Good Friday Hope

I usually say "Great Friday" every year on Good Friday, but I don't feel like that this year. I wrote a story about finding comfort and solace in Wood Lake a week or so ago, and now I think I need a Wood Lake walk more than ever. My older brother, Rich, had a mild stroke on Monday night, and we can't be with him due to the global pandemic, so he has to deal with it all by himself in the hospital surrounded by scared workers and patients. I really am trying so hard to be gnarly and strong and have my chin all the way up, because I know how much more many, many people are suffering, but MAN ... there are moments where I don't even feel like trying anymore. So I look for hope. Like the little tiny blue flowers (Snowdrops!) poking out of the soil after a long winter! I haven't been in Spring in Minnesota for like 25 years, so these are true thrills for me, as well as HOPE that warm, sunny days are fast approaching.

I'm taking an online Yale class about happiness, and it's probably the best time ever to be taking it, because it actually has forced me to focus on what there is to be grateful about, and how I can extend more kindness to people around me.

None of this awful virus stuff was happening, obviously, when the class lectures were filmed, and I'm sure the Professor had no idea how hard her students would soon be struggling to find - and share - that happiness. Yet even amid all this madness ... you can still find it. Trust me. Like, there is a litter of baby kittens in a tree in my neighbor's backyard! Snowdrops and roses and whiskers on kittens ... !

There is an awful lot for me to deal with, much of which I don't speak about publicly, but believe me, it's a lot. But no more than so many people dealing with so much right now, and I keep telling myself that. I keep telling myself that this too shall pass. That there are so many silver linings. That I am SO fortunate, in the whole grand scheme of things. That the grass has turned green, seemingly overnight, and that this shows us all that there is an end to the darkness - another symbol of HOPE.

My family home is across the street from a church called HOPE Presbyterian, so there is a constant reminder of that hope right there. My family's church (Nokomis Heights Lutheran) left a surprise on our doorstep yesterday, which was a luminaria with an electric tealight, asking us to put it out each evening to symbolize HOPE for everyone. We will. And I will keep the hope alive in my own heart, as hard as I can. Please call me on it if you hear of me losing it. And keep on spreading the love, not germs (Window sign made by my precious Mom)!

Happy Easter Weekend to you all. The very weekend meant to symbolize HOPE. Love you.

Clogtown: The 4th Annual Hendrickson Foundation Hockey Festival - Hockey Changes Lives!

I finally got to attend my first Hendrickson Foundation Hockey Festival last weekend, and WOW. Some events have an extra dash of magic dust over them, and this one certainly sparkled with it the entire time. Founded by Larry Hendrickson (the late father of my family of dearest friends), the Hendrickson Foundation was created to support hockey players with disabilities, and to get them back out on the ice. Minnesota Wild Sled (Adult and Youth) Hockey, Special Hockey, Blind Hockey, and the Minnesota Warriors (hockey for disabled veterans) are the hockey programs now supported by the HF, with 54 teams and 1,000 players from 11 states and two countries (so far!) all there to compete in the Festival tournament this weekend. Though Larry is no longer physically with us, his spirit was deeply felt, and I know he was there.

You could tell this event was something special from the moment you walked through the parking lot at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota. Yes, there were a lot of wheelchairs and people that needed assistance with their mobility, but you very quickly forgot about that and focused on the wide smiles on all of the faces. Parents supporting their kids, kids supporting their parents, delighted friends and family cheering on their teams, knowing that each goal scored was so much more than a point ... it was a celebration of bravery, determination, strength, and the pure joy that comes with any goal scored in hockey - only much more so because you knew what it took to get it. I had chills the entire weekend (and not because it was cold, the whole weekend was weirdly in the 40's!).

It takes an absolute village to put on a massive FREE event like this, and an army of volunteers made the whole operation run smoothly and happily. I was kind of a floater volunteer, doing whatever was needed in any moment, so I got to see a lot of the action.

