

He was clearly amused at our exuberance, and he said, "That is a very good omen for the new year!", echoing exactly my thoughts. We walked back to our bikes, fully stoked.

This joy of a morning was followed by my favorite cup of coffee at The French Market, and thus the Prince tune, "Starfish and Coffee" played through my head all day since. A perfect mix of Home (Prince) and Here (Starfish!).

aNOTHER good omen for the new year. I dig it already. And wish you all the very best of everything that fills your heart, all year long!

Gratitude.

*Starfish amazing moment captured by Jennifer Everhart

The Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

2011-12-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

I've been going to and enjoying my friend, Alona Cooke's restaurant, Capri, in Venice for as long as I've lived here. It's always been great and reliable and a wonderful neighborhood hang. Alona always hosts interesting wine tastings, and cook book signings and art openings, even weddings, but it just got real exciting in there with the arrival of the "pop up" restaurant within a restaurant, Wolf In Sheep's Clothing.

Two chefs and best friends, Brian Dunsmoor (formerly of Hungry Cat) and Kris Tominaga (Joe's, Axe) have taken over Capri's kitchen for an experiment that has now turned into an extended stay, and they're clearly having fun together, while also turning out food so good that I believe I coined a term the first night I was there ... it was "emotionally delicious". Meaning the bites I had were eye-rolling, chill-inducing, rapturous morsels of joy. No hyperbole.

The joint has been jumping since they opened for biz a few weeks ago, and it's an absolute Who's Who of Venice every time. Waves and hugs and happy smiles are exchanged between neighbors and strangers alike ... when I was there last week, I think I knew almost everyone in there. And we were all STOKED.

It's pretty small plates, and there's a lot to choose from to try (and reluctantly share). You MUST start with the biscuits (of which there NEEDS to be more than two on the plate, Guys, c'mon!). Piping hot butter biscuits served with Southern style pimento cheese, apple butter and persimmon got us off to a mouth-watering start. I'm drooling on my keyboard right now at the mere memory. Now I'd never think I'd be into cold fish in a jar (!) but the rainbow trout served with avocado toast, sliced egg, and herb salad with little chunks of salt was so good I didn't know what to do with myself. Shows me.

Other highlights I shared: Lots of wine. Broccoli and pork cheek. Hanger steak with escarole. Sand dabs. Bay scallops. Brussel sprouts. Persimmon salad. Kale salad ... (We all shared it all, ok) and the delish apple pie with cheddar cheese (high praise because I consider myself fairly authoritative on apple pie. In fact, both meals I've had (so far!) were shared with Alona, and when I asked her what the best thing about the whole deal was for her, she said, "Having friends over for pie". Delightful!

The whole thing is just a joy, from the super friendly and informative staff to the signs and art drawn on butcher paper by Brian's girlfriend, Lacey K. Cowden.

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing ... remarkable! They're open for a completely great evening all nights but Mondays, from 5:30-ish to 10:30/11-ish (Venice hours). No reservations unless it's 6 or more. You should get there, have some fun, and know what it means to have an emotionally delicious meal. Soon - while it lasts!

Wolf In Sheep's Clothing
1616 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice
310.392.8777

The FUN of the Venice Canals 30th Annual Holiday Boat Parade

2011-12-14T22:20:00.000-08:00

One of the most adorable things you could ever do in Venice, California is attend the annual Holiday Boat Parade in the Venice Canals. This year was the 30th one, and I think it might have been the best yet. I say that because the mood of the boating participants and the attendants that packed every narrow sidewalk and bridge was sheer buoyancy ... and there is no pun intended there. There were plenty of to-go cups in gloved hands (it was beach chilly), but even without that help, everyone seemed to be in stellar spirits as they cheered and caroled under the clear, full moon evening. The Epstein-Mayers hosted the pre-party I attended (Thank you, our gracious hosts!), and we got our group gathered and Canal-side just in time to see the first boat sail by, poled along, appropriately enough, by some old-style Gondoliers (and "Mr. & Mrs. Abbot Kinney" that I didn't know). Perfect.

Right on their tail was a militant duck contingent bearing signs like "Duck-U-Py The Venice Canals" and demanding their just nest eggs. Venice always has a sense of humor, and we love it.

There was a fully amped rock and roll band made up of both Christmas characters and Super Heros. This may just have been my favorite, for fun, enthusiasm, and of course, rock.

You can be as elaborate or as simple as you like in this parade, a big pontoon type deal, or a single kayak for one, as long as you're having fun.

The crowds lining the bridges and sidewalks shouted their approval the whole time, and the number of people only increased as the sun began to set. It was so pretty out, people were just gasping ... locals and visitors alike.

Pop culture was well-represented, from vessels celebrating Barry Manilow (?) to Snoopy's doghouse and the Starship Enterprise.

A darling little family of reindeer? More gondoliers? Fire people? were led by the exuberant Patriarch in singing some rousing Christmas numbers, with the little kid barbershop quartet on the choruses. I thought I might explode from the cute factor. Happily.

Hanukkah was given many shouts out by the happy Rabbi in his Menorah/Dreidel (that spun!) boat. He was a big hit, especially with the kids shouting out for candy (chocolate gelt). It's funny, the parade is like the new trick or treating, or Mardi Gras ... kids seemed to expect the boats to throw out candy ... Noted.

Even the dogs got into the act, as seen by this little reindeer dog, though his coat did say "Bark Humbug". Hmmm.

Robin the Snow Queen sailed by with a real fire burning in the bottom of her boat. Very cool. It gave me ideas for the Viking Ship we plan to set sail next year. *There was a pact made, I'll remind those who know.

The sunset turned the whole sky pink and the lights of the homes and bridges (and boats) began to twinkle in a breathtaking twilight you couldn't even make up. Everyone looked beautiful ... mostly because everyone looked so happy. Truly, even if it was just forgetting about regular life stuff and problems for the moment, and being present and appreciating life and fun and Venice and NOW, while we had it.

I think that's because you couldn't help but feel the HOLIDAY CHEER everywhere you looked, especially on this boat, with the coolest, happiest Snowflake Man (with his Christmas Tree friends on back-up vox) riling up the onlookers and getting them/us/me to join him in Karaoke Carols.

As the sky darkened and became more moon and star-lit, the boats wound their way around the canals, with more applause and cheers at every turn. The parade ended and the house parties around the Canals began (though many looked not to be at home ... are they crazy?! Those houses were MADE to be home on this night more than any other!). We paraded on foot back to our party, but not before being greeted and embraced and invited in by just about every friendly face you've ever encountered in town. Right up until this night, I hadn't been feeling the Holiday swing so much yet, with so many other things going on all the time, and time itself flying so fast. But then, as you see, the Holidays were jump-started right in front of our faces!

The rowdiness eased into a full moonlight serenity after a while. We rode our bikes back through the Canals later on, and I had to pause to soak up the simple loveliness of a Christmas-lit bridge with its reflection upon the water. I gave myself the moment for my own reflection, and with that, BANG! The Christmas Spirit was fully upon me. I'm feeling it! And I hope you are too.

With all the hubbub of the Season ... remember to reflect. Appreciate. Have FUN!

(Holiday) CHEERS!

Matt Jennings and Bombino at The Mint. Mint!

2011-12-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Matt Jennings blew through town this last week, opening for Bombino at The Mint, and it was remarkable. Remarkable, I say! I've loved Matt's music and its international flavors for years (He's from Minnesota too. We pretty much all get each other ...), and it's about time you all get to know and love it too.

Let me tell you a cool thing about Matt Jennings. Aside from being a great musician, he is a great friend, and now a collaborator of mine as well. Over the years, I've told him stories of mine, or he's read them, and a while back he started bugging me to write lyrics out of them for songs. I'd never branched out in that direction creatively, so was a little resistant. Then one day I told him a story about one of my dearest friends ever (Darren Sakai, I love you!) who was/is dealing with the dread cancer, and about this healing lake in Hawai'i, where we lived together back in the day. Matt listened, and then simply said, "That should be your first song."

I guess I figured that would be cool, as it wasn't really as much about me doing it, as it was about me doing it for a friend. I wrote it all down, sent it to Matt, and like a week later had a dope song - MAGIC - to send along to my friend, D- Funk. WOW! So we've kept at it, and now we have a whole bunch of special and remarkable songs (I'm switching to "remarkable" for a while - "Amazing" is too over and wrongly used).

Well, the other night was the first time I've ever had a song I wrote (the words to) performed live, and that it was among Matt's other stellar set-list songs, was a true, rare, first-time honor. Matt is one of those virtuoso guys - the ones who you can just suggest something to, and they come back with some genius thing you've never heard and all you can do is smile. Or trip out. This has happened to me time and again with our project (which we're toying with calling The Wholesome Hellraisers!), and it happened to the whole crowd at The Mint the other night.

Bombino has been getting a lot of press as the "Hendrix of the Tuareg People" of late, so the place was sold out, but they maybe didn't know that they were first going to get served with some straight up ROCK, courtesy of Matt Jennings, and his team of Aaron Rosener on drums and Zeke Hall on bass. Not just rock, but rock with worldly flourishes, and stories to tell.

The boys opened up with "Big Blue Whale", a surf-y rock out of a song, and right away I was jolted into knowing that Matt is heavier musically than I remembered. And his guitar will simply transport you, to a plethora of places ... and many of them speak Spanish. "Simplemente En Fuego"! is one of my favorites of Matt's, and also served to define the night. En fuego! "Todavia" and "Todo Tu Corazon" were both gorgeous, as was the beautiful lilt of "I'm Floating" that really makes you feel like you are.

The song I wrote, "Tamarindo Cocodrilo" takes the listener to Costa Rica, and the time I almost got eaten by a crocodile on a surf trip. For real. It was so great to recall sitting at my desk and writing the lyrics and then be out at The Mint and have Matt making the people smile with his extra-talented song story-telling. I was stoked. Stay tuned, as I mentioned, as we have a lot more where this one came from. Fun!

Sometimes it's funny to look at my notes that I scrawl in my book as I'm watching a show. As next to "The Tortoise and The Hare", I wrote "Fresh guitar - fancy! Ripping." "Slow Motion" - "Genre: Metal World Alternative". "God Moves" - I simply underlined "Metal!" 3 times. "Whispering Word - "Dark and heavy". For "Spirit Soldiers" - "Deep as hell". You can glean from these notes that I had a great time, and that Matt Jennings is a force to be reckoned with. He's super talented, a great friend, has challenged me creatively like not many others, and after these shows out West opening for Ozomatli and Bombino, you're going to be hearing a whole lot more from him. You are lucky.

Bombino and his dressed for the desert band mates were RAD. The packed crowd was super reverent and quiet as they listened to his otherworldly, almost religious feeling music. I wouldn't go so far as the Hendrix comparison, and was rather more struck by Bombino's distinctly different singing style.

I didn't get to hear the whole set, but Bombino and Company made quite an impression on everyone there. Those guys don't speak a lick of English, I don't think, so had a translator relay that they "were very happy to be playing here". As we watched and enjoyed the musical experiences of a far-off land via Bombino, we were all likewise very happy to have them playing here.

A special night of special music with special people that I won't soon forget.

*Photos by Paul Gronner from the Matt Jennings Collection, and Me.

Abbot Kinney Holiday Strolling

2011-12-05T21:29:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe it was bright, sunny and pretty warm this last weekend, but that didn't stop Venice from kicking off the Holiday Season with some good old fashioned neighborhood fun - and SNOW! The Abbot Kinney Holiday Stroll was adorable again this year, and just made me so happy and grateful that we here in Venice really do have a sense of community, and aren't afraid to have a good time together, whatever the time of year.

For the second year, the Brig filled up their parking lot with snow and let kids more accustomed to boogie boards and sand fly down the icy, snow covered hay bales that stood in for the real sliding hills that these kids have mostly never seen.

Carolers belted out a catchy tune about Christmas on Abbot Kinney, the food trucks rolled in - as usual, they covered up the infamous Brig camel-toe with a bow for the occasion ...

... there was a little holiday craft area for kids ...

... and the cutest, happiest Santa Claus ...

... listened as the kids made their toy requests and pulled on his beard.

Neighbors stopped and talked, shoppers juggled their bags and their coffee cups, dressed up dogs went on a parade up and down the boulevard ...

and wound up back at Robin's Sculpture Garden for music and aerial circus fun.

Fun, in fact, was the entire day's m.o., and it was evident everywhere you looked.

Michelle the Elf greeted you at the decked out Zingara, where we popped in to get some apple cider and look at all the great gift ideas. Firefly, Ananda, Huset, and Principessa were also tied for trying to kill me with cuteness the most. Most of the shops were decorated by now for the Season, and added to the festive atmosphere with their twinkling lights as the sun set ever earlier.

These magical times fly by in the hustle and bustle of trying to get everything done, and it's days like this that remind us to stop and enjoy it all, and indeed have some FUN.

As I stood on the corner and looked at it all going on around me, I stopped and thought the thought that I so often do ... I love Venice.

Happy Holidays!! May they be merry and bright wherever you are.

John Salley and Tom Everhart - Game On!

2011-12-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

John Salley, best known as a former Los Angeles Laker, now has a talk show on the Reelz network called Game On! He stopped by the studio of Venice artist (and main homie), Tom Everhart, last week to check out the new art works and have a good sit down chat. I stopped by to check it all out, and though I've known and listened to Tom speak about his work for years and years, I still heard new things, and was as fascinated as Mr. Salley hearing it for the first time.

The t.v. people set up all their equipment, and we basically all just laughed and learned all afternoon. To begin with, Salley said, "This is my favorite space in all of Venice {me too} ... All white, beautiful women ... some of them white ... I'm getting the love in Venice! Thank you for letting me in!" He's hilarious, and started the interview portion of the deal by saying, "So I call you Snoopy Dude ...", which Tom explained that he often hears, sometimes as derogatory, and sometimes as a compliment. His art does feature Peanuts characters, yes, but after hearing him explain the whole story about how he met Charles Schulz, how he came to see the world through those eyes, and how a good artist sees something no one else sees ... it all becomes clear just what Everhart is up to with his vast canvases of bright color and wonder.

I want to leave some of it for you to watch on Game On! but to sit and listen (and try not to laugh out loud so the mics could hear - hard) to these two talk was very insightful and inspiring, for sure. Everhart explained that he was never into comics(though did add that "South Park is some of the best contemporary art today", but loved coloring books, but always wanted to create new things within the lines. His prior work was very realist skeleton pieces, but when he met Mr. Schulz, he did as encourage, which was to "Always see things in a new way". (That's very Venice). Tom almost died of colon cancer 23 years ago, and that experience gave him a whole new awareness of life, and those skeletons gave way to the happiness and color now seen in his work about the same time.

When Everhart met Schulz, they spent an entire day just drawing lines, the love of which bonded them together for the remainder of Schulz's life. Schulz's lines became Everhart's new art language. Schulz passed down his knowledge like a Father to a Son, and allowed him the use of his characters for the term of Tom's own life. While Tom was explaining this to Salley, he was nodding and smiling, and then said, "Yeah, at first I was like, 'What's up with the dirty water and the dots?" At the time, Tom replied that it was him seeing the birds at the beach. Salley now lit up, got it and said, "Now I started seeing things YOUR way!" Just as now when I see an Everhart Snoopy doing a back flip off a Tahitian cliff, I know that that's really Tom's wife, Jennifer expressing her love for life through Tom's eyes. That's how he sees it.

Tom doesn't really talk about the who's who collectors of his art, but Salley said, "Well, I know one very sexy guy named John Salley who has one of your pieces ..." which he sure enough does.

We all had a (basket)ball talking and celebrating art, and when Salley said, "See, when I played basketball, I had to share my championships, but now I get to interview champions!" I couldn't agree more.

Check your local listings for Game On! With John Salley - The Tom Everhart Interview. Coming soon!

*Photos by Jennifer Everhart, Alan Shaffer, and Me.

Kelley Baker Brows Grand Opening on Abbot Kinney!

2011-12-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Kelley Baker Brows has a brand new location, all to itself and it is GORGEOUS. As will your eyebrows be the minute you see brow guru to the stars (Venice and International), Kelley Baker. After 6 years of beautifying Abbot Kinney at other venues (Mathis Murphy, Trim), Kelley has struck out on her own, in a beautiful new location that is a one stop shop for day of beauty needs ... Facial (Alexandra Wagner), spray Tan (Lavish Tan), now brows (Kelley) and soon, the very best hair (Stephanie Hobgood Hair!!!) - all on one floor in a dope building right next to Robin's Sculpture Garden (across from Wabi Sabi). So convenient. So nice.

You can read up on Kelley's history here, but just know that she is a gem, and your brows will never look so good. If you think eyebrows are no big deal to your face, go see her just once, and you'll see the difference it makes to your hotness. This includes dudes (as Kelley says, "Men. You're supposed to have TWO eyebrows". Two.).

The new location is all white and sunny and inviting, and smells good too. Emily Hogan will welcome you at her reception desk, and you will sit and chill with Kelley, and she will proceed to change your face for the much better.

I asked Kelley how she felt about the new space, and the smile she gave me was all the answer I needed. I agree. It's so great. The entire place practically throbs with good energy.

Kelley held out to find just the right place to open for herself, but knew it had to be Venice - the people and the vibe were crucial to her dream. When things are meant to be, they have a way of working out just so. This location opened up, she went for it, and as I stopped by on opening day, it just had the feeling of RIGHT and HAPPY. I couldn't be more proud of her, or more thrilled to make my own appointment, pronto. Kelley will also do your make up for special events, and seeing how absolutely flawless she always looks, that will be my choice for the next super gala. Of course.

Kelley would like people to know that even if you have that deal where you have no hair or plucked your eyebrows beyond reason 'til you have to draw them on, there's always something that can be done. I've seen those results (on other people), and it's pretty darn miraculous. Have faith!

I asked Kelley what the most important thing she'd like people to know about her and her new space, and she simply said, "Peace and Love". Now you know for certain why I'm such a fan.

Kelley Baker Brows is there for you by appointment, or the lucky walk-in. Call 310.314.BROW to get shaped up right.

Kelley Baker Brows
1636 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, 90291

Backstage at The Beachhead!

2011-11-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

I dug the Free Venice Beachhead from the day I moved here. An entirely volunteer operation, it has been in existence since 1968, celebrating the auspicious 43rd Birthday this December! Every community needs its newspaper, but a community like Venice especially does. People have come here from all over the world to seek and explore what the left-est edge of the country has going on, and the Beachhead has been documenting it all for decades.

I got involved myself when I would occasionally submit articles about things I thought were cool in the neighborhood (You can too! We love to hear from EVERYONE, and Venetians tend to have a lot to say. Don't be shy, that's silly) ... or uncool as the time I had my dear bike, Delores, stolen. I reacted by writing a story, basically a livid Bike Amber Alert, and the Beachhead Collective was nice enough to print it on the front page. Well, a month later I got her back, and wrote another - triumphant - story to share the unlikely news. That was the beginning of me taking a more active part in the paper, as Collective member, as Collective member, Greta, had been reading my blog about me and Venice (Hi), and extended an invitation for me to come to the Beachhead meetings, and see if I wanted to join the Collective. So I did.

Meetings are held each Monday evening at the "Beachhead House" in the heart of Venice. You duck through some thick foliage and enter the house to be met with shouts of welcome from the long wood table that serves as the Bridge on the Mother Ship of Beachhead operations. Protest posters from past and present, and original works by Venice artist friends adorn the walls, as, of course, does the visage of Che Guevara. A beautifully colorful Murano glass chandelier hangs above it all, as sort of a reminder of the original Venice.

It doesn't take long before someone usually opens up the first bottle of Charles Shaw, which helps to calm the nerves when talking about local and worldwide events that rile us up. We stick impressively close to the agenda each week, considering we are all vocal and tangent-prone contributors, but this paper has to get out! It takes a lot of work - by people that also have to actually work and maintain busy lives. And these people ... what a bunch. Each of us is so different from each other, but somehow it all works as a whole, and a mutual respect is maintained (save for the pretty uncommon outbursts of healthy disagreement) to make that so.

Jim is the true keeper of the Beachhead flame, having been involved with the paper for a good chunk of its lifetime. He is a deep and creative poet, and is also real good at cracking the whip on the gang to keep things moving along. Karl is the Professor of the bunch (of Chemistry), so he's our go-to source for all things scientific. He also writes great poems, and is great at reciting the poem submissions that come in in his actorly fashion. Mary is the poet on the Collective that makes me well up almost every time she submits, so touching and wise are her works. She's also the one that always catches my raised eyebrow or pointed glance, and exactly gets what I mean without even talking. A great lady.

