Updates and insights on the world's best experiences.
Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, CaliforniaThe days are getting longer and in California that means travelers are heading outdoors. This image was captured before crossing Bixby Bridge, a single-span concrete arch perched 260 feet above the ocean. For the ultimate California road trip, take a drive through Big Sur with a stop at Andrew Molera State Park. This stretch of the Big Sur River is only accessible by foot and the park is also filled with soaring redwood forests and a stunning broad beach.
It’s been a couple of weeks since Coachella, the epic musical fest in the California desert, attracted thousands of fans from around the world to celebrate top talents like Moby and the Red Hot Chili Peppers plus a long list of emerging artists. But we’re still feeling just a hint of nostalgia, so we thought we’d share this image captured during the festival. If you want to keep up to date on next year’s line-up, get information on Coachella tickets, lodging and other logistics, check out www.coachella.com
And to get a head start on those party plans, this year’s list is a good place to start, as the best parties tend to repeat year after year: Coachella Parties 2013.
Big Sur, CaliforniaThis image of Big Sur at Bixby Creek Bridge shows the stunning topography of California’s Central Coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. Located south of the Monterey Peninsula, a drive through Big Sur offers awe-inspiring views of the rugged terrain perched atop the Pacific Ocean.
Discover Laguna’s iconic art galleries on a festive evening tour the first Thursday of every month.
Swenson Fine Art Gallery Laguna BeachThe beach chairs and umbrellas are folding up as summer comes to an end, but there are a myriad of activities still luring visitors to Laguna Beach. The water is still warm, the sky at sunset remains a dazzling pink, and on the first Thursday of each month, Art Walk offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to sample Laguna’s famed art galleries.
The first Thursday evening of each month, year round, all the galleries and some boutiques open their doors, with food, wine, and heart, to the public. It almost feels like Venice as you walk (or shuttle for free), down PCH from gallery to gallery, with live music, and some great people watching.
Making and supporting art is at the very heart of Laguna. While meandering through the village, it’s easy to be inspired by the visual surroundings. The atmosphere is laid back, social, provocative, and hip. We promise this is not watercolor paintings of boats and the sea. Some truly original artists showcase their work in these respected galleries, many of whom are available for q&a sessions.
For a fun night out in Laguna, don’t miss the upcoming First Thursday Laguna Beach Art Walks on October 4, November 1, and December 6th. It’s a great way to decompress or recharge, surrounded by compelling art. For a complete listing of galleries and more information visit here.
Surf’s Up San Diego as big wave surf champion Maya Gabeira is headed to La Jolla to teach a few lucky participants about the art of surfing. Zozi, an adventure company that urges all to get off the couch and start checking off that bucket list, creates epic experiences and soul-inspiring trips in 25 different cities and two countries. Whether it’s swimming with sharks, communing with the wolves, a moonlight sail, white water rafting or horseback riding combined with wine tasting, there’s a trip with your name on it.
In addition to their grand adventures, Zozi has recently launched its “Gurus” program where luminary athletes lead once-in-a-lifetime experiences—ski with Olympian Johnny Moseley, paddle white water with expert Tao Berman or hang ten with Brazilian champion Maya Gabeira…what’s your dream?
This weekend, on Saturday, August 18th, in La Jolla, CA, a select few can catch some waves with Gabeira, a world-class surfer who’s won myriad Billabong XXL Big Wave awards and shreds like no other female when Waimea Beach or Teahupoo are going off.
The day long adventure costs $295 and includes surf instruction, snacks and lunch at The Shores restaurant. Rash guards and surf boards are also provided.
Book it or find your next adventure here. Or for more info call 1-888-ZOZI-123 or email gurus@zozi.com.
Get your culinary and concert groove on this August in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
It’s one thing to be able to hang out in Golden Gate Park and see bands like Sigur Ros, Skrillex, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Beck and The Foo fighters. It’s another to be able to nibble on wood-fired flatbreads, artisan sandwiches, and sample a bounty of fine wines while rockin’ out. Yes, it’s the world’s only gourmet music festival, and where better than San Francisco whose residents consistently elevate the art of fine living and culinary good taste.
