Façade Of Time - A Public Performance In The Streets Of Venice

There were several community events going on around Venice this past weekend, with plenty of chances for everyone to get in on the fun. There was the Black History Month exhibit and conversation at the Venice Library. There was the "Venice Hootenanny" in Oakwood Park put on by the VNC that was really just a small stage, a big Jenga and Connect 4 game, and that's about it. No food, no drink, no bathrooms ... if it weren't for some of Venice's favorite musicians playing (Paul Chesne, Tom Freund, etal ... ) it would have been a complete bust. Better luck (or planning) next time, folks - but at least we had sunshine and friendship, and that's a lot. The coolest event of the weekend was the public performance of Façade Of Time, a kind of dance piece that traveled all through the streets of Venice to the Breakwater.

The Body Weather Laboratory was the organization behind Façade Of Time, and they started their performance at the bridge at the start of the Venice Canals. An otherworldly voice chanted from under the bridge - with its awesome acoustics - and then a little raft emerged with a woman singing. Performers were scattered throughout the crowd gathered, dressed all in blue, and chanting back to the woman. It had the feel of a co-ed monastery, with 60 blue monks of all ages, races, and genders together calling all of Venice to worship.

The monk vibe changed to a bit of a zombie vibe as the performers then all began to walk ultra-slowly across Venice Boulevard and down Strongs Drive to Venice Way. The crowd grew as we all followed behind and along the dancers/walkers, with a reverential silence the entire way. A passerby asked if the whole town was out taking a walk together, and yeah, we were.

There was also a reverence for Venice itself as the performance moved along its streets. Performers would touch a plant, or a fence, or a wall, with such awe and respect that it was like aliens discovering a new place, or like the ancient Tongva people that used to live here having the ultimate respect for nature. It was moving to see ... and to be a part of, just by being there. A tourist girl going by said, "I don't get it. Is this a funeral of some kind?" And in a way, it kind of felt like it. A funeral for Venice ... for art ... for the past ... but as it progressed, and you saw how the experience was affecting people (Venice is still cool! Venice is still out there! Venice is still art!), by the time it was over, it became a true celebration.

That is a goal of the Body Weather Lab, as its mission statement for the piece talked about how they aim to collapse barriers and enable everyone, without hierarchy, to have access to art. This was most evident as the piece moved through Windward Circle, and the streets became more populated. The homeless pushed their carts by as Teslas had to stop for the big group passing in the street (One driver dared to honk, only to be glared at silently by the entire group). The dancers split into four groups, one in each direction of the compass. The woman who had been singing under the bridge was now in the center of Windward Circle, directing her choir.

A mystical New Age-y music was in the air, and everyone was wondering where it was coming from (and why it isn't always being blasted out of Windward Circle?), only to realize that the cars making a tight rotation around the circle were actually all broadcasting the music out of their windows, providing a musical background atmosphere for the chanting performers on all sides. Trippy!

Right then, a man got off of a Big Blue Bus with his bike, and I wish I'd been able to capture his face. Total confusion, but with a smile, like "Where have I just landed?!" This is how I felt long ago when I first stepped on to Ocean Front Walk and knew that this would one day be my home. That this was a magical place, like no other. Imagine just getting off the bus and stepping into this scene ... it made me so happy that our Venice is still capable of blowing someone's mind. In a beautiful way, at that.

The now much larger group processed across Pacific and under the Venice sign, making its way to the Boardwalk. All of the tourists were stopping and staring, wondering ... and then they joined in. This might have been the windiest day I've ever experienced in Venice, and the gale force winds only added to the drama of the performance art happening right in front of everyone's faces.

One group of performers laid down on the ground in Windward Plaza, and individuals took turns hopping up and shouting a Venice street name ... "Electric Avenue!" "Nowita Place!" "Venice Boulevard!" with acknowledgement of the years of art and history in this place. They were laying right where the canals are painted on the sidewalk, so it had an added element of a true sense of place. Everywhere the performance passed, you could almost see the Ghosts of Venice Past. Abbot's Habit was even one of the sponsors (among many, like the Electric Lodge and Venice Community Housing), so you got the sense that this was a piece given to the present from Venice's past - both as a gift - and a warning.