The Blind Hockey was especially cool to watch, as the players use a larger puck that makes noise, making it possible to follow. The goalies are totally blind (!) and positions are given by sight, like the forwards are able to see a little bit, the defense less. Just getting on skates on ice at all when you're blind is great enough (remember Ice Castles!?!), but these teams were scoring! You really wouldn't know that anyone was blind aside from the special puck, but you could sure tell how happy they were when that puck went into the net! More chills.

The merch table was a busy headquarters all weekend (conveniently located next to the bar), with throngs of hockey fans lining up to get the shirts, hats, blankets, etc... that showed off that you had been at this special weekend.

My bestie, Christine Hendrickson Krsnik, was not able to attend this year (so bummed!) because she was home recovering from a ruptured Achilles (!) injury, but her daughters and husband were representing her well, manning and womanning all of that HF merch.

There is so much happening on so many rinks, that it's kind of hard to get to it all, but everyone packed in together for the Celebrity Game on Saturday afternoon. Minnesota hockey legends and pals came out for a friendly game, with a lot of former Wild and Gopher (and Richfield Spartans - home of the Hendys!) giving the crowd a thrill.

The team introductions were hilarious, and the whole game was in good fun. Christine's daughter, Jane, sang the National Anthem for the game and yep, more chills.

American flags had been handed out to everyone and there was a buzz going around about a special surprise (beautifully choreographed by Julie Hendrickson Oss!). There was an opening face-off to the game, and a stick was broken. The announcer called for a new stick, and out came Army Sergeant Acree, striding across the ice to deliver the stick to Wild player Matt Dumba and his sons (one a sled hockey player), after not seeing them for over two years! The place went crazy, and it was a heartwarming moment for everyone in the building. The chills just kept on coming ... !

It was a high scoring Celeb game, but everyone won just be being there. It was super fun to see my old schoolmates back out on the ice, and some that I had never had the chance to see play in person before (like Mr. Assist Larry Olimb!). There were so many Hendricksons running around that Darby's jersey just said "Darby" on the back of his bright Festival jersey. Awesome.

Halftime featured a Celebrity Sled Hockey game, with folks like the Wild's reporter, Audra Martin, Miss Chain of Lakes, and Sergeant Acree strapping themselves on to sleds to race down the ice. This was when you realized how really hard Sled Hockey is, after seeing all the real players make it look so easy. Several gamers could not stay upright, tipping over the moment they took off. Miss Chain of Lakes, however, was the clear champion, flying across the ice with no one even close. There were lots of cheers, but even more laughter, as I think we all got how much skill it takes, and how little these good sports had acquired thus far! Good times.

After the Celebrity Game, everyone headed over to the Banquet Hall on the same campus, where now you understood just how big this event really is. After being spread out among all of the rinks all day, now everyone was in one place, and the venue was shoulder to shoulder as participants lined up for drinks and the donated Jimmy John's grub. This was the party, and everyone was in the mood to do just that.

A really good silent auction kept the donations coming while the party was happening, and then it was time for the speeches and thanks.

HF Executive Director, Danny Hendrickson (son of Larry), thanked the legions that make this exceptional event happen, from sponsors (Yontz Valor! Stickney Hill Dairy! Milk Specialties! Hydrite Chemical! Hendrickson Homes! Jimmy John's! Sota Stick! Etc!) to volunteers. Checks and awards were given out, and everyone was enthusiastically applauded for bringing another fantastic Festival to vibrant, wonderful life.

The party then really got going ... but not too hard, as the championship games still had to happen on Sunday, along with the awarding of the very cool team trophies that kind of look like golden Spartans - Right on. Again, I know there's bragging rights (and sweet trophies) to winning the tournament, but there is no way anyone left this weekend feeling like anything but an absolute victor.

With all of the running around I was doing as a volunteer, I didn't really get a chance to hear the individual stories of the players, of which there are so many, each more touching than the last. There was one girl that took a shine to me, and every time we passed each other, she would yell, "There's my buddy!" and I felt so happy that we had made this connection, and that her happy face got even happier when she would see me. There were so many individual triumphs among the teams, and frankly, it's a huge triumph just to be there at all, whatever your abilities. The feeling that you get from helping someone else find their happiness IS the triumph, and this was happening all weekend.

