The Makaha 50th Anniversary Skate Contest At The Venice Skatepark

Last Saturday was one of the most beautiful days ever in Venice. You would sure never know it was mid-December. As most of the rest of the world was out running around shopping and getting ready for the holidays in the freezing cold, Venice was having a skate contest.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Makaha Skateboards (and the first skate contest held in Santa Monica in 1963 by founder, Larry Stevenson), the Venice Skate Association put on an absolutely great event.

Skaters (and skate watchers) were out in droves to see the snake run/mini bowl contest ... and though it was a celebration of the past 50 years, it also let everyone know that the future of skating is just as bright. Some of the skaters I saw were just UN. REAL. Killing it every run.

DJs (Bennett Harada) were spinning tunes, and with the Boardwalk right there, it felt like the whole town was out enjoying the spectacular day in the sunshine.

There were the usual food trucks (now encroaching on the beach too? Ugh.) which reminded one that the other point of the day was a food drive for the Westside Food Bank to stock their shelves for the holidays.

There were a ton of cool sponsors (Jimmy'Z, House Of Marley, Venice Originals, Vans, etc ... ) so that meant there were a ton of raffle drawings too, though everyone won just by being there.

I had 7 zillion things to do and places to be that day, so I couldn't stick around to see who won everything, but know that the total ripper, Charlie Blair, took first overall.

What a fantastic time it was - and a perfect example of what good comes from supporting your local skatepark!

Snow Day - Venice Style

The annual holiday stroll was held on Abbot Kinney last weekend, and as always, the best part was the snow hill for sledding in The Brig parking lot.

Rare rain had threatened the fun all morning, and then miraculously cleared up just in time for the arrival of friends and neighbors who brought their kids out for a much-anticipated frolic in the even rarer snow.

Snow pants in Venice are hilarious, that needs to be said. But a bunch of kids had 'em on, and I guess were kept dry, though they were not at all needed for the warmth factor.

There was a good craft booth (manned by elves) where kids (and me) made ornaments out of this cool scratch-off paper, or crowns and antlers to don as they trailed after their parents in the shops before and after the fun.

Santa Claus was there - a pretty good one, in fact - and shy, thrilled little grommets lined up to tell him what they'd like and if they'd been good. It's always cute, there's no way around that.

Fire trucks stood guard, and the parking lot was crammed with the requisite Brig food trucks - again. The sun started to set and it did get pretty cold then, to be honest. That helped the snow keep from turning into a giant puddle in one second, and my little pal, Beckett, got his first sled ride. His Dad, Shane, is from Minnesota too, so this was a big moment, though Beckaboo seemed a little iffy about it. He'll learn.

Holiday lights came on, Carolers came out and that elusive "Holiday Spirit" feeling really was in the air. Even if I was still wearing flip flops. It's great that the Abbot Kinney merchants come together to put this on for the neighborhood, and it's looked forward to every year. Snow Day!

Fa la la la la, la la la LA!

In Celebration Of Nelson Mandela

The entire world memorialized Nelson Mandela today, as his South African service was broadcast globally. Barack Obama was there, and I'm so happy that Mandela was freed and Obama was made President in both of their lifetimes - and mine. Seemingly impossible at one time, we now know that nothing is. ("It always seems impossible until it's done." - Mandela!!!)

Locally, street posters of Mandela went up overnight by political/satirical artist, Robbie Conal, this time in pure celebration. I was delighted to wake up to one posted right in front of my house! A touching reminder that we all just have to keep on walking ... toward freedom. Now, Mandela is truly free, and will serve forever as an example on how to live with dignity and grace.

My favorite Mandela quote (among many, many sage words) is this:

“A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.”

What a special man, indeed. And now it's up to the rest of us to carry on his legacy of peace and forgiveness. Not easy by any means, but because of people like Mandela, we know it IS possible.

On it. 

The 2nd Annual Venice Sign Holiday Lighting!

You could have almost mistaken Venice for Bedford Falls last Friday night. As the community gathered on Windward Avenue to celebrate and behold the second annual lighting of the Venice sign for the holidays, there was such a small town, cozy vibe permeating the festivities, it did almost feel like George Bailey would come rushing through at any moment.

But then you looked around and saw Tree Man, Juan in a Santa sombrero, dreaded hippies and dogs in outfits, and you knew exactly where in the world you were.

There were booths set up above the Windward Circle for different organizations around the neighborhood, friends and families mingling, and lots of "Coffee" cups being carried around to combat the sudden chill that settled over Venice, brisk but adding to the holiday feeling. I don't think I've ever seen so many Santa hats being sported, so the people were feeling it for sure. Holograms of snowflakes were projected on the buildings, so we even kind of had snow. Faux flakes.

