Surf Vans Belong In Venice

I love seeing beat up old surf vans with stickers collected from their travels all over them.

These kinds of vehicles have always been parked around town in Venice, and they're a kind of time capsule to mellower times. With shoddy bungalows going for $2 million (!!!), it's getting to be more likely to see Teslas and other luxury cars parked on our streets than the good old Woodys of yore. Money is killing Venice. Don't let it.

A Farewell To Hal's - To Be Continued ...

A couple of weeks ago I got a frantic late night text from a friend who had heard that our beloved Hal's on Abbot Kinney was closing. I immediately put out a call to Don Novack, Hal's owner, to find out what the heck was going on. The bad news was that it was true. The mournful comments and true sadness spread all over town (and the world), and last night was the grand finale of Hal's at 1349 Abbot Kinney.

It was like a big Irish wake all week, with drinks flowing and old friends coming in to pay their respects ... so much so that Novack cracked, "If we'd been this busy all along, we wouldn't need to relocate." Some food for thought there, as often we don't know what we've got until it's gone. I went backstage at Hal's for the first time ever a few nights ago to chat with Novack and get the real story. The joint was absolutely packed to the rafters, and Novack was like a politician, getting stopped every two inches by someone who had a hug, needed a photo, or wanted to express their gratitude for 30 great years of fun at Hal's. It took us like 20 minutes just to walk back along the bar. Once back there - wow. I'd never been behind the scenes at Hal's in all these years. The place is a winding labyrinth of hallways and storage, and a bustle of workers effortlessly gliding by and getting to where they needed to be, providing the same great food and service on almost their last night as they've been doing for decades, with many of the same staff members. I got to see Executive Chef, Manuel Mares, in action with his guys. You could tell that as busy as they were, it was also somewhat emotional back there.

The real story is not that Hal's is being kicked out. Novack went to the landlord to negotiate an extension of the lease when it expired in a few years. The amount that the rent would be raised to then would be such that Hal's would have to charge $40 for a plate of calamari, "and that's not our customer, " said Novack. So it's not exactly about getting the boot ... but it is about that almighty dollar. Novack and the landlord made a business deal, simple as that. The staff will be absorbed by other Venice restaurants (like Sunny Spot, Saltair, Danny's Deli, Canal Club, James Beach, The Sidewalk Cafe, and The Brig), as there will be some down time while Hal's sorts out their next location ... which right now appears to be in Playa Vista (aka The Truman Show) or down the street - or both. As they say on the commemorative T-shirt (of which I was delighted to receive the first one - and hid it until last night's closing!), "The Adventure continues ..."

So the adventure will continue, but it will not, of course, be the same. Venice will never be the same. That is the big problem with all of this that people are having ... that Venice is changing too much, into something that is becoming difficult to recognize. Too posh. Too hipster. Too anonymous. Too ... I hate to say it ... cheesy. At some point, someone has to stand up and say enough. That they have enough money already, and they'd NEVER sell to the highest bidder. SOME landlord has to say, you know what, I have enough money, I had enough when rents were normal. I want cool people here, not wealthy posers, and I'm gonna make sure of that by charging a livable rent (to residents and businesses) and preserve some of what made us special to begin with. BE A HERO, Man!!

SOMEONE has to make a stand. With all the people of Venice saying they can't stand what its becoming ... how is it able to become that? Too much talk, too little action. I'm getting messages from people saying it's to the point where they want to start doing illegal things to make a point ... that's not the answer, but it does show you the frustration many of us are having with the nauseating robbery of our neighborhood. And with all the money we're pouring into the City Of Los Angeles with our new, outrageous rents and property taxes, we still only receive about 1% of the city's budget ... so we have all the trash and mess of all the people who come here, but none of the support that goes along with that. It's a problem. But I digress ... (for now)

For now, the story is about how very much people loved THIS Hal's. People met their spouses there - "Right there in that table! You have to take that table with you!". People celebrated birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, births, everything at Hal's. Many people called it their office, and you could see the same familiar faces bellied up to the bar each afternoon. Most of them were there last night.

This was a place that had a Writer's Block evening dedicated to it, with a Q and A following - about a restaurant! This was a place that had a Facebook page dedicated to it's famous Turkey Burger - which seemed to be the menu item that most will miss most. I personally will miss and crave the Seafood Grill ... and hope it follows them all to the new location.

This place was mainly about love. Love of family, love of community, love of art, love of good food and drinks, love of friends, but mostly love of Venice. The Venice of the last 30 years, the Venice of now, and the Venice of the future (Let us hope that we will still recognize that Venice). Let us hope that people will start making a stand about it, and help to preserve the unique, eccentric, artistic beautiful place that we all fell in love with. We don't want to see turned into a boring Beverly Hills type, generic, fancy, haven for douchebags. Many believe that losing Hal's is a final nail in our coffin. I do not. For whatever buildings and rooms are dear to us, it is truly the people that make anything special. We still have the people. We still have the ability to come together and preserve and protect what is special about Venice to us.

Some believe that this is progress. I do not. Fancier homes, steeper rents, and more expensive restaurants and stores is not progress. It's actually the demise of our culture. It's the homogenization of our society, and by everyone being the same, everyone loses. That's just my opinion, of course, but it's my strong one. It also cannot be sustained. This madness will jump the shark, like everything ultimately does. There will be empty storefronts, vandalized while they sit vacant. Big, ugly box houses will sit empty when no one can afford their property taxes. Tourists will stop coming because the big, expensive scene will be gone, and they have all those chain stores in their towns anyway ... So keep it up, you greedy lot. And hang in there, REAL Venice people. Once it all becomes a ghost town again, you'll be able to snap up something great for a song! Onc can hope ...