The 4th Annual Hendrickson Foundation Festival is now in the books, and I can't wait to see and share the video that is being made of the weekend, because it really is one of those things you have to experience to feel how tangible the joy really is. I feel so honored to have been able to be a little tiny part of it all, and encourage any and everyone to get involved yourselves ... because it's true - Hockey really does change lives!

Thank you, Hendrickson Foundation!

A Wilderness Getaway To Sequoia And King's Canyon National Parks - American Splendor

"This grand show is eternal." - John Muir

When I was home a few weeks ago, I had asked my Mom what places and things she had yet to see or do in life that she really wanted to. She mentioned seeing the giant trees in California, which I had yet to see myself, so for her birthday yesterday, we had her come out from Minnesota, jump in the car, and speed up to see the biggest trees in the world in Sequoia National Park for the weekend. And I'm SO glad we did!

Before we left on Saturday morning, Mom and I went to see Won't You Be My Neighbor? on Friday night. I mention this because you HAVE to see it. Mr. Rogers was a true American treasure - on a level with Generals Sherman and Grant that we were about to meet in the National Park. We cried our eyes out throughout the film, and silently vowed to try to be more like Fred Rogers. Seriously, no one left when the movie ended ... everyone just sat there in the quiet, trying to gather themselves before leaving the theater. All you heard were sniffles, and then the laughter that comes with an entire group of strangers being equally moved. A gem of a film that should be required American viewing - especially in these times. Please go. A quick sleep, and we were off to the forest the next morning!

Sequoia and Kings Canyon are really not that far away, and a few hours (like 3 1/2) from Venice, we were deep in the most gorgeous nature setting ever. I've been to Yosemite, which is the marquee California park, but these two are just as beautiful AND have these towering trees that honestly made me emotional to behold. We met General Sherman first, and he is the biggest tree in the world. I was super into it ... and not surprisingly - super moved. Pure, breathtaking majesty. It was so cool to see people from all over the globe all excited to see trees. Folks took turns taking photos of families, and kindness and politeness were the norm, as citizens of the world who still care about nature, and take time out of their lives to make these pilgrimages.

I choked up when I read the quote I opened this story with from John Muir, the famous naturalist who many places in these parks are named for. "This grand show is eternal." There has been talk under this current and awful Administration that these parks could be drilled in, or sold to corporate interests, or whatever nefarious things they've got up their sleeves. This. Must. Not. Happen. There is such a sense of relief when you leave the cities and enter these sacred, pristine lands ... that places like this still - and MUST - exist.  I mean, we saw a golden bear and her cub right from the road (with a far away, blurry photo- for obvious reasons)! And multiple deer! And and and! We HAVE to fight to protect them, no matter what. THIS is the best of America.

Mom thought so too. We had this road trip idea for her birthday, but her children got just as much out of it, believe me. I was gasping and yelling and running around taking photos the whole time, and I felt like I was in nature's church the entire weekend - beaming. Tourists, and proud of it.

The last minute plan meant we had no reservations to stay anywhere, but that's often how I roll, knowing that things will work out somehow. And they did. After a long day of driving and sight-seeing, we needed a hot meal and a bed, and we lucked out, pulling over to Gena's Sierra Inn right outside of the parks in Dunlap. The restaurant had a motel attached, with a vacancy! Bam. We ate, we drank, and we sat outside on the patio under the stars, as my brother Paul borrowed a guitar and played for Mom. It was excellent, and positioned us perfectly to wake up, have a great breakfast right there, and then head back into the parks to see General Grant and then King's Canyon.

General Grant is the third largest tree in the world, and was named "The Nation's Christmas Tree" by President Coolidge in 1926. There is a hushed awe when the flocks of tourists approach these giants, as there should be. The surrounding forest is just as impressive, and my brother and I had a grand old time climbing up the rocks and hills while our Mom watched us and yelled at us to be careful ... just like the good old days (Where's Pablo?!).

