Tuesday, June 7, 2022

The Hendrickson Foundation Hockey Festival - Every Smile Tells A Story

This past weekend was the annual Hendrickson Foundation Hockey Festival held at the National Sports Center Super Rink in Blaine, and it was the best one yet! Over 1,000 athletes and their families and supporters from around the country gathered again to prove that the HF's motto of "Hockey Changes Lives" is profoundly accurate, and movingly so. 

Everyone in attendance was all smiles all weekend, and behind every smile was a story worthy of an entire article unto itself. I was running around being a volunteer (volunteers keep it all beautifully afloat), but every person I met had a great tale to tell, and I would have loved to have been able to hear them ALL. 

There are hockey games going on all weekend, with players from Special Hockey, Blind Hockey, Sled Hockey, and Warriors Hockey (Military Veterans) all vying for the Championship games held on Sunday. Just sitting there and watching all of these incredible, determined athletes playing and interacting with each other is inspirational enough ... but then you get to know some of them a little bit, and it leaves you with the feeling that anything is possible ... with enough support - and that is what the Hendrickson Foundation is giving to this community. It's a truly beautiful thing to behold. 

Once you see it all in action, the pull to be involved is pretty strong. Volunteers all really go the extra mile, but how about super volunteer Mae Ricci and her brand new husband, Dan Casazza?! They were just married about a week ago, and asked for no gifts, but instead asked that people donate to the Hendrickson Foundation! And then spent the whole Festival weekend volunteering instead of honeymooning! How absolutely benevolent of them, with such a lovely gesture you could cry. 

Then I got to meet the fireball that is Maggie Schuneman (#11!) there to play with her Maple Grove Special Hockey team, who told me she was about to take on Edina with her team. She was a complete delight, and then I later learned that she is the sister of the young man, Sam Schuneman, that was killed last summer in an outrageous drunk driving accident that also killed Max Motzko, the son of the Minnesota Gophers hockey coach. It was a story that deeply touched all Minnesotans.

I later met Maggie's parents, Tom and Yvonne Shuneman. It was clear that the pain they will always feel over the senseless loss of their son is very present, but this special weekend allowed them to watch their darling daughter absolutely beaming, loving being there to play and enjoy her teammates and the friendly competition, as well as to be surrounded by the circle of love that is tangibly felt throughout the festival. 

 

A lot of the competition was happening while we were setting up for the Saturday evening reception, but we were ready in time to check out the Celebrity Game, which was packed to the rafters with participants and fans from the whole range of teams.

This all takes place in the "State of Hockey", so of course the Minnesota Wild was well represented at the Festival by Coach Dean Evason, GM Bill Guerin, Assistant Coach Darby Hendrickson (of course!), Nordy, and The Moose himself, Marcus Foligno.

The teams were formed from several former Wild players and hockey All Stars from all over Minnesota, and the high scoring game was a blast to watch ... but my favorite part of it was getting to know Sevanna and Shane. 

 

Sevanna appeared to be among the biggest celebrities there, as everyone stopped to greet her and get their photo with her during the game. It didn't take long to find out that Sevanna and the young man, Shane, sitting next to her were a new couple, brought together through their playing in the Sled Hockey program. They've only been dating a few weeks, but they were both adorably excited about it, and determined to not let their geographical differences (he's from Wisconsin, she's from Bloomington) get in their way. She was dying to meet former Wild goalie, Alex Staylock, as he was the only person left on her list to meet - I so hope that she did. 

There was a Sled Hockey demo race in between periods of the Celebrity Game, and I am very happy to report that Wild /Twins announcer and our lovely friend, Audra Martin, redeemed herself from last Festival impressively, winning the race by a long shot. 

While being congratulated for her victory, she explained how this is one of her favorite events of the year, and wouldn't dream of missing it. And that's how everyone felt. 

Everyone heads to the reception after the game, and the hall was full of Festival folks celebrating a great day while enjoying food donated by Famous Dave's and drinks donated by Invictus Brewery. 

A vast Silent Auction was set up with a slew of items to bid on to benefit HF, and keep this joy going on long into the future. 


