Lockdown With The Weight Of Everyting

Here you go ... the theme song for the "Lockdown" that the entire world has been living under while the global Covid-19 pandemic rages on. My brother, Paul Gronner, has a band called The Weight of Everything (Heavy!), and he recorded an entire album Dealing With The Unknown in three weeks while under quarantine in Los Angeles.

He then came to Minneapolis, where I have been helping out my Mom (lost her leg almost a year ago) and my brother, Rich (had a mild stroke a month and a half ago). We worked hard fixing up things at my Mom's house - and then we worked on his music video for his new single, "Lockdown". Here it is:

We shot this all over Minnesota, mainly in Minneapolis, and there are about a zillion landmarks included in the story of the video. It was the anniversary of Prince's death while Paul was here, so we had to do the pilgrimage to Paisley Park again, and it was just as emotional as when we lost him. Most of the landmarks were pretty well deserted, so that added the weird quality of isolation that the song conjures up. My favorite part is the rock-out at the end, with Paul using the little guitar he taught himself to play on in his childhood room (also featured - the room with The Bad Brains poster!).

Nature has been our savior throughout all of this, and that majesty features heavily in the video as well. From eagles soaring to ducks gliding, from flowers blooming to the sun setting and the moon rising ... we share with you some of the beauty that has gotten us through.

Seasons changed during the filming, and you will be taken from the icy isolation of winter into the hope being exhaled by Spring. My favorite part is the rock-out at the end, which is as fun to watch as it was to film. Release! Paul is back in L.A. now, so I'm super wistful as I watch this video ... wishing he was still here, and also wistful for the way the world used to be. I am super proud of my brother, I love this video, and I hope you will too.

*(I also hope you will support him by buying his album at Apple or Spotify, as while he was here helping, his work van got stolen from in front of his house, and he could now really use the support! THANK YOU!)

LOCKDOWN By The Weight of Everything is available everywhere now! 

Dealing With The Unknown - Quarantine Music For The Masses!

Man, Hi. It's been a while. Quarantine doesn't offer the most opportunities to write fascinating stories all the time, as there just isn't that much to do. Most of us have been locked down, doing our own projects and things that aren't all that interesting to read about ... or are they? I think the biggest thing we're all dealing with is fear of the unknown ... and what is going to happen next? Well, my awesome brother, Paul, just put all of those thoughts and feelings into a brand new album he cranked out while shut inside in Los Angeles. His band, The Weight of Everything has released its second album of the month (that was recorded and !), and Dealing With The Unknown is now available everywhere.

I know I'm biased, but this piece of work is among Paul's best. I think the song "Quaranteens" should be THE anthem for the Class of 2020 ... give it a listen HERE:

Apple music:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/dealing-with-the-unknown/1511687677

Spotify: 

Dealing With the Unknown https://open.spotify.com/album/5AgNSiJQYqid7SwyRpKuOw

Really good, right? There is a lot of reflection in there, as Paul says he was thinking about a lot while in lockdown. Themes like being this all being a rare opportunity for creativity, mortality, future generations, spending constant time with your partner, and sticking it to The Man are in there, and there's even a track about a Norwegian doppelgänger on there!

The songs range from pretty hard rock to simply pretty, as in my other favorite track, "Lockdown". I'm telling you music supervisors out there - this is some cinematic stuff, and would be perfect for all of the quarantine shows and movies that you know are coming. Paul has been here in Minneapolis with us for the last few weeks, helping out and working SO hard on things around my Mom's house, he's a real life hero, for real. Then he just found out his work van was stolen from his house while he's been here by some selfish jerks that maybe didn't realize that van provides his livelihood - which has already been suffering due to the lack of work because of this awful virus. All of that being said to say this - my brother could really use your support, and it would be really extra vitally cool of you to go buy a song or the whole album. You'll really like it, plus you'll be helping out a really good guy.

THANK YOU! And turn it up loud for Cinco de Mayo! Olé!!!

Superbloom Splendor!

With all the rare rain Southern California has had lately, you knew there was also going to be a rare wildflower Superbloom - and People, it is here! And it's only the beginning ... !

I'm kind of a wildflower dork, and I'll go way out of my way to see a natural phenomenon - and so will my brother, Paul (Also an awesome nature photographer, so I'm double lucky), so a day trip was planned for a Sunday drive to Lake Elsinore, where I'd read was the spot of the moment ... and I had read correctly! You can see the flower covered mountains right from the 15 Freeway, and sure enough, the closer we got, the more backed up traffic became. We didn't even care though, because you know what? I'm STOKED that a whole bunch of people still care about nature and will get out there to appreciate it (even if they don't really deserve it, as I'll address shortly). It's special.

