Stumbled Upon Southern California Serendipity
ser•en•dip•i•ty / noun
the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy way.
Driving down Abbot Kinney, I did not expect the road to suddenly traverse off at the corner of Washington and Pacific Avenue. The beach was just a few blocks down so I parked on the side street, checking the signs several times because the city of LA has more miserable traffic citations than a NYFW fashion mishap. I was good spirits because there were a multitude of parking spots on a late Thursday afternoon.
I wandered the offbeat paths as I made my way in the general direction of the beach. Strolling down Strongs Drive, I noticed silhouettes of bridges... my curiosity peeked. Within minutes, I was engulfed into the charm of canal life, an allusion to Venice, Italy; developed by Abbot Kinney more than a 100 years ago.
Rowboats, Kayaks and Canoes lay moored out front adding to the ambiance. Aging wooden docks contrast with the neon colored houses, reminding me that I had just stumbled upon a miniature world contained within the winding pathways and still waters of the Venice Canals.
Minutes turned to hours... my feet carried me down endless pathways, over bridges and around corners as I became lost in this often disregarded world. Soon enough, I had forgotten my original intention of going to the beach. Unless you know of its existence or where it is exactly, you can miss it entirely, like a well kept secret. But there's a certain beauty in stumbling upon it, serendipity in southern California spirit.
Thankfully I had dressed for the occasion- a patterned button down with some geometric shorts. The warm faded hues of blue and ivory were ideal for the lazy afternoon. Click on the images below to browse through the look:
Essentials: A casual button down, preferably warm colors. versatile shorts, if the weather permits for the canals and the beach.
