![]() The springs are in nearby Desert Hot Springs. You’ll be at 8,516 feet elevation when you arrive at Mountain Station where you’ll find over 50 miles of hiking trails, two restaurants, observation decks, and a natural history museum. Take the 10-minute trip on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tramcar, for the two-and-one-half mile long ride along the cliffs of Chino Canyon to Mt. The Palm Springs dining spots of yesteryear - including Las Casuelas, Elmer’s for German pancakes, Melvyn’s for retro food that really is retro like Steak Diane, wilted spinach salad, and cherries jubilee - still thrive alongside their cooler new siblings, like Workshop Kitchen + Bar for dinner, and for a cheesy retro experience, King’s Highway for breakfast in a former Denny’s located in the Ace Hotel. This street tends to remind people of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills with its many upscale shops that blend the flavors and ambiance of the past with the present. Just outside of central Palm Springs is the shopper’s haven of El Paseo. It’s become the coolest hot spot in the Sonoran Desert. Once a winter playground for wealthy retirees and Hollywood celebrities, like Frank Sinatra and the Gabor sisters, Palm Springs is now more hipster headquarters than senior center. ![]() Check the winery’s schedule as there’s live music every Saturday and Sunday with other events woven in like Macramé and Wine, and Comedy Night. ![]() Just outside of the town, the Topa Mountain Winery opens onto the Ojai Valley Bike Trail, so pack your picnic lunch and cycle over for a tasting outdoors in the shadows of the Topa Mountain Range. Regalo Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Ojai Olive Oil are both family-owned presses dating back to the mid-1800s era of the Spanish missions when the valley had a communal olive press. Visit some olive groves to sample the superb artisan small-batch olive oils. Its Mediterranean microclimate is perfect for olive growing, making the Ojai Valley area a destination for olive oil lovers. The town retains an updated Bohemian vibe and is host to seasonal arts festivals including the Ojai Valley Music Festival, Ojai Valley Film Festival, and Ojai Shakespeare Festival. (It even has a vegetarian boarding school.)įrom the 50s to the 70s, Ojai was a hub of the Boho (or Bohemian) craft movement that rejected social traditions in favor of more unconventional artistic, literary, and spiritual pursuits. Can you dig it?Ī charming valley town, 90 minutes northwest of Los Angeles, Ojai is a center for the arts, culture, spirituality, self-improvement, and environmental consciousness. During my dinner, our server greeted us with “for your first course, may I serve you a bit of philosophy?” The Inn invites guests to “partake of the angelic vibrations” while dining on chemical and artificial additive-free cuisine they say is “charged with the vibration of the violet flame of the Seventh Ray.” They hope all of this will be their guests’ “personal transportation to a higher plane.”Īlthough the experience was more esoteric than spiritual for me, the sound of water flowing in the creek was a soothing accompaniment to a delicious meal. (Don’t ask me what that means.)Īfter decades, the Yaney’s spiritual beliefs remain the undercurrent of everything in and out of the kitchen. Even the water is chemical-free, treated by reverse osmosis, then alkalinized. The menu features seasonal organic ingredients that are in many cases sourced from known local farms. Their prescient farm-to-table vision lives on, albeit not as “alternative” as it seemed back then. Ralph and Lucile Yaney opened the restaurant in the early 70s when the locavore and organic food movements were not as ubiquitous as they are today. An extension of their personal health-focused lifestyle, owners Dr. The romantic Inn of the Seventh Ray is so New Age that it almost seems satirical. Nobu is a celebrity dining favorite, but if you want to tap into a real holdover from the bohemian and hippy era, head up to nearby Topanga Canyon. ![]() In the heart of the city, the Malibu Country Mart is a popular destination whose high-end retail and dining establishments attract many famous locals. ![]() The beach lines one side of the Pacific Coast Highway while narrow canyon roads emerge from the other, some leading to great hiking trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, such as Solstice Canyon, where hikers can trek to a perennial waterfall. Known as “the ‘Bu” by locals and surfers, Malibu is a 21-mile stretch historically known as an enclave for Hollywood celebrities and other affluent entertainment industry residents. ![]()
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