Happy Spring, Lovers And Late Night Bloomers!

Spring has sprung! My Mom is here visiting, and it's her favorite time of year, when everything comes back to life. After long Minnesota winters, the warmer temperatures, the flowers blooming, and the general feeling of re-birth is extra tangible, but here in Venice you can feel it too. The jasmine and mock orange are busting out everywhere, we're actually getting to use our dusty umbrellas, and people have that Spring spring in their steps.

I took a sunset stroll yesterday, and decided to go down an alley I don't think I have traversed before. I was rewarded - as you often are here - by a big mural on the back of a house, of masked lovers dipping back in an embrace. It's called "For The Late Night Bloomers" by Ms. Casey O, and I adore it. Spring fever! I love it. There are so many unexpected surprises that you can discover walking around Venice, and that's why we love it. The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Happy Spring to all! May you feel the renewal in your own heart, and go out and do some good with it.

"It is Spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't know quite what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"
                                                                                        - Mark Twain

Real Springtime In Venice!

Spring has sprung in Venice, and as we celebrated the vernal equinox yesterday, the spring in everyone's step was extra noticeable. The flowers are bursting out all over, and the smell is jasmine and mock orange (my very favorite) wafts everywhere on a breeze. It couldn't be more lovely.

As we know our days are numbered at The Roosterfish, we made that be our afternoon sunny spot. People were partying in the daytime, perhaps feeling it even more since we know these times are precious. We ate our awesome $3.00 burgers out on the back patio (try to find that anywhere else on the boulevard anymore!) and clinked our glasses together in the sunshine, thoroughly enjoying being in the very present moment.

When the sun shifted and the late afternoon grew chillier, we took it inside to my friend David's office, where they create virtual reality. You can tramp around on an Icelandic countryside. You can go to a virtual fortune teller. You can fly over animals stampeding in Africa, with more than full 360 degree views, it's also up and down. It's interactive, so you're choosing your paths and adventures. It's nuts.

I think it's all super fun to see and do, but I worry that with all this technology, people won't get outside and do things for themselves anymore, they can just strap on a headset and go wherever they want. And become fat, unhealthy, sloth-like Wall-E people. A friend pointed out that it's great for those with disabilities, so they can experience all the same cool things able-bodied people can, which is true and great ... but still. It all makes me a little nervous. Especially when there are SO many great places and things to see and REALLY do, that ... I don't know. I'm mixed.

I'm mixed about a lot of things these days, with so much turmoil and division going on in the world. It's now that we really need - more than ever - to not only have real and special moments, but to appreciate them while we're in them. Like our awesome afternoon at The Roosterfish, together with good friends, all knowing and feeling the value of the time we were spending.

Later on, after a wonderful outdoor dinner with friends next to a fire pit, I was back home thinking about it all. I recalled a quote from Jack Kerouac's Big Sur:

"On soft spring nights I'll stand in the yard under the stars - Something good will come out of all things yet - And it will be golden and eternal just like that - There's no need to say another word."

Autumnal Equinox ... Endless Summer ...

I awoke this morning a little ornery. I wondered if it was because official Summer is over, but think it was more that I'm bearing some extreme disappointment, and had no sleep and a headache because of it. The solution for this is almost always a dunk in the sea for me. ("The cure for everything is saltwater; sweat, tears or the sea." - Isak Dinesen) So I dragged myself down there to meet up with my Bikini Team for a swim, but was late so they were already out, standing by the lifeguard station, drip-drying. Brief pecks on the cheek, an explanation for my tardiness, and I ran into the water, throwing myself under and through the waves. Bursting out the other side of one, I saw my friends Drew and Scotty P. out in the water on their surfboards. Drew offered me a turn on his board, so I clambered on and got in position. After bobbing there for a moment, I glanced back and saw that I was probably about to die if I didn't jump off (no leash either), so I did. I reverted to a swim, as I didn't think I could take bodily injury on top of the rest of my woes. Which really aren't so big, but just felt like it this morning.

Drying off with my seriously great girls, I got over myself. They told me the sun had come out of the fog the exact moment I stepped on the sand - like, they noticed it - so I felt that had to be a good sign that things would look up. And they did. We had a splendid ride through the neighborhood, with lots of smiles and nods, making me love everybody all over again.

Except for the person who is currently driving around a truck with this painted - literally painted across it, like the guy (I assume) made the conscious choice to have this permanently representing him - on his vehicle: "The only reason Women fake orgasms is because they think Men care." I seriously almost crashed my bike. WHO (Tool, obviously) would even put that nauseatingly sexist B.S. out there in the world? Who would ever date him (a bigger Tool Woman)?! I wanted to take a picture to show you (I actually wanted to make a Citizen's Arrest) but didn't have anything at all with me. So if you see that guy in front of you driving, spit on him for me. Blech.

Back home, I had a gorgeous shower, and some lovely morning repast at The French Market, with a PERFECT Cafe Mocha, all in the bright Endless Summer sunshine. I saw my Virgo horoscope in the paper that said: "It's your turn to shine. Your timing and wit are keen, but now everyone notices. Who would have thought one afternoon would bring so much laughter?" Well, that made it hard to continue moping.

I decided to go on a mission with Nath to find that truck and see who drives it. I'm just so curious as to what kind of person throws that statement out there every day. No luck, he'd gone on to contaminate someplace else, so I went and sat outside at the Juice Bar in the sunshine, taking notes on ideas that blew through my mind. I joined Nathan in a little English lesson for Harold, a Spanish-speaking worker at the Juice. I schooled another guy on the FACT that Venice at 28th water gets an A Grade from Heal The Bay Report Card, while Malibu is almost always D or F. Look it up. I set up a time to chat with The World's Greatest Wino (stay tuned!), among others. I talked to a guy outside Windward Farms about how he recently retrieved a Woman's STOLEN Wheelchair for her! For the love of Jah, who steals someone's WHEELCHAIR?! I'm on an absolute Crusade to stop this madness ... through getting to know each other better, to understand one another's scenes better, to seriously strive to be better people. I was all fuming about that one - and also REVELING in the fact that this guy got the chair back for her (everyday Heroes, man!) - while pedaling down Abbot Kinney, when I saw this:

... which just charmed my socks off. Now, that's more like it!!

It's really amazing how high a little kindness and effort can elevate a mood. The sun and the sea are no slouches in that department either. It's a brand new day - Thanks, Venice!