The Venice Canals are a must visit spot if you're visiting Venice, even though you're walking…read morethrough people's neighborhood. It must be a love/hate relationship for the people residing here. It's not really crowded, but there are continuous visitors walking around and taking pictures here. I've walked through on numerous occasions to get to Venice beach. There are beautiful homes that line the canals, and most people have either a row boat or pontoon patio in the water. So far, I have yet to see anyone in the water, but they obviously do use them. I know I would, if I lived here. It's an intricate canal system. The water is shallow, approximately three to four feet deep. There are multiple wooden walkway bridges that go over the water. Ducks hang out on the boats. The water is polluted, so no one's actually in it. It's mind boggling to think that the canals are all manmade. Parking: Plenty of free street parking.

Actual canals neighborhood walkable from the pier and the boardwalk. It's a manmade neighborhood…read morewith waterways and bridges conceived in 1905 so it's been around for awhile. It was in disrepair for nearly 40 years before being refreshed in the 90s so its a nice time to visit now since its been "aged-in" and looks a bit more authentic. The water is refreshed about every 3 days via a dam system so you don't have to worry about the water being too dirty and rancid though I wouldn't' swim in it. On our visit we saw ducks and herons in the water. They are all private residences you can't go into so the main attraction is to just walk around, note some of the bridges have very short walls and you can fall in easily if you are pushed or lose your balance, cars also drive through this neighborhood so be mindful when crossing the bridges.

This is definitely not my favorite Frank Gehry building, but it's still architecturally interesting…read moreand famous. And if you're in Venice, absolutely drive down Main street and see this. It's stunning. As it is now a Google building, if you're taking pictures of this wonder of architecture, security WILL come out to question you. Because, you know, Google cares about privacy. Theirs.

Do you like spotting the "world's largest" types? e.g. world's largest ball of yarn, world's…read morelargest picnic basket, typically strewn out around rural parts of Kansas or Idaho, places you'll likely never need to visit? If the answer is yes, then boy, this spot is for you! Although not officially named the "world's largest pair or binoculars," it probably could be! Good for pulling over, snapping a photo, and then moving along.

The building is the Venice Renaissance Building. It is a dual purposed building with businesses &…read morecondos. On the front, at the corner of Main Street & Rose Avenue, there is this 30 foot tall Ballerina Clown or Clownerina affixed to it. CVS is right underneath this public art. When one thinks of a ballerina, a female comes to mind. One odd thing about this art is that the while most of its features are that of a woman, the head is definitely a man's! Here, you have a combination of male & female; and classically trained performer & a street performer all rolled into one sculpture. There's even a spotlight circle on the background to highlight the star (at night, there are real lights shining up at it). The Ballerina Clown is wearing red ballet slippers & a wire mesh tutu and standing on a soapbox. Very unique! Sure, this may be a super odd piece of artwork, but there's good reasoning behind it! There are tons of oddities in Venice! There was a 12' version of this clown at MOCA. Jonathan Borofsky was working on other projects and showed the clown to Harlan Lee and he had this clown commissioned for this building. Lee said, "My head started spinning like crazy. The beauty of the body is the beauty of Venice, the Pacific Ocean and the Boardwalk, and the sad face is the sadness of the homeless wandering around Venice. 25 years later, it's still valid." That was in 2014. So, this Ballerina Clown was erected in 1989. The clown's right leg originally was intended to continually kick, but the tenants complained that the mechanical leg was noisy so it was unplugged. For the 25th Anniversary, Lee repaired the mechanical leg and got permits. Not sure how long the kicking has lasted, but the leg has NOT been in motion for most of the time. I read it was kicking from 1PM-6PM daily. While you're here, make sure to go across Main Street and head South to set your eyes on the giant Binoculars! It's really cool, too! I was here at about 10:45AM, so I missed the "action". I wanted to get a real kick out of seeing the leg in motion, so I guess I will need to come back!

I just reviewed the Binocular Building with a mention of the Clown Building, but the Ballerina…read moreClown sculpture is so cool I think it deserves its own shout. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/O0BOGG3AdUEjcq4zA2t9ew?select=kLBPfXsKw2ZFCTer8PrrJA I first saw the infamous clown just minutes after I first laid eyes on those giant binoculars. I had relocated to LA from the Midwest the night before. My very first thought was: Well I'll be a hog smog of a mog dog, what the fook is that??!! I swear that thing was raising its leg in a kick the first time I saw it. Or maybe I just wished it would. There used to be a Koo Koo Roo under the Borofsky sculpture, and I got food from there often, and carried it home a few blocks to my walk street apartment. So.....did you ever stand under the clown and try to look up his skirt? Neither did I!! Certainly not. *cough*can't see anything*cough*

The Spadena House is like something straight out of early 20th Century Hollywood Movie. It was so…read morecool to experience this prop-looking house. It was ornate and beautiful! I definitely recommend taking your young ones to marvel at its beauty from afar. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to go past the gate. I heard that the house is opened up once a year on Halloween. It is then you can experience the Witch's House on a more personal level. I hope we can go tour inside one day! I highly recommend coming here!

