Skateboarding Through Venice In The 80's With Josh Bagel Klassman

There was a cool photo show last night at a space called the Red Bull ConsuLAte (?) on Abbot Kinney, with all sorts of great skate images from Dogtown's prime taken by Venice's own Josh "Bagel" Klassman.

There was a guest list, there were beverages (shout out to House Beer!), and there were skaters sitting on couches watching skate videos like it was at their own pad. Mellow.

The fact that it was sponsored by Red Bull in a seemingly pop-up space ("ConsuLAte is an inspiring space and bespoke {"Bespoke!"} resource offering curated experiences through the lens of Red Bull {or Venice locals' lenses} for atheletes and special guests {Ooh! You mean famous people?!} on Abbot Kinney smacked of "Hey, let's do a show by a beloved local to gain a little street cred here on this hip shopping boulevard in the home of skateboard culture, guys!" I can just hear the meeting - but, Bagel IS beloved, and we'll all drink your drinks and look at fantastic shots of local skate legends like Joey Tran ...

... And Christian Hosoi, and Jay Adams (RIP), and all the names who made this place a place that brands like Red Bull now want a piece of. Only instead of being like Adidas and making the ridiculously bold claim that they were "Defining Venice" (before they had even opened the old Hal's doors), now brands are feting the locals and trying to gain respect through the actual respect that these O.G.'s really have. I get it. And I'm happy for the guys like Bagel who are getting the recognition they so richly deserve.

This is Dogtown, and they can smell legit a mile away - so let's celebrate it all over again! And if it's on the corporate dime? It's about time. Take it. That's right. They weren't there, but you were, and that's why we love you and tolerate them. Sometimes. Times like this. Get it.

Long live Dogtown! (why there's a Blogtown).

A Mural For Jay Adams

If you're flying down Venice Boulevard too fast, you might miss this great mural of Jay Adams and the Dogtown boys tucked in on a wall behind a fence ...

 
One of my favorite things about Venice is all the street art all over the place, with hidden treasures popping up around nearly every corner. This one is behind a wall, so I couldn't see who it was by (who knows this info?), but it's a wonderful tribute to one of the true legends of skateboarding. As it's on private property, I'll let you go out and find this one yourselves. Enjoy!

And thank you to all the artists that make Venice such a colorful, creative place to live. We need you now more than ever!

A Jay Adams Photo Memorial Bash

Friday night saw the 413 Arts Gallery on Rose packed to the rafters with a house full of Venice Originals, all in attendance to view the exhibit of excellent photographs of the late Dogtown and Z-Boys legend, Jay Adams - and to party their faces off.

Works by renowned skate world photographers like C.R. Stecyk III, Steve Shelp, Chuck Katz, Luke Hudson, Josh Klassman and Cesario Montano adorned the walls and had all the friends and skaters in the house taking their own photographs of them ... if they could move their arms to do so.

There were classic Thrasher covers ...

... Classic photographs from contests over the years, classic mugging from one of skating's biggest characters, and more classic times shared between friends of Adams ... almost like he was still here.

Luminaries from skating and music and Hollywood all rubbed shoulders together with O.G. friends and fans of Adams.

As you approached the gallery, it looked just like a big, bumping house party, which it exactly was, with great art thrown in for good measure.

Tequila and beers were flowing all night long, making it all the more festive - and nuts.

Stories were traded all night, and j's were passed around ... perhaps also in Jay's honor.

After my initial lap around the gallery, I saw that most of the pieces had already been sold, red sticker dots claiming their ownership in someone's new, now cooler art collection.

I caught up with Seven Adams and his darling girlfriend, Anabelle. He's doing well since the death of his father in August, where I had a chance to meet him at the beautiful paddle out memorial at the Venice Pier.

I liked that when I took their photo, Jay was looking over Seven's shoulder ... and with all these guys keeping an eye out for Seven, he's going to be just fine.

The party spilled out on to the front patio and sidewalks, as there was no more room inside for anyone to squeeze in.

Old friends caught up, new ones were made. People that were only friends on Facebook became friends in real life. Christian Hosoi, Jeff Ho, Bennet Harada ... name someone from skateboarding, and they were probably there, if they could be.

Tribute was again paid to a true iconoclast in the history of our community and in skateboarding and surfing ... Adams was the reason for the night, and the reason that so many people once again came together to remember him.

Remembering him is easy ... it's keeping that spirit - and the community itself - together that takes some effort. If Friday night's celebration was any indication ... we're ALL going to be just fine.

Thank you to Cesario Montano and 413 Arts for putting on another great event for everyone gathered.

