California

Best Locally-Owned Los Angeles Boutiques

by Lanee Lee on May 16, 2012

Los-Angeles-shopping

I’d rather go to hell than to a mall. This equates to countless hours scouring both the glamorous and gritty streets of Los Angeles to find local shops for everything from groceries to garter belts to galoshes. I try to follow the mindset of Be Local, Buy Local whenever possible, even if that means facing [...]

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Best Burgers in Los Angeles

by Lanee Lee on May 14, 2012

Best Burgers Los Angeles

Burgers in Los Angeles are as pizza is in New York: a birthright. Although the American burger was invented in the Midwest, Los Angeles (specifically Pasadena) is the birthplace of the cheeseburger, created in the 1920’s. Since then, burgers have been as much of a Southern California icon as the palm tree.  Some of the [...]

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Borrego Springs: Can You Keep A Secret?

by Lanee Lee on May 1, 2012

Galleta Meadows Estate, Borrego Springs

What to hear a hot, nitty-gritty secret? I’ll only tell you if you promise not to tell a soul. I want this to remain between you and I to preserve it’s sanctity. Three hours southeast of Los Angeles, California’s Secret Desert is one of my favorite hidden retreats of badlands, sci-fi land art and surreal [...]

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Digital Detox in Mendocino

by Lanee Lee on March 29, 2012

Views from Little River Inn

If a digital detox is what you crave, Mendocino County is a ruggedly picturesque, off-the-beaten-path destination just a few hours north of San Francisco, and provides a haven to unplug and recharge. Since there is little to nil cell service and sparse Wi-Fi, a holiday in Mendocino is just what the doctor ordered if you’re [...]

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Culinary Heat: Hot Enough For Ya?

by Susan McKee on March 27, 2012

red

Some like it hot! Sure, summer’s temps may climb into the triple digits, but we’re talking about spicy heat — the kind of culinary POW! that makes serious eaters perspire with pleasure.  Those of us who travel “food first” always are in search of regional delights, especially when that involves hot and spicy. Chili Heat [...]

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LA’s Top 5 Celebrity Mixologists

by Lanee Lee on March 23, 2012

Rob Floyd, Smoke on the Water cocktail.

In a city with stars as common as convenient stores, bartenders also have their place in LA’s figurative Walk of Fame. Going head-to-head with masterful mixologists of New York City, Chicago, Miami and Portland, Los Angeles’ notable bars specialize in farmers market ingredients, Pre-Prohibition classics and some flame-juggling thrown in for pizazz. If cocktail artistry [...]

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Malibu Nude Beaches: Fact or Fiction?

by Lanee Lee on February 3, 2012

El Matador Beach, Malibu

Nude beaches in Malibu? While it sounded intriguing and Malibu is known as a liberal community, I wasn’t sure if it was anything more than an urban legend. On a deliciously sunny Sunday in January, my boyfriend and I packed only sunscreen for gear and a picnic for sustenance to investigate. First stop on the [...]

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Big Sur: The Artist’s Way

by Lanee Lee on January 30, 2012

bixby bridge

Artists have always had a nose for discovering beautiful places, which evolve into exclusive hideouts for the wealthy. And Big Sur is no different. Now it’s the quintessential “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” Northern California getaway with celebrity sightings as common as sea lions and thousand dollar a night hotel stays. Once upon a time though, [...]

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Carmel Wine Walk: Will Walk for Wine

by Mary Jo Manzanares on January 4, 2012

Wrath Winery wine cat

It’s easy to think of a beach vacation as merely surf, sun, and sand, but in quirky Carmel, it also means delicious food and winetasting.  Once you get away from the gorgeous beaches, Carmel is a wanderer’s paradise of art galleries, shops, fine restaurants, and a self-guided Wine Walk Tour taking you to 12 tasting [...]

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Photo Friday: Quirky Carmel-by-the-Sea

by Mary Jo Manzanares on November 4, 2011

Carmel Coastline

Known more widely by the shortened Carmel, this little town on the Monterey Peninsula has a stunning coastline (in photo), and they’ve made the most of their community by creating a personality that is both charming and quirky. At one time there was a law forbidding selling and eating ice cream on public streets.  Overturning [...]

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