Abbot Kinney's Venice by the Sea

WALKING AROURND Venice, you might stumble upon its canals. They're clustered away from the Venice boardwalk and Abbot Kinney, in a part of the city that boarders Marina del Rey. The murky green water reflects skinny palms and bristling pine trees. You might have thought you were in Italy, you might have thought you were in the oak-filled Midwest. Bumming around its pathways a few weekends ago was me, my friend, and my family.

We were wandering. Just looking around at the different architecture of the houses, some of them funky and colorful, while others were quaint and rustic, while even more others fashioned ultra-hip contemporary. No congruity. It was remarkable to see such variety - people's differing tastes while sharing the similarity of living in the Venice canals, such a iconic location. Far from the city's namesake - the original Venice, Italy - the canals reflect a similar unsteady balance between mankind's structures and the natural world. In this setting, both contribute to the other's beauty.

We walked, we walked, we walked. We stepped along in single-file down the narrow paved sidewalks next to the water. By foot, I could observe the tiny details: the symmetry of a plant, the shallow depth of the water, the insides of houses. I'd always heard of the Venice canals, but had never experienced them as of yet. It's easy to get lost in the intricate system of pathways lining the canals. It was a mini-journey, a tiny discovery in the great wide expanse of land known as Los Angeles. It's comforting to know that these pockets exist, tiny places that feel like they belong to you even if it's your first time there.

-- Jennifer Pellerito

Photo Credit: Jennifer Pellerito