Annie Live At The Hollywood Bowl!

Annie is one of the catchiest musicals of all time, and after attending the opening night of its three nights of performances at the Hollywood Bowl, I'm still humming "It's A Hard Knock Life" days later.

I brought my little 5 year old pal, Beckett, who is currently obsessed with the Annie oeuvre. Like has watched both cinematic versions a zillion times. Like starts his day with the original Broadway soundtrack BLASTING. Like humming and singing it all day and night long. There was no other choice for a companion to this event.

The stage was set on a beautiful Southern California full moon night, with a big red ANNIE set piece that doubled as an active set. It was an extra special night at the Bowl, as it was Beckett's first time there ever ... hopefully something he'll always remember. He was rapt from the National Anthem playing at the beginning to the last note of the finalé, and to every single thing in between. We were surrounded by an older crowd, who all got a kick out of every happy exclaim coming from this little fan boy.

"Oh, there's Miss Hannigan!", he shouted as Ana Gasteyer came on stage the first time, and drew cheers from everyone for her bawdy, boozy performance throughout. Equally crowd-pleasing was the little girl who played Molly (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja), so tiny that every move she made was laughed with and applauded. But no one was a match for the canine star of the show - a scene-stealing rescue dog playing the part of Sandy. Every time this dog showed up on stage, the house came down. L.A. LOVES its dogs.

As much as this play is time-stamped in The Great Depression era, its little asides and commentaries apply just as much to the now. When Daddy Warbucks (a very capable David Alan Grier) says, "That's something I haven't heard since 1928." "What?" "Optimisim!" we can all feel that need now. Or "I know he's a Democrat, but he's a human being too," could easily be applied today to anyone who might still be supporting Trump these days as a Republican. (Gross.) When Steven Weber as F.D.R. says "This is STILL a free country!" ... you felt the collective sigh of relief that it might still be kind of true.

It was great to see diversity in the casting of this revival of Annie, from Grier as Daddy Warbucks to an actress in a wheelchair, Ali Stroker, playing "Star To Be" and belting out her parts with the best of them.

Annie was played by Kaylin Hedges, a great little performer, whose only lack was the curly, red hair classically worn by the character of Annie. It wasn't really missed, though, as the audience fell in love with Annie right along with Warbucks. Beckett interjected at this point that it would be nice for the Bowl to also do "Oliver" ... because that's the one with "Boy orphans". *Perhaps a note for Bowl programmers?

"You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile" was a show-stopper, and gave Gasteyer another laugh when it was over and she bellowed, "Do I hear happiness in here!?!" Yes - she absolutely did. From everyone in the Bowl audience. It was great.

Annie eludes the fake parents, inspires F.D.R. to create the New Deal, gets adopted by Daddy Warbucks, gets all the little orphans invited to his mansion for Christmas, and it all ends in a slam bang finish that had Beckett riveted ... and chattering about it all the way home well past his bedtime.

What a marvelous night of Broadway on the Bowl stage, in an evening that was truly fun for all ages. Anything you see at the Hollywood Bowl is always a special night, but some are more magical than others. With the wonder of a full moon (plus lunar eclipse!) and the wonder and amazement of childhood, this one was one for the memories. Thank you to the Bowl and to everyone who worked so hard to put on this unforgettable night of Annie ... and for reminding us that the sun will always come out tomorrow ... Come what may!

*Performance photographs courtesy of Craig T. Mathew and Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging.

The First Flower Fest Fun - Flower Power!

Flower Fest kicked off its first incarnation on a beautiful Saturday on Rose Avenue in Venice. Flower Fest is a brand new festival put on by the Venice Chamber of Commerce and the Venice Art Crawl folks (and some weed companies for good measure, though real Venice supports the o.g. longtime local medicine providers), with a fun way of showing off some of the best that Venice has to offer.

It was billed as "A Taste Of Venice", so there were a lot of food booths. Local restaurants set up little outposts of their brick and mortar locations, and there was pretty much anything you wanted, from Italian to Asian, from Casa Linda to Great White.

You didn't really get the flower vibe until you passed through all of the restaurant tents, but then there was booth after booth of lovely blooms of all kinds.

You could get flower crowns custom made, you could get them braided right into your hair ... and you could stop traffic with your giant handmade headdress, just like the groovy old hippie days in Venice.

As it was a collab with the Art Crawl, there was also plenty of art on hand.

Artists were live painting murals up and down the blocks, featuring flowers mostly, but also messages of absolute truth.

One of my favorite local artists, Beckett, was also on hand doing some live painting on a canvas set up for kids to go to town on, and his rainbow was my favorite piece I saw all day (and I don't think I was alone in that, as several bystanders stopped to photograph this little boy happily painting away, while taking it very seriously). Teach the children well!

