A Visit to Venice

It’s a bit far to travel to Italy for the weekend, and Las Vegas’ Venetian Hotel and Casino doesn’t open until next year. So why not check out what our very own Venice has to offer?

Friday Evening

Sinatra on the stereo, an honor wine bar, Godzilla-sized portions, reasonable prices and nightly sing-alongs of “That’s Amore!”--what more could you want in a family-style Italian restaurant? It’s loud, it’s hokey, but C & O Trattoria is a great place to dine with a bunch of your best friends. Be forewarned: This restaurant is a popular spot, so expect a wait if you don’t have reservations. (The fresh-baked garlic rolls served outside go a long way toward surviving the waiting game, however.) 31 Washington Blvd. (310) 823-9491.

Saturday Morning

Start the day at the Rose Cafe, where you will be surrounded by tasty baked goodies, rotating art exhibits and regulars talking about their art and acting careers. Opens at 8 a.m. 220 Rose Ave. (310) 399-0711.

Begin your walking tour of the Secret Gardens of Venice nearby at the Las Doradas Children’s Center (804 Broadway). The self-guided walking tour will include 25 home-garden creations in the Milwood and Riviera neighborhoods designed by renowned Venice-based landscape designer Jay Griffith, other designers and residents. Griffith’s work has been featured in House & Gardens, Vogue, Metropolitan Home and Architectural Digest. Docents will be stationed at each location to discuss plants and design concepts. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Walkers may start the tour any time until 2 p.m. $50; children under 16 are free. Proceeds will benefit the Las Doradas Children’s Center. (310) 390-6641.

Take a leisurely afternoon stroll along Venice’s canals. The houses lining the canals are among the area’s prettiest, with lovely gardens and plenty of friendly ducks. Southeast of Venice Boulevard and Pacific Avenue.

Mobay may have lost chef Derek Harrison to Third Street’s Limbo restaurant, but the Venice eatery is still the original Caribbean crowd-pleaser. Relax on the patio among the palm fronds and torch lights while enjoying delicious jerk chicken with a Red Stripe beer or fruity cocktail. 1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd. (310) 452-7472.

Sunday

Get up early for the Venice Historical Society’s tour of “Abbot Kinney’s Folly,” as skeptics once called the tobacco magnate’s dream city. Participants on the two-hour walking tour will stroll on Ocean Front Boardwalk and Windward Avenue, comparing historic photos to present day sites, and hear tales of colorful local personalities Jack the Human Fly, the Barnes Circus Fat Sally and her 112-pound sweetheart, and Sarah Bernhardt, to name a few. 8:50 a.m. Meet at the intersection of Ocean Front Walk and Rose Avenue. $15. Reservations requested. (310) 676-0020.

For architecture buffs, the American Institute of Architects is offering a “Marina del Venice” home tour. Four architect-designed residences in Marina del Rey and Venice will be featured on the self-guided tour, including a modern beachfront condominium by Barbara Coffman & Associates, a canal front guest house designed by James F. McGlothin, a Venice walk home by Sant Architects and a contemporary home by Tuna Studio. The architects as well as docents will be on hand at each site to answer questions. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Advance tickets: $40 general, $25 for students with ID and AIA members. Day of event tickets ($50) available from 10 a.m.-noon at SPARCS, 685 Venice Blvd. (310) 785-1809.

Spend the rest of the afternoon marveling over the circus that is Venice Boardwalk. Though a new city ordinance has forced unlicensed vendors to close up shop, there are still plenty of colorful characters to stare at, from jugglers and silver-coated break-dancers to bikini-clad roller-skaters and purveyors of the latest in “South Park” T-shirts.