Venice Neighborhood Meet

It was a beautiful day in my neighborhood on Saturday so I strolled down to Abbot Kinney to check out The Venice Meet - an open air marketplace featuring a curated  assembly of "local craftspeople, independent musicians, and specialty food artisans".  The eclectic selection of handmade wares and edible offerings along with the welcoming vibe, contributed to what I found to be a very enjoyable community event and a great way to spend a lovely spring day. I'm glad that the founders of Venice Meet have planned for it to be a monthly occurrence!


Here are some highlights to wet your appetite for next month's market:

Walking music for your weekend: Emeli Sandé

This soulful jam from British/Scottish R&B singer/songwriter Emeli Sandé will put some pep in your step.

Thanks to Andrea at Fly Girl Blog for making the intro!

Sunny Day in Silver Lake

Oh how I love Sunset Junction, the wildly eclectic enclave nestled in LA's Silver Lake district. With its slightly gritty feel and unique mix of locally-owned boutiques, ethnic eateries, apothecaries and watering holes, the area often draws comparisons to Brooklyn, NY (mostly from east coast refugees).  Locals are extremely loyal to - and protective of - the neighborhood...and with good reason; a large part of the charm is due to the  "ma and pop shop" feel and absence of big box chain stores and commercial retailers.

"Sunset Triangle" images courtesy of rchstuldios.com

Sunset Junction recently gained yet another attractive feature when one of the adjoining streets was transformed into a pedestrian friendly plaza alternately known as Sunset Triangle.  The 11,000 square foot site now serves as an informal town square triangle and community gathering place thanks to the City of Los Angeles Planning Committee's Streets for People (S4P) initiative, which converts underutilized areas into public spaces: