Each month we share five unmissable things to see and do in the Golden State. You heard it here first.
Words by DAVID NASH and LORIE DEWHIRST PORTER
ORANGE COUNTY
An Historic ’40s-Era Motor Court Sees New Life as an Oceanside Retreat
The once-popular staycation destination in Dana Point for Hollywood’s Golden Age stars is again accepting reservations. EL CAMINANTE BAR & BUNGALOWS, located in the city’s Capistrano Beach neighborhood, is a fully renovated reimagination of the 80-year-old historic California motor court. The property has 30 ocean-view bungalows and an adjoining Mediterranean-inspired café, The Bar, which will begin serving artisanal pizzas from a vintage Airstream later this summer. The accommodations in the well-designed Spanish-style retreat — originally known as the Swallows Inn in the ’40s, and later as the Capistrano Seaside Inn — are outfitted with vintage lighting, hand-painted tile mosaics, bespoke furnishings, eclectic artwork, record players with a selection of era-spanning vinyl, and oceanfront fire pits with seating. Additional amenities include in-room spa services, electric bike rentals, and yoga classes. The property has started taking reservations for June stays, and nightly rates for an Ocean View King start around $280. 34862 Coast Hwy., Capistrano Beach; elcaminantehotel.com. D.N.
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MENDOCINO
A Sculpture Exhibition Under the Shade of the Redwoods
Following its highly successful and utterly contemplative April premier at A-Z West in Joshua Tree, JINEN makes its way to Salmon Creek Farm in Albion, on the Mendocino coast. The four-artist exhibition is inspired by each creator’s experience living with nature. In partnership with Curator’s Cube, Tokyo, Dan John Anderson, Kazunori Hamana, Ido Yoshimoto, and Yu Kobayashi — two of whom are based in California and two who are from Japan — present installations of their works with the majesty of a redwood forest as the backdrop. Shown in both interior and exterior spaces, the works, which range from paintings to sculpture, highlight how each artist relates to manmade and natural environments. The exhibition also marks the U.S. debut for Kobayashi, whose abstract paintings served as inspiration for the other three artists. Inquire for more information and directions. May 3–5. Salmon Creek Farm, Albion; curatorscube.com. D.N.
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SILVER LAKE
This Gallery Blurs the Lines Between Art and Function
The Silver Lake neighborhood’s design credentials continues to rise with the opening of THE ANNEX, an experiential gallery space from Jon and Maša Kleinhample, founders of Klein, the innovative L.A.-based studio. Described by the couple as a “gathering place,” the venue will enable them to share their full creative vision with the public and, essentially, blur the line between art and function. Against the backdrop of the new space — with its modernist architecture and expansive windows — the design duo will also introduce Volume III, an assemblage of their latest collections and standalone pieces that showcases a softer aesthetic while honoring the studio’s pillars of honesty, simplicity, and material legacy. Known for its craftsmanship and whimsy, the experimental outpost marks the next stage in Klein’s growth — and the Kleinhamples are the kind of neighbors you want to know. 3300 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A.; klein.agency. D.N.
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SONOMA
Celebrity Chefs Turn Up the Heat for Food and Wine Festival
In Northern California’s wine country, spring marks festival kickoff season, and the HEALDSBURG FOOD & WINE EXPERIENCE is one of the newest — and most anticipated — gourmand events on the calendar. Returning for its third year, the four-day celebration highlights Sonoma County’s most respected winemakers and chefs alongside top growers and makers in the region. The lineup includes seminars, tastings, lunches, dinners, and other delectable events held around Healdsburg. Culinary talent includes Food Network stars Maneet Chauhan and Viet Pham, Top Chef season four winner Stephanie Izard, 2021 Food & Wine’s Best New Chef Matt Horn, James Beard Award nominee Tu David Phu, and Dustin Valette, chef-owner of The Matheson. Participating wineries like Bricoleur Vineyards, Francis Ford Coppola, Jordan, RAEN, Patz & Hall, and Roederer Estate will be keeping glasses filled throughout the long weekend, and event proceeds benefit local organizations such as Farm to Pantry and the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation. Ticket prices range from $125 to $4,500 for a Platinum Weekender Package. May 16–19. healdsburgwineandfood.com. D.N.
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MONTECITO
A Shipshape Design Shop Offering a Slice of the East Coast
Located in Montecito’s Country Mart — the retail compound and de facto neighborhood community center — MATE GALLERY has become an indispensable home to all things New England nautical on the West Coast. Conceived and owned by photographer Matt Albiani and his partner Ron Brand, the shop is a style source for natives and visitors alike, offering maritime takes on everything from clothing and vintage accessories to home furnishings. Albiani, who has shot campaigns for Ralph Lauren and J.Crew, hails from Boston; Brand, a real estate agent, immigrated from Dundee, Scotland, in 1991. Together they cull and curate unique items that embody the Mate Gallery aesthetic. And if it really floats your boat, the pair also rent out a stylish getaway, dubbed Sea Roost, in Montauk, New York. “If you lived in Mate Gallery, it would be Sea Roost,” Brand says. 1024 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, 805-895-6283; mategallery.com. L.D.P.
May 2024
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