Only In Venice Vintage - For Locals, By Locals!

There's a new vintage store in town, newly opened by a couple of your favorite locals. Your girl and awesome Hinano bartender, Melissa Monroe (yes, the Melissa of "Melissa's Michelada"!), and Petey Pete, local DJ Extraordinaire, have joined forces to create Only In Venice Vintage - a space for clothing creativity and originality in a stall right on Windward Avenue, a few steps from the Boardwalk.

Both Monroe and Pete are self-confessed clothes hoarders, and both have had the dream of their own shop for a long time. By coming together, they were able to make the dreams real, and it's now open for business and discovery - by you.

Monroe was born and raised in Louisiana, and Pete was born in Thailand, and both now firmly claim Venice as their HOME. Monroe moved to L.A. for beauty school, but hated it, and soon ditched that for doing wardrobe on commercials, which she loved because she got to work with clothes. "I'm a clothes hoarder ... it's kind of gross," explained Monroe, adding, "My house, my car, my storage space, they're all full. It's a big mess of happiness and clothes." And now her treasures can be yours. Treasures like a track suit from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Like a vintage Oingo Boingo tee. Like Harley patch vests. Like vintage cord Op shorts. Like you name it, you'll probably find it.

Monroe and Pete have both collected vintage clothing forever, so there's endless potential for your perfect find in their little space on what I'm now calling "Vintage Row". We've got Gotta Have It, Animal House, Only In Venice Vintage, and a couple more all in like one block. As is the point of vintage, they're all one of a kind, original pieces, and every shop contains different treasures, so there's room for everyone in what is a pretty cool shopping destination for vintage clothing hunters. Venice is spoiled when it comes to excellent vintage - and that's a good thing. 

Venice almost lost out to Amsterdam though, when Monroe just about moved there with all of her piles of clothes. A friend there asked her what her dream was, and it was to have her own store. There was a space ready to go and everything ... and then Monroe realized that she wanted her store in Venice. "Venice is my home now." I get it. After tending bar at Hinano's for the past 13 years, Monroe had built up a family and a community here, and when she found the space for Only In Venice Vintage, she loved it because it's like a big heart shape for her to walk from her apartment to Hinano to Only In Venice Vintage to Pete's place ... it's all in the neighborhood.

Everyone always says "Only in Venice!", so that became the perfect name for Monroe and Pete to operate their business under. Their spot right off the Boardwalk brings entertaining characters by all day long, and they can post up in the chairs out front to chat with passersby and help them find just the right Venice souvenir. Also, the Venice Mardi Gras Parade is coming up on February 23, and Only In Venice Vintage has the duds to deck you out for the festivities. This year's theme is "Magical Mystery Tour" and there are psychedelic, sequined, and glittery pieces galore to make sure that you're properly groovy for the day.

As we were chatting, a friend/customer came in and heard me asking what they want people to know about the shop, and "Jimmy" said, "You know there's gonna be some cool shit in there," providing that answer for them. With all the corporate takeover b.s. that's been happening in Venice, Monroe urges their customers to "Stay original. Be one of a kind. Don't be a chain." Exactly. Pete added that, "This is a REAL local business. The people that work here, live here. Support your local Sis & Bro business." Yeah.

It's been a soft open for Only In Venice Vintage, as they still have some things to get done, like get their sign up and some other little stuff, but they're ready to go and are planning an opening party very soon. Friends have helped a lot, with Monroe's boyfriend, Frank, creating the wall collage out of vintage Life Magazine photos, friend Steve building the walls, friends John and Matt installing their lights. While doing all of this work and planning, they both also have their other jobs, Monroe at Hinano, and Pete DJ'ing at Brennan's (Saturdays) and Surfside (Wednesdays) every week. They're busy, but it's all been worth it as they're making their dream come true together. And THAT is worth supporting.

Check them out ... there's a real good chance that when you're there you'll spot something or someone that makes you say or think, "Only in Venice!" Awesome.

