An Ocean Avenue Installation

 *Update 10/18: I walked by this morning and it's all gone. Even the bushes. In less than 24 hours.
   Sorry, dudes. I was into it. Keep your art going!

Over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed an increasingly larger homestead/art installation growing at the corner of Ocean Avenue and South Venice Boulevard. It's clearly a little colony of houseless neighbors, creating their shelter in the bushes located there ... and decorating it for passersby to enjoy.

Not everyone is enjoying it, however. A woman at the Farmer's Market last Friday told me that she'd been making calls to have it cleared out, but to no avail. She said she was told that you can actually get arrested yourself if you try to remove the things from the property. She felt it was a more nefarious deal, and that police might have been told by council people and/or those who want to see the big homeless housing development happen on Venice Boulevard to leave it be. To let things get as bad and obvious as possible to get more people to sign on for the housing project. Hmm.

I don't know about all of that, but I do know that it is some of the more creative construction happening around Venice these days (other than the Frank Gehry house finally going up!). I'm about to make friends and ask if there's room for me, as it seems to be about the only remotely reasonable housing currently available around these parts (Seriously. Where are all my cool landlord friends hiding?!), and this is where I want to be. What are the rules, anyway? You can just put up a tipi wherever you want and live in and landscape around it? Cool. I had an offer off an unused geodesic dome that its owner said I could borrow if I could find land to put it on ... out of the box, but at least some people are still being innovative in Venice.

My friend said they must be rookies, as no one who lives on the streets is ever trying to attract that much attention to themselves. I've seen police there talking to the residents a few times now, and have thought their time there must be up, only to pass by the following morning to see it all still intact. I'm not mad at it. We all know Venice real estate is almost evilly ridiculous as of this writing, and you do what you have to do. Venice has long been a beacon for travelers of all kinds, and certainly one for artists. This corner appears to be for both. And art is for everyone.

I'm curious what other Venice folks think about this ... let's discuss.

Even In Venice ... Unarmed Brendon Glenn Shot By Police

I was at dinner last Tuesday night with a group of friends, including Louis and Netty Ryan, owners of The Townhouse. The idea was to head over there after dinner for a nightcap, but I bowed out because of an early morning the next day. A couple hours later, there were sirens screaming like crazy, and I wondered what had happened now.

I awoke the next morning to hear the news that an unarmed homeless man, Brendon Glenn, had been shot and killed by the police in front of The Townhouse. UNARMED. Again. Not in some backwards town somewhere where this might not be surprising, but in VENICE. Shocking. Disgusting. ENOUGH.

I went down to Windward over the weekend to talk to people and see how everybody was doing with this. The answer is not good. By all accounts, this was not an incident that called for deadly force. Not even remotely. What kind of pussy needs to shoot someone that isn't armed, when you have a bunch of different options at hand, called billy clubs, tasers, mace, and the rest of your police department to back you up? Shoot them dead?! For WHAT?! And if you HAVE to use your gun (which you don't, almost ever), you don't learn how to aim for a foot or an arm or something that isn't fatal?! It's sickening, and seems to be a systemic problem, nationwide. And the People have had it.

There was a march calling for Justice that I could not attend, but was proud of. There was a Neighborhood Council meeting, that I also could not attend, but heard it was both fiery and frustrating. There have been candlelight vigils in front of The Townhouse, but that doesn't bring back someone's father. The tape of the shooting has not yet been released, but every single person who witnessed it is saying a gun wasn't necessary. They don't even have to, the man was UNARMED.

The answer is not more police, Councilman Bonin. They're the ones who murdered this man. The entire country needs to do some long, hard self-reflection. All these gun deaths are not only unnecessary, but shocking and embarrassing as a citizen of the world. What kind of crazy people kill each other like this over nothing ... all the time?

It's incredibly sad. You don't think it could happen here. But it did.  And it has to stop.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Glenn. We're all so very sorry this happened to you, here of all places.

To Protect And Untangle

I've been pretty critical of the local Police in the past, with good reason. Devin Petelski being killed by the police practice of "silent running" on Venice Boulevard. Ronald Weekley getting badly beaten by cops for skateboarding. Tough guy officers busting up the drum circle. Myself getting pulled over for giving away blankets to homeless people ... Let's just say I haven't been very impressed with our local authorities for quite some time...

But then recently I had an experience that was really nice, and in the interest of journalistic integrity and humanistic fairness, I'll give you the other side of our Venice Police.

I was running late for a birthday party in the neighborhood and zipped off on my bike to head over. I was wearing a new frock that had a kind of train in the back that I wasn't used to, and before you knew it, I nearly get yanked backwards off my bike when the train caught in the gear sprocket thing and stopped me in my tracks, nearly choking me. I had no bike light (stolen every time) and from behind, I must have looked wasted, swerving around all crazy, trying not to fall off.