The party spilled outside where there was a mobile Polar Plunge to raise even more for the HF mission of bringing hockey to everyone who wants to play. 

People mingled around playing bean bags, games, dancing around to the D.J., and there was even a makeshift ice rink outside for kids to play on in the sunshine. 

This is the rare event where people actually enjoy listening to some speeches and acknowledgements, and there were special awards being given out from Yontz Valor, another huge sponsor of the Festival. The "Valor Salute" goes to individuals who exemplify the values of the Yontz Foundation of leadership, kindness, work ethic, and giving others hope in adversity. This year the recipients were led by the HF's own Kristin Hendrickson, who somehow manages to keep all of these teams straight. Well deserved! 

Of course, none of this happens without the huge help of super generous sponsors. Yontz Valor, Hydrite, Milk Specialties Global, Cambria, and The Humble Goat (the MOST delicious goat cheese, People!) are the leading sponsors (in addition to loads more you can see on the HF website), and our excellent friends Carole Olson (Cambria) and Frankie and Dave Lenzmeier (Milk Specialties and The Humble Goat) were all there to represent and volunteer and host and enjoy all the fruits of their extensive labor. 

 

HF Executive Director, Danny Hendrickson, was probably the biggest celebrity there, if you were asking the players. They all wanted to meet him, and they all love him, because he is the front man for this entire experience, taking over where their dad, Larry Hendrickson, left off with this wonderful endeavor that he would be so, SO proud of.

It's really hard to get a photo of all the Hendricksons and their families together at the Festival, as they are so involved in so many ways, but I'll take this opportunity to thank them all on behalf of everyone involved in the HF Hockey Festival. What they're doing is special, and important. You can see the evidence of this after being in attendance for 5 minutes. They've helped so many people through their family foundation, and it chokes me up to think about, never mind write about. As the eldest child of Larry and Jane Hendrickson, Christine is not only my BFF, but the one who steers me around to introduce me to all these overwhelmingly touching stories. We're all Richfield Spartans, so the weekend also ends up being one big blast of a reunion every year too. Bonus! 

 

The Festival ends on Sunday with the championship games, and I know it means a LOT to the teams to get their special HF trophies (this year a Game of Thrones looking sword cool one!) for winning their games, but to be real honest ... it's very clear that everyone won - just for being there.

You cannot leave this event without being a little changed, and a lot inspired. Watching these athletes in action, and having seen this foundation grow from just an idea talked about in Larry's basement to what this Festival has become, let's you know that truly anything is possible, with a little help from your friends. And your family, because this is absolutely one giant family now.

I can't wait to hear more stories in the coming years ... because there needs to be a movie now too, right?

Long live the Hendy Foundation!  

*Stay tuned to their website linked above to participate in future events, donate, learn, and shop! 

**Additional photos courtesy of Julie Hendrickson Oss












Friday, April 29, 2022

Art In Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Art - Blooming Spectacular!

Art In Bloom has been happening annually at the Minneapolis Institute of Art since 1984, but this was the first year I've been able to attend (these are the silver linings of my missing my Venice life dearly as I'm here taking care of my family). I took my Mom for opening day, and it was nothing short of breathtaking. Spectacular! *(I've been so busy lately between caregiving and other writing that I haven't been able to share many stories here, apologies. THIS demanded its own spotlight for sure though).

Floral artists make arrangements to accompany many of the works of art in the permanent collection at MIA, and there were MANY to see.  We were determined to see them all - and did - over a full afternoon of discovering the flowers scattered throughout the entire museum. 

Each was more gorgeous than the next, and it was very hard to choose a favorite ... so I'm going to share many of them with you. 

As flowers perish, the exhibit is on only this weekend, through Sunday, so I encourage all in Minnesota this weekend to get there, and all the rest of you get to see them virtually, because I know you'd love it too. 

The only thing I can't share is the marvelous aroma enveloping the museum ... ahhhh. 

