I Became a Communist in Venice

By Mark Lipman
While attending the opening of the 2nd Biannual San Francisco International Poetry Festival (July 23-26), I had the opportunity to speak with its organizer, San Francisco’s poet laureate, Jack Hirschman.
Sitting in his white linoleum kitchen, around a bottle of Russian vodka – all he’ll drink – we started reading poems to [...]

Suzy Williams, Venice Songbird

By Jim Smith
Perhaps you’ve seen Suzy Williams peddling down your street on a flower-festooned bicycle named Gladus. Just another Venetian with pink hair going about her business in our community.
But if you’ve seen Suzy at night when she comes alive in a cabaret, bar or at a party, you know you’re seeing the Venice Queen [...]

On The Boardwalk: Friday Night With Roger

By Ian Lovett
The lot is empty. That’s the first thing I notice—the lot at the end of Rose where they always park is empty. I suddenly get what permit parking would do to this place. At night, everyone parks up in “the avenues,” as Roger refers to the rest of Venice.
And the place is abandoned. [...]

Interview with Rebel Woman Assata Shakur

By Margot Pepper
Assata Shakur, (godmother of Tupac Shakur) is a former convicted Black Panther who fled to Cuba in 1984.  There is a million dollar bounty on her head. I met Assata in 1992, when I was working in Cuba as a journalist and translator along with my partner,  aka “Guillermo.” The following is an [...]

New Year’s Evolution

By Amy V. Dewhurst
The celebration of New Year’s dates back to 153 B.C. when Janus, the Roman God of beginnings and guardian of doors and entrances was placed at the start of the calendar. I wonder if the Ancient Romans braced 154 B.C. with promises to “Lose weight,” “Stop smoking,” and “Drink less,” which are [...]

February 2008 – Interview with Venice Poet Frank T. Rios, Part 2

Part 2 (see January Beachhead for Part 1)
By Hillary Kaye

 
Beachhead: Is there anything else about Philomene Long you’d like to share?
Frankie: When she did The Beats, An Existentialist Comedy, I was involved in that. She was always a strange bird. She was outside the tip, even though she was with Stuart [Perkoff]. When he died [...]

January 2008 – Venetians In The Street

This month’s question: 
What are your hopes and dreams for the Boardwalk in 2008?
 
Alicia Garcia de Leon is an artist on the Boardwalk for the last five years. 
Permits are given to almost anyone and I think this is wrong. The lottery should be available only for those who create their own art or craft. Performers and people [...]

January 2008 – Interview with Venice Poet Frank T. Rios, Part 1

By Hillary Kaye

Beachhead:  I’m nervous.
Frank T. Frank T. Rios: Of  course you are, you care.
Beachhead: Thank you for saying that Frankie. O.K. This is the Frank T. Rios interview. I’m in his home. Thank you Frankie for doing this interview.
Frank T. Frank T. Rios: You’re very welcome.
Beachhead: I wanted to ask you how you discovered [...]

January 2008 – Here Come The Venice Papaprazzi!

By Karl Abrams
Whether it’s a local red carpet event with cameras flashing or a Venetian bohemian reading poetry on the beach, the photographers of the Venice Paparazzi will probably be there, enthusiastically snapping spontaneous photos that are, if you have no objections, blended together into a beautifully crafted internet web site (venicepaparazzi.com) for all to [...]