A bright search light hit me in the face from a car behind me, and I just thought, "Great." I started in with my "Maybe you should go after the bike light stealer" speech when the officer asked, "What seems to be the problem?" I showed him how badly tangled my dress was, wound around and around the teeth of the gear thing, and asked if they might have a Swiss army knife or something in their bag of tricks, so I could cut myself loose and get to the party.

The passenger side officer got out, and while the driver officer held the light on it all, the first guy kneeled down and patiently un-wound the fabric, inch by inch, so carefully that there was not a rip or a hole to be found once he had me free. I was all set to cut the whole bottom off the thing the first time I wore it, and this guy did such a good job, I don't think there was even a wrinkle. I was stunned, both at how patiently and perfectly he worked to free me, but also that they'd stopped to help at all.

After effusively thanking them, I told him that in that night's paperwork they had to write up "Saved damsel in distress". He did wreck it a bit by getting all cocky and saying, "Yeah, I'm pretty good," but other than that, it was super nice and really did impress me. They really are there "To protect and serve," which I think often gets lost in the power trip of it all, but in this case was exactly what they did.

In the rush to not be even later to the party, I did not get the officers' names, but maybe someone will read this and tell them I really appreciated it. And the fact that we're all in this together. Being cool is actually a lot easier than being a dick, both on yourself and certainly on others. We'd all do well to remember this, no matter what our job is.

So, thank you, Pacific division helpers ... And let's all be safe out there.

Ronald Weekley, Jr. - Skateboarding Is Not A Crime

I just came from a rally for Ronald Weekley, Jr., the kid that was beaten by police August 18th for skateboarding on the wrong side of the street. In Venice, California. That alone should tell you how wrong it is, but watch the video below and see for yourself -



How horrifying to be there watching that still happen in this day and age! And how inspiring and chill inducing it was to be there this afternoon with a Venice community that CARES, and is demanding action.

Weekley Jr.'s skater friends were there, his classmates, his neighbors, the news, and people that had never heard of him before this despicable incident, came out in support on a gorgeous Venice afternoon, as cars of strangers drove by and honked their support.

The Police line is that the young skater was violating traffic code by skating down the wrong side of the street (who hasn't?), and then resisting arrest for this blatant crime (who wouldn't?!). Then it was somehow decided to have four cops beat him up. In broad daylight. In front of his home that he was skating back to. He has a concussion, a broken cheek, jaw and nose, and frankly, he looked a little like a Picasso painting today. For SWB. ("Skateboarding While Black", as one of the speakers said, and which appears to be so sad, but awfully true. Sorry, but you consider the neighborhood, the kid doing nothing anyone else doesn't do every day in Venice, and it really does look like his afro was his main problem. Which sickens me just to type). His father said that his son had thought he was going to die. In front of his home. For SKATING!

Weekley Jr's very well-spoken and unbelievably calm considering father, Ronald Weekley, Sr. addressed the gathered crowd and brought tears to my eyes with his considerate and heart-felt words. He clearly loves his community, and wants kids of ALL colors to skate safely in Venice. He said people have asked what the family wants, and it is simply to have their son's charges dropped (he had to spend a night in County without visiting a hospital first!) and the police officers that committed their own crimes against Weekley, Jr. identified and charged publicly. In other words, JUSTICE. Which IS what we want, and we do want it NOW, as the chant went.

Mr. Weekley, Sr. went on to say that they hold no vengeance, no hate, and they are practicing forgiveness, but "forgiveness in context". That's right. He asked for skaters around California (and the World) to join together to combat police oppression, and "Redefine what it means to protect and serve!" That got a round of applause, as did most everything everyone said. When they weren't crying.

Like I was when Weekley, Jr. took the microphone stand and cried himself as he very softly said, "Don't be angry at what happened ... Just help people that need it." What a special young man, that he already lives in a place of forgiveness, and himself is moving on to looking how to help others.

Obviously we have a big problem with police using excessive force in this country. It happens far too often to deny it. Now the press has it out that Weekley Jr. had warrants out for traffic misdemeanors  (that almost everyone in Los Angeles has also had), but who cares? Police can't tell you have warrants by looking at you, and warrants don't equal beatings, even in our antiquated law books. The Weekleys have retained Benjamin Crump to help them, the same attorney who handled the Trayvon Martin case. The Nation Of Islam were there today, standing in solidarity in their bow ties, and their Tony Muhammad reiterated that "This is not about color, this is about justice."

