I haven't been here in 15+ years and though a lot of it has changed, I'm glad I was able to take…read morethe kids here and experience it. It was founded by Abbot Kinney as a destination seaside resort in the early 19th century and the street named after him used to be a great place to go shopping: -If you start at the south end near the pier you can see a neighborhood with actual canals and bridges that is fun to walk through. -Muscle beach is more like an outdoor gym now and not as grimy and primitive as it used to be. -Skateboarding bowl is famous and even on a weekday we same many skateboarders there, one of them was skateboarding barefoot! -The basketball courts are also quite famous and sometimes you'll see some famous streetballers playing here. -There is a strong smell of weed everywhere and a couple headshops. The most annoying people are the ones trying to hustle CDs or get you to go to their weed shop.

Again, one of those things you have to do at least once in your life, especially if you're a SoCal…read morenative and last weekend was the first time I've ever been here. I was always mistaken thinking I've been here before, but that was actually Santa Monica. Goes to show how little I go out and touch beach sand if that makes any sense. The board walk is along side the beach and you can either pay for parking at any of the lots and help support the maintenance of the beach or you can do metered parking or free street parking, you just have to pay attention to the signs and be okay with walking. Lots of things to see and it's super bustling and lively on the board walk, especially on the weekends. They recommend people to walk their bikes here, so you can easily just walk it. Gift shops, novelty stores, cannabis and magic mushrooms stores, cafe's, quick service food restaurants, art displays, street performers and vendors, people walking their dogs, and much more. Be wary of the drop shipping resellers or the boot leg items, but there's lots of original artwork and crafts being vended by people. I hate all of the AI advertisements thought, none of it makes the food look good and makes my skin crawl so I'm wishing vendors would take note of this. Very innovative to see some of the designs of shirts, Snoop Dog's ice cream parlor (sadly not opened), and people selling shaved ice on the go and much more. Also keep your hands busy so people don't try to push something in your hands and make you purchase it. Tourist trap prices for certain things, but then there are people making an honest living selling ice cold water bottles for $1 which is pretty fair if you think about it. I don't think I'll go out of my way to be here, but interesting to be at at least once.

As someone who lives in Los Angeles, I have been to the Brooks Running - Venice Pop-Up multiple…read moretimes. The first time was for a shoe and bra fitting and that's when I found out there are weekly events hosted at the Pop-Up as well! Of course, I've been going back every single week, sometimes twice a week! Before I get into the events, let me just say that the space is incredible. There are three levels; the first of which has a variety of clothes/apparel and Brooks shoes. This is also where the shoe fitting takes place. The second story is where the bra fitting takes place, there's also a great seating area that I really just want to sit at all day and hang out. The third level is full of magic and you'll just have to experience it for yourself. Oh, and let me touch on the service... It's great! Of note, Steven, Natasha, and Juan have helped me on more than one occasion and greet me when I come into the store for events. They're so friendly and welcoming! Ok - the events. There is a weekly Brooks Run Club that meets on Tuesday evenings at 6pm and run around three miles or so. It's a great route created and led by Brad and Magena who are here in Los Angeles from Brooks HQ in Seattle! There's more magic that takes place after the Run Club that you'll again have to experience for yourself. There are also some events on Saturdays/Sundays including breathwork, yoga, jump-roping with a Grand World Champion jump-roper!, some conversations with amazing advocates, and even some runs hosted by Brooks Run Happy Team ambassadors. Get to Google "Brooks Venice Pop-Up," check the event schedule, and sign up today! Truly, the only bad part about the Brooks Running - Venice Pop-Up is that it is only going to be on Abbott Kinney until the end of October 2023. So, do yourself a favor and get yourself over to Brooks today!!!

Excellent service from Garrett as well as Yuri! Garrett…read moreexplained everything to me very thoroughly and he was very knowledgeable about feet and the correct fit of shoes. Thank you so much! I bought a pair of shoes and I am so happy with them!!

It can't possibly be Halloween time already is it?…read more And while those of us who are real enthusiasts about that time of year always crack a smile, sometimes this is getting a little more and more ridiculous. Before you know it, they'll start doing Halloween right after the 4th of July! In any case, this is perhaps the second best Halloween store under the Spirit brand on the west side, usually coming in second to the granddaddy of them all, on sepulveda near lax. In any case, the theme this year is pretty cool, and they have some fairly nice animatronics. I still think last year's was a little more scarier. What do you think?