It sounded like the process for choosing artworks to honor was a little haphazard, as each artist I spoke to had a different experience of how they wound up with the one they got. One guy just decided to make a floral replica of the Notre Dame football stadium, and find an artwork to match later! He also got extra credit because his glass vases were hand-blown! Wow.

 

I was amazed to learn that many of the pieces were done by amateur flower arrangers! One lady was a lawyer that likes to arrange flowers, several were retired and fill their days with flowers, and some were from real deal florists from all around the Twin Cities. ALL were glorious. 

MIA has such a vast and diverse collection that each room is different than the last, and the flowers followed suit. Materials from nature, and the creativity that resulted in these fantastic creations was truly moving. There is so so so much talent in this world! 

There were tours going on, but we opted to go it alone ourselves and revel in the magic of discovery. Several of the artists were on hand, often seen watering or adding flowers and making sure their work was perfect. 

 

That was nice because you could ask questions and hear all about their process ... to the point where now we kind of want to try our hand at it ourselves next year - anyone can! 

It was fun to see some of my favorite permanent pieces so honored, like the Native American costume with its top hat and photographic lining beautifully replicated in flowers. 

Some artists played it very literal with their recreations ... 

 

 While others did more of an abstract representation ... 

 

 No matter what they chose to do, we loved every one of them and hoped that they all go to good homes when the show wraps on Sunday. They should auction them off to a good cause, I know I'd be bidding on several just to cheer up the home for a few days. I'm really not sure what happens to them when it's over. 

 

I learned a lot yesterday listening to the artists, about technique, brush strokes, post-Impressionism, realism, structure, all kinds of stuff that came just from asking about flowers. You truly could spend the whole weekend there and still have more to listen and learn from. 

 

It was so packed yesterday that we didn't really linger with any one piece, and that would be fun to do, but there's just so much ground to cover, and people to dodge.

 

We'd wait our turn to get in close for a second, then scoot away to let someone else in. This would be the one to get locked in for a night at the museum!

 

 

I LOVED this one, florally ...

... and then seeing what it represented just felt so joyous. 

In these rather bleak times - both weather and world-wise - flowers bursting out everywhere and the good feeling it gave everyone was very heartwarming. 

It would be very hard to maintain a bad mood with all this beauty around. Beauty, Art, and Nature truly SAVE. It gives us HOPE. 

 Look at these whimsical pink shoes! 

Look at the Frank Lloyd Wright hallway piece! 

 

Look how they did her black stockings! 

Look how good this coat is!

Oh wow, look how they represented this nude woman!

Mom, check out this chair one! 

Look how this one is exactly the painting! 

 

I love how the flowers match his jacket!


Oh, I want to crawl inside this one and live here forever! 

The above was pretty much a verbatim recording of me enthusing about everything yesterday. We truly enjoyed it so much, and hope that as many people as possible will be able to get to MIA this weekend. It's supposed to rain all weekend, so I can't think of a more perfect way to go cheer yourself up and give the gift of this beauty to your soul. 

 

Thank you to MIA and all of the artists involved, both with their work in the museum collection and the artists who worked with flowers. You truly lifted our spirits ... and what is better than that? I'm going to bring in Yeats (snippets from Ode on a Grecian Urn) to explain the feeling of this beautiful show ...

 "Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
         Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unwearied,
         For ever piping songs for ever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
         For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd
For every (painting), and for ever young; 

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all
                Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
 
 
 Art in Bloom is on now through this Sunday at MIA.






























Monday, March 7, 2022

Meet and Celebrate the Women of Venice at The Venice West!

Tomorrow is International Women's Day (but isn't it every day, really?), and March is Women's History Month. Thus, it's high time we officially celebrate the badass women of Venice with a proper gathering. When I zoomed into town last October for the world premiere of our film UNZIPPED: An Autopsy of American Inequality, it was such a quick trip that I didn't get to see all of my favorites, so for my last night I just asked a bunch of ladies to meet me, as I didn't have time to see everyone separately. It was jaw dropping that some of the best of the best Venice ladies had never met each other before, because real Venice isn't all that big. One of the great ones, Kaycee Smith, was there that night, and it planted a seed that is sprouting right now, with an event this Wednesday, March 9th at The Venice West! 