Don is the most senior member of the Collective, and also the biggest flirt. He is out there, active and involved, every day of the week. He is never afraid to exactly speak his mind, and share his vast knowledge about pretty much all things. He is a true inspiration as to how to be of service and lead a full life. And he can make you blush. As can Greta. She is the Romanian spitfire of the group, and cracks me up every week. She is the supplier of the most double-entendres I've ever heard, and is as smart as she is funny (she is a school teacher during the day). I look forward each week to seeing what she'll wear, or what she might cook, as she'll often display her culinary skills for us, on top of her writing pointed and provoking articles for the paper. {She would laugh and shout, "ON TOP!" here}.

Roger is the grammatical stickler of the bunch, and we're lucky to have him, as even under his microscope, it's still not hard for typos and stuff to sneak by when proofing nights go late. Roger is a smart one, and a good debater too, as he's another one not afraid to speak his mind. No one is really, and that makes for super interesting discussions, and we hope, a better paper each month. There are new members, Ron and Annie, who are proving to be fine contributors, and both jumped right in with offers to get things done. There are more phantom members, like Alice, who can rarely attend meetings, but handles the finances of the paper, which is always a struggle (we'll get to that). Lydia, a very involved activist, sometimes makes an appearance, and always has great points to make. Krista is another lovely poet, who we don't see as much of these days, but are always happy when we do. Yolanda (and her sweet little dog, Joey) and Peggy are honorary members who inspire as some of the strongest, most activist women I've ever met - and also excel as great cooks and kombucha makers. It's always a treat when Suzy shows up, and even better when she pens one of her enthusiastic reviews.

These characters all sit around the big table and discuss distribution, who called which expired sustainer, who hit up who for ads, what events are coming up, what timely topics need to be addressed, how many more have died at war or been arrested for Occupying, current events, etc. Then we all take turns reading story, poem, letter and calendar event submissions. It's a democratic vote for each of them that winds up in the paper, and if only those walls could talk, they'd have volumes of thoughtful, interesting, important and funny things to say. I look forward to these meetings each week, as I always emerge a little more well-informed, and cheered that a diverse people really can come together and create something positive together. And that's a good lesson to apply to everything in life, right?

I try to make my contribution each month be a reminder of why we all want to be in Venice. I like to focus on the GOOD stuff - the art, the music, the events, the people and businesses that make this an intriguing - no, MAGICAL place to live. The more we know each other better, the better we'll be to each other, is my way of thinking. The more you know someone's story, the better you can identify with or learn from them. Which brings us to the point of a community paper ... knowing the stories of a time and place in history.

As I mentioned before, it's hard work, all done for free, with free minds and spirit and speech. (And you get it for free). We don't just tell the stories, we deliver the stories to you. We hustle to get ads and sustainers to keep the paper afloat - everyone's least favorite part of the deal. No one likes to ask for money, especially creative, activist type people. I know that a lot more people enjoy the paper than currently support the paper, and I think that could be improved upon. Simply based on the number of times I'm stopped and talked to about it in a normal Venice day is telling of The Beachhead's place in the hearts of locals.

So please consider being more active in your appreciation for a truly rare and original, Beat-originated and still inspired, cool LOCAL hard copy newspaper. Send us YOUR stories, thrilled or outraged. Become a sustainer (it's easy, you can just Pay-Pal it right up at www.freevenice.org!). Place an ad for your business. Announce your wedding or baby or graduation or party! Come to an event we sponsor. Volunteer to help lug papers. Do something awesome that we can write about!

Above all, THANK YOU! Thank you, Venice, for being so great to live in and write about. Thank you for supporting a free press, and a free spirit. For inspiring every day, and for the sense of FUN and community we all love, and love to document.

Happy 43rd Birthday, Beachhead! It's a real honor to celebrate both the history and the NOW with you! CHEERS (with something a little better than Chuck S. for the occasion!)!!!

Peace is Powerful

2011-11-22T15:35:00.001-08:00

There is so much going on in the world lately, it hardly seems relevant to talk about your own little stuff these days. The Occupy Movements have been so inspiring ... that the People are finally uniting together to INSIST on positive change.

My heart has been swollen with pride and crushed into pulp so many times about it all that it can be exhausting to even think about. Most recently, I saw the video of the horrible UC - Davis campus police pepper spraying the peaceful, SITTING STILL students in the face as they did NOTHING. I sobbed - out loud and immediately - that this would go on in our country at a peaceful protest. Yet it illustrated the need for change so profoundly, it was, again, inspiring, though horrific to view. The bystanders' screams of horror were the worst part to me, as they stood there in disbelief. We don't need to see it again. Ever.

Now then, look at the beautiful, though tough as nails, student reaction to the chickenshit Chancellor lady finally coming out of hiding and leaving her office:

SILENCE! PEACE! The sheer disappointment expressed by saying not one thing. That woman will remember that walk the rest of her days. As will we.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!! Every time.

Matthew Ritchie at L & M Arts

2011-11-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite rainy day things to do in Venice (though rare, it does happen) is to slosh my way up the block to L & M Arts to see the latest exhibition. The one up right now (through December 10th) is Matthew Ritchie's Monstrance - a show featuring New York based Ritchie's paintings, drawings, sculptures and a multi-media installation.

For some reason, I usually have the entire gallery to myself whenever I've gone, which I love, as you can let yourself get fully into the works without distraction.

The paintings are of trippy Angel type forms, said in the press release to be inspired by the "Liturgy of Hours" - the Catholic cycle of eight daily prayers. Heavenly, Constellation looking, they kind of reminded me of the wordless parts of The Tree Of Life.

The angelic theme continues in the East Gallery, where circles on the floor and walls are filled with the images of a video installation, that plays while New Age-y music encircles you in the hallucination effect of the room.

With the rain pouring outside, and the sounds and scenes of an otherworldly place (Los Angeles itself? City of Angels?), it was a fine respite from real life, indeed.

Check it out for yourself, but don't wait until it rains again, because you've only got a month, and it's pretty gorgeous out again.

L & M Arts
660 Venice Boulevard
Venice
Now - December 10, 2011

Lost Dog in Venice!

2011-11-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

My little friend has lost her little dog!

Haaa! But really, she'd love it back if you see him. Thanks, Neighbors!

The Nightwatchman Occupies L.A.'s Troubadour!

2011-10-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman has been all over the place alongside Occupiers, helping them to be heard. In fact, he opened his sold out return home show last night at The Troubadour by saying, "I'm The Nightwatchman, and this has become much more than a One Man Revolution!" The song of that same name opened his fiery set, and it was real clear from the outset that since the early Nightwatchman days of Tom out there singing his protest songs in coffee shops, trying to drown out the espresso machine, he is certainly no longer alone in the struggles we all face - together.

Fresh from Occupy LA earlier in the day, many of Tom's new friends from downtown were in the building (as he gave out free tickets!) and were extra vocal, extra into it, the whole night. (One hammered but charming young Occupier asked, "Can I occupy your heart?", so the movement is even providing new pick-up lines!) The entire evening, I just kept thinking, "FINALLY!", as I've been alongside Tom at many events, for a long time, and it's so exciting to see people actually starting to more than listen to his songs of freedom, but to ACT on the injustice that has been so sickeningly rampant in our country - and the world - for ages.

He was playing with a home team advantage, sure, but this crowd was special anyway. SUPER FANS - singing along every word, lowering their heads and nodding at the profundity of the lyrics, raising fists the entire night, yelling their solidarity, and generally going all-around nuts. "Dogs of Tijuana" began a clap-along that kept up all night, with the rowdy fans beating time along with Tom's foot on his stomp box. WOOOO! When that one ended, Tom said, "Over the course of the last 6 weeks, I've found my Occupation!" Sure enough, as he's like the folk singer Superman these days, flying into Madison for the Union battle last winter, playing benefits all over the place, speaking his mind on the likes of the Olbermann, Smiley, and Maher shows, and more recently, showing up to play for any Occupy _________ site he's remotely near. There is no one that walks the walk like Tom Morello. Period.

"Flesh Shapes The Day" and "The Fabled City" were both great illustrations of what a good ring-leader Tom is ... one second it's absolute pin-drop quiet, the next it's mad clapping and screaming along, then back to quiet whenever he asked for it. Masterful crowd control, really. The Cops at the various Occupations could learn a thing or two from The Nightwatchman. The last lines of "Fabled City" go, "On the wire outside my window, there sit one hundred swallows. And I suspect that if one flew, then 99 would follow". Hearing the cheers after that one, it was hard not to think of those 99% of us finally following.

Carl Restivo from The Nightwatchman's Freedom Fighter Orchestra joined him on stage to play the Ben Harper part on Tom & Ben's duet off the new World Wide Rebel Songs album, "Save The Hammer For The Man". They wrote the song together after some mayhem during our 2008 Justice Tour stop in Chicago, when Ben asked Tom if he wanted him to bring down the hammer on some folks. Tom replied, "Save the hammer for The Man" - and a song was born. Carl is so talented and versatile, I've heard him be everyone from Sting to Rhianna to now Ben. Badass. Tom brought out his electric guitar for his scorching solo on that one, and peoples' eyes spun like the Mac pinwheel thing as they watched. Really.

"I don't write many love songs, but I did write one for my new guitar, 'cause sometimes it's the best friend you have in the trenches," said Tom as introduction to his new song, "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine". "Union made, Let Freedom Ring!!!" He proceeded to play that new guitar so hard he broke a string. While adjusting from that, Tom asked for people to go insane for the next 15 seconds of tuning, which they obliged, loudly. In addition to all the fighting for justice, being a husband and parent, having two other bands, etc etc, Tom has also written a comic book called Orchid, a class conscious comic (finally!) that was available at the merch table for $1. Alongside "The Nightwatchman's Little Red Book". Rad.

Carl and Tom did an acoustic duet on "Union Town" that went over huge with the audience, and then they harmonized, and Tom lit up "The Fifth Horseman Of The Apocalypse" with some beautiful, intricate, flamenco sounding guitar solos. Completing a trio of songs from the new album, Tom told of how he was inspired by the empathy of 9/11 and the recent 10 year Anniversary of that awful day, and thinking that people in our country would NEVER go to war again if we could see the victims in other countries like we saw our victims that day. Tom kept waiting to hear someone sing that song in the aftermath, and when he didn't, he wrote it himself. "No One Left" is quiet and beautiful and heavy, and the joint was silent - and not just because Tom said, "Quiet, or The Nightwatchman will show you the back of his hand". They felt the reverence all on their own, as it was impossible not to.

Tom's Aunt Isabel taught him at 4 years old how to root for the Underdogs of the world, because she turned him into a Cubs Fan. He joked that she died without ever seeing a Cubs Championship, so he had to have kids so that some Morello might one day have that joy. In tribute to his Aunt, he got out his Irish War Drum and banged out "St. Isabel", one of my favorites. "ROCK ON, TOM!!!", someone yelled, and Tom said in reply, "I WILL rock on, thank you!" And so he did/does.

Word came in of hundreds of arrests at Occupy Oakland, and Tom said, "That just means we're getting under their skin, and we're doing the right thing. There are 1,300 Occupations as of now, and I suspect that will double in the next couple of weeks. They push back, we come back stronger and smarter!" YEEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH! And that's "The Road I Must Travel". Everyone sang along on that "Na na na na!" chorus, and I was delighted to see a whole gang of much older, very grey patriots standing up and clapping along with huge smiles on their faces, hanging over the balcony, as into it as the young whippersnappers down front, some of whom maybe just got drawn into activism for the first time. It was exciting to behold.

But not as exciting as what came next. I think if I could choose one song to show someone what Tom Morello is all about, playing-wise, I'd want them to see him play "The Ghost Of Tom Joad". He's made the Springsteen classic his own, and I'd go so far as to say he's blown it up to be even better than it was ever intended to be. Carl kept the acoustic melody going while Tom melted faces with his electric Arm The Homeless virtuosity ... SO good. I've seen it played a lot, and I still get chills every time. The solo with his teeth doesn't hurt either.

"And Tom said, Wherever there's somebody fightin' for a place to stand, or a decent job or a helpin' hand, Wherever someone's struggling to be free, Look in their eyes, Ma, you'll see me" ... could have been written verbatim by Tom Morello, and it was even greater that his own Mother, Mary ("The 88 year old Matriarch of Molotovs!") was there, smiling down from the balcony, fist ever raised. It was extra special watching her watch Tom, as the room exploded after that perfect example of the genre henceforth known as "Pure Folk Heavy Metal Thunder".

That one prompted a very true chant: "The People! United! Will Never Be Defeated!" which was instantly stopped when Tom played his gorgeous (and Mary's favorite) "Garden Of Gethsemane". From the sheer uproar of a moment earlier, now it became so hushed in there that Tom could do his thing where he sings away from the mic and you still hear him perfectly. Magic.

"Woody Guthrie would be 99 today, and he would be at Occupy LA!" said Tom, as he directed the people for the "Class War Anthem" of "This Land Is Your Land" - with all censored verses restored ... and moshed to! "This is the Valley Forge of the Movement ... We have to weather this winter ... And we will have an American Spring, because my Brothers and Sisters, This Land is OUR Land!"Woody would love Tom, I'm sure, and love even more that his kindergarten classic has become a rock star's rousing set closer that has everyone in the place singing along and jumping up and down as one ("From Grandmothers in the balcony to guitar geeks down front - SING!") ... and I repeat as ONE. Which we all are.

People went so loudly bezerk after that one, that Tom then invited EVERYONE to join him on stage for his new sing-along title track, "World Wide Rebel Songs". Nearly everyone present took him up on his offer, squishing in around Tom so close you couldn't even see him anymore. Cool - and rare - as that is of him, it's also funny: "I know it's exciting, but don't step on my shit!" "Someone is petting me, stop that, it's distracting!" "OK, one guy in front here is going to film this and put it on YouTube. The rest of you are going to live in the moment for once!" {A mf ing MEN! - Auth.} "Someone just put a baby in me on stage!" "If you forget the words, just raise a militant fist!" It was total mayhem up there, but the Rebels onstage DID sing out loud, all night long ... and it was good. Real good.

Tom's traditional closing statement of, "Take it easy ... " was answered in a loud collective yell by the whole gang, "BUT TAKE IT!" and that turned into another chant of "We! Are! The 99 Percent!" over and over until The Nightwatchman had extricated himself from the swarm and left the stage.

Looking down from the balcony at all the spirit and enthusiasm and camaraderie and SOLIDARITY in the room as it all went down, all I kept thinking was, that truly and finally, WORLD WIDE ...

It's ON.

And The Nightwatchman is playing the soundtrack.

See you there.

River Too Wide by Matt Ellis - A Venice Video

2011-10-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

A gang of friends got together recently to create the gorgeous new music video for the Matt Ellis "River Too Wide" track off of his excellent Births, Deaths, and Marriages album. It was shot - all night long - in their Venice backyard and features a slew of Venice faces. Just in time for Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos, it is a celebration of LIFE, love and friendship. And it is awesome. Enjoy!

The 2012 Other Venice Film Festival

2011-10-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

The 8th Annual Other Venice Film Festival was another success - and a blast - this year, featuring wonderful work from our own local filmmakers, as well as entries from around the world. The festival ran from October 13-16 this year, and it all started out with a big rager at Beyond Baroque for Opening Night.

The Featured Artist of the OVFF was William Attaway, whose art was displayed in and around the entrance to Beyond Baroque. It was great to see so many creative people all coming out to support each other in their different mediums, and something that I hope will only grow as more and more, our circles overlap.

The first event drew all sorts of local legends of skate and surf, as the Feature competition kicked off with a screening of big wave surfer, Allen Sarlo's, documentary, Work To Surf. It was the hottest night of the year in Venice, I think, so we watched the film in chairs outside under the stars - and close to the open bar. I chatted a bit with festival founder, Reuben DeLacasas, before the film started, and he said they had far fewer feature length submissions this year, and the ones that were submitted were mostly documentaries, as people are into them and really, real life is better than fiction most of the time. With the economy being what it is these days, shorts are more prevalent, and easier to produce, obviously. The economy being down also severely hampered the sponsorship support that has been contributed in past years, so most of this year's Festival was coming out of Reuben's own pocket. Ouch. Hopefully that can be sorted out for next year, as it really is a valuable display of the deep talent pool here in our Venice.

Work to Surf was super entertaining, and most deserving of the Best Feature Abbot Award that it ultimately won. Jaw dropping big wave surfing plus laugh out loud funny at times, it takes you to the "War Zone" of 1970's Venice, when, as Jeff Ho says in the film, "Their JOB was to go out and tear the waves apart!" Then they grew up, and Allen Sarlo decided to get into real estate so he could subsidize his travels to go surf big waves, and there you get the title. The working just to surf tied in with the soul surfing ethic, and Sarlo and his good friend, Mark Foo, made a pact that they would always "Work to Surf". Foo died at Mavericks on a day that Sarlo didn't go. He was crushed by his friend's death, and the film is dedicated to Foo. Known as "The Wave Killer", Sarlo is described in the film by Kelly Slater as, "The thing about Sarlo is he's just a good guy ... until he gets in the water, then he's an animal!" And now, still working to surf, Sarlo's legacy will be carried on by his two surfing kids, Sophia and Colton. I loved this film, and agree with Mr. Slater that Allen Sarlo couldn't be a nicer guy.

The bar re-opened for an intermission, and then we saw another good and funny skate film, A Day At The Pool, about how maybe a guy named Benton Shakely was really the guy who started the whole skating pools thing. After that, the party was on, and off the record.

Friday night's "Premiere Night" segment saw the brilliant short film, Admissions, (directed by Harry Kakatsakis) steal the show. It was produced by local Venetian, Gavin Behrman, who told me that they finished it under the wire, as it was important to him that it premiere in Venice. Starring Academy Award nominee, James Cromwell, as the guy at the Admissions Desk leading to Heaven or Hell, the film is a (15:00 timed) discussion between an Israeli couple and the Palestinian suicide bomber who killed them. It is so wise and well written (by John Viscount) that I honestly feel like it should not only win the Oscar for Best Short Film next time (maybe it will!), but probably deserves a Peace Prize too. Honestly. As Cromwell says in explanation to both outraged parties, "You can't want Hell for other people without being in hell yourself". It's very deep, very profound, and should be required viewing for people in conflict the world over. After this (truthful) gushing, you will be happy to know that Admissions won the Abbot for Best Short, (voted on by the audiences over the weekend) so it's off to the races! GO!

Short Films that stood out to me on the standing room only Saturday, (which ran very behind, as everyone shrugged, "It's Venice") were Sandbox Lullaby, directed by Joey Indrieri - a very dark tale shot all around very sunny Venice, and The Unicorn Girl, a beautifully shot fantastical story about a girl (local Amelia Mulkey, who also directed) - and a unicorn. Thanks to Amelia's swag of a headband with a unicorn horn attached, I also had a Halloween costume! Win, win! The New Bicycle was a good one all the way from India, by Arshdeep Singh Jawandha, about a kid who is desperate for a bike - Venice people can understand that one.

The Abbot for Best Music Video went to "Love Is Love" by Gabriela Tagliavini, and I had to miss that section as there was a beautiful wedding on the beach in Venice that I had to attend. But Congratulations to all the winners, and to everyone that participated at all! Making a film is hard work, from idea to screening, by everyone involved, and it's kind of a drag that there even has to be a "Best" of any of it. Having said that, the ones that won were really, really good.

Everyone had another ball at the Closing Night award ceremony, hosted by the hilarious Jill Jacobson. The three Abbot Awards were given out (cut back to three this year as those things are expensive) and the fact that great film making is alive and well in our community was duly celebrated. It's a special festival, and also a lot of work - done mostly by Reuben DeLacasas by himself with volunteers. There may have to be a change of venue next year, as it's all been too expensive, and even non-profit Beyond Baroque wouldn't budge much on their profit, but maybe the local community can help each other out a little more and band together to make this thing awesome - and not break one guy's bank. Venue donations, sponsorships, HELP - I think we have it in us, right?

Cheers to the Other Venice Film Festival, for a great time/s, and for giving all this excellent and thought provoking film work a place to be seen, right in the neighborhood.

Bravo!!!

Occupy Venice!

2011-10-13T16:47:00.001-07:00

That's right.

Strength with Love.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE - EVERYWHERE!!!

Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard Together at The Greek

2011-10-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Very exciting music week last week, for sure. Topped off by the complete joy that is seeing Mr. Kris Kristofferson play live. If you've been introduced to me, you already know that he is my favorite. Always has been. So it was that I went off to the Greek Theater with my fellow Kris lover, Sweet D, for our third KK show together (!), this time in an evening with both Kris and Merle Haggard playing together. To a crowd of obvious disciples, so it was like a big honky tonk party the whole time.

A party that we were late to, because traffic in L.A. is ridiculous always, but especially on a Friday of a long weekend. We finally got there and all squared away just in time to hear the opening chords of "Me and Bobby McGee"! We were thrilled, more so as we walked down and down and down to our very excellent seats that let us see every cool expression that crossed the legends' faces the entire night. Kris sang, "Good enough for me ... and Janis" in a shout-out to his dearly departed friend who made that song famous. The audience was rowdy, and more than into it, calling out requests, hooting and hollering when their favorites were played, and laughing at every quip out of Kris and Merle's mouths. They pretty much alternated their songs, but sang together on them all, backed up by Merle's backing band, The Strangers. "This next one's for all the drunks in the crowd", {Hoots! Hollers!} said Merle to introduce, "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down". Though the voices have grown a little shakier, and the playing a little creakier, and they use teleprompters for the lyrics these days, these old friends were clearly having the time of their lives playing together again, and thus, so were all of us listening.

It was classic after classic all night, with each song getting its due yells from the superfans. Merle - "Silver Wings". Kris - "Loving Her Was Easier" (a favorite of mine - I won't lie - there were tears). Then a cover of their mutual friend, Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" that had people up and dancing and raising their glasses in the air. Merle and Kris were cracking each other up all night, and we laughed along with them. "I remember when women would cook and chop wood", said Merle. I bet he does too.

Kris - "Here Comes That Rainbow Again". Sigh. And "For all the working men", Merle played his "Working Man Blues". Very timely considering the lack of jobs right now, and the entire country mobilizing to protest our corrupt banks and corporations. People sang along with gusto, and deservedly. Ahhh, "Sing Me Back Home" from Kris, which had Sweet D and I elbowing each other at how for real absolutely dreamY that Kristofferson still is. The best.

"The most fantastic thing about a show with me and Kris is that we're both out of jail at the same time ... or the hospital", wise-cracked Merle, before launching into his "30 Again". It made us kind of sad to hear these guys singing about their hey-days so wistfully, but also served as a reminder to live it UP while you can, man.

There is such clear mutual affection between these guys, that you just loved them both. I never really got into Merle before (saw him open for Bob Dylan a few years ago and kind of shrugged about it after), but now I'm a fan. He's funny and sweet and talented and yeah, I get it now.

"This one's for my kids ... and their Mamas", said Kris to begin another favorite, "From Here To Forever". Just lovely. There was a little old man in The Strangers that stood up to play his lap steel guitar during this one, which was kind of precious. As a retort to Kris, Merle introduced his next one by saying, "I wrote this one for MY Mama", bending Kris over laughing. "Mama Tried" was another party song that everyone knew and sang along with. Then Kris's great, "The Pilgrim". I'm trying to keep the gushing to a minimum, but Come ON with this man! Merle picked up his fiddle (that he rules at) for "Working In Tennessee", a story about losing his guitar in the Nashville floods. That's the thing with these great singer/songwriters - they're telling actual STORIES, not just cobbling together random words and beats. You can picture everything happening as you go along with them through their tales. I love it.

"You notice how good it smells in this hall?", said Kris as there was a pervasive, unmistakable wafting of weed over the proceedings throughout the chill, autumn night in the hills. That was perfect timing for "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and when he got to the part where he sings, "Wishing, Lord, that I was stoned ...", Kris smiled and nodded to the crowd, prompting a guy in the front row to blow so much smoke towards the band that I thought it was a smoke machine. The whole place laughed, and it looked like Kris and Merle breathed a little deeper on that tune.

"I was the only one who knew the words, and it had to be written", said Merle in reference to his hit,"Okie From Muskogee". It was Merle's BIG crowd pleaser, especially when HE got to the line, "We don't smoke marijuana ..." where he stopped and said, "In the old days you would never hear the WORD marijuana on a microphone", to which the front row guy responded with another giant cloud of smoke. "We got drunk like God wants us to do" ... earned more yells and a toast in unison from the whole place. As I mentioned at the outset, it was a party.

For the last song of the night (as there was no encore, sadly), Kris and Merle harmonized beautifully on "Why Me?" Hear:

Why me Lord, what have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the pleasures I've known
Tell me Lord, what did I ever do
That was worth loving You
Or the kindness You've shown

... And try to come up with someone who just nails it lyrically every time like Kris Kristofferson does. Not easy. He is an American Treasure. I keep waiting for that Kristofferson autobiography, as you just know it will be the most interesting, riveting read ever. For real.

They took their bows to raucous cheering. "God Bless! What a great crowd!", said Kris before departing the stage, and he was right. This was a party crowd, and an appreciative one as well. We yelled for more, but it was not to be this time.

Lights up, stars out, a glorious night indeed. Though we didn't hear it this time, this night will most certainly be added in "For The Good Times".

*Photos by Alexina Matisse and Harry Wilson
*Video by Alexina Matisse

Jane's Addiction Live on The Jimmy Kimmel Show

2011-10-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it's a pretty good week when you see Jane's Addiction twice in it! I went to their stellar show at the John Anson Ford on Monday night, and then got hooked up by my good pal, Brad, to see them again at The Jimmy Kimmel Show, where he works. My friend, Steph, and Brad's wife, Maryjane, both love Jane's and had never seen them live, so this was going to be FUN.

After some time in the fun - and packed - Kimmel green room party zone, we trooped outside to the outdoor stage behind the studio on Hollywood Boulevard. A loud guy riles up the crowd a bit in a pretty obnoxious fashion, then Jimmy Kimmel comes out to introduce the band. The crowd was all ages, and ALL into it. If you saw the show on t.v., the enthusiasm was genuine, I assure you.

It's usually a short set when a band plays Kimmel, and they only air one song, but the crowd was happy to hear anything by Jane's. The guys in the band got deafening screams just for walking on stage. The "On Air" signal went down, Jimmy K. intro'd the song, and we got to hear the new "Irresistible Force" from their new album (coming out next week, the 18th!), The Great Escape Artist. I love it. It's classic sounding the first time you hear it.

Then right into "Stop", which featured a ton of confetti falling all over, and Etty Farrell and her dancing twin (Stephanie?) in sparkling outfits, vamping hotly all over the stage. Speaking of the stage, Perry was not happy with it and threatened to sue Kimmel if he broke his foot. Seemed a little dangerous.

"Just Because" was great as ever, and included an eyeball searing Navarro solo, and Stephen Perkins grinning - as ever - as he banged the drums.

Chris Chaney as the new bass player, more than holds his own with these longtime band mates, seamlessly integrating himself into the songs, some of which are twenty+ years old! "I just wanna work and get high!", yelled Perry after that one, earning a lot of shouts in solidarity for that.

The last one of the far too brief set - but enough to STOKE Steph and Maryjane for their first show - was the epic, "Ocean Size". It's just perfectly titled, as this song is always HUGE. I love it so much. As did the entire audience begging for more when they were done. Screaming their heads off! Perry said, "For the second half of the night, we're partying. But not with you." Burn! People laughed. As they turned to exit the stage, Perry said, "Party! The country suffers for the lack of partying". So THAT'S the problem here. That's fixable! Phew.

Thanks, Jane's, for another great GREAT time. Every time.

The Great Escape Artist! October 18th! Get yours.

(And all the other albums if you don't own. Each is crucial.)

Thank you, Morrisons!!!

Venice Issues, Venice Nap

2011-10-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

I am a bit bothered by some things lately, and with all the brothers and sisters out protesting with arms up on Wall Street (and it's spreading!), I need to address at least two issues (three counting how badly we need more bike lanes, but that's for another day) here in Venice.

One - if you go down The Boardwalk at night, you will not believe how many people are camped out to sleep down there. More than I've ever seen. I'm not sure if it's all due to economic situations or if a lot of it is by choice (or by addiction), but it's really sad to see. Especially when the Lincoln Place Apartments over there behind the Ralph's on Lincoln are - and have been for years - totally empty. Patrol guys bike around the perimeter to make sure no one is squatting or whatever. ACRES of empty, unused housing is sitting there rotting while we had the first big rain of the season the other night, and scores of people slept outside in it down at the beach. That is WRONG. Even if it's just letting people crash out there until they sort out what they're going to do about it all, at least it would be a short-term solution to get a LOT of people in out of the cold. Really.

Two - There are new robot looking trash cans down at the beach that are locked to prevent people, I guess, from digging in them to get the cans or bottles out. We all know Los Angeles/California budgets are broke, but the few coins that recycling revenue could bring them cannot possibly be more than the fancy new trash cans cost. When someone is at the point where they need to be digging through disgusting trash cans to get a couple cents to eat food, and we're not LETTING them do that (!), how can we feel like that's right as human beings?

These are the kinds of things worth protesting over. And we can all see for ourselves that when the PEOPLE band together ... things get done. Things CHANGE. So Let's go.

On an entirely different note (but it IS about sleeping on the beach), look at this dream of a nap set-up we came upon the other morning on the beach:

Once again, Venice ... the good and the bad go together. It's up to us to make sure the good persists.

Jane's Addiction Live at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre

2011-10-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

Jane's Addiction last played at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater 23 years ago, and returned to that same stage last night (and tonight), looking and sounding as fresh as they ever did. The first thing I heard when I found my spot in the little, tiny, super-intimate Ford venue was a guy nearby saying, "Well, this is a pretty great spot for a rad show!" And boy, was he right. The Ford is all nestled into a Hollywood hillside, surrounded by trees, the crescent moon, and stars. And on this night, a bunch of lasers and smoke and serious rock and roll.

The night had two opening bands, Boys and IO Echo, both bands fronted by women that sound straight from the 1980s (Boys even did a Pat Benatar "Love Is A Battlefield" cover). I was happy to see some ladies on the rock scene, and they did a good job of engaging the crowd, earning some appreciative hoots and hollers. This not easy with a crowd that was clearly there to see their beloved Jane's. Speaking of the crowd, it was an interesting one to observe ... surprising amounts of grey hair, but also a lot of the usual young Hollywood Hipster variety, and one new friend even admitted, vaguely embarrassed, that he'd never heard Jane's music before. Blasphemy! His mind was about to be blown.

That would prove not that hard to do, considering the beauty of the night and the venue. I went over with two of my friends that I first saw Jane's Addiction with at the very first Lalapalooza in 1991, Tony and Brandon. We were as excited to see them today as we were then, and even though time and circumstance have blessed me to now actually know the Farrell family, the thrill doesn't go away at all when the lights go down and you hear those familiar chords ring out. WOOOOOO!

Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" came on, the lights went down, people stood and screamed before one thing happened, on anticipation alone. Then Perry strolled out in a sharp suit and Dave, Stephen and Chris Chaney took their places, and they immediately tore the place up with "Whores". People were going crazy (It helped that the Ford generously lets people bring in their own booze - yep). Perry's face was one giant grin from start to finish, and the fans reflected that back to him all night long. "WE'RE HOME, LA! And we're throwing a party, you know why? Just because!" With that they threw down "Just Because", and already the guy beside me (who had painted the Jane's banner hanging alongside the venue and had never heard their tunes) had his arms in the air, screaming. Pretty sure he's ordering up all the Jane's catalog today.

While the boys in the band were down front kicking out the jams, the girls (led by Mrs. Farrell, Etty) of the Jane's world were climbing around up above among the trees and rocks, looking like the sexiest wood nymph fairies ever. The whole scenario was dream-like, with lights and smoke and props and cool ... one felt fully transported through the music and the visual feast - and I was totally sober.

Perry shouted out to some L.A. towns ("Venice!!!") and said, "I LOVE living in L.A. - you all make me feel so good, I could just float over Los Angeles", and as fluid as his dance antics are, you believed that he could. A bottle of red wine was now in Perry's hand, and he swigged liberally from it as they blew up "Ain't No Right" and "Ted, Just Admit It" in a back to back beat down. Perry screaming "Sex Is Violence!" while Etty and Stephanie rocked on the sideways rocking chair in S & M style outfits was pure, classic Jane's. By the way, it should be noted ... those ladies are damn fine DANCERS. It's easy to get distracted by the sexy get-ups and props, but they have serious, classically trained MOVES. Super fun to watch. Stephen Perkins particularly brought it on this one, per usual. After that one, Perry said how they'd previously played the Ford in 1988, "But Dave doesn't remember it". At that show, Axl Rose approached Perry and said, "You're a real artist, Man." Perry laughed and said, "I don't think I said anything back." Again, classic.

Perry spoke about the fancy threads he was wearing (and soaking through with the sweat of a consummate entertainer), and said, "But back in the day, I used to just steal shit!" So of course they launched into a fiery, "Been Caught Stealing", that pleased the crowd to no end. Shirtless, perfectly preserved Dave blazed, both on his guitar and on the smoke that his guitar tech came out to light for him, mid-song. Badass.

Jane's Addiction is releasing their new album, The Great Escape Artist, on October 18th (!!!), and they played a new track from it next, "End To The Lies". There was a bit of the lull in the crowd typical of people not yet knowing the words and biding time 'til they hear their next old favorite tune, but it has all the makings of being a future classic. Perry's voice is so inimitable that everything he sings sounds epic and familiar. I cannot wait to hear the whole album of new jams, based on this one alone. At song's end, Perry said, "I love that guitar shit" and vocally imitated the metal slide sound of Dave's guitar, cracking people up. I totally agree with him, by the way.

Sweet lasers began to swirl and Perry said, "We kick ass all over the world, but we can't wait to get back to L.A. - and we let 'em know, L.A.! Fuck yeah!" That brought screams that only intensified when they began "Ocean Size" - which is exactly how big that song felt. SO good. Right from there, the place turned all black and red, and the ominous opening strains of "3 Days" began. Etty and Stephanie were bound and gagged and gyrating all over the stage, acting out the story of those 3 Days of song lore. Dave had a blistering solo, and Stephen had an extendo drum session that had fan guys slapping fives. Literally every single camera phone was out and capturing (or trying to - you really had to be there) the scenery. Here's a video that I snaked off of YouTube that gives you a little feel:

Perry recently had knee surgery, but you would sure never know it. He was just NON-stop: dancing like a marionette let loose off his strings, strutting, posing, jumping, ruling. The big anthem-y one off the new album, "Irresistible Force" featured lasers and pictures in the smoke, and every marking of a Jane's hit. From that we went right into a medley of L.A. tunes - The Doors' "L.A. Woman - The Germs' "Lexicon Devil" - X's "Nausea" - that was a total highlight until "Mountain Song" came next and easily topped it. Girls popped out of a box on the side of the theater, but I don't even know if many people noticed them grinding around, so transfixed were they by Perry's own moves. My friend said, "I was Perry-lyzed" - meaning he didn't notice much else. Most everyone there would understand.

While slapping and shaking hands all night with people down front, Perry said, "We're under the stars! I fucking love living here, it's a dream!" There was a guy down front from Israel, and Perry said, "We want to hang out with you in Israel. AND the Palestinians. We want peace in the Middle East!" (He gave the guy his bottle of wine at show's end, saying, "L'Chaim!" Rad.)

"Stop" was next, and it was crazy, and no one wanted it to stop. Every voice sang along the "Hum, along with me, hum along with the t.v., Whoa-oh-oh-oh ..." part, making Perry smile as confetti fell down on everyone, looking like snow in the laser lights. So so good.

After a short departure, which the audience filled with chanting and clapping for more, the band came back on to set up for an encore. Perry spoke about how now days he has to "get up at 7 a.m. to help my kids put on their underwear. That part sucks." And how he hopes they grow up ok living in Los Angeles ..."Uncle Dave is gonna have a little talk with them", which cracked them and us up. (For the record, they are wonderful kids, and are going to be epic adults, I assure you).

All the guys lined up at the front of the stage, with Dave now on acoustic guitar, and Stephen now on congas and steel drum - which we knew meant "Jane Says". It did. Once again, the entire amphitheater sang along to every single note. When the guys stood at the stage's edge at the end and received the crowd's adulation, they were shining back the beaming faces of everyone there. From the guy that has never missed an L.A. Jane's show, to the guy that had never even heard their music before, everyone there was equally thrilled. We yelled for more, and everyone has their own personal favorites they still wanted to hear, but no one there could have asked for a more beautiful night outside, under the moon and the stars, with their friends and the music they love.

As Perry said, "It's like a dream". A really, really good one.

*THANK YOU, ETTY! xxx.

William Attaway's Venice

2011-09-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Other Venice Film Festival is honoring William Attaway as its Featured Artist during all the screenings at Beyond Baroque (October 13-16th) so I thought it was about time I and We got to know a little bit more about the man behind a lot of the art that we see in Venice every day.

Known around town as simply "Attaway", Attaway is probably best known in these parts for his beautiful mosaic column looking out over The Breakwater (by the beach park for kids next to the Police Station), creating a circle of calm amid the Boardwalk madness.

Born in New York to artist parents (and Grandparents - his Grandfather designed the interiors of Radio City Music Hall), Attaway took after them, and was always an artist himself. They were a black and white family and in the early 60's with all the assassinations, it could be a scary time for bi-racial families, so Attaway's family moved to Barbados, where they lived "the simple life" until he was 13. Attaway always loved to draw, and spent many of his days watching men make pottery in kilns built right into the side of Barbados' Chalky Mountain. This was mainly to escape the wrath of a hard core Grandma, but his love of clay was discovered during those long afternoons of observation.

The family re-located to L.A. for his Dad's work, and soon young Attaway was working as a 16 year old assistant to Brian Scheller at a ceramic studio called The Pot Farm (now called the Clayhouse) in Santa Monica. After blowing up the kiln on his first day - literally - Attaway worked extra hard to learn all he could about ceramics. His pots grew bigger and bigger, as "there is no limit to clay".

Attaway came down to Venice a lot to skateboard, and soon decided to drop out of high school (in 10th grade) to go in on an art studio with his friend. His Dad said he could if he really meant it and created a body of work. "So I did." He sold out every community art show he entered, and walked around with a bunch of cash in his pocket as an 18 year old artist. A good time in 80's Venice.

The art continued to expand as Attaway begin to think of his sculptures more architectually, influenced by Gaudi, and he felt the urge to create something that hadn't been done before. When plans for a Venice Arts Mecca school at the beach (where he was going to teach ceramics) fell through, Attaway applied to be the artist to create a work at the site of the former Venice Pavilion. The architect for the area had been looking at Attaway's columns done for the Pomona Metro Station when the news came in that Jerry Garcia had died. The guy had been close to Jerry and was very upset, and took it as a sign that he should give his blessing to Attaway doing the art. There were over 500 applicants, down to 8 finalists, and Attaway walked in to give his presentation right after Robert Graham had given his. But Attaway didn't even have to finish his whole spiel, as they agreed with him right off that, "I knew what should happen here. I grew up here."

From 1995-2000, with an entire year on physical labor alone, the 25 foot beach column was brought to life. Through the hard work of two people - Attaway and his best friend, Kenny Roberts - 5 tons of clay, 25,000 gallons of cement, and lots of short ribs between them and the Filipino security guard, the column was finished and "It's a dream come true." To have a signature piece of Venice art of his own making in his own backyard, in what his kids now call "Papa's Park", truly is the kind of gratification any artist would aspire to. He does say it was not a pleasure to work with the City Of L.A., and that things really came together in a great example of community over bureaucracy to get the project completed.

That community is the same thing that has kept Attaway in Venice all these years. "There is a love of family here, and a love of art that has kept Abbot Kinney's vision intact. Venice still resonates with that intention." Of course, Attaway has seen the changes we all have, but as he sees it, "Venice was a scary place, you had to watch how you walked, there were major shoot-outs you would not believe right in front of here, crack trucks, gang murders, people were literally giving away their mortgages," so the fact that I didn't even think about all that when I came to see him is actually a really big improvement.

"It's not gentrification that splits us apart, it's War-ification. How our money is spent, what programs get funded ... war over art, greed and instant gratification ... not looking at the big picture ... The more fighting that goes on outside, the more goes on inside." In order to combat that, Attaway feels that people need to stand up and revolt. How can everyday people do that? "People don't know how to wait for their food to grow anymore. You can grow your own food. You can drink lots of water. You can ride bikes and not use cars."

To that end, Attaway's new series of paintings is called "Gardens", and his favorite place to have coffee in Venice is in his own garden. He thinks there should be signs when you enter Venice that say, "When you enter Venice, Bikes have right of way". There should be vacuums in the alleys so you can suck up the glass and stuff so everyone doesn't puncture their tires. There should be naked Police. "Naked Police will stop violence, people would just take one look at them and stop." We talked about Cityhood for Venice, which he's all for and said, "Venice IS the original Hood City, so, yeah. Everyone who goes to Disneyland comes to Venice the next day for free to chill, so we should be getting more than the 1% from the City Of L.A."

