The 2019 Abbot Kinney Street Festival - A True Venice Homecoming

AHHHHHHHH. BACK IN VENICE! And just in time for the annual Abbot Kinney Festival, that I don't believe I've ever missed in 25 years, and wasn't about to start now. I got in from Minnesota the night before, and woke to a beautiful, sunny Indian Summer Venice day! I believe I didn't stop smiling from ear to ear the entire day, like my face actually hurt a little bit the next day. But WELL worth it.

There was a Vikings game on also, so I had to catch a little of that, and then I couldn't stand it anymore and had to get out in the streets to see my people again - though I did encounter another Viking in the crowd (as seen above), and we checked the score together (and that made me not think about it again that day). I had my first stop at Beyond Baroque to see the exhibit A History of Venice put on by the Venice Heritage Museum just in the nick of time, as it was its last day, and they were about to do the closing ceremony prayer.

Arranged by decade, the exhibit was awesome, and I wish I'd had more time to really give it the attention it deserved, because it was a LOT of work, and a LOT of Venice history. Just glancing around the walls, you felt the years and years of creativity and change surround you ... and made you happy that you had even some small part in it.

It was a great joy and relief to see so many friendly faces, and receive so many warm embraces from my Venice friends who know what I've been dealing with all summer with my Mom back home in Minnesota. It made me heart actually swell up to know how many people actually really do care. THANK YOU! We all went outside to the garden to hear a prayer from Mike Bravo and his Tongva Tia Angie Behrens. It was beautiful, and set a lovely tone of appreciation for the day ahead.

I dove into the sea of people on Abbot Kinney, and it might have been more packed then I've ever seen the Festival - with mostly people I didn't know. That's a kind of sad shift, as it used to be you could pick out the people you didn't know ... but it was still a blast to run into old friends every five feet or so. This year it was less about booths and music and stuff for me, as I really just wanted to see as many of my friends at once as I could. There was no real "Locals" stage this year for us to have as our headquarters, as my friend Matt Ellis who usually books it, moved to the desert. I guess the Winston House did it this year, and I'm going to have to help them with booking locals, as I'd never heard of any of them. Except the Samba School that closed it out. I always love to see them parade through the Festival, but this time they got their own headlining spot, which was fun.

It was such a blast reuniting with everyone, I didn't even want to stop to eat or drink, but one must survive. We zipped into Gjelina for a couple minutes and bites, and then I had to go check out Attaway, who was showing his art in the space out back behind The Stronghold.

The art was as good as ever, and I was happy to see one of the subjects of our film 90291: VENICE UNZIPPED (which we were also shooting for in the middle of all of this!) doing so well, and being his usual philosophic and awesome self.

You have to take breaks at the AK Fest, so we did a little time at my friend Darla's house, before the fear of missing out made me drag everyone back out there. I got my friend Stephanie back in Venice from the Valley, and it was just like old times, Man. Loving every minute of it!

The new Roosterfish was going off, but now it's full of Millenials taking selfies. Gone seem to be the days of ducking into the Roosterfish to use the bathroom during the Festival, because there was never a line for the Ladies Room. Sigh. Looked like people were having fun though, and I dug the rainbow awning, AND the new rainbow crosswalk out front!

I want to say too, that it meant SO much that so many people asked how my Mom was doing. People who don't even know here in real life really care, and it warmed my heart all day. I didn't pay much attention to the booths and stuff, as I mentioned this year was all about those people for me. It was great, however, to see so many booths still being put up by locals. Principessa, Ananda, Trim, The Stronghold, Amiga Wild, The Venice Art Walk, and of course, Dogtown and Hecho En Venice, were all out there representing, and that made it easier to find those friends too! I want a do-over of the whole day, really, just so I can see even more people and stuff.

A highlight of my Festival this year was this little hippie dude walking through the crowds selling what looked to be flower crowns. Weaving through the gridlock of bodies, he was just smiling and spreading the love ... exactly what I want to see here in Venice. Thanks, Brother!

Another little break led us almost to sunset, and some of the most beautiful lighting ever. Everywhere you looked revelers were snapping photos of how gorgeous it all was, and no one could blame them.

The Festival was winding down, but everyone had had so much fun, no one wanted it to end. People stood around in the street as tents and booths began to come down and the cops did their sweep.

The Venice Metal Works space was going off with actual heavy metal drawing a big crowd. I didn't catch the name of the band, because I too was partying, but they were good!

