Spring Ahead Weekend

This past weekend was jam packed with all sorts of good things to do ... but it being 80 at the beach kind of trumped all the other stuff. So hot and gorgeous, it was all I had to do to leave the actual sand ... but I did ultimately manage to hit some other spots.

Like Bergamot Station for the Fault Line opening for my friend Gary Palmer's work at Robert Berman Gallery. Palmer is a longtime Venice dweller, and one of the best Irishmen around. He's working on creating a big, cool chalk festival for Venice to call its own. When it happens, people will be able to have their minds blown in the streets, like they did at the gallery Saturday night. Check out his abyss in the middle of the floor ...

I have no idea how he does that, but I'm glad he does. (*Note - that piece was done along an actual fault line crack in the gallery. Food for thought.) It was a more fun and interactive opening than usual ... clearly. Palmer shared the space with John Valadez, whose California looking pieces were the big hit of his Como Fregas/What Now show. Really great stuff all over.

Then it was across town to the Subliminal Projects space to see the Paper Cut show.

The night featured incredible work (all cut from paper in some way) by Adam Feibelman, Aurel Rubbish, Bovey Lee, Gregory Euclide, Nicola Lopez, and Swoon. One piece was cooler than the next.

Shepard Fairy was there to hold court and spin tunes, along with Benjamin Lee Ritchie Handler and DJ Babydonut.

The space was packed with scenesters, in a great turnout for a Saturday night with a lot of stuff going on.

By then it was just enough time to skedaddle over to Hotel Cafe to see our friend Matt Ellis bring it with his excellent backing band to celebrate the release of his new video for Thank You, Los Angeles, and just to rock out with friends.

Which we did. Ellis's band Saturday featured special guest drummer, Andy Clockwise, who was extra feeling it, adding pizzazz to his drum riffs, and further riling us all up. I always love to watch Tim Walker play his pedal steel, and this night he was so good that I felt like going home and learning that thing on YouTube. Stay tuned.

Ellis and his wife, Vavine sang together for my favorite "Seven Years At Sea", and it was a gorgeous testament to love, friendship, and sticking with something good. Glancing around at a whole slew of my friends moving and shaking together ... it just felt good.

As did sleeping in the next day on the spring ahead clock day, and spending the day feeling awesome to be a woman for International Women's Day (which is kind of dumb to even have, but a fine reason to celebrate us, I guess. Every day.) with more of that love, friendship and sticking with something good.

So we're back to Monday. Back to work, probably feeling kind of beat, but happily so, because you know that when you leave this evening, it will still be light out! A spring will automatically come to your step, just because now you know that those long Summer nights are coming up ... and that it's all been worth it.

We're almost there ...


Faultline is up at Bergamot through March 21st.

Paper Cut is up at Subliminal Projects through April 11th.