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SHADY COMPANY. I paid for an item in cash in store and literally two minutes…read moreafter discovering a manufacturer defect on the product, I immediately returned it the very exact same time (same day). When I went in, I told the cashier about it and she asked me if I wanted to grab a different one. I told her no because I didn't want to deal with the same product discovering more problems later on. She asked "Do you have the card ending in..." as she was looking for it on my receipt I told her I paid in cash. She confused me and I thought I paid with my card so I told her to hold on and I went back to the car to get my wallet. As soon as I went back to the store I saw the cashier on the phone. Standing there confused I thought she was on the phone with a customer. It turns out she was talking to her manager MATT. I found it odd as I was standing there waiting for her to finish her conversation with the manager. She then tells me "Yeah we can't give you cash refund, we can only refund you back with any type of card" I told her "I literally just bought it a few minutes ago and I gave you cash" She goes "yeah I know but there's a lot of scams going on right now" So in my head either she thinks I was trying to pull a fast one on the store or both the manager and the employee is doing something shady. That detail on their return policy is not even indicated on the receipt or not mentioned when I check out. I tried to reason with her that I literally just bought it in cash she can just give me the cash I paid her with. If the store is worried about scammers then I don't understand her logic at all why she wouldn't just give me back my money. I had to give her any type of debit or credit card to get the money back. Now I had to wait for the stupid bank to clear to even get it. I was pretty upset and I told her "So now I have to wait for the bank to get the money?" She nonchalantly says "Yeah probably within 3-5 business days. Like wtf? Either the employees from that particular store are stealing HARD CASH in their registers, or this company is downright just taking HARD CASH payments and using the company credit to return refunds. This doesn't make any sense. This leaves a bad impression for the company brand. I have been a Spirit Halloween guest for many years and this is the first time I've ever heard of it. I understand there have been more scams over the years, but to insinuate that towards me while I'm returning a defective product on behalf of this store is unacceptable. I was just trying to return a pos product the store is selling so I can get my money back. But it turns out this company is full of greed. The staff needs to be investigated. It felt like I was the one that got scammed here. I found it really odd the cashier phoned the manager and discussed something when I briefly left and came back. What did she need to talk to him for? If this was their policy she should already know. Store should ONLY accept card payments NOT CASH--if refunding back to a card is your ONLY method of refunds. Put up a sign that says "Card Payment Only" or at least reference this to every guest that pays with cash every single time. When they check someone out paying with cash, tell them PRIOR that refunds can only be processed through a card.

Apple Doll is a pop up store along Abbott Kinney in Venice. It's not hard to find, thanks to the…read moreblack hand sculpture holding either a lipstick or a blush on. I went inside which was beautifully decorated. I really love the aesthetic and very organized merchandise. Today, June 6 is their first Friday open house. After 6pm, there's a mascara swap, a new DIY bedazzle bar, makeup tutorials, and a free photo strip from one of the oldest analog photobooths in LA. On Sunday June 9, visit the shop and get free apple doll merchandise customized with flash airbrush art. Check their instagram account for all future activities.

If you ever need anything engraved, go to Darius! I was in a huge time crunch and needed two pieces…read moreengraved last minute. He fit me in right away and had them beautifully engraved on the spot, within minutes!!!! I couldn't believe how fast and perfect they turned out! The quality is exceptional, exactly what I wanted, at such a good price. I get things engraved often, and I've officially found my new go-to guy. Amazing work -- thank you again, Darius!

Outstanding work with a fast turnaround. I have had a number of items made for myself and as…read moregifts. Great quality and attention to detail.

--LOCATION-- +corner shop on Abbot Kinney Blvd…read more +near the #lovewall and Buddha art wall +the corner shop next to/ on same side as Greenleaf Cafe --PARKING-- +street parking on parallel streets +meter parking +parking lots available on parallel streets/ behind stores ($$) --CONCEPT-- The Nest homes several brands for a duration at a time, like a month or so. There'll be a handful of different brands you can browse conveniently at the shop before it's time to rotate again. At the time of my visit, I saw swimsuits, cool wallets, jewelry, and probiotic smoothies featured. The brands are printed on the windows until the next round of brands claim a spot at The Nest. To my knowledge, they even host events every so often (that you must RSVP) as a venue for the featured brands of the month. --AESTHETIC-- The shop itself is one large room that each brand may a claim a corner or section for. The Nest even utilizes their outdoor space with an alleyway setup in the back for a jewelry brand at the time of my visit. It's an overall chic nook with largely white walls, simple decorations, and a great coach and coffee table corner for the tired shoppers. --OVERALL-- The concept is great and fun. You'll just have to visit the store regularly if you want to know whats trending!

Rivea is so, so talented. I had a pretty small budget for florals, and she was really willing to…read morework with me to come up with concepts that would still make a big impact. She was creative, honest, and helped me prioritize what would make the biggest difference. She was also just genuinely lovely to work with. Super responsive, flexible, and easygoing throughout the whole process, which took a lot of stress off my plate. I was blown away by the pieces she came up with. Everything was even more beautiful than I pictured in my head, and the flowers made such a difference in the overall feel of the day. I would recommend Rivea to anyone in a heartbeat!!!

It's taken me far too long to write this review because I don't even know where to begin. Not only…read moreis Rivea a MASTERMIND, but she's also the SWEETEST person on the planet. From the moment we had our first call, I knew I had to have her on my wedding vendor team. Rivea has such a passion for what she does and truly cares about each one of her clients and bringing their vision to life. She handled all of my modifications and crazy requests with grace and poise and was so meticulous about making sure every last detail of my vision was executed flawlessly. From showing me exactly how to hold my bouquet to making sure the height of each lantern of our ceiling installation was perfect - she was there for me through it all. I simply cannot thank her enough. My wedding would have never been what it was without her. The pictures literally speak for themselves. Thank you, Rivea!!!!!!!!!!!!!