As it was just an overnight trek, we had a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time - again, how I often roll. We drove the winding roads into King's Canyon, and pretty much freaked out the whole time at how stunningly beautiful it all was. It was hot and sunny, with perfect white, fluffy clouds to add some flourishes to our photographic memories of our Mom's birthday.

Mountains, trees, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, animals, meadows, flowers ... all of it overwhelmingly beautiful, it was almost surreal. It was almost like a backdrop you couldn't believe was real, but there it was.

The river looked so inviting, it was all we could do to not jump in on this hot day, but that would have made for a rather uncomfortable ride back to Venice later ... but now I regret not doing it.

We had a picnic on a rock next to the river, and then Paul and I ran off to check out this meadow, as my Mom is dealing with a bum foot. I wish she had been with us, as this Zumwalt Meadow brought to mind one of Mom's favorite movies of all time ... The Sound Of Music. You almost HAD to twirl around with arms outstretched at the pure glory of what you were beholding. I'm back at the office now, and that meadow is the star of my daydreams, and I can still almost smell the pine needles. Forest Therapy is real.

We had almost every kind of day, from sweltering hot to thunder and rain to chilly and then back to boiling hot as we traversed the roads that took us from mountain high to valley low. Our photos look like they're from several days, but really is was a few hours. Hours that had eternal value.

As do these National Parks, hearkening back to the Muir quote up top. It truly IS a grand show, with oohs and aahs literally around every corner. Even the wildfires that happen up here (as evidenced by the black scarring on trees or barren branches) create new life ... the only thing that could really harm them is corporations and greed ... and we must never, ever let that happen.

 Trips like these re-fire me up about this stuff every single time. We just had the most special weekend together as a family (sans my brother Rich who had to work, but we thought of the whole time), and will remember it for always. Nature is our teacher, and our gift. We have to protect it to show our gratitude. And we will.

A speedy drive back to Venice got us back in time to take Mom out for her birthday dinner, which we spent looking at the photos and re-living our brief, but beautiful, time in the Giant Forest of Sequoia and in King's Canyon. Even after just two days in this American Splendor (another great movie), it was weird to be back in the hubbub of the city. Almost disturbing, really. It really should be on your list if you've never been, and your entrance fee alone is doing your part to show that these places matter - deeply. I'm so excited for you to see it too.

Thank you, Mother Nature, and thank you, Mother Gronner ... for you both were the reason for this road trip, and this story. And I love you both endlessly.

In Loving Memory Of Larry Hendrickson - He Changed Lives

* My best friends in the world lost their father yesterday morning, and the world lost a heck of a guy. After the initial tears dried, friends and family gathered at the Hendrickson home in Richfield to comfort each other, and celebrate together an extremely special life, lived and left on Larry Hendrickson's own terms. I felt so far away, yet still included in their family, like they have always made me feel. It was my great honor to be asked to write Larry's obituary ... but I couldn't stop writing and expressing all that can be said about this man, so it got pretty long. We decided to make it an article here instead, so we would not be constrained by column space on the obit page. Wonderful matriarch Jane helped me get the facts straight, but there is still so much that could be said. Following is an attempt to give a glimpse into who Larry Hendrickson was - and there will never be another like him. My heartfelt love and sympathy to my deeply loved friends, The Hendricksons. We will never stop  honoring and celebrating your awesome Dad. Thank you for sharing him with the rest of the world. See you soon, Friends ...

Minnesota has lost one of its greats. Husband, Father, Grandfather, Coach, Philanthropist, and Hendrickson Foundation founder, Larry Hendrickson, passed away from a rare heart condition called Amyloidosis on Friday, June 15th in his longtime Richfield home, both fully at peace, well loved, and surrounded by family and friends.  
 

Hendrickson was born on October 20, 1942 in Minneapolis to Joseph and Lorraine Hendrickson. He played all the sports, of course, but was also well known for his unique character and strong faith. He met his junior high school sweetheart, Jane Hagen, at Ramsey Middle School, but didn't make his move until they were both attending Washburn High School. After graduating college at the University of Minnesota and a obtaining a Masters degree from St. Thomas, they married and settled in Richfield. Hendrickson was also one of Richfield High School's cherished teachers and coaches. 

Larry and Jane raised four fantastic children (Christine, Darby, Danny, and Julie), and in addition to the kids, some very special dogs.  "The Richfield Pool" in their backyard served as home away from home to Spartans of all ages, and was often where you could find "Coach Hendy" in more recent years, enjoying a Captain Coke, Lynchburg Lemonade or an icy Coors Light, and sharing inspirational conversations about hockey, hunting, and fishing, while hanging out with his beloved dogs.  

The "Hendrickson" name is synonymous with "Hockey" in Minnesota, and Hendrickson's career illustrated this fact. He coached varsity hockey at Richfield, where they played in the state title game in 1976 (and we're still sore that they lost to Grand Rapids).  Hendrickson helped his good friend, Herb Brooks, prepare the "Miracle On Ice" Olympic team for their gold medal victory in 1980, and served as the strength coach for the Minnesota Gophers in 1985, and the professional Minnesota North Stars from 1986-1988.  As Head Coach at Apple Valley, he led the team to a state championships in both 1981 and 1996 to win a title with a record 5 OT semi-final game that remains revered in Minnesota sports lore as the best high school hockey game ever. He also coached at Benilde-St. Margaret in more recent years, as they transitioned from Class A to AA hockey. Hendrickson was inducted into the Minnesota High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2010. 

All of Hendrickson's children went on to play hockey ... Christine and Julie play (because Minnesota is a state where the Hockey Moms PLAY hockey), and Darby and Danny both played at Richfield and as Minnesota Gophers. Darby went on to play professionally, even scoring the first goal for the Minnesota Wild, and now serving them as an Assistant Coach. Larry was so proud of all of his children, who live their lives with all the important values instilled in them by these excellent parents. He was also a father figure to many, sharing his guidance and wisdom generously with anyone who needed it. That it's Father's Day weekend that Larry left us is both appropriate and special. 

The Hendrickson's are a very public family, and have always been a the more the merrier type of clan. Their house was always been full of kids and animals and fun, but some of their most special and treasured memories as a family took place privately, as a family, at the cabin on Island Lake in Duluth. It was a refuge and a sanctuary, where deep conversations and quality time together was spent, and those are the times they hold most dear. 

Strength is a word that anyone who ever met Hendrickson would instantly associate with him. "Strength Coach" was even his title at times in his career. Many muscles were built in Hendrickson's home gym, but none more than the heart. It is ironic that his own heart failed him, when he had instilled such strength in the hearts and minds of so many. His equally strong faith is what sustained him through his final months, and as he said, "Don't worry about me ... it's just a change of address." He lived a full - and fulfilling - life, and passed away when he was ready, surrounded by his loving family. That's the way to go.  

Hendrickson also founded the D.J. company, Spirit Unlimited, to support his family while he served in Young Life. Spirit Unlimited was an apt name for the fun they brought to all the Richfield High School dances and countless other events. There was a reunion of Spirit Unlimited crew this past holiday season, and everyone in attendance told stories of how Hendrickson had employed them, guided them, and inspired them. Helped them. How he set an example for them that they all still live by. How he changed their lives.  

The Hendrickson Foundation's motto is "Hockey Changes Lives", and one only has to look around at their annual hockey festival to know how very true this statement is. Conceived in 2011, with his dear friend Mike McMillan's encouragement, Hendrickson set out with the idea as a means to encourage and inspire those with disabilities and special needs through getting them out on skates or sleds to play hockey. No one could leave one of their events without being inspired, including themselves. Lives have truly been changed for the much better through the Hendrickson Foundation - for having known Hendrickson, his family, and being a part of their exceptional organization. 

 

Hendrickson was also a great and inspirational speaker, who always put philanthropy and serving others above personal glory. A recent Christmas speech ended with the following words to live by ...

 

"I've been having a lot of thoughts ... and what I realized is what an incredible amount of blessings that  I have personally had - and that I married up. Look, nobody's perfect, life isn't always easy, but out of that comes a value system. It makes you ask, 'What do we believe in?' And I've come to the conclusion that my wife, my children, and their spouses ... we believe in others. When the good Lord gives you a blessing, and you can share it with someone who has had a curveball in life, you are a very fortunate person. What you give gives you more joy than what you have. The blessing we have is knowing that we need each other."

The entire Hendrickson family and vast extended family of friends takes comfort in knowing that our lives are full of blessings, that we need each other, and that we have each other. 

Larry Hendrickson was preceded in death by his parents,  his sisters, Joanne and Susan, and Brother in law, Rick Hagen. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jane ("Nonnie"), daughter Christine Krsnik (husband Renato, daughters Jane and Kate), son Darby (wife Dana, sons Mason, Beckett, Rennick, daughter Addison), son Danny (wife Megan, daughters Grace and Lily, son Robbie), daughter Julie Oss (husband Dave, sons Leo, Nolan, Brody), brother in law Jim Hagen (Debbie) & Steve Johnson, sister in law Kathy McGovern, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends worldwide, and this man's best friend hounds, Nikki, Darby, Burlin, Herbie, Burly, Bruno and Brutus (1, 2).

 

A Memorial service and celebration of Larry's life will take place  at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 28th 2018 at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, with Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Hendrickson Foundation, which son Danny carries on proudly in Larry's honor.

Rest in loving Peace, Coach Hendy. You'll be forever missed.

*Photos Courtsesy of The Hendrickson Family

Great Western Steak & Hoagie Company - Serving Venice Since 1973

I've been a big fan of Great Western Steak & Hoagie Company ever since I moved to Venice in the 90's, but that makes me a rookie, as they've been serving up their wonderful steak sandwiches on the corner of Lincoln and Superba since 1973.

The spot was actually a sandwich spot before that as well, run by Philly people that had relocated here, but THIS incarnation has been around since Richard Sohn took it over in 1973, and ran it for 25 years. One of his early workers, Sergio Perez, Sr., took over the business with a partner 20 years ago, and he now owns and operates this Venice institution with his son, Sergio Perez, Jr. Perez, Jr. was essentially born in the shop, and says it was "my after school, my detention, my suspension, my 'you're gonna come work and peel a sack of onions so you don't do that mistake again' job. Helping my Dad saved me. Growing up in Oakwood, lots of those friends are gone or in jail, but I learned to respect EVERYONE in the Community ... Black, white, and brown ... and you get it back."

That sense of Community isn't felt as much these days, but Perez agrees that the "Heart and spirit is still here." The sidewalk in front of the shop used to have so many drug addicts and hookers cruising up and down, police thought they had a piece of it. You couldn't walk there after dark. He grew up having drive-by drills at Broadway Elementary during their lunch hours, so "you grew up knowing the dangers of Venice, but you didn't want to live anywhere else." Kind of like now.

The menu at "Hoagies" (as pretty much everyone calls it, and how they answer the phone) has never changed, and people would be mad if it did. They even got upset just when they changed the menu hanging inside! Change is hard, but it also speaks to how beloved a place it is.  Perez, Jr. told me, "You see things come and go, and it hurts, because you lose people. We don't get having $300 t-shirts on Lincoln, but you can come here and get a meal for under $10, and we're gonna keep doing it, because we're a staple."  They truly are.

While Perez, Jr. and I sat outside at one of the outdoor tables at Hoagies and chatted, I could tell how much this place truly means to him and his family. He got on a roll, and I sat there, listening and nodding in full agreement, almost getting emotional.  He spoke enthusiastically and seriously, "We provide a service, we're here for you, we were a part of your growing up, and that's what we do it for. It hits your core when you grow up with something and it stays the same. Everything changes, but if ONE place stays the same, it lets you know that it will be o.k. ... . Nostalgic places are around for you to feel that way." We've all got ours. "In chains, you're just a number, but we have camaraderie. You can vent, reunite, catch up, GATHER ... It's important. And it's important to a lot of people."

