jet away, mmm...tasty

I Survived 2020: A Science-Believer’s Guide to a COVID-Free Getaway

I’ll admit it, I was hesitant to venture into the not-my-neighborhood and, daringly, stay multiple nights in not-my-house. I still am and probably will be for months — maybe year (ask me after Nov. 3, or hopefully soon thereafter) — but I do feel much better about the possibility of vacation travel in these unprecedented times.  So, ground rules: Everything below is dog-friendly, kid-friendly and … Continue reading I Survived 2020: A Science-Believer’s Guide to a COVID-Free Getaway

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juicy pop, q&a, soLA, topFAVs, Uncategorized

Vanessa Angel reflects on her time in LA

Model-actress mom extraordinaire Vanessa Angel has lived in L.A. for nearly 30 years. If you are a bit older, you may know her from the classic Farrelly brothers comedic film Kingpin. If you are my mom, she calls from the east coast to tell me she saw Vanessa on the Hallmark Channel. After gracing the covers of every well-known fashion magazine in her early modeling … Continue reading Vanessa Angel reflects on her time in LA

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mmm...tasty, Uncategorized

Gastro Garage’s flaming culinary experience brings joy during uncertain times

Gastro Garage has been wearing masks and gloves since 2014. It is an unexpected evening to be seated outside on the rooftop of the W Hotel Hollywood after being thermometer checked in a mask at the hotel lobby door. In tumultuous times comes rare glimmers of sunshine. These really may be the worst of times (at least in my life) and this 8-course meal (including … Continue reading Gastro Garage’s flaming culinary experience brings joy during uncertain times

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breathe, calm, primp&pamper

Lifetherapy – Boost your mood with personalized body care scents

During these unsettling times, many of us are not traveling and the simplest pleasures at home can do us a world of good, like the energized scent of jasmine, red-orange, marsh grass, and peach skin in your shower. The Energized Body Wash and Bubbling Bath is a serious mood lifter. It’s the little things. Experience how scent is so influential on our minds. Lifetherapy is … Continue reading Lifetherapy – Boost your mood with personalized body care scents

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Malibu, topFAVs

Halloween is not cancelled – LA presents drive-thru Hauntoween

It feels like life has been cancelled this year. It is hard to get excited about much. We feel for children missing out on important milestones and fun holidays. To put the spirit back into Halloween (since it has been cancelled in LA), the 1st Annual “Haunt’Oween LA” has been created as a drive-thru experience taking place from October 9 – October 31 from 3 … Continue reading Halloween is not cancelled – LA presents drive-thru Hauntoween

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breathe, calm, jet away, topFAVs

Catalina Island’s Two Harbors – a world away, close to home

You may be apprehensive to leave home and travel too far during these unsettling times. Catalina Island is the perfect place to dive into nature and distance yourself from others during the pandemic. Traveling to Catalina Island for a few days was the excitement we needed. It may feel like you are entering the Amalfi coast in Italy, but you are just 22 miles off … Continue reading Catalina Island’s Two Harbors – a world away, close to home

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Malibu, mmm...tasty

Local chefs share their favorite grilling tips

This article was first published in Malibu Coast Lifestyle Magazine print  – summer 2020. For the full article, click HERE.  There’s no time like a pandemic to learn how to master your grill. While most Americans huddle around outdoor grills as a form of camaraderie, celebration or communion, socially distant BBQ gatherings may become the future. Here, five local chefs share their grilling secrets and … Continue reading Local chefs share their favorite grilling tips

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Escape LA to the mountain town of Idyllwild

My curiosity about Idyllwild was piqued when I saw a travel writer friend hike to the top of Mount Jacinto in a weekend jaunt from LA several years ago. Always intrigued by her snow-filled woodsy photos, this small mountain town just a few hours from LA came back on my radar during the pandemic. We would have been in Europe this summer but instead, we … Continue reading Escape LA to the mountain town of Idyllwild

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For the Love of LA – Support Tourism with a Staycation

Los Angeles tourism debuts LA Love with a campaign calling on Angelenos to pledge to safely take a staycation when they are ready to help jumpstart the local economy. New data shows if every employed Angeleno stays 3 nights in an L.A. hotel, supports 3 restaurants, and visits 3 attractions, it would inject 1.4 billion back in the L.A. economy and create more than 20,000 … Continue reading For the Love of LA – Support Tourism with a Staycation

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breathe, flair, given' it up, topFAVs

VAST – the most comfortable face mask we have worn yet

While staying at home and social distancing has been a challenge, masks have been our saving grace in limiting the spread and best shot at normalcy in the months to come. VAST, an LA-based surf and streetwear brand, has been stepping up during the pandemic to help both protect our oceans from one-time-use masks and give back to frontline workers. As the world battles the coronavirus, … Continue reading VAST – the most comfortable face mask we have worn yet

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