Skateboarding Through Venice In The 80's With Josh Bagel Klassman

There was a cool photo show last night at a space called the Red Bull ConsuLAte (?) on Abbot Kinney, with all sorts of great skate images from Dogtown's prime taken by Venice's own Josh "Bagel" Klassman.

There was a guest list, there were beverages (shout out to House Beer!), and there were skaters sitting on couches watching skate videos like it was at their own pad. Mellow.

The fact that it was sponsored by Red Bull in a seemingly pop-up space ("ConsuLAte is an inspiring space and bespoke {"Bespoke!"} resource offering curated experiences through the lens of Red Bull {or Venice locals' lenses} for atheletes and special guests {Ooh! You mean famous people?!} on Abbot Kinney smacked of "Hey, let's do a show by a beloved local to gain a little street cred here on this hip shopping boulevard in the home of skateboard culture, guys!" I can just hear the meeting - but, Bagel IS beloved, and we'll all drink your drinks and look at fantastic shots of local skate legends like Joey Tran ...

... And Christian Hosoi, and Jay Adams (RIP), and all the names who made this place a place that brands like Red Bull now want a piece of. Only instead of being like Adidas and making the ridiculously bold claim that they were "Defining Venice" (before they had even opened the old Hal's doors), now brands are feting the locals and trying to gain respect through the actual respect that these O.G.'s really have. I get it. And I'm happy for the guys like Bagel who are getting the recognition they so richly deserve.

This is Dogtown, and they can smell legit a mile away - so let's celebrate it all over again! And if it's on the corporate dime? It's about time. Take it. That's right. They weren't there, but you were, and that's why we love you and tolerate them. Sometimes. Times like this. Get it.

Long live Dogtown! (why there's a Blogtown).

Surf Vans Belong In Venice

I love seeing beat up old surf vans with stickers collected from their travels all over them.

These kinds of vehicles have always been parked around town in Venice, and they're a kind of time capsule to mellower times. With shoddy bungalows going for $2 million (!!!), it's getting to be more likely to see Teslas and other luxury cars parked on our streets than the good old Woodys of yore. Money is killing Venice. Don't let it.

The Stoop - Get Your Fresh Venice Cookies!

I've seen these guys hanging out in lawn chairs on their roof on Windward Avenue for a while now, kicking it and watching the day go by. Yesterday I saw that these guys aren't just chilling all day at all ... they're manning their little organic cookie window shop! I skidded to a stop to find out what was what.

What was is these three guys from Michigan came out here to surf, but needed to make a living while they were at it, so they opened up The Stoop. Brothers Kyle and Dustin Stuart come from a Centennial family farm in Michigan - Stuart Family Organics - where they grow wheat and grains. They teamed up with their friend Wesley VanderKolk to start off a cottage food operation out of Kyle's apartment baking up organic cookies with their own family-grown ingredients. I love it.

I love when people use their backgrounds and talents to make a happy life for themselves in a unique way, and that's surely what these fellows are doing here. There is a slot for tips to go to the surfboard fund, and it's not unusual to find them closed up for a while if there's a good swell rolling in.

It's not just Specoli guys goofing off though, at all. These are seriously delicious cookies (I had the oatmeal maple raisin delectable one), and blow any Girl Scout joke of a cookie all the way away. Just reading the ingredient label made me feel healthier, but tasting confirmed it. The Stoop delivers. (Which they soon actually will - Venice people will be able to get a fresh cookie delivered to their doorstep. Life is good.)

Focusing purely on cookies has stepped up their cookie game, as they're not distracted by a whole slew of items, just great cookies - like Coconut Cranberry, Chocolate Chip Walnut, Peanut Butter, and my Oatmeal Raisin. It's one thing to get a cookie somewhere, but another entirely when you know you're helping to support young, fun entrepreneurs making the most of the chill of Venice. That cookie window over at Leona has some stiff competition now ... but this window supports surfing.

Get your freshly baked cookies at The Stoop!

239 Windward Avenue
9am-12pm (break for surfing) 4pm-'til they're sold out.

Instagram: Thestoopca

A LeRoy Grannis Mural Graces Venice

I was on my morning stroll to the French Market when I saw a fresh, new mural on the side of a wall on Abbot Kinney, next to Leaf Automotive.

