Los Angeles Greater Area
10,000-step walks all over LA
Paul Haddad’s “10,000 Steps in LA” guidebook is already in its second edition, with 57 mostly flat routes in neighborhoods all over greater LA. Here are six of his favorites, all fascinating ways to get your daily steps in.
8 great camping sites near LA
Surrounded by mountains and an ocean, the LA metro area is less than two hours from a range of great camping getaways. Here are a few nearby places to live in the wilderness a while. Call ahead for reservations.
LA’s coolest hotel pools
Rooftop views, chill cocktails, tasty snacks and great music: LA’s high-end hotel pools offer summer at its sunny, open-air best. Here’s a view of some of the top spots; many welcome non-guests, too. Call ahead for details.
LA’s booming online pop-up food scene
More and more local restaurant chefs have begun offering their specialties on Instagram. From pastries and cookies to empanadas and Hungarian specialties, the trend is delicious news for homebound foodies.
San Francisco Bay Area
Fine food, fresh air
Fine dining is on indefinite hold indoors. But outdoors? Some of the top Bay Area purveyors of haute cuisine are taking their show out into the open air via pop-up events being hosted at bucolic al fresco locations across the North Bay. Sounds divine…
Rent a pool in the Bay
Say what? Unbeknownst to most, an online marketplace called Swimply launched in 2018 that lets homeowners with pools around the Bay Area rent their spaces out by the hour, a la Airbnb. And with many public pools still closed in August, this odd-ball service suddenly looks all the more appealing. Just remember to bring your pool noodle.
Margaritaville West
We don’t know about you, but an ice-cold margarita sounds pretty, pretty good right about now. Check out this list of 11 top-notch makers of this beloved summer cocktail around San Francisco, available either in-person or to-go. And who knows: the fog might even lift so you can enjoy your first sip in the sun.
Soul food startup
Now this sounds amazing. East Bay restaurateur Rashad Armstead, winner of Food Network “Chopped” competition, launched Epic Ventures Test Kitchen in East Oakland, which will host a rotating selection of Black-owned food businesses. Food is available for takeout and the opening week featured drool-worthy items like Crispy burnt ends from Briya Be Cookin’, fried avocado tacos from Vaco’s Tacos, and fatty oxtail bowls from Granny’s Kitchen.