A Decade Of Blogtown 9/9/09 - 9/9/19!

What. TEN YEARS has gone by since I posted my first Blogtown story back on September 9, 2009! It's hard to believe ... but here we are. SO much has changed in Venice - and around the world - that it's a real trip to read back over the years and really absorb how much we've lost ... but also how much we've gained.

Writing these stories has built bridges for me, and opened me up to so many new friendships. I can see in my analytics how Blogtown (Rhymes with DOGTOWN!) has grown to have readers all over the world ... and that was one of my intentions when I set out to do this - to make the world a little smaller for us all. To get to know each other all a little better, and to learn that there are so many cool people that come through Venice that it will always remain special, no matter how much it changes.

I recall a guy telling me once that Blogtown was important because it was really capturing the disappearance of one of the world's last Bohemian surf/skate culture places - in real time. You can go back through the years and see how many places have left Venice in the last decade, and how many of its citizens too (whether they died, couldn't afford it anymore, or just thought it wasn't the same and had done their Venice time. You can also go back and attend some pretty great shows with me over the years ... !

I asked my brother to tell me off the top of his head what his favorite story of the last decade had been, and he said, "The World's Greatest Wino" - and that tale of the late, great Bobby Brown was definitely one of my favorites too.

The beautiful send-off day for Jay Adams sticks out to me as a highlight  ...  and who can forget my bike Delores being stolen ... and then getting her back!

I was the first journalist to write about the Venice Freak Show - which lost its home on the Boardwalk a few years ago, and we're still trying to get it back there where it belongs. The farewell to Abbot's Habit was a special one ... as was the one the very next day about getting to be the Neptune Queen! 

The story about Venice's Bordello Alexandra house was one of my favorites ... as was a simple little story about a friendship I had with a little old man at the beach, Leon. Often the little things/stories have been the best things.

There have been SO many stories about so many people and places, and there is going to be a book one day soon (Please help me find my publisher!) of all of my favorites that have already been written - and the ones to come. Though Venice is not the same Venice it was when I started Blogtown, it still has that magic dust that we all know and love it for. It lives inside of each of us that care about it, so it can never be truly gone. We love our Venice, and that love has gone into every word I've ever written in Blogtown - and will go on.

Blogtown will be getting a new look soon for its new decade (I'm just waiting on the art work!), but the stories will always be about the special people, places, and events that have made an impact on myself, and on Venice - a place like no other in the world. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to share its stories with you, and I hope you will keep visiting Blogtown in its new decade of fun, creativity, friendship, community, and heart.

It means so much to me when someone shares with me that they enjoyed a story, or were moved by it in some way (either to tears of being touched or mad at an "epic rant" of mine, usually). That they learned something, or tried a new place because of a story that they read here. That they made a new friend, or learned a new skill. That they were inspired, even just a little bit, to appreciate the little things that make us all connected.

Thank you for reading, truly. Cheers to TEN YEARS together! xoxo

Kook House

Driving down California Avenue last night, heading home from work, I have to say, I kind of enjoyed this bit of graffiti. It let me know that someone out there feels exactly the same way I do.

Now, I'm not saying that I endorse vandalism, but in this case ... I think they were asking for it. This monstrosity is located at the corner of California and 7th Avenue, directly across from Oakwood Park. It's a bit "In your face", Have Nots.

To come in and build something like this, smack dab in what has long been one of the lowest income areas of Venice, is such a level of unawareness and disrespect for a community, it's really pretty mind boggling - and concrete and grey and lifeless. Wherever you choose to live, you need to be mindful of where you are, and what it was like before you.

The ideal would be that someone would come in that cares about the neighborhood and either restores what was there or builds something that fits in with the tradition of our bohemian beach community. Of course they don't have to ... you'd just think they'd WANT to. Because now you've already estranged yourself from your community, everyone (besides maybe people on your payroll) thinks you're douchebags before you even move in, and a big corner of Venice is (for now) the most obnoxious eyesore in town. Good job, Kook House.

*Addendum - as it's there, and not likely to be torn down to build bungalows for affordable housing, maybe brighten it up with a mural done by the kids at the park across the street or something ... something to show they're trying to fit into the community. Just a thought.