A little old lady was playing her tambourine along with the metal, and that was another highlight of the day for me right there.

The Brooksfest thing was happening again this year (WHY don't they do it another day?! There's too much to get to as it is!!), and we passed it by on the way to the sunset at the beach that I have been craving all summer.

It was packed in their parking lot, but that's not what we needed at the end of a packed day. We needed a sunset at the drum circle and a burger at Hinano. And that's exactly what we got.

What a fantastic day. It carried on much, much later as I had to sit by a fire and just talk forever with friends who I've missed so much all summer. I need to say a massive THANK YOU to all of Venice for welcoming back with such generous, loving, and open arms. This has always been the home I CHOSE, and every time I'm here it's clear to me once again why. I would go on much longer about this, but now I HAVE to go to the BEACH. The sun is out and I haven't been in the water since May ... but hope to see you ALL soon!

I love you, Venice.

Jail Guitar Doors - Rock Out 5!

My welcome back to L.A. was extra great after having been gone since last May, as I got to go racing from LAX straight across town just in time to make it for the 5th annual Jail Guitar Doors ("The loudest charity on Planet Earth!") fundraiser show starring Moby and Wayne Kramer at the Ford Amphitheater!

My friends Brother Wayne and Margaret Kramer have been putting on this event every year to raise money for Jail Guitar Doors, and their exceptional programs that bring music to inmates in prison. After checking out the merch (there's even JGD coffee now!), and greeting several other annual JGD show fans, my brother Paul and I took our seats in the front row, ready to take in another great night of music put on by great people for an absolutely great cause.

A recording played to announce that we were sitting on what was once Tongva native lands, and then Brother Wayne came bounding down the steps to the stage, punching the air and riling up the crowd right off the bat. I was SO happy to see him looking so healthy and hale after he endured cancer treatment this last year, like he was way more energetic than just about everyone else the whole night. Phew. Kramer  thanked Dr. Bronner's (the soap people) for underwriting Jail Guitar Doors being able to provide programs for young people to get them into activities that will PREVENT them from ever entering the criminal justice system ... because once in, it's pretty damn hard to get out and resume a regular life. And then the world is better for everyone.

The evening was hosted by the Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, Luis Rodriguez, who sits on the board of Jail Guitar Doors. Rodriguez has done time, as did his father and son, and he wants that cycle ended. "I'm an O.G. when it comes to this work," he said, before sharing a beautiful poem that had the excellent line, "Use your given gifts. They are not stone." YES.

Rodriguez introduced the Soledad Jazz Workshop, a jazzy quintet founded at the Soledad State Prison in California. Mr. Jack Bowers was their teacher, and everyone playing so beautifully had also done time. Ron Melvin (alto sax) spoke after their first number, saying that, "Jail Guitar Doors believed in me until I could believe in myself." He added the important truth that, "Beauty can come from anywhere."

Trombone legend, Phil Ranelin, was featured on the song "All The Things We Are", and said it was written the same year he was born, 1939. He can still blow with the best of them, and we also got  the Miles Davis classic "All Blues". It was all really, really good, and the only reason I can think of that some people don't like jazz is that the songs are so long, and you start to feel left out of the jam conversation that the musicians have going together. So, you just close your eyes, listen, and it's all good. Real good.

Rodriguez came back out to recite a poem called "The Calling". He told of how he had turned his life around through poetry in jail, and said that, "You can't throw people away ... everyone is worth helping." That's really the point of the whole JGD organization. The poem gave me chills, and also the gratitude and relief that there really still are really good people out there. Thank God.

Rodriguez introduced Wayne Kramer and Friends, and Kramer ran back on stage, this time with his legendary Star Spangled guitar, yelling, "Alright, now we're gonna rock!" and he and his band went on to do just exactly that. "Shining Mr. Lincoln's Shoes" had Kramer running around extra-animated while Carl Restivo held things down on bass, Brock Avery kept the drum beat, and Benmont Tench (yes, from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Benmont Tench!) on the keys.

"Back When Dogs Could Talk" featured Kramer doing the funky chicken and also shouting out to all the workers of the world ... "My steel workers, my food service workers, my auto workers, my teachers ... you have earned the right to be known as the salt of the Earth! You are somebody!" It was awesome, and a fine example of why Kramer rules as a human being AND as a rock star both.

Kramer brought out my friend Jason Heath (lead JGD teacher and leader of The Greedy Souls) as well as the rapper Matre to join he and the band for a fired up version of "Jail Guitar Doors", the namesake song by The Clash. Everyone was feeling it, and frankly, their set was over way too soon, but it sure got the party going!