Only In Venice Vintage
38 Windward Avenue (formerly the Bike Rental)
Venice
IG: OnlyInVeniceVintage

The Holiday Kick-Off In Venice - In The Spirit!

What a fun weekend in Venice! The annual Venice sign lighting happened on Saturday night, and it seemed like the whole community came out to celebrate with each other. Everyone was in high spirits, and there were more than a few Santa hats being worn, so people were ready to bring in the Christmas season for sure.

Live music was playing and you could hear it in the wind as we strolled over to Windward for the festivities. I stopped off for a quick cup of glögg (inspiring!) at my friends' Russ and Harry's pad on the way, and it gave you that happy, warm feeling inside to take with you. This year there was the new addition of a big Ferris wheel there to greet the people, and it was cool to see everyone loving it.

We were also there shooting the happy times for our documentary 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED, as with all of the problems and actual crises happening in our community, there is also always a lot of fun to be had. That's a big reason why so many of us wanted to live here to begin with, and this kind of absolute blast also needs to be captured to tell the complete story. People were in great moods, feeling in love with Venice all over again, and thus, they were excellent interviewees. Thank you!

Windward was lined with booths handing out everything from chili (Surfside friends!) to sticky rice, ice cream to hot chocolate, and all if it was complimentary as a gift to everyone. It was great.

The streets were packed with holiday revelers, and you couldn't walk two feet without running into someone you knew and loved. The Venice Chamber of Commerce put on a good party, and pretty much the whole town contributed to the fun. Venice Paparazzi was there with an adorable Venice holiday photo booth that had long lines waiting for their turn all night.

The walls around the still uninhabited old post office (Ridiculous. Turn it into a community center!) were decked out with posters from the contest for local kids to partake in, and I particularly liked this little Venice Santa.

The "real" Venice Santa was cruising around getting hot chocolate and getting everyone to come and sit on his lap. It's probably pretty fun to be Santa.

Bands played (though I didn't know any of them - who books this thing?) and people danced in the streets. Partiers would wait for the lights to change in the Pacific/Windward crosswalk in front of the Venice sign, and as soon as it would change, everyone would run out into the middle and dance or rollerskate or convulse (one person's iffy dance moves) real hard until the light changed and then run back behind the barricades. THAT is the Venice spirit I love so much.

Andy Summers of The Police lives in Venice, I guess, so he was chosen for the sign lighting duties. As usual, the various speeches went on way too long, and the sign that was supposed to be lit at 8:00 p.m. was still dark at 8:30. Local politicians and people on boards - no one cares to listen to you hearing yourself talk. It was to the point that a chant started up ... "LIGHT THE SIGN! LIGHT THE SIGN!" because frankly, no one was listening to the speeches anyway. Dancing and greeting friends continued until finally you could hear the 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!!! - and the sign lit up in its holiday outfit of red and green! It's funny that light bulbs can bring such a thrill, but there we all were, loving it.

Everyone raced to  the intersection to take photos under the newly lit sign, and we were no different. Old friends and new took photos together, and it was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season with good Christmas cheer and good Venice vibes.

The party moved on to various watering holes around the area, and Surfside was serving up a special holiday bourbon punch that was our main draw. I took off in my new Venice sign red stocking hat to meet up with friends at Cinema Bar to see Matt Ellis play, and people wanted one (Get yours through the Venice Chamber!). It was a truly joyous time in Venice, and all seemed to be in the mood to celebrate, and take our minds off of all of the heavy things happening in the world. Thank goodness - we needed it.

I hope you were there, I hope you also had a blast, and I hope this will be everyone's best holiday season yet ... and that we'll all do our best to make it so. For everyone.

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Venice Pride 2018 - Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic!

"Joyous" was the word I heard repeated over and over on Saturday night during the celebration for Venice Pride 2018. Faces of every kind were beaming, and fun was the only order of the day. And boy, let me tell you, it's been needed.

