Wednesday @ SeeSound and Friday @ Noc Noc
Wed April 30 Qool @ SeeSound
Qool Reflections of Funk
dj's
Danny Massure
Mumbles
Ill Cosby
Jen Woolfe
Kreeper
Tuzaar
B.Fly
This is a happy hour event! 6-10 then 10-2
No Cover
$4 Stolis during happy hour
Fri May 2nd - HotWired @ Noc Noc
dj's
Jen Woolfe
Lara
Osiris Indriya
Performances by
First Birds of Paradise
Pure Cirkus
$5 before 10pm, $10 after
Noc Noc
1516 2nd Ave
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
O Dinah, My Dinah part(y) I
The night before I left for the biggest lesbian party in the country, I headed off to West Hollywood for a tiny taste of gay LA. Vivek, my hetro hero, went willingly to WeHo with myself and PR Girl. He is from India, a country where homosexuality is considered a taboo subject (as is the discussion of sexuality in general), and where "Sexual acts 'against the order of nature' remain illegal". However, Vivek, of open mind and open heart, embraces a more progressive view of life and love, and seems to be an example of a reformation of views in his home country, one that is more willing to the exploration of all aspects of human culture, even those outside of traditional values.
He and his roommate Leanne met us at The Abbey in West Hollywood, a gorgeous posh and brick building on Robertson between Santa Monica and Melrose. PR Girl and I were already sipping on our second berry-based cocktails, the kind that come in long-stemmed martini glasses and just make fruits silly. After The Abbey we proceeded to an intimate loungy bar called East|West with couches and an outdoor patio (they all have outdoor patios). I love bars that feel like you are walking into a rich uncle's apartment loft. This one had an upstairs VIP room that looked out over the entire bar through an all-glass wall and a huge unisex bathroom downstairs. I remember there was a poor girl puking in one of the stalls and two friends helping her out. It was only Wednesday. My, did she have a long weekend ahead!
But then again, didn't we all?
I was up early again the next day and fully packed when DannyBSmooth picked me up to take me to my next destination of Palm Springs -- to be known that weekend as Pleasure Island. I was to attend the Dinah Shore Event, self-proclaimed as 'The Greatest Women's Weekend on Earth.' (They're not just a weekend anymore).
DannyBSmooth was conveniently heading for a (hetro) wedding, which gave us a full two hours to chat and share stories. He dropped me off at Desert Lodge, my new home for four full days of dykes, discos and debauchery. I had a few hours to unpack and start my blog about Venice Beach until the party girlz Mxxx and DJ Trinitron showed up at the Desert door from their long drive after flying into San Diego from Seattle.
After hello hugs and dibs on beds, we decided to tour around the area in the rental car in search of the non-northwest choke 'n puke, In-N-Out Burger. We found one way outside of Palm Springs and into Indio, where a few short weeks later I would be attending the Coachella Music Festival. After a tasty burger and greasy fries we found an organic grocery store to stock up our lil' fridge inside the hotel room. We didn't have a microwave or a coffee maker, but we made due with sandwich fixin's, spinach salads and the liquor store next to us that served a decent coffee roast.
We stayed in at the hotel the first night, chatting in the 24-hour hot tub for a while (which was actually more like the luke warm tub). I knew the two girls as acquaintances from out on the town in Seattle, specifically at Dollhouse where DJ Trinitron has been known to tear up the front room with her saucy selection of dance beats. And Mxxx, an aspiring DJ and long-time clubber, is always lighting up parties with her outrageous smile. I'm blessed to have really gotten to know the these amazing girls over this fantastical weekend of females and fun.
Friday morning we were up bright and early, ready to hit 1 of the 3 impending pool parties. Our first pool stop was the 'TGIF Pool Party' sponsored by GirlBar, the first of two outfits to throw parties during Dinah Shore Week. We walked into the Wyndham Hotel and stopped at a booth to pick up some passes for all the parties to be attended that weekend. Unfortunately, the mammoth 'All Event Pass,' which is the most cost effective (a ticket for the main event GirlBar party on Saturday is $90 alone!) had been sold out weeks before. Which meant in order to stay within financial reason, we had to force ourselves to stick with one group of parties and wouldn't be able to pick and choose from all of the above. We decided on the GirlBar EZ Pass, which we hoped would have a more inveigling effect on our evenings, but actually just gave us entrance into the 'Pure White' dance party on Friday, the 'Wet N' Wild Pool Party' on Saturday and the main event 'Masquerade Ball' on Saturday night.
