Show Me Your Mumu Opens In Venice!

I'm so excited to report that Show Me Your Mumu has opened their flagship store here in Venice, right around the corner from Abbot Kinney Boulevard on California Avenue (next door to Salt & Straw). This is especially great because Show Me Your Mumu is the company of my friend and former downstairs neighbor, Cammy Miller (and her partner, Cologne Trude), and because a big chunk of my wardrobe is made up of Mumus (most from the incredible sample sales that they throw fairly often).

Mumus are great because they have gorgeous prints, are super comfortable, ultra-stylish, and you can pack your frocks and pull them out of your luggage looking great and ready to go. Rare. The styles are pretty ageless too, as I've given them as gifts to everyone from tweens to my Mom, and they all look great. You can be skinny, big, short, tall ... you'll always look good in a Mumu. They're all extra versatile too, for instance, say it's a bit tight in front, you can turn it around and have the back be the front ... just be creative!

All the Mumus are made, as the say, "In the Gorge USA", in a warehouse in downtown L.A., but the spirit of the clothing is purely Venice, where the owners continue to live. From two college girls slinging dresses out of their apartment in New York, to having a tiny shed in Robin's Sculpture Garden, to them now having their first real brick and mortar location, it's all been a dream come true. And now, just walking across the street to check out the new 'Mu is pretty dreamy too.

Congratulations, Welcome, Love, and Happy Mumu Monday to Show Me Your Mumu!

Show Me Your Mumu
529 California Avenue
Venice

Big Red Sundays!

The very fun Sundays at Big Red Sun returned yesterday with an afternoon of music and friends in the charming backyard garden of this great space on Rose Avenue. Everyone is so busy these days, it was a true and rare delight to get the gang all together in the name of Summer fun, live music, and friendship.

We were out gathering up the BYOB supplies, so missed the opening set by our good friend, Scott Passaglia, but he got the party started, that's for sure. There was shopping in addition to music listening, and many friends left the day with new jewelry and art purchased from the little airstream trailer store set up out back. We arrived just in time to pull up a bench and listen to tunes brand new and old by one of our local favorites, Lacey Cowden.

Cowden fully entranced the garden party, and had every eye and ear riveted to her throughout her set. Even her dog, Bootsy, was rapt and totally flattened by the story-telling tunes of her very talented owner. It was honestly so quiet for her that I'm pretty sure all auto and pedestrian traffic had been held out on Rose out of sheer respect. It was silent - until massive applause pierced the skies at the end of every tune. Always take the chance to hear Cowden sing ... it's something special.

After a little mingling in the sun and enjoying the perfectly curated tunes from DJ Bright Moments (Paddy Wilkins) between sets, it was Matt Ellis' turn to beguile the garden. He too brought out new tunes to blend in with his well-known and loved selections, and we all tapped our toes along as the sun got a little lower and colors turned to twilight. Vavine Tahapehi joined her husband on a couple of numbers, and all was right in the world as you glanced around at all of our friends smiling and enjoying themselves, seemingly far away from any cares of the outside world. Which is precisely what afternoons like this are for  - to remind us of all the good that still exists. Right here.

We wound up the night at the always-wonderful Galley (where they had the Olympics showing out on the patio tv - excellent), and another Big Red Sunday was on the books. Be sure to keep an ear out for the next one, because it's a perfect way to while away an afternoon in Venice. Thank you to all who made it happen!

The Golden State - More Than A Store, A Lifestyle

When I was about five, I saw the Sunkist soda "Good Vibrations" commercial, and knew that California is where I wanted to live when I grew up. Then I saw A Star Is Born and knew that I wanted to live where Kris Kristofferson lived in the movie - in California. Then I heard Led Zeppelin's "Going To California", and that just sealed the deal. As soon as I finished college (and after a year in Hawai'i), I headed to California ... Venice, in particular.