Mr. Rodriguez came back and we did a call and response poem together, saying "Make this poem cry!" It did its job, because I definitely got choked up. No time for tears, however, as Rodriguez said, "And now, Moby!" and Moby came out with his band and back-up singers, who launched right into his great song, "Extreme Ways". Dressed casually in jeans and a hoodie, Moby rather resembled a much smaller Billy Corgan with a "Vegan For Life" neck tattoo.

The crowd loved the song, and let the band know. Moby said that he'd driven by the Ford Theater a thousand times, but had never been and didn't know it was so beautiful. "This is the most beautiful outdoor theater in Los Angeles, and that's saying something." We were all already feeling lucky for being there, but that jacked that sentiment up even more. A truly stunningly gorgeous evening, as the stage looked like an enchanted forest and beautiful letters from prisoners and photos were projected on the interior walls.

Moby said that the only thing he had in common with Jimi Hendrix was that they had both only had one #1 song in the U.S. ... then proceeded to play his. "South Side" sounded as good and as fresh as it ever did, and I have to admit, I didn't ever really know how good a guitar player Moby is. I always associate him with synthy sounding orchestral super produced tunes, and it was cool to see him pretty stripped down and really going for it live on guitar. He said he was a punk rock kid, "So I fetishize cover songs," and they did mostly covers from thereon out. Mindy James took lead vocals for a re-working of The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" that she absolutely belted out, and Moby shredded out the guitar solo.

Moby loves John Lee Hooker, so next we got "A Dark Cloud Is Coming" which was inspired by Hooker, and was very dark, bluesy, ominous, and pretty heavy. It felt right for a night about prison ... but then the next one was "20th Century Boy" from T. Rex ... and the whole band was smiling and clearly enjoying themselves while they played, so it felt like hope again. Benmont Tench was back to be Moby's keys player too, and you could tell he was having fun. There was a dude/douche next to me who kept making lame GIFs during the show, then nudging me to look at them. Don't do that. Thanks.

Neil Young's "Helpless" was dedicated to Moby's Mom, who he lost 15 years ago after a life of food stamps and welfare as a single mother. Laura Dawn took lead vocals, and I got choked up again thinking about my own Mom back home.  Moby's "L.A. song about astrophysics and weird celebrities" was next up, and "We Are All Made Of Stars" happened. I love that dang song, and his great "Natural Blues" was next, again featuring Mindy Jones in rad voice. A cover of Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" found us witnessing a "primal, libidinous battle" between Jones and guitarist/backup singer, Daron Murphy on harmonica. Jones and Murphy traded licks, while Moby laid down on the stage to enjoy it, and an older woman danced like no one was watching in the aisle next to me. Good for her.

Next up was "The Mount Olympus of cover songs, the mother of all cover songs, we need you to come to Valhalla with us on this one" ... and it was "Stairway To Heaven". Murphy took lead vocals while the band whipped the audience into a frenzy - and an older man had now joined the dancing woman, and they were both going off, spins and all, until "We drank vegan grogg from the skulls of our enemies!" proclaimed Moby. And you better believe we DID.

The All Star finale brought everyone back out together, and we all sang "The Perfect Life" together - and loudly. It was super celebratory, meaningful, and again, hopeful. At one point in the song, they brought it all down to a whisper with every single performer flat on their backs on the stage, which brought the whole house rushing down to the front to try to see them.

Then they brought it all back up to a joyous conclusion, and the hope that a more perfect life might be within the grasp of both everyone there, and everyone that they were helping by being there. There was no Kicking Out The Jams this year, which I missed, but this finale was so good that you could let it slide. Another fantastic night of music for Jail Guitar Doors was complete ... but the work continues all year.

Please get involved however and whenever you can ... donate, volunteer, teach, spread the word! Jail Guitar Doors is changing lives for the much better, and we're all better for it. Thanks and LOVE to all involved with this exceptional organization!

All photos by Paul Gronner Photography

Clogtown: The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum - A Place For All Seasons

Can you imagine that in all my years of being born and raised in, and visiting Minnesota all the time, that I had never been to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum?! That's embarrassing. What a treasure!

A gigantic agricultural lab is really what it is, with flowers and plants all labeled, even in the deepest of woods. It's a thoroughly educational experience, while also being fully breathtakingly beautiful.

