June 13, 2005

Venice beach

As we count down the weeks to departure, I find myself wanting to restart this blog so I can post some of the pictures I've continued taking of this surreal landscape. And soon enough we'll be intentionally visiting places for the last time (or in some cases, the first and last time). I'd like to have a record of that. I hope you would too.

Back in February, we went to the Venice boardwalk, which is a paved path rather than a true boardwalk. Here are my six favorite images from that day.

02-26-074muscle.jpg

Muscle Beach is a big tourist attraction, a workout room right out in the open. I've always wondered why anyone would want to lift weights with a crowd watching. Oh yes, the tourists like to ogle. This was a quieter moment at the zoo. Just one animal in the cage. A beautiful one, at that.


02-26-070clothes.jpg

So many pocket-sized storefronts along the boardwalk. So many eerie images. I want to go back to capture more. Probably won't have time...

02-26-065morrison.jpg

The ghost of Jim Morrison looms large over his old haunts.

02-26-045-skateman.jpg

This man is an icon. He's ALWAYS there, with his turban and his skates and his guitar. He's so ubiquitous, he was painted into R. Cronk's famous Venus of Venice mural (officially now called "Venice Reconstituted"). (Here's another view of the mural, a bit larger.)

02-26-061passage.jpg

An architectural whimsey, very Venice.


02-26-077dog.jpg

Venice on the move.

Venice is many things. The boardwalk is only part of that jigsaw. And a few pictures hardly do it justice. But what else do I have?

Comments

I think that entertainer was in "Point of No Return" - he's the guy who follows Bridget Fonda around for a few minutes when she first gets to LA.

If it's not him, they're twins :)

Posted by: Amanda at June 14, 2005 08:17 AM

Nice shots. I especially like the 'multiple framing ' on the first Muscle Beach shot. Your favorite pictures are a wonderful tribute to the surreal in the ordinary.

Posted by: Ken at August 9, 2005 05:47 PM

Thanks for the walkaround. Had fun visiting Venice Beach.

Posted by: Spring Break at January 15, 2006 09:09 AM


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