If it’s not the outer rim of where I’m willing to drive in a single day, it’s pretty darn close. If you haven’t road-tripped to San Francisco in a while, or ever, you should. And not because it builds character, although it kind of does, but because it’s an exhilarating, exotic destination that’s only about a Vegas and a half away. Or fly, who cares. … Continue reading An Angeleno’s Brief Guide to a San Francisco Getaway
Southern California is home to a thriving cocktail culture. And coffee, and beer, and wine, and juice, I suppose, too, but let’s focus on the mixology for now. I want to highlight a location in four local counties where you are guaranteed to experience the state of the bartender’s art. And I’m going to recommend a particular cocktail at each. Let’s begin in Orange County, … Continue reading So Cal is Cocktail Country
Let’s face it, we cover Santa Barbara quite a bit in this space. And with good cause. Like Palm Springs to the east and San Diego to the south, it’s a welcoming destination within about 90 minutes, which is about how long it takes to clear one’s head of the daily grind. Best of all you can just hop on a train. On my latest … Continue reading A Santa Barbara Overnighter… or Two
In the olden days, a singular variety of cocktail apparently sufficed for the whole year. Your parents and grandparents can no doubt attest to a time when the bartender would ask some variation of “What’s your poison?” Or, if you were a regular, there’d be no need to even ask. And that concoction – usually a spirit enhanced by a liqueur or a mixer – … Continue reading Summer Cocktails to Beat the Heat
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve hopped on a plane and left the country. It was for me. I hadn’t boarded anything larger than my own vehicle since the ol’ pre-pandemic days. So when I received an opportunity to fly down to Cabo and stay for a few days at one of the finer resorts in all of Baja, I figured it was high … Continue reading Get Back into the Swing of Things in Cabo
Summer is in sight, and if you’ve got kids, you’re sweating like it’s a late August heat wave. School will be out, and what are you going to do to occupy the void? And stay on budget? Maybe you’ve got a vacation planned or camping trip, but what else? Fear not, I have good news. Opening this week at Westfield Century City is CAMP, a … Continue reading Summer! Get Ready to CAMP
The recent heat wave in the usually mild month of April portends sweltering weather come late summer. It got me thinking about a contingency plan should the mercury reach the triple digits. An evacuation drill was in order. The safety bunker would need to be someplace reachable within a couple of hours’ drive lest we risk some kind of vehicular breakdown under the scorching sun, … Continue reading Find Your Summertime Oasis
Orange County is in the national spotlight this week following a catastrophic oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach. The devastation will last years. Authorities are cautioning the public to stay away from the affected areas. Fortunately, Orange County has so much to offer that you’ll be able to entertain yourself thoroughly as those beaches and wildlands recover. Disneyland is the obvious centerpiece of … Continue reading Weekender a L’Orange
Los Angeles is a place like no other. What other oceanfront city has a mountain range running through the middle of it? It’s Hollywood — the entertainment capital of the world, as well as a Mecca of food and fashion. It features the greatest inter-city collegiate rivalry, with USC and UCLA. It’s home to the Dodgers and Lakers, and after a long drought with no … Continue reading Ode to LA: Lacoste Shows Support for Uncle Paulie’s Deli; LA Businesses
The calendar may say that summer is coming to an end, but the thermometer — and more importantly, the menu — say, it’s just getting warmed up. The handheld favorites that have been feasted upon since Memorial Day are still in good taste. Los Angeles is a lot of things, but will always be a burger town. We do them special here whether it’s with … Continue reading Fast, Cheap and Nearly Perfect
lalascoop.com 