Venice Community Garden - An Urban Oasis

I had just about had it with urban problems this last month. I thought I was actually going crazy from chopper noise that one night that they hovered right over my house for four (plus) hours, just to get some Best Buy robbers (you've got to wonder what the resources wasted for HOURS cost vs. the electronics swiped. Really.). Two days later I went to the beach for some peace and quiet, only to be hovered over by choppers, for again, four hours. I was beginning to think it was me they were after, but I've been pretty good lately.

OVER it, I pedaled for home, and for some reason (likely less noise) I took another route that day. As I sped down Mildred, I burned rubber skidding to a halt, when BEHOLD, right in front of my face was the most glorious, abundant garden with a big cheerful sign reading "Venice Community Garden"! How this had gone on unknown by me (for almost a year!) I don't know, but there it was, bursting with life - and produce. I've been yearning for a simple balcony - anything! - to grow stuff on, so this was like the end of the rainbow for me to chance upon.


I got online when I got home to track down the story of the place, and a few days later, I was sitting at the sunny patio table in the middle of the VCG, talking with its founder and director, Kip Wood. I have all sorts of garden questions, and he knows what he's talking about, having completed the Master Gardening program. He and his family had a little garden at their Venice home, but builders came and put up yet another square box living complex next door to them, which took away all of their sunlight. You need sun to grow things. Talking about the need for a community garden with friends became Kip walking the streets and really looking for a space.

Kip came upon a "For Rent" sign at the Garden's current site on Mildred, then just a scrubby, overgrown plot of land that had nothing on it. He called the number and reached Donald Novack - the owner of Hal's (my last month's Beachhead subject - synchronicity!), who also owned this plot of land. As the real estate market was/is struggling, Donald agreed to rent the land to Kip and his fellow gardeners at a low cost, as a benefit to the community (and maybe some excess produce to use in the kitchen at Hal's).


Now they had a site for a Garden, but that was just the beginning. The land needed to be cleared, the soil needed to be tested, gardeners needed to be recruited, and it was on. It seems to be a charmed project, as just when anything has been needed, help has come. The LACC (Los Angeles Conservation Corps) provided land clearing equipment and labor - for free. A Construction company took away all the old dirt and refuse. Venice Youth Build kids came and did volunteer work. All systems were go, but then they found out that the soil had arsenic in it from when Mildred was an old railway line. Not good for growing edibles. 100 tons of undesirable soil was taken out, new soil was put in, and wooden beds were built to elevate the individual plots up off the ground. The word was put out, and pretty much since they've been up and growing, there has been a waiting list for the 54 plots of around 150 names (much to my dismay).


You can see why instantly. It's so completely great to just step inside the fence into this green paradise of growth. As Kip said, "Things just WANT to grow here." We are blessed with a wonderful climate for gardening, and everything just goes bezerk - including weeds, so it's a constant job to stay ahead of it all. "But it's the best kind of work", said Kip. "When I'm trimming plants, my mind is quiet, I'm relaxed, I'm grateful, you just feel good about it." At $25 a month for a plot, with so many fruits (vegetables, herbs, flowers, etc..) of your labor, you can feel good about your grocery store savings too.


While I was visiting, different gardeners came and went, checking on their crops, watering their plots, picking some FRESH produce for dinner, or even just to stop in and chat at the table. All of them were so clearly thrilled and grateful to have their plot (I get it), they were pretty much beaming as they went about their business. One guy (thanks, Ross!) shared his pineapple mint with us ... PINEAPPLE mint?! I'd never even heard of it. Kip pointed out that benefit to gardening as well, that stores can only carry so many varieties of things, but one look at a seed catalog and it's a whole new gigantic world of possibilities. PAGES of crazy potatoes alone.

The Venice Community Garden really is about Community too. There are fruit trees and herb pots planted for all to share. They have lectures, classes, art, dinners, "Crop Swaps", a Squash Hunt for the kids at Easter time ... all kinds of fun, educational stuff is always going on. We started talking about how everyone's lives would be so much better if we could switch to a barter/trade system vs. capitalist b.s. ... but that's a longer conversation for another day. One lady that was watering her plot while I was there said she was away for a month and had her co-gardening friend send her weekly photos of the plot, as she missed it so. Again, I get it.


I didn't want to just sit and chat with Kip as his time in the garden was limited, so we talked while I helped him fill up the compost bin things (and learned about them), which goes right back to fertilizing the garden. I got a good old fashioned splinter, and immediately was transported in my mind back to youthful days of helping my Grandma Olson in her majestic garden when I would visit her. Gardening not only made her the tannest Norwegian you'd ever encounter, but made her beloved and kind of famous in LaCrosse, Wisconsin for how very green her thumbs were. I was telling Kip about her, and he stopped me and asked, "Would you say she was happy?" My eyes well up at just the memory of my answer, "Yes. One of the happiest people I've ever known, until her very last day." Kip just nodded, and his point was made.


