Real in L.A.

  My very first day in Los Angeles, my host took me to Venice Beach. Why? I don’t know; it was Memorial Day, screaming hot, and the place was packed with people. Jerry Brown ran for president that year and there was even a campaign rally gearing up.

Is all of L.A. this crazy? I wondered.

Fortunately, no.

I’ve been back to Venice many time since then and seen the beachfront in more pacific moods, most recently on Thanksgiving day. Tourists were out, shops and eateries were open, vendors had their wares displayed (calaveras appear to be the souvenir du jour), skateboarders were in their pit, homeless folks gathered under the palms–but the crowds were elsewhere (Wal-Mart, maybe?) and the mood was mellow.

Here are a few shots from Venice Beach and vicinity: