Travel Adventures and Photography
As a California native I have always been drawn to the coast. When I first started driving in Los Angeles, I was constantly getting lost and always ending up at the beach. Between Los Angeles and San Diego we have some epic coastal scenery; it's easy to stay on the freeway and miss some of the best places! Next time you're passing through or even doing a west coast road trip, check out these coastal gems. I promise you won't Read More
This summer I found a fantastic outing with Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari. I love the idea of this trip for several reasons; they have been recognized for their whale rescue efforts and have produced an award winning documentary and a great book on the subject, the tours are small in size and they take daily trips off the coast of Dana Point, California, where there are more blue whales and dolphins than Read More
While Los Angeles is a major hub for food lovers and new restaurants regularly open all over the city, I stand by my long-term favorites. These are the places where I always order the same mouth-watering dishes when I visit. I day dream about them.... You know exactly what I'm talking about. Tell me in the comment section below what your favorite restaurants and dishes are. I would love to try them and expand my list Read More
I adore Manhattan Beach. One of my other loves is breakfast / brunch. Seriously, what's not to love about sunshine and a brilliant spread of waffles, veggie omelets, blueberry or banana pancakes and fresh fruit? Where am I going with this? Saturday morning breakfast in Manhattan Beach at Uncle Bill's Pancake House. Sit on the patio of this house built in 1908, soak up the ocean-air, sipping your OJ and have one of Read More
While the famous Getty Center Museum atop a hill in Brentwood, California draws over 1.3 million visitors annually, the Getty Villa in Malibu is really the road less traveled and should be on your short list to visit in Los Angeles. The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome. It is a lesson in art, history and nature. And dedication. And Read More
On my west coast road trip I came across Sutro Baths, definitely something I wasn't expecting. Looking over the ruins was fascinating to me, and a bit eerie at the same time. The baths opened in 1896 as the world's largest indoor swimming pool establishment. Through an elaborate system of pools, tunnels and pumps, swimming pools were filled by ocean tides! Two acres of glass arched over steam-heated pools, restaurants, a Read More
Hollywood Reservoir, also known as Lake Hollywood, is a definite hidden gem. Most people visit for the paved, flat, pedestrian trail extending a 3.2 mile loop around the perimeter of the reservoir. It's enjoyed by joggers, walkers and bicyclists every single day. The walk is peaceful and you'll see some great views of Lake Hollywood, Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign. Most people who visit for the first time ask Read More
I just got home from visiting Los Olivos, a town in the Santa Ynez Valley just 2 hours north of Los Angeles. I love the quiet there; the great food and wine keep me coming back. I had some great 'firsts' on this visit and I wanted to share them with you. I think these gems are definitely worth checking out. I finally got to check out the Carhartt Wine Tasting Room in Los Olivos. This is a popular one with the Read More
Julian is a little town in the mountains about an hour from San Diego, California. It is especially picturesque if you are lucky enough to get a bit of snow, pretty common in the winter season. Actually, Julian has become a very popular getaway destination, one reason being that they have four distinct seasons. Julian was a gold mining town in the 19th century. It's actually a registered California Historical Landmark. Read More
Lavender Fields at the Robert Sinskey Winery on the Silverado Trail in Napa, California. Recently we went on a road trip from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon and I wanted to share some of the awesome and unexpected gems along the way. The agenda was to stick to the Highway 5 North until Portland, with a detour to Crater Lake, and come back down to LA along the Pacific Coast. First Stop: Napa, California! For Read More
I was recently drawn to a cocktail bar in San Diego, California called Polite Provisions, who call themselves 'Manufacturers of Local Tonics, Elixirs and Cures'. Alcohol certainly has a long history of therapeutic or medicinal function, to varying degrees. In the Middle Ages, drinking distilled spirits flavored with juniper berries was thought to protect people from the mysterious and deadly plagues and was widely Read More
The Santa Ynez Valley is a collection of six distinctive communities encircled by the Santa Ynez and San Rafael mountains. It is a fantastic destination if you’re looking for a mellow-paced trip to California wine country. It is just 35 miles from the Santa Barbara Coast, 125 miles up the coast from Los Angeles and 300 miles south of San Francisco. I suggest it as a destination no matter where you are from, no matter the time Read More