Still, it was all worth it. After having our bags checked for liquids (including water), weapons and food, we strutted into the huge pool area packed with women of all shapes, sizes and priorities. There were bars located in every direction, entangled with small hot tubs and long lawn chairs, most of which, at 11am, were already taken. We snagged the last of the low chairs from waaaay in the back and set them up at the side of the large pool in the middle of the scene. We said hello to our neighbors, a couple from Chicago handing out drinks to their friends basking in the sun or swimming at the side of the pool. They were also accompanied by a girl from Las Vegas in a large cowboy hat and a lovely woman in her 60's wearing a sun visor and a grin that stretched through years of oppression.
Set up at the head of the pool was a stage with delicious dancers and a large yellow tiger print banner naming the hosts of the party, Girlbar. Though that day there was a DJ spinning House beats from a small side tent, the stage would be filled throughout the weekend with dancers, MC's, and bands, one of which happened to be sitting directly to our left. That weekend we kept running into LA-based Corday everywhere we went. They rocked out on Sunday, but were basking in the sun in their tatoo's and mesh caps on Friday.
I stared, mouth open, at the thousands of women partying at the pool for at least an hour. I've never been in any place so stacked with estrogen. It was heaven! Or, if not heaven, then at least the L Word.
After pulling my jaw up off the ground, I joined a few ladies in the pool who were doing what they do best -- sports. Someone had brilliantly brought a small football to toss around and splash a few who were sitting on the sidelines. It was such a great way to break the ice, I thought about bringing one to dance parties! What a way to cut through expectation than to toss a nerf through a crowd of satin'd stiffs!
We enjoyed the pool for a few hours, chatting with our Chicago neighbors and drinking $9 red-bull vodkas. I wished I had snuck in the turkey sandwiches that I made in the morning. Our hunger finally pulled us away from the billions of bikini's and we wished our new friends fun for the weekend. I was sure to give my card to the girl in the cowboy hat, hoping for a lift to my next destination, Las Vegas, but not until after the weekend of mayhem was awash.
Stay Tuned for O Dinah, My Dinah, Part(y) II
He and his roommate Leanne met us at The Abbey in West Hollywood, a gorgeous posh and brick building on Robertson between Santa Monica and Melrose. PR Girl and I were already sipping on our second berry-based cocktails, the kind that come in long-stemmed martini glasses and just make fruits silly. After The Abbey we proceeded to an intimate loungy bar called East|West with couches and an outdoor patio (they all have outdoor patios). I love bars that feel like you are walking into a rich uncle's apartment loft. This one had an upstairs VIP room that looked out over the entire bar through an all-glass wall and a huge unisex bathroom downstairs. I remember there was a poor girl puking in one of the stalls and two friends helping her out. It was only Wednesday. My, did she have a long weekend ahead!
But then again, didn't we all?
I was up early again the next day and fully packed when DannyBSmooth picked me up to take me to my next destination of Palm Springs -- to be known that weekend as Pleasure Island. I was to attend the Dinah Shore Event, self-proclaimed as 'The Greatest Women's Weekend on Earth.' (They're not just a weekend anymore).
DannyBSmooth was conveniently heading for a (hetro) wedding, which gave us a full two hours to chat and share stories. He dropped me off at Desert Lodge, my new home for four full days of dykes, discos and debauchery. I had a few hours to unpack and start my blog about Venice Beach until the party girlz Mxxx and DJ Trinitron showed up at the Desert door from their long drive after flying into San Diego from Seattle.
After hello hugs and dibs on beds, we decided to tour around the area in the rental car in search of the non-northwest choke 'n puke, In-N-Out Burger. We found one way outside of Palm Springs and into Indio, where a few short weeks later I would be attending the Coachella Music Festival. After a tasty burger and greasy fries we found an organic grocery store to stock up our lil' fridge inside the hotel room. We didn't have a microwave or a coffee maker, but we made due with sandwich fixin's, spinach salads and the liquor store next to us that served a decent coffee roast.
