Date men from United States / California / Venice, 65 year old

Date a man from Venice, United States. Describing oneself is a very hard thing to do without sounding pompous and egotistical but for the sake of meeting someone nice, here goes. I have been called a "nice guy" and that is what I try to be. I am down to earth, you might say laid back and enjoy laughing (rarely get a chance). I enjoy movies, jazz and a good mystery book. Favorite authors are Grisham, Crais, King, Clancy, etc.
I enjoy quiet evenings at home after a long workday but weekends are for doing things. I am somewhat adventurous and will try most anything as long as I'm doing it with someone I care about. I am an avid animal lover and started a email group (50 members strong) to share pictures and videos. Years ago I thought when I retired I would volunteer at a shelter but changed my mind when I realized I will never retire (I'll save that story for another time).
I like to cook and kind of a neat freak but not to an extreme. I like clothes and since I have to dress in business attire, lean toward suits. Unfortunately, I have a few suits that 15 extra pounds keep me from wearing. I am committed to losing them (the pounds, not the suits).
I am not fond of air travel since it has been made so difficult. However, I love to drive. I am from NYC and when my mother was alive, I must have driven across country a dozen times. I have no remaining family and a limited friend base in Los Angeles after living here over 40 years.
I am looking for a female friend allowing that the friendship can develop into something deeper. I will not lead someone on and believe in an honest relationship. I know I am not the greatest catch at my age but I also know I am probably the nicest guy one can catch. Lets see what happens.

Meet single man from Venice, United States. I am a bright (sometimes too smart for my own good;-), well-educated man, with what I can best describe as a broad inclusive world view. While in many ways I am quite content with my life, I miss having some one to share it with. Someone who might also challenge me with new thoughts and other ideas about how to live life, and, most importantly, love. I am mostly retired and hope to do a reasonable amount of traveling and continue exploring the world. My trips abroad have always been to one place or country for a month or two...or three - I am not a whirlwind tour kind of guy. My interests are many and varied, from kayaking to burning-man. I especially enjoy the out of doors, but also films, plays…or anything interesting for that matter. I nearly "always look on the bright side of life" (to quote the end scene from 'Life of Brian" - my all-time favorite movie scene). I have one rule that has guided me through life for the last 39 years: "when in doubt, err on the side of uncertainty" or to put it another way: "when in doubt, err on the side of adventure". I would like to meet a smart, playful, friend, companion, and lover - kind of a soul-mate, to use a much over-used term.
I often think that there may be only four important criteria in searching for a partner - common morals, a similar sense of humor, a shared intelligence, and of course, that one indefinable: chemistry.