Al Sharpton called the family, and let them know that the whole nation is watching Venice now because of this. Venice 2000 and the Venice Neighborhood Council were both represented, and all claimed to be in it "for the long haul." Police need to be re-trained in cultural sensitivity, and as their Pastor, Horace Alan, of Westminster Baptist said, "We are ALL human beings ... and human beings need to be treated better than laws." Amen.

Ronald Weekley, Sr. took the microphone again in closing, and expressed his family's gratitude for everyone there, for this "Community of HUMAN BEINGS", and again said all they want is for kids to be FREE to live and play safely in Venice. Everyone wants that. For it to be the police themselves making that NOT the case is abhorrent, and Venice won't stand for it, I can tell you that. Over-zealous, over-steroided, over-whatever their problem is cops will not be tolerated here. Where skateboarding is definitely NOT a crime.

The press conference wrapped and one of the young skaters started up the Justice chant as Weekley Jr. was surrounded by press wanting more from him.

The chant evolved into "Peace From The Police!" as the group made their way down 6th Street, holding signs that read "Justice 4 Ron!" and the best one, "PEACE for Ron!" To quote everyone there, .... "YEAH!"

Help The Homeless - Even If You Get Busted

Everyone knows I love Venice, and always will. I've just become a little dismayed at the direction things seem to be heading these days, and feel like it should be discussed, pondered and helped.

I recently had to move out of the rent-controlled apartment I'd lived in since the late 90's. I had a nightmare of a situation for years with an overly entitled landlord (Phil Bubar - don't rent from him, ladies) who liked to let himself into my place whenever he liked and do whatever he felt like, which I don't even like to think about. I had witnesses/neighbors tell me about seeing him go in and stay for an hour or so. I'd have friends stay over with just the guest key that works in the doorknob come back and be locked out because both locks were locked - meaning he'd been in there again. I make my bed each day like a military person, and I'd come home to see a sitting mark he hadn't even bothered to smooth out, right next to my pile of laundry. My brother once awoke from a nap to find him coming out of my bedroom, and when startled upon seeing my brother, made up some thing about checking smoke detectors. The last time I know of it happening for sure, I was at home at my desk writing and heard keys in the doorknob, but I'd dead-bolted it so he couldn't get in. Scary! I confronted him and he made up some thing about needing to look at the plumbing. Yeah. Right. We all know this is illegal. I stayed because it was old school cheap rent, rents for tiny little bachelors were now more than I paid for a two bedroom, and when I confronted him about it, he lowered my rent even further. Uh, guilty.

It's a long, ugly story that finally wound up in civil court for our rent dispute (He should be in criminal court, of course, but we never got that video proof the Police, the Housing Board, Tenant Lawyers, etal wanted. My word against his. His spendy lawyer vs. me representing myself, plus I'm so over it and never want to deal with the guy again in my lifetime ...). It's really a blessing in a great disguise. I put up with that deviant situation for WAAAAAY too long, all because Venice has gotten so expensive over the years, and writing is a very financially up and down life choice, so I played it "safe". Which turned out to be very unsafe, by the very person I was paying for years to live in a safe place. Yep.

So I got out. I'm extra blessed to have some fantastic Venice friends who invited me to stay at their place while they were away (Ozier Love Forever!), while I looked for a new place. NOT easy, considering how much Venice has changed since I last house-hunted, and truthfully, how greedy people have become. Total shit holes are going for $3,000 a month! Good luck with that. Anyway, Moving Day came and I had to put over a decade's worth of stuff into storage (after I'd already put most of the stuff out on the curb and watched it disappear immediately. This was fun. I'd do little themes - a straw hat, a hula hoop and a ukulele. Art supplies and paper. A cowboy hat and boots. On and on and all gone in 60 seconds. Signs of the times, I suppose. I only saw one of the people who actually took the stuff, but he seemed jazzed.).


I'd heard all about the raids/sweeps on the homeless living on that stretch of 3rd and Rose that has become a bit of a West Side Skid Row, where the police come through and throw all of peoples' worldly possessions in the trash if they're not watching them themselves. It was a cold and rainy day and I had a whole bunch of freshly laundered blankets, towels, old jackets and stuff that could go to Goodwill, or straight to the people that really need them. So, upon leaving the storage building on 4th and Rose with my two dear friends who were helping me move (LOVE YOU NATHAN AND MARC!!!), I got out on 3rd and went up to the nearest guy sitting on the sidewalk, explained I knew about the raids, and asked if he wanted to take whatever he wanted and share the rest with people on the block. He was stoked, I felt better, everybody wins.

