I decided to spend the winter in LA, and booked the first leg of my stay at Maria's bungalow in Venice Beach. It is such a great little place—good kitchen, nice bathroom, cozy bedroom, a small office space that I used to do my writing and a gorgeous, private outdoor space that add a wonderful tough of green color.
Other positives—gated parking, good wifi, and the place is close to a bunch of good restaurants and bars on Rose (Chulita, Wallflower, Wabi, American Beauty and Jeni's Ice cream were all great) and its just a short jaunt to the beach. I had my bike with me, so I cruised down to the beach and along the ocean path to Santa Monica every other day.
Maria was a great host, very thoughtful and friendly. I would recommend her place to anyone who wants to stay in Venice.