I'm bound and determined for my Mom to not be bored in her assisted living place as she's adjusting to things, and am constantly pushing the limits on where I can take her with a wheelchair/walker ... The Arboretum was perfect for a field trip on a lovely autumn day.

You certainly are aware of the seasons at the Arboretum, as they deck the place out for whatever time of the year we're in. Right now it's a Scarecrow/Harvest festival theme, and it instantly put us even more in the mood for all things apple and pumpkin.

There's a scarecrow contest going on now, actually, and for me it was a toss-up between the Miss Oktoberfest (as I want her outfit) and Paul Bunyan and Babe, of course.

A super cool sculpture (or witch house?!) made of willow sticks was called You Betcha, (you can't get more Minnesota than that), and was created by Patrick Dougherty. It was super cool and kind of horror movie at the same time.

There is a Three Mile Hike or Drive that circles the Arboretum property, so that made it easy to roll around, and let Mom see everything without a hassle. She's a wonderful artist, so the idea was to give her inspiration to paint the beautiful nature and give her something to feel great about. She was pointing out things for me to photograph all day long, so hopefully you'll see some lovely work coming soon!

There is a super peaceful Japanese garden with a pond full of koi fish that we took a break next to. It reminded me of our friends, the Kusunokis, who I grew up next door to, and whose patriarch we lost this summer. We love you, Jim and Pearl!

There was also a Chinese garden, with a big wall that made you feel like you were in China - in Minnesota. That's a pretty cool feat.

Minnesota has been giving me a lot of cool sculptures, and between Franconia Sculpture Park, the Walker Sculpture Garden, and now the Sculpture Garden at the Arboretum ...

 I'd have to say this is a destination place for all things sculpture. I'm super impressed.

There were a lot of really great works, but I think my favorite was the Stone Harp, as it made you feel transported into a kind of fairy land maybe in Ireland. There's been so much rain lately, that you really could think you were over there ... plus I hear we are the place that drinks Jameson the most. So there.

There are so many different vibes to the Arboretum, from serene and tranquil to whimsical and fun, like the big maze they have. There's a lookout you can climb up to look down on it and maybe help someone out who is lost. We were on a bit of a time frame, so I didn't take the risk, but it looked cool!

There were some dahlias that took my breath away with their elegant geometry, and roses so gorgeous and fragrant you could only swoon. The flowers weren't as happening as I'm sure they are in the height of spring and summer, but all the more reason to return. We're probably gonna have to become members of the Arboretum, as I got a glimpse of what they deck the halls like for Christmas, so we're for sure going to have to hit it up again then. What an exceptional showcase of all the stunning nature Minnesota has to offer!

About a mile up the road from the Arboretum proper is their Apple House, which they proudly proclaim is the "Home of the Honeycrisp"! I don't know if you've had the pleasure of a freshly picked Honeycrisp, but there's a reason this one is all the rage. DELICIOUS. And it was created right here, by the University of Minnesota. Enjoy!

I don't really tire of apple things, so we got some more, and I even ran into a Spartan alumni, Tami Anderson! Rounded out by a burger at the Lion's Tap, and this was about as perfect of a fall day as one could have here in Minnesota. Thanks, Arboretum!

And now ... a little break back to Dogtown for Blogtown! CANNOT WAIT. Love.

Clogtown: Trio Plant-Based - Good For Your Body and Soul Food

I was hanging out with friends in Venice a couple of years ago when they had friends in visiting from Minneapolis. I met Louis Hunter, who was going through a hard time back in Minnesota. His cousin was Philando Castile, who was murdered by police in front of his partner and child and it was all streamed live on Facebook Live. Hunter was involved in the protests that shut down a local freeway, falsely accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the cops (who were acquitted, of course), and was now facing his own charge with a potential of twenty years in prison. Heavy stuff. He had never seen the ocean, so we took him down to shoot pool at The Townhouse, and then out to the sand. It happened to be a rare night of the incredible phosphorescence that turns the waves neon blue in the dark. Incredible! I told Hunter that this was a fantastic omen for him - who gets to see phosphorescence the first time they see the ocean?! Well ... that turned out to be true, as Hunter is now the sole proprietor of the first black-owned 100% plant-based soul food restaurant in Minneapolis (and maybe the country), Trio Plant Based.

