Story & Photos by Barbara Beckley The winery is in Sonoma. The Tasting Room is in Burbank! Unique concept. And best kept secret for wine and jazz buffs. We get to enjoy curated Sonoma wines – paired with fine cuisine and sophisticated entertainment – just by driving down San Fernando Road! “A small entrance. But …
Head to the Mountains of SoCal for Family Holiday Fun at SkyPark
Sparkling snow says holiday magic, but add in elves, treats, ice skating, a forest of lights and more and you have a winter wonderland getaway at Skyforest’s SkyPark at Santa’s Village. Since the park’s opening in 1955, the holidays have always marked a special time for SkyPark at Santa’s Village, which serves as Santa’s year-round …
Explore 13 Hidden Gems in SoCal’s OC
The locals don’t like sharing, but we give you permission to uncover some hidden experiences in SoCal’s Orange County. This bucket list has something for everyone from cruising scenic harbors, hiking to breath-taking vistas and getting sworn in as a pirate to discovering hidden restaurants and splashing around one of the longest water park’s lazy …
Don’t Be ‘Latte’ for SoCal’s PUMPKINS IN THE PINES!
As the leaves turn gold and a brisk chill returns to the to the alpine forest of the San Bernardino Mountains, it can mean just one thing: the return of Pumpkins in the Pines! In fact, colorful leaves, apple cider, cozy sweaters and Pumpkins in the Pines just belong together. To get in the fall …
More to Love in SoCal’s Oceanside
SoCal’s Oceanside may be straddling more than three miles of northern San Diego’s summer-perfect coastline, but you have to admit that it is the less glitzy counterpart to nearby beach-going communities—a casual, grittier throwback to California’s authentic beach spirit. Oceanside continues to hit its stride as SoCal’s coolest, under-the-radar beach town with a host of …
Halloween Monsters Run Wild at SoCal’s LEGOLAND during Brick-or-Treat
It just wouldn’t be Halloween in SoCal without LEGO® Monsters running wild at LEGOLAND® California Resort. And this year, Brick-or-Treat presents the all-new Monster Party. Every Saturday beginning September 17 through October 29, the Park transforms into the ultimate family Halloween celebration, complete with treat stations, new LEGO® Monster characters, new family-friendly entertainment and the …
Fiji? Tahiti? No – It’s the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa in SoCal’s Mission Beach!
Story & photos by Barbara Beckley So. I’m driving through Mission Beach in San Diego… Predictable oceanfront apartments, quirky clapboard beach houses, corner bars. Then I turn right – Oh My Gosh! I’m in Polynesia! Behind the “Bamboo Curtain” Entering the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, I truly am in another world. High-beamed Fiji-style …
It’s a wonderful world: the 2022 Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach
Article and photos by Barbara Kerr The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts was created to lift depression. Literally. It was established in 1932 during some of the darkest days of the Great Depression. Ninety years later, this vibrant event has been named one of the top art festivals in the nation, attracting tens of thousands …
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST IS HERE!!
The 29th annual Palm Springs International ShortFest, one of the largest showcases of short-form cinema in North America, is back, with screenings June 20-26. Kicking off on Tuesday, June 20, ShortFest will screen a full slate of films at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. This year’s festival will screen 50 curated programs and showcase 299 …
Desert Dwellers Head to Mountain Cool for Idyllwild Arts’ Native American Arts Festival
A short trip from the SoCal desert floor leads to the tiny forested town of Idyllwild, always a welcome departure on a scorching summer day. Your journey up Highway 74 climbs and curves, then glides past horse pastures and ranches on the way to the mountain retreat, embraced by the San Bernardino National Forest. The …
Family Fun Awaits in SoCal’s San Diego
Kids and San Diego go together like sand and surf. Constantly rated one of the top family destinations in America, San Diego offers 70 miles of coastline, seemingly endless outdoor recreation opportunities and an ever-growing list of offerings for families to enjoy together or even apart. Parents can relax at the spa, indulge in culinary …
Free this Summer in SoCal’s Historic Redlands
About an hour’s drive from the Palm Springs desert, not far from the designer outlets and casinos, is a modest city brimming over in late-1800’s California architecture at every turn. Take a perfect summer daytrip to discover vintage California history, then toast the day with a concert under the stars. In Redlands, summer nights are …