Ten years ago, I found my love of hospitality operating an entirely student-run coffee shop and performance venue with twenty friends on campus at USC. When I wasn’t in class or behind the bar, I was taking the Metro across LA, shadowing my favorite chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary heroes. Among them was Joey Rubin, Culinary Curator and Owner of F&B Agency, Parade. His community-centered approach, connecting the dots in LA’s underground food culture through pop-ups and events, was brewing long before we had the vocabulary for it.
My first visit to The G was a quick walk-through with Tom Wells, the rentals manager, after a year of DM-ing on their truly fascinating Instagram account. Tom greeted me warmly in the foyer with its marble-covered walls, the floor-to-ceiling wallpaper view of Venezia, and an 8-foot painting of the club’s namesake, General Giuseppe Garibaldi.
EDIBLE EXPLORER
The faint but distinct scent of burning wood always seems to linger around most ski resort towns, evoking that wrapped-up-in-a-wool-blanket-by-the-fireplace kind of feeling. In Queenstown—my first of many stops in New Zealand—I found myself captivated by remarkable snowcapped mountains, stunning landscapes, and a sense of adventure that many visitors find contagious.
Spring is sprung, we've got super blooms coming right at us, and sometimes the coolest way to experience the glories and bounties of California is to get outta town. This time we're thinking a drive up the Central Coast to Morro Bay.
I was told once that Chef Enrique Olvera’s cooking is all about time, and I remember thinking—time? How can a dish be all about time? In Mexico City, you can see a white piano, dangling in midair above an ancient body shop; you can squint up at skyscrapers that cantilever at impossible angles over street vendors. Modernity in CDMX constantly pushes up against the past.
I’m always looking for Los Angeles abroad, so it was interesting—I want to say amazing—to be invited to the Saint James Hotel and find California in this unusual and very specifically Parisian place.
The remote islands of Fiji are on the frontlines of climate change in a way that us Angelenos can only imagine. In a city like LA, the days are getting hotter, the fires more primal, but the ocean is not in danger—yet—of washing us away. Not so in Fiji. The whole country is fragile and beautiful, so beautiful that, spend any time there at all, and you become hyper clear about just how much we have to lose.
It’s not always easy to manage a big faraway vacation—we all need some closer-to-home getaways that still feel like we’re actually getting away. On a good day, you’ll drive south to Laguna Beach in less than two hours and find yourself surrounded by a cute, quirky little beach town—sort of like how Malibu used to feel—filled with local boutiques, art galleries, great restaurants, surf shops, clean beaches, beautiful hikes, and a handful of stunning resorts.
The Montage Laguna Beach is perched on a clifftop overlooking the ocean and they’ve done a remarkable job making the property a one-stop paradise—you don’t really feel the need to leave. It’s easy to fill a weekend with luxurious spa treatments (take advantage of the spa’s quiet, adults-only pool, which arguably has the best view on the property), beach walks, pool lounging, and trying everything on offer at their three restaurants.
Upstate New York has always served as a refuge for city dwellers, offering wide swaths of open pasture only a few hours train from the bustling heat of city centers. Every time I visited the Hudson Valley during my five years in New York, I jumped at the opportunity to witness seasons in full swing.
A road trip from L.A. heads straight for the quiet spaces of the stunning southwest.A summer road trip, to me anyway, signals back to a time of absolute freedom—no worries, no time restrictions, no responsibilities—just exploration, of the mind, body, and spirit. Driving through storied places like Sedona and the Grand Canyon are enriching in a way no museum can be and offer nothing but space and time to just be. My destination, Bishop’s Lodge in Santa Fe (https://aubergeresorts.com/bishopslodge/), ended up being a true escape and a unique, hands-on way to experience the Land of Enchantment.
The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, now part of the luxurious Auberge Resorts collection of properties, reopened in February to debut modern guest rooms and an elevated, off-the-beaten-path experience not far from the L.A. bustle.