So many Venice women are doing so many cool things and running so many unique and creative businesses, so this shindig is to introduce you all to each other and realize the massive power behind women supporting other women ... plus it will be super fun, with a happy hour mixer from 5-8 pm (bring those biz cards!), and a night of music from 8-12 with an all-female lineup. Aloha Radio kick off the music at 8 pm, followed by Kat HallBeebs (with her backing band made up of basically Fishbone), and my special homegirl Lacey Kay (who was also there that autumn night) and The Calamity will wrap up this excellent night of lady jams. I mean, Get DOWN! The evening will be emceed by Megan Holiday from KROQ, (who herself has been super active in supporting others in their addictions), and House of Jupiter (PR Firm) and Flying Embers (kombucha!)  and the great Beachlife Festival are helping out with sponsorships.

"When women are nice to each other, we can get so much done," explained Smith when telling me about the thinking behind this event. "I know a lot of badass women, and I wouldn't be where I'm at in my life without the help of other women." I would wager that's true for just about everyone. These have been hard times the last couple of years, and many have been isolated and lonely. There may be new transplants that have moved into town during the pandemic and haven't been able to meet the incredible women of the Venice Community yet. Well, this is your chance - and even if you've been in Venice all of your life, I promise that there's some real gems that you still don't know. 

Aside from the music, fun, and promise of meeting fantastic women, there will be live painting by Jen LaVita and Erica Lane reading her poetry. The first 20 gals in attendance will get a swag bag and there will also be new headshots taken for the first 20 ladies to finally update their Linked In pages with! Incentive to get their on the early side, for sure. 

The hope is that this mixer will be such a soaring success that the ladies will take over The Venice West for quarterly nights like these, and the always local Westside Wednesdays will feature all female bands for the entire Women's History Month of March. That, plus the mix and match happy hour (cocktail and an appetizer for $15!) make this the spot I know I'd be this month if I could be. But I can't be, because I'm still in Minnesota supporting women (my Mom). It pains me that I can't be at this first mixer with all my fun female Venice friends, but I know that a community of women supporting, inspiring, encouraging, networking, and even finding jobs for each other can only make Venice - and the entire world - even cooler. 

Have a blast, Ladies, and I'll hope to catch you at the next one! (Oh, and guys can come too ... just know that the night is all about Wonder Women).


The Venice West 

1717 Lincoln Blvd. 

Venice




Wednesday, December 1, 2021

The Green House Smoke Shop - Gone, But Never Forgotten

 I can't believe I have to write this, but the beloved Green House Smoke Shop on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California is gone. GONE. Yep. Another victim of gentrification, the long standing purveyor of all smoking needs and community catch ups has shut its doors, leaving a massive hole in the hearts of so many old school Venetians. The landlord decided to cash in on their building, gave them a 60 day notice, and Green House owners Bunny Lua and Sandor Caplan found themselves having to pack up everything in order to close up shop on what has been nearly their entire existence the past two decades. The Green House was one of the last cool Mom and Pop shops on the boulevard, and now it's pretty much down to Abbot's Pizza, The Brig, and Burro. It's so sad, it really does feel like yet another death in the Venice family. 

I've written about the Green House in the past, but I would never be prepared to write about it not being there.  I wrote about Bunny in the past for Women's Day in Venice, too, but when I talked to her about her shop closing, we were both real emotional about it - for good reason. The Green House was not just a store, but a hub of the community, where you might not need anything to smoke that day, but you would stop in anyway, to catch up with your friends and hear about what was the latest in the neighborhood. I have spent hours on the couch behind the counter talking with Bunny, and saw first hand just how much this place meant to so many. 

Having survived the worst part of the Covid pandemic (so far), even though they were considered "non-essential" (and many would argue with that distinction), it was an especially hard gut-punch to be told that they had to clear out 20 years of Smoke Shop history, all while having no idea of what they were to do next. The Green House is quintessentially Venice, so relocating is a challenge ... plus they need time to grieve what was a true and deep loss in this community. 

