I know I’ve moved down the road to Culver City, but Mar Vista still has (and always will have) a special place in my heart.
I can’t believe that it’s been a whole year since I launched Mar Vista Patch. It seems like yesterday that I was reaching out to members of the Mar Vista community for inspiration, ideas, support and camaraderie. And I still remember how wonderful it was to receive all those things… and more.
It seems as though Mar Vista Patch has come full circle. I remember clearly sitting down with someone at the Venice Grind before I launched the site. Her name was Sherri Akers. I had been told she was the “go-to” person for all things Mar Vista. Sherri spent an hour with me and put me in touch with everyone I could ever want or hope to know in Mar Vista. Back then I caught a glimpse of the force of nature that Sherri was in the community. Over the year I discovered how integral she is to the community. So, it came as no surprise to me that she was voted the .
But Sherri also introduced me to so many more people and events that make Mar Vista so wonderful. There are so many people whom I interacted with on a regular basis who really helped Mar Vista Patch hold up a mirror to the community. In no particular order – and apologies if I leave people out (there are so many of you!) – here are some of the great people I met and had the privilege to work with:
Diana Rodgers, who has made the Farmers’ Market the cornerstone of life in Mar Vista; Marty Rubin, without whom we’d never be up to speed on all things Santa Monica Airport related; Jeanne Kuntz, green advocate and Mar Vista Patch columnist; Alex Thompson; bike enthusiast and intrepid marathon runner; Chelsea and Rob McFarland, who made our lives sweeter with their bee initiative; every single Mar Vista Community Council board member – always gracious with your time and willing to talk to me; Stephen Johnson at Windward School; (and who taught me to not say “the” Windward School); Mar Vista Mom Sarah Auerswald; Christopher McKinnon; Andy Shrader; Marina DeBris; Christy Wilhelmi, who makes it cool to be a gardenerd; Mar Vista’s intrepid (and local resident) Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and a host of others. Please feel free to fill in the blanks.
This is really my way of saying Mar Vista is a community based first and foremost on its amazing people. Mar Vista may not have a cinema or a hotel, but it has soul, spirit, amazing cafes and restaurants and is a leader in green initiatives. I am truly honored to have been chosen to launch Mar Vista Patch.
Finally, I think back to the stories I ran when I launched the site and one of our very first stories was a video of the kids’ band, . It was one of our most popular stories when we launched and The Ghouls’ popularity has grown over the year as have its gigs (including several at the Mar Vista Farmers’ Market). And it just so happens that Mar Vista’s current guest editor and regular Mar Vista Patch columnist Brooke Wirtschafter, is the mother of two of the boys that make up The Ghouls. To me, this is simply confirmation that Mar Vista Patch – like Mar Vista itself – is all about community.
Happy Patchiversary Mar Vista Patch!
