OCTOBER, 2004
 

COME TO LA CITY HALL
TO PROTEST THE PROPOSED BOARDWALK ORDINANCE!!!
BRING YOUR PROTEST SIGNS, DANCE, SING, TELL FORTUNES, PLEASE JUST COME!!!
~ date: Wednesday, 27-October-2004
~ time: 8:30am meet in front of City Hall
~ place: 200 N Spring St, Downtown Los Angeles

==> to reserve a seat on a bus leaving from Venice Beach, call 310-822-2771 leave your name and your phone number or other contact information.
(if we do not get enough people for a bus, we will still be arranging car pools!)

ALL YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, PLEASE COME AND BE COUNTED AMONG THOSE WHO APPOSE THIS PROPOSED BOARDWALK ORDINANCE!!!
Listen up!

The Marina del Rey Argonaut is conducting an on-line poll on the proposed Venice Boardwalk Ordinance that would require a permit in order to conduct free speech activities. It would also "regiment" the OFW and make it more like the Santa Monica Promenade and The Grove. Once the west side of the Boardwalk is tamed, we can expect chain stores and other developments on the east side.

Both the artists and free speech activists on the west side of Ocean Front Walk and the Venice Neighborhood Council are opposed to the ordinance.

Please go to the website: http://www.argonautnewspaper.com (scroll down to the bottom of the page) and Vote NO to preserve our constitutional right to free speech without having to apply for a government permit..

The L.A. City Council will vote on the ordinance on Oct. 27. A bus will take concerned Venetians to the hearing. Call GRVNC at 821-6030 for more information.

Meanwhile, send an email to our appointed city councilperson, Cindy

Miscikowski, at miscikowski@council.lacity.org . Tell her not to mess with our Boardwalk. Note: Miscikowski and the developers are in support of the ordinance.

You can also email the L.A. City Council.
Your L.A. City Council:

Antonio Villaraigosa, Council District #14 email ~ villaraigosa@council.lacity.org
Ed Reyes, Council District #1 email ~ reyes@council.lacity.org
Bernard Parks, Council District #8 email ~ parks@council.lacity.org
Wendy Greuel, Council District #2 email ~ greuel@council.lacity.org
Jan Perry, Council District #9 email ~ perry@council.lacity.org
Dennis P.Zine, Council District #3 email ~ zine@council.lacity.org
Martin Ludlow, Council District #10 email ~ ludlow@council.lacity.org
Tom LaBonge, Council District #4 email ~ Labonge@council.lacity.org
Jack Weiss, Council district #5 email ~ weiss@council.lacity.org
Greig Smith, Council District #12 email ~ smith@council.lacity.org
Tony Cardenas, Council District #6 email ~ cardenas@council.lacity.org
Eric Garcetti, Council District #13 email ~ garcetti@council.lacity.org
Alex Padilla, Council District #7 email ~ padilla@council.lacity.org
Janice Hahn, Council District #15 email ~  hahn@council.lacity.org

PLEASE VISIT VBDC MESSAGE BOARD TO VOICE YOUR OPINION CLICK HERE!
LET'S HERE FROM YOU!

POINTS OF FACT >>> Artists, entertainers, ideologists and politicos have been gathering on Venice Boardwalk to exercise their First Amendment rights for more than 40 (Some have been there since the 1960's.) Freedom of Speech is a right afforded to every citizen, regardless of location or credo. Venice Boardwalk not only has permitted such freedom and diversity, it celebrates it in this unique area! Venice Boardwalk is an international tourist attraction, second only to Disneyland in foot traffic in Southern California. Visitors from countless countries come BECAUSE of the creative expression found here. (Websites advertising Venice Beach ALL refer to this!) Local Councilperson Cindy Miscokowski was appointed, not elected, and is married to one of the major west side developers. The Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council voted unanimously 16-0 to set aside this proposed ordinance amendment, and hire a professional mediator to help identify and address the concerns of ALL parties involved in this issue. Letters were sent in March 2004 to Council office and Parks and Recreation.

