Each month we share five unmissable things to see and do in the Golden State. You heard it here first.
Words by ANDREW BARKER, DAVID NASH, ELIZABETH VARNELL, and S. IRENE VIRBILA
OAKVILLE
A New Chapter for One of Napa’s Founding Fathers
California winemaker Robert Mondavi had the vision and the moxie to establish Napa Valley as one of the world’s premier wine appellations. Now, 60 years after he founded ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY, his heirs have reenvisioned the estate for the future while honoring its past. The new design scrapes away additions and changes made through the years to architect Clifford May’s original vision, opening to views of the vineyards and mountain landscape. The emblematic arch and tower now houses a welcome lounge and wine library. Architects Aidlin Darling Design and landscape architect Surfacedsign have added tasting terraces, kitchen gardens, and native plantings, plus an indoor-outdoor dining veranda. Reserve an experience online, starting at $60 for an hour-long Pioneer tasting and up to $180 for a two-hour private guided tasting of wines from the famed To Kalon vineyard. 7801 St. Helena Hwy., Oakville; robertmondaviwinery.com. S.I.V.
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LOS ANGELES
A Cult Brand From the East Coast Sets Up Shop (and Skate Bowl)
NOAH has kickflipped its way to the West Coast, opening its first L.A. outpost in the Sycamore District, sitting alongside L.A. fashion royalty like Just One Eye and Jacques Marie Mage. A fully functioning skate bowl anchors the entry before passing floor-to-ceiling fitting rooms lined with upcycled sail curtains and arriving at a kitchen/coffee station and sunlit rear courtyard shared with neighboring Jeffrey Deitch Gallery. The result translates Noah’s East Coast prep-meets-street identity through a distinctly Californian perspective.
The influential American label, which has stores in New York, Tokyo, Osaka, and Seoul, was founded 12 years ago by Brendon Babenzien, the former creative force behind Supreme and J.Crew. While Noah’s visual language was shaped by his northeastern upbringing, California long occupied an almost mythical place in his imagination. Skate magazines, surf culture, and the sounds of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fishbone became formative references that later collided with prep, punk, and hip-hop influences to define the brand’s singular point of view. The store houses Noah’s full range — from tailoring and footwear to everyday jersey essentials — and each piece is designed to feel unexpected while enduring beyond trend.
The interiors were conceived by his wife and cofounder, Estelle Bailey-Babenzien, in partnership with Studio Murnane and bring together a thoughtful roster of independent creatives, from Shin Okuda of Waka Waka’s custom furniture to lighting by Estudio Persona and wallpaper developed with artist Kate Berry. Beyond retail, the vaulted, 5,000-square-foot space can convert to a screening room and soundstage intended for dinners, film nights, and skating. Hollywood, there’s a new bowl in town. 911 N. Orange Dr., L.A.; noahny.com. A.B.
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BEVERLY HILLS
Feast Your Eyes on Frank Gehry’s Iconic Animal Forms
There may be plenty of fish in the sea, but few as rare and magnificent as those — like the copper-rendered Fish on Fire (2023) sculpture — in the GAGOSIAN BEVERLY HILLS exhibition of works by the architect, designer, and artist Frank Gehry. The show is a virtual sea of animal-themed works often represented in his monumental architectural projects, as exemplified by the serpentine profile of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Presented in collaboration with Gehry’s family — and designed by his studio — it marks the first exhibition since his death last year. It also offers a rare opportunity to see his life-size, polished metal Bear with Us (2014), on loan from his family, with its crumpled foil appearance (which was also the inspiration for a clutch designed by Gehry for Louis Vuitton in 2023). Also on view are 10 acrylic, ink, and watercolor works on paper. Through June 27. 456 North Camden Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-9400; gagosian.com. D.N.
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SAN DIEGO
This Cinematic Hotel Is Coronado Island’s New Crown Jewel
What was once a desolate parking lot on San Diego’s Coronado Island is now THE BABY GRAND, a vibrant 6,000-square-foot, 31-room boutique hotel that is anything but ordinary. With its Old Hollywood glamour and effusive grotto styling, hospitality group CH Projects’ newest venture is “like something you stumble upon, like you discovered it halfway reclaimed by time and decided to stay,” says the group’s founder, Arsalun Tafazoli. Envisioned as a social hub and island gathering spot, the hotel was partly inspired by Coronado’s early beach culture. Conceived in collaboration with award-winning design studio Post Company, the property is cocooned in lush, overgrown landscaping with private lagoons and rock formations that house a plethora of hidden gems, like the speakeasy-style Fallen Empire, a secluded oyster and Champagne bar. Accommodations are just as otherworldly, with custom clamshell beds, a curated mix of artwork, tropical Schumacher wallcoverings, and high-gloss wood ceilings, among other bespoke elements. At almost half the guest room’s footprint, each bathroom is as luxuriously theatrical as the bed chamber. Think 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea meets The White Lotus. Nightly rates start at $350. 1315 Orange Ave., Crown City, 619-853-2229; thebabygrandcoronado.com. D.N.
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PALM DESERT
Three Colossal Furniture Galleries Converge on El Paseo
Spanning nearly 10,000 square feet, the triumvirate of design stores that comprise RH PALM DESERT are the newest additions to the city’s elegant El Paseo shopping district. The light-filled spaces contain collections from RH Modern — furniture inspired by 20th-century design, including the angles and proportions of architectural gems situated throughout Palm Springs — plus RH Interiors pieces, spanning time periods, and RH Outdoor seating, crafted for pool decks and lanai living. To soak up the desert sun, there are teak sectionals and chaises, as well as an assortment of tables, chairs, and barstools from the angular outdoor Balmain collection created by Harrison and Nicolas Condos. In addition to the wide assortment of leather, upholstery, and rugs, the stores also contain a trove of antiques and curated artifacts as well as rare art, all situated behind 12-foot glass-and-bronze doors. Desert dwellings awaiting a refresh have met their match. 73-100 El Paseo, Palm Desert, 760-766-7674; rh.com. E.V.
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IN PARTNERSHIP
Tudor Reveals Revved Up Black Bay Timepieces
Swiss watchmaker TUDOR, now in its centennial year, is tuning up its Black Bay models with a thinner aesthetic and new technical features even as its heritage identity remains a strong influence. The Black Bay 58, favored among enthusiasts, now has Master Chronometer certification and is waterproof to 660 feet with resistance to magnetic fields, a 65-hour power reserve, and a stainless steel five-link or three-link rivet-style bracelet or rubber strap. This model is run with Manufacture Calibres, a self-winding movement that lets wearers put it down on Friday with full wind and still have correct time on Monday morning without winding. The Black Bay 54 line’s newest edition is called the Black Bay 54 “Blue,” a modern take on the brand’s first diver’s watch with a sapphire blue dial and graduated hash mark-free bezel. The 37mm case nods to TUDOR foundational designs and the watch itself, also weekend proof with a Manufacture Calibre is based on a model tested in France and America as well as early scuba divers. Stainless steel bracelets or black rubber straps with added grip complete the nautical look. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Westfield Century City, L.A., 310-475-5555; tudorwatch.com.
June 2026
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