Hipster Travel Guide » California

Where the waves have no name

Gayle McCarthy — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:05:03 +0000

You know you’ve found Santa Cruz’s Steamer Lane when you see a mattress and a surfboard packed in the back of a old-school VW van.

Longboard Invitational

Home to all things surf, this internationally known spot is the mecca for anyone with a wetsuit and a need to ride some tasty waves in some seriously cold and unforgiving water. It’s the site for the annual Longboard Invitational, where the best of the beachers convene to compete for recognition of their skill, talent and tricked-out boards. Lots of blonde hair, bitchin’ bods, and beer, with a SoCal sense of brotherly love and comraderie. Everyone cheers each other on, and profits from the event go to help local charities. It’s all good, bro.

If you walk down a bit along the craggy cliffs of Steamer Lane, you’ll come across a small, hole-in-the-wall lighthouse that looks like a misplaced diorama figurine dropped near the water’s edge. It’s the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, home to the quaint Santa Cruz Surf Museum, operated by local area surfer legends that helped put Santa Cruz on the map for riding the riptides.

The O'Neill wetsuit

Inside, classic boards line the walls and ceiling, tracing the history of surfing from its introduction to the Pacific Coast region by three Hawaiian princes who surfed on redwood planks to modern, streamlined boards with fancy etchings and fins.

There’s a board with the outline of a shark bite in it from an attack back in the 70s, and the original—or supposed original—wetsuit designed and created by local legend one-eyed Jack O’Neill stands in homage to his ingenuity in keeping surfers in the ocean despite inhumane water temps. (He began by stuffing his trunks with flexible pieces of plastic PVC until a scientist friend introduced him to the miracle fabric, neoprene.) So if you wear a wetsuit, you have one-eyed Jack to thank. There’s not enough room to contain all the surfer stuff that’s been collected over the years—many items are warehoused in basements and storage facilities.

Vintage pictures line the walls, depicting young teenage boys posing with their boards, circa 1940. A few of the boys from the picture are still living in the area (now in their eighties and no longer surfing) and help run the volunteer effort that keeps the museum doors open. The museum sells T-shirts, hats, magnets and, of course, the celebrated Sex Wax—“the best for your stick.”

The original Boys of Summer

Of Latvia and Twinkies

Gayle McCarthy — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:38:28 +0000

You know your country’s in dietary straits when the instructional food pyramid suddenly disappears like a Copperfield sarcophagus and—poof!—magically morphs into a plate. It’s the USDA’s answer to the failed Egyptian triangle stuffed with loin chops and yogurt, originally meant to instruct the general public on what to eat and how much each day, just wasn’t slicing the bread. The government’s pinned its hopes on the newly introduced diagram, a simple round plate, divided into four easy sections, sans pictures: fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, with a cup on the side for dairy.

What is should read is, “too much, too big, too tired, too easy”—at least in the eyes of a foreigner, witnessing our debauched dietary habits for the first time in complete shock and awe.

On a recent press trip to the über-cool town of Santa Cruz, I had the opportunity to mix and mingle with a culturally diverse group of media professionals—25 of us in total, representing 13 countries overall.

We took the day to explore the historic boardwalk of Santa Cruz, a true slice of Americana.

My buddy for the day was a journalist from somewhere cold and very far away (Latvia? Ukraine?), a gentle but direct woman whose English was a bit broken but far exceeded my lackluster Russian, which began and ended with the word “nostrovia,” a phrase my Irish father used each night at dinner in lieu of traditional grace.

Twinkie Hut. Photo by Gayle McCarthy

We ambled past some shops and food stands, the smell of grease and sugar wafting in the air.

“What is this?” she asked.

She was pointing to a kiosk with a sign that read “Deep Fried Twinkies.”

How to describe Twinkies, those yellow pillows of goodness filled with rainbows, glucose, and dreams, the snack that I stole from my aunt’s house each time we visited because my parents were sugar fascists?

“A Twinkie is like a small American cake,” I said. “It’s yellow and soft and filled with a sugary cream.”

“So is like a treat, not real food,” she said.

For some, I thought; for others, like those living in Twinkie Alley—Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana—a dietary staple.

“They’re actually very good, but not good for you,” I said.

“But it says ‘fried.’ Why you fry it? No is cooked?”

