OCCUPATION: Founder / designer of Minnie Mortimer women’s wear line
MY STYLE: East Coast classic meets West Coast surf. My home is all about stylish function with a focus on my art and books.
WHY I LOVE LOS ANGELES: It is so beautiful! L.A. is the only city in America where a mountain range hits the ocean. The time I spend outdoors and in nature with my family is so precious to me.
Westridge Fire Road Trail
This 3.5 mile trail in the Santa Monica Mountains is a favorite of mountain-bike enthusiasts, but we love it for its gorgeous, sweeping views and easy accessibility. It’s a fantastic workout, and it beats going to the gym!
Dance for Kids
Dance for Kids (DFK) founder Karen Chase, a former Broadway dancer and Laker Girl, started the children’s program at Brentwood Academy of Dance to create a fun, nurturing, and educational environment for kids to learn about dance. Instruction is available in ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theater.
Sweet Rose Creamery
Looking to not be so vanilla? Try one of Sweet Rose Creamery’s classic ice cream flavors, with a twist: salt caramel, ginger with honey, and toasted coconut among them. Zoe Nathan and Josh Loeb, the authorities on all things local and organic in Santa Monica (and the duo behind Huckleberry) are known for trolling the farmer’s markets for the best local produce, so make sure to keep an eye on their ever-changing list of flavors.
Howdy’s Taqueria
Located in the Malibu Country Mart, Howdy’s is a must-stop after a morning of surfing and playing with kids at the beach. The delicious and satisfying food is also entirely organic. After a meal, make a stop at the kids’ park and playground located right around the corner in the Country Mart for a little post-beach runaround.
Blue Plate Oysterette
The key to this small seafood-centric diner’s fantastic fare is its rotating menu, which offers the best and freshest from the fish market. We love seaside favorites such as lobster rolls and steamed mussels, but also enjoy the more inventive dishes such as the seafood Cobb salad.
Brentwood Market
This market, a bit more intimate than the ever-bustling Santa Monica spot, is where we really get our farmgirl on. Each Sunday, you’ll find fresh eggs, meat, baked goods, and produce. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Homeboy Industries bakery stall, as the organization helps find gang-involved youth productive jobs in the culinary industry.
Puzzle Zoo
Tucked between the big chain stores of Third Street, this independent toy boutique stocks games, puzzles, and action figures. Kids love the looking at classic toys like yo-yos, kites, and dolls, while sci-fi and comic book collectors go for rare figures and books. It’s a great place to shop for a fantasy fan.
Huckleberry
Burrata with marinated peppers, kale salad, breakfast quinoa, and blueberry cornmeal cake are among the mouth-watering seasonal offerings at Huckleberry. We like to combine a visit to Huckleberry (when getting food to go, the service is amazingly swift) with errands next door at Santa Monica Seafood, the best fish market in town.
Caffe Luxxe
Practicing Northern Italian coffee-brewing methodology, Caffe Luxxe pays close attention to bean sourcing, water temperature, and grinding specifications, making each “bella tazza” (literally: beautiful cup) perfect, whether it’s a macchiato or a cappuccino. What’s more, each barista undergoes a stringent, three-month apprenticeship where they learn to pull an espresso shot and create exquisite art with foam!
Hotel Bel-Air
After two years of renovations, Hotel Bel-Air came out swinging with completely restored guestrooms, 12 new bungalows, several acres full of plants and flowers, and new dining concepts from Wolfgang Puck. The iconic Bel-Air swans have even been outfitted with new water pumps! As for the children’s amenities, kid-size bathrobes and signature coloring books are available upon request.