Attaway thinks that Venice is a place "where a lot of people have made their lifestyle dreams come true." From his skating back in the day with Tony Alva, to those skaters having the dream of a skatepark on the beach come true, they MADE that happen. From a mailman who does his route and then goes fishing every night on the pier, he MADE that happen. "Look at the drum circle - I call it the Chaos Circle - The Boardwalk is the end of the Earth. I love it."

You can see Attaway cruising around on his bike. Getting food at the La Isla Bonita taco truck by Gold's Gym that he did mosaics for. Eating at Axe. Or Danny's Deli for matzo ball soup. Or James Beach for chocolate souffle. Or late night octopus and martinis at Hal's ("I want my art hung in Hal's when I grow up"). Drinking at Venice Ale House or Oscar's ("the #1 new hot spot").

You can see Attaway's art all over town (The Column. Mosaics on beach bathrooms. Mosaic at Tabor Courts VCHC. Etc...Etc..), see art documentaries on him by his friend, Venice local Christopher Gallo, or just go by 334 Sunset on Saturday or Sunday and see if a Flying Man statue is outside. That means you can go in and see his art works in progress. There might be musician friends playing, there might be a chef friend cooking up a feast, and it's unpredictable. "What happens, happens."

As true a Venice statement as any I've heard.

The 2011 Abbot Kinney Festival!

2011-09-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

This year's Abbot Kinney Festival started out extra gloomy and misty, one of those lazy Sundays where it's hard to get out of bed. That is, until the bikes started noisily swooping by outside, bright and early, on Venice Boulevard for a Triathalon, that some planners somewhere thought would be a good idea to hold the same day as the Abbot Kinney Festival. Anyway, it got us up.

After some stiff coffee to get us ready and jazzed for the day's festivities, it was off to Abbot Kinney. No one in Venice lets a little grey dampen the spirits for our Festival, so the place was already packed by 11 a.m. The booths (amazing jewelry, as ever. Lots of feather stuff too. And always the wings for kids - and some adults) seemed to be doing a brisk business - and they mostly seemed to be actually hand-made, artisan type stuff this year, a vast improvement over some of the junk stands of years past - as I made my way past them all to take my shift at The Free Venice Beachhead booth.

It's always nice to hang out in one spot for a bit at the Festival, to really watch the people and take it all in. It's nice to hear from readers of our only truly local paper, about their concerns, ideas, stories, and drinking in the afternoon commentaries. A few neighbors even offered cocktail delivery services right to the booth ... but then forgot to return with them, sigh. We handed out copies of the latest issue and had fresh t-shirts for sale, with my long asked for design of "DEFEND VENICE" graphic with a guy in a tree with his fist raised. Love it. You should get one. Oh, and you can by contacting the paper at www.freevenice.org. There were also some surveys to fill out that proved to be interesting, with telling results (about topics ranging from where you get your coffee to who you're gonna vote for next year) also in the paper or online.

I served my booth time and then it was off to explore with my gang. I've said it before, but the Abbot Kinney Festival is like Thanksgiving for the whole town of Venice - you see people you may not have seen all year, and it's a big reunion in the street. Plus tens of thousands Thanksgiving orphan tourists that come to hope to see something outrageous, and eat food. And drink beer in the sunshine, that I am happy to report broke through brightly right about midday.

(Pictured - Mia Doi Todd. Silver Lake, I believe)

One strange and mystifying thing about this year's Festival was that not ONE of my close friends was playing music at ANY of the stages. THAT is outrageous. It was slim last year, but as far as I could tell this year, there did not seem to be any local VENICE musical acts playing for their friends and neighbors. None. Whomever is in charge of music booking needs to really take that into account in the future because it was the overwhelming and resounding complaint coming from every person I bumped into that day, that WHERE were our local musicians at our local Festival?! I'd say I was really mad about it, but it's hard to be actually mad about anything when everyone's having a good time seeing everyone you like where you live. But still. May I please help book the stages next year? Thanks.

The Abbot Kinney Festival is one of the best people watching events of the planet, and from one end to the other it's an entire smorgasbord of people and stuff to gape at.

I love it when the Samba School splits the crowd to dance and bang drums among the people walking the street, and everyone stands back to watch and smile and FEEL the spirit of community and fun that pervades that special moment every year.

People were hanging out of the windows above Abbot's Habit to watch, the Firemen of Station 63 were clapping along (and no porn actresses were spotted hanging from the truck this day, I'm happy to report to knowers of recent Venice lore), tiny kids were showing off their capoeira skills, and the whole crowd was supremely into it.

After doing some laps of the street (and having no bands we were absolutely required to see due to friendship or support of our local artists), we went up to our friend's balcony that overlooks the entire hubbub of the Brig beer garden. Again, the greatest people watching ever.

This year there were dueling dancers outside the fence, a big Red Devil carrying a sign ("The Devil Repents!") and a cowboy in short shorts that was FEELING it.

And feeling it. For song after song (from the really good reggae d.j. spinning in the Brig lot). After song. We admired his stamina. And the way more and more (drinking) strangers would step in to dance with him. Good good times.

Right around 6 p.m. the fog started to return, the autumn light began its getting darker earlier thing, and that annual mass clearing of the people began at the Venice Boulevard end of Abbot Kinney, heading down toward Main Street. It's amazing to see how quickly it all evaporates, with the whoosh of street cleaners rolling by, the clanking of tent poles falling down, and slurry speech of passersby yelling to each other getting fainter and fainter by the minute. Soon enough it's all over again for the year, and everyone winds up collapsing at someone's nearby pad, re-hashing the day's events and looking ahead to all the good stuff that will go down between now and the re-telling of it to the friends you'll see at next year's jamboree.

Let's make it good!

Time Warner Cable Balloon

2011-09-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

If you use Time Warner Cable services, I would abruptly cancel that business -

- based on their little ad balloon washing up on the beach this morning alone. I can't speak to their actual service as I'd rather create than subscribe, but if their idea of a good marketing thing is to strangle the sea creatures, then I think they suck. So there.

Call me aggro. I'll take it.

If you're still contributing to fouling our Oceans, I don't want to know you or about you.

Think. Thank.

*photo by my equally appalled friend Jenny Everhart.

Venaissance Sculpture

2011-09-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

A David-like sculpture with a funky headband looked over the scene on the bike path over the weekend ...

... and reminded us once again how delightful the unexpected surprise is in life.

What will happen next?!

*Photo by Gretchen Rollins

A Monday Morning Proposal

2011-09-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

Monday morning ... finishing up daily constitutional when this plane flies by with a sign reading "Rebecca, will you marry me? I (Heart) You! Jeffrey". On a Monday morning ... interesting.

I turned to a maintenance worker standing near me at the bike rack, watching the plane, and just to mess with him, said, "Are you Jeffrey? I'm Rebecca." He got all flustered and it was awesome. To recover, he said, "I wish", kind of smoothly. Then as we were riding away, I said, "Have a nice day, Jeffrey!" and he said, "Oh, I will, Baby."

Good start to a new week ... let's focus on the LOVE (especially after that brutal 10 year Anniversary stuff ... lots to say about that, but we're focusing on the love, forcefully so.

Please let me know if you hear if Rebecca said Yes!

*Photo by Jennifer Everhart

Blogtown is 2 Today!

2011-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Two years sure flew by ... so many stories to tell, so many more to come!

Off to clink a glass for fun ... And THANK YOU ever so much for reading!

XOXO.

Venice Represents at Tucson's Hoco Fest

2011-09-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

A little bit of Venice split for Tucson over Labor Day weekend, and it was a (furnace) blast! I jumped in the van with Matt Ellis and his band and headed out into the desert, bound for Tucson's Hoco Fest ("Arizona's Solar Music Festival") at the historic Hotel Congress.

A long drive (thoughtfully and deliciously catered by Matt's wife, Vavine) was full of laughs, and when we stepped out of the van finally in Tucson, all we wanted was to be full of cold beers. It is damn hot there. I don't know how the residents handle it. Crrrrazy hot. But super fun.

After finally rousing on Sunday, we did a little seeing of the sights, and then headed over to the Hotel Congress for sound-check. Non-band members were enlisted as "Roadies" and wrist-banded as such. What a beautiful old hotel the Congress is. Wow. Much of Tucson turned out for the Hoco Fest (which was a benefit for WaveLab Recording Studio's Craig Schumacher, who mixed Matt's - and many others' - album, and is dealing with the dread cancer), making it even hotter the closer packed in we all were. That is rock and roll, and we love it.

There were two show areas, an outdoor courtyard stage, and the indoor (A/C!) Club Congress, where the Matt Ellis Band (Josh Norton on guitar, Cecil Campanaro on bass, and Fernando Sanchez smacking the drums) hit the stage. Great sound, gorgeous room, superb music, every last note. Things were spaced out so that when Matt played, the outside people came in to enjoy his jams, and the place was packed as they sailed through their set. Births, Deaths, and Marriages is Matt's latest album, and the song of the same name is one of my favorites. Tuscon's too, by the sound of the room when it was done (It's hard to have favorites when they're all real good, but I somehow manage). "So Many Lied", "Heart Of Mine" and "Too Late To Call" all ruled. Nick Luca (Calexico, Iron and Wine) joined the guys on keys, awesomely. Then Matt brought up Jacob Valenzuela ("There's so much talent in Tucson!" - Matt Ellis) from Calexico to blast his trumpet along on "Trying To Believe" and "Don't Let Me Forget" and that was when it really felt like Tucson was in full effect. I love the trumpet, and Valenzuela's playing gave the extra zest that made the songs and every person in the room dance even more.

Matt brought up Vavine to sing on their duet, "River Too Wide" (video coming soon!) and glancing around at the crowd's faces, you could see them falling in love with Matt & V's love. They are very special together, both as singers and as people. Too soon, it was time for the last song, "The Weight". The whole place sang along with Matt & Vav (even me, who has never previously dug that tune, and told them so), and it felt like family in there.

After sorting out the equipment and stuff (Roadies, remember), we immediately decamped for the bar, where it was whiskey time. I forget the name of the local one we drank ... and that explains it all. We watched great-every-time Calexico play on the outdoor stage, and it was grand. No notes or detail recall, as it was too hot + the aforementioned whiskey, but I know that I loved it. What I did not love was how long some bands take to take the stage (like you, Devotchka), when that should be flowing in a festival situation. We all really wanted to see them, but we weren't hanging out all night in the heat rain, good people. So I don't know how they were, but I hope whomever remained for them had a nice time.

We did. Because we went all over Tucson, eating and drinking up a storm, (and being surprise serenaded by the most happy, cool Mariachis ever!) before collapsing into our individual trailers of fun. The next (late) morning, we hit up the most sublime tortilla purveyor ever, Anita's Tortillas, to grab piping hot tortillas and empanadas for the road. Amazing. We ate brunch at a dubious cafe called JerryBob's, and then set out to return to Venice.

Bright murals, hummingbirds, darling people, and lots of music and drinking is my lasting impression of Tucson, other than the obvious superheat. A truly delightful get-away. The loooong drive back was even great, as we saw the real Calexico (town), desert dust and lightning storms, RAIN, which I'd almost forgotten about, and more funny things (like the dinner search - The Lazy Lizard in Ocotillo, CA? "No way" - Josh) happening along the way. And just before leaving Arizona, I finally got my read about and searched for Prickly Pear jam. A total success of a weekend!

Gracias to Matt and Vavine Ellis for inviting me along on the gig! Gracias to Matt, V, Cecil, Josh, David, and Mei-Lai for being great fun to road trip with! Gracias to Brad, Dianna, Maxine, and Basil for being such gracious hosts! Gracias to Tucson for showing us all a great time! Loved it.

Tom Morello - World Wide Rebel Songs

2011-09-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

Tom Morello's 4th studio album as The Nightwatchman has just been released, and World Wide Rebel Songs (New West Records) is both loud, Son, AND heavy as shit, to paraphrase his earlier "Maximum Firepower" tune. There's still the acoustic guitar beauty, to be sure, but The Freedom Fighter Orchestra is along for this entire rock ride (Carl Restivo, Chris Joyner, Dave Gibbs, Eric Gardner). Throwing down right from the opening track on this new one is "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" and it sets the tone for the raging against the machine that is steadfast throughout the entire album.

The song (and album) opens with the customary speech that Tom makes at any live Nightwatchman show ... that "History is not be made by Presidents or Popes, or Kings or Queens, or Generals or CIA Kingpins running dope, or nine men in robes, or billionaires or bankers, it's not made by them" ... It's in the hands of the People. That is the underlying theme of all of his songs, all of his shows, all of him. The "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" refers to his new steel string guitar, an instrument that is, "hollow box, steel string, Union made, Let Freedom ring!" Aka Tom's weapon of choice, which he wields with no pretension or bones about it ... he's here to open your eyes, inspire you to think, and then ACT, because justice can never be attained by standing by and doing nothing.

To that end, this album might not appeal to those just wanting a diversion to tap their toes along to in the background ... it absolutely forces you to pay attention to society's ills, and that's not always a comfortable place for people to be. But if you listen and SEE the imagery that Tom creates through each track, you will be taken from L.A. to Mexico to Africa to Iraq to the Great Plains right back to your own front yard.

"The Dogs of Tijuana" is a warning, plain and simple, that "Every dog has its day", that one can only take so much. Set to spanish style acoustic guitar, it manages to be both lovely and threatening at the same time.

Heavy. Metal. "It Begins Tonight" is a raging rouser that features Tom's classic Rage riffs from start to finish ... and serves as another throwing down of the gauntlet, that we're not gonna take it anymore. It's not just talk either ... this guy goddamn means it, and sings passionately about it all. Listen to the words.

A stunning duet between Tom and Ben Harper is perhaps my favorite track on the album, "Save The Hammer For The Man." Good and meaningful things happen when these two brothers in arms get together, and when you hear first their voices, then their super distinct guitar styles weave together in one aching wail ... you are confronted straight on with the power of music. "I will whisper words of freedom, I will swing as hard as I can, Lord knows the time is coming, Save the hammer for the Man". More please. Thank you.

"The 5th Horseman Of The Apocalypse" (gorgeous) and "The Whirlwind" (super lovely in melody and visuals - tied for my favorite) are classic Nightwatchman jams, pretty guitars, heavy imagery, and lyrics that even work "hegemony" into his rhymes. "Branding Iron" is in that same classic Nitewatch camp, but with a clear Springsteen style in both guitar and harmonica that evokes the dusty plains of earlier Boss works.

The Nightwatchman is not afraid to get the people clapping, stomping, and singing along with his catchy choruses. To that end, "Speak And Make Lightning", "Stray Bullets" (with its calling out of the Iraq War STILL going on ... "Why the fuck we're even here, I'll never know ... We're coming for the Captain and then we're going home!"), and especially the title track "World Wide Rebel Songs" will all get you going out there. As Tom sings in it, "Where there's voices raised and barricades, I'm down!" As am I, Tom, as am I.

"Facing Mount Kenya" evokes the land of Tom's father, and its toy piano sounding accompaniment and Leonard Cohen-ish vocals are trippy, haunting, and unlike anything we've heard from him before. Very interesting.

I'll never forget the email I got from Tom when filthy George W. Bush - mortifyingly -got elected the second time. It simply said, "God help us all." That's also the title of the last track on World Wide Rebel Songs, a quiet prayer of a song that ends all the good bombast and riling up of the album with a simple plea for help. Because "We are all that we feared." A stark admission and truism that realizes that we're all in it together, and we can't do anything alone.

We need help, Man. From above, if we even deserve it, but certainly from each other if we ever hope to save the world. Lofty as that sounds, it's what's required of us now, just look around. Listen. HEAR. Sing. MOVE.

Thank goodness we have artists who do actually give a damn about all of this, and ask us to care along with them. As Tom asks in "World Wide Rebel Songs", "Are you gonna stand around or are you gonna be free?"

Well?

Available now on ITunes. And good old-fashioned record stores.

Tom Freund - The Edge of Venice

2011-08-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

Tom Freund has been a part of my Venice for as long as I can remember. His latest album, The Edge Of Venice, gave us a good excuse to sit down and talk about our Venice, and his music that is inspired by this special part of the world.

Tom was born and raised in New York, where he self-taught himself the upright bass and piano at the age of 7, then picked up the guitar at 11. He was already getting jazz gigs in high school, and so began a musician's life that has never included any kind of desk job. College was the Berklee School of Music and then Claremont College, when he decided to come West to check out the music scene. Once he got that degree in English Lit, it was off to the races, starting "the tour of life."

Tom was broken into the touring musician's life when he played as a member of alt-country band, The Silos. "It's a great way to see the world. When you play a show somewhere, you're in the scene you'd be in if you lived in that town, so you meet a lot of like people and the world gets smaller." After a stint living in Austin, Texas, Tom bought a big dresser at the French 50/60's store when he was visiting Venice, and decided it was easier to move himself than the dresser, and has lived here ever since. Though he travels the world playing gigs (and just got back from opening for Ben Harper in Europe), it's always Venice he looks forward to coming back home to.

Tom's daughter, Delilah, was born in Venice and through her, Tom has realized the phenomenal and tightly-knit community that Venice also is for parents and kids. He recorded a great kids album, Hug Trees, in honor of this, that every Venice kid (or every kid, period) should own.

We sat down at The French Market to catch up and talk about this place we love and his latest album. We agreed that it's getting harder to live in Venice as an artist (though the artists made Venice what it is in the first place), and Tom said, "I'm hanging onto Lincoln for dear life." Hence his album title, the EDGE of Venice. But that title also has double meaning, as the EDGE that Venice has to it is also something worth clinging to. As it gets more homogenized around here, it's harder to see that edge, but it's there, and we're hanging onto it for dear life. Tom (and I) love the old school places, like the Abbot's Habit corner ("Legendary"), the French Market, Firefly, and The Roosterfish ("The dopest place left for a drink"), though Tom is not afraid to hit the Other Room for a Malbec on occasion. He misses The Stronghold music scene, which he was a big part of, and we're still trying to find the place that can be like that artistically, locally.

Perhaps it could be The Del Monte Speakeasy, where Tom had his cd release show for The Edge Of Venice the other night. Located in the basement of The Townhouse bar on Windward, the Del Monte is now open for business (stay tuned for the story on them soon) and hosted a slam-bang night of music to celebrate Freund's latest musical endeavor. The Del Monte really was a speakeasy in the Prohibition era, and is now completely refurbished and gorgeous, with great sound.

Australian indie darling Julia Stone opened the night up for Tom, in her first show without her brother, Angus. She has an angel voice, and can blast some great trumpet too. I loved her version of "You're The One That I Want" from Grease the most. Check her out.

Tom's friend introduced him by saying, "In this sacred, crazy, fucked up, tilted place called Venice, we can all relate to Tom Freund!" I loved that. In a night that featured many of the songs off the new album, and a bunch of classic ones, each and every number was one that had the crowd dancing and singing along ... many of whom have been Freund Fans from the beginning. As Tom said before launching into his song "Where Is The Love?", "This whole night is about friends." So true. And many of Tom's musician friends were there to back him up: Chris Joyner, Gabriel Noel, Ben Peeler, Pete McNeil, David Ralicke, Brett Dennen, and Julia Stone back up there to duet with Tom on his great, "Why Wyoming?" and "Sugar Don't Get No Sweeter Than This" and the excellent covers of The Who's "Let My Love Open The Door" and the Beatles' "Revolution". Good times.

"Wounded Surfer Boy" off the new album sounds a whole lot like a bunch of Venice people I've known, with its verse that goes:

He's the Mayor of the neighborhood
He rides around on a skateboard made of wood
He's got no car, no house to call his own
But that's alright he'll find someplace to stay tonight
And that's alright by her

Yep. "You've heard this one before in Venice," said Tom to introduce one of my favorites, "Truly Mellow". It features a chorus of "La da dah's" that the whole room sang along, especially when Tom said, "C'mon Venice, sing so they can hear about it in Marina del Rey!" And we did.

At night's end, everyone staggered back upstairs to cool off outside on Windward. Sweaty, smiling, happy and feeling truly mellow. A perfect night in and about Venice, California.

Add Tom Freund's The Edge Of Venice to your Venice Soundtrack ... It's not complete without it. It and all of Tom's discography are available at TomFreund.com, ITunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and at whatever record stores are still alive and kicking.

Support your local (International) artists!

The Chili Peppers Video in Venice!

2011-08-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

The Red Hot Chili Peppers know what's up. They shot their new video for their new tune, "The Adventures of Raindance Maggie" on a Boardwalk rooftop a couple weeks ago. I wasn't there because I was at Rage downtown ... but it looks like it was a blast here ... as usual.

Get More: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Music, More Music Videos

Love it. All.

The Wizard Of Venice

2011-08-05T12:06:00.001-07:00

Strolling down California Avenue yesterday, I came upon this sight along the side of Abbot's Habit:

Funny. Especially as I'd been feeling extra homesick for that triumphant season of SUMMER in Minnesota lately ... and thoughts become things. Venice can make anyone feel like they're a long way from home sometimes ... and other times you feel exactly like you ARE Home.