This was turning into a complicated snack tribunal for which I had no counsel.

“No,” I said, “they are cooked, but we fry them because…”

My voice trailed off. How to explain this, our lust for excess, our wanton, greasy needs, our frying things we can?

“Well, we fry them to make them taste better, I guess.” I said.

I’d never had a fried Twinkie, but friends tell me they’re delicious.

She was nonplussed. “But this makes no sense—to fry something is already cooked?”

I looked at her, silently. I felt like a shamed dog who’d dirtied the rug.

“In my country, we fry things to cook them. Something not cooked, we fry,” she said. “Here? No. Fry all.”

She went on. “And here, all so much, so big…big food, big plate, big people. And den more. Always more. It’s like, how you say…biggie size?”

“Yes. Like Biggie Fries, like McDonald’s, I said.”

Actually explaining—nay, dissecting—America’s eating habits to an outsider was an abject lesson in futility, like throwing sand at a tornado. It reminded me of my time in South America, trying to teach the intricate mechanics of the English language to my eager students, whittling complex sentences and transitive verbs down to one encapsulating word—“because.”

Because, that’s how we say it.

How many times I’d repeated that meager, empty phrase to my poor classroom, God only knows.

Because.

“My country? You eat what you can, is enough.” She motioned her hands like a ref calling out-of-bounds. “Small plates. Is normal size. No ‘biggie’ size.”

We walked down the boardwalk in the blazing spring sun, a terminally clear day that made the beach and ocean shine electric, a harbinger of all things right with summer.

“Well, now you see why we have such a weight problem in America. We’re used to big portions. It’s normal for us.”

I wanted to say our country thinks like Texas, but I knew she wouldn’t get the reference.

I glanced at my watch. “We should meet up with the rest of the group,” I said.

We walked toward the restaurant, the ambient boardwalk sounds fading behind us.

“But still, I like,” she said.

Nostrovia.

Special thanks to the California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC) for sponsoring our trip.

Because hipsters drink wine, too

Gayle McCarthy — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:18:15 +0000

Glass of red in the vineyard

It’s a little known fact that hipsters drink more than basement brews, micro brews and anything else someone buys for

The Mondavi landscape

us. On occasion, we’re known to sport our satin smoking jacket and sip some fancy red wine while thumbing through back-issues of The New Yorker. It’s our dirty little secret, one we don’t readily admit lest we tarnish our heady, hackysack image.

But it happens.

And when it does, we like to document it.

Below, some hipster-behind-the-scenes winery shots taken on location at the acclaimed Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley, including gratuitous vineyard shots, secret casks and skilled sommeliers.

Cheers

Los Angeles: Figueroa Hotel

Scott Burgess — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:37:11 +0000

It’s been a while since I stayed at the Figueroa Hotel right smack in the middle of LA.

Not a bad way to enjoy a beer or two.downtown LA.

But finding some photos reminded me of this Moroccan themed manner — or maybe it was the recent episode of The Real Housewives of New York City trip to Morocco that spurred the idea.

Both the Housewives and the Hotel have a certain rode hard and put away wet look to them and both also show how some creative lighting can do wonders to wash away the years.

So here it is, Figueroa Hotel, and all of its splendor.

Really, it’s not that bad of a place and its name does use every available vowel. And the price was right — $99 a night (right now, according to the hotel, you can grab a room for $148 a night). (Though if you use wifi ($15 a day, $12 parking and

Still, that’s not a bad deal for a place that was built in 1925 as a YWCA residence (and the rooms actually have room “keys” that are, well, keys. Since, then, it’s lived a couple

The lobby and dining area at the Figueroa Hotel is clean and practical.

of lives and remains a breezy place complete with a small pool and bar with a sweet view of the surrounding sky scrapers.

Really, the Figureoa Hotel does the job without costing you an arm and a leg. It’s BS that you have to pay for Internet access — an issue we have with EVERY hotel that charges you for it — but we’re learned to deal with it.

The hotel is an ideal crash pad from a night down town LA, whether going to the Staples Center for a game or concert, hitting all of the clubs and bars in the downtown, or just a nice night out. It’s better to spend $150 for a hotel room than $5000 for a DUI any day of the week.

All photos by Scott Burgess of Hipster Travel Guide.

‘Traz: The Great Escape

Gayle McCarthy — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:36:14 +0000

Wonder what it takes to escape The Rock in San Francisco?

Try several hundred travel professionals and a really large boat.

Arriving at Alcatraz

Such was the scene at the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow after-hours event, held at the infamous island prison, Alcatraz, former home to notorious prisoners Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, “Bumpy” Johnson and Arthur “Doc” Barker.

Hundreds of Pow Wow attendees were shuttled to The Rock by boat courtesy of the San Francisco Belle for an exclusive private tour of the prison grounds given by uniformed National Park Rangers. Visitors had a chance to brave solitary confinement, where prisoners were sometimes held up to 19 days in complete darkness; get their pictures taken behind bars in a real cell; and take a stroll through the outdoor rec facility, “The Yard.”

Pow Wow is the U.S.T.A.’s premier international marketplace for travel industry professionals from around the world to network and negotiate via pre-scheduled business

View from The Yard

appointments in order to generate more travel to the States—to the tune of an estimated $3.5 billion in future Visit USA travel.

More than 1,100 international vetted and qualified tour operators and buyers of USA travel products from 70 countries attended this year’s trade show, as well as 400 invited travel journalists from both domestic and international markets.

The slammer

Revenue created from hosting Pow Wow is expected to generate $350 million in tourism for the city of San Francisco over the next three years.

Pow Wow will be held again next year in Los Angeles in late April.

Photos by Gayle McCarthy

U.S. Travel Association wraps up Pow Wow in SF

Gayle McCarthy — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:50:21 +0000

The U.S. Travel Association wrapped up its largest annual tradeshow event this past week in San Francisco with more than 5,000 delegates from 70 countries in attendance.

The four-day media marketplace brought together domestic and international journalists travel buyers and state tourism boards to mix and mingle at the Moscone Center and other landmark San Fran locations for scheduled appointments, parties and after-hour functions to conduct business negotiations that ultimately generate more interest and income to the U.S. travel industry to the tune of 3.5 million in future Visit USA travel.

The event generated more than $350 million in tourism business for San Francisco alone.

The newly-appointed CEO for the Corporation for Travel Promotion, Jim Evans, made his debut at a Pow Wow press conference, vowing to have marketing plans in place by fall, with a focus on hiring top talent in sales and marketing and developing a market strategy that will command the highest ROI for the industry.

Highlights of the conference included a trip to visit the famed prison, Alcatraz, a party on Pier 39, and a grand finale bash at City Hall.

Next year’s Pow Wow will be in Los Angeles in April.

Images courtesy of U.S. Travel Association

San Fran hosts U.S. Travel’s Pow Wow

Gayle McCarthy — Sun, 22 May 2011 16:02:02 +0000

It’s the city that put beatniks, sourdough bread and Rice-a-Roni on the map, and home to The Rock and all things hemp.

It’s cold even when it’s warm, and on a clear day you can see fog.

It’s San Francisco, and this weekend it plays host to the U.S. Travel Association’s annual Pow Wow, the travel industry’s premier international marketplace and trade show that brings together 5,000 travel professionals for a three-day networking fest to encourage and promote travel within the U.S.

More than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations from every region of the USA (even Jersey!) will be represented at Pow Wow, and buyers from more than 70 countries will conduct business negotiations that will generate over $3.5 billion in future “Visit U.S.A.” travel. A select number of invited journalists—HTG included—from across the country and around the world will be scoping out future hot spots, destination locations and travel trends via press conferences and pre-scheduled meetings.

Highlights of the event include a guided tour of Alcatraz, an electric bike tour across the San Francisco bridge, and a Pier 39 party featuring signature Cali wines, live entertainment, and of course, clam chowder.

Stay tuned over the weekend for live coverage of the event.

The Sunset Strip hall pass

Hipster Travel Guide Staff — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:17:41 +0000

Earlier this year, I was staying at the Andaz West Hollywood Grafton. It was a typical evening, as I stood there on the rooftop bar under one of those big propane heaters. Behind me were those beautiful homes precariously sitting steep mountain edges.

In front of me was the Sunset Strip. All of the neon lights flashing, people walking along the historic street, it was a place that needed exploring. Beginning this week, if you’re staying at a few of the hotels along Sunset Strip, you can do some of that exploring for free with the Sunset Strip VIP Pass.