The other group made a circle around the big "V" statue overlooking the beach. They embraced, laughed, circled, and yelled as the wind whipped the whole chorus into a frenzy. Certain performers now brought out little chime and machines that zipped and whirred in the wind, creating a cacophony of sound as the performers came together to process across the sand to the water. 

Everyone basically got some free micro-dermabrasion watching this piece as the sand was violently flinging sand into everyone's faces, but now we were invested and had to see this performance through to the end. All of the dancers stood together in a big line, and the choir director woman led them through a series of higher and lower chants and shrieks as the sun set into the far western horizon. It was a beautiful conclusion to a beautiful experience - and a beautiful Sunday - as the Supermoon grew high above.

I've always said the beach is kind of my church, and never felt that more so than standing there with a big group of people honoring both our town, nature itself - and our place in both.

Congratulations and thanks to the Body Weather Laboratory and everyone involved in making this  memorable day about a dream in Venice come to life. It will stay with us for a long time to come.

May it inspire others to treat Venice with the same respect and adoration, as we together realize that time truly is a façade - and it is what we make of it. So dance in the streets! 

Wish!

I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for the North Country, and so had to go greet the ocean this morning as I'll miss it while I'm home for Christmas. The waves are huge and it's like fireworks watching them, oohing and aahing at the majesty. I do the same thing when it's snowing, so I'm good most anywhere, but they're both their own kind of special. On the way back to get packing, I cut through the canals and crossed the "Wish" bridge, as it had been too dark to really read the wishes on the night of the canal parade.

The idea of putting your best wishes out there to flutter in the wind, in the hopes of them being granted ... I find it lovely. The majority of the hand written wishes were big ideas, like for the world, not the individual and that was nice to see. I'm a big fan of adventures and memories over stuff, so wishing for material things hasn't been my thing for a long time - not when we live in the world we do. Wishes need to be bigger and better ... for the whole humanity picture at this point.

That's why I zeroed in on the wish below ... that "Humanity would realize the beauty they are ... to truly be in their full potential ...  to love freely ... to find the warrior of light within." Man. I couldn't have wished any better myself. Times have gotten so mean and snarky and selfish and greedy ... that it brings you to tears when someone posts a video of someone else doing some sweet, little thing that should just be automatic. We all have it in us to be kind, to be humane ... to be giving of ourselves. There's no material thing out there that can give you the same feeling of kindness without expectation, and knowing that you made someone else feel happier, even if just for a moment. To me, that's what this season is all about. I bet if we all wish for these things together, it will just BE.

I read a great quote from Paul Klee this morning on my word a day page, and it said, "Art should be like a holiday: something to give a (wo)man the opportunity to see things differently, and to change (her) his point of view." Yes. Let us take this opportunity of this beautiful holiday to see things in a new, more humane way, not to just change our point of view, but to change this world. It can be done. With love.

So, I WISH you all a wonderful holiday! I'm going on hiatus for Christmas break back home, but I can't wait to share all of the good stories that are coming in our new year ... in our new world that we wished for. Christmas love to all!

Your Christmas Carol , CJG

O Christmas Palm Tree!

I was out walking around this morning and cut through the canals to check out the bridges in the daytime. The sun was high and warm and humming Christmas carols felt a little out of place, but it still had to be done ... 'tis the Season!

At the other side of one bridge, I saw a great and creative use of dried up palm fronds - someone had made Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on a frond. Love it.

Carrying on down a different canal, there was another family making good use of the fronds. There was a Mrs. Claus type, with blonde braids I could appreciate ...

... And then there was Mr. Claus himself, in a grass rootsy display of natural Christmas decoration  ingenuity. I've never seen palm tree art done like this, and it touched me as a very Venice way of showing off your holiday cheer. Good job, folks!

Christmas decorations make me happy (my name is really Carol for a reason), and I'd love to see which ones all of you love most ... please feel free to share them with me and I'll post for all to see. It all goes by so fast, let's love it all while we can!

Ho Ho Ho!

Where Is The Love?! Venice.