The best thing about this little display is that when I went by again hours and hours later, in the dark, it was still there - untouched.

And that is awesome.

LA Rising - A Day Of Rage and Hope

2011-08-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

There are many great bands in the world, but it's what they do with their greatness that actually defines that word. Rage Against The Machine is a GREAT band, and all you needed as evidence of that fact was to be present at their L.A. Rising Festival at the gigantic Coliseum last Saturday.

Black flags flew over the Coliseum in the bright sunshine of the day, indicating the rock rebellion that was about to go down inside. Rage curated the entire day, from the performers (Mexico's El Gran Silencio, Immortal Technique, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Rise Against, Muse and Rage) to the many organizations participating in the "Re-Education Camp" on the grounds, to teach about the people working hard, without profit, to fight for our rights to remain a free and just country. There was a LOT going on.

I got there just in time to be amazed by Ms. Lauryn Hill. I wore her Miseducation... album OUT, so was thrilled to be seeing her live - and only one week after giving birth to her sixth child! She tore it up, and she and her band had a much heavier sound than I've ever heard recorded. She strutted about the stage in her knee-high white boots, looking hot, and stronger than ever.

"Killing Me Softly" was her opener, followed by "Everything is Everything", "The Sweetest Thing", "This Is Crazy", the Fugees fave, "Fu-Gee-La", Stevie Wonder's "Where Has My Love Gone?" ... all in firm command of the stage. You could tell she was feeling it, even if many of those down front were camped out waiting for hours for Rage, and kind of indifferent looking. "Ready Or Not" and her classic, "That Thing" closed out her set in the sun, and made me want to see a show that was just hers. Soon.

I'm sure many of the black t-shirt wearing (the dominant outfit of the day) teens there will think I'm an idiot, but I skipped watching Rise Against to go learn more about the different organizations in the Re-Education Camp working for positive change. I already knew a bunch of them, having worked with them on The Nightwatchman's Justice Tour, so it was a delight to visit them and catch up on the latest actions being taken.

As Rise Against was thundering away inside the stadium, the crowd was pretty light inside the Camp when I was there, but I was told it was busy all day. It gives you such hope to see tough looking kids in black standing there listening to someone tell them about Axis Of Justice or Jail Guitar Doors or the SEIU or the South Central Farmers or Iraq Veterans Against War or Food Not Bombs or the IWW or Amnesty International or It Gets Better or or or or ... all the "true headliners of the day", per the meaning it organizers.

There were over 40 booths to visit, all with some way to help make our world a better, more just place. It all felt especially timely with the whole Debt Ceiling deadline looming, our still being in unnecessary COSTLY (in lives and treasure) wars, rampant unemployment, and and and ... All sorts of ominous injustice everywhere that you could just go on about for days, but with organizations like these, and the eager, open ears and hearts of those in attendance at events like these ... well, there IS Hope, everyone! You could just feel it it in the air.

You could also feel crackling, electric excitement in the air, as I overheard people from all over the WORLD getting hyped up for Rage. People flew in for the show, as you hear a lot, "You never know if Rage will play again." But the crowd was heavily Los Angeleno, and they LOVE their Rage. For damn good reason. I re-connected with a bunch of friends, and though we've all seen Rage a lot, the excitement never dwindles a bit. On the contrary, it BUILDS, because we know what we're in for!

The sun set and the stadium darkened. I've never gotten into Muse really, as their anthem-y KROQ tunes always felt a little derivative to me, though exceptional in their musicianship (Oh, there's their Queen rip-off, Oh, there's the Zeppelin homage, etc ... Singer Matthew Bellamy even said at one point, "Rage is our favorite band since we were kids - we'll be playing more of their riffs later, of course") but I'll tell you what, they put on a great live show, and are much heavier than I would have previously given them credit for. Re-educated!

They played all their hits, with all the bells and whistles (lasers, morphing video graphics), and were super tight throughout. "Super Massive Black Hole" was awesome, and Bellamy would switch from crunching guitar riff to classical piano in the same song without missing a beat. Bassist/Guitarist Christopher Wolstenholme held it down with his blue lit guitar neck and drummer Dominic Howard was extra tight. A little "Back In Black" tease led into a "Star Spangled Banner" intro for the stoked crowd to their "I Want It Now" anthem. It was big. Mosh pit big.

I learned that "Undisclosed Desires" is a rad song (featuring Bellamy on the keytar) with rad lyrics. I also learned during "Could Be Wrong" that I could have been wrong about Muse. They're way more awesome than I ever knew.

"Black Holes and Revelations" was a big sing-along and "Time Is Running Out" was timely, as their set was almost over. Giant smoke plumes blasted out of the stage, big inflatable blood-shot eyeballs were released for the crowd to bounce around to each other, and Muse blazed away on the first song I ever knew of theirs, "Knights Of Cydonia". With the chorus of You and I must fight for our rights/You and I must fight to survive ... it was both the perfect lead-in to Rage, and a really good summary of the point of the entire day's event. Hey, Muse - I'm into it! Thanks.

A short breather up in the VIP (which I prefer to call Friends, as everyone is important) tent was had, and then it was time for our gang to be rounded up and escorted to the fenced in area in the midst of the floor crowd. Coming out of the tunnel and into the stadium was so HUGE feeling, there really aren't apt enough descriptors. The place was about to go OFF.

People were already screaming their heads off before anything happened, and then it went dark and one's ears may still be ringing today from the cacophony of jubilant noise that ensued. The video screens lit up with past Rage memories (naked at Lalapalooza; causing riots at the 2000 DNC; walking the WALK for 20 years!) and the screams grew even louder. Then shrill air raid sirens went off, and the black tapestry with the Rage star (book-ending the one at the other end of the Coliseum blocking off an entire section of seats) slowly rose above the stage. EVERY hand was in the air with either a fist or a camera phone.

"We're Rage Against The Machine from Los Angeles!!!" screamed Zack de la Rocha as Rage took the stage and tore right into "Testify". It was sheer pandemonium from those opening seconds to the last hand clap of the night, without one second to even try to catch your breath. There was a sound glitch at the very start and Zack's mic went out, and it felt scary for a moment, with police conspiracy, riots, power, anger all running through our heads in the long seconds before it got sorted out. And then it ruled, of course. Phew.

"Bombtrack" and its chorus of Burn, Burn, yes ya gonna burn! was damn right as a fire broke out/was set in a back of the floor mosh pit (of which there were many - in the double digits - swirling around the entire show ... now if we can just harness that energy for GOOD, we'll really get somewhere!), sending smoke high in the air and bringing emergency vehicles with lights flashing into the tunnels. It was a Holy Shit moment, for sure. (No need for beach ball eyeballs or pyrotechnics during Rage. They - or their fans - provide their own).

"People Of The Sun". "Know Your Enemy" (Timely as ever. Fight the war, fuck the norm ... What? Land of the Free? Whoever told you that is your enemy!). A pretty Morello guitar intro into an ominous, angry "Bulls On Parade" that had the whole place screaming, They rally round the family, with pockets full of shells!! and freaking out over another sick Morello solo. SICK!

"Township Rebellion". "Bullet In The Head" had everyone jumping how high. That's the thing with Rage songs ... every opening of every song makes everyone go nuts because every song is a total classic, and they all feel IMPORTANT. Because they are. It's a real education to just sit and read Zack's lyrics - do it sometime. He lays it all out, unflinchingly, not caring at all about offending or getting in trouble or having someone disagree, or whether it's marketable - just shoving the truths right down your throat with wit and laser intelligence. Then you have the tightest, heaviest band ever (Seriously. No one out there, 20 years later, can come close to the beats and rhythms created by Tom Morello, Timmy C., Brad Wilk and their instruments. No one.) to go along with Zack's wisdom - and you can see why they can fill a Coliseum. Probably 10 Coliseums.

"Down Rodeo" was massive and true. Then Zack yelled, "Let me see your fists up in the sky!" and thousands and thousands of them rose up into the L.A. night. Just in time for "Guerilla Radio", which certainly deserved them. Zack sat on the edge of the drum riser, professorially, and taught the masses that "ALL HELL CAN'T STOP US NOW!" And looking around at all the charged up faces and energy, you knew that to be the truth. People were going insane by now, and it only got crazier when Rage threw down "Calm Like A Bomb". That was intense, but they didn't let up for an eye-blink before blazing into "Sleep Now In The Fire". That double-whammy felt actually dangerous, as the intensity inside the Coliseum had grown so thick by now that you were simply forced to jump up and down as you screamed, The Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria, the noose and the rapist, the fields overseer, the agents of orange, the priests of Hiroshima, the cost of my desire, Sleep now in the fire! (Um ... still ... two days later ... only now humming it.) I could feel Tim's bass thumping in my heart, and the drum beats vibrating up through my feet into my entire body. A Rage show is a completely visceral experience. A heavy one.

"Wake Up" was incredible, and within it, Zack broke it down to address the crowd: "Brothers and Sisters, Thank you! It's a beautiful night in a beautiful city ... but there's a tension growing in the city ... Foreclosure signs stretch to the horizon ... fancy hotels being built downtown full of empty rooms while the homeless are outside ... Public education is being forced to pay for illegal wars ... (*I'm paraphrasing a bit as I was scribbling in the dark while being jostled and my notes are almost illegible, but it's roughly verbatim) ... L.A. is a city of rebellion ... In '92 People rose up ... and I hope to see you in the streets, because they belong to US!!!" And then all mayhem broke loose as they finished the jam and Zack screamed the rallying cry of "WAKE UP!!!!", finishing with the reminder that "What you reap is what you sow!"

With that, Rage left the stage and immediately the chants for more began. It was then that I turned around in a 360 to absorb the enormous scope of the whole place, filled with people, yelling for and wanting the same thing: More. But not just more from the band that we all loved. More for ourselves, more for our city, more for our country, and more for the world - all of us, as the whole that we are ... or could be. In that spinning moment, it really felt/feels possible.

But just for starters, we got more Rage. A Commie anthem rouser came on the speakers, the guys returned to the stage, Brad struck that cowbell, and it was time for "Freedom"! Anger is a gift, remember? It sure felt like it on this night anyway. But nothing in the entire day was as much of a gift as the closing number, the super epic, "Killing In The Name". As the familiar opening chords struck, a guy near me said, "Oh, NO!" and looking around, that's what it felt like. Like the entire place was going to self-combust. Now EVERYONE was moshing. EVERYONE's fists were raised. EVERYONE was together in it, going hoarse yelling "FUCK YOU, I won't do what you tell me!" so loud that you had to believe that we meant it.

And I hope we did. As the band came to the front of the stage, arms around each other, smiling, clapping back, raising their fists to the thousands raised before them, I was thrilled, yes, but also encouraged. That the energy and participation in the entire day's festival of music and information would serve its lasting purpose - to re-educate and re-invigorate the PEOPLE. Energize them to stand up and really fight the powers that be (governments, media, mean people, etc ...) and say/mean that "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" so heartily sung at this show.

Backstage after the show, as we congratulated the band on a truly All. Time. Epic. Show (!!!), I kept thinking about what it means to be not just a great band, but great people. Using the massive platform Rage has to do good in the world. To help people lacking their bigass voice, and speak/play for THEM. To be out in the streets, actively fighting for a better world. To plan an event like L.A. Rising that forces their fans (really young - I saw babies, to really old - in wheelchairs ... what other band this heavy can say that?) to pay attention to the bigger picture around them. And make it cool to get involved with changing it for the much much better. As I said at the beginning of this story ... in my book, that makes Rage Against The Machine perhaps THE Greatest Band. Ever.

Now stop reading (thank you!) and don't just Rage. Go DO something about it all.

Venice Community Garden - An Urban Oasis

2011-07-24T21:18:00.000-07:00

I had just about had it with urban problems this last month. I thought I was actually going crazy from chopper noise that one night that they hovered right over my house for four (plus) hours, just to get some Best Buy robbers (you've got to wonder what the resources wasted for HOURS cost vs. the electronics swiped. Really.). Two days later I went to the beach for some peace and quiet, only to be hovered over by choppers, for again, four hours. I was beginning to think it was me they were after, but I've been pretty good lately.

OVER it, I pedaled for home, and for some reason (likely less noise) I took another route that day. As I sped down Mildred, I burned rubber skidding to a halt, when BEHOLD, right in front of my face was the most glorious, abundant garden with a big cheerful sign reading "Venice Community Garden"! How this had gone on unknown by me (for almost a year!) I don't know, but there it was, bursting with life - and produce. I've been yearning for a simple balcony - anything! - to grow stuff on, so this was like the end of the rainbow for me to chance upon.

I got online when I got home to track down the story of the place, and a few days later, I was sitting at the sunny patio table in the middle of the VCG, talking with its founder and director, Kip Wood. I have all sorts of garden questions, and he knows what he's talking about, having completed the Master Gardening program. He and his family had a little garden at their Venice home, but builders came and put up yet another square box living complex next door to them, which took away all of their sunlight. You need sun to grow things. Talking about the need for a community garden with friends became Kip walking the streets and really looking for a space.

Kip came upon a "For Rent" sign at the Garden's current site on Mildred, then just a scrubby, overgrown plot of land that had nothing on it. He called the number and reached Donald Novack - the owner of Hal's (my last month's Beachhead subject - synchronicity!), who also owned this plot of land. As the real estate market was/is struggling, Donald agreed to rent the land to Kip and his fellow gardeners at a low cost, as a benefit to the community (and maybe some excess produce to use in the kitchen at Hal's).

Now they had a site for a Garden, but that was just the beginning. The land needed to be cleared, the soil needed to be tested, gardeners needed to be recruited, and it was on. It seems to be a charmed project, as just when anything has been needed, help has come. The LACC (Los Angeles Conservation Corps) provided land clearing equipment and labor - for free. A Construction company took away all the old dirt and refuse. Venice Youth Build kids came and did volunteer work. All systems were go, but then they found out that the soil had arsenic in it from when Mildred was an old railway line. Not good for growing edibles. 100 tons of undesirable soil was taken out, new soil was put in, and wooden beds were built to elevate the individual plots up off the ground. The word was put out, and pretty much since they've been up and growing, there has been a waiting list for the 54 plots of around 150 names (much to my dismay).

You can see why instantly. It's so completely great to just step inside the fence into this green paradise of growth. As Kip said, "Things just WANT to grow here." We are blessed with a wonderful climate for gardening, and everything just goes bezerk - including weeds, so it's a constant job to stay ahead of it all. "But it's the best kind of work", said Kip. "When I'm trimming plants, my mind is quiet, I'm relaxed, I'm grateful, you just feel good about it." At $25 a month for a plot, with so many fruits (vegetables, herbs, flowers, etc..) of your labor, you can feel good about your grocery store savings too.

While I was visiting, different gardeners came and went, checking on their crops, watering their plots, picking some FRESH produce for dinner, or even just to stop in and chat at the table. All of them were so clearly thrilled and grateful to have their plot (I get it), they were pretty much beaming as they went about their business. One guy (thanks, Ross!) shared his pineapple mint with us ... PINEAPPLE mint?! I'd never even heard of it. Kip pointed out that benefit to gardening as well, that stores can only carry so many varieties of things, but one look at a seed catalog and it's a whole new gigantic world of possibilities. PAGES of crazy potatoes alone.

The Venice Community Garden really is about Community too. There are fruit trees and herb pots planted for all to share. They have lectures, classes, art, dinners, "Crop Swaps", a Squash Hunt for the kids at Easter time ... all kinds of fun, educational stuff is always going on. We started talking about how everyone's lives would be so much better if we could switch to a barter/trade system vs. capitalist b.s. ... but that's a longer conversation for another day. One lady that was watering her plot while I was there said she was away for a month and had her co-gardening friend send her weekly photos of the plot, as she missed it so. Again, I get it.

I didn't want to just sit and chat with Kip as his time in the garden was limited, so we talked while I helped him fill up the compost bin things (and learned about them), which goes right back to fertilizing the garden. I got a good old fashioned splinter, and immediately was transported in my mind back to youthful days of helping my Grandma Olson in her majestic garden when I would visit her. Gardening not only made her the tannest Norwegian you'd ever encounter, but made her beloved and kind of famous in LaCrosse, Wisconsin for how very green her thumbs were. I was telling Kip about her, and he stopped me and asked, "Would you say she was happy?" My eyes well up at just the memory of my answer, "Yes. One of the happiest people I've ever known, until her very last day." Kip just nodded, and his point was made.

As my day was made. I went home with a bunch of freshly picked beans (from Kip and His Giant Beanstalk), two kinds of mint, and a wish that I'd brought something to carry more home in. But more than that, I went home inspired, impressed, and grateful that Venice has these pockets of magic that make you (almost) forget all about police choppers and such b.s. There was a tangible love of the space, a shared love that when you stop and think about it, should really apply to our Community as a whole. So let's knock off the robbing, the police chasing, the bike stealing, the hating of any ilk, and put those wasted efforts toward things that will grow, thrive, and make us all the better for it.

Thanks.

And if you have or know of any open spaces in Venice that could be donated for a while or forever, that would help the Venice Community Garden expand (or relocate if need be one day). Then I could have a plot and grow things and make you a delicious pie or something in gratitude. Please contact Kip Wood at KipWood23@gmail.com if that sounds good to you.

ART-ichoke

2011-07-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

There are times when Venice feels very small town ... and I love them. Waves to your neighbors as you zoom by on your bike. Friends leaving fun things on your doorstep. Shop keepers knowing you'd like something and putting it aside for you. Cool favors without being asked. You know what I mean. My around the corner neighbors went away for the Summer (I miss them!), and their lovely garden is going bonkers with no one to tend to it. Check these artichokes gone to neon purple flower:

The natural world is my favorite artist, that's it. What profound use of color, and profoundly intricate sculpting! I stopped in my tracks - what the very best art provokes, no?

The other sacred morning I was on my way to the sand and sea in the SUN of Summer 2011 so far (!) and I skidded to a halt to bump hands with one of my favorite Rastas at the beach. We both happily tripped on the fact that we've already had waaaaay more of a Summer than all of last year (which didn't exist at all in Venice), and he said, eruditely, "Mother Nature is smiling at you ... Smile back!"

And that's all I did the rest of that day.

Yes I.

The Leftover Cuties Charm Up The Casa Del Mar

2011-07-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

A couple years back I was waiting in a long line at Christmas time at LAX to head home for the holidays. In front of me was a cute couple lugging their stuff along the line. After some time passed, the guy took out a ukulele and started strumming it cheerfully. Now, I have a weakness for the ukulele ever since I had a stint living on the Big Island of Hawai'i in Hilo back in the 20th Century (that remains fun to say). So you can imagine my delight in a dragass airport line to have the charming plinks of the little instrument perk up both my ears and spirits in one second. I introduced myself to them and it turned out the guy plays in a band called Leftover Cuties, whom I had almost just seen (longer story) right before this trip. Random funny life! The whole line was happier as a result of this ukulele and fun couple, Austin and Kate.

So then we were immediately friends for life (they were going to Minnesota too, and that's how we are), and I for sure went to see the band right after the new year, as they are Venice people too! Synchronicity. Again. Great times, every time, these Leftover Cuties bring.

So it was last weekend, that when I did not get my brooding self into the Wiltern (poor planning I'll rue all my days) to see Eddie Vedder play in support of Ukulele Songs (my Summer 2011 Soundtrack favorite thus far), I decided to grab a gang and go hear the ukulele anyway, played with the darling Leftover Cuties just up the bike path at Casa Del Mar.

We pedaled along to a gorgeous sunset, locked up the bikes, and walked through the front doors of the swank Casa Del Mar, directly into another, more carefree, era.

As luck would have it, the Cuties were set up by the big fireplace in the timelessly gorgeous hotel lounge, and many patrons were still over looking out the beach side windows at the sunset, so we were able to snag a big leather couch right by the piano - with waitress service. Drinks were ordered, the band returned for their second set, and we settled in for the sounds of lush tunes with a slew of instruments, featuring our small friend, the uke. It all felt extra-civilized, and I felt my freak out stress level of the day shrink by the nano-second.

Shirli McAllen is the sultry lead vocalist of the Cuties, and her striking throwback looks and Billie Holiday-like voice (and I would never say that lightly) in front of that old school microphone make you sit up and listen from the start. She is backed up by Austin Nicholsen (my airport friend) on that ukulele and vocals; Mike Bolger transporting you back in time on horns (muted trumpet stand up solo at the piano rules), piano and accordion; Ryan Feves on upright bass; and normally Stuart Johnson on drums, but he's off touring with Tim Robbins right now.

The Leftover Cuties have a sublime new album out, Places To Go, and played a good mix of their own tunes from that, as well as golden oldie standards (plus a Lady Gaga "Pokerface" cover to boot!), so that anyone in the very diverse tourist/local/foreign/young/old/casual beach/dressy hotel crowd would have something to snap their fingers along too.

From their own "Sometimes", "Everything I Got", and my personal favorite "Sunnyside" (so cheerful you are simply forced to get a spring in your step), to classics like "At Last", "Georgia On My Mind", and "All Of Me", they all blended together so well that the untrained ear would think they were all standards, so well written and executed are their originals. You can't say that very often these days, I tell you. One older gentleman was doing an abstract hula at the edge of the crowd, so into it and feeling fine was he. It was a treat to watch someone be so free, especially in a posh hotel scene. He inspired others too, as at one point (old time-y version of "Pokerface") the entire see/be seen audience was clapping along. In a hotel bar in L.A.! So excellent.

It got torch song dark for a moment when they did a DARK version of "You Are My Sunshine", during which I whispered to my friend, "DARK You Are My Sunshine? That's punk rock." That one featured the muted trumpet solo by Mr. Bolger, as well as a turn on the Freedom (ok, French) Horn. I noticed they had a bunch of fans that really sang along, and learned that the Cuties have their song "Game Of Life" featured as the theme song to the Showtime show, The Big C. During a break an older woman gushed up to Austin to tell him that that was HER jam, and she just loved them, and what a great song, and on and on and awesome.

That's the feelings they invoke when they play though, and how great is that? I glanced around the room at one point and absolutely everyone in the place was just smiling and toe-tapping along - at least. So it was perfectly apt for them to close that set with the almost over the top happy dance-along "When You're Smiling". This one girl was up and dancing so profusely in front of her refusing to budge boyfriend that you had to laugh. But once she stopped trying to get him to join her, she let go and danced freely, just like the gray haired guy across the room. Everyone watching and listening smiled with her, sharing the same sense of fun and "Man, what a good time" as we all applauded together at song's end. At least that was my groove on it, and I started out the night feeling aggro, remember, so I'm a pretty good barometer.

Trust me on this, if you for sure want to charm the socks off anyone at all ... date, out of town friend visiting, Grandma ... take them (preferably by bike) to see The Leftover Cuties Friday nights at Casa del Mar. With the Santa Monica Pier flashing right outside, waves crashing, it's all just great. You will give them a truly gorgeous memory, whoever they are. But see them whenever they play, because it's always a genuine delight.

Now the last splashes of color in the sky had given up their spotlight to the Leftover Cuties, and the room had heavily tilted back over to the fireplace side. We went and said our hellos, got our new cd's, and headed back out into the indigo night air to cycle our way back down the path.

Different Era. Same Moon. All Good.

*pics courtesy Jennifer Everhart.

Waste Land - A Movie Night You Won't Soon Forget

2011-07-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I still use Netflix, and I'm glad I do because of the little section called "Local Favorites for Venice, California". My fellow Venetians never let me down, and one I saw there that somehow escaped me when it was in theaters was the stupendous documentary, Waste Land. I actually don't even really want you to finish reading this, just go watch it right now.

Or read a little more, up to you. It's a story (directed movingly by Lucy Walker) about how Brazilian born fine artist, Vik Muniz, (what a cool guy) decides to do a new project about the Catadores (garbage pickers) of the biggest landfill (Jardin Gramacho) in the world, just outside Rio de Janeiro. Having previously found success with a series of portraits of sugar workers' children in St. Kitts (done in sugar), he wanted to do another social justice project in his own homeland.

He travels to the landfill and meets a series of characters among the catadores who he (and we) gets to know and care about as he chooses the people he is going to do portraits of - out of the very garbage they are picking through. Jardin Gramacho is the sketchiest place alive, it seems, with filth for miles and miles. It is not uncommon for the workers to come across horror shows like dead babies among the trash, while they are looking for the recyclable materials that earn them their livings among the mountains of debris. It is an atrocious life, and makes you instantly beyond grateful for ANY work you're doing ... and yet somehow they can all smile, have fun, and make the best of it, every day, for years.

I cried the entire way through, from the sheer volume of disgusting waste (both garbage and lives) that we humans toss away without a care, to the hard HARD existences these dear people toil away through. The PRIDE they have in their work! Recycling - helping the future of our world! - to the sheer triumphant joy of these subjects seeing themselves in a new - and unbelievably beautiful - light. That they MATTER. That they not only posed, but placed the garbage along the lines of their faces themselves. That there is something else, an entire other world/s out there for them beyond the favelas, to dream about, to strive for, and to celebrate.

Life is so precious, and so luck of the draw, man. Like any one of us could have been born into a drastically different scenario, and that's that, for life. Or is it? I took so much away from this magnificent documentary, (and I've been talking about it non-stop, my friends can attest) but above all the different sociological aspects of it all that we could yammer on for days about, was just an overwhelming feeling of intense and sincere gratitude. Which we can all use more of, every single minute of our lucky lives.

Please watch Waste Land ... but better yet, FEEL it.

World's Record Weekend!

2011-06-27T22:54:00.000-07:00

Phew. That was a humdinger of a weekend in Venice, to be sure.

Friday night: We head over to the Cinema Bar to catch the Matt Ellis/Paul Chesne Band gig. On the way, we sit through about a zillion red lights as the biggest bike brigade I've ever seen cruised by, accompanied on all sides by police escorts in cars, on bikes, and motorcycles. TONS of kids, all ringing their bells as we honked to cheer them along. I'm not positive, but we felt like it might have something to do with the two young Venice high kids that were shot in Penmar Park last week. We all had chills, even if it was just for fun. They were also showing Grease that night for the 100th Anniversary celebration of Venice High - on the same football field where it was shot. But we had jams to hear.

Matt Ellis, his wife, Vavine, and their band tore up the Cinema with their Aussie style Americana. It was such a treat to be out with this whole gang, and so the whiskey flowed.

Right into Paul Chesne's torrid set that featured a slew of songs of their excellent new record, PCB. A highlight for me was dancing around to Paul's breakdown of Prince's "Gett Off". Classic.

When the hangover finally wore off on Saturday, it was time for the last annual (at least in Venice - for now) - dangit - Conway Family Crawfish Boil/Going Away to move to Austin party. I can't even really talk about it yet, as I'll get emotional, but suffice it to say that we threw it down again, and sent off David, Christina, Amelia and Truman with a LOT of Venice love. Happy Trails, my darling Friends.

Sunday awoke - groggily - to the thunder roar of skateboard wheels coming down my street as Venice broke the Guiness Book of World's Records for the most Skateboarders in a parade together! Paper work is still being filed, I guess, but I'm told it was over 400 strong!

It was super cool to see skaters of all shapes, sizes, ages, genders, fitness levels, etc .. coming together to celebrate 100 years of Venice High - and show off skateboarding in the place where it really makes the most sense of all.

There was even a Gondolier skater (ok, Scooter-er)!

WOOOO's filled the air as the boards sailed down Venice Boulevard towards a place in the record books, on the most sunny gorgeous Venice day in June imaginable. As any good parade has, this one featured a few different marching bands ... and as they always do, they jammed some "YMCA" as they passed by. It was awesome.

Awesome.

Hal's Bar & Grill - A Venice Institution

2011-06-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

I've spent a lot of time at Hal's over the years ... and so has everyone else who has spent any decent amount of time in Venice. I remember when it was pretty much the only place to go on Abbot Kinney - and it being kind of scary to get to. Well, those times have clearly changed, but Hal's hasn't. It's still the go to place for good food, good people, stiff drinks and a nice dose of Venice history.

I sat down recently to hear all about it with the holy trinity of Hal's: Donald & Linda Novack, the owners and heads of the Hal's family (and together 40 years!) , and Hal Frederick, their partner, the namesake and host of all the good times. With Hal's going on 25 years old this year, you can imagine the abundance of stories that have gone down within those walls.

Hal's used to be a restaurant called The Merchant of Venice, an eatery/antique store where you could buy the chair you were sitting down to eat on. Donald (an ex-New Yorker) and Linda (born and raised in LA, her Mom went to Venice High) were/are in the real estate biz, and had The Merchant of Venice as a listing. That turned into a fraction of ownership, which became full ownership when the original guy shirked his bills and left Donald on the hook for a big chunk of money. Donald and Linda knew nothing about the restaurant business at the time, but had no choice but to make it work. And so they have. They recruited Hal from the old West Beach Cafe, and he has been welcoming Venice and Friends ever since. The place works because of the three of them, all playing different and crucial roles.

From the first week of business when Linda had to step over a dead body to get in the door, to last week when Sean Penn was having lunch unassumingly, obviously a lot has changed over the years. What hasn't changed is the sense of community, and the warm feeling of neighborhood whenever you walk in the door. Hal lived above the LA Louver gallery back in the day, and got a good art education as a result, as well as long-lasting friendships with the local artists who can now be seen in museums all over the world - and right there in Hal's. A big Ed Moses on the west wall. Joni Mitchell. Larry Bell. Judy Stabile. Laddie John Dill. Many more, ever changing. And they all like to hang out there, all the time.

Part of the reason that it feels so homey is that the faces stay the same. Hal's has employees who stay. They are part of the family, and it shows. One guy was 19 when he started in the kitchen, and is now a grandfather. Francisco Morales worked at Hal's for years, and is now their partner in Casa Linda, two doors down. Manuel Mares is the Executive Chef, who began in 1989, serving up his delicious seasonal menus (best asparagus soup I've ever had the other day!) year in and year out. When I asked Mr. Mares what has kept him there so long, he simply smiled and said, "Them", looking fondly at Don and Linda. With everyone working so long together, what you get is consistency, something that is all too rare in restaurants these days. Which is why good old Hal's is such a mainstay in Venice.

So much so that they can tell tales about a couple that met at the bar, got married there, had their anniversaries there, and recently had their son's 21st birthday party there. Or the woman whose water broke in Hal's, and then had that child's Sweet 16 there. And the Grandma who had her last 20 birthday parties there. Graduations, Memorials, Rehearsal dinners, Croquet Tournament rain-outs, Good times all. Generations of memories have been created here, all adding to the family feeling that only grows deeper through the years.

A big reason for that is that everyone is welcome, and everyone feels comfortable. Never mind your ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, celebrity status, outfit ... you will blend in, and you will enjoy yourself. Hal sees to that ... a bon vivant, raconteur, stylish gent, he arrives to non-stop greetings four nights a week, especially the world class jazz nights he started on Sunday and Mondays. This is a guy with good stories - like the time he was Maya Angelou's date for President Clinton's Inaugural Ball. And the time his childhood friend, Gregory Hines, showed up with Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., The Nicholas Brothers, and friends, and everyone danced around Hal's. And those were just the ones off the top of his head - there are 25 years worth of tales to tell!

"Venice has something ... it's got stuff. Good stuff." So said Donald about our community, speaking about the creativity and diversity that make up this part of the world. "If you get it, you get it, if you don't, you don't", is how Don put it, and he's right. The hippies, the fashionistas, the homeless, the travelers with guide books, all the people walking the street (walking in L.A.!!), enjoying the beach air, everyone makes up the whole. And the ones who stay and contribute to the town, are the ones who get it.

Like the Hal's family. They contribute to the Art Walk, the Garden Tour, local schools and churches, SPARC, they're trying to help out the Vera Davis Center now ... they are INVOLVED. Which speaks to why they've lasted so long in a business that as Linda said, they knew "Zero" about at the beginning. They care, so we care. They want us to do well, so we want them to do well. It's a really good model for life in general, and one that we would all do well to emulate.

Hal came from New York to Venice ("the best temperate weather in the world") because he was an actor, on stage and screen. When I asked him if he missed that life, he smiled and said, "No. There's a curtain up here every night."

Hal's family ... take your bows! Bravo, and may there be encore upon encore for years to come.

Hal's Bar & Grill
1349 Abbot Kinney
Venice, 90291
310.392.3105

*Photo (top) of Hal, Linda and Donald by their best customer, Alan Shaffer (in front of painting of Hal by Mykel Alatza)

Happiness Rocks

2011-06-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

So many magical things happen, so often, that I bet some people think I might make stuff up sometimes. First, I don't. Second, you don't have to. Third, I usually have witnesses. Like today.

Beach walking with Jenny this morning, each charging ahead in our own reveries, up ahead I see the ethereal vision in white emerging from the gloom, walking towards us, caught up in her own thoughts ... Unitia. Unitia is so special that I hesitate to even bring her up in a public forum, as she has appeared to me at such flooring personal revelation times on the beach, that I feel almost sacred about it. She pops up right in my path right when I'm thinking my deepest possible things, and will come up with such righteously right on pearls of wisdom as "Gratitude is Glory!" right when I'm thinking along those lines. Or today, "We already have everything we need" right when I'd been thinking that no matter what circumstances are, I was thrilled to be doing exactly what I was doing in that moment. Deep.

So, just yards after we hugged and departed from the Guru, Unitia, Jenny lets out a yelp and bends down to pick something up. A smooth stone with "Happiness" written on it in purple pen. Happiness! As if to confirm what we'd all just been talking about, with multi-exclamation points. I was all happy (Happiness!) for her to have seen such a thing among all the zillions of tiny shells today ... and then a few yards later, I see another little rock that appears to have writing on it! ANOTHER Happiness rock, among the humongous beach! Double Happiness!

Crrrrazy.

As we turned around and walked the other direction, towards the sunshine starting to burn through the marine layer, I shook my head, laughing and said to Jenny, "Happiness rocks."

And that is the lesson for today. Happiness indeed rocks. Make yourself some.

*Photo by Jenny Everhart. Rocks sent by The Universe. And yeah, I'm a big hippie.

King Neptune Declares it SUMMER 2011 In Venice!

2011-06-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer Solstice, Everyone! Ahhh, Summer, my favorite Season of them all ... and we actually got a little jump on it here in Venice, with the 1st (this Century) Neptune Parade and Festival on June 18th. The Neptune fun was bringing back the Venice tradition, that even instigator Danny Samakow (of Danny's Deli fame) was unsure of exactly when it began in the last century, but we're guessing around the 1920's.

King Neptune (played to the hilt this time by local actor and buff dude, David Frison), his Queen (Jessica, the Sugar Shack chanteuse) and his royal Mer-Court (Danny, James, Edizen, Poseidon Stand-Up Paddlers, Hula Hoopers, etc ...) would emerge from the crystal blue Pacific (NO June Gloom for the occasion!) to lead a parade across the sand and declare it officially SUMMER in Venice on land.

I went to the Breakwater at the given time (2:45) and saw no King Neptune, just a bunch of tourists, tanning and looking for shells. I thought I may have missed the whole deal, so headed back towards Danny's ... only to see the entire royal court emerging from the bar all riled up, blowing noise-makers, chanting and tossing out leis and Mardi Gras style beads. (I later learned the delay was due to Jameson shots. So I totally approve.) I had my friend, Amy, down from Hollywood, so this was the perfect thing to have her go back and report on Venice. I love this place.

Here's a perfect example of why - the sheer delight on each face that we passed, a complete surprise, most just wondering what the heck was going on at first (as is often the case here), and all just loving it every second.

We traipsed across the sand, with the procession led by a "Venice" sign hanging from two sticks carried by Mer-Pages. We blew our horns, someone banged a drum, everyone we encountered got a necklace, and then Neptune - with great fanfare - made his proclamation that it was now officially Summer 2011! It was kind of exciting, if I'm honest. As I mentioned before, I love Summer. A lot.

"Hail The King! Hail Venice! Hail Summer! Hail Yes!!!"

So went the refrain everyone yelled as we headed back to the Boardwalk, led by the King & Queen under the Venice sign that by now had a chunk out of the "N", but no one minded. The procession was slow-going, since by now everyone visiting Venice Beach this day that had a camera was stopping their Highnesses to get a photo with them. Again, no one minded. Just more time to yell, feel the fun, and laugh at the sunbathing topless girls with headphones on being startled by beads landing on them as this crazy band of Venetians passed by.

Once on the Boardwalk, the throngs left the other acts going on around to come see what all this Neptune commotion was about. There the King again declared it Summer for the landlubbers who did not catch it at wave's edge. It was just quintessential Venice, through and through.

About that - I spoke to Danny afterward, as he collapsed into the relative calm (though a still-chanting Court kept it lively) of his restaurant saying, "I feel like I just left a Fellini film!" Indeed, it had that tang. It was a great piece of guerilla theater, the surprise of it all being a big part of the charm. Danny is a great keeper of the Venice flame, and summed up his and his friends' feelings that bringing back some of the old time-y fun of Venice "keeps it true to the roots, while bringing it forward". As he said, "We want to stimulate the neighborhood to believe in itself." What a great sentiment for anyplace in the whole world to embrace!

These kind of jamborees do two things big and importantly - they support local artists (again, our roots. Er, along with gangs, of course. Respect.) and it builds tourist trade (which then circles back to support local artists again. Awesome).

The Venice parade participants were a little sparse this first time, but their roar was mighty, and the seeds were planted, for sure. May they ever grow!!!

Hail The King! Hail Venice!! Hail Summer!!!

HAIL YES!!!!

Venice Whole Foods is REAL.

2011-06-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

This is the funniest thing I saw all week, shot in our own Venice Whole Foods:

Just doing my part to get my Venice people even more viral, as the kids say. I love it that we can all laugh at ourselves together, which is the charm of this thing. And I love that he gives up some Clipper love.

Well done, DJ Dave!

Leonard Cohen in Venice. WHAT?!

2011-06-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

There is nothing I will be ever be able to write cooler than this, now, but maybe ever. If you know me, you know I love Leonard Cohen. LOVE Leonard Cohen. So imagine my damn struck dumb surprise when I was physically reading his stunningly gorgeous book of poetry and line drawings, Book Of Longing - super random, but the thing is so beautiful and meaningful to me that I get chills thinking back upon it now - and WHILST reading it, in walks Mr. Leonard Cohen to my physical human space. I felt light-headedly strange (in a good Doors kind of strange), but in an unexpectedly shakily, floored kind of way. I said to the living persona of artistic heights standing in front of me, on little Abbot Kinney Boulevard, "Mr. Cohen, This is crazy but look what I'm reading!" (And I struggled with bothering him even with that - not at ALL my style, but I had to, ala Kris Kristofferson life moments) "I think I conjured you up!". He looked me dead in the eye and said, "You did." And then proceeded to sign my book - without me asking - in the same lettering that features in the treasure of a book.

All I can say, All I can know, is that life is crazy, and deeply meaningful, and beyond what we let ourselves imagine. But than we do. And it happens.

Imagine if we could harness that for the good of the whole. I do. All the time.

In Venice, or wherever you are, let yourself believe in dreams coming true. All the time.

*Photo of my special treasure book by Jennifer Everhart

GTA (Gjelina Take Away) Is Open - and Awesome

2011-06-08T15:20:00.001-07:00

GTA, the new breakfast and lunch spot from our pals at Gjelina, is now open for business, right next door to G-Dogs, as we call it. (I don't really know why, we just do.) It was slow to open, and I'd walk by all the time, bug Travis (Lett, Gjelina's chef, great guy and neighbor) about it, and now our patience has been amply rewarded.

EVERY morsel I have consumed from this rustic and classy at the same time counter is pretty much eyes roll back in your dang head delicious. The blueberry brown sugar scone - ummm, wow. I've never been much of a scone gal, as I find them dry and boring, but now I could scone it up on a daily basis. That's because there's a bunch of different - and all jamming - flavors. Bacon & Date. Berry and Ricotta. Oatmeal and something. Awesome and awsome. Those, plus delish coffee cake, fresh strawberry turnovers - if you get there early and lucky enough, egg sandwiches, biscuits, cookies, tra la la! Gorgeous coffees (cortado dulce, please!) too, but they don't yet have take away cups, so you have to stand there and slam it, which I can't always do. That all goes on until 11:30, and then they switch to lunch.

Lunch. MMMM sandwiches - I've had the roast turkey and roast beef, (because I'm not at all afraid of meat) and both are what your Mom might make, if you have a good cooking Mom. The bread is made right there in their fiery ovens, with gorgeous "ears" sticking up - a term Travis taught me, those ridges that rise up on artisan breads. The same right-on pizzas that they kill you with next door. Limeade that tastes just like Summer. I'm so happy somewhere this good is only a stone's throw from home, and I already know pretty much everyone that works there. THAT is a neighborhood joint, never mind the hype.

Speaking of hype ... a little editorial here ... Much has been made of Gjelina and its no substitutions* policy of late. I completely admire Travis and Co. for sticking to their guns and making the policy apply to everyone, across the board. It's about time someone went a little Pinko in an LA restaurant! If some random "Don't you know who I am?!" outraged celeb can't handle their demands being denied for once, order something else. Go someplace else. Grow up!