Now in its fifth year, Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival features rock stars, renegades and up-n-coming bands over the course of three days. Rocks icons Neil Young & Crazy Horse and Metallica will both perform for the first time in Golden Gate Park, along with bands such as Justice, Norah Jones, Grandaddy, Bloc Party, Die Antwoord, Amadou & Mariam, Fun., The Walkmen, Two Gallants, Alabama Shakes, Tame Impala, Sharon Van Etten, Bomba Estereo, Tennis, White Denim, Caveman and more.
Food and fine potables play an equally important role in this festive summer gathering with over 100 options from farmer’s market fare and food trucks to kegged wines and craft beer . A Taste of the Bay area will host 47 restaurants for gourmet bites like Korean tacos, chicken curry plates, hot links, Carolina pulled pork, and crispy bacon and syrup funnel cakes. And Wine Land will spotlight pours from over 31 vineyards such as Robert Sinskey, Caymus, Ridge, Orin Swift, Bonny Doon, The Scholium Project, Kermit Lynch and more. Dancing concert-goers can cool off with coconut chai lattes, mint mojito iced coffees or snickerdoodle frozen yogurt sandwiches.
In addition to the global beat and cuisine, the three-day party includes art installations by groundbreaking talent, theatrical circus performances, chill lounges and Eco Lands, an environmental education area featuring workshops to teach urban dwellers how to grow their own food and more.
Outside Lands runs August 10 – 12 and tickets are still available. Three day passes cost $225 with VIP tickets for $495 that include access to the Polo Club shaded lounge, massage facilities, better viewing and special food and drink.
The festival promoters also do the right thing by giving back to help preserve the city’s Golden Gate Park; last year they raised $4.3 million for the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. We dig that.
Photos by Cameron Neilson.
The Golden Gate Bridge Turns 75 and the City by the Bay is Celebrating
The Bridge that needs no introduction turns 75. Image: San Francisco Travel Association
It’s not often you get to celebrate the birthday of a world-famous icon (and no, we don’t mean Adele, besides her birthday was May 5). This Memorial Day weekend, something indeed memorable is taking place in one of our favorite cities. San Francisco’s iconic (we know, but there’s really no other word) Golden Gate Bridge celebrates its 75th birthday.
The photogenic span was originally opened on May 27, 1937, and on the same date this year, San Francisco’s world renowned bridge connecting the city to the Marin headlands will be feted with a day-long Golden Gate Festival stretching four miles along the San Francisco waterfront from Fort Point to Pier 39.
The celebrations start at 11 a.m. and end at approximately 9:30 p.m. with a grand finale and spectacular fireworks show featuring a soundtrack provided by local radio station KFOG. An homage to the historic Golden Gate Fiesta of 1937, the Golden Gate Festival will celebrate the world-famous landmark with music, art, dance, historical exhibits, a display of cars from 1937 to the present and a classic waterfront parade. Free public events will be held throughout Sunday with major programs planned for Crissy Field and the Marina Green. Additional activities and events will be held at the Presidio, Fort Mason Center, Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. The Golden Gate Festival is an alcohol-free event.
Highlights of the Golden Gate Festival and other events happening during the weekend include:
The city will also be hosting traditional Memorial Day commemorative ceremonies over the weekend. For a complete calendar of events, visit www.sanfrancisco.travel.
Public transit is the best option to reach many of these events and highly recommended for the Golden Gate Festival events; complete details will be posted on www.goldengatebridge75.org. Officials are encouraging spectators to walk or bike to the events; there will be ample free bike parking. For additional transit information call 511 (within the nine Bay Area counties) or 510-893-8729 or visit www.511.org. A number of local sailing charter and scheduled cruise companies have also announced special cruises. Among those offering cruises during the day as well as a few scheduled for fireworks viewing are Adventure Cat; Blue & Gold Fleet; SS Jeremiah O’Brien and Red and White Fleet. For more details visit Fisherman’s Wharf.