These are some crazy times, Man. Every day some new crazy thing/s happen to make you shake your damn head and wonder how we got here. Wonder what is wrong with people? Wonder where in the world is the LOVE anymore?! I'm thinking all that on my walk this morning, when I noticed that someone had done a little tag on a Canal bridge ... and then I zoomed in ...

Where is the love?!?! Right?!?! It's nice to know I'm not the only one wondering this - and what we can do about it. That was on my mind as I kept on trucking, and turned down Altair to head back. Well, THERE was some love! A cute little bungalow dweller put it right there in front, letting us all know that at least here, it's still Love Street. Phew.

Easing on down the road over to the French Market for my morning coffee, I saw that there was more big LOVE to be found, right there on Venice and Abbot Kinney. In rainbow colors and everything! So, the next time you think or hear the very important question of "Where is the love?", know that you can always find it in Venice. Better yet, you can always find it in your own heart to give, and in your own mind to receive.

Love you.

Calvin & Hobbes Love You!

Awwww. Returning from the beach this morning, I was thinking about everything in the whole world, like most days. As much garbage news and as many mean-spirited people as there in this joint, there really are some truly lovely ones. Like the person behind the "Someone loves you" street art. This morning they struck again, and there was a new one featuring Calvin & Hobbes letting everyone know that they are loved.

I'm sorry that I don't know who the artist is to properly credit them (let me know if you do!), but I want them to know it's appreciated, and almost always seen when it's really needed.

Thank you to them for this little day-maker there at the entrance to the Venice Canals. And just so they know ... someone loves them - and their work -  too. XOXO.

Venice Or Venaughty?

Everyone is racing around out there trying to get everything done in time for Christmas. The post office is crazy. Traffic is crazy. Moods are crazy. Families are crazy. Our government is certainly crazy. But in spite of all the craziness, there's a great feeling surrounding it all. Some might call it the Christmas Spirit. People are just a little bit nicer. A little bit cooler. A little bit more helpful. A little bit more fun. We're also all reflecting back on a year that was extra crazy, and thinking ahead to what will be next year. I already know it's going to be better, it just has to be. This reflection also begs the question ... were you Venice or Venaughty ... and what WILL you be next year?

I like to be balanced, so I suspect I will be a little bit of both (in a good naughty way). The world can really use us ALL being a whole lot nicer, so my hope for the new year is that everyone will fall far more over to the VeNICE side of things - no matter where you are. It's a state of mind, after all.

As we spread out all over the globe, please know that I wish a MERRY CHRISTMAS to one and all!

And the BEST New Year any of us has ever had!!!

Looking forward to sharing many yuletide tales upon my return back to VeNICE. Spread peace, good cheer, and have fun, Everyone!

Love, your Christmas Carol 

The Wonderfully Charming Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade!

The annual Venice Canals Boat Holiday Boat Parade was held last night on a balmy Venice evening that everyone looks forward to every year ... especially this year when things are so bleak and weird in the world at large that any chance to be festive and have fun must be jumped at. The Canals parade is always one of the most charming and wonderful times possible, and this year was no different in that sense.

The skies provided a beautiful opening act, as one of the most gorgeous sunsets ever (and that's saying a lot out here) began the holiday revelry in spectacular fashion.

It seemed like there were less decorated boats this year, but the fantastic lights and decor on the bridges and homes more than made up for it. I'm not sure if we were walking down the wrong canals at the wrong time, but we never did see one big linear parade, just more of a sporadic glimpse here and there. I suspect the parade began in one spot, and then everyone just rowed around doing their own thing. There weren't very many lit up ones, making it more difficult to see them once the sun went down. Our vote for our favorite vessel was the canoe filled with big peas ... in a vision for World Peas. I somehow didn't get a photo of them that turned out, but shout out to the Peas!

Our vote for favorite bridge changed with every corner that we turned. There was a lovey dovey "Kiss" one adorned with X's that was very popular with the lovers present.

My little pal Beckett came out with me to the parade this year, and his proclamation was that it was too difficult to pick a favorite because he loved them all. That's the spirit!

Though the tunnel of lights bridge did keep his attention the longest, so I think we'll give it to them.

I think Beckett's favorite house was the one with all the lit-up cartoon characters that he knows, and a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was especially exciting. Kids make Christmas even more fun, and it was a joy to see his little face light up brighter than any of the houses every time we saw something new.