The pass will help you get into places like the Viper Room, the Roxy, Whisky A Go-Go and more for free. Leave the cover charges for suckers — and locals.

The pass is sponsored by Jack Daniels and provides free access to a slew of clubs along the strip for people staying at the Andaz, The London West Hollywood, Mondrian, The Standard, Hollywood, Sunset Marquis or Sunset Plaza Best Western.

According to organizers, the pass could save you more than $125 on any given night. For more information on the pass, check it out here.

Participating clubs include:

Cat Club
The Comedy Story

House of Blues Sunset Strip

LA: Can you handle the Cirque Berzerk?

Hipster Travel Guide Staff — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:29:30 +0000

Imagine The Burning Man on stage — in Los Angeles.

Cirque Berzerk, which has received rave reviews (though we have not personally seen it), looks as if it’s part burlesque, part theater and part athletic prowess that makes you sit in your seat and say, “how the hell do they do that?”

A new show begins this Friday and continues through January.

All we can do is tell you that this self described sexy dark circus begins again this Friday at Club Nokia in LA. With two shows a night over the weekends ( 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.) and then a few shows during the week at 8 p.m. (check the troupe’s website to see times and dates).

Honestly, we wish we could tell you more about it — and as soon as we get someone in LA to get over to Club Nokia, we hope we can.

Sunset Strip: Ringing in the New Year

Hipster Travel Guide Staff — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:27:34 +0000

New Year’s Eve is right around the corner — and if you’re in Los Angeles, what are you going to do? Now’s the time to figure that out — because if you don’t have a friend hosting some fabulous party with celebrity appearances then you may not be starting the new year out right.

And what better place to watch the sun set on 2010 than along Sunset Strip. (Special thanks to the folks at TheSunsetStrip.com for all of the information.)

Here are a few things to put on your list of things to knock out before the year ends, or the place to be when it does end.

The Raveonettes + Autoluxe at The Standard, Hollywood

Photo credit / TheSunsetStrip.com

KCRW presents Danish duo The Raveonettes and Autoluxe. Doors open at 8 p.m. and pre-sale tickets are $50. http://bit.ly/StandardHollywood_NewYears

The Pharcyde at Key Club

Influential LA rap quartet The Pharcyde takes over the Key Club with the Lowkeys. Tickets are $40-$70. Doors open at 8 p.m. This show is ages 18 and older. For tickets, call 310-274-5800 or visit www.keyclub.com.

Neon New Years at Skybar

Photo credit / TheSunsetStrip.com

Skybar hosts ultimate New Wave ’80s rockers the Spazmatics on New Year’s Eve. Guests can also enjoy an open bar from 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. Entrance is $175 ($125 for Mondrian hotel guests). For reservations, call 323.848.6025. www.mondrianhotel.com

Camp Freddy + Juke Kartel at The Roxy Theatre

Three options and prices for NYE at The Roxy. $50 GA ticket, or upgrade to $100 ticket that includes an open bar with well, wine and beer choices, or splurge on the $200 ticket and enjoy open bar with premium liquor, wine and beer. Tickets that include open bar are only available for purchase at The Roxy box office. www.theroxyonsunset.com

Steel Panther at House of Blues

Break out the spandex and hairspray as Steel Panther prepares to rock you into 2011. General admission tickets are $37 in advance, or upgrade to a VIP ticket for $77 and enjoy Foundation Room access and a bar package. Bottle service is also available.

For tickets or questions, call 323-848-5100 or visit our website www.houseofblues.com.

Ring In 2011 at The Comedy Store

The Comedy Store has created a win/win package that includes a full lineup of comics, champagne toast at midnight and a $40 gift certificate to The Comedy Store. Tickets are $50 for the Main Room and $40 for Original Room shows. Main Room lineup includes Shawn Pelofsky, Charles Fleischer, Nick Youssef, Freddy Lockhart, Dom Irrera, Dov Davidoff, Chris D’Elia, Ian Edwards, Ari Shaffir, Rusty Dooley, Rick Ingrapham and Berry Diamond. Doors open at 9 p.m. www.thecomedystore.com

Want to just go out for a fine dining experience? Here are a few choices along the strip.