We stayed in at the hotel the first night, chatting in the 24-hour hot tub for a while (which was actually more like the luke warm tub). I knew the two girls as acquaintances from out on the town in Seattle, specifically at Dollhouse where DJ Trinitron has been known to tear up the front room with her saucy selection of dance beats. And Mxxx, an aspiring DJ and long-time clubber, is always lighting up parties with her outrageous smile. I'm blessed to have really gotten to know the these amazing girls over this fantastical weekend of females and fun.
Friday morning we were up bright and early, ready to hit 1 of the 3 impending pool parties. Our first pool stop was the 'TGIF Pool Party' sponsored by GirlBar, the first of two outfits to throw parties during Dinah Shore Week. We walked into the Wyndham Hotel and stopped at a booth to pick up some passes for all the parties to be attended that weekend. Unfortunately, the mammoth 'All Event Pass,' which is the most cost effective (a ticket for the main event GirlBar party on Saturday is $90 alone!) had been sold out weeks before. Which meant in order to stay within financial reason, we had to force ourselves to stick with one group of parties and wouldn't be able to pick and choose from all of the above. We decided on the GirlBar EZ Pass, which we hoped would have a more inveigling effect on our evenings, but actually just gave us entrance into the 'Pure White' dance party on Friday, the 'Wet N' Wild Pool Party' on Saturday and the main event 'Masquerade Ball' on Saturday night.
Still, it was all worth it. After having our bags checked for liquids (including water), weapons and food, we strutted into the huge pool area packed with women of all shapes, sizes and priorities. There were bars located in every direction, entangled with small hot tubs and long lawn chairs, most of which, at 11am, were already taken. We snagged the last of the low chairs from waaaay in the back and set them up at the side of the large pool in the middle of the scene. We said hello to our neighbors, a couple from Chicago handing out drinks to their friends basking in the sun or swimming at the side of the pool. They were also accompanied by a girl from Las Vegas in a large cowboy hat and a lovely woman in her 60's wearing a sun visor and a grin that stretched through years of oppression.
Set up at the head of the pool was a stage with delicious dancers and a large yellow tiger print banner naming the hosts of the party, Girlbar. Though that day there was a DJ spinning House beats from a small side tent, the stage would be filled throughout the weekend with dancers, MC's, and bands, one of which happened to be sitting directly to our left. That weekend we kept running into LA-based Corday everywhere we went. They rocked out on Sunday, but were basking in the sun in their tatoo's and mesh caps on Friday.
I stared, mouth open, at the thousands of women partying at the pool for at least an hour. I've never been in any place so stacked with estrogen. It was heaven! Or, if not heaven, then at least the L Word.
After pulling my jaw up off the ground, I joined a few ladies in the pool who were doing what they do best -- sports. Someone had brilliantly brought a small football to toss around and splash a few who were sitting on the sidelines. It was such a great way to break the ice, I thought about bringing one to dance parties! What a way to cut through expectation than to toss a nerf through a crowd of satin'd stiffs!
We enjoyed the pool for a few hours, chatting with our Chicago neighbors and drinking $9 red-bull vodkas. I wished I had snuck in the turkey sandwiches that I made in the morning. Our hunger finally pulled us away from the billions of bikini's and we wished our new friends fun for the weekend. I was sure to give my card to the girl in the cowboy hat, hoping for a lift to my next destination, Las Vegas, but not until after the weekend of mayhem was awash.
Stay Tuned for O Dinah, My Dinah, Part(y) II
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Venice Beach and the LA Underground - Part II
The only appointment I had to keep on Saturday was a birthday dinner with Pete Spinning and Oh That Girl. Pete and Oh That Girl throw parties in LA and the surrounding desert under the moniker of Monkey-Do. I met them through Adlib, who booked Pete and Derek Andrew (a Monkey-Duo!) to play for us at our residency at Trinity Nightclub in Seattle. Since then the four of us have shared quite a few more events, including the uber successful (and coming again soon on June 20th - get your tickets, folks) outdoor camping, regional burn event and all-out extravagant Esthetic Evolution in Boise, Idaho. The quaint birthday dinner was timely to have landed on the week that I was in LA, both because it was a great space to become more acquainted with Pete and Oh That Girl as well as the fact that 1) Pete and Vivek's birthday are a day apart and 2) It was at an Indian Restaurant (Vivek's home country cookin) in Orange County. I take such coincidences as evidences that I am indeed in the right space and time. I find that when these such coincidences abound, things seem to slide into place like budda.
After chatty conversation and delicious Indian deserts, we decided to accompany Pete and Oh That Girl to an underground party in LA. Less like a rave and more like an underground House party, this was Doc Martin's renegade gala through his Label/Entertainment Crew Sublevel. The venue was at a surprising location -- a dance hall out in the Valley. The locale looked like an old event center that I would imagine my grandparents getting married in, very fifties-esque with all-white walls. We parked in a spot on the street and could hear the light thump thump thump of the music. We walked around front to a sign that said 'enter through back'. Of course! Renegade parties must maintain anonymity by diverting foot traffic and noise from the streets. We walked around back to a small courtyard with a lit image reflecting over the door. We were frisked at the entrance, our bags checked, licenses scrutinized and then were directed to the cashier with smiles. There we payed the $20 entrance fee and the nice woman asked if I would like to choose a trinket from the table. There were fun necklaces and rings. I decided on a yellow hard plastic ring with a tree painted on the inside, later recognizing the significance of the tree symbol for grounding during my travels (I've worn it most nights ever since).
The inside space was none-too-exciting, but what the party promoters did with the lights gave it quite the ring. It was almost completely dark and the light on the disco ball splashed halos around the room and ceiling in waves of white and colored lights. The dance floor was contained intimately around the DJ booth by keeping the Mackie speakers close to the front and back so it did not fill the room with music, but kept the best sound within 50 feet of the DJ. There were some lame chairs propped against the wall, so one could sit down if they needed to, but to be honest, the dance floor was a far more pleasing place to spend time.
I've always enjoyed watching Doc Martin throw down on his 4 turntables, and this night was no exception, especially since it was his own hometown at his own party. Something about his funk-ed up records really gets your tail moving, even after a previous all-night party. I started the night out sleepy and listless, thinking I would spend most of my time on the sidelines. But by 5am I was groovin' on the dance floor with everyone else. Doc is just that good.
By 5:30 we were wiped, so we gave our hugs to Pete and Oh That Girl, snapped a pic and headed home.
The next day we made sure to get up and moving to enjoy the best day of the week in Venice Beach. On Sundays the boardwalk is packed with tourists watching the local performance art or shopping at the flea market-like stands filled with everything from necklaces to cigarette holders, watches and music. Type 'Venice Beach performers' in google images and you will see photos of many of the artists that set up their stations on the walkway weekly. Each week a drum circle starts on the beach and grows until you can hear it up and down the seafront. We spotted a green tree fairy on stilts in the midst of other less decorated but still prominent freedom dancers.
We walked for a bit, enjoying the sun and cool breeze. Soon after, though, we headed back to Vivek's house to make some tacos and enjoy the home taste of Red Hook that he had installed in his self-made kegerator. I had invited many of the new friends that I was in contact with to dinner to share stories and get to know each other. There was Kristahn, a PR extraordinaire who had recently moved to LA from New York and her friend Earl Dax who was in town to produce performances of his piece 'Weimar New York' (featuring the urban-icon Penny Arcade and Justin Bond of Shortbus fame) at the Green Door in Hollywood. We also hosted Jeremiah, a writer/director from Seattle that is soon leaving for Thailand to shoot his film. We were all strangers, but also artists and professionals and the conversation surrounding us reflected as such, creating a comfortable harmony between us all.
