Where Is The Love?! Venice.

These are some crazy times, Man. Every day some new crazy thing/s happen to make you shake your damn head and wonder how we got here. Wonder what is wrong with people? Wonder where in the world is the LOVE anymore?! I'm thinking all that on my walk this morning, when I noticed that someone had done a little tag on a Canal bridge ... and then I zoomed in ...

Where is the love?!?! Right?!?! It's nice to know I'm not the only one wondering this - and what we can do about it. That was on my mind as I kept on trucking, and turned down Altair to head back. Well, THERE was some love! A cute little bungalow dweller put it right there in front, letting us all know that at least here, it's still Love Street. Phew.

Easing on down the road over to the French Market for my morning coffee, I saw that there was more big LOVE to be found, right there on Venice and Abbot Kinney. In rainbow colors and everything! So, the next time you think or hear the very important question of "Where is the love?", know that you can always find it in Venice. Better yet, you can always find it in your own heart to give, and in your own mind to receive.

Love you.

Keep America Thinking!

Hi Friends! My life is utter mayhem at the moment, and I can't even write anything without first thanking the remarkable folks that have stepped up lately and shown me that they love and care. I've had messages from people I've never met or even heard of, offering me ideas about new places, work opportunities, a spare house or couch, and above all, true friendship - whether we know each other in real life or not. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude to any and all that have reached out in any way. Gratitude is the very best way to deal with situations like this, I'm realizing. Big things don't seem as hard when you're grateful for the little things. So, honestly and from the very depths of my heart - THANK YOU. Because of you all, I know that things are actually going to be even better than before - which after the last year, shouldn't be hard.

I'm staying with dear friends at the moment, and while they're in Venice, it's a different neighborhood, and thus a different walking route for me. Today when I was heading down Angelus Place, I saw this great sign, requesting that we "Keep America Thinking - Fund Science". While lately I'm probably thinking too much, I can still get all the way behind this sentiment. When you have a President who appears to be dumber than an actual box of rocks, this idea of THINKING is paramount to our country's survival. I just read that Volvo is now the first major car company that will stop making cars that use gas. While this should have been done decades ago, it's a wonderful start ... which I imagine came about due to some good, old-fashioned, head-scratching thinking.

Think about it.

*As I'm thinking about all of you dear readers with complete love and fierce gratitude. Please keep the good ideas coming ... I promise it will all come back to you. Karma is real.

A True Green House

I was out for a stroll the other day, and though I've walked by a zillion times, I never really noticed this little house ... probably because it is fully overgrown with foliage covering every inch. The Cousin Itt of houses! No, the Sigmund the Sea Monster of houses! It makes you on the one hand want to give it a hug it's so cute, and on the other, wonder if Hansel and Gretel are being kept inside. The story possibilities are endless!

With all the homogeneous boring houses going up around Venice, it's a delight to encounter someplace that is fully its own, and fully charming. I wonder what it looks like inside? Is it super dark in there? Who lives there? I need to get more to the bottom of this little gem. Finding interesting spots like this is one of the joys of wandering around in Venice, and I hope they will be allowed not only to remain, but to thrive.

Keep Venice Cool.

Postcards From The Edge

I guess I still have Thanksgiving stuck in my craw, because this morning as I took my walk on the beach, I was so overcome with gratitude I had tears in my eyes. It was one of the most beautiful mornings on this Earth, and one sight was lovelier than the next.

It felt pretty selfish to have all this all to myself, so I thought you might like to join me on my heart-swelling stroll. Blue skies and bright sunshine accompanied me every step of the way, and the only way you knew it was December was the big sand berms built for the winter swells.

Surfers were out in droves this morning on the glassy water, and every wave was a party wave.

 I've always thought it was weird that surfers and skaters had the rep of being slackers and ne'er do wells, when those guys and girls are the early birds, out there getting it before most worker drones have even gotten out of bed.

The graffiti walls were brightly painted, and where one side looked like a glazed-out Jesus watching the surfers ...

... the other side proclaimed that He rocks. On a day this gorgeous, it would be hard to disagree.

As I felt so much love inside for Venice as I walked around, it was reflected back at me everywhere I went. The ocean air, the palm trees, the colorful characters, past and present, (as I definitely felt the presence of some Venice ghosts this morning ... Bobby Brown - The World's Greatest Wino, Dr. Geek the rapper, and Dr. John the activist were all on my mind and profoundly felt), friends waving as you pass by, all the art, waves, the Skatepark, the mom and pop stores hanging in there ... I love it all so much. And I'll fight to keep it a place "Where the weather is warm, and the people are cool". And I'm not alone.

Heading back home in a hurry - as I'd spent a little too much time in reflection and appreciation mode - I got one more affirmation peeking through the trees.

I hope you've enjoyed your postcards from the Western edge even a fraction as much as I enjoyed living it in the moment.

We love you, Venice!



*It's now later in the afternoon. There was just another mass shooting in America, this time in California. After reading absolutely insane comments from people in other parts of the country about it all online, I want to add how EXTRA grateful I am to live in the Venice bubble. Where people tend to talk reasonably, be informed, keep an open mind, and practice tolerance and love with everyone from all walks of life. At least in my world. THANK YOU!