Beckett also started his own art collection, finding a piece he couldn't live without from artist Todd Goodman. The two creatives took time out to pose together, in a summit meeting of two important Venice painters. Awesome.

A stage was set up at the closer to Lincoln end of Rose, festooned with paper flowers and blasting terrible music - at least when we were there. Anxiety-inducing beats were being spun by some D.J. that didn't really know his family audience in the early afternoon, but I heard it got more awesome as the day progressed. It culminated in a performance by Phantogram there in the street on Rose, that I was bummed to have to miss, but heard was great.

I say the more Festivals the merrier, and you really can't go wrong in Venice with food, flowers, art, and music. All the things we love. Plus, a reminder that one of the most important aspects of life is to GROW. It was a little under-attended, possibly because not very many people I talked to had known about it ... it was more a delightful surprise they stumbled on to out on a Saturday bike ride or stroll.

Congratulations to everyone on another cool thing to do in Venice ... may it grow!!!

North Venice Little League - A Venice Family Tradition

The North Venice Little League is a whole community that I didn't really know anything about until my little friend Quinn started playing baseball up there a few years ago. A tradition for over 50 years, NVLL provides a home for nearly 500 kids to learn baseball and softball, while making friends for life.

I went to one of Quinn's games early in the season, and it was pretty Bad News Bears (he's 9). I went to their CHAMPIONSHIP game on Sunday, and it was like a whole new team. The amount of practice and work that had gone down during the season was obvious (plus my friend, Shane, Quinn's dad, was almost always at a baseball practice) in their new super athletic prowess. Like, wow.

The A's would lose their last game to the Angels in a nail-biter that was only decided in the very last inning, and though the kids were upset, they learned the most important thing about youth sports, which is to always have fun while doing your best. They were soon shrieking with happiness, soaking each other with water pistols at the annual picnic that happened on Sunday right after their game.

Again, WOW. The vast fields and lawn were filled with hundreds of Venice (and adjacent) families, with pot luck picnic spreads and colorful tents spread out as far as the eye could see. It's a beautiful vista from up there, all the way to the ocean and mountains, and it was a glorious day for a picnic.

The teams all had award ceremonies, where the kids heard speeches from their coaches about themselves in a long series of touching moments illustrating their hard work and character. I especially loved that the A's gave their MVP award to the lone little girl on the team, their excellent shortstop, Lill. Awesome.

These families are so dedicated to their kids and the teams, it's really touching to witness - while creating skills and fundamental lessons that they will carry with them throughout their lives. I also learned about the importance of the "Team Mother", a crucial element to making it all work. She organizes just about everything apart from the coaching - and they are all volunteer positions. My friend Ashley is the quintessential Team Mother, and it was a delight to see her receive her credit where it is so richly due.

Ashley's son, Cash, is now moving on from NVLL to Venice High School, well prepared both for high school sports and life from having spent his formative years participating in this wonderful youth baseball program. The parents are all friends, the kids are all friends, and it's all another way to build the traditions and community that keep Venice strong and unique as a whole.

I had a grand old time enjoying America's pastime on a sunny day (that I still feel burned into my shoulders today), where we could all take a break from the world's craziness for a while, and just enjoy baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and I'm sure someone drove a Chevrolet.

Congratulations to all the teams and families of North Venice Little League on a fantastic season, and on keeping a proud Venice tradition so vital and strong. And to Quinn for being named an All Star! Take me out to the ball game, for real!

Please Play!

Well, Happy Weekend! It feels like we all really need this one, right? Walking along and thinking about what I'm going to get into this weekend, I took a turn down Marco Place and saw a whole bunch of little chalk messages left over from Easter, and a hopscotch type game going all the way down the sidewalk. The very first one said, "Please Play!" next to a heart with "Love" inside of it. I'm going to take these sweet little kids' advice and play and love for sure this weekend.

As you go along, you can see that the kids were trying to write a nice message to everyone along the way. One house got the "You have a cute dog" message ...

Another lucky house got told that they were liked and nice ...

It's kind of hard to make out what several of them said, but the effort remains adorable and who doesn't like a kind compliment every now and again?

These kids know. They can think of something nice to say about everyone. We would all do well to emulate the good observations and the positive attitudes of these Venice kids that clearly spent their day making the day of others. And having fun doing it.

Yes ... Please play!!

The Wonderfully Charming Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade!

The annual Venice Canals Boat Holiday Boat Parade was held last night on a balmy Venice evening that everyone looks forward to every year ... especially this year when things are so bleak and weird in the world at large that any chance to be festive and have fun must be jumped at. The Canals parade is always one of the most charming and wonderful times possible, and this year was no different in that sense.

