There was a time I imagined myself driving my convertible in Venice Beach at sunset. I am strolling around the narrow speedway street between the cutting-edge bungalows with their Californian lights in the backyards. I´m smoking and contemplating the Venice Canals and reaching Abbot Kinney Boulevard for some organic coffee and shopping in its cool vintage stores. Now, I’m living here in the Californication TV show setting I have always loved!
Let´s grab our bikes! Today, I’m taking you to my fav place in Los Angeles, the Abbot Kinney Boulevard, “the coolest block in America!¨ (named by GQ in its April issue).
The Coolest block in LA
I don’t know if GQ’s Style Bible were right but this is for me the coolest street in L.A.!
Abbot Kinney Blvd, named after its developer Abbot Kinney, is the strip north of Venice Beach. This streets extends from south of Venice, to Washington Street.
With a more trendy and upscale flavor than its freaky brother Venice Beach Boardwalk- just a few blocks away-, Abbot Kinney is the most artsy, liveliest and boho-beachy neighborhood in L.A. With a great variety of vintages boutiques, galleries, street art, outdoor cafes, top-rated restaurants, fun bars lining every inch of the boulevard.
Here I enjoy my two favorite hobbies, photography and bike riding 🙂 Here your cruiser is an accessorize of your beachy casual outfit- Yeah this a seeny L.A.’s spot! If you don’t have one, you can always rent a cute one for all the day at Linus.
There are numerous choices to enjoy from sun up to sun down and so many of those choices are downright awesome. Here are just some of my favorite things to do to spend a perfect day on Abbot Kinney.
Cafes
Let´s start our day getting our caffeine fix at TOMS Roasting Co. Yeah, the Shoe Store! Here you will find a coffee that tastes delicious plus sunglasses, bags, and a lovely seating area with comfy couches and window seating. The backyard outdoor has its doggie side entrance open for your Fluffy.
Once we´re fully awake, we´re ready to go. Let´s see the strip riding our bikes!
Shopping
Bike in tow is the best way to check out the great variety of vintage and antiques stores tucked along Venice’s Abbot Kinney and Lincoln Boulevard such as Bazar and The Perfect Piece.
At Abbot Kinney Boulevard you will find coveted one-of-a-kinds that no one else has, that often come with a back story. All these store are within walking distance of one another. Use your bike basket to carry your treasures!
And cutting-edge stores like Keetsa, the eco-friendly mattress store with the “branch mattress” displayed in their shop window.
What is the best is most of these stores have cozy and front seating areas where to chill out and socialize like in Junk Food Clothing Co.
Restaurants
Ready for food after this shopping and riding therapy? Feed Body and Soul is the perfect place to have either brunch or lunch depending how much your stomach is growling. Choose from an insane assortment of mouth-watering toasts – smoked salmon with avocado, anyone?, Eggs Benedicts, healthy salads , sandwiches, and of course the great wine selection. Don’t miss out their amazing fruity cocktails at Happy Hour before 7 p.m. They have a gorgeous outdoor patio tastefully decorated where your meal will taste way better best, I promised you..! 🙂
Street Art
Did recharge your batteries? Ok, let’s photo shooting this streets full of art! There are masterful pieces of work around every single corner. You will find yourself inmersed in an sensory exploration with lots of street art pieces as you can play and interact with your camera creatively. Such an immersive inspiring experience!
After our art exploration is time to wind down with a cup of wine at Willie Jane. A cute and cozy winery with a mixed European and Southern flare. It features a full selection of spirits with an emphasis on wines and southern inspired and garden-to-table cocktails. There’s a lot to drool over. Don’t miss their mouthful homemade biscuits…Yummy! I love their flowery patio where you can cool yourself (wind down) meanwhile you enjoy the sunshine. This is one of my fav spots on the block! P.S. We should come back here for pork chops at dinner ^_^’
Once we´ve immersed in this European vibe, let´s cruise to the Venice Canals. Walking down towards the beach, between Carroll Ct & Eastern Canal Ct, you will enter into the Venice Canals. These actually got its name because it has canals like in Venice, Italy. Their developer, Abbot Kinney, wanted to create a Venice, Italy right here in Los Angeles over 100 years ago. Today it very beautiful walking along these gorgeous canals. They are surrounded by lush tropical flora and high-end million dollar homes. Many actors, producers, directors, screen writers, cinema photographers, and movie stars live in those McMansion houses including Matt Groening (Simpson’s creator), Ed O’Neil (Married with Children), and Eric von Denton (Disney movies). As a movie buff, I really enjoy walking down these canals remembering the movies I saw then in. Above all, my fav Californication. You will also recognize these canals in several films including Inside Daisy Clover, The Outside Man, and Hollywood Homicide just to mention a few.
It´s golden hour, let´s cruiser to its grittier brother, Venice Beach Boardwalk just a few blocks down. We will explore around this part of Venice Beach very soon!
As night falls, A night cap never hurt anyone, especially at the fashionable The Other Room it’s time to chill out at the trendy and good-looking The Other Room. Stop here for a nightcap after a long day cruising. There are lots of craft beers to pick from! :))
Hope you had a great day!
Elena
xx
traveling, shooting & learning 