And for a stay that matches the Golden Gate fever of the festivities, check out Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar, located in the heart of the city near SFMOMA. The hotel recently unveiled their new Golden Gate Suite in honor of the bridge’s 75th anniversary. Available until the end of the year, the suite gives guests an up-close-and-personal encounter with the celebrated span, thanks to details like a vast printed opaque decal of the bridge that spans across the bay windows, a lampshade decorated with historic images from 1937 and even nightstands and a coffee table fabricated by a local artist from steel reclaimed from the bridge. Other amenities include a themed complimentary cocktail (vermillion orange in color of course) and a book about the bridge’s design and history. (The special rate code is GG75.)
Hang Ten in Coronado, then Hang Out at the Downtown Kimpton Hotel
We love Kimpton Hotels for their creative getaway packages that allow visitors to experience a true taste of their environs. Hotel Solamar is inviting guests to experience a little San Diego surf culture with their “Hang Ten, then Hang Out” deal. On this adventure, spend some time charging waves and learning to rip with the Coronado Surf Academy. And don’t worry, they’ll provide the wetsuits and soft boards for beginners or take shredders to the perfect breaks. These SoCal surf instructors will even teach your dog to hang 20, an added bonus, particularly since you may have brought your buddy along since Hotel Solamar is extremely pet friendly (as in no height or weight restrictions).
Who knows–your furry companion just might be the next big winner of Coronado’s dog surfing contest on June 16th in Imperial Beach. Let’s just hope that your dog isn’t a better surfer than you.
Back at the hotel…
After a day at the beach, you can enjoy mojitos poolside on a cozy lounge bed on the rooftop terrace or bottle service in Solamar’s swank draped cabanas. San Diego’s skyline provides a scintillating backdrop and the craziness of the Gaslamp awaits below.
The package includes:
• Deluxe king accommodations at Kimpton’s Hotel Solamar
• Surfing lessons for two on Coronado Island from Coronado Surfing Academy
• Picnic lunch for two on one of Coronado Island’s beautiful beaches
• Transportation from Kimpton’s Hotel Solamar to your surf lesson and back
• Morning coffee and tea service in living room to help get your day started
• Hosted evening wine reception to chill out after a day of activity
• 24-hour access to in-house fitness room; complimentary weekend Pilates classes; power walks with the GM
• Complimentary wireless Internet access for Kimpton InTouch members (free to join)
The “Hang Ten, then Hang Out” package runs May 1 through June 30, 2012, then starts up again September 6 through December 31, 2012. Rates are just $269 a night with a two night minimum and must be booked 72 hours in advance. The package can be booked online with the rate code “SURF” or by calling 877-230-0300 and requesting the “Hang Ten, then Hang Out” package.
Celebrate Earth Day this weekend in Santa Monica, Calif., at an alternative to Coachella that won’t leave your ears ringing and energy zapped.
Mat men and women looking for an alternative to Coachella Round 2 as a way of celebrating Earth Day this weekend have a pretty amazing opportunity: The Tadasana Festival of Yoga & Music.
Scheduled for Earth Day weekend Friday April 20 – Sunday, April 22 on the beach in Santa Monica, Calif., the celebration includes everything from yoga classes to musical performances featuring high-profile teachers and musicians including Shiva Rea, Bryan Kest and Karsh Kale. Other names participating in the even include brands such as Subaru, Yogaworks, Gaiam TV, Kevita and Namaste Interactive, who will be hosting tents offering classes taught by some of yoga’s most high-profile teachers. Participants can practice their downward dogs and other poses to a soundtrack of live musical performances by world music stars including tabla master, Karsh Kale, Malian guitar virtuoso Vieux Farka Touré, Israeli superstar Idan Raichel, global groove DJ, Cheb I Sabbah, Grammy-nominated Kirtan leader, Jai Uttal, and many more.
