The Venice Corner Ball Park

It's been raining so much lately (Finally! - more to come this weekend!) that California has greened up considerably. Returning from my walk at the beach this morning, I noticed that the little Corner Ball Park at Ocean Avenue and Venice Boulevard is really starting to look like an actual park.

Robin Murez and her Venice Public Art have been working on this project for years (there's always red tape and money involved with these kinds of things), and it's nice to see grass growing and a real area to take a break in. The mosaic balls (depicting sea weed, a Venice column, and triangles for the Silver Triangle neighborhood) are there as both decor and something to sit on. What used to be a beat down old concrete corner is now an inviting little oasis for Venice. Enjoy!

Thanks to Robin and the rain!

Now if that little market across the street would ever re-open up for biz ... !!!???

The Olive Branch Of Venice

Sometimes, when time permits, I like to take weird roads that I never go down, to see what might be new and undiscovered. This is the best when you're walking, to really slow down and see things, and Venice is the perfect place to do it. I've lived here almost twenty years now, and am still coming across streets and scenes I've never been on or seen before. Like the other day when I took a left and found myself on Olive Street.

It's a short little street tucked in between Venice and Washington Boulevards, very quiet, pretty modest and normal homes (with character!) still over there ... a real neighborhood. And from the looks of it, a fun one.

Someone has taken parts of tables and chairs and affixed them right into their fence, for seemingly no good reason other than it's fun. I liked these strangers already, but then their clear appreciation for the beach sealed the deal.

This is the kind of stuff that I love bumping into around town, and another example why this place is so special, and why we must keep it so. But you knew that already.

Now, in taking their wise direction ... to the Beach!