Veneziana

Veneziana is the northenmost borough of Fulfwotz, and is compromised of the districts of Venezia Beach and Little Sur. It has the largest beach in Fulfwotz, and is internationally known for the shopping and amenities it provides. Famous attractions include the Merchants' Market, Playa Del Diablo, and Peddler's Way.

History

Veneziana was first formed at the turn of the century following the large wave of Venezian immigrants arriving in Fulfwotz in the late 1800's. So many immigrants were arriving that Fulfwotz was forced to impose strict immigration policies, leaving many Venezians stuck outside the city limits. With nowhere to go, they resorted to constructing massive, sprawling shantytowns at the site of what is now Veneziana. These slums were known for extremely low standards of living and very poor cleanliness. Some say the stench of the slums wafted across the entire city, sickening residents of nearby Feverly Hills. While the Kingdom did not interfere with the business of the shantytown, it became concerned of possible fire hazards within that could possibly reach the rest of Fulfwotz. It built the historic Veneziana Fire Tower in 1902 in the middle of the slums to catch fires before they could spread.

On the morning of July 29th, 1902, a minor earthquake managed to dislodge a group of homes perched haphazardly on the slopes of Little Sur, causing a chain reaction and eventually creating a landslide of houses that killed an estimated 150 people, and then caused an explosion (experts speculate it occurred after exposed gunpowder came into contact with a flame), which started several fires. While some were put out, uncontrolled fires razed almost all of the shantytown. The fires were unable to reach the rest of Fulfwotz, but realizing the possible repercussions from a future fire, the Kingdom annexed the area and cleared the rubble.

Throughout the early 1900's, a portion of the land was developed into middle-class housing by the Extabra Firm, but the venture failed and the firm withdrew involvement, selling the land back to the Kingdom. Development stagnated until restrictions on business were lifted by the new King Sammich, which brought many prospective businessowners to Veneziana, which offered undeveloped land for cheap prices. The plethora of shops and boutiques made the borough a popular tourist destination, which was capitalized upon with the development of the beachfront and the notable Merchants' Market. Tourists were also attracted to the scenic Little Sur coastline, and several resorts were then built to accommodate said visitors.

Venezia Beach

Venezia Beach is the lower district of Veneziana, best known for the Playa Del Diablo and the wide array of shops. It is composed of many middle-class families and the F. U. Biltbobble High School, the largest in Fulfwotz. It gained major international attention after the body of Chancer Callem V. Perna was discovered dead in a steamroom of Das Badehaus, an obscure and homoerotic bathhouse in Venezia Beach. Many students in Fulfwotz frequent the skatepark in front of the high school.

Playa Del Diablo

Playa Del Diablo is the largest beach in Fulfwotz, and spans the entire coastline of Venezia Beach, along with a portion of Little Sur. It earned its name (Beach of the Devil) from the typically-red sunsets in Fulfwotz that make the sand on the beach appear a red-orange hue. The beach is frequented by food trucks and beach vendors who try to sell their wares to the large crowds that are attracted to the beach. In the third week of June, Venezia Beach hosts a surfing competition on the beach.

Merchants' Market

Merchants' Market is a complex that includes a vendor building, several restaurants, tennis courts, and a hotel. Vendors can rent stalls within the vendor building by the days, and typically make very good business doing so. To maintain variety and competition, the Fulfwotz Merchants' Guild (which owns the complex) enforces a policy where one cannot rent a stall for more than one week, and must wait twice the amount of time they rented to rent a stall again. The market employs a seagull task force, directed to shoot any seagulls that land in the tennis courts, since the birds were despised for terrorizing players and shoppers and were taken to court in 1989. They did not show up for the trial.

Peddler's Way

Peddler's Way is an alley in central Venezia Beach, characterized by an eclectic array of small vendor stalls, stores, lanterns, and streamers. Not being owned by any higher entity, the shops are almost completely unregulated, some being controversial for offering on-street sexual services and violent acts (such as a stall that simply offers the customer the opportunity to be choked to death). However, many are innocent enough and cater to people of every age. The street was temporarily quarantined in 2009 after a minor Falsch Fever outbreak.

Laurelian Park

Laurelian park, named for the pink cherry trees imported from the city, is a large community garden plaza located on an island in the conflux of the Ichor and Arriviste rivers. While it was technically built by and for Feverly Hills, the councils of Veneziana and Feverly Hills made a deal; Veneziana offered a large parcel of desirable land now known as South Feverly Hills in exchange for the park. In 1949, it was annexed into Venezia Beach. It is a fine example of Feverly Hills affluence and extravagance. The coral marble walkways, Laurelian cherry blossom trees, and Mantra Pavilion cost an estimated $13 million, along with strengthening the integrity of the island's foundations against the strong river currents. Many visit the park to take advantage of the scenic vistas and to perform yoga, which is taught in the Mantra Pavilion. In 2008, the park was host to the KYL Fashion Show. The designer herself, Kara Ylus Luzu, is known to frequent the park.

Little Sur

Little Sur is the wealthier part of Veneziana, commended for its beachfront homes, world-class resorts, and breathtaking coastline. It also contains a part of the Playa del Diablo, and has an active beach scene. It is home to many celebrities and stars, who live in minimansions tucked on the Little Sur mountainsides, overlooking Enderfulf Bay. The district also houses the Sammichian Imperial Navy Base, which patrols the mouth of the bay.