We wanted to really get into it, so we weren't going to settle for snapping shots from the shoulder of the freeway, and waited in the traffic line to find a parking spot at the trail head of Walker Canyon. It's not really a true nature park, I don't think, as there is no one around handling things. A couple Port-A- Pottys have been brought out to handle the huge influx of visitors to little Lake Elsinore, and there was an ice cream truck smart guy there, but that was it. The hills were crawling with nature lovers, but the higher up and deeper in we went, the more space to explore and photograph this natural wonder we had. It was truly spectacular, and THE most impressive wildflower display I've ever seen in nearly half of my life in California. And the big flower spots haven't even started yet! This is going to be some Spring!

Yesterday was also Daylight Savings first day, so we had extra time to explore the absolutely surreal colors bursting out all over. Some of the trails were pretty steep, and my boots were slippery, so it was adventurous also ... which I dig. Every photo we snapped was impossibly beautiful without doing a thing to it. The bright, almost hunting outfit orange of the state flower California Poppies was dominant in this area, with ridge after ridge exploding in the citrus palette that must be seen to be believed. Purple lupine and some other little tiny purple ones were also everywhere, with yellow and white blooms for contrast ... and it was all simply breathtaking. In one case it really WAS breath-taking, as both my brother and I got lightheaded when standing up. One of our new flower friends from the trail gave us a banana, and we realized we didn't really eat in our haste to get to the beauty. There are still good people, People!

There are also idiot people, and it must be addressed that several idiot jerks decided to leave their bright blue plastic dog waste bags along the trails - just thrown there to mar the total majesty that we were witnessing. Had I seen it in action there would have been words - which no one wants on such a beautiful day, but ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! Let this be a warning.

I also saw several seemingly clueless parents thinking it was adorable to let their kids pull the flowers to make little bouquets - literally teaching their kids to vandalize nature. I'd be like "Um, you know, I don't think you're supposed to be picking the flowers" (because I couldn't help it), and I'd be met with a look like I was the obnoxious one. Wow. O.K. There are no rangers or anyone enforcing anything, so it is a bit of a free for all, and you have to hope people get it by now, but nope. Maybe someone will read this and be like, "Oh, we're jerks" ... but I don't hold out much hope for these clueless, selfish sorts ... or now their kids. Blah.

ANYway, you can't let a few bad apples spoil a glorious day, and it was a real joy to see all the elated faces everywhere. Families taking their Christmas photos. People getting engaged, and married! Babies laughing. Senior Year photos. Many, many international visitors (I'd say the majority. Flower love worldwide!). Old couples holding hands and canes to get up the hill. I saw so many people taking selfies that I had to intervene and offer to take a real photo several times ... it was worth it to know that this beauty would be seen in its glory ... and maybe then the world will care more about taking care of it ... Maybe?

The sunshine came in and out so it was kind of a moody lighting deal for serious photographers, but my little phone camera took all of these, so it was obviously hard to take a bad photo. I can't wait to see my brother's real camera photos (though I'll have to - he's a perfectionist)! There is going to be serious nature photography coming at people all Spring long, if these hillsides keep this up ... we were honestly going "WOW!" "LOOK!" "Oh my goodness!" and just gasping aloud all afternoon long. Everyone is saying "The Hills are alive!" - and we actually were compelled to sing that song out loud. Had to. "Climb Every Mountain" too, as it felt like we did. People seeing our posts aren't even believing it's real, but I assure you, it is. Between our unreal sunsets, ocean waves, and these wildflower blooms, it really is a big reason why we continue to love and live in California, despite the real hardship it often takes to do so. Beauty prevails.

I'm so looking forward to exploring the other flower fields as their blooms open up and give us reason to rejoice, and remember that THIS is what should be important. All the people climbing those hills yesterday are better for it today, and so is everyone who sees their photos, and knows that this kind of natural beauty still exists. The smiles on everyone's faces said it all ... and it was free, nothing but time and energy spent. The Earth was free to do what it naturally does. WE were free to roam and ramble on.

Someone told me there's a girl out there, with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair ... 

I heard that beautiful and classic Zeppelin song  when I was a little girl, and I knew in my heart that I would live here someday. Now I've spent almost half of my life here in California, and yesterday I felt exactly like the girl in the song. I hope you'll get to feel that too (or what the guy that was appreciating her felt)  ... while it lasts. Going To California!

*Thanks to Paul Gronner for snapping photos and Perle Mer for my butterfly dress! 

