CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Balboa Park; Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara; Scoops ice cream; Sushi from Nobu; Hollywood Bowl; Coast at Shutters on the Beach
Forest and Keisha Whitaker let us in on their favorite ways to spend a summer day in and around beautiful LA.
1. Coast at Shutters on the Beach (One Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, 310-587-1707;
shuttersonthebeach.com). We like having lunch there—some of the menu reminds us of New England, especially the clam chowder—and then taking a walk with the girls on the beach towards the Santa Monica Pier.
2. Hollywood Bowl (2301 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, 323-850-2000; hollywoodbowl.com). We love the venue. We grab a picnic from Gelson’s and are ready to have a great night. It’s a summer must—especially the Jazz Fest.
3. Pacific Vineland Drive-In (443 North Vineland Avenue, City of Industry, 626-961-9262; vinelanddriveintheater.com). It’s soo old school and such a fun way to see a movie. The snack bar has all the movie-house favorites.
4. The African Marketplace (africanmarketplace.org). This is a wonderful cultural festival that takes place in downtown LA at the Rancho Cienega Recreation Complex every August and September. It’s family-oriented with unique crafts, food and music.
5. The ’Bu. Malibu is spectacular all year round but even better in the summer. We love to stay at the Malibu Beach Inn (22878 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, 310-456-6444; malibubeachinn.com), walk the beach, shop the Malibu Country Mart (3835 Cross Creek Road, Malibu; malibucountrymart.com) and grab dinner at Moonshadows (20356 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, 310-456-3010; moonshadowsmalibu.com), Nobu (3835 Cross Creek Road, Malibu, 310-317- 9140; nobumatsuhisa.com) or Taverna Tony (23410 Civic Center Way, Malibu, 310-317-9667; tavernatony.com). Takeout from Reel Inn Fresh Fish Restaurant (18661 Pacific Coast Highway,
Malibu, 310-456-8221) is yummy, too.
6. Brunch at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara(1260 Channel Drive, Santa Barbara, 805-969-2261; fourseasons.com). It’s always delicious, and you have an unparalleled view of the ocean as you eat.
7. Balboa Park (balboapark.org). We drive to San Diego just to spend the day there. It’s a fun atmosphere and caters to families.
8. Biking on the boardwalk. Renting bikes on Venice Beach is the perfect way to get some exercise, and the people-watching is incredible!
9. Ice cream. Nothing says summer like cucumber melon sorbet at Scoops (712 North Heliotrope Drive, Los Angeles, 323-906-2649).
10. Hiking. The trails in Fryman Canyon are great all year long, but early on a summer evening they are especially breathtaking. You can even take a detour to TreePeople’s (a Los Angeles nonprofit
offering sustainable solutions to urban ecosystem problems) historic headquarters. Somebody dedicated a tree in our family name there.