Shiva Rea. Image: Tadasana Festival
Tadasana Festival of Yoga & Music Highlights include:
Speaker Series: In addition to yoga classes, Tadasana features a speaker series produced by The Daily Love to include thought leaders in spirituality, personal transformation and sustainability such as Barbara Marx Hubbard, Mariel Hemingway, Mallika Chopra and Chris Paine. Facebook phenom Positively Positive will also host a panel of women who have overcome extraordinary challenges moderated by five-time Emmy winner, Giselle Fernandez.
Musical Performances: In the evenings, Tadasana musicians will be playing at a variety of venues around Santa Monica, encouraging everyone to come out and get their chakras moving to rhythmic sounds with global influences. The highlight of the evening events will be The Sounds of Tadasana Concert, taking place April 21st at the Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club where Karsh Kale and Cheb I Sabbah will take attendees on a beat-heavy sonic journey.
Off The Mat: On Saturday, April 21st, The Yogaworks tent will host a special class benefiting, Off the Matt, Into the World, taught by Seane Corn, Lisa Walford, Kathryn Budig, Kia Miller and Joan Hyman with live music by Jai Uttal, Masood Ali Khan and Sheela Bringi. Festival sponsor Subaru will also donate $50, towards the goal of raising $17,500, for each test drive Tadasana attendees make at a Southern California, Southern Nevada or Arizona Subaru dealership until June 30, 2012.
Global Marketplace: In addition to Tadasana’s gathering of top yogis, musicians and presenters, the festival will also be a destination of sights, sounds, tastes and experiences including an eco-markeplace (open to the public for free), The Beauty Bar for organic body treatments, organic cuisine, The Temple Tea Hut with tea servings offered by an authentic tea master, the Tadasana Repair Shop for onsite bodywork, the Tadasana Airport for AcroYoga, a visit from the mobile media wagon known as The Buzz Bus, and more. All this will take place in a near-zero-waste zone next to one of the most popular beaches in sunny Southern California.
Stay: In keeping with the progressive, Earth-friendly vibe of the Festival, If you’re planning on staying the weekend, we recommend checking out Santa Monica’s first LEED Gold Certified hotel, the Shore Hotel. The property is a haute hybrid in its own right, meshing a boutique luxury ambiance with sustainable practices and design.
Tadasana Festival takes place April 20th through 22nd on Santa Monica’s beachfront at 2600 Barnard Way, Santa Monica, CA 90405 near the corner of Ocean Park Blvd and the beach. For more information please see www.tadasanafestival.com .
Liz Laing hits the slopes with her powderpuff newbie kids for their first ski adventure.
After hearing for years that Mammoth Mountain has some of the best skiing in California, I decided a ski trip with my family was long overdue. It had been a few years since I last skied and my three kids would be learning for the first time. Let me preface that by also saying that skiing is one of those sports best suited to learning at a very young age before the “fear factor” sets in. Unfortunately, my kids were all past this golden age of fearlessness, but they gave it a go anyway – some more successfully than others.
After an easy five-hour drive from LA, we arrived at Tallus Luxury Homes, a new collection of swanky residences located near the center of town. Each of these stylish homes is three-stories and features four to five bedrooms, a gourmet kitchen, multiple dining areas, a fireplace, an outdoor spa, separate kids’ room and a media room. (Sharing the house with a few friends or another family is ideal and economical). We found there was plenty of room for all — the kids played in the clubhouse (with classic arcade games and a heated swimming pool), and we cooked dinner together and hung out in the great room, sipping wine by the fire. Afterward, we’d retire to the media room and watch movies. Truth be told, our stay at Tallus was so comfortable and inviting , by the end of our stay, we didn’t want to leave.
Tallus Clubhouse Swimming Pool. Image: Liz Laing
Our true mission here though was not to just cozy up by the fire, but conquer the mountain. Well, maybe survive and have a few laughs on the slopes would be a more apt description. That first evening, the folks from Black Tie Ski Rentals, a ski rental delivery service, came by to fit us for the next day’s skiing. What’s not to love; there was no waiting in lines the next day or being worried about inferior ski equipment. Black Tie provided top-notch equipment and outstanding service, not to mention the convenience of having it all delivered. The next morning, I snuck out on my own in an attempt to get my ski legs back. After one run however, my thighs were burning hotter than our chalet’s fireplace. Clearly, I must be doing something wrong. After a couple of hours I called the Tallus shuttle and headed back to collect the kiddies. (Tallus offers complimentary shuttle service to town, the ski lifts and the airport).
