Wabi Sabi Gutted In Early Morning Fire On Abbot Kinney

I got a text from my dear friend Troy this morning that Wabi Sabi (It's always Wabi Sabi to us) had gone up in flames early this morning. The news spread like wildfire itself, with the whole Venice community gasping and wondering what happened.

The fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical issue, and the only good thing about it is that no one was hurt and it happened when it was empty. The buildings on either side (Tasting Kitchen and Gorjana) seem to be fine, and all three were probably saved by the fact that the atrium in the middle of Wabi has ventilation for the flames to go up and exit through. I talked to Troy and some other employees and they hear that the popular and beloved Venice eatery on Abbot Kinney will be reopened by New Year's - at least the bar part. That seems mighty optimistic based on the photos they sent me, but I'm all for optimism.

The holidays always make me a little nervous about fires, with dry trees and lights and candles and drinking and all of that, but electrical fires seem like they could/should be avoided. The extra sad part about all of this is that it IS the holidays, and now there are a whole bunch of people without work. Here's hoping that insurance will pay them while the place is being rebuilt ... and/or that neighboring businesses will offer them to pick up some shifts with them, as has happened in the past in other circumstances. The hospitality industry is pretty good about looking out for each other, so I feel good about that being the case.

Wabi Sabi has been a neighborhood hang for a good long time now, and an excellent member of our community. They host local artists to show their work all of the time, complete with receptions for the aritst. They donate to community events, and even gave a gift card for my own silent auction for our 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED documentary. It's one of the few places on Abbot Kinney that you will still see old school locals, especially after the original Hal's closed. The Wabi folks are good people, and they care. It is my hope that the community responds in kind now that Wabi could really use it.

I walked by a while ago, after the flames had all been doused, and it doesn't look as bad from the outside. I was told that the hot kitchen is fine, and that the bar was still fairly intact, so they may be able to open that part sooner than the rest, which could just be walled off while being fixed up. I hate to think of all those beautiful plants hanging in the atrium all ablaze, but that little zone is really most likely what kept it from being far worse. Wabi Venice will rise again - and we'll all be there to support them and celebrate the Venice spirit that will not keep them down. A sad day for Wabi and those who love it ... but also yet another reminder to support and care about the people and places you love WHILE you have them.

We love you, Wabi! We'll be there right when you open those doors once again.

Before They Go - A Venice Group Art Show

Last Saturday night was Very Venice, as we celebrated the arts and culture of Venice all night long.

The evening began with a little soirée at Beyond Baroque to toast our venerable literary institution on its 50 years of existence. We're so lucky to still have a place to host such a comprehensive book store and performance facility that celebrates the history - and the contemporary torch bearers - of the Venice Beats - and Friends. It's a true gem.

I got there a little late to hear the program, but glasses were clinked, and we got pretty much everyone there to follow us over to The Hangär (not sure why there's an umlaud) on Centinela to take in the opening of the Before They Go group art show featuring the work of Venice artists, and photographs of them all in their studios in the impressive project from Debbie Zeitman.

You might have seen some of these photographs on the wall at Wabi Sabi the past couple of months, showing our beloved Venice artists in their studios, well ... before they go. Several of the featured artists have lost their studio spaces in Venice due to the astronomical - and exceedingly greedy - rents pricing them out. This night was to acknowledge them all, and to appreciate what we still have, while it lasts - and to ensure that it always does. Venice is meant to be about the art, and this show puts an exclamation point on that truism. In addition to featuring artists that are gone, leaving, still hanging in there by their claws, or thriving and fortunate, some of the work also featured Venice places that are gone, like the Venice Beach Laundry piece from Taylor Barnes (the one that was next to Whole Foods).

There was a great turn-out of artists and the people who love them. Wine flowed, introductions were made, and so were friends. The art was displayed around in little vignettes within the antique/ furniture store there on the corner of Centinela and Palms. It was a smart venue, because you could picture how a piece would look in your own home, as well as it offering ample seating for the many conversations going on around the room.

The diversity of the works were beautiful reflections of the Venice art community itself, and there really is something for everyone. You might be into wildlife, and there was a piece featuring Wise Wolves by Marty Katon for you. It was accompanied by a picture of Katon and a blurb telling about him and his art, as there was for almost all of the artists. I learned a lot about our resident artists that I didn't know before, and it's worth the cruise over to Centinela for the stories alone. Except there's also so much good art as well!

There was an almost photographic painting of artist Peter Lodato by Kenny Harris, that captured the legend perfectly. I wanted to cheers him.