It features LeRoy Grannis, the "Godfather of Surf Photography", and it's really great. Thanks to artist Gretta Kruesi for adding to the art and beauty of our neighborhood. I love it.

Have a great week, everybody ... get out there and do something cool yourself!

Venice Celebrates The Life Of Jay Adams

Venice lost one of the true O. G.s on August 15th, when Jay Adams, founding member of Dogtown's Z-Boys and skateboard legend, passed away from a heart attack at the age of 53. He was on a three month surf trip in Porto Escondido, Mexico with his wife, Tracy. Adams had just told Tracy that it was the trip of his life, catching all the best waves, being in love and at peace. He was very much looking forward to coming back and living his life as a man of God, and helping others to deal with drug and violence issues like he'd struggled with in his past. He wanted to be a positive force in the world. "He survived so many things to get to a place where he could help people," Tracy Adams told me. He had recently read her the Bible verse from 2 Timothy, 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith," as being very meaningful to him. Adams died in his sleep, a happy man, ripping apart waves right up until the end. What a way to go.

When Venice got word of Adams' passing, everyone came together. Lauren Wiley of the Venice Skate Alliance helped raise $14,000 in a matter of days to bring Adams back, cover funeral expenses, and help get Adams' ashes and family to Hawai'i, where half of them will be spread. The other half will stay in Venice, where Adams was born in the canals, and always returned to visit.

Venice really came together on August 30th, a perfectly beautiful day, and one that will long be remembered in our community. Generations united to celebrate the life of Jay Adams with a paddle out ceremony next to the Venice Pier. It looked like a surf contest, with tents set up, a band playing, tropical flowers everywhere, friends and family members tailgating, and even a pot-luck bbq set up on tables in the sand.

Flower arrangements, banners and memorial surfboards made the occasion clear, and hundreds of people filled the sand and lined the pier to pay their respects to one of the men who not only helped keep skateboarding alive, but changed it forever with his smooth, surf style.

Old friends reconnected, new friends were made. It was a giant Venice family reunion, with both those who left a long time ago, but always kept it in their heart, to those who will never leave and are doing everything they can to hold on to the feeling of community like was felt on the sand that day. As Wiley said, "Look around. The spirit of Venice is not dead." Not even close.

Adams will always live on as well, as pro skater and keeper of the Venice Skate Park, Jesse Martinez, told me, "If someone is skateboarding, Jay lives. Kids skating today don't realize, Jay Adams had a big part in everything they're doing today. He set me on the path to literally change my life through skateboarding ... and it changed skateboarding forever." All day long I heard stories being told about Adams and the wild and crazy times that were had with him. Martinez continued, "If Jay was your friend, you were in for a ride. You were privileged to have time with him. It sounds like a broken record, because everyone you talk to will say the same thing ... there was just something about Jay. He stood out. He had a unique aura that he carried with him ... life put him through ten rounds and chicks still loved him!" A kid approached Martinez at the skatepark and told him he was sorry he lost his friend. Martinez replied, "No, WE lost Jay. We all lost a friend."

That was the common refrain of the day... "I haven't seen you in forever, Bro!" "Yeah, I had to come. Jay was like a brother to me." "He was a brother to all of us." Which is what Seven Adams, Jay's son, told me. "By having his fatherhood, I got a brotherhood." That was clear all day, as hugs and respect were exchanged, and you know these guys will be looking out for Jay's son (and daughter, Venice) always.

"My Dad taught me how to treat people, he'd give you the shirt off his back. When someone told me that, I ripped my shirt off coming off the plane, and gave it to someone." A charming and happy kid, Seven told me that, "I just want people to remember how rad my Dad was, that he was just raw stoke. He went hard at everything ... I know that he was one of the luckiest people alive, because he was stoked every day. Everyone has so much love for him, it's been amazing."

It really was amazing, as after a bit of eulogizing by pro skater, Christian Hosoi ("A perfect day, Jay would be so stoked .... Let's all get together, not just at memorials, but to celebrate us being alive and being together ... Amen?!" Amen.), everyone paddled out into the ocean north of the Venice Pier, where even the lifeguard boat paid their respects with a giant spout of water and horns blaring.