The same house featured a polar bear, that I loved because if you saw that video last week of a starving polar bear up in the Arctic, you know how much these guys need love right now. A lot.

One decorated bridge declared that "Winter is here!" though that bridge was about the only way anyone could know that, as this was an evening when not even a sweater was required. It almost felt like we should be singing "Mele Kalikimaka"!

There was a house that we called the "When Doves Cry" house, all lit up in purple with doves flying around the front ...

... which was a great lead-in to our friends' house, the Revelins, who fired up their Purple Rain machine to the delight of all the passersby. Thanks also to them for a lovely break for little legs, and the much needed refreshments. Love!

Canal parties were going off, and what we call the "Fish House" made our list for best-lit house, which concurred with the vote of the Venice Canals Association.

The second place house was good too, and also featured a jam-packed house of festive party-goers. 'Tis the Season!

The Venice Canals are always an excellent place to bring out of towners, to know the history of Venice, and to feel how beautiful it is here. The area really shows off at Christmastime though, and is well worth the time to stroll through and feel the joy and peace of the season, as well as the love and hope you can't help but feel when you see "Kiss" and "Imagine" as the themes. It's the perfect place to go caroling (and stay warm while doing it)! With all the reflections on the water, it's also the perfect place to reflect on what YOU can do to make the world a nicer, kinder, more peaceful place.

Thanks so much to all the fun makers and havers for sharing another beautiful holiday event with everyone, truly making it the most wonderful time of the year (after Summer, sorry!)!


Holiday Cheers!

The Art Of Being Home

I was still pretty steamed up this morning over the whole Adidas "Defining Venice" thing (I can't even believe that stupid sign is still up after the Community outrage it's stirred up) as I was on my morning walk. I was thinking about a lot of the comments I got, about how Venice is already dead, and it's a lost cause, and remember the good old days, and all of the cool stuff is gone, and hipsters and techies and billionaires are taking over, and all that ... but you know what? All of the comments were from equally outraged, equally longtime (almost) or native people that are still here, that still care, that still LOVE it here ... so how can it be over? The answer is it's not. This encouraged me as I walked along, and I decided to take a different Canal home today, just for fun. I crossed a bridge and some color on a house up the way caught my eye, so I walked over to investigate.

One of the houses had a mural painted (by Venice treasure, Gary Palmer, I found out!) across the top of their place, spelling it all out for me. "The Art Of Being Home." With a beach and lifeguard towers! How perfect for Venice! It's an art just living here. It is our HOME. The only reason I/we get so riled up about things like a corporate behemoth thinking they can come in and define our Venice is because we chose to make this beach Community our HOME. Through history, that has always been the thing most worth fighting for ... one's home. It has always been special here, so special that many of us left our own hometowns and families because we were madly in love with this magical place called Venice. It was worth it to us to create our own new lives here far from our loved ones and places. It meant a lot to be accepted into the Community, but that happened because I got involved. I volunteered. I met my neighbors. I made friends with everyone from the most homeless of the homeless to the millionaires (this was pre-billionaires). I went to Neighborhood Council meetings. I shopped locally. I greatly respected all who came before me, and appreciated their welcome. I started this blog to tell all of their stories. To have this place now threatened with becoming like everywhere else is a call to action, a call for principles, and a call for our Community to stand up to it and say ENOUGH.

It's not over. It's not too late. Thousands of you feel the exact same way that I do, and told me so yesterday. I'm clearly not giving up. Neither should you. It's (past) time to stand together to preserve what we have left ... to maintain the wonderful art of being home in Venice.

Thank you all for letting me know you care like I do. We're still here. I love you, Venice - in complete solidarity.

A Zen Oasis In The Canals

Yesterday I was waxing philosophical about life and nature, and so grateful I got out of Dodge for an adventure into some natural beauty. Today I'm on my beach walk in the morning, and so in my head I made it all the way to the jetty at the end of the Marina before I realized there was a giant, stunningly beautiful Pacific Ocean right there. Your thoughts create your life.