Feeling full after my artesian dinner party, I was looking forward to a few languid days in Venice before heading off to an almost certain incontinence in Palm Springs. Monday and Tuesday consisted of laundry and lazy mornings. On Tuesday I also took the time to visit Gold's Gym which was walking distance from Vivek's bachelor pad. Not only was Golds great because it is also my gym and I could enjoy a workout for free, but because this is the very famous Golds Gym that the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger (the actor, not the governor) was a member of during his days of bumming by the beach. While his original Golds is now closed, (the building still exists) the current gym is huge! It contained three rooms and an outdoor area set to Pump (clap!, point) you up. Most of its members were very very buff, especially the women. I was easily one of the thinnest ladies there which didn't really bother me for obvious reasons! I can see why so many great body builders frequented that gym. I thought the energy itself gave me more motivation to run and lift and pull and stretch. I felt great after my 2 hour workout, and when I looked in the mirror of the ladies locker room with my biceps held high, my muscles were indeed bulkier than 2 hours before. Magic!
I ended my Venice trip at Vivek's favorite burger joint down the street. After a full week of beach bummin', I was ready to head to the biggest female party in the U.S., set to start Wednesday night in Palm Springs.
More photos from Venice Beach and the LA Underground.
After chatty conversation and delicious Indian deserts, we decided to accompany Pete and Oh That Girl to an underground party in LA. Less like a rave and more like an underground House party, this was Doc Martin's renegade gala through his Label/Entertainment Crew Sublevel. The venue was at a surprising location -- a dance hall out in the Valley. The locale looked like an old event center that I would imagine my grandparents getting married in, very fifties-esque with all-white walls. We parked in a spot on the street and could hear the light thump thump thump of the music. We walked around front to a sign that said 'enter through back'. Of course! Renegade parties must maintain anonymity by diverting foot traffic and noise from the streets. We walked around back to a small courtyard with a lit image reflecting over the door. We were frisked at the entrance, our bags checked, licenses scrutinized and then were directed to the cashier with smiles. There we payed the $20 entrance fee and the nice woman asked if I would like to choose a trinket from the table. There were fun necklaces and rings. I decided on a yellow hard plastic ring with a tree painted on the inside, later recognizing the significance of the tree symbol for grounding during my travels (I've worn it most nights ever since).
The inside space was none-too-exciting, but what the party promoters did with the lights gave it quite the ring. It was almost completely dark and the light on the disco ball splashed halos around the room and ceiling in waves of white and colored lights. The dance floor was contained intimately around the DJ booth by keeping the Mackie speakers close to the front and back so it did not fill the room with music, but kept the best sound within 50 feet of the DJ. There were some lame chairs propped against the wall, so one could sit down if they needed to, but to be honest, the dance floor was a far more pleasing place to spend time.
I've always enjoyed watching Doc Martin throw down on his 4 turntables, and this night was no exception, especially since it was his own hometown at his own party. Something about his funk-ed up records really gets your tail moving, even after a previous all-night party. I started the night out sleepy and listless, thinking I would spend most of my time on the sidelines. But by 5am I was groovin' on the dance floor with everyone else. Doc is just that good.
By 5:30 we were wiped, so we gave our hugs to Pete and Oh That Girl, snapped a pic and headed home.
The next day we made sure to get up and moving to enjoy the best day of the week in Venice Beach. On Sundays the boardwalk is packed with tourists watching the local performance art or shopping at the flea market-like stands filled with everything from necklaces to cigarette holders, watches and music. Type 'Venice Beach performers' in google images and you will see photos of many of the artists that set up their stations on the walkway weekly. Each week a drum circle starts on the beach and grows until you can hear it up and down the seafront. We spotted a green tree fairy on stilts in the midst of other less decorated but still prominent freedom dancers.
We walked for a bit, enjoying the sun and cool breeze. Soon after, though, we headed back to Vivek's house to make some tacos and enjoy the home taste of Red Hook that he had installed in his self-made kegerator. I had invited many of the new friends that I was in contact with to dinner to share stories and get to know each other. There was Kristahn, a PR extraordinaire who had recently moved to LA from New York and her friend Earl Dax who was in town to produce performances of his piece 'Weimar New York' (featuring the urban-icon Penny Arcade and Justin Bond of Shortbus fame) at the Green Door in Hollywood. We also hosted Jeremiah, a writer/director from Seattle that is soon leaving for Thailand to shoot his film. We were all strangers, but also artists and professionals and the conversation surrounding us reflected as such, creating a comfortable harmony between us all.