The Musical Finale Of Abbot's Habit - The True End Of An Era

This was an all-time classic Venice weekend, kicked off with the farewell to an absolute Venice treasure. It's true. Abbot's Habit is closing for good this Wednesday, June 28th. The corner of Abbot Kinney and California will never be the same ... and this is the one that hurts the most. By far.

There are so many memories tied up within the walls of this legendary coffee shop you can almost see the ghosts of Venice past with your naked eye every time you enter. Last Friday night we gathered to have one last hurrah, with a musical celebration of both the people and the place that has been so special to so many.

My brother, Paul Gronner, managed Abbot's Habit for years, and during his tenure there he and our friend, Scott Passaglia (Scotty P!) hosted a music night most Fridays (setting off what became the dread First Fridays that are now nothing like they were). Many of the musical artists from those storied days returned on Friday to serenade what seemed like ALL of Venice crammed into Abbot's for one last throw-down. Those who didn't fit (many) spilled out on to the sidewalks, in a visual display of just how much this place meant to us, and how very much it will be missed.

The evening started when it was still light out ... and so did the tears. Mikel Farber opened up the music, and got me choked up right off the bat by remembering the friends who would hang out outside every day ... Abbot's Habit was their spot. Dr. John ... Zeta ... they've passed away now, but their presence was tangibly felt through Farber's touchingly beautiful musical tribute. He sang, "He'd hang for hours because he knew it was where it was at." Abbot's Habit was always where it was at in Venice ... people left for years, and Abbot's would be their first stop back, because they knew they'd run into someone they knew and get caught up on all the latest in Venice. Now that is no more. Farber posed the question ... "What's next?!" Indeed, what? Where do we go from here, Venice? What are we going to do about it?

Hugs, laughter, stories, beers, joints, and love were all being shared along with the music, and Holly Long continued the Irish Wake of a night. A motorcycle roared by in the middle of one of her songs, and she said, "That's what I remember!" She was a young mother, and would come to Abbot's Habit to get out of the house, meet other people, and find her community. That story was told often. Once the kids grew a bit and Long wanted to explore her music more, Abbot's was the place that gave her that opportunity. It was obviously a very special place to her, as she choked up, saying, "I'm amazed I can sing!" Looking around, she noted her first guitar teacher was there among all the familiar faces, adding, "When you're up here, it's super trippy." It was very much old home night.

Tom Freund was next, giving us the appropriate "East Of Lincoln", singing, "When I moved east of Lincoln, I started drinking ... I feel my heart sinking..." echoing many thoughts in the room. Next up was "Truly Mellow" about "the smells of Venice", complete with toke breathing flourishes. The singalong at the end "La di dah!" belted out by absolutely everyone might have been my favorite part of the night, as it was the "Venice Choral Society" all singing together in solidarity for a time and place we knew was fleeting. It was emotional once again, for sure. Steve McCormick and Heather Donovan joined Freund for his "Collapsible Plans", and it was beautiful. Freund had his last Abbot's coffee and said, " I send my love to you all, may it grow in another place!" Yes, please. But where?

Paul Chesne and Dutch Suoninen were up next (there were many acts booked, so we had to keep it moving!), and gave it their Venice all. Chesne spoke about playing here with wine in his coffee cup (which many of us had in our hands that moment), and kicked off their set with the fun, "Pink Champagne", which the crowd (now equally as large outside as in) ate up. They gave us a brand new one called, "It's Called I'm In Love With You" that was swoon-worthy, and for "one more song at Abbot's Habit", they got down with "Get Myself Right". Chesne ended up with a "Who you gonna call?!" chant that had everyone yelling back "Ghostbusters" in the Snapchat dig of the night. Ugh. Looking around now, it was like the All Star Game of Venice musicians in there ... and their fans. It was like the coolest family reunion possible ... which it exactly was.

Kim Michaelowski played a gorgeous set, but I didn't hear the specifics because it was very hot inside, and like musical chairs in that some would go outside to give others a chance to hear inside. I was outside at this point to catch my breath, and Kim sounded so good that even more people wanted to cram inside.

I returned just in time to see Kim taking the crowd's photo from the stage, and thanking Abbot's Habit, and its owner, Nina Santangelo, for everything over the years.

Nina was being thanked and hugged all night, and it was hard to hold back the tears when doing so. How do you even begin to sum it all up?! I mean, I remember when 9/11 happened and my brother was working early shift at the Habit, and some stoned guy called there to ask if what he was seeing was real. Paul called me and woke me up telling me to turn on the t.v. ... and I saw that horror show live. I found out Paul Wellstone died while getting coffee at the Habit. Love stories began here. I  know a dear couple who met and had their first date at the Habit. They just happened to be back in town this weekend, and went to have coffee at their old table, and renew their vows to each other there while they were at it. Their kids got to see where Mommy and Daddy met. We had so many art shows, naked poetry open mic nights, and the wonderful music nights we were honoring on this night. It's all just too much to even process yet ...

So let's keep talking about the music! Matt Ellis and Vavine Tahapehi took over the stage, and I again got teary, because we met these two now wonderful, lifelong friends, right there at the Habit music night. They were new to town from Australia, and instantly found their people there. As Vav said, "If we'd lived anywhere else in Los Angeles, we wouldn't be here anymore. Here's to you, Venice!" And they sang their lush and gorgeous "Seven Years At Sea", which is all about finding their way here. As we sat on the wooden pews, I heard someone behind me say, "It kind of IS our church." Exactly, and the solemn reverence Abbot's Habit was receiving on this night was both appropriate and well-deserved. "Heart Of Mine" was played first ever at the Habit music night, and Ellis' last Abbot's song - "Won't Let This Die" - was about the friendships forged within those walls, that will last "'Til the day we die!" Venice friends are forever.

Steve McCormick and Stan Behrens played the blues that everyone was feeling, and "Lying On The Bottom Of The Mississippi River" is just about how we felt ... but in a good way. David Ralicke joined them to rule the trombone. It was Venice Greatest Hits in there, man, and it was good. I feel for Stan maybe the most ... he and his cronies have hung out on the sidewalk in front of Abbot's Habit ever since I've been here ... a good twenty plus years. Where will he go for his morning joe and shooting of the breeze? It's all just sad. Period.

Stan stayed up there to accompany John Vester and Marky Lennon (of the band, Venice), and they played beautifully together, with Stan's artful harmonica weaving a spell around John's acoustic guitar and Lennon's harmonies. It was the world's greatest living room concert in a coffee shop. I miss it so much already just typing about it ...

Amilia K Spicer is one of my very favorite songbirds, and we were privileged to get her back at Abbot's Habit one more time before it's gone. She had a mandolin player with her, and together they astounded everyone with the beauty of the harmonies. The reception to the music was so great that she urged, "Come on the road with me!" It was so, so beautiful, and you can hear more at Spicer's c.d. release show at Beyond Baroque on July 15th. SO good.

Music Night co-founder, Scotty P. was next, with "She Has Magic In Her Heart", where she might have been Venice, and her heart might have been Abbot's. "This place is special. It's been a really great spot in Venice for everyone, and I'm gonna make up a song right now," said an inspired Scotty P. And did just that. While he was riffing on the spot, my friend Shane leaned over and asked me, "Can you imagine not coming here anymore?" All I could say was "No." I truly can't imagine it.

And we've only got until this Wednesday now - even though last Friday felt like the real goodbye. The final made-up lyrics from Scotty P's last Abbot's gig were, "Celebrate life, making memories that will last until the end of time ... remember the good times!" He's right. That's all we can do. And must do.

Crash was up next, and I must be forgiven because I was back outside trying to breathe again during his set, but my brother said the loungey vibe was great, and that Crash even sparked up a j while singing, in true Venice fashion. I'm sorry I missed being inside for it, but it sounded fun from outside - where it was also real fun. People were feeling it, and not wanting to let it go.

Scotty P. introduced my brother, and asked for a big salute to him for starting the music nights back in the day, and everyone hooted and hollered. "We've met some of our best friends here ... and now, Ladies and Gentlemen - spaceblanket!" A shiny silver spaceblanket back-drop was unfurled and Paul's shoegaze band mesmerized the room for the remainder of the night. There are no lyrics and no singing, which I think was apt for the occasion that there really were no words for. I looked around the room as they played, and saw so much love in the eyes that it really capped off the emotional night for me. After the last song, the mics had already been put away, so Paul just shouted "I love you! I love us all! We gotta stick together! Thank you, Nina! Thank you, Abbot's Habit!"

And that was that. The last music event ever at Abbot's Habit. The crowd didn't want the fun - or the camaraderie to end there, so everyone dispersed to after-party ... and another wonderful Venice night went down in history.

I love you! I love us all! We gotta stick together! Thank you, Nina! Thank you, Noah Farrell! Thank you, Abbot's Habit!!!

From us all.

Abbot's Habit
1993-2017

*Photos by Paul Gronner Photography
**Exterior shot by Ron Geren Photography

On The Scene At L.A. Art Show 2017!

"On The Scene In '17" is my motto for this new year, but I haven't been able to really execute because I've had this dreadful cold for pretty much the whole year so far. The show must go on though, so I headed down to the always great opening night of the 2017 L.A. Art Show at the Convention Center downtown, Kleenex in hand.

The line to get inside the hall was so long it was like we were trying to get into a Bernie Sanders rally last Summer (ahem). It went pretty fast, and there was good people watching while waiting, like this lady with a dress made entirely out of forks (who made it much easier for my friends to find me with her as a landmark - thank you!).

It's fun to attend this event with my brother, Paul, because he's deep in the L.A. art world and has a lot of great insight - but he also gets stopped every two feet to chat, so he needs to be abandoned at times if I was going to see any of the art in an already super-densely filled massive space crowded with art aficionados.

Aside from the intense line to get in at the beginning, the Art Show has figured out some things to make it go more smoothly, starting with several little bars throughout so you don't end up wasting all your art looking time in line for a drink. The whole thing seemed more spread out and manageable, even if I never figure out how to get to the food area before they close down. Oh, well.

I think I saw my favorite pieces right out of the gate when Paul showed me the sculpture works by Larry Kagan, where he bends wires in such a way that their shadow on the wall is the real image. How cool! It always intrigues me how artists come up with their art, and this one takes the cake. Like, "I bet if I bend this wire just so, it will look like a chair in the shadow on the wall." What?! Smartie.

... Or "What if I make sculptures entirely out of screws?" How do they come up with these things?! I'm actually always more interested in art like this than the classic landscape in a gold frame, but if that's your thing, there's plenty of that too.

I've always been fond of the quote from Bertolt Brecht when he said, " Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it." - because it's so true, and this show was no different. There was a ton of art that reflected our times and current events ... and the reporters from all over the world to cover it.

Much of art is derivative, of course, and there are many exhibitors who clearly have been majorly influenced by Warhol and Basquiat - like almost straight knock-offs - but then you get those bent wires and screws and the performance artists, and the relief that there is still some original thought and creativity left in the world.

The performance art was all at one end this year, and though we missed a lot of the action/performance of it by the time we got to that side, it was still cool to see what people are up to. An inflatable amoeba type thing with painted dancers cavorting around it was interesting ...

An invitation to destroy a couch had viewers sitting and watching the destruction while "Pennies From Heaven" played and pennies DID fall occasionally from the Heavens (ceiling).

There was a bloody forest where limbs were dismembered that we missed (and I'm fine with that), but we very much dug the pink carwash thing buffing out silver "LA." letters, that so perfectly matched my friend Deb's arty get-up that people thought she was part of the installation and asking her for photos. Awesome.

I very much enjoyed the live painting that featured street artists like bumblebeelovesyou (who I also love) creating one of his whimsical, happy childhood pieces ...

... and Venice's own Jules Muck there doing a self-portrait, showing this art world that she has indeed arrived.

My favorite section of the L.A. Art Show is always the Littletopia area, full of the latest, coolest stuff from artists who always seem to be the most up my alley.

Littletopia is curated by my favorite gallery at the L.A. Art Show, the Red Truck Gallery, from New Orleans. I love me some folk art, and Red Truck is probably the very best place in the country to feature that wonderful genre.

They had a bunch of new art this year, of which I think the one I most coveted was this piece that warns against the dangers of mixing Pop Rocks with Coke. Don't do it.

I loved the "Artist's Room" by the duo Dosshaus, where a couple hangs out and talks to you in an entirely monochromatic, colorless room where all of the items, including their clothes, were made from recycled cardboard. Deb also looked especially great here in her pink.

There was a surreal installation of stretched out, super-realistic people from Yi Hwan Kwon, that was also very popular with the Instagrammers in the house. To stand in front of them was to question your own reality - or sobriety - as so trippy were they. 

Another really great installation was the big portrayal "Cut-Outs" by Ramiro Gomez of a Los Angeles home. It uses negative space very effectively when the housekeepers and gardeners are cut out of the piece and erected in front of it, proving their importance. It reminded me of the great and important documentary, A Day Without A Mexican from Sergio Arau. Crucial viewing, both. 

Coagula Projects brought an installation from Fred Tieken that would be very Venice-appropriate as it portrayed birds and skateboards and said, "No birds on skateboards allowed on this beach".  Only we would never stand for that. 

There was so much to see and do at this year's L.A. Art Show that it insists upon a return visit, when it's not so full of opening night crowds and people to catch up with. For every piece I saw, there were probably 100 that I didn't - or more. It's always so gratifying to attend events that are all about the art and the people that make it, and that recognize the beauty and importance of art in our lives. The show runs through January 15th, so you have until then to be "On The Scene in '17" yourselves. No excuses. 

Thank you to all involved for another wonderful showcase of the world's art and artists, indeed helping to shape our reality. Hooray for Art!