Flower petals were scattered down into the water as all the surfers shouted and slapped the water, bringing both chills and tears to the eyes. Adams was again eulogized by friends in the water and by his Pastor from Calvary Chapel in Santa Ana ("Welcome to Venice, Pastor!"), where his memorial service had been held the day before. It wasn't easy to hear from up above on the pier, but I could make out a guy in the middle yelling, "Jay was 100%! 100% Skater, 100% Surfer, 100% Man of God, 100% Inspiration!" and everyone yelled and splashed the water some more.

A giant circle formed, and symbolically brought everyone together again.

As we were watching (and a drone was filming it all from above!), rock star and Adams' friend, Perry Farrell, told me, "He had a ton of energy, total fearlessness and courage. Men aspire to be courageous, and Jay was. There was no one like him."

There was such a large turnout that there was a police presence, of course. I heard one guy say, "Jay ain't even here and the cops came!" People laughed about stories with Jay all day, with Martinez adding, "You always had the best and craziest times with Jay ... like all people growing up in Venice, we all had shady pasts, but then you evolve." Seven Adams added to that, "He grew up a punk - but the most loved punk ever - and died a man of God." Tracy Adams reiterated that, "He overcame so much, and became a man of integrity, 100% living and loving life."

Carter Slade, a longtime friend of Adams, said, "The only thing you need to remember about Jay Boy is how big his heart was," and went on to share wild stories about Jay, like the time he surprised a friend that needed one with a car, keys just left under the mat. According to everyone there, he did stuff like that all the time. Tracy Adams told me that he'd just spent the recent Go Skateboarding Day in Mexico, giving little kids all his clothes and teaching them tricks.

When the paddle out was completed with a chant of "Live Like Jay!", everyone caught a big party wave back in, and spent the rest of the day catching up, partying around town, and then re-convening for a skate session over at the Venice Skatepark in the evening.

There, pro skate luminaries like Hosoi, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, and Lance Mountain eulogized Adams again through their tricks inspired by him, and an Adams mural was unveiled in the bowl.

I saw a tiny little boy standing in front of the board decorated in tribute to Adams for the paddle out, and in that moment, the depth and importance of Jay Adams - both in Venice and in the skate and surf worlds - was captured for me. That kid will remember this day, and he'll learn tricks originated by the ever-smooth Adams. Adams himself said it best ... "You didn't quit skateboarding because you got old, you got old because you quit skateboarding." Generations of skateboarders ... forever young, with Adams to thank for that sage advice.

Adams, like the Venice he came from, was creative, unique, fun-loving, tough as nails, and very much beloved. It was a special day in Venice, for sure. Another Venice original, another piece of Venice history, is gone, but never forgotten. It's events like this that let you know how very special and precious it all is, and reminds you to hold it all dear. To Jay Adams for the reminder and the inspiration, to the spirit of Venice, and to the people who keep it alive every day ... To you all, thank you.

Jay Adams 1961-2014 ... Rest in peace.

Life Rolls On At The Venice Skatepark

Saturday was a beautiful day to put the spotlight on a beautiful cause, as Life Rolls On took over the Venice Skatepark.

Life Rolls On was founded by Jesse Billauer, after he broke his neck surfing in 1996, and became a quadriplegic. Determined to surf again, Billauer and his friends banded together to make that happen. He joined forces with the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation to create Life Rolls On, helping others afflicted with disabilities to make their own dreams of fun and active lives a reality.

Kids and adults missing limbs, stuck in wheelchairs or otherwise physically impaired, filled the Venice Skatepark with laughter, hoots and hollers when someone stuck a trick, and total inspiration.

Seeing these young people - and all the wonderful volunteers helping them - defy their conditions and just GO for it made it all but impossible to ever complain or make excuses not to try something new and possibly scary. Especially if you have all your abilities intact.

Tourists and locals alike surrounded the railings of the Skatepark, yelling their encouragement. Looking around at all the positivity and possibility, it gave you the feeling that together, humanity can make just about anything happen.

So awesome.

Norman Ollestad: Venice Guy/Best-Selling Author.

I've seen Norman Ollestad around Venice for years, but only more recently became aware of his dramatic life story. That's because I read his best-selling memoir, Crazy For The Storm. And so must you. It's downright flabbergasting. And one of my favorite books of the Summer*.

When Norman was 11 years old, a small plane carrying him, his Father, his father's girlfriend, and the Pilot crashed on the way to Big Bear, where young Norman was heading to pick up a trophy for a ski race he'd won. Norman was the only survivor, and the book alternates between chapters telling about Norman's upbringing, and chapters about his harrowing descent down the 8,600 foot icy mountain to finally be rescued. You just simply cannot believe such a little kid had not only the knowledge and skills to get himself to safety, but also the mental stamina that it had to take.

The upbringing chapters are what helps you to believe it. Norman's Dad (Norman Sr.) had him either surfing or skiing every spare moment since he was a baby. Literally a baby, as the back of the book jacket shows a black and white photo of his Dad surfing Malibu, with tiny baby Norman strapped to his back like a backpack. It's such a poignant photo, not merely because we know how their story together ended, but because it shows the trust and confidence baby Norman had in his Father from the very beginning of his life. Even though, lots of times, Norman would resent having to ski or surf when all the other kids were at birthday parties or watching cartoons Saturday mornings - it was those same times that saved his life. He had the skills and mental preparedness to handle those extreme sports, and thus, could handle survival.

It's an incredible book, and when I sat down to chat with Norman (and his very sweet 12 year old dog, Telluride/Telly) yesterday at the Equator Books Cafe, I wondered what reactions he'd been getting while going out around the country doing book readings and signings. What seems to have struck him most profoundly is how reading the book has made people examine their own lives and childhoods in ways he didn't expect. The Father/Son thing is there, and dominant, but also has made people (including me, who also grew up without a father) realize that kids are intricately involved in what's going on in the world of adults. Divorce, parents fighting with their new boy/girlfriends, stress, demands, freedom (the likes of which it seems kids of today have lost) ... all of it shapes the kind of people the kids are going to grow up to be. And now that Norman is a father himself to his 9 year old son, Noah ... it was time to examine these things, and put it down in writing to share with Noah, and the world.

The main themes, both in the book and in life, seem to be the importance of sharing your passion with your children (whether that's surfing or music or stamp collecting or hula dancing or whatever), and instilling in them how important it is to "Never give up." There will always be struggles, but if kids have those basic ingredients (along with the basic lodging and LOVE, of course) given to them, most likely they'll be alright.

Having grown up in Malibu, Norman has lived in Venice for most of this Millenium. We were talking about what we love about it and why we choose to live here, and Norman had what is really about the best answer there is, "the People." Absolutely, and why I'm trying to introduce us all within this site - the COMMUNITY of it all. There is also the bonus of walking or riding bikes everywhere we go, the Surf, the ability to get GOOD food nearby, and that nice feeling of walking down the street and having people know you and wave, or how you like your coffee, that kind of thing. Whereas a lot of people like to romanticize the "Old, rugged days" of Venice, Norman said those days were also sorta scary and dangerous ... you could just PLAN on getting mugged ... and now it's "Beautiful and friendly", and a much nicer place to live and raise your kid/s. I'd have to agree ... to a point (NO Chain Stores, please).

Apart from doing press and signings for Crazy For The Storm (which will also be a movie - but don't wait for it. The book is always better.) and raising Noah (who is now a member of the Mammoth Ski Team, following in Dad's footsteps), and moving into a new house with his girlfriend, Jenny, Norman is about to get underway on his next book, which he says will be about the years in his 20's when he set out around the world to "Invent himself". He had been so defined in an instant by the plane crash, that he didn't want that to be what his life was only about. I won't tell you more because you'll want to read about it for yourselves.

For someone who has seen and lived through so much already as a young man of 41, Norman is extremely calm, composed and kind. You can tell that he was already like that when you see old news footage of him as a freshly rescued 11 year old kid. And I think what makes him like that are the basic principles taught to him by his Dad. Which he now teaches his own son. What I liked best is when he said, "Noah will know beauty. And he can return to that no matter what else is going on in his life."

Earlier in the Summer, I had just finished reading Crazy For The Storm when I was out swimming in the ocean one morning. A couple of surfers were heading right for me, and when they got closer, I saw it was Norman and Noah. It was so touching to see them together like that when the book was so fresh in my mind. We waved and yelled our greetings as they passed, and I celebrated the fact that we ALL know beauty living here, and hopefully do our best to constantly recognize it, no matter what else is going on in our lives.




* My other two favorite Summer books:

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
The Road To Woodstock by Michael Lang