Venice Celebrates The Life Of Jay Adams

Venice lost one of the true O. G.s on August 15th, when Jay Adams, founding member of Dogtown's Z-Boys and skateboard legend, passed away from a heart attack at the age of 53. He was on a three month surf trip in Porto Escondido, Mexico with his wife, Tracy. Adams had just told Tracy that it was the trip of his life, catching all the best waves, being in love and at peace. He was very much looking forward to coming back and living his life as a man of God, and helping others to deal with drug and violence issues like he'd struggled with in his past. He wanted to be a positive force in the world. "He survived so many things to get to a place where he could help people," Tracy Adams told me. He had recently read her the Bible verse from 2 Timothy, 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," as being very meaningful to him. Adams died in his sleep, a happy man, ripping apart waves right up until the end. What a way to go.

When Venice got word of Adams' passing, everyone came together. Lauren Wiley of the Venice Skate Alliance helped raise $14,000 in a matter of days to bring Adams back, cover funeral expenses, and help get Adams' ashes and family to Hawai'i, where half of them will be spread. The other half will stay in Venice, where Adams was born in the canals, and always returned to visit.

Venice really came together on August 30th, a perfectly beautiful day, and one that will long be remembered in our community. Generations united to celebrate the life of Jay Adams with a paddle out ceremony next to the Venice Pier. It looked like a surf contest, with tents set up, a band playing, tropical flowers everywhere, friends and family members tailgating, and even a pot-luck bbq set up on tables in the sand.

Flower arrangements, banners and memorial surfboards made the occasion clear, and hundreds of people filled the sand and lined the pier to pay their respects to one of the men who not only helped keep skateboarding alive, but changed it forever with his smooth, surf style.

Old friends reconnected, new friends were made. It was a giant Venice family reunion, with both those who left a long time ago, but always kept it in their heart, to those who will never leave and are doing everything they can to hold on to the feeling of community like was felt on the sand that day. As Wiley said, "Look around. The spirit of Venice is not dead." Not even close.

Adams will always live on as well, as pro skater and keeper of the Venice Skate Park, Jesse Martinez, told me, "If someone is skateboarding, Jay lives. Kids skating today don't realize, Jay Adams had a big part in everything they're doing today. He set me on the path to literally change my life through skateboarding ... and it changed skateboarding forever." All day long I heard stories being told about Adams and the wild and crazy times that were had with him. Martinez continued, "If Jay was your friend, you were in for a ride. You were privileged to have time with him. It sounds like a broken record, because everyone you talk to will say the same thing ... there was just something about Jay. He stood out. He had a unique aura that he carried with him ... life put him through ten rounds and chicks still loved him!" A kid approached Martinez at the skatepark and told him he was sorry he lost his friend. Martinez replied, "No, WE lost Jay. We all lost a friend."

That was the common refrain of the day... "I haven't seen you in forever, Bro!" "Yeah, I had to come. Jay was like a brother to me." "He was a brother to all of us." Which is what Seven Adams, Jay's son, told me. "By having his fatherhood, I got a brotherhood." That was clear all day, as hugs and respect were exchanged, and you know these guys will be looking out for Jay's son (and daughter, Venice) always.

"My Dad taught me how to treat people, he'd give you the shirt off his back. When someone told me that, I ripped my shirt off coming off the plane, and gave it to someone." A charming and happy kid, Seven told me that, "I just want people to remember how rad my Dad was, that he was just raw stoke. He went hard at everything ... I know that he was one of the luckiest people alive, because he was stoked every day. Everyone has so much love for him, it's been amazing."

It really was amazing, as after a bit of eulogizing by pro skater, Christian Hosoi ("A perfect day, Jay would be so stoked .... Let's all get together, not just at memorials, but to celebrate us being alive and being together ... Amen?!" Amen.), everyone paddled out into the ocean north of the Venice Pier, where even the lifeguard boat paid their respects with a giant spout of water and horns blaring.

Flower petals were scattered down into the water as all the surfers shouted and slapped the water, bringing both chills and tears to the eyes. Adams was again eulogized by friends in the water and by his Pastor from Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana ("Welcome to Venice, Pastor!"), where his memorial service had been held the day before. It wasn't easy to hear from up above on the pier, but I could make out a guy in the middle yelling, "Jay was 100%! 100% Skater, 100% Surfer, 100% Man of God, 100% Inspiration!" and everyone yelled and splashed the water some more.

A giant circle formed, and symbolically brought everyone together again.

As we were watching (and a drone was filming it all from above!), rock star and Adams' friend, Perry Farrell, told me, "He had a ton of energy, total fearlessness and courage. Men aspire to be courageous, and Jay was. There was no one like him."

There was such a large turnout that there was a police presence, of course. I heard one guy say, "Jay ain't even here and the cops came!" People laughed about stories with Jay all day, with Martinez adding, "You always had the best and craziest times with Jay ... like all people growing up in Venice, we all had shady pasts, but then you evolve." Seven Adams added to that, "He grew up a punk - but the most loved punk ever - and died a man of God." Tracy Adams reiterated that, "He overcame so much, and became a man of integrity, 100% living and loving life."