As my day was made. I went home with a bunch of freshly picked beans (from Kip and His Giant Beanstalk), two kinds of mint, and a wish that I'd brought something to carry more home in. But more than that, I went home inspired, impressed, and grateful that Venice has these pockets of magic that make you (almost) forget all about police choppers and such b.s. There was a tangible love of the space, a shared love that when you stop and think about it, should really apply to our Community as a whole. So let's knock off the robbing, the police chasing, the bike stealing, the hating of any ilk, and put those wasted efforts toward things that will grow, thrive, and make us all the better for it.

Thanks.

And if you have or know of any open spaces in Venice that could be donated for a while or forever, that would help the Venice Community Garden expand (or relocate if need be one day). Then I could have a plot and grow things and make you a delicious pie or something in gratitude. Please contact Kip Wood at KipWood23@gmail.com if that sounds good to you.

ART-ichoke

There are times when Venice feels very small town ... and I love them. Waves to your neighbors as you zoom by on your bike. Friends leaving fun things on your doorstep. Shop keepers knowing you'd like something and putting it aside for you. Cool favors without being asked. You know what I mean. My around the corner neighbors went away for the Summer (I miss them!), and their lovely garden is going bonkers with no one to tend to it. Check these artichokes gone to neon purple flower:



The natural world is my favorite artist, that's it. What profound use of color, and profoundly intricate sculpting! I stopped in my tracks - what the very best art provokes, no?

The other sacred morning I was on my way to the sand and sea in the SUN of Summer 2011 so far (!) and I skidded to a halt to bump hands with one of my favorite Rastas at the beach. We both happily tripped on the fact that we've already had waaaaay more of a Summer than all of last year (which didn't exist at all in Venice), and he said, eruditely, "Mother Nature is smiling at you ... Smile back!"

And that's all I did the rest of that day.

Yes I.

The Leftover Cuties Charm Up The Casa Del Mar

A couple years back I was waiting in a long line at Christmas time at LAX to head home for the holidays. In front of me was a cute couple lugging their stuff along the line. After some time passed, the guy took out a ukulele and started strumming it cheerfully. Now, I have a weakness for the ukulele ever since I had a stint living on the Big Island of Hawai'i in Hilo back in the 20th Century (that remains fun to say). So you can imagine my delight in a dragass airport line to have the charming plinks of the little instrument perk up both my ears and spirits in one second. I introduced myself to them and it turned out the guy plays in a band called Leftover Cuties, whom I had almost just seen (longer story) right before this trip. Random funny life! The whole line was happier as a result of this ukulele and fun couple, Austin and Kate.

So then we were immediately friends for life (they were going to Minnesota too, and that's how we are), and I for sure went to see the band right after the new year, as they are Venice people too! Synchronicity. Again. Great times, every time, these Leftover Cuties bring.

So it was last weekend, that when I did not get my brooding self into the Wiltern (poor planning I'll rue all my days) to see Eddie Vedder play in support of Ukulele Songs (my Summer 2011 Soundtrack favorite thus far), I decided to grab a gang and go hear the ukulele anyway, played with the darling Leftover Cuties just up the bike path at Casa Del Mar.


We pedaled along to a gorgeous sunset, locked up the bikes, and walked through the front doors of the swank Casa Del Mar, directly into another, more carefree, era.

As luck would have it, the Cuties were set up by the big fireplace in the timelessly gorgeous hotel lounge, and many patrons were still over looking out the beach side windows at the sunset, so we were able to snag a big leather couch right by the piano - with waitress service. Drinks were ordered, the band returned for their second set, and we settled in for the sounds of lush tunes with a slew of instruments, featuring our small friend, the uke. It all felt extra-civilized, and I felt my freak out stress level of the day shrink by the nano-second.


Shirli McAllen is the sultry lead vocalist of the Cuties, and her striking throwback looks and Billie Holiday-like voice (and I would never say that lightly) in front of that old school microphone make you sit up and listen from the start. She is backed up by Austin Nicholsen (my airport friend) on that ukulele and vocals; Mike Bolger transporting you back in time on horns (muted trumpet stand up solo at the piano rules), piano and accordion; Ryan Feves on upright bass; and normally Stuart Johnson on drums, but he's off touring with Tim Robbins right now.