Some locals call it the Witches House. Spadena is just so much fun. Try parking down the street and…read morewalking up. It is a nice walk. It is in Beverly Hills and you are not far from shopping and all sorts of fun things to do there. It looks like an old Hollywood movie. I think it was a little studio and moved here. I am not sure. Kids love it with all the cool colors of the house. They also have a Koi pond that is ever so pretty. It is best to visit around Halloween because they really decorate it, but anytime of year is fine. It is just a fun thing to do on a nice day. Do not go when it is raining, there is no cover for you. Have a great time.

Amazing park with Summer Concerts. This is a really nice…read morevenue and if you're in the area, such as going to Chez Jay Restaurant or the Santa Monica pier you should definitely check it out. Excellent . If you're in the area, I definitely would check this out. It's very close to the Santa Monica pier

We visited this park as part of an event with Active SGV. I loved how the environment was so…read moreserene, clean, and well manicured. We were there in the early mid-morning and listened to a talk about the watershed preservation. I was impressed with how clean everything was and most especially the restroom. They were super clean, well maintained, and well lit. Me and my daughter felt safe. I was surprised to note that when we returned later in the day that there is an attendant available to answer questions or provide support. This place is a winner in my book.

The house itself is interesting, and the rotating exhibits offer a reason to come back…read more Sadly the atmosphere isn't always welcoming. I've been a couple times now, the first time I don't recall any issues, but recently I found the docents oddly unfriendly. As I waited for a friend to use the restroom, they kept peering out of their office to check on me as though I was looking for trouble. Their problem was that you're not supposed to explore the bottom level without guidance. It's a stupid rule. The museum is small enough to explore in less than 30 minutes, so being forced to have someone guide you makes it feel very stuffy. It'd be much nicer to simply offer a guide, that's the point of a docent, I thought. Maybe just go in and ignore them, it'll be more entertaining that way.

California Heritage Museum was built in 1894, the building that houses different museum exhibits…read more It is a multicultural facility that promote the history and cultures of the people that comprise the California community. This museum is located on Main street in Ocean Park, Santa Monica. I accidentally strolled by Main street and saw this museum. It's a very small museum whereby you can see the entire museum in 5 minutes! And I'm not being facetious. You'll find some interesting artifacts. Today, the admission was free. They have a permanent collection and rotating exhibit. Overall, this museum is a bonafide golden gem of the community. I recommend you visit if you have 5 minutes to spare.

Tiny pocket park at the end of a one way street in Culver West. Bordering on apocalyptic on a rainy…read moreday with how empty it was. Their little playground and community center is used though. Just looks run down. Nice playground that is. There's a track, tennis court, field, basketball court, tennis walls, and picnic tables. Pretty cool find actually. Guess it's popular when it's not raining but lucky me I came on a bad day.

This is a good family park. Great place for children and families. I like the track and field, and…read moretennis courts. I play tennis with my girl sometimes. She like this park too. I played a little basketball with some random strangers last time I was here. She made new friends playing tennis here. So, its not a bad park after all for the first time.

What a happening spot! People were singing and dancing such a fun energy. It's a perfect place to…read morecatch up with friends and family. After we did Escapology, we headed to Marina del Rey and took the $1 boat ride. Total steal and so cool cruising the marina at sunset. We all had such a pleasant evening. If you want good vibes + an affordable activity, this is it. P.S. Plenty of parking spots available.

I've been coming to FV for decades! Yes over the years it has changed. I completely miss Mr…read more Julius, his % delicious Thai Tea and food! Moving forward, the regulars who come to FV are like a family. They have lived years together meeting at FV to gather, communicate, eat together, laugh, share stories, listen to live music, and watch the changes and greave amongst one another as they see the regulars no longer show up and welcome the new comers with open arms. FV family teaches the world what living is really about. Go to a common community gathering area with a great view and mingle with peers. No Drama, judgments, or crime. Just folks wanting to unwind from a hard week and have a good time with like minded peers. @Fisherman's Village is definitely a place when you stop by for a bite to eat, a walk, or look at the seals, stop and say hi and smile with a stranger!!!!!

I ate at the bar with a friend today and it was very good. We had a dozen oysters with freshly…read morebaked bread and some wine. I will be back.

Large outdoor space and building with impressive foyers make this a nice place to work. I had to…read moregiggle when I read someone's review, yes it's true there is not that much water, definitely more garden. When I was working here, the company I worked for had temporary offices here for a while, it was a nice space. Our floor was a bit rinky dink compared to the foyer and exterior though. I think this space is better outdoor than indoor but it's nice that there is fooda and of course, Mrs. Winstons! Parking does kind of suck but it's there, get to work a bit early to find some, the entrances seem poorly designed compared to colorado center.