Until driving away about a block later, we see police lights flash behind us to pull over. Great. As if I hadn't already been having the longest day possible, and was nowhere near done. My friends are Aussies and were driving a borrowed pickup, so the "license and registration" request was already out of the norm. I was in the backseat of the cab, and we were all asked for our licenses. One cop was on the driver's side, the other on the passenger. The passenger side one was a little dickhead who I'll forever regret not noting his name, but I was upset and forgot to. Here's why.

"The reason I pulled you over was you were just seen leaving a high narcotic trafficking zone. What business did you have there?"
"Oh, we're helping my mate move."
"Uh huh. Have you met her before today? What's her name?"
"Uh, CJ"

I mean, the guy was implying I was a crack whore right to my face!! I know I was in sweats and no makeup with pigtails, but I don't think I fit the casting, even so. I was getting SEETHING mad, and then -

"We have undercover agents working in the area, who saw you in an exchange with a man on the street."
"Yes, I've heard about the sweeps on the homeless here, and I'm moving, so I gave them a bunch of blankets and stuff. It's cold and raining."
"What did you get in exchange?"

Uh, a warm heart. Is this guy kidding me?! Then his smarmy little mouth I wanted to slap comes up with this outrageous deal -

"Ma'am, are you out on parole? On probation?"
"No, Sir." (that took everything I had to not just unleash the fury I had building, but I didn't need it to get worse, as I still had a whole household to move and very limited time)
"Have you been taking narcotics today? Been drinking? The reason I'm asking is why are your eyes so dilated?"

Hmmm ... I don't know, maybe because I'm exhausted, have been crying, have had no sleep, am having one of the most stressful times of my life. Oh, and shooting heroin real quick while I'm moving heavy items. WHAT?!?! I was PISSED. So he took our licenses back to the cop car and did whatever they do, while my friends urged me to remain calm. After a bunch of minutes, they came back and returned our licenses, asked some more b.s. questions about where did I live, where was I moving to, and suggested we avoid the area in the future. I couldn't even look at the guy. If I ever see him off-duty, it's on. Getting accused of being a crack whore for giving away clean blankets to the homeless?! I've really heard it all now.


This is what concerns me ... If people are going to get in trouble for trying to help the homeless, then they won't. They'll stop trying. And then what becomes of us as a society? It's already happening, obviously, but it doesn't have to be this way. Venice began as a bohemian place for artists and writers and musicians and creative people that moved here because the rents were cheap and there was a true spirit of fun, camaraderie, and the art of living that set it apart from anywhere else. We cannot let that die. I'm pretty sure no one WANTS to be homeless. It always helps to try on someone else's shoes before you judge - or bust - them. Landlords don't HAVE to jack up rents just because they can. That disgusting "Silicon Beach" nickname being tossed around/Google moving in doesn't have to squelch out the whimsical flame that has always burned here. Every store and restaurant doesn't have to be fancy and insanely overpriced - those are choices. Choices based on greed.

There is a reason the Occupy Movement began across the country and the entire world, and all of the above illustrates why perfectly. The greed of some cannot be sustained. There will be an implosion. The ones who have always had each others' backs will be the ones who continue to, and the ones who turned their backs will regret it in the end. That's why I wasn't too bothered ultimately about my creepy landlord deal, because after all is said and done, I still get to be me, and he has to fester in his dirty skin and mind. People who help others get to feel good, and the ones who don't, well ... I don't really know, 'cause that's never been me, but I can't imagine it's at all rewarding at the end of it all to have a fat bank account with an empty heart.


I always go back to my favorite Einstein quote, as it's really all that matters ... "Remember your humanity, and forget the rest." Amen. Let us hope that Venice can remember not only its humanity, but its origins, and remain true to who we should and can be.

Love, Your Venice Crack Whore - with a heart of gold.


* Photos snaked from Google Images via LAist.com (the first two) and KanesKennar.com (the beautiful homeless man one) as my camera was packed up. Thank you!

Boobs - The Sequel

Women - and Men - have nipples!!! Why should Women have to hide theirs?


... Said the sign held up by a Man on the Boardwalk last week, with his own impressive pair of breasts. Not Man Boobs either ... straight up ladylike boobs.


The Police presence was overkill, per usual, and gave me the idea that the next time I have to place a call to them, I'll add that everyone is topless and see if that gets a quicker response. Methinks it may.


After quite a debate, the man was let go ... though not until after a bomb type robot was also called in to search him, it appears in the photos. Apparently a compromise was reached where he agreed to hold his sign over his offending mammaries. What is wrong with our society when BOOBS get this kind of reaction? You really have to just laugh.


Rumor has it that the guy intends to sue the City ... Boring. He missed the National Topless Day by a few days, when it all would have gone unnoticed, but I admire the chutzpah that prompted him to go it alone, on we ladies' behalf.


Fight the power!

*Photos by Pegarty