|
|
| [ Back to Reviews Index | Post Comment ]
Visitor Comments about Venice Beach, California
Posted by Virgin on 2008-02-08 18:02:45
My Score:
Comment: Hi Fellow Hipsters,
If in your heart you identify as a "hippie," Los Angeles in general is not the place for you. It''s true that it''s AMAZING with its cultural diversity, climate of social tolerance and liberalism, and extremely vibrant art scene; I can''t take that away from LA. It''s however also decadent, hard-edged, covered with concrete, and cynical materialistic image is everything. Best to move on to greener pastures on the West Coast.
If you ARE stuck here for a while, it''s true that Venice and Santa Monica would be the neighborhoods least hostile to a self-identified hippie. LA gets a well-deserved bad rap for plasticness but with time you can find genuine people with a gentle heart in these two neighborhoods. Plus being at the beach you''ll breathe some of LA''s cleanest air and have ready access to LA''s gorgeous (yet sadly smog-influenced) sunsets. My suggestion for new arrivals is that you rent the old movie "Floundering," tune into KCRW-FM midmornings and late nights on the weekdays, and check out public notices on the Santa Monica Community College campus, to get your initial cultural bearings.
(For good old hippie 60''s rock, tune into KLOS-FM late weeknights. The Jim Ladd show is a total time-warp. KPFK-FM is excellent for Pacifica News, Alan Watt''s old lectures on Eastern mysticism on Sunday mornings, and a whole host of programs reflecting LA''s variety of cultures.)
Want to commune with nature? Unfortunately you really do need a car to get around in LA. If crowded beaches are not your idea of a nature fix, my only true recommendation to you is sunrise hikes in Griffith Park BUT ONLY THE FIRST DAY AFTER A GOOD RAIN. Believe it or not, a natural setting where you can easily imagine you''re not in LA at all, does exist; if you can find your way to the Hollywood Reservoir it''s a nice brief hike, and it''s open to the public at certain times (the downside is that the water is surrounded by a high chain-link fence). Laurel Canyon, a mecca for rich hippies in the late 60''s and early 70''s, is still a place within LA proper where there are actual wild deer! And if you want a serene outdoor environment that''s totally conducive to meditation AND is open for free to the public, check out beautiful Lake Shrine close to where Sunset Blvd hits the Pacific Ocean.
There''s a huge variety of resources for all things "spiritual" in LA, like the wonderful used books section of West Hollywood''s Bodhi Tree bookstore. But to be honest on the surface LA''s "spiritual" scene is dominated by rich white people''s New Agey-take on things, i.e., "Karma lets me off the hook for my apathy toward the current-day struggles of indigenous peoples whose religious traditions I take for my own. If they''re struggling it''s because they deserve it, not because I benefit from an unfair social order." Don''t let this blind you to the fact that despite the "me-first" phonies who are primarily concerned with PERSONAL empowerment and PERSONAL liberation (what I call "trickle-down spirituality"), there are lots of people with good hearts here - rich and poor - who understand the spiritual value of gentleness (over mere tolerance) and working for social justice (over mere charity).
Beyond the harsh realities of LA''s famous entertainment industry, where so much artistic creativity is sadly money-driven, the arts scene is very much alive here and is way too huge a topic to address in this posting. For example the city abounds in amazing murals of different cultures, most noticeably Chicano art. (Remember: Chicanos were here first!) Anglo artists always gravitate to where the cheap rents are, and despite their overt trendiness, Silver Lake and East Hollywood still have a genuinely artist-friendly vibe. More hardcore is the Anglo loft scene downtown centered around the former Al''s Bar, but I wouldn''t recommend that scene for gentle hippie types, it''s more for people who out-Bukowski each other.
I hope this has been helpful for any hippie souls planning to stay in Los Angeles for a while. As I said earlier, I would truly recommend greener pastures on the West Coast (for example see my postings on Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Seattle) but don''t despair; with patience and enough poking around you can definitely find kindred gentle spirits in Venice and Santa Monica.
Peace,
Virgin (getsomebutu@hotmail.com)
|
Posted by Jen on 2008-01-17 22:09:16
My Score: 
Comment: Are there any known places in ca where hippies still share homes and all stick together? I want to hang out with hippies but dont know where to find them? are they all friendly to? thanks!
|
Posted by swan2 princess on 2007-06-27 17:14:54
My Score:
Comment: Hey I was working in Venice 2 years ago and scored an awesome t-shirt at one of those sidewalk stores. I would love to get more. Does anyone know how to find them on-line?
|
Posted by dom on 2006-12-03 08:55:31
My Score: 
Comment: Venice Beach has become the tweaker capital of California. The place is overloaded with meth heads who will rip you off. It is DEFINITELY no place to sleep rough! There is a gang which has made raping homeless women into its initiation ritual. Expect nothing but hostility from the cops as well. It''s definitely getting worse even if you have a place to stay, but if you do it is INFINITELY better than sleeping on the beach! Unless you''re a meth head stay away!
|
Posted by angela on 2006-03-08 18:07:03
My Score:
Comment: VENICE BEACH FUCKIN ROCKS!!!!