Early on I wrote a story about Travis and Gjelina, with the title, "Gjelina's Food Artist", and that's what he is. Just taste his stuff and try and debate it. You wouldn't say to a painter, "Hey, I'd rather have you use red here than blue". Or tell a musician what chord to play and when. Why is it any different for a guy who chooses to express himself through food? It isn't. And if you can't handle that, just don't go there. Then another table will open up for someone with an open mind, and you can get your ass kissed in West Hollywood or wherever. Everybody wins.

I'm already looking forward to tomorrow's scone, and some friendly chit chat with my brothers and sisters at my new favorite hang in the 'hood. Venice style.

* For the record, at GTA you MAY have omissions (I don't care for the kale on the egg sandwich and I hate mustard, so bonus!) but you may not have additions. So there.

GTA
1427 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice

Venice Cultural Corridor Happenings

2011-06-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

We zoomed up and down the "Cultural Corridor"(which I so dubbed it because of the art galleries, Pacific Resident Theater, Beyond Baroque, SPARC, etc, of the main artery) of Venice Boulevard last night to catch art works that ranged the gamut from hippie to posh and back to hippie again.

Beyond Baroque & Gerry Fialka hosted the re-lighting of the neon 7 Dudley sign (and the continuance of 7 Dudley Cinema) that used to hang in our dearly departed Sponto's Gallery. When my gang arrived via bike, bells a-dinging, it was to join the crowd gathered out front of Beyond Baroque singing, "This Land Is Your Land" together. Then at 4 minutes and 20 seconds after 7:00 pm, after the now-obligatory chant yelled at any Sponto Memorial of "SPONTO, GET ME HIGH!!!", the old red light was re-lit to much applause and happy shouting. I felt a little choked up from missing all the good times back at Sponto's Gallery, but then one of his friends, Shirley, approached carrying, well, Sponto. His ashes. So he was kinda there after all. Oh, Venice ... how we love you.

Then it was off to the other end of Venice Blvd, to the LA Louver to catch the latest opening, Tom Wudl's "immensities and infinities: further specimens from the flowerbank world". It explores the "Avatamasaka Sutra/Flower Ornament Sutra", and they were lovely in their detail. It was all pretty cool, with a lot of familiar local faces in attendance.

Upstairs were sculptures, works on paper and a new painting in the Wormwood series of works by Enrique Martinez Celaya. Again, pretty cool ... just nothing that moved me to my core to want to gush over.

The best piece of the whole evening was saved for last ... I mean, check out this sunset! It was more special than normal ... it was more golden and just bigger somehow. It felt good just to be alive and able to look at it, with scores of like-minded folks outside celebrating the approach of official Summer (though it was CHILLY!), love, and being right where you want to be.

I get these little Notes From The Universe messages that are always so right on, and while thinking about all the art and hijinks of the day, this one came in, and reiterated what I was feeling ... about everything:

Have your preferences. Go where you're drawn. And dwell upon all that is good.

X Marks THE Spot.

2011-05-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day ... though the holiday stirs a lot of feelings in my head that aren't exactly happy, but I'm too mellow for that today ... because look at the sky above:

Sky Writers (!) telling you straight out that you are exactly where you should be, nay, are BLESSED to be, and to suck up the moment as much as you possibly can. Literally, do it. Suck in the air down at the beach! It's so fresh and inspiring, and if you do a 360 spin, you literally see everyone smiling. As they have for centuries ... Families setting up camp, kids running back and forth into the water's edge, squealing like nowhere else. Everyone automatically chilling on out.

I'm out the door to re-join them all now, but just wanted to affirm how lucky we are, how FREE we remain. That is what we should be celebrating today, and those that have fought to make that possible ... even if it is in a Fight The Power t-shirt at the BBQ.

*Pic by Jen E.

Tom Everhart's "Crashing The Party" Opening - Venice Goes To NYC!

2011-05-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

A whole bunch of Venetians (20+!) took the show on the road and made the trip way, waaaaay past Lincoln last weekend, for the opening of our dear friend, artist Tom Everhart's opening of new works at the Animazing Gallery in Soho, NYC. All of us took that city by storm, and it was made even better by the fact that we were all together, a merry band of beach bohemians in the big city. It was awesome.

Crashing The Party - The Arty-Fact Paintings was the reason and centerpiece of the trip, and it was the best (and at 95 works, the biggest ever) Everhart show I've ever attended, and I've been to a lot. I'm sure a lot had to do with the splendid company, but it also had a lot to do with seeing the overwhelming appreciation for an artist whose work I have the delight and pleasure of seeing on an almost daily basis here in Venice, in a packed house of super-fans of his work (so much so that I believe it might be sold out).

I also have the distinct privilege of insightful conversation about art with Tom, all the time. I'm a much smarter and more appreciative connoisseur of art due to the years of rapping about it, arguing about it, and loving it with Tom and his darling wife, Jennifer (one of my main BFF's).

People (journalists, art critics, the general population) often mistake Tom's art for being "Inspired by Charles Schulz's Peanuts" gang of characters, when in reality, and I'll quote Tom here, after a conversation we had post-show, "It's more accurate to say that my work is a visual language I learned from Schulz that allowed me to produce work in a new way of seeing events, moments, experiences, inspired by my own life." Meaning, through his deep and enduring friendship with Mr. Schulz (who he calls "Sparky") until his death in 2000, Tom came to see life through that lens, and just happened to be able to exactly replicate the lines in Schulz's work, which no one else had been able to do, and why Schulz respected Tom's work enough to allow him exclusive license to utilize his characters in Tom's fine art pieces.

So you might be seeing Snoopy jumping off a cliff, but Tom saw it as Jenny launching herself into the waters of their beloved part-time home of Tahiti. Or our old friend Sponto as Pig Pen. Or me as a lei-wearing beach Snoopy. Or Charlie Brown as a big-headed kid in the neighborhood (just kidding). Or even a mass grouping of Snoopys, with a dose of social commentary about over-population in there for good measure.

From the Press Release for the show:

"Everhart attempts to create a dialog among the paintings that addresses his concern about over-population and the strain it has put on world resources while juxtaposing this against the isolated, open, tropical areas that seem to live in harmony with nature. On a more personal level, Crashing the Party is Everhart's way of expressing how he feels about the artistic path he has chosen. Putting aside a classical education, Everhart brazenly carved out a successful career in the fine art world with his paintbrush and sheer audacity. His choice to focus an entire career on the subject matter of a single cartoon is considered scandalous within various circles of his own art community, but inevitably, this superficial viewpoint disintegrates when the sophistication of the work exposes itself."

You get it now. And most likely love it, as the masses squishing into the Animazing Gallery certainly did. I've never seen anyone with a more constant and inspiring work ethic than Tom, and it was such a joy to see it celebrated like it was in New York last weekend.

Venice was represented by the Everharts, of course, but by local shop owners (Bunny & Sandor with Leaf), restaurant owners (Mercedes), Men about town (Alan Shaffer - missing the Venice Art Walk for the first time in all its years! - Destin, Taylor, Chris, Kwaku), dear friends (Mara & Henri, Darcy, Marischa & Ricardo, Paulyn, Me), Catherine and Tom from local biz, Don Francis Framing (who did all the lovely frames for Tom's pieces), Former Venetian/Now New Yorker (Sarah), (I'm forgetting some, I know it) and the show was even installed (awesomely) by Dave and Paul, of our own local Art Gallery Services, who drove the art across country straight from Abbot Kinney. Plus all the friends from all over the world, new and old.

Jessica Simpson and her fiance, Eric Johnson, good friends of the Everharts, had the paparazzi and Access Hollywood in the house too, so the whole country got to see how our Venice art world rolls.

And how we roll is FUN. Gang dinners on the town. The Met to see the do not miss Alexander McQueen show Savage Beauty. Pre/Post Parties at The Crosby Hotel. Running all over, as there was a lot to fit in a fast weekend. All that fun and there was only one police incident, but as our local perp said, "Yeah, but it was a mellow cuffing" - perhaps the quote of the weekend.

It's a great thing when people will travel far and wide to see art. It's even better when it's about friendship. How very Venice ... Art. Crime. Friendship!

If you're in New York, Crashing the Party - The Arty-Fact Paintings is open to the public at The Animazing Gallery until June 26th, 2011. If you're in Venice, look for the tall, blond guy in paint splattered shorts riding his bike around, and shake his hand for a job greatly done. And a fun, friend-filled life being lived, in true Venice style.

The Animazing Gallery
54 Greene Street
New York, NY 10013
www.animazing.com

*Photos by Kwaku Alston, Alan Shaffer and Me.

Barbara Kruger at L & M Arts

2011-05-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

The new exhibition at L&M Arts just opened last weekend, and Barbara Kruger is speaking her mind, that's for sure. Los Angeles native and part-time resident, Kruger, has wrapped the entire West Gallery in her thoughts and ideas about money, power, and desire ... aka a lot of what makes this town tick. It clearly shows you the simple power of words. As you immerse yourself in the huge statements, they take over your mind, force you to think, and when you exit the room, it's with a bit more edge and truth in your step.

The very best thing is that I've been swamped lately and L&M is so close that I was jamming to get laundry done and calls/emails placed before leaving town, and in that lull between wash and dry cycles, I thought, "I'll run down and check out the new show at L&M". I love it. And as it turns out, I needed it.

To step outside of yourself as often as you can is crucial to knowing yourself back inside. Just stopping what you're doing for a few moments and absorbing the ideas that are both someone else's and universally applicable at the same time, is jarring sure, but also real necessary sometimes.

That was taken even further in the dark confines of the East Gallery that is showing Kruger's video installation The Globe Shrinks, 2010. As her press release states, "This work continues Kruger's engagement with the kindness and brutality of the everyday, the collision of declaration and doubt, the duet of pictures and words, the resonance of direct address, and the unspoken in every conversation." Which really means that some guys tell bad jokes, a woman's face on one side is blown by an old GE fan on the other, religious rituals of all kinds surround you on all four walls, words flash by ("Life is too short for cruelty. Too short. Finally, alone in the dark. Close your eyes."), and an unseen narrator says things like "You're thinking about everything you want and don't have. I've got you where I want you. In the dark." True enough.

It was a bit surreal to have stopped everything and ran off quickly to sit in the dark and think about existential ideas, while hearing the traffic of Venice Boulevard zoom by outside, as people of our city sped around trying to get the things they want and don't yet have.

As I stepped back out into the glaring sunlight, squinting and already thinking about what I had to do next ... I did find myself slowing my step, and stopping to quite literally smell the roses (white ones) on my way back to real life. Thank you, Art!!

Barbara Kruger
L&M Arts
660 Venice Boulevard
Venice

Now through July 9, 2011

Union Town! Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman's New Ep For The Workers

2011-05-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

Few people inspire me in such a profound way as my good friend, The Nightwatchman - the alter ego of guitar hero, Tom Morello. That's not because he's a big rock star or even that he does rip that guitar apart every time he picks one up, but because he speaks his mind exactly, never minding if it rankles the G.P. (general population) or has fans that want him to shut up about social justice and just shred. In a time when so much music and its attendant celebrity is up its own ass, pointless, platform-wasting, and so empty it echoes ... He's here to make a difference.

I've stood beside him many times in complete solidarity, and can tell you from experience that the guy is beyond 100% authentic, in both talent and conviction. His brand new EP, Union Town, (available now here) illustrates that absolute fact better than anything he's done yet, especially as ALL proceeds will go toward the fight for the rights of Union workers across the country. ALL proceeds.

The album of Pro-Union, Pro-Labor, Pro-Working Class songs was recorded in four days right after Tom (a card-carrying Union member himself) returned from the massive rallies and Capitol sit-ins in opposition to Governor Scott Walker's (BOO! HISS!) attack on worker's rights in Madison, Wisconsin this past February. He and his Freedom Fighter Orchestra (Wayne Kramer, Dave Gibbs, Carl Restivo, Chris Joyner and Anne Preven) play the 8 songs of originals and classics with such gusto, you can almost feel the chill of the Wisconsin winter - indeed, I had chills many times during listening to these seriously important tunes.

None more so than the live version of The Nightwatchman's own Union anthem (from his first album, One Man Revolution), "Union Song" that ends the EP. It starts with Tom belting out a speech to rile up the 100,000 people he's playing to in Madison, and you can hear the crowd starting to believe that they really can make a difference ... that we can ALL make a difference, when we stand UP, and stand STRONG - Together. That one is book-ended on the front side by "Union Town" which Tom wrote the day he returned to L.A. from Madison, as inspired as he'd ever been. The recorded version is a true rabble-rouser, complete with the hoped-for and received Morello-ian guitar solo that sears through all the madness as much as the lyrics do.

"Solidarity Forever" is sung to the tune of, appropriately, "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic" ... Solidarity Forever, for the Union makes us strong! Amen to that. The EP has its acoustic ballad moments in "Which Side Are You On?" (written in 1931 by a Kentucky coal miner's 12 year old daughter, Florence Reece) and even a finger-snapping jazzy turn in the Merle Travis classic, "16 Tons". I was listening along to the opening notes to "Wall Against The Wind" when I thought, "This sounds like a Nightwatchman song" - which it is. Meaning, he's been around doing this for long enough now that I recognized the sound as distinctly his, without question. Cool. "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night" is slow and serious, and Tom made up the music to go with the lyrics that he'd read in a Joe Hill biography. They recorded it with the lights down way low, to capture the haunting quality of the ghost-y lyrics. They succeeded.

Three generations of Morello's (and friends) sing along to the now-signature closer of a Nightwatchman show, Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" - always with censored versions intact, and always a reminder of what our great country is SUPPOSED to be. And, sadly, how far we've been led astray from those ideals.

That is true, but instead of feeling unbearably daunted, these songs and ideas UPLIFT and EMPOWER. As Tom says, they are meant to show how music is another form of guerilla warfare. It's a fact. It gets people inspired to get off the sidelines and get involved, to do SOMETHING. To take back what's rightfully theirs ... life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, respect, equality, and JUSTICE. When you get a giant crowd singing along a chorus of truth, you can feel the change a-coming. And that change will not happen in boardrooms or halls of Congress ... it will happen in the streets of this land, that was made for you and me.

Get Union Town right now, to support your brothers and sisters out there fighting the good fight, and let them know that they're not alone in this, or any, struggle.

Stand UP! Stand STRONG!

*And keep your ears perked for The Nightwatchman's new full length album World Wide Rebel Songs - this Summer!

Moods of Norway Celebrates Syttende Mai 2011!

2011-05-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

"Happy Clothes for Happy People" read the tags on the supercool threads put out by Moods of Norway. Not only do I love that, but I love the people behind the label ... sweethearts who just want to have fun - and do - all in their charming Norwegian accents. (Fun like opening their own ski resort for Summer skiing in Norway. Floating up to rock festivals in a giant hot pink boat. Cruising town in a bright blue limo. Gold farm tractors in the middle of the shop. I love their spirit, in everything they touch. GREAT Nordmenn, all).

Last night was the party for Norway's National Day (Syttende Mai) celebrated each May 17, held at the MON store on Robertson in Bev Hills. It was packed, and the Fire Marshall had already cut the power due to over-capacity before we even got there, so we had a brief line wait in the chill air outside while that got sorted. Even that was fine, as we just made new friends (and saw cool ones from last year) with adorable folks who indeed, all seemed to be happy people.

Once inside, we made a direct line to the bar, where again they were offering up champagne and waffles (with lingonberry sauce!) made by Norwegian Grandmas. It seemed as though all the natural blondes of Los Angeles (!) were squeezed inside, and many of their/our friends too. Local Norwegian students were in attendance, and I got to practice my VERY litt Norsk with some of them as I admired their face-painted Norwegian flags and embraced their sense of national pride along with them.

In addition to the lovely people we consorted with, the highlight for me was when one of the Moods founders (and gracious host), Stefan Dahlkvist, was joined by Aussie (and honorary Norwegian) Nick Maybury for a plugged in guitar jam of the Norwegian national anthem, "Ja Vi Elsker" (translates to "Yes, we love this country"), sung along with gusto to (or hummed) by the whole entire party.

A friend of theirs (whose name escapes me right now, but he was a doll) straight outta Oslo got up next and ripped up his accordion, as Stefan said, "He has played for us at every Moods of Norway event in history!" Lucky fellow. Who ruled, in his satiny blue suit.

The party moved on to the Sky Bar, but we didn't make it that far, due to responsibilities early today, but my honorary Norwegian (Erinn) and I had a ball, and shout out a hearty TUSEN TAKK (!!!) to our fellow Happy People.

Really, check out their bright, cheerful, "superduper" duds, because they - and the people behind them - are true mood lifters. Every time.

SKOL!!!

The Circus Comes To Abbot Kinney!

2011-05-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

The Circus came to town last Saturday at the opening of the Zircon & Wish Aerial Circus happening in the one ring space of Robin's Sculpture Garden right there on Abbot Kinney Boulevard! I couldn't wait to attend opening night, as I'd been hearing about the work going into it for quite a while. It was about time some REAL crazy stuff happened on the street vs. the usual hullabaloo about parking or food trucks or restaurant seating or strollers or whatnot crazy- MAKING. THIS was something I could get behind as what I always wanted Venice to be in my mind when I first heard about the place as a kid.

Kids of all ages enjoyed the premiere of our own Venice Circus, and many in the audience came prepared in costumes of their own, in the true spirit of the idea.

The theme of this circus is Alice In Wonderland, so the set was done up with that story's props; a clock, mushrooms, big perfume bottle, etc. A mime-type guy named Chico was going around painting the white roses red before the show as people got seated (after visiting the concession stand, of course).

He was soon joined by fun, sociable kids from the crowd, getting into it with hula hoops from Hoopnotica. One young boy from the neighborhood even showed off his rookie break-dance moves. {I love when kids just go for it, without any fear or self-consciousness like that. It gives me hope that there will still be cool people in the future. Phew.}

Robin Murez of Robin's Sculpture Garden, the woman and the space hosting the event, introduced the night as the first ever performance of the Zircon & Wish Circus in her space (which will continue on weekends through the Summer!), which is a perfect magic spot, such as it is scattered about with her giant heart sculptures and over-sized blown glass blades of grass. It really does feel like down the rabbit hole a little bit, on just a regular day. Just as I was thinking about that, a White Rabbit came out, muttering about "I'm late!"

While she ranted on about it in that drama club silly voice way that kids find hilarious, an Alice slowly descended from the ceiling of the aerial structure that has been rigged high above the ground. With the May sky gradually growing grayer (and chillier) over Venice, it was pretty dope and dramatic looking as "She" (Alice was a guy to begin with) swirled around the rope, making it look extra graceful and easy.

Alice drank from the "Drink Me" bottle and soon shrank into a little doll, getting some laughs. The doll drank again (with help) and came back as a giant female Alice on stilts. She jumped rope and hula-hooped and danced and made the little kids laugh, until the Mad Hatter interrupted it all to dazzle with more aerial tricks.

With no net, by the way. That takes some serious brute strength, both mental and physical, as it was pretty high up there.

A Lady Elaine sounding (Mr. Rogers, remember?!), hookah-smoking Caterpillar came out and queened it up, spouting smoke and great lines for Venice, like "We're all mad here!" (which I like to think we tend/hope to be, in the Kerouac-ian sense, like: “The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”) ...

... and "I hope you have your head fastened on tight!" as she offered up a lick of mushroom to Alice.

The Cheshire Cat came out and spun from a hula hoop attached to the rope, with such feline grace and natural strength that a little girl yelled out, "Nice job, Kitty Cat!", making us all laugh - with her. The Queen of Hearts erupted out of a veil of smoke machine haze and shouted, "I love croquet!" We do too, Queen of Hearts!

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (Zircon and Wish again, as they play many parts) came out and did power moves on the red silks hanging from the aerial apparatus, and everyone's necks were craned upward as they balanced and lifted each other with such fluid ease that it seemed like anyone could just hop up there and cruise around on it. Until I heard a guy in front of me say he could never even climb the rope all the way up back in gym class.

Circuses always bring up memories ... o 0 O (thought bubble) I remember skipping the box seats my Mom won to the Circus back home because it was the same night Michael Jackson was performing on the American Music Awards, the time he first did the Moonwalk. I still think I made the right choice - that thing was exciting!

[Amid all of this, I could hear people going by on the sidewalk, heels clacking on their way to Wabi-Sabi or The Tasting Kitchen across the street, wondering what the heck was going on in this space right on the boulevard, with dudes hanging from giant red drapes, spinning overhead a bit like a cross between Cirque du Soleil, Pee Wee's Playhouse, and a scene from Bruno. It gave me immense pleasure to hear that renewed wonder in the voices as they came across something splendid by complete surprise.]

The Tweedles entertained the crowd with their magnificent feats, and then it was over, to introductions and applause. You could tell the crowd was delighted, that for most of us, we all just walked on over to the Circus that night! And would now walk on to the next venue, party or home, having been reminded that life itself is a crazy Circus. Venice was founded on the ideas of a Circus Ringmaster kinda guy, and that is the spirit that has hovered over it all - and persists - exactly because people like this have their dreams, and make them come true.

Join the fun (and be inspired to create your own!)! The next Circus weekends are June 11th & 12th, and June 25th & 26th.

Zircon & Wish Aerial Circus
@ Robin's Sculpture Garden
1632 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice
Venicecircus@gmail.com

*Tickets are steep-ish ($25) for a somewhat short show, but there are discounts for those saying "White Party" at the gate. They're also pretty cool about working with the locals to make it affordable to bring a slew of kids out for a night of fun and fantasy, right up the street.

Frankly, Mr. Shankly at Knibb Design

2011-05-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

So I was minding my own business after a few honorary margaritas on Cinco de Mayo, when I encountered what seemed like half of Venice spilling out of Knibb Design Studio on Abbot Kinney for the opening of "Frankly, Mr. Shankly", photographs by Lawrence Watson. Since I knew most everyone there, I had to stop in, and I'm so glad I did. This show is all the way up my alley, as it's all music photos, and all awesome.

It felt rock and roll from the moment you entered, and everywhere you looked was another arresting image of rock legends we all know and love. Run DMC. Public Enemy. Grace Jones. Oasis. David Bowie. James Brown. Morrisey. Blur. Etc. Etc.

One wall was a big collage of torn up images, and was my favorite part of the whole deal. It could've kept me there for hours, but at things like this you have to keep stopping the staring and have little chats with everyone. So I shall return.

There was even merch, if you needed a Flavor Flav photo T-shirt - and who doesn't?

The show is up now through June 1st, so get yourself in there when you're out strolling the Boulevard. It's real cool.

Knibb Design Showroom
1522 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice
310.450.5552
Monday-Saturday, 12pm-5pm

Summer Sequence Initiated!

2011-05-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

Phew! LOTS going on all the time, that is for sure. In just the last week alone on the global scale, we had the Royal Wedding, then they find Osama Bin Laden (I have plenty to say about that, but today is not for that kind of dealing), and all the other stuff constantly going on. It's hard to know where to focus one's attention span at times.

That is certainly true on a personal level as well. I had my dear friend Christine in town for a visit and we went nuts like it was high school spring break. We're not proud. Then all the usual hustle and flow (great movie), and it was only the other day that I had a bit of time to just cruise around and LOVE where I am. It also just so happened to be hot enough out at the beach for the first official plunge into the Pacific after our morning constitutional along the shore. BLISS! As we let the water droplets evaporate off of our skin in the morning sunbeams, Jenny said, "Summer Sequence Initiated", like a future spaceship person. And so it is ON.

The day just kept getting better from there. Perfect mocha at the French. A fast, nice and smooth experience getting my passport renewed at the Venice Post Office (! I know! But it's true!). Pretty much the whole beach to myself, which brought on the season's first tan lines (which last year took a drive to Palm Springs to obtain - in August)! I had nothing but good thoughts as I listened to the waves roll in and the occasional seagull squawk. No headphones necessary.

I then decided to just cruise around on my bike and take streets I normally don't, just to see what was going on around the neighborhood, and every last area was bursting out in unrestrained beauty. The Canals were ridiculously sparkling ...

I found a mock orange (the scratch and sniff smell of "California" to me) right up the street. I found a utility pole on Oakwood that had gorgeous roses snaking up around it, just for fun.

My favorite Doors song has always been "Love Street" and riding past this crumbling, but stop you in your bike tracks lovely house on Milwood, that tune immediately sprang into my head. The lady who was outside watering the flowers didn't speak English, but she seemed happy that her green thumb made me so happy.

Taking Linden back toward Venice, I saw this house, just in time for Mother's Day (and the real origin of the day here WAS to stand against war), all brightly painted and Code Pinked up.

Among even more stunning roses here was this pole, with the same saying on each side in different languages:

If everyone could take a moment and be grateful for all that we DO have, every day, I think that that Peace really CAN prevail on Earth. But not by celebrating in the streets over a death, not by air striking some other country over their own business, not by bitching at someone about a parking spot or some such trifle, not by being a general tool over not big deals ... but by just relishing what we have in so much abundance, everywhere we look.

I am always accused of being a big flower child type, which is fine by me, but I'm also happier than a lot of the accusers, with a lot less. So there.

That glorious day ended with a typically profound sunset, followed by what might be my last meal choice, if given one - Jennifer Everhart's Aloha Classic pineapple pizza. With Red Stripe. I am a lucky human, to be sure.

And now it's First Fridays, Garden Tour, Kentucky Derby, peoples' birthdays, Prince in town, stories to tell! Weather is cooperating ... Summer Sequence Initiated!

ENJOY!

Reader's Choice!

2011-04-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

Well, life has been a little frenetic lately, and I've been completely low on time to tell the massive volume of stories that are to be told here in Venice - and the World, for that matter. I'm straight back-logged. Which is a good thing, I suppose, but I am realizing how extra-precious our time on this Earth is, that's for sure.

So today, I'm going to share with you what a reader shared with me ... and exactly what I've hoped my whole deal with Blogtown - and with life - could be about - people sharing the GOOD and the stories that bring us together. Aka, the reason/s to be alive, in my opinion.

I got an email from a guy called Matt who said:

Hello, Always hear about your blog from the people at the French Market. I walk the beach with my girlfriend pretty often and we've come across some art stuck in the sand. One piece an actual painting and the other a message-in-a-bottle type piece. Tempted to pick up but left alone for the next passerby. Anyhow, thought was really cool, especially in our neighborhood. Took some pics which are attached. best, Matt

How great! And how happy it made me that really, a lot of us are on the same page. And our old pal, Wino Strut is still at it. Add another to the pile of the stories I have to get to the bottom of!

The cool things are in abundance and that is great news. Please keep sharing them, with me and with everyone ... and continue to focus on the good while you're in this skin's spin. Otherwise, what's the point. Thanks, Matt!

Keep 'em coming!

Firefly had a Kid!

2011-04-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

There's a new Kid in town ... called Kid! Yes, Firefly's Erinn Berkson has both had a real kid - the darling Mia Arbor - and just last Saturday opened her new children's store, Kid. I'm still in complete awe that she can even keep her eyes open after tending to her not-quite 1 year old AND creating a brand new business - in the same year. But she does ... and with style.

The last time Blogtown checked in with Erinn, Mia had not yet been born, and there was no space or time to even talk about a new business ... but a lot can change in a year. The number of strollers on Abbot Kinney has dramatically increased in recent times, and Erinn noticed when pushing her own pram about town that there really wasn't anywhere on the street that carried all the stuff families with kids need in one spot - from clothes to burp cloths, from books to toys. (Plus people kept asking at Firefly if they could carry more baby stuff, and there wasn't really any more room for it in the existing space).

As Firefly The Original has been the one-stop gift shop for Venice since 1999, so now can Kid (also the name of a baby goat - Erinn & Tim call Mia "Goat" sometimes for her deal of liking to chew on paper) be your trusted friend in the 'hood when you have to go to yet another baby shower or birthday party.

Much like Firefly, a space opened up at exactly the perfect time, just two doors down. Now there is a Firefly enterprise flanking each side of Abbot's Pizza Company! Grab a slice, get your gift, be on your merry way! Erinn's husband, Tim Bonefeld, and her brother, Chris, did a lot of the hard labor on the new space themselves (it's all very much a family affair), building gorgeous shelves, painting, all of it, and when the doors opened on April 9th, the first thing I heard someone say as they walked in was "Oh my gosh, it's adorable!" They were not wrong.

The shelves now house clothes so cute you want to stretch them out to fit your adult size (Seriously. Our own baby clothes were never so cute - or soft!). Stuffed animals so soft they might as well be real. Learning toys, like blocks and flashcards in other languages. Good old school stuff like Slinkys and bike bells. Tiny baby stuff like swaddles and baby paper. And WONDERFUL books, always books if it has anything to do with Erinn.

Firefly has been around since the '90s precisely because it is a part of the community it KNOWS. Same goes for Kid Firefly. All we heard all opening day was what a NEED there was for this kind of store on the block, and I suspect a big part of the fun over the years will be watching all the babies grow up (and patronize both stores)!

It didn't hurt that one of the cutest (and I like to add - smartest!) babies in town, Miss Mia, greeted the new customers with her excellent waving skills, when she did her first shift in the store (relax, Child Labor, she's family!). As Erinn said, "Mia's been a real trooper", as there sure has been a lot going on in her first year of life. Yet with all the work, the laughs come easy, and this stretch of Abbot Kinney is the cheeriest around.

Befitting a store such as Kid, Erinn said, "I would like to specialize in treasures and fun." That is why I love her, and that is why you will love Kid.

Stop in! Say Hi! Meet the new addition/s! And know that treasures and fun are indeed in store for you.

Kid Firefly
1405 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice. CA. 90291
310.450.6288

Mr. & Mrs. Pringle - Venice's Take-Out Connection

2011-04-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

Carole Primerano-Pringle is one of the dearest people in Venice to me. I see her each morning (that she works ... days off she wants to see no one!) at The French Market, where she runs the place like the tight ship that it is. Getting your morning coffee and shooting the breeze for a bit each day doesn't let you know what's really going on with people, however, so we sat down the other day to chat, WITH her husband, Richard Pringle, whom I finally got to meet!

Theirs is one of those great stories of "I just knew". Carole had been friends in her native Corsica with Lionel, who used to co-own The French. He urged her to come over, to work for him, though she says that if The French hadn't been near the beach, she would never have come. (You see? We could be friends on that right there alone.)

Carole began to work at The French in 2002, the day after she arrived in the U.S., and we've been solid ever since. Shortly thereafter, with no real grasp of English yet, Carole was sitting in the sun with her book on a bench near Muscle Beach. She laid her eyes on this guy walking nearby, and said to herself, "This is my husband." She. Just. Knew. Lacking words, she had Agnes (current French owner) write on a business card for her that she'd like to know him and her number. She had seen what car he had come from, went over to it, saw the window cracked, and dropped the card inside. Now that could have been that, and usually would be, but Richard (a native Angeleno) was brave and intrigued and called. They went out to dinner a few days later, hit it off, and were married four months later!

As they near their 10 year anniversary, Carole and Richard still act like newlyweds, darling together. They also work together, as they've started a new business called Take-Out Connect. They work with local restaurants to organize and promote their online ordering process. They are currently focused on Venice dining spots, as this is where they live and are a big part of the community.

As Richard said, "We're a hybrid company." Basically, they connect restaurants with more customers by marketing directly to the people nearby. They offer special promotions through the participating restaurant's site. They make it all more efficient and cost effective for the owners. They track orders, so they know what is popular among customers, allowing restaurants to better prepare their own ordering. As orders come directly in via the internet, it makes it all way easier for the kitchens, not to mention for Carole (The French Market was TOC's first client), who says, "I do nothing. I don't talk to people. We waste no time. There are no mistakes." So there.

Business grows for everyone involved, and Take-Out Connect makes it all seamless. I've used it as a customer of The French, and I've seen it used by being friends with the owners, and would strongly recommend (and do) it as a powerful business tool for any of my other restaurateur homies in the area to blow up their take-out side of things - the largest growing segment of the dining out pie, according to Richard.

The Pringles work a lot, but when they're not, they rarely like to leave Venice - unless it's for tennis, which they both love. The beach (where they met) is their favorite thing about it here, of course, along with the bohemian atmosphere we all try to preserve and celebrate. They can also be seen on the French circuit, especially at Lilly's. Carole is also partial to Cafe 50's, and just typing that made me want to go there right now.

I love it when people find each other. I love it when they find a place, a HOME they both love. I love it even more when they commit, not just to each other and their home, but to the community surrounding them. That Carole and Richard want their business to be of and about Venice speaks a lot to who they are. And who they are is Fantastique!

Check them out!

www.take-outconnect.com
310.503.2323

Liza Lou at L &M

2011-04-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like an awful human right now even being inside long enough to type this up ... but Blogtown has been neglected of late (long story) and that ain't cool, so here we are real quickish. Because today is SO spectacular in Venice, California, that it needs to be honored. Truly. This morning, as dolphins flew through the air down at the beach, like they too were FEELING IT today, I found myself thinking aloud, "THIS is what it's all about". Like meaning of life style awareness and gratitude.

Actually HOT out. The smell of springtime blooms everywhere. Cerulean blue skies so bright they hurt the eyes a little bit. Good waves. Neighbors waving hello, the stoke clear on their faces. Oh, and it's First Fridays again, so everyone is feeling a little rowdy and ready to party.

I remembered a Bob Dylan quote while thinking about it all: "The purpose of art is to stop time."

I could leave you with that, and that would be enough. Instead, I'll tell you about how I love today so much that I decided to go try and stop some time at my friendly neighborhood gallery, L & M Arts. The new exhibition (opened last weekend, up 'til May 7th) is by L.A. artist, Liza Lou, and it is stunningly gorgeous.

Lou now keeps a studio in Durban, South Africa, where she gets help with her millions of beads, creating her unique and sparkly (right up my alley) works of art. From her press release for the show: Lou uses geometric structures in many of the pieces in the exhibition in order to reveal the humanity underlying repetitive labor, resulting in works whose imperfections display ineffable beauty and human tenderness. There you go, a perfect explanation as to why I loved this experience, on this day.

I walked into the East Gallery at L & M and it felt almost church-like holy. Alone in the glittering silence, I stood in front of a giant piece called Gather (one million), 2008-2010 that takes up most of the room. It consists of 150 square feet of nine million glass beads threaded onto wire to make up a million blades of golden grass, tied into sheaves. It's awesome, in the true sense of the word.

{I asked the lady from the Gallery if Lou does all the bead work herself, as I've gotten in many conversations recently about how much an artist can claim ownership - ala Damian Hirst - for their work when it's farmed out to a slew of laborers. That's how I learned about the Zulu women in South Africa working with Lou. I can totally get behind their being employed, I just like it when people do their own work the most. The L & M rep said Lou is very hands on with every piece. Ok then.}

The Book Of Days is another highlight of the show, consisting of 365 single sheets of beaded "paper", each created over one year, all stacked atop one another. It makes you stop to think about how each day can be easily forgotten, but so much goes into it, that it really should force us to think about the beauty within every day we are blessed to get to live. At least that was my take on it, all abuzz from the glorious spring just outside.

I tend to like art pieces that have words in them, so the Destitute:

... and Trust No One ones were particularly dug by me.

Another breathtaking piece was Zulu Love Letter, 2010, a grid of 24k beads on cotton, that tips its hat to the Zulu tradition of bead work actually being its own language - women will tell men their love vibes via a piece of jewelry done in a certain way. Romance!

I'm clearly in dreamy mode, due to the day, the world, and profound - if puzzling - gratitude for everything good in the world, so it was apt when I opened the guide to Lou's exhibition, that it was headed by a Langston Hughes poem:

The Dream Keeper

Bring me all of your dreams
You dreamer,
Bring me all your
Heart melodies
That I may wrap them
In a blue cloud-cloth
Away from the too-rough fingers
Of the world.

Dreamy. And it helped me to do exactly what I set out to do this morning - stop time.

L & M Arts
660 Venice Boulevard
Venice, 90291
310.821.6400

Stormy Sunset

2011-03-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

Check out the stormy sunset picture my brother took in Venice:

Skills.

Done with the storms now.

www.PaulGronner.com

Larry's Venice - The Art and Venice of Larry Bell

2011-03-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

Renowned artist, Larry Bell, is a true Venice treasure. His profile, with hat and signature cigar, has been sighted all over town for decades, and is now the inspiration behind a new neighborhood hang about to open at the corner of Windward and Speedway, the aptly named "Larry's" (Currently featuring a sign outside reading "Who in the Heaven is Spanto? [sic]", which used to say "Larry" until someone graffiti'd over it with the name of our dearly departed friend, Sponto).

I got the chance to sit down and chat with Mr. Bell the other day in his Market Street art studio, and discover that he's even nicer than I already thought he was. Surrounded by his beautiful works of art, both finished and in progress, we sat and talked about his Venice, then and now.

Bell was born in Chicago in 1939, and moved to L.A. with his family at the age of five. He always had interest in art and music, and thought he'd get into animation over at Disney. As part of his art school (Chouinard Art Institute) curriculum, he had to study painting, which soon became his focus ... to the extent that now his painting and sculptures can be seen in museums all around the world - and in his big, light Venice studio, where he likes to "meet the people who want to own my stuff."

At 19, Bell moved to Venice ... "because it was cheap." At that time, it was full of empty storefronts and considered dangerous, so he was able to secure his studio space for a mere $70 a month. Perfect for aspiring artists. A group of about 6-10 people started from scratch what became a true community of artists, and put Venice on the map as an art destination. Much of the gang became "The Cool School" (see the documentary of the same name to really get it), and gained fame worldwide. As we spoke about his work, Bell told me that "I'm interested in creating images I haven't seen before ... It's an organic cycle, I'm not in control, I'm more like the middle man." Interesting, as I've heard guitarist Leo Kottke say about the same thing, and it was then that I noticed Bell's 12 string guitar standing by. He claims to only noodle on it, but I have a feeling he's being overly humble, considering the concentration he seems to apply to everything.

In 1972, Bell "fell in love with a beautiful girl, and wanted to get her away from the competition", so he moved with her to Taos, New Mexico, where he traded his art for his new property. The marriage ultimately split up, and it was time to return to Venice. By some strange stroke of kismet, his exact same studio space was open and available on Market Street, unchanged and ready for him to get to work. He had built the doors on the front wall himself, in order to get large pieces and equipment in and out easier, and all remained intact. The only thing that changed was the Venice outside the doors.

About that, Bell says, "Venice inherited a mystique about being a creative place, which is extraordinary because it IS ... Nothing lasts, and Venice is an organic, changing place, and you can't stop that or it's Knott's Berry Farm." The place remains special, and will always draw people because of, "The AIR! The ionized air from the sea ... the weather is perfect here all the time" (Well ... it certainly was the day we were talking). He also finds special that there isn't high density housing at the beach. It's still mostly individual homes and small apartment buildings, adding to the neighborhood vibe. We talked about cityhood for Venice, which he doesn't think possible for just the basic economic facts, like who would pay the cops, firemen, etc ... and added, "The best way to protect the funky edge of Venice is to get it historical status." Hmm ... an interesting idea, for sure.

In the years that Bell lived in Taos, he would always stay at the Marina Pacific Hotel when in Venice. He became fast friends with the owner, Erwin Sokol, and when the Marina Pacific became the Hotel Erwin a couple of years ago, Bell not only moved in, but helped design the lighting, and each room in the Erwin now contains a work by Larry Bell. He was invited to the hotel meetings to offer his input on various issues, and when the time came for Mr. Sokol to open a bar/restaurant in the ideal, hotel-adjacent location of Windward and Speedway, they all met to discuss possible names.

Bell offered up "Altoon's" (after John Altoon, a fellow Venice artist in the 50's and 60's, who lived nearby and died in 1969) as his choice, but was out-voted by the eventual winner - "Larry's".

Bell drew his self-portrait in hat and cigar for the neon sign, and his paintings are featured inside. He also made a list of Venice artists, past and present, to be a mural on the outside wall of Larry's - honoring the people and art that has made Venice the place that it is - wearing the very heart of Venice on its sleeve. I spoke to owner, Erwin Sokol, and he hopes that Larry's will be open for business in the next couple of months, as they're sorting out the Chef/kitchen part of it all now. It now looks like Larry's will be open to greet the Summer along with the rest of us, and I can't wait to watch Venice roll by as we sit on the patio and appreciate it all from the namesake spot of one of our coolest residents.

As we were wrapping up our time together, Bell's son, Oliver, and beloved American Bulldog, Pinky, came back from a walk, and we all turned our attention to that sweet dog. Market Street was abuzz outside, with people getting ready for the Art Crawl, and soaking up the warm afternoon sunshine. Bell walked me out, and as we said our goodbyes, he saw a girl sitting in the next doorway, headphones on, a million miles away. Bell held out his arms and said, "Look, beautiful girls sitting in doorways, on a beautiful day ..."

There was nothing else for me to say but, "We're lucky people." He turned and smiled rakishly, "Yes, we sure are."

An added bonus video of Bell's current exhibit in Nimes, Franceby, by his son Ollie:

Larry Bell "In Perspective" Carre d' Art Nimes France from Ollie Bell on Vimeo.