First Fridays was going on over on Abbot Kinney, but it looked like all the locals knew what was up and headed over to Windward instead, as I felt like I knew just about everyone I saw. That NEVER happens at First Fridays anymore, so the night felt extra special, and for US.

We enjoyed cups of egg nog courtesy of Menotti's and The Townhouse, and then it was time for the Venice Symphony Orchestra to entertain the crowd (and by now, it was a CROWD!) with holiday songs and contemporary jams alike. I love it SO much that we now have the V.S.O., and it was the first time even knowing about it for many in attendance (that must not be regular readers of this blog). Judging from the warm reception, they're here not just to stay, but to grow.

I mean, how great is a holiday concert that goes from "A Few Of My Favorite Things" to "Black Hole Sun" to a medley of "Here Comes Santa Claus/Silent Night/Light My Fire/Hava Nagila"?! Something for everyone, and they were a huge hit. Conductor/Founder, Wesley Flowers exclaimed, "I LOVE this!" to the crowd as they roared for more, and I think everyone there was in total agreement.

New Councilman, Mike Bonin, took the stage to shout out thanks to everyone involved in creating such an adorable community event - especially Danny/Santa Samakow, who is tireless when it comes to making sure Venice has fun. A female police officer (I didn't catch her name) was given a certificate of Venice thanks or something, and there were some LAPD jeers from the crowd, prompting Bonin to say, "With Venice, we have our peanut gallery right down front". Yep. She was a good sport, coming over to hug a heckler, which was pretty cool, and how we should ALL react to animosity, really. She said, "Venice is where everything happens." Good and bad, but tonight was all about good.

Bonin then introduced the celebrity light switcher for this year, Angelica Huston. She (also in a Santa hat) remarked that moving to Venice 20 years ago was the best decision she ever made. She had been "behind her walls in Beverly Hills" and now is surrounded by friends, community and diversity, and "that's what it's all about." True story (though she's still behind big walls in the giant house on Windward that took out historic arches and columns, but that's a topic for another day). She added that her late husband (sculptor Robert Graham) always said that Venice was the one place that is unpredictable in Los Angeles, "Outside the limits, where you're allowed to be who you are." Amen, Sister.

With that, it was time for the countdown and the flipping of the switch to turn our Venice sign to its holiday red and green brilliance. The lights came on and the people of Venice cheered the arrival of another beautiful holiday season. Suddenly, way up on top of the Bank Of Venice rooftop, there was an illuminated sighting of Santa Claus (Samakow) himself! Kids went nuts pointing and yelling for him - and then he was gone. He reappeared at street level soon thereafter, and all the folks in Santa hats (or Norwegian sweaters) lined up to be photographed with him.

After some tunes from The Dustbowl Revival, the crowd dispersed to take advantage of all the different options going on that night.

As everyone spread out and shouted their greetings/plans to friends and neighbors, you got that almost giddy feeling that comes with evenings like this (and egg nog). That everyone was having a good time, and all was well in Venice, on a not even close to silent night.

Gratitude to everyone who put it on, and to everyone who went. What a beautiful time. May these holidays be merry and bright for us all!

Repeal Day At The Townhouse!

Yesterday, December 5th, marked the 80th anniversary of the ending of Prohibition, and The Townhouse/Del Monte Speakeasy celebrated in high style. What a blast!

Proprietors Louie and Netty Ryan hosted the party, which featured a pig roast meal upstairs- FREE to ALL! - courtesy of Oscar's Cerveteca.

They blew through two whole pigs (and a spread of delicious sides, all set up on the pool table) before the lecture downstairs was even through.

Yes, the lecture. A standing room only crowd (of a much greyer demographic than usually packs in, with lots of mountain men chapeaux, suspenders and ironic mustaches) filled the downstairs Del Monte Speakeasy to listen to cocktail historian, Richard Foss, hold court about the history and good times had with liquor over the centuries.

It was very informative and entertaining, made even more so by the fact that the staff was delivering theme drinks that corresponded to the slide show throughout the talk. We were greeted with a glass of a whiskey-based Repeal Day Punch (delicious). That led to the Pisco something, the French 75 and The Last Word. I couldn't always hear the stories behind everything, because I had squeezed in right by the bar where the tenders were shaking up all those cocktails. It kind of added to the experience, actually.

By the end of the lecture, people were feeling pretty good. When the last slide proclaimed "Prohibition OVER!", it was met with rowdy cheers, while the fact that Foss told us there was still a Prohibition Party (that received like 536 votes in 2012!) was shot down with jeers. I mean, really. If you'd like to know even more, there is a Museum of the American Cocktail! Good stuff.

After some mingling, it was back upstairs for a good old fashioned Old Fashioned. Brad Kay played era-appropriate jazz downstairs, while the upstairs bar got more and more crowded as drinks were 1933 priced at $1 from 10 - 11 pm. (As were coffees next door at Menotti's). Yowza.