Many of us Angelenos have been to Hawaii, and many of us also have that place. The Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, is mine. It charms. It seduces. It gets under your skin.
It begins with the place. The hotel is situated on the Kohala Coast in Kalahuipua’a, a historic park. You can walk the sacred trail of the King Kamehameha as it threads its way through the ancient fishponds. A green sea turtle nursery teems with rescued turtles. In the gorgeous bay, humpback whales return year after year. Danny Akaka, a treasured cultural ambassador, has his own Talk Story corner in the soaring plant-filled lobby. Many of the staff have been there decades, considering themselves stewards of the property, and you can tell.
I visited Stanly Ranch, an Auberge Resorts Collection property in South Napa Valley, as one of our recent atmospheric rivers dumped a bucket of water on our heads. Everything was misty, the fields, the birds (and worms!) visibly reveling in the rain. I’m here to tell you that, even soaked, Stanly Ranch is a gorgeous and revelatory property that is not just a beautiful hotel, but a working ranch as well.
Us Angelenos have a handful of go-to weekend getaway destinations: Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Ojai… usually North and coastal. Bonus points if you make it to a vineyard. South Texas doesn’t immediately come to mind. After my 2-night stay at Hotel Emma at Pearl, however, I’m already scheming another visit to San Antonio.
Surrounded by swooping palms and slow burning copal in the Yucatan Jungle, I felt instantly embraced by Habitas Bacalar.
Before I was led to my room, I was welcomed into a copal ceremony. While the tree resin burned, Habitas staff told stories of copal being used for thousands of years to clear land and spirit of negative energy.
From the shamanic breath work to the use of tamarind from the ancient trees that first lined the property when they began its construction, every choice is deeply intentional. The hotel honors tradition and weaves ancient practices into every guest activity from the moment I arrived.
There’s the Los Angeleno and the New Yorker, be it Brooklyn or Manhattan or Silverlake or Malibu. And there’s the people who belong a little bit to both places too, like me, born in New York, yet living in Los Angeles so long that I full-on call it home. And yet, every time I go to New York, something inside me still says: my town.
Last month I got to experience New York as a tourist at Williamsburg’s The William Vale Hotel. It’s an impressive building, especially as so much of the real estate in Brooklyn is relatively low. White stone and rising up on a base that almost looks laced, it’s hip and bustling, and all about the view.
Not long after asking how I was managing the freeways and the traffic, locals kept telling me “you have to go to Ojai.” As a new LA resident, plenty of other beautiful desert, mountain and beach locales beckoned. But six months in, I finally heeded the advice. Driving up mid-week in January, I had twenty four hours to explore the famously unassuming, artsy town. Top of my agenda: Checking out two standouts in Ojai’s dining scene, which has seen an influx of new eateries and fresh culinary talent in the last couple of years.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved a good sunrise. It’s that feeling of waking up when the world is still calm and quiet—getting to experience the slow whirr of cars making their way to work, to school, everyone starting a new day with endless possibilities on the horizon. In the Maldives, sunrise hits a little bit differently. No news, no cars, no noise—maybe just a boat whizzing by in the distance. This is exactly what I traveled so far to find: peace and quiet.
Going on safari is one of those luxurious adventures that lands on most every traveler’s bucket list but can seem so distant and removed from our lives in the L.A. grind. After spending some time in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park, I can say this is exactly the trip I needed in order to really get away, unwind, refocus, and come back to my day-to-day life with a greater sense of purpose and conviction. I ate spectacularly—sometimes with a view of giraffes and elephants drinking from the waterhole—unclenched my shoulders in the spa, awoke to the sounds of baboons, explored the African bush searching for the Big Five, and made great new friends each evening back at the lodge.