Feeling full after my artesian dinner party, I was looking forward to a few languid days in Venice before heading off to an almost certain incontinence in Palm Springs. Monday and Tuesday consisted of laundry and lazy mornings. On Tuesday I also took the time to visit Gold's Gym which was walking distance from Vivek's bachelor pad. Not only was Golds great because it is also my gym and I could enjoy a workout for free, but because this is the very famous Golds Gym that the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger (the actor, not the governor) was a member of during his days of bumming by the beach. While his original Golds is now closed, (the building still exists) the current gym is huge! It contained three rooms and an outdoor area set to Pump (clap!, point) you up. Most of its members were very very buff, especially the women. I was easily one of the thinnest ladies there which didn't really bother me for obvious reasons! I can see why so many great body builders frequented that gym. I thought the energy itself gave me more motivation to run and lift and pull and stretch. I felt great after my 2 hour workout, and when I looked in the mirror of the ladies locker room with my biceps held high, my muscles were indeed bulkier than 2 hours before. Magic!
I ended my Venice trip at Vivek's favorite burger joint down the street. After a full week of beach bummin', I was ready to head to the biggest female party in the U.S., set to start Wednesday night in Palm Springs.
More photos from Venice Beach and the LA Underground.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Venice Beach and the LA Underground - Part I
What is it about traveling that makes one stay up all hours of the night before they have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to catch a plane somewhere? For some unknown reason, Robb Green and I jetted all around San Francisco until 3 am on a Wednesday night -- along with many other people it seemed, because the bars were hoppin', despite the Wednesday factor. I was finally in bed at 3:30 and had to wake up at 6:30 to catch a plane to LA. Needless to say, I was pretty tired when I boarded the short flight. Having decided to leave on Thursday just two days before, I was lucky enough to snag the last seat on this flight and still use my Alaska Air miles. Yay for air miles!
I arrived at LAX at 9:30 am and caught a cab to Venice Beach where I was set to stay with Vivek, a friend I had met at the Seattle September Oktoberfest in Fremont (Washington). The cab driver was a little lost finding the spot. Once we eventually did, though, I realized that I should have given him these directions: Drive to the center of the Venice Beach boardwalk and go east one street. Because that is where Vivek lives -- virtually right on the beach!!
My timing was just right for Venice (also known as Muscle Beach), as his roommate Leanne was out of town until Monday morning. Thus, I was able to enjoy a room to myself for much of my time there. Alone time is quintessential for traveling, especially if one is an introvert like myself. I wheeled all my bags inside and crashed out in the luxurious all-white bed.
I napped most of the day until Vivek came home from work at 6pm. In fact, my entire time there consisted of so much sleeping that Vivek took to calling me 'Baby Jen'. I took it in stride, though, because sleeping is a healthy psychedelic experience.
One of my biggest lessons during my time as a traveler is to learn to ground, or find my center, regardless of where I am. I moved out of my apartment in North Seattle in March. Instead of finding a new home, I decided to store my possessions with various friends and carry my home in my heart. I'm literally homeless, but virtually rooted. I travel with a few items to lay out when I reach a new destination in order to help make every resting stop a cozy nest. One such item is a small portable altar with various trinkets to remind me of my intentions: A buddha (for wisdom), a rock from Masil's rock garden (for support), a Native American tile from Mel Sky (for vision), a blade shaped from glass (for security) and a teddy bear pin from my childhood (for playfulness). I also have two new ornaments that I have acquired from this trip: a bass guitar pik from the floor of Annie's Social Club and another rock from Venice Beach, reminders of all I've picked up along my way.
When Vivek arrived home from work we took a short walk to a restaurant down Pacific street to meet up with some of his other friends from Seattle that were in town. We played it pretty mellow that night, though, as I knew we would be going out plenty over the weekend. We watched Anchorman on his huge flat-screen TV and retired early.
Vivek and Leanne's shower is the best shower on the West Coast. It has two nozzles and hot water for well over 45 minutes. I know this because I stayed in there Friday morning with the rain-like water falling over me for almost 40 minutes. It was heavenly! After my shower, I enjoyed a leisurely morning of Pilates, breakfast and some light reading (I love the perks of the artists' lifestyle!). By afternoon I decided to hit the beach. I packed a bag and headed out to walk along the water and stare at the ocean. I hiked from the Northern most side of Venice along the water to both over and under the Santa Monica Pier. There were many couples, families and singles out enjoying the warm weather and bright sunshine. I wondered if every boardwalk in California hosted a roller coaster and I giggled when I saw a restaurant called 'Bubba Shrimp Co'.