Over the years, I've grown to love California as much, if not more, than I love Minnesota. A lot of that has to do with freedom, the wild West, the sun, the surf, the music, the open-minded people, and creating a lifestyle that lets me appreciate all of the best of that to the fullest. I don't want to live somewhere that's like everywhere else, which is why I tell the stories of the people and places that I love, that have a distinct sense of place, and that embody all I love about where I live. Like The Golden State.

Stephanie Stuart is a fourth generation native Californian, born and raised in Los Angeles. Her family was in the film biz, and she grew up surrounded by the industry. Stuart worked as a stylist for editorials and film and television, then wound up as a costumer on Seinfeld. She had her first son on the last night of that job, and then focused on raising her three boys, all the while thinking of how she'd really like to open a concept store for all things tied to a California lifestyle. It was also a reaction to the recession, getting away from big box stores and realizing the backlash people were having to corporate takeovers, and wanting to do something independent and unique for our area.

The chance came to open a store on Ocean Park Boulevard in 2009, which was short lived, before opening again as a pop up store within Big Red Sun on Rose Avenue in Venice, then moved into their own space next door (now Lily Ashwell). The synergy there was great, and the store gained a loyal following for lovers of all things California. "I find that people will go out of their way to support us, and tell their friends. This has all been pretty much word of mouth," Stuart told me gratefully.

When the lease was up on the Rose space, Stuart and her husband, Steve, began looking for a new spot, and found a gem on Lincoln Boulevard, right next to Superba Food and Bread. They opened their doors on Lincoln this past April, and have never been busier. The store is gorgeous, light and breezy, and full of everything you want, from gorgeous beach cover-ups and bikinis, and the latest and coolest threads for the dudes, all the way to books and olive oils!

Jewelry and wall hangings share space with art and cards, all of it the full embodiment of a West Coast lifestyle. "People are creating a lifestyle that's not about money, it's about enjoying their life in California," says Stuart. "I'm impressed by California every day ... its resilience, its resources, and its beauty, from the beach to the mountains to the desert."

All of those highlights are included within the walls of this wonderful shop, making it feel as if you went on a good old fashioned road trip just by walking around looking at all the great stuff.

It gets even better when you go out to the back patio. There Stuart teamed up with the Superba folks to create a hydroponic garden outside to provide fresh produce and herbs for the restaurant next door! It's a beautiful refuge back there, and you feel miles away from busy Lincoln Boulevard just outside the front door. There is a fire pit and large picnic tables, with the idea that they'll start having events back there, from dinner parties with neighbors to yoga classes ... all very Californian, of course.

A mural by Dee Dee Cheriel will be added to the outside wall next week, all of coming together to be a low impact space to just chill and build more community, with anything you need just steps away. It's truly lovely, and resourceful, and all around just great.

The Stuarts feature California brands in the store, some favorites being Iron and Resin and Freedom Artists for Men's clothes, Raen for sunglasses, Electric and Rose (designed by Venice locals) for both men and women's surf and yoga couture, and Turquoise and Tobacco (another Venice local and dear friend Laura Genevieve!) for excellent local jewelry. They even have their delicious smelling The Golden State candles hand poured just for them.

When not in the store, the Stuarts can be found, of course at Superba next door, at Clutch on Lincoln, at new favorite in Louie's of Mar Vista, but probably their favorite spot is to just hang out in their glorious back garden with their boys and their friends. I get it ... I didn't want to leave either. It's exactly the kind of place we want to keep Venice unique and awesome.

"California is timeless and classic and brand new all at once, and I wanted to create the context to tell that story in our store, as well as be a vessel for local and regional designers," explained Stuart. She has done exactly that, as from the moment I walked through the door, I instantly felt that same groovy excitement as I did when I was a kid listening to "Good Vibrations", which should absolutely be the theme store for this fantastic oasis of California gold, both a state and a state of mind.

The Golden State is located at:
1916 Lincoln Boulevard
310-392-7800
TheGoldenStatestore.com
Instagram.com/@thegoldenstatestore
Facebook.com/thegoldenstatestore

Open Tuesday - Friday 11 - 6
Saturday & Sunday 10 - 6
Closed Monday

From Firefly To Burro - An Abbot Kinney Pioneer Expands

I finally got to sit down and hang out with my dear friend Erinn Berkson last night and do some long overdue catching up. You probably haven't seen much of her either, because the woman has been simply swamped. In one of the very few Abbot Kinney mom and pop success stories, Berkson has taken her beloved Venice shop Firefly and transformed it into a mini-Empire called Burro, and expanded from her flagship space on Abbot Kinney to include outposts in both Malibu and Westlake Village. In like six months. Wow!

Asked why she changed the name when it was already so well established, Berkson said that when it wasn't clear if she'd be able to stay on Abbot Kinney with its skyrocketing rents, she had to think about what she would do next. It was sink or swim time, and she chose not only to swim, but to soar. The name Firefly never really resonated with her, but she has always loved donkeys. They are - like her - extra hard working animals, and a symbol of the Old Californ-i-a pioneering style - also very much like Berkson, a fifth generation native Californian, and one of the first shops to make Abbot Kinney "cool" in the first place.

When the opportunity arose to open in a beautiful part of Westlake Village ("Seriously, going there is like a work vacation" - E.B.), she took the shot. Construction delays happened, as they do, and in the meantime a space became available in the Malibu Country Mart. So, Hello, Malibu!

Berkson took the fixtures and stuff for Westlake Village and put it in Malibu, where they opened right before last Christmas on December 10th. Also right before last Christmas, the very day after Berkson got a storage space on Venice Boulevard to store all the merchandise for the new stores, the Public Storage facility caught on fire. Most of the merchandise was destroyed, just as the Malibu store was about to open.

Her attitude about it is amazing, as she considered her loss nothing compared to the priceless art and treasures that other people had stored there. But it was a huge drag, and the last thing she needed, with the stress of three stores going she was already dealing with. NOW I totally got why I hadn't been whooping it up with my friend, Erinn in a while. Geez Louise.

It's all good now though, in fact, more than good. All four (including the precious Baby Burro, also on Abbot Kinney) stores are open and thriving, and whenever Berkson can get away from doing inventory and ordering the thousands of beautifully curated gems you can find in her Burro stores, she cruises around to check on them, and catch up with her longtime diehard customers, often with her darling daughter, Mia (now 5!) in tow. The Westlake Village location is the first store that Berkson fully curated and planned in advance ("Abbot Kinney still has furniture in it from my old house!"), and she says it's a dream come true. I cannot wait to visit when I next go over the hill.

"Venice is my home. I live here. I love it here," explained Berkson about all of this. I'm glad we're explaining it too, because she told me that one Venice customer, not knowing who Berkson was, said right to her face, "Yeah, the owner totally sold out." Not true. At all. In fact, she's made the very best of the situation here, and along with pioneers like The Green House, Principessa, Venice Vintage, Enda King, and Ananda, they are not only standing their ground successfully, but branching out and getting bigger. This makes my heart swell, and I'm so proud of all of them for being bastions of calm and community within the influx of corporate chains that are challenging the unique sense of place that Venice has always been known and loved for. They're just not having it, and I love them for it.

And I love Erinn. I'm so proud of her for all of this, you can't imagine. I remember the days of sitting out back of the original Firefly space next door, making margaritas, writing up sales on garage sale pads ... Burro has come so far, it's truly amazing. I'm just thrilled for my dear, dear friends, and proud that so many more people are now getting to know her wonderful taste and sense of fun. Awesome.