But back to the LOVE. "The outpouring of love has been overwhelming," said Novack. He and his dear wife, Linda want everyone to know how much they appreciate the love and support the community has given them for the last 30 years ... "Thank you so much, and see you soon!"

Casa Linda is closing on May 1st as well, and will re-open down the street. Hal's will re-open, so it's really only a hiatus for that turkey burger and seafood grill. It's just ... you know. Not the same. As the card they gave out stated ... the important thing is to "Celebrate Life Together".

As the sun set on the last day of Hal's and the place filled up so much there was a line 25 people long out front (something I've never seen at Hal's!), it was clear that the important thing was the celebrating together. Destin Clover sent me a photo of the sunset behind Hal's last night and said, "Good times come and go ... looks like this one is gone." Ugh. As you looked at the old friends hugging, remembering, crying, baring breasts, wailing on harmonicas, dancing on the bar, laughing ... it was clear that truly more than anything ... Hal's was about the LOVE.

And this morning, it's gone. Hal's the place, but not the love. As moving trucks were already parked outside this morning, there were also candles outside, like at a car accident memorial. The love remains. We'll miss you so much, dear Hal's. Let us all use the feelings of last night to draw us together and help to keep Venice so incredibly special ... together.

Follow @HalsVenice on Twitter and check in with their website - HalsVenice.com - to keep up with their new developments.

*There will soon be a friends page on the website with all the photos taken the last couple weeks that you may go and download as their gift to you. Thanks for the memories, Hal's!!!

stop - GO!

I was walking around this morning, thinking about stuff, as one does. As I crossed the street, I looked down at the sidewalk to see that above the big STOP sign, someone had come along and written a little "Go".

I love it. The bit of rebellion, the simple message as we start a new week to just Go. GO!

I needed to hear that this morning as I just found out that one of my family's dearest friends, Pearl Kusunoki, had passed away. She was my next door neighbor back home since birth. She and her husband, Kiyoshi (Jim, but I always call him by his beautiful Japanese name) were always there for my family, in the best and worst of times. She was the originator of my cherry chip cookies. She was the one who told me when I moved far away for the first time, looking deeply into my eyes, that "Everything will always be alright, as long as you stay Carol." I knew what she meant. She was a special one, one who it was written in her obituary, "had a love for beauty in all things."

I was very sad as I walked along in the fog, the weather fitting my mood. But then I saw the little, tiny "Go" right above the Stop sign, and thought of little, tiny Pearl ... who would most certainly be telling me to go ... but to stay myself.

What a gift to have known her, and to be able to celebrate her memory by finding, seeing, and loving the beauty in all things.

GO!


Love to all the dear Kusunoki family, now and always.

A Sea House In Venice

I was delighted to discover a new paint job on a house on North Venice Boulevard on my morning stroll. It made me feel like I was under water, and the fact that it had just finished raining only intensified that sensation.

I love it when people make beautiful and fun use of their spaces. It gives color and fun to a town that was meant to be about just that ... color, fun, beauty ... ART. This house also features owls all over it, like sea owls, giving it a wise edge above. Almost like a wink, that they get it too.

Others shouldn't be afraid to follow suit. Be creative. Express what you love. Make your house a landmark. Give strangers a smile. Make a day.

Thanks to these neighbors, for making mine.

A Very Merry Venice Weekend

What a lovely weekend. The holiday spirit is full steam ahead, and it finally got a little chilly, so that helps you feel like more of the real deal. It was the 19th annual Bakeathon on Saturday with my dear friend, Brigette ... we went off. That consumed all of Saturday, happily baking and catching up, as Christmas carols played in the background.

Sunday was one of those jam-packed with opportunities for fun, so you had to choose carefully for merriment optimization. We celebrated the first half of the day with our great pal, Strader, who was (kind of) surprised for his 30th birthday. Fried chicken and a land shark were the highlights of our poolside party, along with clinking glasses in Strader's honor.

Happy Birthday, dear Strider! Here's to a wonderful new year!

We were having such a good time, we lost track of it, and pretty much missed the entire holiday boat parade in the Venice Canals.

We may have missed the actual procession of decorated dinghies, but we still got to see all the lit up bridges and beautiful homes, bursting with color and cheer (and kisses).

Many of the homes were hosting their own annual parties, and music and shouts and laughter could be heard echoing across the water on all sides.

We attended the shindig at the home of the Revelins, and a beautiful time was had by all.

On our stroll home, it was such a delight to cross the bridges, each one decorated with a different theme of glad tidings and peace on earth. By now, the Canals themselves were peaceful, and the clear, starry night had grown colder. All the better to get home to a fire and a blanket and It's A Wonderful Life. Which, of course, it is.

One bridge had a tree that people had attached their Christmas wishes too, a lovely idea, for all the world to see. I hope each one comes absolutely true.

My wish for you all is that you get to spend wonderful time with loved ones, feeling the joy of the season, and the warmth of knowing that you are loved.

And you are. Cheers to everyone, and many thanks for another beautiful weekend to all who made it so!

California Can Save Me

I was walking home kind of late the other night, with a lot on my mind, like where do I really belong ... big life stuff like that. Then - as happens a lot around here - I saw a fence that had been painted with pretty close to my exact thoughts ...

The penguin (?) could kind of be me too, since I do come from Minnesota. I love that you can be strolling along anywhere in Venice and be taught, thought provoked, amazed, blessed and delighted.

Once again filed under I Love You, Venice.

xoxo.

We All Live Near A Yellow Submarine

I was out for a stroll the other night and came across this Yellow Submarine cruising around the Windward Circle...

I want a ride, just to see what happens.

File this under "I Love You, Venice."

A Monday Morning Proposal

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

The Circus Comes To Abbot Kinney!

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.

Summer Sequence Initiated!

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!