I decided to return to Venice from Santa Monica on Pacific street instead of the Boardwalk. I passed shops and natural food markets. I stopped into The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf whose ambiance was much better than their bean. I sat outside next to two gentlemen playing speed chess, read the LA Weekly and watched passer-bys, gaining a feel for the city, its people and its issues.
One noticeable thing about Venice Beach is the high population of Homeless people. They are generally peaceful hippie types that will do such things as help direct you out of your parking spot during times of high car and foot traffic. Once in a while they do get in fights and can be a bit loud at times, but after a while you become accustomed to their sleeping bags littering the streets with human lumps each night. When Vivek and I arrived home one night, two lumps were sleeping in the space between the car next to Vivek's parking spot. One sleepily moved his grocery bag out of the way as we parked and I hopped out the driver's side.
--
I was happy to have taken enough time to sleep and ground when I arrived, because the next three days would be action packed. I'm connected to a DJ that lives in Venice Beach named Dave Sweeten through a mutual affiliation called Dreemworld. He was holding an event that night called 'Demon Cleaner' at a secret spot somewhere in the city. There was no address posted. You had to call a phone number to receive the location of a downtown parking lot and wait for a shuttle that would take you to the destination. Wait a minute, you are saying, that sounds like a -- yes, a Rave! And old-fashioned secret-spot-abandoned-warehouse-renegade-rave, bespattered with Burning Man. I've always been more of a club kid than a Raver, but still, how fun! We reached the secret parking lot spot and climbed into the unmarked shuttle behind two burners dressed in goth-esque garments and white face paint. 'Wow', said Vivek, 'I didn't know it was a costume party!' At a burner-esque event, my virgin friend, anything goes.
The space was huge and decorated with couches and red lighting. There was a bar on one side of a wall and a DJ booth on the other. We headed over to grab a drink and say hello to the lovely and talented ladies dancing with hula hoops . Vivek jumped in showed us his hip shaker. He also found a scary mask to sport! But decided on a look that was far more fitting and fun. I said hello to Dave Sweeten and thanked him for the invitation. I was happy to see that another Seattle resident was at the party. Novatron was booked to play his 'serious sonic wizardry'. I spent some time chatting with him and getting to know him a little better, something that can be tricky to do when hosting parties in our shared city.
The party ended around 6 am and we piled into the shuttle to head home. After much hoola hooping, dancing and conversations with locals, Vivek's first Rave was a smashing success. So enjoyable, in fact, that he was ready to do it again the next night. Rockstar! I made sure to sleep most of the day to prepare myself for another all-nighter.
More pics from Venice Beach and the LA Underground.
Stay Tuned for 'Venice Beach and the LA Underground - Part II' !
I arrived at LAX at 9:30 am and caught a cab to Venice Beach where I was set to stay with Vivek, a friend I had met at the Seattle September Oktoberfest in Fremont (Washington). The cab driver was a little lost finding the spot. Once we eventually did, though, I realized that I should have given him these directions: Drive to the center of the Venice Beach boardwalk and go east one street. Because that is where Vivek lives -- virtually right on the beach!!
My timing was just right for Venice (also known as Muscle Beach), as his roommate Leanne was out of town until Monday morning. Thus, I was able to enjoy a room to myself for much of my time there. Alone time is quintessential for traveling, especially if one is an introvert like myself. I wheeled all my bags inside and crashed out in the luxurious all-white bed.
I napped most of the day until Vivek came home from work at 6pm. In fact, my entire time there consisted of so much sleeping that Vivek took to calling me 'Baby Jen'. I took it in stride, though, because sleeping is a healthy psychedelic experience.
