Venice, California: Insider Advice
Where to see, shop and sleep while visiting Venice.
By Sarah Medford
A Busy Day in Venice
Do a bit of shopping, track down some tasty seafood, hit the beach — this Venice and that Venice have more in common than you might think. (The area code for all telephone numbers is 310.)
Where to Shop
Abbot Kinney Boulevard is the town's evolving street of boutiques, with a few restaurants mixed in for good measure.
Equator Books Rare books and records are displayed and sold in a gallery setting designed by local architect Rania Alomar. 1103 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 399-5544.
A.K. Eleven 14 Ken Irwin's furniture shop, devoted to 20th-century design, is stacked high with choice finds. 1114 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 729-0666.
Venice Flower Garden Owned and operated by Lynne Leventen, this store offers fresh arrangements as well as accessories for the garden and outdoor and indoor living. 1136 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 314-2200.
Strange Invisible Perfumes Owner Alexandra Balahoutis creates seductive customized fragrances in addition to stocking a signature line of eighteen scents. Her success with this pocket shop has led to distribution of her products at selected Barneys New York stores. 1138 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 334-1505.
Coutula A well-edited selection of casual clothes is arranged alongside perfect weekend bags and totes. 1204 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 581-9010.
Tortoise Celebrating its fourth anniversary this year, the home-goods shop run by Keiko and Taku Shinomoto carries ceramics, lighting, books and furniture that are well crafted and modern without being too trendy. Open Wednesday through Sunday. 1208 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 314-8448.
Madley For those seeking to capture the vibe of this young and artistic community in their wardrobe, a flip through the racks of current and vintage clothing (and shoes) will do the trick. 1227 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 450-6029.
Pamela Barish Hollywood style and attitude suffuse the well-priced clothes on offer here. 13271/2 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 314-4490.
Where to Dine
Axe The quintessential Venice canteen, pronounced AH-shay, serves healthy dishes composed of farmers' market produce and grilled fish at simple wooden refectory tables. 1009 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 664-9787.
3 Square Café & Bakery The latest creation of L.A. food impresario Hans Röckenwagner offers everything from crab soufflé with lobster sauce to flank steak to spaetzle with morel mushrooms and white asparagus, in a cheerful, modern setting. 1121 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 399-6504.
Jin Patisserie Airy pastel-colored macaroons and sculptural cakes are the big draws at this tiny bakery, which also serves a light lunch. 1202 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 399-8801.
Abbot's Habit With its outsized sandwiches and side dishes, this is just the place to assemble a picnic lunch. 1401 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 399-1171.
Shima Sophisticated brown-rice sushi, handmade tofu, grilled fish and vegetable dishes are featured at this serene dinner-only restaurant, whose loftlike dining room feels like a private home. 1432 Abbot Kinney Boulevard; 314-0882.
Chaya Venice Remember when French and Japanese food first met? Chaya Venice was one of the earliest in L.A. to welcome them to the same table, in 1984, and it continues to serve Pacific Rim fusion cuisine today. 110 Navy Street; 316-1179.
What to Do
Venice Art Walk & Auctions Now in its twenty-ninth year, this mid-May tour of sixty local homes and artists' studios provides an intimate view of life in the beachfront town. Benefiting the nonprofit Venice Family Clinic, the Art Walk has grown to include a silent auction, live entertainment and a food fair. 392-9255; veniceartwalk.info.
Venice Garden & Home Tour Another regular May event, this one in its fourteenth year. Creative living spaces, indoors and out, are the focus of this self-guided tour, the proceeds of which benefit the Neighborhood Youth Association's Las Doradas Children's Center. Its popularity has spawned several companion architectural tours; venicegardentour.org.
L.A. Louver After three decades in Venice, this gallery has rightly become an institution. Its Minimalist exhibition spaces, designed by Fred Fisher, are among the most beautiful in Los Angeles. 45 North Venice Boulevard; 822-4955.
The beaches, the canals and the pedestrian "walk streets" All of these are worth a visit anytime. Don't miss Muscle Beach and the Graffiti Walls, both near the central stretch of the boardwalk at Windward Avenue; and Binoculars, a four-story-tall sculpted set of specs by Coosje van Brugen and Claes Oldenberg, at Main Street near Paloma Avenue.
Where to Stay
Anywhere in L.A. will do, since Venice is just a few minutes off the 405 and 10 freeways, south of Santa Monica. by Sarah Medford and Zoe Settle
LOG-IN TO POST A COMMENT
POST A COMMENT