New Year’s Eve Dining & Drinks

Photo credit / Bob Friday

Asia de Cuba
Asia de Cuba is offering a multi-course menu on New Year’s Eve. Dinner is $89 per person before 8 p.m. and $109 per person after 8 p.m. For more information or reservations, please call 323.848.6000. www.mondrianhotel.com

BLT Steak

On New Year’s Eve, BLT Steak will offer diners a special menu in addition to the regular offerings. Open from 6 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., BLT Steak is the perfect stop before an evening on The Sunset Strip. www.boasteak.com

Cabo Cantina

Start the night off right by taking advantage of the best happy hour on The Strip. All drinks are two-for-one prices from 4-8 p.m. Cabo will be open extended hours, from noon – 2 a.m., and offering our NEW late night happy hour from 10 p.m.-close. Stop by for a champagne toast, Cabo style! www.thecabocantina.com

Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood

Celebrate with one of two dining options. The first seating is from 5-8 p.m. and features a three-course menu for $85. The second seating is at 8 p.m. and includes a five-course menu and champagne toast at midnight for $145 per person. www.thelondonwesthollywood.com

Katana

Photo Credit / Bob Friday

Enjoy a DJ, dancing, party favors and views overlooking The Sunset Strip as you ring in 2011. First seating from 6-8:45 p.m. includes regular menu. Second seating from 9-9:30 p.m. includes a prix fixe menu and champagne toast for $125 per person. www.katanarobata.com

Ketchup

Ketchup will offer two menus on NYE, a limited a la carte Menu and a $60 chef’s special menu, which includes starter and chef’s appetizer trio, choice of salad, choice of main course and trio of desserts. Ketchup opens at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. www.dolcegroup.com

Restaurant at Sunset Marquis

Enjoy a four-course dinner and champagne toast. Presented by chef Guillaume Burlion, the menu features Langoustine and white truffle bisque en croute; butter lettuce with candied pecans over a wild leek tart with pomegranate vinaigrette; intermezzo of champagne granite; choice of Kobe beef “Perigourdine” or black truffle crusted Brittany dover sole; and a Godiva chocolate soufflé. Price is $125 per person. www.sunsetmarquis.com

RH at Andaz
RH’s executive chef Sebastien Archambault will serve a special five-course feast that showcases his signature seasonal, market-to-table Southwestern French cuisine. Price for the first seating at 5 p.m. is $65 per person. Second seating at 8 p.m. is $75 per person and includes a champagne toast at midnight.

Reservations required 323.785.6090. www.rhwesthollywood.com

Sunset Trocadero

Join the Trocadero friends & family as we serve our full food and drink menu until 2 a.m. Come in early to take advantage of our happy hour, with all drinks (including champagne) and appetizers priced 50% off from 6-8 p.m.

Special New Year’s Eve Package

Photo credit / MVB

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at The London West Hollywood
Ring in the New Year with style at The London West Hollywood. Our New Year’s Eve Celebration package offers you the ultimate year-end highlight with luxurious suite accommodations and award-winning cuisine from famed Chef Gordon Ramsay.

Champagne toast in the privacy of your own suite upon arrival.
Dinner for two at Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood restaurant.
- Five-course menu seating between 8 p.m. – midnight
- Champagne toast at midnight.
Overnight accommodations in a luxurious suite.
Breakfast for two the following morning in the privacy of your suite..
Overnight valet parking for one vehicle.

www.thelondonwesthollywood.com

We also liked that The Sunset Strip included a few places to head to the day after — when your body craves grease and carbs to help stave off too much champaign.

New Year’s Day

Brunch at Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood

Celebrate the first day of 2011 with brunch at Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood. Served from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., the brunch features an a-la-carte menu. Add on trips to the Recovery Bar for $23. www.thelondonwesthollywood.com

Brunch at RH at Andaz

Brunch highlights include French-style Scrambled Eggs with smoked salmon and dill; breakfast salad; homemade crispy duck confit; and slow braised beef cheek alongside seasonal cocktails. Served 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. www.rhwesthollywood.com

Nurse Your Hangover at Cabo Cantina

Nurse that NYE hangover with bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys for only $9.95 from noon until 3 p.m. Also offering a $1.99 “hangover burrito,” in addition to our Mexican brunch menu. All Bowl Games will be shown on our HD Flat Screen TVs. Two-for-one happy hour from 4-8p.m. and again from 10 p.m.-midnight. www.thecabocantina.com