Rancho Cucamonga may not be well known as a dreamy travel destination, but that might be changing with the recent opening of Sanctity Hotel and Durango Cocina & Rooftop, the only rooftop bar in the area. Located a little over an hour from Los Angeles and just south of the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest, the quiet city in San Bernardino County is popping up on trip radars for a duo of new offerings on Base Line Road. . . .
Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.
SOUL+FULL, a new indoor cycling class, is cruising into the Valley this August, aiming to fill a unique niche where worship and wellness converge.
“Turns out people want more than tap backs and Beyoncé,” said Stephanie Schwartz, founder of The Underground Phoenix, which opened the doors to its permanent location in April. “They’re spiritual beings craving connection — real, raw and rooted in purpose. SOUL+FULL is one way we’re answering that call.”
Schwartz has taught in the Valley since 2007, earning a reputation from Gilbert to Glendale for her top-tier workouts. The idea to launch her own studio popped up when her previous employer went out of business. . . .
Read the entire article at Lovin’ Life Phoenix.
Professor Oliver Wang now knows more about Japanese American car culture in Los Angeles than he ever thought he would. He learned about racing mechanic Takeo “Chickie” Hirashima; Jimmie Yamane, the first international go-kart champion; and Larry Shinoda, the designer of the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray. He researched fish trucks from the 1950s, vehicles that carried fresh fish and hard-to-find Japanese foods six days a week to the postwar suburbs.
He also studied a caravan of 200 vehicles in the spring of 1942 that drove from the Rose Bowl to the temporary detention centers that had been created to house Japanese Americans during WWII. Once they arrived, the government impounded the cars and gave the owners nominal payment.
“These people not only had the indignity of driving themselves to be incarcerated, but they were losing the very vehicles that took them there to begin with,” said Wang. . . .
Read the entire article at Pasadena Weekly.
Oceanside, affectionately referred to as O’side, is the cutest beach town that ever was. Halfway between L.A. and San Diego, visitors can surf world-class waves, walk along one of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast (at 1,942 feet), and snack on a hand pie at High Pie, which is located inside the very house where Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise fell for each other in the 1986 film “Top Gun.” The Victorian-style house is filled with movie memorabilia, and just outside, people can pose for pictures with a replica of the motorcycle that Cruise’s character, Maverick, rode down North Pacific Street in the film.
Oceanside is a surf town spotted with historic landmarks and two new beautiful hotels on North Pacific Street: The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa and Mission Pacific Beach Resort. But according to long-time residents and local lore, O’side was not always so coveted. Maybe it was because of its proximity to Camp Pendleton, a military base located in North San Diego County, or that its neighbors, such as Carlsbad to the south and Dana Point to the north, stole the spotlight.
Flash forward to 2025, and O’side is the playground of some of the best surf pros; home to the Supergirl Pro Jam event, the world’s largest women’s surf competition; and a popular vacation destination and coastal road trip stopover along the Pacific Coast Highway. . . .
Read the entire article at Arroyo Monthly.
Fans of the Peanuts cartoon, rejoice! There is a place where statues of Charlie Brown and his friends stand on the streets, Charles M. Schulz, the creator, has a museum, and Snoopy operates an ice-skating rink. Located in Sonoma County, just over an hour’s drive from San Francisco, Santa Rosa is small and charming enough to melt away city stress, yet big and busy enough to offer hours of family fun and adventure. . . .
Read the entire article at Lovin’ Life Tucson.
Pronounced aa-vuh-luh Beach, this charming town of a population of about 1,365 is located in San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) and is best known for its mineral hot springs and fun outdoor activities, like hiking, biking and stand-up paddle boarding. The few hours’ drive north from L.A. on the 101 is dotted with expansive vistas and coastal cities such as Malibu, Ventura and Santa Barbara. Some call it the Land of Ahhs, which is what tourists say when they spot a whale or sea otter, sip a fine glass of wine at sunset, and kick off their shoes at a cliffside cottage with panoramic ocean views. It is just a hop, skip and a jump to this heavenly corner of the Central Coast, where it is warmer and sunnier than other beaches for three reasons: It faces south, the 600-foot elevation of Point San Luis shields it from winds, and the surrounding mountains also push out the fog and create what is known as the “Avila bubble effect.” . . .
Read the entire article at Lovin’ Life Tucson.
Although it could be considered a supercentenarian — Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) was founded in 1880, which makes it 145 years old — LAAC shows no signs of slowing down. As DTLA revitalizes, so does the iconic Beaux-Arts building on W. Seventh Street and its programming, community-building events and fitness.
On a recent tour with Director of Marketing Ricky Sanchez, each space was viewed and described, from the Invention bar, which acts as the club’s social hub, to the newer Famous Players café and restaurant, which offers breakfast, brunch and lunch, and will serve dinner starting in September. This is the first time the space has operated as a restaurant in 20 years.
“The two biggest sources of new members are people looking to co-work and work out,” said Sanchez.
. . .
Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.
John Smith only knew two things before he moved to Austin 17 years ago: It was the state capital of Texas, and it was home to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which now operates 44 movie houses across the United States, including one, since 2019, at The Bloc in DTLA.
Smith, the marketing director for West Coast locations, has worked at Alamo Drafthouse for 11 years. Although it is not a prerequisite to love movies to work at Alamo, every employee does; the question “what is your favorite movie” often comes up in interviews.
“Not to be judgy,” Smith assured, “but most folks are engaged by the question.” . . .
Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.
The Westside is the best side, according to its residents and the millions of visitors that set foot on its soil each year. From baseball to the beach and parks to piers, there is a ton of fun to be had, sights to be seen and tasty treats to try.
Eat
• Saijo opened on April 2 in Culver City, where The Detour Bistro Bar was located. The space has been transformed into a highly stylized 24-seat countertop space with an open kitchen. A spin-off of Robata JINYA, Saijo focuses exclusively on its most popular hand rolls and robata dishes. It offers two traditional items: hand rolls (temaki) and grilled skewers (kushiyaki). The entire menu is a testament to the founder’s commitment to quality and flavor. To go with its premium nori are a variety of premium meats: A5 Miyazaki wagyu, pork belly chashu, chicken, shrimp, unagi (grilled eel) and Chilean sea bass. . . .
Read the entire feature at The Argonaut.
Residents work, live, eat, shop, and play here. Tourists from all over the world come to see the iconic landmarks and world-renowned contemporary architecture. Whether you are a local or a visitor, this list will help curate a wealth of experiences that have made DTLA the hotspot it is today, preparing for the NBA All-Star 2026, FIFA World Cup 2026, Super Bowl LXI, and the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games.
. . .
Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.
Jessica Koslow 