A Photographer's Guide to Outsite Venice

Follow along with Jerry's journey through Outsite in California - he's currently touring through all the locations, finding the best spots and tips for your next trip.

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I had an early start Sunday morning, travelling from Encinitas to San Diego, and to Venice. I took the Coaster back into downtown San Diego at Santa Fe Station... upon arriving I found a Bird Scooter and rode down to the Greyhound bus station that sits not too far from Padres Stadium.

The Greyhound bus in downtown San Diego is an easy way to get from there to L.A but, the Greyhound station is a "you get what you pay for" situation and my fare for a one-way ticket was $12. You can make your assumptions about the condition of said Greyhound station. 

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After a short 2 hour journey that I was able to use to get work done, I was finally in L.A, I called my Uber and headed to Outsite  Lincoln in Venice, CA. The home is beautiful and in a great neighborhood.

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After I set my belongings down I knew I needed to eat something - anything. I took a walk down to Lincoln Boulevard with another houseguest Dave, who was going in a similar direction. We parted ways after 10 minutes as he was en route to a bike shop, and I was after food. 

I found a small hole in the wall BBQ place called Baby Blues BBQ, the food was good, and the staff were friendly - what more could a hungry traveler ask for? I proceeded to devour my BBQ platter then headed back to the house, this time on a Bird Scooter. I would soon learn how valuable Bird Scooters would become while staying at the Lincoln house.

As the evening rolled on, I plugged in and tucked away into my bedroom for the rest of the evening, had a ton of work to do. In a way it was nice that things were a bit further away unlike the Encinitas house, there was less temptation to blow off my work and explore. 

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The next day I got an early start and plugged back into my computer until it was time for the co-working event. It was then when I met the house manager Christina who is super sweet and also from the Texas area! She brought donuts over for everyone participating in the co-working event which was rad! After a few hours of co-working, my stomach was starting to rumble and food was a priority! 

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Once again I hoped on a Bird Scooter, and I was off! This time I took the Bird up Venice Boulevard and ended up finding this extremely delicious Indian restaurant called Hurry Curry. Despite the place not looking elegant and food presentation being minimal - everything tasted fantastic. This hidden gem is a must for those who love curry! Upon finishing my meal, it was time to head back home and plug away back into work mode!

Tuesday, my final day at the Venice Lincoln house I was determined to go out and explore. After a quick morning yoga sesh and core workout in the backyard, I took to the streets and headed to the Venice Board Walk, once again it was a Bird Scooter that made all the difference as far as commuting down to the beach! And since Venice Boulevard has an ample bike lane, the ride was easy and quick! 

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While down on the Venice boardwalk I spent a bit of the morning down by the skatepark and was able to create some excellent images with a few of the local skateboarders. Capturing photos on the boardwalk was a nice change of pace as far as photo subjects. 

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At around lunchtime, I stopped in at the Outsite property on Pacific Street, one block away from the boardwalk. The home was simple, more of a beach bungalow, but the guests inside where diligently working. So after a capturing a few images of the property, I knew I needed a bite to eat. Fortunately for me, Egg Slut was right around the corner. A breakfast sandwich was in order, and I couldn’t have been happier. It was messy and flavorful - exactly what you want with a breakfast sandwich.

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Upon finishing my late breakfast, I worked from the Pacific house until just before sunset. I wanted to take a walk down the Venice Canals, as the homes on this trail are beautiful.

As the sun began to set I knew I had to be near the water, one thing about every city in California that is near the ocean is that you can usually count on being mesmerized by their sunsets. The sky was a cotton candy pink and blue, as the sunset over the sea. Once the sky turned from cotton candy to blue, I knew it was time to head back to the Outsite property for a taco night that Christina organized! 

One of my favorite things about Outsite, and I can’t stress it enough is a strong sense of community.

For taco night we prepared the meal together and shared insightful conversation. Most people I met in Venice or any Outsite property are doing or have done something important that has enabled them work remotely, so there is never a lack of genuine, intelligent conversations. 

As the night ran it's course and we began to get tired, it was time to pack things up and call it a night. In the morning I did a bit of yoga, gathered my belongings, and headed to the airport. It was time to head over to Santa Cruz for my next adventure.

Words & Photos: Jerry Hernandez

@flaco_creative  |  @flaco.info

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