The Venice Pride festivities kicked off on Friday morning with the raising of the biggest rainbow flag in the universe or something, but I wasn't able to be there because it was early in the morning, and I had to be at my gig working on a show about heroin addicts that is the darkest subject matter imaginable. Friday night there was a comedy roast at Surfside that I also couldn't attend, but I had every intention of getting over to the re-opening of the new Roosterfish - until I heard from everyone texting me from there that it was lame. I'd had my doubts, and they were pretty much confirmed until I can confirm them for myself. Half hour to get a $16 drink ... not really gay enough for my gay friends ... packed with scenesters ... and lacking the grit that made it a welcome respite from the rest of the bougie places on Abbot Kinney now days. Oh, well ... at least they kept the name and the men's bathroom ceiling.

Saturday was a very, very heavy day for me. It was the anniversary of the death of my beloved father, as well as the celebration of the life of my friend Alexis Murray, with heart wrenching speeches and slide shows showing how much she is already missed - and will always be - just like my own family had years ago. It was very, very sad. So, the best thing to do after all of that was to get to Windward, where there was a full-on disco party for the whole community happening for the lighting of the Venice Sign in all its rainbow glory for gay pride.

The streets were already packed by the time I got there, and it was so fun and colorful and spirited that you couldn't be sad for long ... because WE are alive and kicking and need to celebrate that fact every single day while we can. Period. A giant light up "LOVE" sign was a popular backdrop for photos, and also the absolute message of the day.

I missed all the civic speeches and stuff, which was fine, and got there just in time to see the beautiful Disco Queen, Thelma Houston, singing the hits like her Grammy winning "Don't Leave Me This Way" to a buoyant JOYOUS crowd, singing and dancing heartily along. It was awesome out there.

The sign had already been lit up when I arrived, and it was an instant Instagram backdrop for thousands. When Ms. Houston finished her set, a DJ took over and kept the dance party going in the streets in what had become the coolest club in town, where everyone was having a complete blast, no matter if you were gay or straight, young (babies!) or old (wheelchairs!), grieving or not ... it was easy to forget ones sorrows and just jump up and down with joyful friends and strangers alike. Ahhh.

I'm sure there were several after-parties, but I headed for The Townhouse, where a drag band was killing it, and whiskey helped to further drown the sorrows. The vibes were straight fun and love and living in - and for - the moment. Just exactly what was sorely needed. The celebrations continued long into the wee hours (without me), and were still happening Sunday afternoon at The Whaler, so you know the weekend was a smashing success.

Thank you to everyone there for bringing me back up, and for supporting each other in the mission of love, acceptance, and JOY for everyone. No matter what. One Love!

V Day Love From Venice, California!

Love is literally in the air, as the Venice Sign is lit up purple and red with a big heart, created by Venice artist, Alberto Bevacqua, with assistance from his son, Ara Bevacqua, who handles the dangerous stuff. It's a popular photo op on a regular day, but the heart is causing quite a stir  - and traffic!

My friends at Fiore Designs have been creating the most beautiful floral arrangements I've ever seen for Valentine's Day, so I thought that I'd share some of the beauty with everyone ...

... my only regret is that we do not yet have scratch and sniff internet. You would swoon.

I'd say I love white roses most, and then they come out with lilacs, and I think I love them the most. Then the gardenias come out and you nearly faint with their heady aroma, so they become your favorite. But then you see the rich reds and ravishing hot pinks, and you don't have favorites anymore. They're all the best.

Love is everywhere, whether between lovers, family, pets, nature, and our various passions, but most importantly, I hope that today you find it in your own heart, for yourself (I know how hard that can be on days like this, but you're the best!). Then go BE love. That's how you win.

Happy Valentine's Day to Everyone! Love, Me

Aim High!

TGIF, man. Right? I was out this morning for a beach walk, and the sky was so impossibly blue I had to stop and just stare at it. When I glanced up, I saw that there is a whole slew of shoes on the power lines where Windward Avenue meets the Boardwalk ... like, a lot.

Back in the day you would hear that this meant there was a drug house nearby, or a gangster initiation had been completed, or what have you. I think it was really just the challenge of seeing if you could get the shoes over the lines, because they're pretty high.