Author's kids ready for the slopes
All decked out in their winter suits, the kids were both excited and anxious. I began to worry a bit as putting on their ski boots proved to be a challenge. I knew if I hung around watching their lesson, they would become even more nervous so I cut the cord and headed off to meet friends for lunch. I figured I’d have plenty of time to watch them ski when I picked them up, or so I thought. We dined at Parallax, at McCoy Station, half way up the mountain. I underestimated how long it would take me to ski down and get them after their lesson. I also misjudged how much pain I’d be in. Of course, it didn’t help that I got lost along the way and somehow ended up on an expert’s only black diamond run (this girl has no use for those diamonds) and although I did manage to make it down without falling, I wasn’t too happy about it. The lesson here? Downhill skiing is an amazing experience, but it’s best to stick to the runs that match your comfort level.
Anyway, time was ticking away and even though my legs were like jelly and my entire body shaking, I pushed on. Finally, I made it back to the ski school and found my kids, who had already taken off their skis. I was disappointed to have missed seeing them ski, but relieved to make it back in one piece. My 11-yr. old enjoyed her lesson the most and couldn’t wait to ski again. Her younger brother took a bit longer to warm up to it and their older sister declared she never wanted to do it again (you win some, you lose some).
The next day, after a couple of Advil and a soak in the hot tub, I managed to take the kids tubing at Woolly’s Outdoor Adventure Tube Park where they had a blast! The set-up is a rope tow pulls you up the hill (YES, no hiking). At the top, you choose a lane and head down, head first, picking up a fair amount of speed and trusting that your tube will actually come to a stop. Most of the time it does. (Tip: you can drag your feet to slow yourself down.) When my boyfriend teased me for dragging my feet and bragged about going faster, he ended up flying over the hill at the end that is designed to stop you. Call it karma.
Tubing at Woolly's Outdoor Adventure Tube Park, Mammoth Mountain. Image: Liz Laing
Afterward, we headed to Mammoth Brewing Company for some beer and root beer tasting, just across from The Village’s parking lot. The complimentary tasting includes 10 different local beers and a very tasty root beer. Be sure and take home a growler (big jug) of your favorite brew. My fave was the Owens Valley Wet Harvest Lager, a fruity and refreshing beer that comes in a 22 oz. bottle or on tap. My favorite restaurant in Mammoth is Restaurant Skadi, which offers a fine dining experience in a modern alpine setting. I was surprised to discover such a gem of a restaurant tucked away in Mammoth and found it comparable to any of the finest restaurants I’ve visited. Proprietor and Chef de Cuisine, Ian Algerøen, excels at creating alpine dishes with sophistication, creativity and flavor. The savory wild mushroom and Jarlsberg cheese crepe with Porcini mushrooms and a sherry coulis melted in my mouth.
On our last day, we stopped by the Sidedoor Cafe for lunch, which specializes in crepes and paninis. The kids gobbled up their dessert crepes and hot chocolate and I enjoyed an excellent latte. The Sidedoor Café is located at the base of the Canyon Lodge Gondola in the Village, so we decided to hop on for a quick ride (this gondola is FREE since it’s considered public transportation, but the scenic gondola departing from Main Lodge to the summit is not). As skiers got off at the top of the ride, two of my kids were happy just to stay in the gondola cab and safely head back down. Frankly, so was I. Skiing and Mammoth were exhilarating, but my body aches and pleasant memories would be enough to last me until next season.
The ski season in Mammoth typically runs until June, with some of the best skiing in March. Call 800-Mammoth (800-626-6684) or check the Mammoth Mountain website for more info.
All images, Liz Laing.
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