While I'm in Minneapolis helping out my Mom, it was high on my list to visit Hunter at Trio and hear his story. We met up last week on a rainy evening to catch up, and to try out his plant-based menu. I'll be honest ... I was less excited about the food than the chat, as I'm not afraid to eat real meat. My brother, Paul, was with me, and he leans pretty veg already, so Trio had already been on his list also. Being the only black-owned, plant-based soul food spot in town causes a great deal of interest, so Hunter was being interviewed by someone else on camera when we got there, so we took our time to peruse the menu and figure out what we wanted to try. Basically, all of it (there's another side to the menu too!).

Located on the busy intersection of Lake Street and Lyndale Avenue, Trio provides great people watching from its light, airy location, and the dining room decked out entirely by Hunter and his brother is a great place to just kick it. We were wise to come early before the dinner rush began, as it was nice to sit down and have the time to chat with Hunter. After our greetings and re-living of the charmed phosphorescence night, Hunter told us how hard it had been when facing those serious charges. He had lost his home, his landscaping job, his truck ... pretty much everything but his spirit. His community put together a house party and a documentary to raise funds for his legal fees, and his story touched a couple named Sarah and Dan Woodcock. They rallied on Hunter's behalf, reached out to different organizations like Black Lives Matter to get support. Hunter went to church one Sunday,  and his Pastor told him that God told him his charges would be dropped that week. And they were. Then it was time to figure out what he was going to do next.

Raised around soul food all of his life, Hunter had the idea for a soul-food food truck, and the Woodcocks wanted in on that if it was a vegan food truck. Hmmm. Hunter was intrigued, but insisted that it would have to have "Seasoning and flavor!" as that was what he felt was missing in any vegan food he had tried. He set out to figure out how to adapt his family's soul food recipes but with plant-based ingredients ("I just did my home thing here"), and soon they were doing pop-ups at (now closed) Breaking Bread Café. The soul food night's pre-sale sold out, there was a line around the block, and they had exactly zero food left at the end of the night. They did a Kickstarter that raised $65,000 in one month. They knew they were on to something.

The food truck dream was skipped over for a brick and mortar restaurant when an investor suggested that she would give them money for a real spot, because it was that good. We know, because Hunter ordered for us, and WOW. I had the cheeseburger and my brother had the soul food platter, and we were both like, WHOA. It was SO good, and immediately made me un-crinkle my nose to the whole idea of plant-based burgers. You miss nothing, and with all the health issues like diabetes and obesity, and all the climate issues like methane gas from beef cows (never mind burning down the Amazon for it), it really is just a better, smarter way to go (though I will always return to Matt's for my Jucy Lucy, sorry).

Paul's soul food platter of all the greatest hits like ribs (jackfruit), mac and cheese, greens, yams, corn bread (with amazing maple butter) and Paul cleaned that plate. Hunter told us that he's had guests in from the deep South, telling us, "SOUTHERN people have come in and said it was smackin'!" And they were right. The ribs were a little weird texturally to me if I'm honest, but the flavor was there, and the yams were DELICIOUS. You can also get it all as a "Bowl for your Soul". And you should. "It's comfort food ... but healthy," as Hunter puts it.

September 30th is the one year anniversary of Trio Plant-Based, and Hunter is now the sole owner after parting ways with the Woodcocks as his partners. His daughter was our waitress, and you could feel the pride Hunter has in the fact that his restaurant gave his daughter her first paycheck. He stressed that Trio is plant-based, not vegan as there are people that that matters to, and not all is strictly vegan ... but it is all delicious.

There is now a Go Fund Me for Trio, as they want to continue to thrive, but also expand (LA NEEDS THIS!!!) and do things like add a little farm to the roof so they can grow their own produce. "There has been a tree of people who have helped me," explained Hunter as both fact and as the look of the place with all of its leaves theme. Local artists' work lines the walls, and the entire operation really is a fine example of community. "I want this to be a lovely community spot that you can come and have a plant-based meal, and leave feeling good about it." We talked about how diabetes affects the Black community (and everyone these days in America) and the changes that need to happen for that, and also how really good plant based food is - "as long as it's seasoned!"

What a powerful example of how faith and hard work can transform a life in such a short amount of time. Hunter went from really having almost nothing to owning a trend-setting, first of its kind restaurant that helps people live healthier in a matter of just a couple of years! Congratulations, my friend! It's exciting, and encouraging, and really speaks to the power of community and humanity. Please visit Trio Plant-Based for yourself and get what we're talking about - and tell Louis CJ sent you! Enjoy!


Trio Plant Based
610 West Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55408
#612-326-1326
Tuesday - Sunday 11-9/11-11 weekends
Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: TrioPlantBased