The Leftover Cuties have a sublime new album out, Places To Go, and played a good mix of their own tunes from that, as well as golden oldie standards (plus a Lady Gaga "Pokerface" cover to boot!), so that anyone in the very diverse tourist/local/foreign/young/old/casual beach/dressy hotel crowd would have something to snap their fingers along too.

From their own "Sometimes", "Everything I Got", and my personal favorite "Sunnyside" (so cheerful you are simply forced to get a spring in your step), to classics like "At Last", "Georgia On My Mind", and "All Of Me", they all blended together so well that the untrained ear would think they were all standards, so well written and executed are their originals. You can't say that very often these days, I tell you. One older gentleman was doing an abstract hula at the edge of the crowd, so into it and feeling fine was he. It was a treat to watch someone be so free, especially in a posh hotel scene. He inspired others too, as at one point (old time-y version of "Pokerface") the entire see/be seen audience was clapping along. In a hotel bar in L.A.! So excellent.


It got torch song dark for a moment when they did a DARK version of "You Are My Sunshine", during which I whispered to my friend, "DARK You Are My Sunshine? That's punk rock." That one featured the muted trumpet solo by Mr. Bolger, as well as a turn on the Freedom (ok, French) Horn. I noticed they had a bunch of fans that really sang along, and learned that the Cuties have their song "Game Of Life" featured as the theme song to the Showtime show, The Big C. During a break an older woman gushed up to Austin to tell him that that was HER jam, and she just loved them, and what a great song, and on and on and awesome.


That's the feelings they invoke when they play though, and how great is that? I glanced around the room at one point and absolutely everyone in the place was just smiling and toe-tapping along - at least. So it was perfectly apt for them to close that set with the almost over the top happy dance-along "When You're Smiling". This one girl was up and dancing so profusely in front of her refusing to budge boyfriend that you had to laugh. But once she stopped trying to get him to join her, she let go and danced freely, just like the gray haired guy across the room. Everyone watching and listening smiled with her, sharing the same sense of fun and "Man, what a good time" as we all applauded together at song's end. At least that was my groove on it, and I started out the night feeling aggro, remember, so I'm a pretty good barometer.

Trust me on this, if you for sure want to charm the socks off anyone at all ... date, out of town friend visiting, Grandma ... take them (preferably by bike) to see The Leftover Cuties Friday nights at Casa del Mar. With the Santa Monica Pier flashing right outside, waves crashing, it's all just great. You will give them a truly gorgeous memory, whoever they are. But see them whenever they play, because it's always a genuine delight.

Now the last splashes of color in the sky had given up their spotlight to the Leftover Cuties, and the room had heavily tilted back over to the fireplace side. We went and said our hellos, got our new cd's, and headed back out into the indigo night air to cycle our way back down the path.

Different Era. Same Moon. All Good.




*pics courtesy Jennifer Everhart.

Waste Land - A Movie Night You Won't Soon Forget

Yeah, I still use Netflix, and I'm glad I do because of the little section called "Local Favorites for Venice, California". My fellow Venetians never let me down, and one I saw there that somehow escaped me when it was in theaters was the stupendous documentary, Waste Land. I actually don't even really want you to finish reading this, just go watch it right now.


Or read a little more, up to you. It's a story (directed movingly by Lucy Walker) about how Brazilian born fine artist, Vik Muniz, (what a cool guy) decides to do a new project about the Catadores (garbage pickers) of the biggest landfill (Jardin Gramacho) in the world, just outside Rio de Janeiro. Having previously found success with a series of portraits of sugar workers' children in St. Kitts (done in sugar), he wanted to do another social justice project in his own homeland.

He travels to the landfill and meets a series of characters among the catadores who he (and we) gets to know and care about as he chooses the people he is going to do portraits of - out of the very garbage they are picking through. Jardin Gramacho is the sketchiest place alive, it seems, with filth for miles and miles. It is not uncommon for the workers to come across horror shows like dead babies among the trash, while they are looking for the recyclable materials that earn them their livings among the mountains of debris. It is an atrocious life, and makes you instantly beyond grateful for ANY work you're doing ... and yet somehow they can all smile, have fun, and make the best of it, every day, for years.

I cried the entire way through, from the sheer volume of disgusting waste (both garbage and lives) that we humans toss away without a care, to the hard HARD existences these dear people toil away through. The PRIDE they have in their work! Recycling - helping the future of our world! - to the sheer triumphant joy of these subjects seeing themselves in a new - and unbelievably beautiful - light. That they MATTER. That they not only posed, but placed the garbage along the lines of their faces themselves. That there is something else, an entire other world/s out there for them beyond the favelas, to dream about, to strive for, and to celebrate.