"Venice means all these 70's artists that were living here, and still influence and shape me. They're still here, they're still working and swearing and acting like the innovators they were, and still are. People moving here now are moving here for that, whether they know it or not, and they need to have some VISION. Wealth does not mean you have to tear down bungalows." Yeah.  Berkson went on to say, "But Venice through my eyes might be different now for someone new that's 25 ..." And perhaps that's part of the hipster mentality. We'll continue to support our truly LOCAL businesses that continue to strive to make Venice different and special (and are happy to share that same magic now with Malibu and Westlake!).

Please support your original pioneers of Abbot Kinney so people will continue to know what cool truly is. Go Erinn!!!

Burro Venice/Baby Burro
1409 Abbot Kinney/1405 Abbot Kinney
310-450-6288

Burro Malibu
23410 Civic Center Way
310-456-3700

Burro Westlake Village
Westlake Plaza, Suite 960 South
805-379-9980

Burrogoods.com


*Photos courtesy Erinn Berkson.

In Heroes We Trust - A Super Venice Shop

In Heroes We Trust is the (great) name of the great new shop I just discovered right around the corner from Abbot Kinney Boulevard on Westminster. You can't miss it because the street art on the sidewalks leads you right to it.

There may be artists right there on the sidewalk making their art when you stroll up, as there was when I did. That's because owner Neely Shearer wants her store to be an interactive experience, a place to see art and fashion and the people that make it.

Shearer, a native Californian, spent most of the 90's in Japan, living and working in design. When she returned, she had a store in West Hollywood called Xin (pronounced "sheen") for years, which she closed when that nasty recession hit. That enabled her to spend more time on her own (gorgeous) design company, Parade.

The itch to re-open a place of her own arose again, and she found the space for In Heroes We Trust on Westminster, and opened this past June.

The store is a wonderful mix of new and vintage designs, with her preferred decades of the 60's and 70's - right up my alley (as is the store!). The beautiful clothing, jewelry and art share the space with depictions of Heroes on the walls, all chosen and painted by local street artists like Chase, Isabelle Alford-Lago and Diana Garcia, just to name a few.

Heroes (the theme inspired by the David Bowie song) range from Mighty Mouse and Michael Jackson to Frida Kahlo and Nelson Mandela ... illustrating perfectly the point that anyone can be a Hero to anyone else. Each of these heroic designs will be showing up in Shearer's In Heroes We Trust t-shirt line coming soon. And you'll want one.

These aren't idols, they're heroes - there's a difference. Heroes are an example of what is GOOD, and we can all aspire to be that. Shearer mused that these days, street artists are heroes themselves, which is certainly true enough. "We're in a time where we really can do and be what we WANT," she explained, adding that some of her designers are single moms, working hard, but doing what they're passionate about. That alone is heroic, in my view.

Shearer told me that, like Venice itself, the shop is a creative vortex. People stop in all the time with instruments for impromptu jam sessions. Artists leave easels there to paint the next time they come by. Newcomers stumble upon the shop from Abbot Kinney and are surprised and delighted to make this discovery of their new spot. Friends came and went as we sat there chatting, and it wasn't long before a stylish friend of Shearer's came by with a bottle of champagne to pop, for no good reason other than being there together, like-minded people appreciating art, a great store, and a sunny day.

There will be a party/art opening/celebration of all things heroic this Thursday evening, December 4th. Music, hula hooping, live art, gift shopping, and fun is the occasion. A great time to stop by and make this wonderful discovery for yourself - a very Venice-minded shop in the heart of Venice. Exactly what we need more of these days.

Because, remember ...We can beat them, just for one day, We can be Heroes, just for one day. 

Or every day.



In Heroes We Trust
300 Westminster Ave.
Venice
310-310-8820
Inheroeswetrust.com
Facebook.com/inheroeswetrust
Instagram: Inheroeswetrust_venice

Nick Fouquet Hat Company - Venice's Mad Hatter

When you see someone walking around Venice (or anywhere in the world now, really) with an extra cool hat on ... chances are it's a Nick Fouquet chapeau. His hat business is blowing up these days, as everyone from hard-working 9-5-ers to rock stars are knocking on the door of Fouquet's Abbot Kinney workshop to get their own "soul mate" of a hat.

