Venice Gets A Rainbow Crosswalk!

It was crazy to be back in Venice after being gone all summer, and to see how much things have changed. So many businesses gone, so many new ones in. I found myself fondly remembering the days when we stood up and fought against chains, and ran Pinkberry out of town in just a few months, and I liked Pinkberry - just not in Venice. With so much of the cool being priced out of Venice, it was nice to see one NEW cool thing ... a rainbow crosswalk on Abbot Kinney!

I remember sitting in Tim Bonefeld and Erinn Berkson's (owner of one of the few remaining locally owned businesss on Abbot Kinney, the wonderful Burro!) living room after dinner a while back, and Tim talking about how he had the idea for a rainbow crosswalk to replace the dingy one outside of The Roosterfish ... and he made it happen! Dedicated on June 28th, 2019 (when I was gone, sadly) it now glistens there in the sun, AND makes crossing safer on AKB.

The Roosterfish used to be my Abbot Kinney Festival go-to spot to use the ladies room, as there was never a line for it in there. It was almost all gay men. Those days appear to be gone, as the place was packed with the Millenial crowd, and who knows if anyone was gay anymore in there. That's fine, it's just different, and I feel a little bad for all the people who would gather there in THEIR spot. Still, it's pretty cool to have the first rainbow crosswalk in Los Angeles celebrating our LBGTQ friends right here in Venice.

There are plaques in the street for the people who sponsored each color, and they are all to be commended (especially after the debacle this year between Venice Pride and the Venice Chamber of Commerce, who refused to let them use the Venice Sign for Pride - yeah.) for making Venice still have a little cool, and making the now douchebag-filled Abbot Kinney (Seriously. Locals I spoke to that haven't left didn't even know about the crosswalk because they won't go to AKB anymore!)  rainbow bright!

Thank you.

Venice Is Not For Sale - Only It Is.

I was walking down the street this morning when I came upon this little tag on the sidewalk ... "Venice is not for sale". I have to figure it must be old ... because at this point in time, Venice is for sure for sale.

Not the SPIRIT of Venice, of course, but Venice property has been so pimped out and sold, it's nearly unrecognizable if you haven't been here in a while. It's so disheartening. For the first time since I moved here over 20 years ago, I'm thinking I'm not as sure that this is the place for me anymore. I mean, I LOVE VENICE, as everyone knows ... but what I love so much seems to be in ever increasing danger of disappearing completely.

The new people moving in don't get it at all. You can tell just by the things that they complain about that they have no idea what Venice was ever truly like. The fact that Adidas and Smashbox - massive chains that were never tolerated in this town - both just opened for business on Abbot Kinney. Thi should really tell you all you need to know. That Venice, like America itself, has been bought and sold to the highest bidders. It's disgusting, and sad, and I'm getting weary of the battle. I can't stand walking around listening to these entitled, self-centered jerks acting like they own the world, and thinking they can take over our little beach-side Community. It's heartbreaking.

The future is wide open, and it is what we make it. I have no idea what's next, but I'm no longer as sure that whatever happens will be in Venice. I'd hate to be one to throw in the towel on a place in the world that is downright sacred to me, but the greed sickens me on the daily.

It's true that those magical qualities that originally defined Venice cannot be bought and sold ... but you have to still be able to feel them to want to be here, and that's getting harder and harder every day.

We shall see.

Adidas No Longer Defining Venice

Special Late Thursday Afternoon Edition:

Well, it took a week, but apparently Adidas is no longer "Defining Venice". They heard the People.

The incredibly insulting sign is now gone, with merely their logo in its place. This is encouraging. This means that we still have the Community here in Venice, and we will still stand up together when something is outrageously wrong. The real deal Venice neighbors came out of the woodwork with their displeasure on this one, spoke up, did something about it, and now it's gone. This has to keep happening, not only here, but in this crazy country right now. Unity creates change. WE create the Venice - and the World - we want to live in.

While we're at it, let's do things about the BIG things, not just signs. Help the homeless, stop the big chains and developers, resist Snapchat and their ilk ... you know. Stuff like that. We can do it. We've proved that Venice isn't "over", and many, many awesome people who have made Venice their beloved home are still here. Solid. 

Good job, Everybody! THANK YOU to everyone who made their voices heard. Don't let up.
Power to the People!

Sorry, Adidas. You Do NOT Define Venice.

It's true. The old Hal's space is going to be an Adidas store. ADIDAS! In a town where we never had chain stores, they now think they are going to DEFINE Venice. Oh, really? How completely offensive to everyone who ever made Venice what is is. The REAL definers of this Community. I'm livid.