Many thanks once again to the Ryans and the entire staff of The Townhouse/Del Monte Speakeasy for a stroll back through time, done up beautifully and generously for our whole town to enjoy. As Mr. Foss said at the end of his program, "Come back. This place is always this fun!" True story ... then AND now.

Animal House - A Venice Landmark

Animal House has been decking out Venetians for so long that owner, Ronny Kleyweg, can't remember exactly when he opened. "The '70s? The early 80s? I'm not that good at the math." Me neither, but I DO know that I've loved every time I've ever stepped through the door at 66 Windward Avenue, and it has been many.

Kleyweg's family came over on a boat from Holland in 1959, straight to Culver City (where his neighbor was Jeff Ho). A teenaged Kleyweg got a job working at Aardvark's Venice location, which he managed for 10 years. This stint taught him all the ropes of managing a vintage clothing business, and he opened his first shop of his own called A-Zoo ("Because Venice is a zoo") in the spot that is now Venice Originals. The current Animal House space used to be an ice cream manufacturing place, and when the owner tired of that, he sold it to Kleyweg, and Animal House has been there ever since ... over 30 years now.

Back in the 1970s, it was all about roller skating and skateboarding in Venice (see, SOME things never change!). Kleyweg and his friends, Daryl Hazen and Jeff Rosenberg, used to host big skate bashes, attended by all the celebrities of the day - Brooke Shields, Scott Baio, Patrick Swayze, etc... - and it was all about afros and spandex. Rosenberg had the idea to put the polyurethane wheels from skateboards on to roller skates, and then it all just blew up. Stores like Cheap Skates, and the United Skates of America kept everyone rolling, and Kleyweg even appeared in a movie called, Skatetown USA  that showed off those disco times in Venice. (I'm urging him to screen it at the shop - stay tuned!)

Animal House has always been at the center of the action, a bedrock of the Windward neighborhood and must-stop year after year for loyal tourists that have found treasures there on their previous visits to Venice. Animal House is known world-wide for the remarkable selection of vintage pieces, rare and collectible, from concert tees to original Pucci dresses and Aloha shirts that sell for thousands of dollars. The biggest international customers are the Japanese, who will line up once a month, 40 deep sometimes, waiting for the doors to open, so eager are they to snap up the Americana items they love so much (especially vintage Levis). Kleyweg has already done a lot of the treasure hunting for you, so that when you go through the racks of things, they've already been edited to be just the very coolest pieces.

It's not just clothing either. Animal House is a great place to find vintage skateboards, books, bags, jewelry, art,  ... all of it contributing to the laid back beach vibe felt inside the shop, and right outside the door just steps away from the sand, sun and show that is the Venice Boardwalk. The shop has expanded from vintage only to carrying new lines as well. Clark's Shoes, Havianas, Splendid, Diesel, Goorin Hats, Hanky Panky, Vans ... all compete in the contest of when was cooler, then or now? It's ALL cool, if you ask me.

That's pretty much Kleyweg's attitude about Venice too. It's ALL cool. When I asked him about how much things have been changing around town, he shrugged and said, "It's change, it's fine," in the easy-going way that has made him such a valued member of the neighborhood for so long. His two sons grew up coming to the store with Dad, and would stand on step-stools to help ring customers up. The merchants on Windward are friends. Kleyweg and his dear friend, Louie Ryan (Townhouse, Menotti's) and Danny Samakow and James Evans (James Beach, Danny's Deli, The Canal Club) are leading the charge for a Windward Revival, coming together and organizing FUN for the community. I saw Ryan and Kleyweg out on ladders hanging up Christmas lights along the arches the other day, out of their own pockets, out of their own time, because it's just more fun. Animal House has always thrown great parties, just for still more fun (the next one is December 13th, a holiday jam with live music from Tom Freund).

In talking about how much HAS changed, Kleyweg mentioned that often people are relieved when they visit Venice again, and find that Animal House is still here after all these years. "Money does talk, so it's important for people to remember what they love about Venice when deals are being made. Some people don't get it. WE care." Yes, we do.

With the rich and famous (Johnny Depp, Brian Setzer, Gwen Stefani, etc etc...) frequenting Venice, the locals are still Kleyweg's favorite customers, creating friends and relationships that have stood the test of time. Gone now are his old favorite restaurants, the Meatless Mess Hall - a vegetarian spot on the Boardwalk that Kleyweg would take all his first dates to, and the Pelican's Catch - a seafood place where The Barnyard is now. He misses them, you can tell (especially the spinach nut burger at the Meatless Mess Hall). What remains is what made Kleyweg love it here in the first place, "The Beach vibe and the girls everywhere!" True enough, and as he added with a knowing smile, "I think it's going to stay special here for a long time."

It will if we can keep people like Kleyweg around. He still loves going to work every day. He loves the hunt for classic vintage finds. He loves how every day is different, and it's all ever-changing. He loves "hanging out with Louie," and seeing what's new around town. Most of all, he loves "the EXPERIENCE of Venice."

After showing me some excellent photos of himself in his own afro and spandex, and the various incarnations of the facade of the building, Kleyweg and I were standing in front of the shop in the sunshine, talking about the changes through the years. A friend of Kleyweg's passed by and said, "Whatever version of Animal House it is, it's always a landmark." There in the shadow of the Venice sign, standing next to one of the historic Windward columns, with people waving as they rode by on their bikes, that fact was never more true. Thank you, Animal House, for being there for Venice all these years ... and many more!

The Free Venice Beachhead Turns 45!

The Free Venice Beachhead turned 45 years old, and Venice celebrated last night. One of the last remaining free presses in the country, we try to tell the best stories, news and events of our beloved town every month. The entire thing is run on donations, and all the Collective staff are volunteers. It's a lot of hard work, and very behind the scenes, so it was fun to meet readers and neighbors at the party last night at Beyond Baroque, and make our world a little smaller.

People mingled in the lobby, drinking wine, eating snacks (all donated - thank you!) and catching up on the current events around town.

It was a packed house, and many in attendance had contributed to the Beachhead in some way during its existence. Juan was there with probably his best hat ever.

We had a merch table stocked with t-shirts, posters, magnets, and even phone covers! People were encouraged to donate or become sustainers of the paper, as every month it's a wondrous thing to come up with enough to print 10,000 copies for our readers.

After much fellowship and chatting (which continued in the lobby even during the program - that's where the wine was ...), it was time for music and poetry. 

The Venice Street Legends played a few Johhny Cash tunes with Kathy Leonardo and got toes tapping. Then Roger Houston, Hillary Kaye, Tina Catalina Corcoran, Krista Schwimmer and Pegarty Long all read poems about The Beachhead and special times they've had in Venice. It was surprisingly emotional, as I realized how very many people feel the same way I do about this wonderful place we live, and how much we all want to keep it special.

After a brief intermission, we had more fantastic poets share their talent and thoughts on their muse, Venice.  Ronald McKinley spoke of how his daughter contacted him after 15 years after reading a poem of his in our online edition. Karl Abrams and Mary Getlein read their always excellent works. Mary always just kills me with her heartfelt thoughts and gigantic heart. She even spoke-sang one of her poems, which I'd never seen her do. She dedicated one to Suzy Williams, who was about to play. It was beautiful. ALL the poems were beautiful.

Jim Smith brought along the very first copy of the Beachhead from 1968 - only four pages, but full of spirit. He read a poem he wrote in honor of the 45th year and we have to get it published as soon as we can. It was epic.

After all that depth and emotion (and humor!), it was time to cut loose and celebrate. Suzy Williams (backed up by Eric Ahlberg, Sam Clay and Steve Weisberg) tore it up (in her "I'm a Venice Beachhead shirt - get yours!), and even dedicated a song to ME, which gave me a lump in my throat. You write your stories but you never really know if people like them, or even read them, once they're out there, so it's always so gratifying to have someone say they mean something to them. Bless her.

By the last of Suzy's songs, the whole place was up and dancing.

 
We were celebrating freedom, celebrating the paper, but most of all, celebrating our Venice. 

Pegarty Long read a poem by her late twin sister, Philomene Long, the former Poet Laureate of Venice. I think it pretty much says it all ...

Venice, city conceived in imagination for imagination
With body intact -the canals, the welcoming houses
The people came. It happened - the magic -- unexplainable
Venice becoming the city imagined
A city like no other city on earth
Its community of Venetians giving her a soul
Bright. Transcendent. The soul of Venice
A gift, which cannot be bought nor stolen
This is the gift out right, freely given
To those open to receive it; for those who listen

But Venice transcendent still needs a body
It can be, has been, wounded
It can die; live on only in history

So we here today, as with previous Venetians
Welcome all as neighbor, loving freely
At the same time preserve and protect our radiant city
With magic and practicality
And with the hope of a pale green egg-almost iridescent
In a Venice afternoon light
That resolve passed on from those that have gone before us
For them as for ourselves, and for those that will follow
Will walk upon our footsteps into the next century
That the light of Venice not be extinguished
Nor diminished, nor simply be maintained.
But that light burn, burn, burn into a boundless luminosity!

-- Philomene Long

It's like Mary Getlein wrote in our current issue: "That is what's really great about Venice - people read your poems." Please support YOUR local paper in any way you can. Volunteer, donate, support financially, submit articles and poems. It is there for everyone. Happy 45th to our Free Venice Beachhead! Here's to many, many more.