Spotlight

A visit to the Annenberg Community Beach House feels like stepping into two versions of Santa Monica at once: the relaxed public beach destination of today and the glamorous retreat of the 1920s. Set along Pacific Coast Highway, the Beach House welcomes visitors with ocean views, open seating, a splash pad, playground, beach courts, cultural events and the rhythm of guests moving between sand, sun and shade. On warm days, the historic pool is the center of the scene and reminds us that this was once one of the most celebrated private estates on the coast.

In the 1920s, William Randolph Hearst developed the oceanfront estate for actress Marion Davies, creating a lavish compound that included a mansion, guest houses, gardens, and an ornate swimming pool designed with Hollywood-scale imagination. Davies was known not only as a film star but also as a generous hostess, and her Santa Monica home became a gathering place for celebrities, artists and influential guests. Although the original mansion was later demolished, the restored Marion Davies Guest House is a lovely and fascinating place to visit or hold a private event. The original pool still shines elegantly with marble around the deck and beautiful tiles that were restored by hand. The new Pool House is equally luxurious with private meeting and event space as well as changing areas, lockers and a second floor View Deck that offers spectacular views of Santa Monica Bay.

Lucky for us, the Beach House now belongs to the public, open to all with no membership required.  The grounds are open daily year-round as is the inviting Back On The Beach Café, with terrific breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings to enjoy on the sand, deck or inside.  The pool is open daily Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and is the only area of the site that requires an admission fee, which ranges from a modest $4 to $10 for the day.

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J Nichol’s Kitchen in Marina Del Rey is a Five-Star Comfort Food Institution!

Some restaurants chase trends. J Nichol’s just keeps being excellent ! 52 years and counting. Tucked into beautiful Marina Del Rey, this modern, upscale diner has mastered a trick most restaurants never crack: staying consistently, unapologetically good, meal after meal, decade after decade.

Walk in wearing jeans and a t-shirt for a hearty, affordable lunch, or slip on a fancy dress to sip wine at the bar over shareable bites. J Nichol’s doesn’t care what you’re wearing, only that you leave happy. That’s the magic of this place: approachable enough for solo diners to feel at home at the bar, elevated enough for date night, and reliable enough for your next business meeting. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, pick your moment, they’ve got it handled.

The food doesn’t just meet expectations, it exceeds them. The J Nichol’s Original Burger is built on beef ground fresh in-house daily, layered with cheddar and hickory sauce on a soft, buttery bun. The Fried Chicken Sandwich brings a crispy cutlet, swiss, arugula, and spicy jalapeño mayo on a French roll. This isn’t oversized portions masquerading as quality; it’s genuine culinary craft, plated with care.

Add in service that’s quick, attentive, and always ready with the perfect recommendation, and you’ve got a neighborhood staple that’s earned every one of its five stars ….no exceptions, no off nights.

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I recently attended a wine dinner at Ellie’s in Long Beach and left delighted by what is coming out of this Alamitos Beach restaurant. The room is simple and spare, a signal that the drama is reserved for the plate.

Ellie’s is billed as Southern Italian, and the menu nods to Italy’s south, but Chef Jason Witzl pushes the idea into something fresher and more personal. With the fish market only a few miles away, he folds local seafood and California produce into a farm-to-table version of Italian cooking that feels rooted, generous, and very Long Beach.

Our dinner came from the regular menu and paired beautifully with four Sonoma and Napa wines we brought, which means you can recreate the meal on your next visit. Shrimp and melon with Persian cucumber, serrano chile, and mint was bright, cool, and perfect with Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc. Dayboat scallops with beurre blanc and creamed corn met Chardonnay with ease. Pinot Noir found its match in pappardelle with pork ragu and bone marrow butter, a dish with real depth. The finale, Creekstone Prime New York strip, arrived with Italian peppers and onions and a cayenne-coffee crust, making a Napa Cabernet feel inevitable.

Ellie’s already has plenty of Yelp praise for the cautious diner, but the better reason to go is simple: the food is thoughtful, confident, and the service is stellar.

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Sometimes you don’t need a huge meal—you just need a great one. That’s exactly why I keep finding myself back at DAN Modern Chinese in Manhattan Village.

On this visit, I kept it simple: pan-fried potstickers, garlic string beans, and a bowl of perfectly steamed white rice. The dumplings arrived golden and crisp on the outside with a tender, flavorful filling, while the garlic string beans were vibrant, perfectly cooked, and seasoned just enough to let the vegetables shine. Paired with steamed rice, it was a meal that was satisfying without feeling overly rich.

The menu is extensive, so every visit offers something new. Their famous Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) are a must for first-time visitors, while dishes like Three Cup Chicken, Dan Mein handmade noodles, Beef with Broccoli, Scallion Pancakes, Mapo Tofu, Chicken Noodle Soup, and Crab Fried Rice have developed loyal followings. If you’re looking for vegetables, the baby bok choy, broccoli, and garlic spinach are every bit as appealing as the entrées.  

The dining room is modern, bright, and impeccably clean, with warm wood finishes and contemporary lighting that make it feel relaxed without being pretentious.

Healthy, fresh, flavorful, and consistently reliable—DAN Modern Chinese continues to prove that comfort food doesn’t have to leave you feeling guilty.

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