Venice Beach, California: More Than a Boardwalk

I began pacing around the apartment, searching the archives of my mind a memory that fit just right. I wanted to write about a place that gave me equal feelings of gratitude and awe. I had been to many places both near and far – shouldn’t this be easy?

Was the music too loud? Was it the dreaded “writers block” I had heard so much about. Did it really hit when you least expected it? Perhaps, it was my waiting until the last minute to figure out the place that was adding a little stress. I usually worked well with some degree of pressure. Next time, I vowed to start well in advance. My New Year’s resolution was settled – to never again procrastinate.

My roadblock wasn’t the writing, so I decided to take another circle around the apartment. I repeated in my head…what special place was I looking for? Then before I could get up, I had it! It wasn’t a place that was beautiful or inspirational, in fact it was somewhat uninspiring simply to look at (made mainly of concrete, wood and steel).

In fact it was a little seedy and sometimes smelled of fish. It’s where an eclectic mix of seabirds, locals, fisherman, domestic and international tourists do their own things. It is a stones throw from the tumult of the world famous Venice boardwalk and a mile or so from another Southern Californian (SoCal) icon, the Santa Monica Pier.

It sits at the edge of the Pacific Ocean with nothing between it and the Hawaiian Islands due west. It gets two thumbs up in the sunset department and overlooks the iconic Pacific Palisades. The Palisades foreshadow the beautiful splendor and winding scenic drive northbound via Malibu.

You may now realize, I have chosen the Venice Beach Pier (V.B.P.).

The pier at the south end of Venice Beach, California is where I contemplated my life. It’s where I would attempt to meditate, ponder and re-ponder my destiny, while just taking it all in. It’s a place that arouses the five senses with some of the best sights (eclectic people and scenic vistas galore), sounds (kids chasing squawking birds, fisherman gossiping in Spanish and tourists gawking at surfers), smells (the sea breeze and freshly hooked live bait), the touch of the initial carved benches and all those tastes just off the pier’s edge.

Quintessential V.B.P. eateries include; Hinano Cafe – where Jim Morrison is said to have eaten and caroused, C&O Trattoria – family style Italian food (great for celebratory groups with their in and outdoor seating), The Terrace – a classic beachfront brunch spot, and The Cow’s End Café – a place to grab a healthy portioned deli sandwich and a fabulous warm take-away beverage to accompany your walk to the pier’s end. Finally a pseudo Tiki-Bar, The Venice Whaler – where patrons fill upper and lower patios while they can listen to music, watch sporting events, eat contemporary pub grub and tilt their elbow’s back beachside.

Now back to the V.B.P.

I have a spot on the benches at the end of the pier, where I sat on several occasions, and pondered my past and future. I could watch the sunset everyday from that very spot. It’s where I decided travel was my life’s inspiration and calling. In between, I tried desperately to capture moments of being humanly present. It has always stirred my interest in enlightenment. It may still seem odd to choose as a place of great appreciation, though it has the two distinct components I feel for it – awe and gratitude.

I am forever grateful of my times of introspection walking down the wind and sand swept pier deck. I would sit and revisit a trip I had just finished or imagine the place I wanted to head next. I then tried to take in and enjoy the SoCal vibe, as unique as Venice Beach itself.

The awe factor derived from the shear iconic grandeur of the crescent shaped bay, where so many dreams painstakingly came to be or were more easily derailed. In my case the awe of possibility, for my life, and how I could make others lives better in the process.

I don’t have enough words to explain a life’s work in progress, but I will say it’s these special places in our comings and goings that anchor our dreams within physicality. It helped solidify mine – to travel and write. The Venice Beach Pier is one of the places I am most grateful for. It has filled me with awe and the breath of inspiration.

I truly believe my outlook on life changed for good on a visit to that pier. My purpose was solidified. The rest they say – is still unwritten.

About the Author: Having traveled the earth in search of a happy stomach, Jeff continues to follow a path to food loving destinations. He hopes to walk off the calories en-route to more great tastes. Read more about his passion for food in travel by checking out his new landing page, Food in Travel.

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