Turquoise And Tobacco - Venice Made By Laura Genevieve

If you were at Coachella last weekend, or are going this weekend, all reports back insist that THE accessory for Festival chic this year are the fantastic pieces from Turquoise And Tobacco, the Venice-made jewelry company by my friend, the darling Laura Genevieve.

Laura was born in Kansas, "in a town so small I didn't even know you could have fashion be a career." Her parents had lived in California, but moved to Kansas to be near family, and Laura's Mom always said to her, "Get back to California for me." The family took road trips to the Golden State every year, where that request was solidified in the mind of young Laura. All those stops at National Parks and taking the Amtrak train instilled in her a love of travel, a love of nature, and on one particular trip to Albuquerque, a true love for turquoise.

She wanted to be a triple threat growing up, a singer/dancer/actress, and auditioned like crazy for everything, winning scholarships and chasing the dream. Fashion was always her thing, and when her Mom taught her to sew, Laura began ripping up things and putting them back together in her own way, which got her a lot of attention at school, "where I stuck out like a sore thumb." (We bonded over that, because I was the exact same way. Madonna gloves and a big hat to the football game? Of course.) The highlight of these times were when Laura exactly replicated Jennifer Aniston's fake dreads for her prom. I bet those Kansas kids are still talking about that one!

When it came time to decide on school and a career, Laura detoured on her way to California to Seattle to live with her Kansas boyfriend. She wound up staying a lot longer than she'd planned, splitting up with the boyfriend, but launching her fashion career as a buyer and model for the late Seattle boutique, Sway and Cake. This gave her a taste of the travel and trade shows, and pretty much cemented for her the industry that she wanted to work in.

New Year's Day 2011 found Laura finally making the move to California, to live in Venice - "And only Venice." (Again, my thoughts exactly.) Very soon upon her arrival, she met and fell in love with the equally darling Jonathan Strader, which again affected her life choices (and ensured that they will always win "Cutest Couple" wherever they go, no matter who's there). Now she was interested in a way to touch lives, support other cultures, watch Strader surf, and live a bohemian, gypsy life wherever the surf was good.

On one such surf trip, to entertain herself, Laura made herself a necklace of a skull and leather fringe. People immediately began asking her where she got it, and begging her to make them one, so she did. She was working for various stores and helping out other labels, when she started posting photos of the necklaces on Instagram. She immediately had strangers asking where they could get one. That led to stores and fashion websites placing orders, and soon, "When the side thing takes over your day thing, you quit the day thing and do that, so I did." Did she ever. One day, the actress Vanessa Hudgens was photographed wearing Laura's most popular design, "The Drifter", and she was off to the races. Requests to have the necklaces for photo shoots and fashion layouts began pouring in, and now it's all Laura can do to keep her materials in stock.

When deciding what to name her company, Laura asked herself what she was inspired by ... Native American culture ... family road trips across the West ... Riding horses across fields ... and the name "Turquoise And Tobacco" sprang to mind. Turquoise because she'd always love and been drawn to it, Tobacco because she never wears black in New York (ha!) and she loves the brown of an old, worn in cowboy boot, and she wanted to pay homage to the Native American aesthetic as well.

Laura is a friend who I can get really Venice-groovy with, like Full Moon ceremonies, dream manifesting, and drawing spirit cards and stuff. One such time, Laura drew the Whale card. The Whale is the record keeper, that encourages you to look at your past to create your future and find your own "whale song". When Laura looks back, she is inspired "from the Great Plains to the shores of California, and everything in between. Embracing freedom." Clearly, it is no accident that we are friends. Laura's whale song now sings of travel, surf, fashion and fun. "I'm in this to create the life I want. The whole goal is to have a simple life, travel the world, and do this." Amen, Sister.

In talking about our beloved Venice, Laura says, "The moment I got here - instantly - everything happened for me, for the good. It was the only non-pretentious place in L.A. that was real. That was gritty. That people acted like humans." (Granted, this was a couple of years ago, and there have been some hipster invasions, but still.) Like many of us, her favorite place in all of Venice other than the beach is "The Hinano". I love her.

Turquoise And Tobacco is available all across this great country Laura has traversed ... and abroad. New designs and materials are also in the works, just you wait! Get your special, handmade treasures here:

Turquoiseandtobacco.com

Showmeyourmumu.com

Boutiquetoyou.com

You can also find these gems in Venice at Animal House and The Golden State, so far.