Life is so precious, and so luck of the draw, man. Like any one of us could have been born into a drastically different scenario, and that's that, for life. Or is it? I took so much away from this magnificent documentary, (and I've been talking about it non-stop, my friends can attest) but above all the different sociological aspects of it all that we could yammer on for days about, was just an overwhelming feeling of intense and sincere gratitude. Which we can all use more of, every single minute of our lucky lives.

Please watch Waste Land ... but better yet, FEEL it.

World's Record Weekend!

Phew. That was a humdinger of a weekend in Venice, to be sure.

Friday night: We head over to the Cinema Bar to catch the Matt Ellis/Paul Chesne Band gig. On the way, we sit through about a zillion red lights as the biggest bike brigade I've ever seen cruised by, accompanied on all sides by police escorts in cars, on bikes, and motorcycles. TONS of kids, all ringing their bells as we honked to cheer them along. I'm not positive, but we felt like it might have something to do with the two young Venice high kids that were shot in Penmar Park last week. We all had chills, even if it was just for fun. They were also showing Grease that night for the 100th Anniversary celebration of Venice High - on the same football field where it was shot. But we had jams to hear.

Matt Ellis, his wife, Vavine, and their band tore up the Cinema with their Aussie style Americana. It was such a treat to be out with this whole gang, and so the whiskey flowed.


Right into Paul Chesne's torrid set that featured a slew of songs of their excellent new record, PCB. A highlight for me was dancing around to Paul's breakdown of Prince's "Gett Off". Classic.

When the hangover finally wore off on Saturday, it was time for the last annual (at least in Venice - for now) - dangit - Conway Family Crawfish Boil/Going Away to move to Austin party. I can't even really talk about it yet, as I'll get emotional, but suffice it to say that we threw it down again, and sent off David, Christina, Amelia and Truman with a LOT of Venice love. Happy Trails, my darling Friends.


Sunday awoke - groggily - to the thunder roar of skateboard wheels coming down my street as Venice broke the Guiness Book of World's Records for the most Skateboarders in a parade together! Paper work is still being filed, I guess, but I'm told it was over 400 strong!


It was super cool to see skaters of all shapes, sizes, ages, genders, fitness levels, etc .. coming together to celebrate 100 years of Venice High - and show off skateboarding in the place where it really makes the most sense of all.


There was even a Gondolier skater (ok, Scooter-er)!



WOOOO's filled the air as the boards sailed down Venice Boulevard towards a place in the record books, on the most sunny gorgeous Venice day in June imaginable. As any good parade has, this one featured a few different marching bands ... and as they always do, they jammed some "YMCA" as they passed by. It was awesome.


Awesome.

Hal's Bar & Grill - A Venice Institution

I've spent a lot of time at Hal's over the years ... and so has everyone else who has spent any decent amount of time in Venice. I remember when it was pretty much the only place to go on Abbot Kinney - and it being kind of scary to get to. Well, those times have clearly changed, but Hal's hasn't. It's still the go to place for good food, good people, stiff drinks and a nice dose of Venice history.


I sat down recently to hear all about it with the holy trinity of Hal's: Donald & Linda Novack, the owners and heads of the Hal's family (and together 40 years!) , and Hal Frederick, their partner, the namesake and host of all the good times. With Hal's going on 25 years old this year, you can imagine the abundance of stories that have gone down within those walls.

Hal's used to be a restaurant called The Merchant of Venice, an eatery/antique store where you could buy the chair you were sitting down to eat on. Donald (an ex-New Yorker) and Linda (born and raised in LA, her Mom went to Venice High) were/are in the real estate biz, and had The Merchant of Venice as a listing. That turned into a fraction of ownership, which became full ownership when the original guy shirked his bills and left Donald on the hook for a big chunk of money. Donald and Linda knew nothing about the restaurant business at the time, but had no choice but to make it work. And so they have. They recruited Hal from the old West Beach Cafe, and he has been welcoming Venice and Friends ever since. The place works because of the three of them, all playing different and crucial roles.


From the first week of business when Linda had to step over a dead body to get in the door, to last week when Sean Penn was having lunch unassumingly, obviously a lot has changed over the years. What hasn't changed is the sense of community, and the warm feeling of neighborhood whenever you walk in the door. Hal lived above the LA Louver gallery back in the day, and got a good art education as a result, as well as long-lasting friendships with the local artists who can now be seen in museums all over the world - and right there in Hal's. A big Ed Moses on the west wall. Joni Mitchell. Larry Bell. Judy Stabile. Laddie John Dill. Many more, ever changing. And they all like to hang out there, all the time.