Very good memories of this place so awsome. I had went on a trip there with some friends to help them find their daughter. It was cool we found her the first day amazed me. We squatted in a parking lot Me being new to all of this. Any how my car took a shit....I was standed there for 3 months....The place was absolutley a blast....the people I met are people I will never forget. Gardnerville Bill, Marlone, Peaches, Sid, My stupid retarded step Brother or thats what I called him JEFFREY HOREBATH!!! Unforgetable the people I met. Drum Circles WOW one of my favorite things I loved everything about venice. Hell I slept under a life guard tower and I would probably do it again. An experience I will never forget. Venice is definatley its own little world.-----ang
|
Posted by Hanable on 2005-11-30 04:29:25
My Score:
Comment: I lived on Venice Beach for almost a year in the late 80''s. It was great. Not a lot of violence and hostility then. I have been back since, but its never the same when u are wearing a different life.
peace
|
Posted by el_santo on 2005-11-24 05:21:06
My Score: 
Comment: Venice seriously rocks as long as you''ve got a place to stay. If you''re living in the street it sucks - the LAPD will fuck with you and the gangs - some of whom live nearby in Oakwood and East Venice, and others who come from other parts of LA - will fuck with you too. If you''re not homeless though you won''t get messed with
|
Posted by Doug on 2005-10-06 04:00:48
My Score:
Comment: My brothers and I lived on Horizon St and the boardwalk in the early 70''s. That was a magical time and place never to be repeated, at least not for me. There was plenty of everything to go around and we made the most of each day. The boardwalk was busy but nothing like today. The streets weren''t safe at night unless you were in numbers but that was no problem. There was absolutely 2 girls for every guy any and all of the time! Venice is a special place and those that want to run it down just missed the point.
|
Posted by Hipmax on 2005-09-23 15:07:24
My Score:
Comment: Fond memories, lived there in the early 80´s.
An oasis in plastic L.A. back then.
Lots of groovy individuals and cool chicks from all over the globe.
Moved on to Japan to visit people i met there and stayed for 17 years.
Wanna be back one day to see how it changed.Peace
|
Posted by Lori on 2005-08-17 21:45:08
My Score:
Comment: spent a little more than a month living on the beach... met a lot of crazy fuckin'' people, but a lot of great ones too. i''d spend time writing all the free food places and orgs that put on shit for the street kids, but that''s been done. i''ll go back someday, i will...
|
Posted by jonny on 2005-08-06 07:31:55
My Score:
Comment: Venice and southern SM do have a great vibe to them but Venice being policed by the LAPD is extremely unfriendly to those "camping rough" and living a street type existence. Santa Monica PD are easier on the homeless and those who choose to sleep outdoors but the population who lives there is quite hostile and intolerant, as you''d expect in a place that''s basically yuppie central - expect to get a lot of shit from people, including getting bottles thrown at you if you look "homeless", people trying to run you down in their brand new SUVs, getting all kinds of crap. If you have to sleep rough in that area you''re best off heading to Pacific Palisades, it''s LAPD turf but there aren''t that many homeless people in the area so the locals are not as unfriendly as in SM, and there are more places where you can hide out and sleep in the mountains. those people who live rough there have all said it''s pretty hassle free and because it''s so far from any other LAPD territory being surrounded by SM on one side and Malibu on the other, you can pretty much smoke weed on the street and no one will hassle you.
now, of course, if you actually want to live in Venice NOT on the street, it''s a wonderful place.
|
Posted by david on 2005-07-29 23:58:38
My Score:
Comment: venice beach sucks!!! HAIGHT/ ASHBURY IS 10 TIMES BETTER even tho it is also a tourist trap just like venice beach!!!!
|
Posted by hipster on 2005-04-22 02:34:17
My Score:
Comment: Lived/squatted in Venice/Santa Monica for a week and a half. It''s a turbulent place with plenty of street kids & kind hearts but just as many crazies. The boardwalk of souvenir buying tourists might get to you, but they can be to your advantage. I found a big bag (3lbs maybe) of random jewlery bits someone threw out, was gifted some hemp cord, and had no problem selling enough for food/pot. There''s free food on "hippy/hobo hill" usually, if you really need it just ask around. Best place to sleep is just south of the Santa Monica pier, otherwise you''re liable to be harrassed by the man. Stay low profile, preferably with a friend for security, and find a spot alongside a lifegaurd tower or pole so you don''t get run over by the sand sweeper early morning. (I met someone who was actually run over by this bull-dozer-like thing; cut and bruised all over.) There are public restrooms and outdoor showers to use. Found a few discarded sun umbrellas, a boogie board(Wooee!), and other random stuff that I used to make a shelter from the cold night wind. Spotted San Pedro on a walk a mile or so inland and was able to have a beautiful spiritual experience with some friends. Unfortunately the ocean around here is a bit polluted, so don''t stay in too long. Not a place you want to stay for an extended period of time, but its good to get sand in your crack for a little while. Happy trails.
|
Posted by Eleni on 2005-04-19 22:02:03
My Score:
Comment: There is no place like Venice Beach especially near the boardwalk. The canals were my favorite.
If you visit Cali you must visit Venice.
|
Posted by i heart harry perry on 2005-03-25 01:59:30
My Score:
Comment: mmm i love venice. the drum circle is awesome. oh how i love harry perry "no more steak and chocolate cake, no more steak and chocolate cake, no more booze and tv news..." haha he''s so awesome
|
Posted by ElectricShaman on 2005-02-16 05:04:50
My Score:
Comment: Venice beach is a fun place, but there are a number of things I don''t like about it.
The good: It''s swarming with interesting people, head shops, drum circles (on the weekends), there are areas to spraypaint and express yourself (i highly recomend it), and so forth. Good place to wander around while high (but be careful about smoking, see below).
The bad: The place has a lot of problems. First, sometimes there are a lot of gangs. That doesn''t really bother me, but the absurd number of police really bothers me. Everywhere you go there are lots of cops. Lastly, there are too many tourists, and WAY WAY WAY too many t-shirt shops, all selling the same shirts.
|
Posted by matthew powell on 2005-01-30 19:49:57
My Score:
Comment: IM moving to venice beach in a few of months(have to get a job first) About the summer time and i was wondering if there is anyone that could show me around(drug dealers) and such.ps jefferson airplane rules
|
Posted by inthegroove70 on 2004-12-21 09:24:01
My Score:
Comment: Venice Beach is cool for a week or so. If you want to sleep on the beach just wander over to the Santa Monica side of the beach to the north but be careful and sleep near a lifegaurd station or the bathrooms. The reason for this is that the police take pleasure in running over people sleeping in the open. Also make sure you wait til after 11pm to pick a place to sleep because you might have a very angry drunk person "wake you up". Prime real-estate is: under the concrete stairs, life gaurd stations (watch out for the transvestites under #27), restroom vestibules(the city workers are all cool as long as you keep your shit neat and tidy, most of them are "doing time")
|
Posted by jonny-o on 2004-07-06 01:20:44
My Score:
Comment: no rockchic you are the ultimate and then jim morrison notatruesmoker@hotmail
|
Posted by stuart h hargreaves on 2004-06-29 17:30:43
My Score:
Comment: The atmosphere is out of this world. Wouldn''t it be nice to sell up and live on the beach for rest of your life. We all have dreams perhaps one day. Can''t wait for my next visit, hopefully this October. Greetings from across the Atlantic stuarthhargreaves@yahoo.co.uk
|
Posted by rockchic725 on 2004-06-12 18:09:41
My Score:
Comment: Oh dude, That is awesome. I''m gonna live there one day. Jim Morrison lived there too and he is the ultimate!
|
Posted by orwell on 2004-05-27 01:20:47
My Score:
Comment: I see the politically correct police have weaned out the controversial comments from this page. Kudos from Stalin!!!!
|
Posted by Cee on 2004-05-27 00:28:16
My Score:
Comment: If you want to know, how you can smoke legal at venice beach, contact me!!!! ----> mailing123@gmx.de
|
Posted by roguefairie on 2004-05-17 17:57:14
My Score:
Comment: venice is really relaxed. i walk down there all the time from my house to avoid the rush. you can always find harry perry skating around with his guitar and a turban. beware of yuppies. venice gets to be a kind of a tourist trap sometimes.
|
Posted by sitarman on 2002-07-26 22:31:05
My Score:
Comment: Hoping to bring my sitar down there & play, if anyone here in the L.A area would like to jam with me after augest 10th e-mail me at rtysitar@aol.com......Peace
|
Posted by voodoo child on 2002-04-08 03:38:15
My Score:
Comment:
groovy, wheres the drum circle at?
|
|
| 
· Young Hippies Forum
· Hippies From A to Z
· Hippy Chat
· Old Hippie Forum
· Hippie Havens
| More California Hippie Havens |
|
Print this review
Email this review