Abbott Kinney First Friday
Last Friday was my first Abbott Kinney First Friday in Venice. If you're looking for a crazy variety of food trucks, looking normal eating on the sidewalk, and finding fun surprises as you walk through a mass of people, this is the place to go on your first Friday of the month night.
My friend Heidi met me at work and we walked over to Abbott Kinney Blvd. where First Friday is. THREE MILES. It went fast and we had the option to Uber if we really wanted. I realized too late how awful my feet felt in my non-supportive sandals.
But whatever, we made it. And we were hungry. And apparently a lot of other people were too. There were throngs waiting in line for their food at almost every food truck. I couldn't figure out why some lines were so long in comparison to others, but since Heidi and I are both pretty food-indecisive we decided to walk through the street to check out all of our options.
Most of the shops close at around 7pm, latest about 9pm. Since we got there closer to 8:30pm, we only got to walk through a couple stores. So, just a warning: unless you're here when it starts around 6, don't make this a trip to check out the stores. It's really more about the food and atmosphere.
We were lucky enough to spot a sign that read "s'mores in the back" and follow it through a really cute store to the backyard with a fire pit and a s'mores bar. We grabbed some chocolate, roasted some marshmallows and felt like we were in someone's home having a fun backyard campfire.
After walking around for a good long while, we were hungry enough not to care anymore. We saw The Lobos food truck, the options looked good, and we went for it. It was a good choice. If you ever see this food truck around, go for it. I got the "Little Nook" and it was fantastic. We also got their signature "Wachos" (criss-cut fries with nacho toppings) — the "Green Dragon Wachos" to be precise — and that was worth any amount of calories. We ate on the sidewalk and people watched all those roaming by us.
Luckily, a couple of my friends who met Heidi and I there were able to give me a ride back to where my car was at work. Abbott Kinney is a neat area to be at night, and is especially more fun with the food trucks and all the people. It can get a little much at times, trying to squeeze through the crowds on the sidewalk (the street is still open to cars), but it's worth at least one experience.