POINTS OF CONTENTION >>>Legislators and proponents reference disputes between expressionists and occasional police involvement in such matters. Police vow that they will save on overtime costs if vendors are restricted to ordinance guidelines. HOWEVER, neither acknowledges law enforcement costs related to tourists, locals and/or homeless. Expressionists have had few disputes and have been overwhelmingly successful at self-regulating for more than 40 years. Storeowners reference duplicate commercial merchandise by sidewalk vendors when they themselves must pay rent and taxes. HOWEVER, the current ordinance that addresses this very issue is often not enforced by police - who have instead, offered suggestions on how questionable merchandise may be altered using religious symbols to conform to ordinance guidelines. Local residents reference noise levels, hours of operation and safety issues. HOWEVER, no separation between the expressionists and Boardwalk bars or stores fronts operating with loud music and evening business hours has been made with regards to any of the sound or safety issues.

Happy 50th Birthday to me! October 11th, 2004 pictures to prove it
 

September 2004
I'm back!
The Sunset Calendar is back!
New pages are being built!
Keep an eye out for "JJ"
Check out the new page in "Other Drumcircles"

I trained and completed the San Diego "Rock & Roll" Marathon in June
I beat my LA time by 34 minutes!
So what do I do next? you ask.
I train for another marathon ~ that's what!
I've been off my feet for the last 8 weeks though
healing from a major surgery on both feet! YIKES!
So my training begins at the beginning, literarily learning to walk again
so I can run in the Inaugural Malibu Marathon on December 5th, 2004
representing the Dry Gulch Ranch and "JJ" of course!
WISH ME LUCK!
 

Lots of Love, Peace, Hugs, Drums, & More Marathon Runs!!!
Sondra

March 2004

Another Marathon under my belt!
I finished the LA Marathon March 7th, 2004!
Yea for me!!!

Unfortunately it was the end of my camera though...I took too many wonderful Fire Dept hose showers on a very HOT Marathon Day and my camera took it's last shots that day too! At least I finished and I beat my Honolulu time by 12 minutes!!! Yea! I plan to beat that time by 1 hour in June for the "Rock & Roll" Marathon in San Diego.
My training begins next Sunday! Wish me luck!

I've started shopping for a new camera that I will not carry while running a marathon ;-)
So some of the shots posted are my some of my recent favorites and not necessarily taken on the day posted.

I wish everyone a safe and HAPPY St. Patrick's Day!!!

Lots of Love, Peace, Hugs, Drums, & More Marathon Runs!!!

Sondra

February 2004

February 14, 2004 ~~xoxo HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!  xoxo~~

Hello Fellow Sunset Admirers, Drummers, Marathon Runners, and others ;-)

It’s not often I find myself with free time to spare but this morning is one of those rare mornings so I thought I’d bring you up to date. I want to apologize again to those of you who sent emails that did not get answered in a timely manner or you are a good friend who has found my cell hard to reach...I will call I promise! My cell does not work up here.

Ok now to the update….seems like way to long since I’ve brought anybody up to date on “What’s New” (I know…I know ~~ no entries since 11/03) So the latest news is that a very nice article was printed in “The Daily Bruin” last week about the Venice Beach Drum Circle, Marc Madow and I along with others were interviewed and I feel like the article was well written  ~ check it out for yourself!!! Nice Job Andrew THANX! http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/articles.asp?id=27255

Since I left the beach I have not kept up with the sunset calendars any way near what most of you are used to so I am going to give it much better attention (caught up through December 2003 at least ;-) http://www.venicebeachdrumcircle.com/sunsetcalendarevents/2003/12.html in 2004. Cross your fingers ~ I have a bazillion pictures! I know the last few months have been done in a hurry and are a bit sloppy so no photo critics please ;-)

I finished, actually FINISHED, my first Marathon! Kodo’s to me and my teammates! We had a blast! Way too many pictures to post in a calendar. I am with the cooperation of my fellow running mates and their pictures composing a page just for us…some real funny snap shots in there! Coming soon to a website near you ;-)

I finished formatting “Comporting Roadwise” and it is now officially for sale! www.comportingroadwise.com
I am planning to do 10 more books by the end of this year and have two more just about ready to start!

The Venice Beach Drum Circle meets every Sat, Sun, & Holiday where Breeze Ave and Ocean Front Walk meet …just out on the sand. They start around 3pm/4pm and drum until just after sunset. Come join in on all the fun!

TA!
xoxoSondraxoxo