Part of the reason that it feels so homey is that the faces stay the same. Hal's has employees who stay. They are part of the family, and it shows. One guy was 19 when he started in the kitchen, and is now a grandfather. Francisco Morales worked at Hal's for years, and is now their partner in Casa Linda, two doors down. Manuel Mares is the Executive Chef, who began in 1989, serving up his delicious seasonal menus (best asparagus soup I've ever had the other day!) year in and year out. When I asked Mr. Mares what has kept him there so long, he simply smiled and said, "Them", looking fondly at Don and Linda. With everyone working so long together, what you get is consistency, something that is all too rare in restaurants these days. Which is why good old Hal's is such a mainstay in Venice.


So much so that they can tell tales about a couple that met at the bar, got married there, had their anniversaries there, and recently had their son's 21st birthday party there. Or the woman whose water broke in Hal's, and then had that child's Sweet 16 there. And the Grandma who had her last 20 birthday parties there. Graduations, Memorials, Rehearsal dinners, Croquet Tournament rain-outs, Good times all. Generations of memories have been created here, all adding to the family feeling that only grows deeper through the years.

A big reason for that is that everyone is welcome, and everyone feels comfortable. Never mind your ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, celebrity status, outfit ... you will blend in, and you will enjoy yourself. Hal sees to that ... a bon vivant, raconteur, stylish gent, he arrives to non-stop greetings four nights a week, especially the world class jazz nights he started on Sunday and Mondays. This is a guy with good stories - like the time he was Maya Angelou's date for President Clinton's Inaugural Ball. And the time his childhood friend, Gregory Hines, showed up with Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., The Nicholas Brothers, and friends, and everyone danced around Hal's. And those were just the ones off the top of his head - there are 25 years worth of tales to tell!


"Venice has something ... it's got stuff. Good stuff." So said Donald about our community, speaking about the creativity and diversity that make up this part of the world. "If you get it, you get it, if you don't, you don't", is how Don put it, and he's right. The hippies, the fashionistas, the homeless, the travelers with guide books, all the people walking the street (walking in L.A.!!), enjoying the beach air, everyone makes up the whole. And the ones who stay and contribute to the town, are the ones who get it.

Like the Hal's family. They contribute to the Art Walk, the Garden Tour, local schools and churches, SPARC, they're trying to help out the Vera Davis Center now ... they are INVOLVED. Which speaks to why they've lasted so long in a business that as Linda said, they knew "Zero" about at the beginning. They care, so we care. They want us to do well, so we want them to do well. It's a really good model for life in general, and one that we would all do well to emulate.

Hal came from New York to Venice ("the best temperate weather in the world") because he was an actor, on stage and screen. When I asked him if he missed that life, he smiled and said, "No. There's a curtain up here every night."

Hal's family ... take your bows! Bravo, and may there be encore upon encore for years to come.



Hal's Bar & Grill
1349 Abbot Kinney
Venice, 90291
310.392.3105


*Photo (top) of Hal, Linda and Donald by their best customer, Alan Shaffer (in front of painting of Hal by Mykel Alatza)

Happiness Rocks

So many magical things happen, so often, that I bet some people think I might make stuff up sometimes. First, I don't. Second, you don't have to. Third, I usually have witnesses. Like today.

Beach walking with Jenny this morning, each charging ahead in our own reveries, up ahead I see the ethereal vision in white emerging from the gloom, walking towards us, caught up in her own thoughts ... Unitia. Unitia is so special that I hesitate to even bring her up in a public forum, as she has appeared to me at such flooring personal revelation times on the beach, that I feel almost sacred about it. She pops up right in my path right when I'm thinking my deepest possible things, and will come up with such righteously right on pearls of wisdom as "Gratitude is Glory!" right when I'm thinking along those lines. Or today, "We already have everything we need" right when I'd been thinking that no matter what circumstances are, I was thrilled to be doing exactly what I was doing in that moment. Deep.


So, just yards after we hugged and departed from the Guru, Unitia, Jenny lets out a yelp and bends down to pick something up. A smooth stone with "Happiness" written on it in purple pen. Happiness! As if to confirm what we'd all just been talking about, with multi-exclamation points. I was all happy (Happiness!) for her to have seen such a thing among all the zillions of tiny shells today ... and then a few yards later, I see another little rock that appears to have writing on it! ANOTHER Happiness rock, among the humongous beach! Double Happiness!

Crrrrazy.

As we turned around and walked the other direction, towards the sunshine starting to burn through the marine layer, I shook my head, laughing and said to Jenny, "Happiness rocks."

And that is the lesson for today. Happiness indeed rocks. Make yourself some.




*Photo by Jenny Everhart. Rocks sent by The Universe. And yeah, I'm a big hippie.