Trek Thunder Kelly was represented with his piece Control Alt-Right Delete, a protest poster that gets right to the point. As ever, our artists are taking the clay of the world and shaping it with their own views, without flinching.

There were a few that would be good companion pieces in the same room, creating fine ocean views wherever you may be. I loved MB Boissonnault's The Long Winter ... and I bet some people are feeling like that right now ...

Google Earth by Jason Marello was another beachy piece that brought you an aerial view of  Venice (also a home to Google) ...

 ...  and the String Field Series by Gary Palmer was also in the vein of water and meditation that added a sense of calm to the bustling venue.

Flavio Biscotti was represented with his piece Monumento, and it looked right at home in its own still-life with lamp and vase - all also for sale.

Rohitash Rao shared his art - and wit - with his piece calling everyone out for always being on their dang phones, When He Finally Looked Up. Zing! Be on the lookout for Rao's upcoming show at Google featuring his fake album cover works. Cannot wait.

Sunny Bak shared her iconic photos of The Beastie Boys, and was there in the house representing.

There are so many artists in the show (29!) that there is still plenty for you to go see that is not picture here, in multiple rooms, while the show is up at The Hangär for the month of March. I think maybe the most legit Venice piece came from Tonan Ruiz, with his Surf Culture - mixed media on a palm frond! It's a diorama of basically what it feels like to be in Venice at the beach. Love it.

Like Beyond Baroque, this show was extra-great mainly for its celebration of the art and culture of Venice, and for its zoom lens on the importance of the arts in our community. To know the actual stories and see the photographs of the artists working in their own studio environments (while they still had/have them) is to truly appreciate what they and their art mean to this place. Sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Debbie Zeitman and Barbara Lavery for this impressive assembling of the current arts and artists of Venice. Thank you.

Before They Go is up through March.

The Hangär
3472 South Centinela
90066


*Shout out to The Rustic Kitchen on Centinela too, for your great food and warm hospitality shown to our rowdy bunch of art hooligans. Thanks!

A Rohitash Rao Show At Wabi Sabi - Eat Art!

There was a really fun art opening last night at Wabi Sabi, featuring the wonderful work of Rohitash Rao. There were so many friends, neighbors, and fellow artists crushed in for the reception that I almost felt kind of bad for the diners who perhaps weren't aware that they were going to be eating in the midst of a full on art show. But, hey - good for them. I was told that there was special "Shoe-shi Surrealist sushi" (?), but I never saw that. I like the creativity though. A lot. 

Rao is one of my favorite local artists, with his witty pieces that poke at current events and our society today with clever humor and proper digs when necessary. He was in such demand to talk to that the photo I took of him is just a blur ... and good for him!

I love the old thrift store paintings that Rao inserts Darth Vaders into ... particularly the beach scene being accosted by the Dark Lord. Why not?

It was great to see so many familiar faces out to support their friend, and even more encouraging to see that so many of them are artists still working in Venice. We need you! More than ever!

And this night was a celebration of exactly that, as also on view were photographs of Venice artists in their studios by Debbie Zeitman for her "Before They Go" project - which we all hope they never do.

The ceiling in Wabi Sabi is so beautiful, it really deserves its own artistic shout-out. It's essentially a big terrarium, full of living plants, that need to be lowered to water. It's so gorgeous, I find myself spacing out into it often. Good job, Wabi!

Good job all around, actually, as this was Venice doing what Venice does best - celebrating art and each other, every chance we get. Congratulations to all the artists, there in person and in spirit. We love you and appreciate you! Thank you to Wabi Sabi for recognizing this, and throwing a darn good art soirée! Congratulations Ro and Debbie! Love.

Check it out! See you at happy hour.

The Spring Venice Art Crawl - Mini Edition

The Venice Art Crawl went down last night, and this time was centered up and down Venice Boulevard, in what I like to call "The Cultural Corridor". This time out was a lot smaller (with the annual Art Walk also happening this weekend, it's a lot), and I'm not mad at that. There's always so much ground to cover that you can never see it all anyway, so this more bite size version was actually pretty user-friendly. I had woken up to the news that the world lost Chris Cornell, so was feeling a bit melancholy, but also very eager to get out and live myself.

                                                                                                  *this piece by Jennifer Verge

We started the evening in the window seats at Wabi Sabi as the sun went down, and it was like looking at art just watching all the people walk by ... and all the girls taking selfies out in front. Wabi Sabi was also a stop on the Art Crawl, so we hit two birds with one stone (and a few glasses of wine got hit as well, if I'm honest). Barbara Lavery had her show Before They Go up on the walls, a series of photos of Venice artists working in their studios - while they still have them. It was poignant, and great, and shone a light on the fact that Venice is really nothing without its artists ... and that's what the Art Crawl is all about.