I felt kind of bad about that, and took a moment to stop and acknowledge it, and breathe it all in. Then I began the walk home, and got right back inside my head. Some people were walking all slow and taking up the whole sidewalk on Venice Boulevard (drives me nuts, lately it's like walking behind people wandering at the airport), so I ducked into the Canals, both for the beauty and the open sidewalks.

Just as I was grumbling to myself about annoying people and gentrification and flaky L.A. people that don't return messages or do what they say and Ow, I got a hangnail and how can I personally stop climate change and ... a gap opened up in between some houses on the Canal, and I had to stop. It was a Zen oasis. Another reminder to CHILL.

I'm not super up on Buddhism, but I do know a big part of it is to be present. To Be Here Now. Organized religion has screwed up so much of the World, so I'm not a big fan. I did study pretty much all of it in College though, and I know that the overarching tenet they all have in common is to believe in Good. Just add an O to God, because everyone calls that something different. I think it all started as one thing, then like language and the game of Telephone, it spread out and people made up what they wanted to, but it all comes down to The Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have done unto you. It's so dang simple to believe. But apparently so hard to implement. Faith is believing that we can.

I walked out of the Canals, refreshed, renewed, and reminded once again to be present. To be grateful. To be GOOD. And to try and have it last more than one day. Ommmmmmmmm.

The Annual Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade - Where The Palm Trees Glisten

One of my very favorite annual events in Venice is the Holiday Boat Parade in the Canals. Each year locals rig up floating vessels to traverse the canal streets and bring holiday cheer to all the people lining the lining the sidewalks and bridges.

Many canal homes are hosting parties on this day, and it always seems to be a fairly open door policy, with people opening their doors to friends and strangers alike. The boats line up just before sundown, and this year seemed to be particularly packed with revelers. I think we were all ready to blow off some steam and have some holiday fun to remember this year by, instead of all the mad/sadness. It worked.

The bridges were decorated in addition to the boats, and one was more adorable than the next. My choice for best bridge this year went to the charming little house facade that went up over one bridge, reiterating that this is our HOME.

One house had a live band playing mainly classic rock covers and The Doors (appropriately), and the jams echoed all throughout the waterways. As most of the boats were caroling along with Christmas tunes, the absolute metal was kind of great in its juxtaposition.

My runner up bridge was the Venice sign bridge on Linnie Canal, that as the sun set revealed lights and icicles dazzling up the colorful letters of the sign. This one was a popular photo backdrop all evening long.

The parade entries were all great this year, with a palm tree chill pad and a floating stage with a lounge singer trio competing alongside a floating manger scene and a dove offering world peace (my favorite), among many others.

Battery life on lights and iffy floatability made some entrants more precarious than others, and soon a friend of the manger scene had to jump in to tow the floating creche back to its dock. That is some serious community support.

My dear friends, the Revelins, were again our gracious hosts for the parade, which was even more generous of them this year as they had lost their beloved little dog, Lola, just the day before. 2016, Man. But, as in the general atmosphere of the country, the show must go on. We have to make the best of it all. We have to remember the good within the bad. We have to come together to create joyful moments that radiate so much light that the darkness is obscured, especially during the holidays where the important things are meant to be more illuminated.

The holiday spirit was tangibly felt, as people walked by with their roadies and shouted greetings to the boats and the house partiers. One group shared their 3D glasses with us, and it definitely made all the Christmas lights look even more enchanting. As did the wine.

As the skies darkened, the lights came on, and the entire Canal district was twinkling. The little house facade on the bridge lit up, and the moonlight shone down on it, bringing this year's theme "Where The Palm Trees Glisten" beautifully into reality.

It was all so pretty and enchanting that it was difficult to tear ourselves away, but a whole bunch of friends (Blue Eyed Son, Lacey Cowden, Matt Ellis, DJ Bright Moments, National Anthem) were all playing at The Cinema Bar, and we had to get there for more holiday cheer (and to celebrate this dang year being almost over).

I'm now all the way in the Christmas vibe, and I have the Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade to thank. There's no way you could be standing there, watching all the fun and wholesome holiday hijinks, without feeling your heart swell with the happiness that the holidays - and Venice itself - brings to your soul at this event each year. Thanks so much to everyone involved for making it such a special and beloved holiday tradition for Venice and our friends.

CHEERS to all!