One of my biggest lessons during my time as a traveler is to learn to ground, or find my center, regardless of where I am. I moved out of my apartment in North Seattle in March. Instead of finding a new home, I decided to store my possessions with various friends and carry my home in my heart. I'm literally homeless, but virtually rooted. I travel with a few items to lay out when I reach a new destination in order to help make every resting stop a cozy nest. One such item is a small portable altar with various trinkets to remind me of my intentions: A buddha (for wisdom), a rock from Masil's rock garden (for support), a Native American tile from Mel Sky (for vision), a blade shaped from glass (for security) and a teddy bear pin from my childhood (for playfulness). I also have two new ornaments that I have acquired from this trip: a bass guitar pik from the floor of Annie's Social Club and another rock from Venice Beach, reminders of all I've picked up along my way.
When Vivek arrived home from work we took a short walk to a restaurant down Pacific street to meet up with some of his other friends from Seattle that were in town. We played it pretty mellow that night, though, as I knew we would be going out plenty over the weekend. We watched Anchorman on his huge flat-screen TV and retired early.
Vivek and Leanne's shower is the best shower on the West Coast. It has two nozzles and hot water for well over 45 minutes. I know this because I stayed in there Friday morning with the rain-like water falling over me for almost 40 minutes. It was heavenly! After my shower, I enjoyed a leisurely morning of Pilates, breakfast and some light reading (I love the perks of the artists' lifestyle!). By afternoon I decided to hit the beach. I packed a bag and headed out to walk along the water and stare at the ocean. I hiked from the Northern most side of Venice along the water to both over and under the Santa Monica Pier. There were many couples, families and singles out enjoying the warm weather and bright sunshine. I wondered if every boardwalk in California hosted a roller coaster and I giggled when I saw a restaurant called 'Bubba Shrimp Co'.
I decided to return to Venice from Santa Monica on Pacific street instead of the Boardwalk. I passed shops and natural food markets. I stopped into The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf whose ambiance was much better than their bean. I sat outside next to two gentlemen playing speed chess, read the LA Weekly and watched passer-bys, gaining a feel for the city, its people and its issues.
One noticeable thing about Venice Beach is the high population of Homeless people. They are generally peaceful hippie types that will do such things as help direct you out of your parking spot during times of high car and foot traffic. Once in a while they do get in fights and can be a bit loud at times, but after a while you become accustomed to their sleeping bags littering the streets with human lumps each night. When Vivek and I arrived home one night, two lumps were sleeping in the space between the car next to Vivek's parking spot. One sleepily moved his grocery bag out of the way as we parked and I hopped out the driver's side.
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I was happy to have taken enough time to sleep and ground when I arrived, because the next three days would be action packed. I'm connected to a DJ that lives in Venice Beach named Dave Sweeten through a mutual affiliation called Dreemworld. He was holding an event that night called 'Demon Cleaner' at a secret spot somewhere in the city. There was no address posted. You had to call a phone number to receive the location of a downtown parking lot and wait for a shuttle that would take you to the destination. Wait a minute, you are saying, that sounds like a -- yes, a Rave! And old-fashioned secret-spot-abandoned-warehouse-renegade-rave, bespattered with Burning Man. I've always been more of a club kid than a Raver, but still, how fun! We reached the secret parking lot spot and climbed into the unmarked shuttle behind two burners dressed in goth-esque garments and white face paint. 'Wow', said Vivek, 'I didn't know it was a costume party!' At a burner-esque event, my virgin friend, anything goes.
The space was huge and decorated with couches and red lighting. There was a bar on one side of a wall and a DJ booth on the other. We headed over to grab a drink and say hello to the lovely and talented ladies dancing with hula hoops . Vivek jumped in showed us his hip shaker. He also found a scary mask to sport! But decided on a look that was far more fitting and fun. I said hello to Dave Sweeten and thanked him for the invitation. I was happy to see that another Seattle resident was at the party. Novatron was booked to play his 'serious sonic wizardry'. I spent some time chatting with him and getting to know him a little better, something that can be tricky to do when hosting parties in our shared city.
The party ended around 6 am and we piled into the shuttle to head home. After much hoola hooping, dancing and conversations with locals, Vivek's first Rave was a smashing success. So enjoyable, in fact, that he was ready to do it again the next night. Rockstar! I made sure to sleep most of the day to prepare myself for another all-nighter.
More pics from Venice Beach and the LA Underground.
Stay Tuned for 'Venice Beach and the LA Underground - Part II' !
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