As they had to be out pretty quickly, the Green House closed up shop without much fanfare. Longtime customers had no idea - and might still not know - that their go-to on Abbot Kinney was now gone. Empty. The stories and memories of a crucial Venice generation are now just that. Memories. Great ones. 

Bunny, Sandor, and their son, Leaf, as well as their extended family members are so dear to me, I have always considered them my Venice Ohana. The first memory I have of Leaf is of him banging on a conga drum at out annual 4/20 Sponto Croquet Tournament when he was just a little toddler. I painted his face with little leaves, and adored him ever since. Leaf would have little sales of his toys (I still have a Smurf!) on the sidewalk in front of the shop, and then when he got bigger (a LOT bigger, he's way taller than me now), he would practice his basketball moves on a hoop Sandor installed in front. Everyone on the block knew and loved Leaf, and he truly grew up inside that little shop. 

 

Bunny's dad tended to a slew of plants and succulents in the yard of the shop, and that was one of the saddest things to me ... seeing them all cleared out and gone. So much vibrancy, so much life, so many good vibes ... all just gone. For what? Caplan told me so many locals had told him over the years that if it wasn't for the Green House, they would never go to the Abbot Kinney anymore. When you take all the character out of a place, what's the point of going there? Everywhere has mall shops. And we don't like malls. 

They chose Abbot Kinney for their shop because the rent was cheap (!), as the block was as ghost town in those days - I honestly can recall a tumbleweed blowing down the road! Abbot Kinney (Formerly West Washington!) ran through the heart of town, was a main street for locals, and far enough away from the Boardwalk that they catered more to people who lived here than to the tourist crowd. Oh, how things very quickly changed. Green House never advertised - they didn't have to. It was all friends and word of mouth customers who quickly became friends. "To many, the shop stood as the last beacon of the true Venice, the Venice they remembered and fell in love with when they first arrived, and the Shop was locked in that time. It was so familiar, it made you feel at home - always the same, but a little different - when you came back years later," explained Caplan in what I think is a perfect summation of why the Green House was so special to so many. It encapsulated a moment in time in Venice ... a time that I think most will agree was way better.

The main thing both Lua and Caplan wanted to express was their deep gratitude for all the wonderful years of business, and all their friendships that were made. In the shop's last days, those who knew they were closing came in to thank THEM - showing just how crucial they were to so many's Venice experience. Those customers taught them things, and vice-versa. They supported the Green House, and in turn, the Green House supported so many Venice entities, from the Abbot Kinney Festival to getting new trashcans put in on the boulevard, to sometimes just listening to a friend cry on their shoulders (me). It doesn't even seem real to me that the next time I stroll down Abbot Kinney, I won't be able to pop into the Green House to see my dear, dear friends. And that SUCKS.

We all know things change and blah blah, but this one is real tough to swallow. Things are still a bit up in the air as this is all pretty new, but Lua has a CBD business she's getting off the ground called Vertbiotic, which you can follow on Instagram until there is a proper launch. (You can also keep in touch with the Green House family on Instagram. If you have any smoke needs or just want to know what they're up to, or would like to offer them your own thanks, you can DM them at Greenhousesmokeshopvenice on IG, or at Facebook.com/GreenHouseVenice) I know that Vertbiotic will be a great business endeavor for Bunny, but still ... it sure won't be the same as dropping in to the good old Green House to catch on up with the news of the day. Those days are now gone. 

I'd like to offer my own deep thanks and gratitude to Bunny, Sandor, and Leaf. For the visits, the support, the pipes, the news, the laughs, the copies of Vice I would pick up there, the hugs ... but most importantly, for the years of friendship and memories that will be guaranteed to bring a smile to my face for the rest of my life. THANK YOU, FRIENDS! And Cheers to you for creating something special that will live on in the hearts of all the Venice locals who loved you for so long. WE LOVED YOU, GREEN HOUSE SMOKE SHOP! ALWAYS. 

 

IG: GreenHouseSmokeShopVenice

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenHouseVenice