KCRW's Summer Nights Backyard Party With Jim James!

I finally got to see the new KCRW Headquarters in Santa Monica on Saturday night when they held their Summer Nights Backyard Party in the courtyard of their super impressive new digs on Pennsylvania Avenue. The bonus to seeing the new space was that it was for a Jim James (My Morning Jacket) solo gig, and I'll go see that dude anywhere.

It was a perfectly gorgeous evening for an outdoor concert, and the line for the first come, first to get in line stretched around the block for this really fun - and free - event. The crowd was very KCRW Westside Liberal, with friends and families out for a lovely neighborhood jam under the stars. DJ Liza Richardson warmed up the proceedings, spinning popular tracks while people got their buzz on with delish lavender lemonade or spicy tequila drinks - or beer. Food trucks were there, per usual, and a whole lot of schmoozing going on. So much so that when Mr. James took the stage, it was kind of subtle, like he was just all of a sudden there singing "Rainbow Power". "America needs Rainbow Power" is sung truth, and James had the crowd in his hands from then on (aside from the very chatty scenester girls that always seem to be standing near me).

"All In Your Head", "I'm Amazed", and "Just A Fool" were thrown down back to back to back, as James wove his spells among a backdrop of projected art done by Future Lighting that served up a trippy atmosphere that went perfectly with his 70's rock vibe. Backlit with hair blowing in the summer breeze, slinging a red, glittery guitar, James could have been there from a Zeppelin-era time machine. And we were all loving it.

"Throwback" was therefore an apt track to be played, and "Changing World" was straight from now. James sang about living in the now, which was crazy, because I had just run into Rocky Dawuni (another KCRW favorite, the reggae singer from Ghana) earlier and we had talked about exactly that. Living in the moment, as it's all we really have. And these moments were good ones to be living in. Glancing around, everyone seemed happy, and all cares seemed to have been forgotten, at least for the moment.

It's kind of amazing when just one guy with a guitar and no backing band can hold such a big crowd's attention (by now the place was jam packed), but James sure did. "Here In Spirit". "No Secrets". "Too Good To Be True." All awesome. James didn't talk too much, but when he did, he urged everyone to go out and see Blackkklansman - "The most important film in our lifetime". Whoa. That's a pretty hefty claim ... but now I'm going tonight. James sings about things I agree with, so I'll take this as a solid film referral (and get back to you).

"I'm excited to be here to break in this wonderful new space, what a cool place to gather, I'm honored to be here with you tonight," James addressed the surroundings, and I think we all felt the same way. James brought it home with "A New Life", "Rome", "Over And Over", and finished the set with Brian Wilson's "Love And Mercy" with its great line, and great show-ender, "Love and mercy, that's what you need tonight, Love and mercy to you and your friends tonight." How lovely - and we'll take it.

There was no encore, and after the applause died down, DJ Chris Douridas took over the turntables to spin until the party ended ... though no one wanted it to. What a delightful first visit to the new KCRW Campus! If you haven't yet checked it out, there's another Summer Nights Backyard Party next Saturday - this time with Henry Rollins! Yessss!

Bu-huuuut, Oh! Those Su-hum-mer Niiiii-iiiiiights! See you there.

*Photos courtesy Everett Fitzpatrick for KCRW.

Amazing Skin By Ashly - Now At Equinox!

When I thought about how I'd like to spend my birthday this year, and how I'd like to do something nice for myself to celebrate, the first thing I thought of was a facial by Ashly Macall Smith. Amazing Skin By Ashly is no hyperbole - it's an exact description of how your face looks when she's done with you - Amazing!

I've been haunted by Ashly's facials since 2010, when I had my last one by her at the Tree House in Venice. I can't believe it's been six years (!) but it was well worth the wait. It had been so long because the Tree House is sadly long gone from Abbot Kinney, so I wasn't sure where Ashly was working, and then I heard she moved to Nebraska. Then I recently heard she moved back, so when it was time to pamper myself for another hard-earned year well lived, I was tracking her down.

Ashly is now working out of the Equinox Spa in Santa Monica, so you pass by all the workout people and head upstairs to the 4th floor. Ashly was coming down the steps as I was going up and we had a happy reunion hug there, before she showed me to the steam room. I had a nice long steam, reflecting on my year, and getting myself all good and steamy ahead of my relaxation time.

One of the best parts of a facial by Ashly is her soothing manner. Her gentle voice and touch accompanies each step of the process, and you're very aware of the TLC you're receiving. I always just let her be the judge of what my face needs, because she's a professional and she knows best. This time around she could tell that I've been at the beach probably too much, and that called for the works. I got the aromatherapy facial with some extra-great extras, like the Cranberry Brightening Mask (that felt like a cool jelly mask of chill), some microdermabrasion to get rid of the old sun damaged stuff, and then a wonderful finale of a Vitamin C serum by Skinceuticals that Ashly says is the very best product on the market. And that I really needed it. I was just thinking it smelled strangely like hot dogs, when Ashly said, "It kind of smells like hot dogs, or soy sauce." Which it does, but when everyone was remarking on how much I was glowing that evening - it was well worth it.

As were the extractions. That part of a facial is always a little brutal, and I always feel like I'm going to emerge like a man with bits of Kleenex all over his face from shaving nicks, but I don't. I always look a million times better than when I went in, and as Ashly says, it really is the  most important and main part of a facial. "It's all about the extractions ... Preparing for them and then closing them." Now I get it. They're not even that bad when someone as lovely and gentle as Ashly is performing them, and I even kind of dig it, in a slightly masochistic way.

There is always some lovely massage to go along with it, and I found myself in almost a trance as Ashly rubbed my neck and arms while one of the magic potions on my face soaked in. We caught up on life a bit, and she told me that there is also a new venture in the works, called Washly! They're elbow-length washcloth gloves for washing your face at night. You know how the water always goes up your forearms and isn't that comfortable when you wash your face? Solved. Plus they're kind of hot and fancy - and made from recovered textiles (in California!) to boot! I can't wait to get a pair, and we'll all be able to on her website shortly.

When Ashly was finished working her magic, I got up and looked in the mirror and was pretty sure I had time traveled. Ashley reversed the clocks of time on my birthday! I can't recommend her services enough, and am fully honest when I say multiple people told me that night that I was glowing, and I don't think it was just from the birthday buzz. Thank you, Ashly dear!

**You can see what I mean on any Tuesday-Friday, from 9 am to 9 pm. You can make your appointment with Ashly Macall Smith at #562-900-5416, and you too will understand why I was obsessed with getting back to her facial table since 2010. (Now we just need to work on getting her back in Venice!)


***Washly photo by Maurice Will Photography

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.