Adidas, I have a suggestion for you. The first thing you should do is fire whatever marketing exec came up with this campaign, along with everyone who agreed to it. They clearly did no homework on the Community they're about to enter, or they'd know we would not take kindly to some chain claiming they define the legend that is Venice. A massive Germany-based global corporation is going to move on to Abbot Kinney Boulevard, and think that they are suddenly going to be "Defining Venice"?! Yeah. Right. This is as bad as the Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad.

Venice has never been defined by any one thing, but it certainly wouldn't ever be a chain shoe store. It is defined by the artists, the skaters, the surfers, the gangsters, the beach bums, the regular bums, the free spirits, the hippies, the innovators, the edgy ones, the bikers, the teachers, the mom and pop stores, the laid back attitude ... the FREEDOM. How DARE some international conglomerate have the audacity to think they're going to come into a storied, historic place like Venice and DEFINE it. I could puke right on their doorstep. And probably will. That's as close as I'll ever get to stepping inside, unless I see someone I know in there and have to go drag them out by their ear in a big scene. *You've been warned.

I was ranting about it at the French Market after seeing this outrage of a window sign, and some affected girl behind me in line said, "Venice is all just Snapchat now anyway." No, it goddamn isn't, young lady. Go to an art opening. Go to a house party. Go to a non-chain store. Go to a town council meeting. Go to a school event. Go to the dog park. Go to the actual sand on the beach. Go to Hinano's. There you will find people that not only aren't Snapchat, but LOATHE Snapchat, and their ilk. I suggest you branch out. Learn your history. Have some respect.

I was walking home from a friend's last night and heard a group of Millenials sitting in the street talking about their NDA's (Non-Disclosure Agreements), and how they were so important they couldn't even talk to each other about their lame stuff. I have a feeling it was Tech stuff. Blech stuff. (I'm a known Luddite). I was so disgusted to think that this gentrification cancer has spread so much that youngsters think that his garbage IS Venice. It simply isn't, and those lame asses won't last here. Watch.

And I suspect neither will Adidas. No one comes to Venice, California to go to chain stores they have at their own mall in every city. They come for the unexpected. The weird. The "Freaks". The Art. The beach. The Boardwalk. The Skatepark. The Surf. The bike path. The beach. Not some store that the only thought I've ever had about them is that we used to think it stood for "All Day I Dream About Sex" as kids, and think that was racy. I certainly never thought they'd be so dumb as to come into Venice and have the utter nerve to think they can in any way "Define" this classic beach town. They're practically begging for vandalism (which I don't condone, of course, but would surely understand). The fact that all the good times we had inside that building when it was Hal's will now be taken over by corporate drones fitting people into overpriced sneakers makes me physically ill. WHO thought this could ever be a good idea? They were seriously misguided.

Just past the self-important Millenial jokers in the street, I saw this sidewalk chalk missive on Hampton Drive. "Try to not be a dick for once". I have a feeling it was meant for a specific someone, but it can sure apply to everyone doing their best to bury the Venice we know and love. Knock it off. Stop being dicks. For ONCE.

Please.

The Adidas boycott starts now. Not that we ever wore them anyway. This is a Vans town.

Flipping Coins And Flapping Wings On Abbot Kinney

I returned back to Venice to discover two new public art pieces by Robin Murez of Venice Public Art up on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, adding to her ever-growing collection of works to honor our town's origins. My favorite has always been the Wheel Of Fortune at The Green House Smoke Shop, but these new ones are pretty great too.

If you pass by the Alternative Apparel shop, you can stop and flip the coin, just like Abbot Kinney did to win his piece of swamp land that became our beloved Venice.

The explanation part is already pretty sun-bleached or something, but you can kind of read the story of how Abbot Kinney won his land in a coin toss. He chose the swampy part, which everyone thought was lame, but he had a vision and a dream and he made Venice. So there.

A short amble up the block and you can flap the wings of the Winged Lion in front of the Roots (chain) store. The Winged Lion is a symbol of "The Republic Of Venice" (which we like to call The PEOPLE'S Republic Of Venice), and we should all pause to reflect and give a flap to acknowledge his splendor.

They tell you a little about that too, if you squint real hard. The plaque encourages you to flap the wings and "Cheer, Bravo!" So of course I did to start my this morning.

That's also exactly my cheer for these wonderful reminders, both of our past, and to preserve the specialness of wonderful Venice ... BRAVO!

There is now a MAP of the Venice Public Art pieces so that you can take yourself on a little walking tour of fun and learning. BRAVO again!