Something in the air at Venice Beach

It’s not the smell of the Pacific Ocean, as you would expect. Or even the wafting flavours from the myriad exotic diners and inventive fast-food trucks.

It is marijuana. And it’s everywhere. And it is being legally prescribed.

“The doctor is in the house,” says the man riding a skateboard, wearing medical greens, with his hair in dreadlocks, touting for business. Bob Marley beats drift down from the upstairs dispensary. Could it be any more of a cliche?

Under California laws it is legal to use, possess and cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. And the touts promiseit can cure the ills of the world – one puff at a time.

I doubt you could find a more appropriate spot to set up a business selling dope than on Venice Beach. It attracts such an eclectic mix of traders, locals and tourists. There are hippies; beach babes; musclebound giants so pumped they look as if they are about to explode; and there are homeless people who all look a lot like troubled actor Nick Nolte on a good day. If you are going to be homeless, though, this is a pretty good place to call home.

Daily life here itself is an inviting backdrop for photographers as there is perfect light and captivating subject matter.

An American icon

Santa Monica, at the end (or beginning, depending on how you look at it) of Route 66, is a national treasure. It is as iconic as Disneyland or the Statue of Liberty. We know it from movies such as Rocky III, Hannah Montana, Iron Man, Ruthless People and Forrest Gump (there is even a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant on the pier). We know it from starring roles in TV shows and music videos.

Any tourist heading for LA should try to visit Santa Monica’s much-photographed pier, built more than 100 years ago. People stand looking out over the ocean eating a hot dog followed by a sugar overdose of cotton candy and Coke.

It is almost a rite of passage, or an entree to heaven if you eat too many.

I took the health-conscious approach and hired a bike from the Santa Monica Bike Centre to explore the area. Because it is California you can pretty much guarantee that the weather’s going to be good, as it was for my morning bike ride – a great way to shake off the jet lag. Santa Monica averages 340 sunny days a year, with summer temperatures averaging 30C.

National Geographic has ranked this city of just over 100,000 people as one of the top 10 beach cities in the world – up there with Sydney and Rio. It attracts creative locals and visitors, perhaps that’s why it boasts more than 120 art galleries, theatres and museums. It is also a haven for celebrities and today I’m heading to Posh and Becks’ favourite lunchtime restaurant – the Sonoma Wine Garden – to see what the fuss is about.

Good enough for the Beckhams

The Beckhams were regulars here during his days working for the LA Galaxy football team. Staff tell me that, despite her slight frame, Victoria (my favourite Spice Girl) was a fan of the restaurant’s pizza menu.

The restaurant is on the dining deck of laid-back shopping complex Santa Monica Place. There’s an outdoor garden patio and it typifies that cutting-edge Californian style of cuisine that is a complicated mixture of many cultural influences.

Other restaurants in the area worth trying out include the Pacific Dining Car, Ocean &Vine, Ivy at the Shore, Cha Cha Chicken and Sushi Roku – said to be another favourite of the Beckhams.

If you happen to be in Santa Monica on a Wednesday or Saturday, you should find time to explore the Downtown Farmers’ Market (pictured below), named the best in America by Travel + Leisure magazine. Opened in 1981, there are more than 200 different stalls here and the fact that most of Santa Monica’s chefs buy their produce from the markets speaks highly of the quality of the offerings.

While the beach area is label-free shopping (think T-shirts and trinkets), Downtown and Third Street Promenade rival the shopping precincts of most cities. All the big name lines are there – GAP, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Abercrombie &Fitch just to name a few.

For those like me who usually find themselves waiting outside the shop there is a musical bonus as this area attracts, and promotes, some world-class buskers. It makes waiting for the serious shoppers so much easier. At least I think it was the music. Perhaps it was the Santa Monica scent in the air.

SANTA MONICA

GETTING THERE

Virgin Australia flies direct daily to Los Angeles from Sydney, four times a week from Brisbane and three times a week from Melbourne.

The airline offers in business class a 1.88m fully horizontal flat bed; laptop power, USB slot and reading light; 30.7cm in-flight entertainment screen; a comfortable sleep suit; noise-cancelling headset; and male and female amenity kits including deluxe cosmetics from leading Australian brand Grown.

STAYING THERE

Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills

Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is on the corner of La Cienega and Beverly boulevards opposite the Beverly Shopping Center and moments from Rodeo Drive, Melrose Avenue and Sunset Boulevard.

There are 295 rooms on 10 floors including 26 suites and two Imperial Suites.

Free Wi-Fi is available for all in-house guests.

Visit sofitel.com to book online or for more call 1300 656 565.

Taxi: The cab fare from Downtown LA to Santa Monica is about $30.

Tipping: You may not want to, but it is expected. At restaurants, bars and in cabs you should tip about 20 per cent of your bill.