Pharrell sported a Fouquet creation at the Grammys (not the big cartoony one, the other cool one he wore while performing). Madonna wore one recently. More importantly, people you know around Venice are wearing them ... and if they're not yet, they want one.

After working with his partner Greg Westbrook at Westbrook Maker, Fouquet went out on his own last year to put his stylish stamp on the craftsmanship that has remained the same for centuries of hat making. The work is a bit less western cowboy style now, with more a far more bohemian flair ... very Venice.

The Nick Fouquet Hat Company is now located in the Left House on Abbot Kinney, sharing the space with Kapital, Another Kind Of Sunrise, Howl, etc... It's a warm, homey workshop in the back space, watched over by Fouquet's sweet little dog, Luca.

Fouquet meets with clients to create their vision of what a perfect hat for them would be. Because it's such a custom experience, it's an investment (base prices range from $400 - $800), but one that will become a treasured heirloom, meant to be passed along for generations.

"It's a very personal process," says Fouquet, "You get to know the person, and then It's ALL about the details." Meaning once you measure the client's head and that technical part is done, it's about collaborating together to create a hat that expresses that individual's personal aesthetic.

That could mean trinkets from your life incorporated into your hat, like a key or a charm you love. Or trimmed with fabric from your Dad's favorite tie. Or lined in tie-dye because you're a hippie at heart. Fuschia leather. Paisley fabric. An antique pin. Whatever is unexpected and breaking idea barriers is the order of the day here. There are no rules, other than finding out what you will love and then bringing it to life.

When you know Fouquet, it all makes sense. He describes his own style as "Keith Richards meets a Japanese warrior meets a country club guy in France," and as eclectic as that sounds, he somehow makes it all come together to where you kind of want to copy him. But you can't, because he's him, and you're you, and that's the point. Making something awesome to wear around that reflects who YOU uniquely are. And in this increasingly homogenized world, we can always use (way) more of that.

A Fouquet hat is so one of a kind, he couldn't even re-create the exact same one again for you. He could come close, but the point is that each one is its own work of art, never to be repeated. They're meant to LIVE in - travel, fish, hit the beach, work all day in the sun or strut the red carpet in. Because it's all about you, it works wherever you want to wear it.

Though heads are sporting Nick Fouquet hats all over Venice, it's an increasingly international sensation that has your custom hat taking (as of this writing) 4-6 weeks to be delivered, once you've completed the vision process.

"Venice is a part of me ... I love it. I want my hats to be from here," said Fouquet as we sat talking on the front steps of the Left House in the warm winter sunshine. Though high-end publications like Vogue and all the celebrity stylists that read it are flocking to Fouquet's workshop to style out their clients, it still retains a very laid back, beach town atmosphere, as mutual friends come by and wave and pet the dog and shout out how they too want a hat. Once you've seen one, and how they're so lovingly hand-crafted ... you'll want one of your own.

Get yours. CREATE yours. And as Fouquet likes to say, "Keep on keeping on!"

Nick Fouquet Hat Co.
1629 Abbot Kinney Blvd. (in the back of Left House)
(424) 238.8382
Workshop hours: 11 am - 7 pm

Principessa - Outfitting Venice Since 2001

I like to tell the stories about people and places that have made Venice interesting and cool ... and Venice. Lots of people have been coming in without really understanding what that means. We're here to help.

Principessa knows what it means to be Venice, and have been helping ladies put together perfect outfits since 2001. Partners Darla Bonnaire and Jennifer Corgan have great personal style, and once inside Principessa, it's pretty hard not to emerge with some of that flair rubbing off on you. They feature local designers (like Show Me Your Mumu, Totem Salvage, Flynn Skye, Jen's Pirate Booty, Luxury Jones, Mikal Wynn, etc...) as well as the big international ones (and great hard to find labels like Spell & The Gypsy Collective) you'd expect to find in such a style emporium.