Here’s what we like about the Como Metropolitan London in Mayfair: it’s not only luxurious but minimalist—the main feature in its large rooms are the huge windows with an astounding view of Hyde Park. It has all the elegance and touches the Como Hotel Group is known for, like its Shambhala cuisine—we love how you can order just about anything and it will star fruits and vegetables—as well as a stellar spa. Nobu is right downstairs, should you need a taste of LA, and they make bento picnic boxes if you’re drawn to the gorgeous green of the park.
I’ve long been intrigued by the volcanic wines of Santorini. Take a tour of the wine blogs, and you’ll hear about their complexity, with tastes of citrus, flint-stone, jasmine, honey and toast. You’ve also heard, most likely, that that Santorini is a place of two things: the young, carousing in the hip bars in Oia and Fira, and the old, day-trippers who flood the streets, buying trinkets and never straying too far from the shuttle back to their cruise ship. Last month, I decided to find out myself and lucked into Grace Hotel.
A summer road trip to The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, opened up a world of outdoor activities that immersed our whole family in the stunning surrounding nature—and offered a much-needed unplugging from LA life.
LOCAL NEWS & STORIES
Most of my life has been lived by an ocean—a vast expanse of sparkling blue where I’ve gazed into the unknown more times than I could ever count, marveled at the swirly sunsets, and walked in the uprush at dawn. No matter where I am in the world, a beach feels homey; the water, familiar. It’s only recently that I’ve realized I am not doing enough to protect our struggling oceans, or our world, from the imminent threat of climate change and plastic pollution…
I wouldn’t immediately think of California as apple country, but it definitely is. Our Central Coast has the perfect combination of coldish winters, coastal fog, and hot summer days to grow happy apples. That’s why our farmers’ markets are about to see a parade of early and late-season heirloom fruit…
I met with Uli downtown on a hot day in Los Angeles. Walking into her gelato shop felt like a refuge from the craziness outside. There she was, standing proudly behind the counter, multitasking by handing samples to customers and dealing with a repairman while she greeted me and invited me back into the kitchen for a chat..
Anyone who’s into cooking has most likely experienced the almost mystical bond between chefs and their tools. A sharp knife is a chef’s best friend and proper knife skills can create a line in the sand between professionals and amateurs…
In food as in nature, color abounds. Natural dyes, made from food scraps that would otherwise go composted or unused, suddenly inspire creative opportunities that reduce food waste. They can replace synthetic chemical colorings in foods like frostings, icings and batters. They can also dye fiber such as yarn, clothing and pillowcases. And they can add color to DIYs and projects from paper crafts to homemade paints to Easter eggs…
Always wanted to know what it takes to make the leap from barista to coffee shop owner? International coffee legend, Barista Dritan Alsela, is taking to our Lab stage to tell all. Learn about The New Rules of Coffee with Jordan Michelman and Zac Carlson of Sprudge, will be…
Remember Felicia from the 1995 cult classic, Friday? Angela Means, the feisty actress who played her, has a new mission now. As owner/creator of Jackfruit Cafe, she’s pedaling vegan soul food.
For third-generation farmer Maria Inés Catalán, agriculture is her culture. The 55-year-old owner of Catalán Family Farm in Hollister is carrying on a tradition passed down from her grandfather, who was a farmer in Mexico, to her father, who came to...
Today, March 5th, marks the beginning of California's first official Food Waste Prevention Week in an attempt to bring awareness to the staggering amount of food waste that occurs not only statewide but across the nation as well...
Westchester is a neighborhood of neat houses and well-tended lawns—the kind of place
where you can still go next door to borrow a cup of sugar. The Holy Nativity Episcopal Church sits in the center of this residential area, a low-slung building with a riot of feathery flowers outside. The church functions as a community center with a yoga studio, garden, and spaces for...
What a great way to celebrate the arrival of early winter citrus and the season’s holidays: tender roast chicken burnished with a sweet-hot rub of silan, or date syrup, and harissa, and perfumed with tangerines that are caramelized...
The stress of holiday cooking and shopping should never overshadow all the excitement and quality family time abound! We've made lists of holiday essentials, from the perfect place to make reservations on Thanksgiving or New Year's Day to our favorite pies, eggnogs, and festive treats...
When the weather gets nippy, I want to be some place cozy and elegant, eating my new favorite comfort food. The place is Flame Persian Cuisine. The food is ash—pronounced “ahsh”—a thick Persian stew made with garbanzos, kidney beans, white beans, and lentils...
Eggplant is still in season through the early fall and it truly makes a wonderful, earthy salad (one that won't wilt!) for any occasion.
LATEST RECIPES
This salad is part of my collab with Courtney McBroom for Edible LA’s Summer Issue party idea: Under the Summer Moon. Pair it with Polenta with Sour Cream and Crushed Strawberries and Strawberry Lime Fizz to out-strawberry yourself when the berries are sweet and bountiful.
Use whatever type of booze you like (I prefer tequila or whiskey). And if shaking doesn’t appeal to you, simply throw some ice in a glass, add all the ingredients (sans soda and the garnish), and stir. Speaking of garnishes, fresh chamomile brings major summer goddess vibes, but if you can’t find that, any herb will do! Don’t be afraid to think outside the mint box - everything goes with strawberries and booze. Fresh sage, rosemary - heck, even oregano! The idea is to put a big ol’ bunch in there, so every time you take a sip, you can smell it.
This is not a traditional polenta recipe. In fact, it’s not polenta at all. You may now be wondering why I called this recipe Sweet Corn Polenta. Well, that’s because the starches in the corn act as a thickening agent, and cooking it results in a pudding that looks like polenta, but tastes like the sweetest, butteriest, freshest summer corn you’ve ever had.
If plátanos and frijoles were musical recording artists, this dish, fried plantains with pureed frijoles, would be the single that goes platinum. It is a composition of flavors equally masterful and integral, bringing out the best in each other, both in taste and in texture. In other words, name a better duet. I’ll wait.
This is a pudding mum would make for us through the Autumn on our return from gathering brambles picked from the hedgerows in and around the village. The pudding was a prize earned for the scratches and general dishevelment resulting from battle with the bushes. If brambles, as wild blackberries were always known in Scotland, were plentiful, and survived scoffing by us hungry pickers, jars of bramble jelly were made and stored with all the other preserves, each label painted by Dad and watched over with careful eyes against an always ravenous brood.
I am very drawn to the Sicilian flavour profile of sweet, sour, salty and oily. Caponata is the perfect embodiment of this combination. As with many Sicilian dishes, caponata has drawn its ingredients from across the Mediterranean. It is also a dish that traditionally travels, with the vegetables being bought fresh at port and the sailors preserving them with vinegar and sugar while at sea. This dish is best served at room temperature, with good crusty bread or focaccia to mop everything up.
FARMS & GARDENING
Imagine a delicious cross between an old-timey county fair, a farmers market, and a three-day intensive workshop with some of the best minds in gardening, seed preservation, healthy living, and sustainability. Throw in some entertainment, kids’ activities, vendors, food, friendship, and magic, and you have The National Heirloom Exposition.
Los Angeles River High School (lariverschool.com) has been around for six productive years now. Its principal, Kristine Puich, dressed in black with high boots, gold hoops in her ears, and a chattering walkie-talkie swinging at her belt, strides on ahead during my tour...
While Windrose Farm may be located up in San Luis Obispo county, owners and farmers Bill and Barbara Spencer have been supplying some of the most iconic LA restaurants with their famed tomatoes as well as a variety of other produce since the 90s. They've also been a staple of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market since 2002...
On a neat block in Crenshaw -- tidy houses with sun baked yards, silver LAX planes hanging overhead--Adam and Wendy Huss' house stands out with a crazy scribble of grapevines, low-hanging pomegranates, a soaring lemon tree, bright Hachiya persimmons, and avocados hiding in thick leaves.