By Greg Aragon When considering a big, exciting trip such as a cruise, it’s good to get an early start on planning. So when I recently received brochures from a couple of cruise lines I’ve been wanting to experience, I knew it was time to start researching. The cruise lines that I am looking at…
By Greg Aragon When my mom was little she used to take a tiny trolley up and down the side of a hill in downtown Los Angeles for 5 cents. After riding she would walk across the street for lunch at Grand Central Market. This always sounded fun to me, so when I heard that…
By Brianna Chu Magnolia House has been inviting Pasadenans into its homey, chic space since 2014. The interior embraces the hundred-year-old Craftsman house from which the space has been built, creating a modern yet cozy atmosphere. The front of the house is a large garage-door window that opens out to let the summer breeze flow…
By Greg Aragon Who says you have to go to the beach and fight traffic and hordes of people to escape the heat? Why not head about 90 miles east of Los Angeles and cool down at a luxurious, air conditioned resort with a giant pool and lazy river, gourmet restaurants, a four-Diamond hotel, a…
Part 1 in a series devoted to making permanent water-conscious lifestyle changes. By Galen Patterson In 2017, a six-year drought in California was declared over by then-Governor Jerry Brown. That year was particularly rainy in Southern California, and the most extreme water saving measures were relaxed. Almost immediately, water usage began to increase to pre-drought…
By Greg Aragon There is nothing like being at the beach to watch the sunset into the ocean. It is a beautiful, almost spiritual sight. And nowhere is this daily event more beautiful than in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where there is a built-in amphitheater of sand overlooking the water, with plenty of natural seats for visitors to…
By Greg Aragon Summer is here and that means it’s time for the beach and barbecues. And if you love art – especially the kind with living people in it – then it’s time for one of the greatest performance spectacles around. It is time for the annual Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach. Held each summer…
By Greg Aragon Oceanside is more than a classic California beach town with a groovy surf vibe and a walkable downtown. The city is also full of history and fascinating architecture, while also boasting eclectic restaurants, boutique hotels, exciting waterfront adventures and more. I took a recent trip to the city and had the opportunity…
By Brianna Chu Fumi and Sayuri Tachibe opened their first restaurant together on April 18, 2013. Osawa is a passion project for the Tachibes, one that had been on their minds for a while. After about 30 years of Fumi having working at Chaya, he transitioned from working as a chef at a large, corporate…
By Greg Aragon Los Angeles has many fascinating sights, but nothing can match the history or mystery of the La Brea Tar Pits. This area of bubbling asphalt along Wilshire Boulevard has intrigued scientists and visitors since it was discovered more than 100 years ago. As of today it is the only actively excavated Ice…