Los Angeles Greater Area
The Medieval wine window reappears in LA
Such tiny pass-throughs were big in Italy during The Plague, allowing folks to buy wine at a safe distance. Now they’re showing up at wine shops and taverns around the world – including a women-centric bottle shop in Silver Lake.
Staycation in the past
Three historic LA hotels — the 94-year-old Hotel Figueroa in DTLA, the legendary Hollywood Roosevelt and the 1926 Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica — have designed nostalgic escapes with modern health and safety protocols.
Six serene getaways in Griffith Park
With over 4,000 acres, Griffith has plenty of places to avoid the hiking hordes and soak up some quiet natural beauty. From enchanting Fern Dell to the shady Bette Davis Picnic Area, here are a few of the best.
Get your art museum fix al fresco
Until we can wander the galleries again, we have a beautiful open-air option: The Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden at UCLA. One of the top outdoor collections in the country, it’s home to over 70 masterworks on five leafy acres.
San Francisco Bay Area
Cycle therapy
Car isn’t the only way to get out of town. Clip on that helmet, squeeze into that spandex, and oil up those gears for one of these six good and long bike rides that start in urban centers all over—in two cases quite literally—the Bay Area.
Fabric of the city
There aren’t a lot of independent businesses still operating in San Francisco’s international shopping center Union Square. Britex Fabrics demonstrates exactly why it’s survived for 68 years as the beloved fabric supplier has deftly pivoted since the Covid-19 shutdowns to embrace a burgeoning online business model and mask-making operation. Nevertheless, as with all brick-and-mortar businesses, times are tough, so be sure to support this S.F. original.
Mosaic beach
Looking for an off-beat, under-the-radar outdoor destination with a fascinating local history? Referred to by locals as TEPCO beach, this little Bay-side stretch off the southern side of Point Isabel in Richmond is covered by shards of broken pottery, a legacy of the Technical Porcelain and Chinaware Company that used to operate in nearby El Cerrito. Word to the wise: Don’t go barefoot in this beach.
Sunset sandos supreme
Hoagies and vino: Not exactly a classic combo, but Palm City Wines is making it work. The 4-month-old wine shop-café hybrid in San Francisco’s Sunset is home to some of the most delicious Italian American–style sandwiches in the Bay Area claims the Chronicle, which you can pair with an impressive selection of natural wines.