Well, a whole bunch of people could, and there's basically a shoe store hanging above Venice right now. As I don't know what it really means, I'm taking it as a cool way to remind us all to aim high every day. And get out there and have yourselves an awesome weekend under these azure skies!

Café Collage - The Locals Hang

Café Collage has been taking care of Venice locals since 1993, and locals remain their focus. Amid all the change going down in the area recently, it's a consolation to walk into the doors of a place that has remained chill and unpretentious no matter what is happening around town. If you've been missing Abbot's Habit (and who hasn't been?), Collage offers the same relaxed neighborhood atmosphere, with the same affordability ... but with, ahem, better food and coffee. Just saying.

I have a long list of people and places that I want to write about in telling the stories of Venice, and Café Collage has been on it for years. It got moved up higher when I recently read Patti Smith's M Train, and she talks about sitting in our own Café Collage years ago, when a surfer ran in yelling, "Art is dead!" and ran out. I can't have Smith writing about a place in Venice that I haven't yet written about, so I bugged manager, Paul Evidente, until we finally sat down to chat about the wonderful spot there in the shadow of the Venice sign.

Collage will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2018, and locals have loved it the whole time, making it a welcome part of their daily routines. There have been four different owners in its lifetime, and current owner, Jennifer Park, has guided it to be the best it's ever been. The café got its name from the murals that used to be painted all over the ceiling, and has always been a place for local artists to showcase their work. Raymundo has been back there making your sandwiches since 1997, and always has a smile and a hello, no matter how busy working he is. There is a warmth extended to everyone from everyone, and it is both noted and appreciated every time I walk in.

Between serving the customers/friends coming in all morning, Evidente told me that he locals are the foundation, and that there is "no such thing as Venice Beach without the locals." Exactly. Whatever is left over at the end of every day is brought down to the beach and given to the homeless. There is never any trouble inside of Café Collage for exactly that reason, there is a mutual respect between everyone.

Having said that, it can also be crazy, and employees of Collage have pretty much seen it all. There might be a topless girl having her picture taken under the Venice sign. A homeless dude might be chopping wood outside to make a warming fire. There might be a "Running of the bulls" meeting up (a bunch of rollergirls being chased by one dressed like a bull). There might be a fight outside, but never inside. And if there is a fight, locals like Tonan will take care of it (as has happened). "If you take care of your locals, the locals will take care of your business," Evidente said, and that is fact.

Rachel Walker is a bright spot in my day when I walk into Collage and am so pleasantly greeted every time. She told me that she's tried everything on the menu, there's something for everyone, and every single thing is good. She's right. They update the menu all the time to stay current with the competition, but there really is no competition in the area when you can still get a drip coffee and something to eat for like $3.00. At a time when pricing of just about everything in Venice has become outrageous, it's awfully nice to be treated well and not break your bank over breakfast. They know their customers, and keep everything affordable, as a priority. "I just want to make sure every customer walks out happy and content," says Escalante, and you can truly feel the sincerity behind that statement when he says it.

He continued, "Venice is a small community, and we know all the faces. There's still a 60's, 70's, 80's feeling, and it's all about the people. I'm from Hawai'i, and I'll never go back. The fun, the drinks, the ladies ... that's why people want to come and be a part of it, every tourist's first stop is Venice ... everyone wants a piece of Venice." But for those who live here all the time, Café Collage is still for you most of all.

"We're here for everybody, from the homeless to the rich. We want to make you feel at home, give you quality, and leave happy so that you'll come back to us." Park nodded as Evidente told me this, and I can see them walking this talk every day. Please support this wonderful locals spot, as they have supported the community from 6:30 am to 7:00 pm (later on special events like the sign lightings!) every day for nearly 25 years.

Thanks and Happy (early) Anniversary to all the great people at Café Collage! Oh, and try the Palermo drink - espresso with orange peel, chocolate, and nutmeg. The holidays in a cup!

Café Collage
1518 Pacific Avenue
Venice
#310-399-0632

The 6th Annual Venice Sign Lighting and Abbot Kinney Holiday Stroll - Let It Snow!

