Mar Vista is great if you want to stay fairly close to Santa Monica and Venice, be in a quietish location that is walking distance to some food spots and not pay a fortune (AUD to USD at the moment is not great). The studio is self contained and is separate from the house in a pretty garden. It is very comfortable and roomy with air conditioning. I would definitely stay there again and will recommend it to my friends.
Odile and Dan are very welcoming, lovely hosts. 😊