Carter Slade, a longtime friend of Adams, said, "The only thing you need to remember about Jay Boy is how big his heart was," and went on to share wild stories about Jay, like the time he surprised a friend that needed one with a car, keys just left under the mat. According to everyone there, he did stuff like that all the time. Tracy Adams told me that he'd just spent the recent Go Skateboarding Day in Mexico, giving little kids all his clothes and teaching them tricks.

When the paddle out was completed with a chant of "Live Like Jay!", everyone caught a big party wave back in, and spent the rest of the day catching up, partying around town, and then re-convening for a skate session over at the Venice Skatepark in the evening.

There, pro skate luminaries like Hosoi, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Lance Mountain eulogized Adams again through their tricks inspired by him, and an Adams mural was unveiled in the bowl.

I saw a tiny little boy standing in front of the board decorated in tribute to Adams for the paddle out, and in that moment, the depth and importance of Jay Adams - both in Venice and in the skate and surf worlds - was captured for me. That kid will remember this day, and he'll learn tricks originated by the ever-smooth Adams. Adams himself said it best ... "You didn't quit skateboarding because you got old, you got old because you quit skateboarding." Generations of skateboarders ... forever young, with Adams to thank for that sage advice.

Adams, like the Venice he came from, was creative, unique, fun-loving, tough as nails, and very much beloved. It was a special day in Venice, for sure. Another Venice original, another piece of Venice history, is gone, but never forgotten. It's events like this that let you know how very special and precious it all is, and reminds you to hold it all dear. To Jay Adams for the reminder and the inspiration, to the spirit of Venice, and to the people who keep it alive every day ... To you all, thank you.

Jay Adams 1961-2014 ... Rest in peace.

Venice Skates For Ian Imes

The Venice Skatepark was going off last Saturday for the Z-Flex Jay Boy Classic contest, on a perfect blue sky sunny day. Skaters and spectators alike were all super into what was an ideal Venice day.

Jay Adams was there for his namesake contest, as were a whole slew of Venice locals shredding up the park in hopes of getting a Z-Flex sponsorship. There was some extra-impressive skating going on, for sure.

There was one cloud hovering over the proceedings though, and that was that skatepark regular, Ian Imes, had been involved in a hit and run car accident in Santa Monica the Saturday before. He is currently in UCLA Hospital - paralyzed from a spinal injury. I spoke to his Mother, Cintia Holz, who exuded gratitude, and was remarkably positive for someone who has been told that her 20 year old son may never walk again.

Imes had just returned from a visit to Massachusetts, and told his Mom he wanted to be a surfer. He had just ridden his brand new board, and was thrilled about it, when he and his friends were skating home April 5th. Imes was hit at the intersection of 17th and Marine. The car sped off, leaving him for dead. Who does that?! I don't know, but they will be caught, and things will be a lot worse than if they'd just had a heart and stopped. There aren't many great leads yet, and they're looking for anyone with any information to do the right thing and come forward to police.

"It's life changing", said Holz, "but we all have hopes, because he's a strong, young kid." He certainly seems to be, as doctors had thought he'd be on a ventilator for weeks, and he's already about to come off of it. Skaters are a tough breed, and Imes has them all pulling for him, from coast to coast. Holz also mentioned that she doesn't like how authorities treat skaters (even when interviewing them about a tragedy), "like they're all punks. I'm sick of it." We all are. Skateboarding, in fact, keeps a lot of kids from becoming punks, because they're occupied by doing what they love - a sport - instead of out causing real trouble. A little respect is not too much to ask for ... or demand.

Donation buckets were handed around at the Skatepark during the contest, and can be found all over town at places like The Sidewalk Cafe, Maui and Sons, Arbor (whose CEO, Bob Carlson, has taken the lead on the fundraising support, and Mrs. Holz could not say enough how grateful she was to him), and online at Imes' donation page: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/yxd4/raise-funds-for-ian-imes: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/yxd4/raise-funds-for-ian-imes

There is also a Facebook support page: https://www.facebook.com/ianimessupportgrouphttps://www.facebook.com/ianimessupportgroup

As hard as all of this must be for the whole family, I was amazed at how calm and upbeat Mrs. Holz was able to be. She said, "I'll cry when he walks again. Tears of joy." So will we.

 $3,000 was raised in one day (a little kid even broke his piggy bank to donate $35!), but this is going to be a long road for Imes and his family, and they can use all the help they can get. Watching all the good skating, and seeing everyone look so young and free, it was hard to remember that all that can be gone in one instant.

Watching the Venice and skate communities come together for one of their own, it was easy to remember that love is what it's all about, and that is exactly what Ian's Mom was focusing on ... "It's super amazing. I didn't know that people care so much." They do.

Please help in any way that you can. It all helps. Together we are all stronger.

Thank you.