The 6th Annual Venice Sign lighting was held on Saturday, and it just keeps getting better. It is one of the best events of the year in Venice, mainly because all of your old friends come out for what is truly a community event. Like the Abbot Kinney Festival, this is one for the locals. Tree Man was even back in town!

This year featured the addition of fake snow blowing down from the rooftops, so the entire proceedings had more of a real deal holiday feel, and as I heard one friend say, "It's like Edward Scissorhands!" It was both lovely and trippy to look up in the Venice sky and see snow falling while it was warm enough to not really even have to wear a jacket.

Windward Avenue was already packed by the time I got there, and it was great to bump into one friend after another, all there to kick off the holidays with their friends and family, and have a whole bunch of fun. The whole thing is simply adorable, and it was made even more so by the excited kids that got to have their poster art honored from the stage.

One of little pals, Rowan, was so excited about the official certificate he got from the poster contest, he was showing it off and beaming about it the rest of the night. I think he thought it was even cooler than Santa ...who was pretty cool this year.

Booths were set up all along the curbs, with hot chocolate, snacks, face painting ... all of that good street carnival type stuff. Venice Paparazzi was there so you could have your fun, holiday-themed photo taken. Everyone was feeling festive, and it showed.

Great White is the new spot in the neighborhood this year, and they hosted a fun party alongside the street party. There was the usual tipping of the hats to all the Chamber of Commerce people and local politicians, and then things got extra fun with Al Jardine of The Beach Boys leading everyone in sing and dance alongs to all your favorite surfy Beach Boys tunes. It was awesome.

All the talking and introductions meant that the sign lighting actually happened well after its appointed 8 pm, but they finally got a platinum-haired Matthew Modine up there (who I guess lives in Venice now) and we all did the countdown, and just like that, the sign was lit, and it's Christmas time in Venice!

Revelers filled the intersection at Pacific and Windward to take their holiday card photos, and then everyone dispersed off to the after-parties going on all around. I hit The Townhouse and Surfside, both of which were going off and full of Santa-hatted partiers. The fog rolled in late, making the skies look actually wintery, for added effect. GOOD times with REAL Venice.

Venice kids may have been a little confused the next day when there was MORE snow and a DIFFERENT Santa on Abbot Kinney for the Holiday Stroll. It was a warm and sunny day, and the fake snow being made in The Brig parking lot got a bit more melty as each moment passed.

The little ones squealed with delight as they sped down the wet and icy little slope made there for them to sled down in Venice's version of winter.

This day's Santa was awesomely authentic, with a genuine twinkle in his eye, and and actual jolliness to his laugh. That little bit of magic that you can see in the kids' eyes when they see him and talk to him about Christmas is truly what makes it all so special. And so sweet.

There was a cute little craft camper where you could make all kinds of holiday themed arts and crafts, as well as the ever-present and important face-painting situation. The line was too long or I'd have been all over that myself. 'Tis the season!

The food trucks were there, of course, and once again, the best part of this whole shebang was seeing the friends that these days otherwise try to avoid the Abbot Kinney mayhem. It's worth it, especially when you see how absolutely thrilled the little grommets are.

There wasn't too much else going on as far as the Holiday Stroll went this year. I didn't see the usual fun Carolers, and the only real stores that seemed to be that into the theme of the day were Burro, Principessa, Huset, and Show Me Your Mumu, who had a great little hot chocolate bar set up for their holiday shoppers. The corporate stores all looked like it was just another day of taking your money, so the strolling was cut short as we declared it time for a drink - namely the yummy spiked apple cider at Wabi Sabi, to keep the holiday vibes going. We sat in the window seats and watched the shoppers and sledders go by, laughing and jolly themselves ... it's infectious!

It gets real busy from here to the end of the year, so let's try to remember the good vibes and wishes for peace that this season has always been really about. It seems like everything has been so dark lately, that people are really going for it this holiday ... like let's have the best times ever possible, because you never know what's coming next. But anything can happen ... it snowed in Venice!

Let's love all of it.