The skies provided a beautiful opening act, as one of the most gorgeous sunsets ever (and that's saying a lot out here) began the holiday revelry in spectacular fashion.

It seemed like there were less decorated boats this year, but the fantastic lights and decor on the bridges and homes more than made up for it. I'm not sure if we were walking down the wrong canals at the wrong time, but we never did see one big linear parade, just more of a sporadic glimpse here and there. I suspect the parade began in one spot, and then everyone just rowed around doing their own thing. There weren't very many lit up ones, making it more difficult to see them once the sun went down. Our vote for our favorite vessel was the canoe filled with big peas ... in a vision for World Peas. I somehow didn't get a photo of them that turned out, but shout out to the Peas!

Our vote for favorite bridge changed with every corner that we turned. There was a lovey dovey "Kiss" one adorned with X's that was very popular with the lovers present.

My little pal Beckett came out with me to the parade this year, and his proclamation was that it was too difficult to pick a favorite because he loved them all. That's the spirit!

Though the tunnel of lights bridge did keep his attention the longest, so I think we'll give it to them.

I think Beckett's favorite house was the one with all the lit-up cartoon characters that he knows, and a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was especially exciting. Kids make Christmas even more fun, and it was a joy to see his little face light up brighter than any of the houses every time we saw something new.

The same house featured a polar bear, that I loved because if you saw that video last week of a starving polar bear up in the Arctic, you know how much these guys need love right now. A lot.

One decorated bridge declared that "Winter is here!" though that bridge was about the only way anyone could know that, as this was an evening when not even a sweater was required. It almost felt like we should be singing "Mele Kalikimaka"!

There was a house that we called the "When Doves Cry" house, all lit up in purple with doves flying around the front ...

... which was a great lead-in to our friends' house, the Revelins, who fired up their Purple Rain machine to the delight of all the passersby. Thanks also to them for a lovely break for little legs, and the much needed refreshments. Love!

Canal parties were going off, and what we call the "Fish House" made our list for best-lit house, which concurred with the vote of the Venice Canals Association.

The second place house was good too, and also featured a jam-packed house of festive party-goers. 'Tis the Season!

The Venice Canals are always an excellent place to bring out of towners, to know the history of Venice, and to feel how beautiful it is here. The area really shows off at Christmastime though, and is well worth the time to stroll through and feel the joy and peace of the season, as well as the love and hope you can't help but feel when you see "Kiss" and "Imagine" as the themes. It's the perfect place to go caroling (and stay warm while doing it)! With all the reflections on the water, it's also the perfect place to reflect on what YOU can do to make the world a nicer, kinder, more peaceful place.

Thanks so much to all the fun makers and havers for sharing another beautiful holiday event with everyone, truly making it the most wonderful time of the year (after Summer, sorry!)!


Holiday Cheers!

The 2017 Venice Neptune Parade - Hail Summer! Hail Venice! Hail Yes!!!

Last Saturday was just about the best Venice day ever. After the sadness of Abbot's Habit's closing party the night before, everyone was ready to have some fun, and remember what Venice is all about. It was June gloomy out, though, and many were dealing with the vicious hangovers that come with drowning deep sorrows like a local institution closing forever. We were going to have to dig deep to rally if we were going to officially declare it SUMMER in Venice at this year's Neptune Festival. So that's exactly what we did.

I was deeply honored and humbled to be asked to be the Queen of this year's Neptune Fest, along with Jeremy Marco as King Neptune. This has been a very heavy year for many, myself included, and the opportunity to ring in Summer in the name of Venice was just the bright spot I needed to look forward to - and it did not disappoint.

My Mom - the Queen Mother - came in from Minnesota and created a royal robe fit for the Queen of the Mermaids. My dear friend Stephanie Hobgood came in from the Valley and gave me the mermaid hair of dreams. My dear friend Kimberly Jackson came in from Wabi Sabi (where she is the "Door Diva") to bedazzle my eyes with an enchanting mermaid sparkle glow for the occasion. My dear friend Rebekah Ozier created a masterpiece of a Queen Neptune crown that was so spectacular I felt transformed the instant I put it on. It even had shells from our beach in Venice on it! It is truly Venice Historical Museum worthy.

While we were busy getting me all dolled up for the parade, the sun began to ease its way out. By the time we left (very late!) for The Sidewalk Café for the pre-party, the skies had turned entirely blue, and the stage was set for our Summer Solstice Festival.

We arrived to cheers and applause, and I was immediately given a shot that turned my personal tide for the much better. We took photos and marveled over the wonderful costumes that were showing up, and you could tell that we were all ready to blow off some steam.

These events always take place on Venice Standard Time, which is to say it's not exactly "sharp". Ever. Think of it kind of like Island Time. A crowd was building up outside, as they had been told 3 p.m., and it was well past time to march down the Boardwalk. The royal conch shell was blown to rally the Merpeople, and we processed out of The Sidewalk Café.

We were greeted by shouts from the crowd, and I almost cried to look around and see all the wonderful Venice faces from my past and present, there to join me in declaring it Summer - the very best time to be here in Venice.

There was a brief ceremony to pass down the royal scepters from the previous King (Jeremy Parker) and Queen Neptune (Dakota Rayfield, filling in for Kaycee Smith, who was at Primus. I get it.), where we humbly accepted our royal duties.

It was important to me that my little kid friends would attend this year, because that is the way to keep traditions alive. Those little buddies having these awesome Venice memories will ensure that they want to carry them on when they grow up. The little boys and girls dressed up too, and jockeyed for position to carry a piece of the hem of my robe down the Boardwalk. It was precious, and they were probably the highlight of my entire day.

Once about a zillion photos were taken, it was time to march to the sea! The Venice sign was unfurled over our heads, and King Jeremy and I led the parade on down the Boardwalk. The entire crew chanted the whole way to the water, yelling, "HAIL THE KING! HAIL THE QUEEN! HAIL VENICE! HAIL SUMMER! HAIL YEAH!" at the top of our lungs as we walked.

Apologies to the street performers down there whose acts we interrupted, but you have to admit, it was a pretty awesome sight to behold. A whole town of friends and families marching together through the crowds at the beach, to show them what the Spirit of Venice means. The delighted faces we passed, the cameras being whipped out to capture it all, and the willingness to join in was the very best.

We stopped for more group photos, and all the colorful attire and surroundings made for some all-time great shots. It couldn't even be helped.

The parade carried on past the V statue, and on to the Venice Skatepark. Skaters joined in the chanting, and we exchanged the raised fists when it got to "HAIL VENICE!" As one should. Out across the sand we went, with the little kids picking up the chant at one point. You could tell they thought they were getting away with something a little naughty when they yelled "HAIL YEAH", and it was the most adorable thing ever to hear in their high little voices. I keep smiling every time I think about it.

Once down by the Breakwater, it was time to disrobe and enter the sea to officially declare it SUMMER in Venice!

 

The water has warmed up quite a bit, so this part of the tradition was not at all torture. King Jeremy scooped me up, I raised the trident, and BAM! It was Summer!!!

I encouraged everyone to join us in the water, and several gamers braved the waves with us, in the name of Neptune! We had a little bathing beauty photo shoot, and I couldn't stop beaming when I saw all the effort and creativity that had gone into the fine costumes of the day. We even had real mermaids!

Back on land, it was time for the official speeches and declaration of Summer. I barely remember what I said, but I know it was heartfelt and very difficult for me not to well up and start crying, both from the sheer happiness and joy of the day, but also the sadness that the Venice we know and love is becoming more unrecognizable every day. I know that I said that events like these - and the PARTICIPATION in them - are what will ensure a cool Venice for the future. I know that I said "We are all still here!" because I looked out and saw everyone I knew, and if I didn't know them yet, I wanted to.

Because these are the very best parts of what we love about Venice. The FUN. The ART. The CREATIVITY. The SPONTANEITY. The COOL. The DIFFERENT. The MUSIC. The FRIENDSHIP. The LOVE. It's all I felt, all day long.

Once I finished rambling on, King Jeremy took the official royal proclamation, and read it with gusto to make it all officially official. Once the words had been spoken, we both took the royal conch shell and blasted it to let all know, far and wide, that it was SUMMER IN VENICE!!!

The cheering and chanting carried on all the way back to the Sidewalk (with brief pit stops to greet our subjects at The Townhouse and the new Surfside - formerly Danny's Deli - it looks nice). The group had re-assembled in the back of the bar in the Sidewalk, and were now being entertained by former kings Jeremy Parker and Masao Miyashiro, giving us their punk jams. It was just so fun.

It was like a big, long photo shoot all day, and every one I've seen shows nothing but happy smiles all day. You really couldn't help it, there was just so much fun being had. The appreciation for Venice and its People was tangible all day long, and I can't get over that I got to lead it all this year.

Eternal thanks to the Neptune Committee for choosing me to represent the fair citizens of Venice and Neptune this year! It will absolutely go down as one of my very favorite life memories, and I hope that goes the same for all who were there in attendance and solidarity. It was a classic day, and a classic weekend. One that shows just how very powerful the spirit remains here in our beachside Community. Forever. You could just feel it.

HAIL VENICE! HAIL SUMMER! HAIL YEAH!!!

THANK YOU, EVERYONE!!!

Love, Your Queen Neptune '17 ... Ceej xoxoxo

*Photos by Paul Gronner Photography (the Queen Brother)