NBA stars (Kobe, Robert Horry - my favorite, who would wait outside in his car for people to leave before coming in, so as not to make a fuss). Biggie Smalls' kids and wife, Faith Evans are regulars who live off of their sandwiches. Philly transplants (as the sign says, "It's 3,000 miles to Philly, eat here!"). Venice locals. Kids from Animo Venice ("We provide a sanctuary for them as they flirt with independence. It's that sacred walk between school and home."). Single parents, maybe not connecting with their kids, but they can sit down and relate over a cheesesteak, "and that's all that matters then." It's clearly more than just slanging sandwiches for this wonderful Venice family. And it is a legit family affair. They are there every single day, and they love it. Their history is right there on the ceiling for all to read.

The Perez family doesn't own the land, but the Korean family who sold it to them does, and they love the place, so it looks to be safe, but if ever forced to move, they've got ideas. They could be in the new football stadium (They could be there - a second location - even without moving, Magic Johnson, give them a call!). They could be a food truck. They could move over to Hampton, closer to the beach. There are options, but we all know no one wants them to change. They get offers to buy the place every day, and they just tear them up. "It's not about money, it's about a fulfilling, meaningful life. I don't want to knock anyone else's hustle, but you can't know what it means to us. Like, you went to Hoagies, and now it's a good day." I love them. Perez, Jr. told me they're toying with the idea of having merch, like shirts and trucker hats, but "It would piss me off so much if I saw some fake hipster wearing one, so we haven't done it yet." Haaa. I get it  - and definitely want one.

As much as Hoagies gets from Venice, it also gives it all back. They sponsor a toy drive every Christmas, with bands and a party in the parking lot. They are involved with the Venice Car Club, with Perez, Sr. riding in a low-rider in the Cinco de Mayo parade, and donating gift certificates to the raffles. They want to utilize the parking lot space more for community events too (he's thinking something for the homeless that are their neighbors), so add Hoagies to your list of cool spots to host a shindig.

"In Venice, you grow up knowing 'crazy' is really just hard times, so you want to say hi, help them, feed them ... it's understood that they need help. Venice makes you aware of these things. You're more careful. It gives you a thicker skin. It's all we know and how we roll." And have been for 45 years.

Cheesesteaks. Burgers. Hot dogs. Chips. Homemade lemonade. Sodas. That's it. But it's so much more. The murals on the walls are all by local artists. You will see locals at the tables. It's still cash only, but if you don't have cash and need to go across the street to get some, they'll put extra cheese on for you while you walk. The prices are weird, like $3.54 for a hot dog (dinner under $5!) and 7.63 for this one sandwich, but that's because they've gone up in increments since 1973.

"These aren't Philly Cheesesteaks, they're VENICE Cheesesteaks. Philly people say, 'You took me home today', but the vibes and feelings and the simplicity of knowing that you'll get what you want is Venice. We know how bad it can get, and we're aware of the tightrope walk between good and bad, but we're here for you. The whole spirit of Venice unites, binds us to do better together, so that EVERYONE can rise, and all of us are up there!" That really is the spirit, and it does not go unnoticed by locals. During the Superbowl this year, Hoagies had to close down because they ran out of all their supplies, even though they had ordered way extra. During the World Series Game 7, I walked to Hoagies, and while every t.v. in town was tuned in to the game as I passed by, the phone was ringing off the hook at Hoagies, where they were listening on the radio. They're simply a part of our lives here in Venice, and we're so lucky to have them.

They feel lucky too. Perez, Jr. loves the skatepark. "Every single sunset I go down there and say thank you to the sun, and welcome to the moon." He likes La Fiesta Brava and Casablanca and the Indian place at the beach, but really, "The sunset in Venice is where I like to be." Me too, brother.

Even running the same ad in the Beachhead since the early days, Great Western Steak & Hoagie Company has been a solid mainstay for Venice every day they've been open. Stop in, say hi, eat a great, affordable meal, and say thanks. This is the kind of joint that keeps Venice real.

Long live Hoagies!!

Great Western Steak and Hoagie Company
1720 Lincoln Boulevard
Venice
#310-450-4545
10-10 every day.