As the daylight waned, we headed over to the Beyond Baroque and SPARC complex to see what was happening, but it appeared to be a big crowd for an AA meeting. We probably could have done with staying and listening, but there was still a lot of art to see. We walked over to the home studio of Flavio Bisciotti, which was nearly totally ruined in a fire last year. Fellow artists came together to do a show comprised of all works done on charred remains of things from the studio.

The "Art From The Ashes" show was a great success, and also incredibly inspiring. Artists coming together to make something new out of the old, and supporting each other through it all. It's a beautiful thing, as are the objects that were created out of it. My favorite was the chandelier made from bits and pieces of wreckage, that came together to be more beautiful than any of it had been before. There's a good lesson in there ...

Bisciotti has a wonderful attitude about it all, and appears to be even more inspired himself. He has made chairs that are see through and contain more wreckage, that were very cool, and again, wouldn't have happened without that awful fire. This man has truly become the phoenix.

There were drinks and good conversation there, but there was also a whole bunch more art to see, and we'd already killed a lot of time. We had more Crawlers join us as we aimed for the beach down Venice Boulevard. It didn't seem like much was happening at the Venice Library, so we went on over to Sunny Bak's place to see her, and the silent auction going on there to benefit the Art Crawl Afterburn in the fall.

Sunny does SO much for this Art Crawl, and one of the reasons this Crawl was small, is that she does most of it herself, it seems like. She needs help, volunteers, artists, venues, money ... HELP. It takes a whole community to pull these things off, and we need to all be in it together. One of the best ways to combat gentrification and tech company take-overs is to PARTICIPATE in events. Be SEEN in your Community. Many people I talked to yesterday weren't even aware the Art Crawl was being held last night, though there are banners up all over town, and promotions all over social media. C'mon, Venice. Time to re-boot the school spirit. Thanks!

There was live painting happening outside at Sunny's by Ana Escobar, and the bright colorful pieces brought some fun and vibrancy to the night - plus it's always fun to watch people work.

Time was ticking, so we raced over to the C.A.V.E. to see the beautiful show Sixth Extinction by Louis Masai. It features colorful animals that are endangered or extinct, and is centered by a bee hovering over some flowers. I love Masai's work, and first saw it as a mural behind the G2 Gallery on Abbot Kinney. It's up through May, I believe, and well worth your time to check out on your way to the beach.

We were too late to see Deb Louck's new work at Small World Books, as we found the doors locked. Bummer. It's all still up though, so I'll still go see it and so should you. I love her stuff. We didn't make it into Sidewalk Café either, as now we ran into friends that were on their way to the Canal Club. There was a ton of fun art in the back room there, in a show called "ARTravenous" by James Berkowitz, with various artists showing. There was a big crowd there, and everyone was clearly having a good time.

This was a fun Crawl, as I rolled around with Venice lady legends, Greta Cobar and Suzy Williams - two of my all time favorite Venetians. Laughs were had.

It was vital that we cross the street to James Beach with Danny Samakow, both to see all of his beautiful paintings that were featured on the dining room walls ... and to do shots of some crazy rum together. Why not? (I poured a little out for Chris Cornell. Respect.)

There was still a lot going on all over town, but now it was getting late and people had to work today. It was great to see all the people out and about, on foot and bike, enjoying the sort of holiday feeling that comes with an event like the Venice Art Crawl. We are lucky people. We are alive and creating and sharing and celebrating art and each other in Venice, California.

Amen.

A Fond Farewell To Fumi!

There have been many changes at Wabi Sabi the past few years (as there has been with Abbot Kinney and Venice at large), but the one constant since the first month they opened in 2001 has always been Fumi Kimura. She has managed the restaurant, nurtured its workers and customers, and has been the most lovely and gracious hostess of our neighborhood sushi spot ever since ... but now she's leaving, moving back to Japan, and last night was her last night there.

Wabi Sabi closed down early and a party sprang up in the back room, as friends and neighbors filtered in with armloads of floral bouquets to show their respect and give their love to someone who has meant so much to our community. Kimura has been there through many transitions, and it was clear to see from the many adoring patrons lining up to give their hugs and thanks, that she will be sorely missed. It was fantastic to see so many familiar local faces back on the Boulevard, and to know that they were there for Fumi. Venice family. 