You can follow Laura's travel and adventures and life in Venice at:

Instagram: @turquoiseandtobacco
Twitter: @turq_tobacco


Hot.

*Photos by Nico Guilis/@findyourcalifornia (black and white)
and Lauren Meyer, courtesy of Laura Genevieve.

Zingara

You really can't help but to be drawn into the bright shop on Abbot Kinney that is Zingara. It's a "Gypsy Emporium", and that is the perfect name for it (in fact, Zingara IS Italian for "gypsy"). Especially if you've ever strolled by on First Fridays and heard the band that plays on the porch (and now in the backyard because people get uptight about silly stuff), The Petrojvic Blasting Company. They are all straight up Gypsy Balkan Folk jams, and even have a Gypsy Caravan they brought over from Europe, that for now is living in Zingara's backyard.


Donna Humphrey grew up in L.A., and lives in Venice. She used to have an Espresso Bar in Culver City and then sold that to open what would become Zingara on the Boardwalk. She had her booth down at the beach for 6 months (and loved it - besides the moving everything in and out every day), until she found the little cottage on Abbot Kinney (formerly The Goddess) where her lovely store now resides.


Her Grandma on her Mother's side was a gypsy, and Donna was always drawn to that Bohemian, International eclectic vibe that one conjures up with the word "gypsy". It shows in both her decor and her merchandise. Brightly colored everything beckons to you from the sidewalk. Once inside the door, you're not sure what to look at first, it's all so fun and interesting. Her criteria for what she wants in her store are basically these three things: Authentic (no mass produced schlock). Fair Trade (very important. nothing from a dang sweat shop). Handcrafted (the more local, the better). It's a little like taking a trip around the world in there, and you can tell by the quality of everything, that Donna sticks to her guns about her basic business tenets.

Of these things, the one that I covet most is the custom ordered (of a million color and finish swatch possibilities) Clog Boots by Sven (of Minnesota, y'all!). I want the boots, but you can get them in normal clogs, different heights, furry stuff inside or not, and in honestly every color - even metallics - of the spectrum. Dope. And good for your posture.


The kid room is precious, filled with hand-knit sweaters from South America, little clogs, darling tights, fun shoes, little embroidered tunics, and whimsical little toys from all over the place. You can doll up your little one, while feeling pretty decent that you supported an actual artisan that was paid a decent wage.


There is a transformed bathroom/showroom full of aquatic themed ornaments and trinkets, and a kitchen with decorations and vintage aprons to present to a fun hostess.


Donna accepts items from local craftspeople and designers, and there is fun evidence of that all around, from jewelry to hats and gloves, and clothes re-fashioned and made new again from vintage pieces. Meaning one of a kind, and we all like to not look like everyone else, I hope.


When I asked Donna how she finds all the goods, she said, "Actually, things find me." I like that. And I like the Ulf Andersson dresses, the real Espadrilles from Spain (on sale!), the Masai beaded sandals from Kenya, the sweater with an Airstream trailer printed on cashmere, the plastic floor mats from Thailand that look like rugs, the Papal Picado - punched paper art from Mexico that adorns the whole store (see, you also learn things while there!), and again ... those sirens of my shoe world, the Sven clog boots.


Donna loves the COMMUNITY of Venice, and said that those who move in and don't get it, usually leave. True. She opens her store for First Fridays Fun every time (with that great band AND S'mores!), but also has that big, lovely backyard that she's open to having as a community meeting place, for non-profits, parties, etc ... and share the warmth that her entire space exudes. She's the Chairwoman of the Abbot Kinney Fest this year too, and informed me, which I didn't exactly know, that the Festival ITSELF is a non-profit. All the profits from that blast of a day go back to the community through a Grant process that local organizations can apply for ... ALL in Venice. In talking about that fact, Donna said, "This is Venice."


For Donna, Venice is also the ocean and the beach, the local Mountains (which she adores), and the Canal Club Happy Hour, all of which I will concur with. So maybe throw on something colorful from Zingara, ride your bike down to the beach for sunset, and wind up at the Canal Club for a Happy Hour mango margarita (or your own poison), and imagine yourself a real Gypsy. A Venice Gypsy.


Zingara
1507 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice
310.392.6424
www.Zingaratrading.com