A Weekend in Venice
I had the pleasure of spending 4 days in Venice Beach at the beginning of January and it was amazing. I’ve never left my son and husband before so to have a few days to myself was just what I needed. I started my trip off spending time with college friends and then had a day and a half of alone time. I used this time to totally rest and restore my mind, body, and soul. I basically created a mini retreat for myself - keep reading for how I put it all together!
I love the ocean so I decided to stay right on it at the Venice V Hotel. It was very cool, clean, and central to everything. Our bathroom window looked out at the beach and palm trees which was great to be able to see the sun rise and set from our room.
After checking in, I went for a walk on the sunny boardwalk and stopped into the Fig Tree Venice for an early lunch. It was perfect. I got a table in the sunshine with plenty of umbrellas. I ordered the Eggs in Cazuela (which I need to figure out how to make asap) with a whole milk cappuccino and it was just what my energy needed after a 6 hour flight cross country. After lunch I meandered back to the hotel and put my legs up the wall to help move my circulation and reset my nervous system.
Friday Night
After this, my friend whom I shared a room with for the first two nights got in. We caught up for a little bit and then took the long way and walked to Love Yoga. This yoga studio used to have a Montauk location so I know a few of the teachers. It’s great and so are all the teachers. Afterwards, we walked home, cleaned up and met our other friends at The Great White for dinner. It’s very chic, light Californian flare. We sat outside under the heat lamps and then strolled home under the Venice sign.
Saturday morning I went for a 5 mile run on the boardwalk. I ran north towards Santa Monica and around the pier area there. One of the many things I love about running is exploring a city while I do it. My friend opted to stay home and streamed one of my On Demand Classes on our hotel TV. They had yoga mats for us to use in the room which was so convenient.
Saturday Breakfast
Saturday was dedicated to our friend who is expecting a baby. We hosted a baby shower for her at Crash Acting. On our way we stopped by Erewhon Market which is known for its amazing (and over priced) selection of organic food and smoothies.
I got the Strawberry Glaze skin smoothie also known as the Hailey Bieber smoothie. It was delicious and beautiful. But the “glaze” is a mix of strawberries (totally fine) and simple syrup which is definitely not good for your gut. And if it’s not good for your gut then it’s not good for your skin. So was it fun to try? Yes, would I recommend on the regular? No. Also, it was $18…
Sunday
Sunday I woke up early again because of the time difference from NYC. Luckily Intelligentcia Coffee on Abbot Kinney opens at 6am so I walked over there and set up with my computer to finish up some work for the week. It was lovely to have liesurely time in a coffee shop.
After few great hours of writing I headed over to Gjelina for an incredible breakfast. I was rather hungry so I started with the eggs and grits. It was outstanding and so full of flavor but not heavy at all. I followed it with the buckwheat banana bread. It was the perfect and I’m happy to report that they’ve just opened in NYC.
I then took a stroll through the Venice Canals which were amazing and so serene. What a place to live! Shortly after was Muscle Beach which was so fun to see everyone working out. I wound up back at my hotel, changed and headed back to Love Yoga for another class with Kumi whom I am friendly with. It was so nice.
After yoga I shopped along Abbot Kinney for a while. There are a lot of chains but also some great smaller shops and brands I hadn’t heard of before. Those notable included Everlane, The GREAT, Christy Dawn. Shortly after I realized I was ready for lunch and popped into Blossom Venice for Vietnamese spring rolls and my first ever bowl of Pho. It was a light and refreshing meal.
After lunch I stumbled upon Den Mother which is a wellness spa right on Abbot Kinney. It was so perfect and I wish I had found it while doing research so I could have taken more advantage of it. They have everything from massage, to accupuncture, sauna/cold plunge, and what I ended up booking was a foot soak and 30 minute massage. It was so fantastic and relaxing. There was tea service, a crystal fire pit and the option to order in from The Butcher’s Daughter.
I journeyed back to my hotel and spent some time journaling. Then I packed a small bag (you need toiletries and clothes to change into after) for my next activity which was a deprivation or floatation tank at Pause Studio.
Pause Studio is beautiful, clean, and so peaceful. You start by rinsing off in the shower then going into a pod that has a lid. You step inside and close it up. The water is filled with tons of salt so you float. There is calming music/lights that you can choose to use or not. For one hour you are completely weightless and it feels amazing. By withdrawing your senses your body can deeply relax. Benefits of this include body recovery, improved performance, and most importantly stress relief. This was my second time doing this ever and you literally feel high afterwards. I cannot recommend it enough. After I was done I tried a Vybes Watermelon drink and it was very refreshing. I need to find where I can buy these in NYC!
I finished off the night eating at Wabi on Rose. It was very good but a total seen and loud. I’d definitely go back but not by myself and not after something as zen as a deprivation tank.
Monday morning was pouring so unfortunately I couldn’t run on the boardwalk again. I did have the pleasure of taking a session with Cathy a lovely pilates instructor I found online. On my way home I ordered the burrito from Butcher’s Daughter (in a gf wrap) for delivery. It was bigger than my head but good! I showered, packed, and put on my new set from Christy Dawn that I picked up when shopping on Abbot Kinney. Highly recommend, very soft and sustainably made which goes a long way in my book!
I checked out of the hotel and waited for my Uber. Luckily the skateboard I had bought for my son at Arbor fit decent in my carry on.
On my way to the airport I made one more stop at Erewhon to pick up lunch for the plane. I got the Salmon Detox salad, puffed water lily seeds, and a gf/rsf brownie. It was all delicious and just what I needed to pass the time on my 5 hour flight.
This trip was just what I needed to start my year. It was rejuvenating, restful, and fun. I got to spend a lot of time caring for myself which felt so good. This trip was exactly what vacations are supposed to do for you. I encourage you on your next vacation to include time to really relax and restore your mind and body! If you have any suggestions for Venice the next time I’m there, drop them in the comments below!
xx, Ashley