The constant sound of champagne bottles popping last night let you know that it was meant to be a celebration, and not as sad as it felt, so we all clinked glasses and toasted our friend, wishing her well ... knowing that now we have someone wonderful to visit in Japan! And also knowing that when someone has been such a big part of Venice for so long ... they tend to return. We can only hope, and send Fumi off with fond memories and so much love.

Genki de (ALL the best!), dear Fumi!

The Summer Venice Art Crawl - Fresh Air, Fresh Art

The Summer edition of the Venice Art Crawl was held last night, and - per usual - it was a total blast. My bike is out of commission so this one was done on foot, and man ... there's a lot of ground to cover. We did really well, but still only got to hit about half of it. And it was awesome.

We started off on Abbot Kinney, since that's closest to my house, and it was fun to see some ladies painting outside of the Ohm Salon, while we were deciding if we had time for a quick drink at Wabi. We did not. Not if we wanted to see as much art as we could, and we did.

The Aust store had art by Francesco Masci and tunes by the Cerny Brothers ... and PBR's.

Heading toward the sunset, we passed by the old Anjela Shoe Repair shop, only to be stopped in our tracks by the darling new store in that space, L'Angels. Hand chosen by Andy from the shoe repair shop, the store features 100% work by L.A. artists and creators. Excellent.

Just about my favorite thing I saw in the entire Art Crawl were the jewelry pieces in there by Venice local, Susan Rich. She has taken chips off of the Venice Graffiti Walls and turned them into rings and necklaces. They are so cool I can't stand it. Get in there and see for yourself.

Cruising on up the boulevard, we stopped in to see my friend Peta at Wylie Wilson, where they were featuring smooth jazz and art by John Cesar - and all her wonderful lingerie creations, all made about six blocks away. These are the places that are actively keeping the spirit of Venice alive on Abbot Kinney, and they are the places locals should support. Period.

We crossed the street to see the exceptional work of Fin Dac at the C.A.V.E. Gallery. It's really impressive pieces depicting beautiful Japanese women, like the one on the wonderful new mural up the street.

My favorite piece in there was one of those women done entirely in Italian (Venice) mosaic. So cool.

Another highlight of this Crawl was in the magical space behind the walls of the Ecole Claire Fontaine on Abbot Kinney. There were about ten artists displaying in there, and a bunch of adults playing on swings and climbing trees. It was adorable in there, and showed a lot of good art too (we especially liked the pieces by Audrey McNamara). I'd never been in there in all these years, so it was nice to see the place where so many of Venice's little ones have learned their first lessons.

The Beach House next door featured the art of Alon Goldsmith, and a lot of super cute, super expensive beach lifestyle stuff. And a cool video projection floor.

We zipped in to say hi at In Heroes We Trust, checking out their latest vintage finds quick and checking out the party.

Onward we sped ... the Sole Bicycles garage had a packed house for the art of Isabelle Alford-Lago and her big apes. That one was quite the party, but we couldn't stay because we wanted to get over to Small World Books and check that out. Too late, they were already closed.

The Sidewalk Cafe was real fun, and great because they were showing the fantastic work of our friend, Christina Adshade.

I'd only ever seen her art online, so to see the detail and talent behind it up close was impressive. Plus they were playing old Guns 'N Roses, guys from The Sons Of Anarchy were there, and so was the Tree Man. That's a good Venice hang right there.

From there it was off to Gotta Have It, as most of the other venues were wrapping up by then. DJ Redbeard was playing o.g. reggae and dancehall, and I loved every single note he spun. Great party jams.

The art on display was by Bethany Richards aka Pink Riches. Her art and her style were both extra groovy.

Enjoying a beer with the crew there, we checked the map - and the time. We still had over half to see and no time to do it. I think next time I might have to begin on the Washington Boulevard end of things, because I never seem to make it that far down. Too much art to see is an excellent problem to have, however. The crowd spilled out on to the sidewalk, like parties of yore, and we all remarked how we loved the Art Crawl so much, because it reminds of how First Fridays used to be ... with music, and drinks, and most importantly, everyone you know.

We accepted our fate of only getting to half, and decided to console ourselves back over at Wabi Sabi. As we traipsed back over to Abbot Kinney, we passed an enormous, flowering cactus. As my friend Mario was with me, and we had just had a triumph of saving and sharing an endangered cactus that very day, we felt it was an appropriate artistic display to finalize the art portion of our crawling with.

We toasted a great day, a great crawl, and the fact that we got to see so much of that fresh art, in the fresh Summer air.

As ever, thank you so much to all the incredible people that put this celebration of our local artist together every time. It's such a gift to the community, and well ... just fun as hell.

See all you crawlers again in September! (the 17th. Mark your calendars.)