Angie Evans and the rebirth of Viento y Agua

PHOTO by SUSAN SABO

When Viento y Agua’s original owners packed up and moved away, musician Angie Evans knew that she didn’t want to abandon the space. “I had been putting on open mic nights at Viento y Agua since it started,” she explains. “I knew that’s where I wanted to work and I didn’t want to see anything happen to it.”

And she wasn’t alone. Bela Mogyordoy, a close friend of the original owners, felt the same way. But the transition wasn’t easy. Viento was planned originally to be an art gallery, nothing more—but that didn’t bring in the crowds. “There were times when we’d sit by the door and nobody would come in for four hours,” Evans says.

These days, however, that’s hard to imagine. Squeeze your way into the coffeehouse on just about any night and there’s bound to be something happening—people packed in for shows, political gatherings, poetry nights, even knitting circles. What’s more, Viento isn’t just a place for one clique or a certain subset of people—it’s for everyone. And that’s what Evans is most proud of. “Viento is a lot of things—a coffee shop, an art space, a music venue—but I think most of all it’s an amazing community space. All sorts of people come here, it’s great—when you see strangers strike up a conversation over something you’re providing them, it’s a great feeling.”

When pressed for her favorite places in Long Beach, Evans skews toward the town’s most basic gifts: “It’s simple, but one of my favorite things is riding my bike down Sixth Street to work,” she says. “There are all these beautiful houses and great old trees—it’s wonderful.” Anything else? “I love people watching at Bluff Park—it’s such a great space. It feels like everyone in the city comes to the ocean there to be rejuvenated.”

Tags: angie evans, Arts, best of, viento y agua