9 Tips for Booking Luxury Vacation Rentals
9 Tips for Booking Luxury Vacation Rentals Booking a luxury vacation rental is about more than finding a breathtaking property. It’s about setting the stage for an unforgettable experience. From location to amenities, guest reviews to fine print, there are myriad...
Peter Jones on Fortunate Sons: Revisiting Friendship, Privilege, and Honest Conversations
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet up with my fellow classmates from High School in a Santa Monica restaurant. It was a reunion of sorts; we hadn't seen each in decades. We were nine people, with nine stories about life, death, drugs, sex, early crushes,...
Up on the Roof
Summertime in Southern California is a great time of the year to experience dining and drinking under the stars. According to a 2023 lifestyle ranking, Los Angeles had the most top-rated rooftop restaurants in the U.S., placing No. 3 in the overall count, just behind...
Rafaela Gonçalves, A Creative Force Bridging Worlds
When I sat down with Rafaela Gonçalves, I didn’t feel like I was interviewing someone, it felt like catching up with a friend. We laughed, we reflected, and we got deep about what it really takes to carve out a space in an industry that often tells us to shrink...
A New Diner in Town: Tesla
When Tesla Diner opened on July 21, 2025, it drew massive crowds eager to see a “Grease meets The Jetsons” fantasy brought to life. Wrapped in gleaming stainless steel, the two-story saucer-shaped diner—designed by Stantec—boasts over 250 seats, 75–80 V4 Supercharger...
Domestic Travel: Grand Hyatt Regency Resort, Scottsdale, AZ
…and, if airports, luggage, passports, and in-flight meals have no appeal, there is always domestic travel. It’s a short flight — just about an hour and twenty minutes — and even better, you can depart from the easygoing Bob Hope (Burbank) Airport. Soon enough, you...
Movies and the State of Hollywood
Ah, the movies. Once a staple in the entertainment arsenal, it has become an expensive proposition: In Los Angeles, the average cost of a standard movie ticket currently ranges from $18 to $20, depending on the theater and time of day. Premium formats like IMAX, Dolby...
How to Avoid Jet Lag on Long-Haul Flights: A Traveler’s Guide
Jet lag — is a real thing, a nuisance and a mood that can alter your happy travel plans. Jet lag — that groggy, off-kilter feeling after a long-haul flight — can throw off the first few days of any trip. When you're traveling across multiple time zones, especially on...
Santa Monica Birthday Card pt.1
Santa Monica turns 150 this year, and if you think that just means cake and fireworks, think again. This city isn’t just a pretty stretch of coastline—it’s a cultural engine, a political stage, a surfer’s dream, and one of California’s most enduring icons. It’s fashionable, it’s our Riviera, complete with an iconic pier, a gateway to legendary costal communities, and glamor.
Founded in 1875, Santa Monica began as a rail-connected beach escape for Angelenos and evolved into a complex urban village that blends beauty with substance. What started as a simple bayside resort became a magnet for visionaries, rebels, dreamers, and creators. Over the decades, it’s been everything from a silent film backdrop to a counterculture stronghold to a hub for green innovation and forward-thinking urban planning.
Taking on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
What do the smash-hit TV series Baby Reindeer and Fleabag have in common? They both started out as plays at the largest arts/theater festival in the world—The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Many new artists take a show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in hopes of...
The Great Elephant Migration: A Moment That Stuck With Me
Every now and then, I find myself at an event that I didn’t realize I needed. The Great Elephant Migration was exactly that; intentional, grounding, and deeply human. I was invited by Cork & Knife and The Lost Explorer to attend, and from the moment I walked in, I...
LAX: New & Improved
Los Angeles International Airport is in the midst of its most dramatic transformation since the Jet Age. Once defined by traffic snarls and dated concourses, LAX is now emerging as something else entirely—a multi-billion-dollar gateway designed...
Pool Tide
One thing is for certain, the Southland has pools, lots of pools, public pools for everyone. Here is a list of the best local places to take a dip. City of Los Angeles – Year‑Round Pools Algin Sutton Pool – City of L.A. Aquatics (Other year‑round city pools can be...
A Touch of Sri Lanka
Tucked between Thai Town and Los Feliz, Kurrypinch delivers a bold, flavor-packed Sri Lankan experience with modern flair. The Hollywood Boulevard location feels like an intimate, culinary escape — stylish yet warm, with a cozy patio and an inviting chef’s counter....
Ryan Rondeno’s “My Creole-Cali Kitchen” Blends Southern Soul with SoCal Freshness
Food lovers, get ready for a vibrant culinary journey that’s as soulful as it is sun-kissed. Publishing July 8, My Creole-Cali Kitchen: Louisiana Roots with California Flavors by Ryan Rondeno the debut cookbook that brings together the deep, seasoned heritage of Louisiana Creole cuisine with the fresh, farm-forward lifestyle of California cooking. This flavorful fusion celebrates bold spices, clean ingredients, and stories from both coasts — with recipes that range from blackened salmon tacos and mango slaw to jambalaya-stuffed bell peppers and Meyer lemon aioli.

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