Sometimes the most memorable trips are the least planned. Who could have guessed that my sister Shannon and I would end up in the Los Angeles area at an art show or a publication party for Heather King, author of the new book Redeemed? Or that we would find ourselves at Paramount Studios being personally guided around by the costume designer working on Eddie Murphy's next movie?
It all happened because of friendship and open minds. Two and a half years before setting foot on Venice Beach, Calif., my sister and I had been travelling in Vietnam, where we met an unforgettable individual.
The Santa Monica Pier features a permanent amusement park.
We never would have known that one chance meeting with a self-proclaimed "trash artist" would lead to yet another adventure.
Margi Scharff, the artist we stumbled upon at a guest house in Vietnam, had been collecting street trash in Asia and assembling it into intricate collages, all while living off $10 US per day. We enjoyed several humid hours together sharing stories and sweet coffee. And from that meeting, a distant friendship formed.
Though Margi didn't technically have a home, she said she was from Los Angeles, and after several e-mails and an invitation to her art show, we lost touch. Then we discovered recently that she had died from ovarian cancer. My sister and I realized we had to see what was to be her final art show.
Who knew that out-of-the-blue, my sister and I would be hiking in the rolling hills of Topanga Canyon, watching surfers carve through pier stands at Venice Pier, or admiring a sea-and-sky-soaked carnival on the Santa Monica pier? By being open to new experiences and trusting our instincts, we had four days of fun guided by a woman who no longer walked the same earth as us.
Instead of a trip itinerary and maps and plans, things that most people create before a trip, we decided to let the mood take us. Luckily, a good friend of Margi's led us to experiences that could never have been planned.
My sister and I slept at a small hotel on Venice Beach near Overtones Gallery, where Margi's art was displayed. Venice Beach is an eclectic area, to say the least.
In the 1890s, tobacco baron Abbot Kinney created what is known today as Venice. His desire was to re-create Venice, Italy -- canals and all. But with many setbacks such as fires, sea storms, and ultimately a smoking-related death, Kinney's dream went through some tumultuous times.
Venice has been an area in flux. My sister and I explored the funky canals with their bridges and walkways and views of unique homes. The Venice Boardwalk on the beach is a crazy patchwork quilt of sunglass stands, tattoo artists, skateboarders, buskers, homeless people and sometimes celebrities, and includes the famous Muscle Beach with its show-off studs flexing for the passersby.
We watched hundreds of people gather around a drumming circle and then continued down the beach to feast on swordfish steaks at the Venice Whaler, a restaurant/bar with an upstairs patio and ocean views.
Visiting Overtones Gallery, also in Venice, was a moving experience. This was where we met Margi again, the intrepid traveller, artist and brave woman who managed to live off her art sales and explore the world.
We admired her intricate collages created from whatever bits in the street she found that moved her. They held the fibres of cultures from Vietnam to India, all infused with the spirit that we felt in the artist herself.
Through Margi's friend, we were lucky enough to attend a publication party in Hollywood for Heather King, author of Redeemed.
On the drive to Hollywood, we got the inevitable glimpse of the HOLLYWOOD sign, and at the party we met many artists, ate unbelievably good food and befriended a costume designer from Paramount Film Studios.
Not only did she direct us to the red carpet the night before the Oscars, she also got us passes to Paramount.
At Paramount we were able to see the back lots where the stars hang out in trailers and sets are built and performed on.
Hiking is not the first thing people think about when Los Angeles is mentioned. But Margi was an adventurer, so we drove north from Venice to Topanga Canyon and donned our hiking gear. Rain poured down and made the path slick with mud, but the view of rolling hills and green trees was worth it.
We wound our way up the hillside and breathed in fresh, moist air as views of numerous valleys opened up beneath us. At the summit was Eagle Rock, a large stone outcrop that seemed to gaze up toward the sky like a bird looking at its playground.
We finished off our trip shopping in Santa Monica, only minutes north of Venice Beach. Shops such as Restoration Hardware, Rip Curl, J. Crew and Banana Republic lined either side of Santa Monica Boulevard. The strip is blocked from traffic to make shopping more enjoyable, affording frequent breaths of air between shops.
As we walked down Venice Beach at sunset, amazed by the wide swath of sand and waves and breaking clouds, we felt lucky to be guided by an invisible friend who had so much life, talent and spunk.
Thanks, Margi.
-- Canwest News Service
IF YOU GO
Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is an
easy 10-minute drive from Venice
Beach. Bring a detailed city map
for driving.
I would recommend staying at
the Venice Beach House. It is a
historic arts and crafts house
across the street from the beach.
Covered in ivy, this little gem is
beautiful and has themed rooms.
Book early, as it was full when we
tried to reserve and is definitely
the nicest spot in the area for
sleeping.
Try the Venice Whaler for a restaurant
with good food and ample
beer drinking.
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