 courtesy of Shutterstock |
For over a decade, Inside SCV Magazine's Travel Editor Eric Harnish has shared his trips, family - and heart - with our readers, who never miss a chance to tell us that his article is their favorite read of the month. In honor of our Summer Issue, we bring you our seasonal Favorite Five "Get Out of Town" excursions. Each past-article excerpt here is authored by Eric, who proudly calls Castaic "home"- despite his penchant for places within a day's drive of the SCV.
 courtesy of Shutterstock |
Downtown LA Exploration to Go
"Our destination was The Juicy Leaf in Highland Park, a plant store showcasing the talents of owner Felix Navarro. This stop was for Laurel, whose room is turning into something of a greenhouse.
I had no real plan for our outing, other than seeing where the day might take us. It led us next to Donut Friend a few blocks away on York Boulevard. With so many choices of over-the-top donuts and unique flavors, it's hard not to order one of everything. We took a half-dozen to go for dessert that night. I can definitely recommend the Youth Brulee, filled with Bavarian cream and topped with bruleed sugar, as well as the Fritter Seems Forever, which is an apple fritter with apple pie filling mashed into the dough. You also need to sample the X-Ray Speculoos - a halved donut stuffed with cookie butter and topped with chocolate glaze and sea salt.
Now it was time for Grand Central Market. Since we each wanted something different for lunch - and that dizzying array of to-go choice is the fun of Grand Central - we went where our individual cravings led us and regrouped outside.
The Last Bookstore is a must-do on our DTLA itineraries and this day was no different. We walked off lunch on our stroll down Broadway to the shop on 5th Street. Between its mammoth collection of used books and the latest new releases, we never leave empty handed."
The Juicy Leaf thejuicyleaf.com; Donut Friend donutfriend.com; Grand Central Market grandcentralmarket.com;
The Last Bookstore lastbookstorela.com
The Real OG: Visiting the Original Getty
"Say 'Getty' these days and everyone assumes you're talking about the Getty Center museum complex atop the Sepulveda Pass that affords commanding views of the Westside all the way to the ocean.
To me, however, the Getty is what is now known as the Villa. Tucked into a hillside along Pacific Coast Highway, it replicates the Villa dei Papiri, a grand Roman home that was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. I appreciate the museum, but for me, the villa will always be the OG - the original Getty.
I roamed the museum for a while before finally heading outside. A breeze wafted up the canyon and through the peristyle, where senior citizens passed several Instagramming millennials. The conversations were muted by the spritzing of three fountains that splash into the long, shallow pool. Families sheltered from the warm afternoon sun under the grapevine-covered pergolas.
My wanderings took me to the Herb Garden. As the name suggests, its long beds host medicinal and cooking herbs commonly found in first century Roman gardens.
The walled East Garden provides a respite from the villa's crowds. Accessed from the museum, it can be easy to miss. When you find it, you'll also discover places to sit and admire the niche fountain decorated with a mosaic of tile and shells."
Getty Villa getty.edu
 courtesy of Shutterstock (left) | courtesy of El Capitan Canyon |
An Island Escape to Catalina
"The Catalina Island Conservancy's Trailhead center - restaurant, gift shop and activity center all rolled into one - proved to be the ideal first stop for finding answers. Following a tasty lunch of fish tacos, pulled pork and bison on the Toyon Grill's sunny rooftop deck, a guide at the visitor center helped us plan a hike in the island's rugged interior for the next day.
What to do with the afternoon still at hand? Turns out our hotel offered $25 passes to the Island Spa Catalina. Hello day spa, goodbye daily worries. Within minutes we were sipping afternoon cocktails in a hot tub.
Little Harbor's remote palm-dotted campground was largely unoccupied, save for one conspicuous resident. A large bison reclined nearby, eyeing us warily. Heeding the advice to give bison plenty of space, we wandered out to the beach."
Catalina Express catalinaexpress.com; Toyon Grill toyongrill.com; The Trailhead catalinaconservancy.org/trailhead
Glamping at El Capitan Canyon
"If you have your own shower, a king-size bed and a hot stone massage, can you really call it camping? That's debatable.
At El Capitan Canyon they call it 'glamping,' aka glamor camping. The resort, or glampground, consists of 300 acres nestled in a canyon on the northern Santa Barbara coast. Stately oaks and grand sycamores provide shade for the collection of individual cabins, yurts and canvas tent cabins that sit above both banks of El Capitan Creek, which meanders through the middle of the canyon.
Like dirt and tents, cooking also is optional at El Capitan Canyon. The Canyon Market & Deli offers some welcome alternatives to hot dogs blackened on coat hanger skewers. Their broccoli cheddar soup was smooth and creamy, while the Rincon sandwich was a tasty mouthful, piled high with thick bacon, fresh avocado and roasted turkey."
El Capitan Canyon elcapitancanyon.com
 courtesy of Ryan Tanaka for Cliftons |
Take the Metro Red Line Back in Time to Clifton's
"Clifton's is a familiar name, if not destination, for longtime Angelenos. Opened at 648 S. Broadway in 1935, Clifton's was synonymous with destination dining. It grew to become a chain of eight themed restaurants around LA when cafeteria dining was en vogue. After lunch, we explored the restaurant. Looking around, I didn't see anything that resonated from childhood. But it's clear the restaurant has been lovingly restored to capture a snapshot of a bygone LA and again make Clifton's a dining destination."
Clifton's Cafeteria cliftonsla.com
Let's Go...
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