The whole deal began with Bonnaire opening her store Vamp on Main Street in Santa Monica (after a brief stint near Windward Circle). She wanted to be in Venice though, so when a spot opened up on Abbot Kinney, she brought Principessa (Italian for "Princess", of course) to life. Shortly after Bonnaire's son, Wolf, was born in 2002, so too was the men's clothing store named for him (in the space that is now Kid Firefly). Then came Little, the children's store, until the madness of running four stores at once (with a toddler!) stretched them too thin, and it was all consolidated into the Principessa we now know at 1323 Abbot Kinney.

"The store has evolved with the street," says Bonnaire, meaning as the street has gotten busier and fancier, so have they, while paying close attention to who their customers are, and what their locals like (and can pay for). There's a great mix of things that will really set you back, investment pieces meant to be heirlooms, and fun, trendy stuff that you can pick up with no guilt at all. Carefully curated vintage pieces (and repurposed, one of a kind treasures) hang alongside the very latest fashions. I once played a game with a friend there, guessing how much things were. When the gorgeous blouse I held up ($49) was guessed at $500, I knew I had to get that thing. It's like that. You're pleasantly surprised often.

Modern day flower women will love Princi (as all involved affectionately call it), with its flair for bohemian dressing all set up for you to choose your look from.  "We seek out indie designers on the cutting edge, and we always want our things to be unique to Venice," explained Bonnaire. "To that end, they are also developing the label, Bonnaire-Corgan (named after the friends/partners), where all the lines are named after streets in Venice, e.g. "Electric pants".  Love it. Corgan added, "All the changes on the block don't make us want to leave ... we want to stay here to KEEP the local flavor." And we thank them for that. We NEED them for that.

 As longtime Venice residents all, we talked about what we love about it. "I love how Venice is set up. The whole town is walkable. We all share that desire to be outside, seeing people, being a part of our community. It's like a club of people that we're so happy to be a part of. It's a less exclusive club now, and it's sad that some special people who have been a part of it all for so long are being made to leave," Bonnaire said truly. "We really embrace Venice, imperfections and all ... because that's Venice," she shrugged.

The Venice they love is mostly outside, but when asked what shops they like to frequent, it was the equally legit ones like Firefly, Bazaar, Tortoise, Animal House and the one they say is without question their favorite, that they could not survive without - Elvino. Amen.

Corgan summed up their mission succinctly. "Individual expression is what makes Venice special. It's always been a mecca of variety, diversity, and funky, artistic bohemia ... and acceptance of everyone. That's the real Venice, and we're here to help people look the part." And they do. Beautifully.

Both Bonnaire and Corgan agreed that they've made their closest friends through the store. The girls are like a family, and once you've worked there, you're always a part of it. "Kind of like being a Playboy bunny," joked Bonnaire.

Principessa hosted an extra-fun pre-Valentine's party last weekend, complete with champagne, chocolate and live music. The store was full of things that would make any lady over the moon when gifted the dress, jewelry, lingerie or anything at all from her lover, and all the Princi ladies were happy to help find that certain item that would seal the deal. Like this hot bra I want:

Their parties are always a treat, and there's another one coming up to get everyone ready and looking great for Coachella. Mark your books on Saturday, March 22nd for that one.

Being inside Principessa, you can sense the difference that immediately sets them apart from the newer, polished up chain businesses that have somehow infiltrated our town. There's a true sense of place, there's a true sense of Venice, there's a true sense of uniqueness ... and as Corgan said about places, "I want truth."

The truth is that Principessa is a wonderful place to set yourself up if you're interested in a truly local Venice - and looking like it.

Principessa is located at 1323 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
310.450.6696
Ecommerce: www.Principessavenice.com
Twitter: @PrinciVenice
Facebook: /Principessa-Venice