Month: July 2016

Hidden Malibu ~ Malibu Hills, CA

Cruising along PCH with the top down, laying on golden sandy beaches with the sun on your skin, surfing the crashing waves of the Pacific, strolling into a romantic ocean sunset…that’s usually what comes to mind when people suggest a trip out to Malibu. As Cali girls, we’re naturally big fans of the beach—that just goes with the territory. But what if we were to tell you that our absolute favorite parts of Malibu are nowhere even close to sand or sea? That tucked in the mountains far away from the ocean crowds are countless secret treasures just waiting to be explored? There is, in fact, gold up in them there hills! So come take a little trip with us to discover…Hidden Malibu. MULHOLLAND WINE COUNTRY Did you know that Napa Valley exists right here in the middle of LA? Deep within the Malibu Hills just off of Kanan, a couple-mile strip of Mulholland turns into Los Angeles Wine Country. As you hit the mountain crest, suddenly little green vineyards begin to stretch across the …

Camp Cooking ~ Lentil Stew (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

With summer in full swing, it’s time to go camping! Last week, I let you in on a delicious, quick and easy campout breakfast idea: Hayley’s Crave-Worthy Banana Fritters. As promised, I am continuing to divulge all of my Campout Secrets. There’s nothing like a warm home-cooked meal, especially after a day in the sun. After mountain hiking, dog chasing and river plunging all day, the act of gathering around a glorious campfire in your dusty clothes with an iced beverage in hand is so satisfying.  While the sun sets over the mountains and through the trees, the harmony of the crickets and crackling fire are hypnotizing as you smell supper ready to be devoured. What could satiate better than a piping hot bowl of delicious hearty stew? My favorite camp eats to cook are always quick and easy, no-fuss, healthy hot-pots. The last thing you want to think about when you’re hungry and ready for some serious campfire lounging is making a complicated dinner for the crew. My recipe for delicious Lentil Stew is probably the easiest camp food you will ever eat. It is so hearty, …

Eat|See|Hear ~ LA Outdoor Movie Night

Summertime is all about combining the two things LA does best: movies and the outdoors. At the start of summer, we created your Los Angeles Outdoor Movie Guide, which we continue to update with new films from our favorite outdoor movie venues. We recently checked out Eat|See|Hear’s screening of Dazed and Confused at The Autry in Griffith Park. There could not be a better way to celebrate the fact that school’s out for summer than kicking back with our friends, pups and some good food and hopping into that slowride to party at the Moon Tower. Eat|See|Hear screens films every Saturday night in multiple venues across town from Silverlake to Santa Monica throughout the season. This was our first time heading to The Autry for a screening and we gotta say, we were really impressed. Our $15.76 ticket got us free entry into the Autry Museum. Their fantastic new exhibit Revolutionary Vision: Group f/64 showcases the stunning work of the California photo-modernist collective that included Ansel Adams and is definitely worth checking out. The main grounds are …

Banana Fritters ~ (Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free)

I can’t think of anything better than being surrounded by nature and eating around a campfire. Some people pack granola bars in their backpacks when they go camping and call it a day.  But when my crew makes their way out into the wilderness, the cars are loaded down with everything you could possibly need to make a feast under the stars. Half the fun of setting up a camp for a few days is impressing your fellow campers with a gourmet meal by firelight or waking up in your cozy sleeping bag to the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and the sound of bacon sizzling in unison with the river rapids in the distance. It is not a secret how much I love California. We have every magical adventure you can think of at our fingertips within a car ride’s distance. I have camped out under the astounding constellations overhead in the Sequioa National Forest on many occasions. So when I got an invite from my crew of besties to celebrate our gorgeous Hayley’s birthday in the mountains, …

Free Live Music ~ Amoeba Hollywood

For music lovers, LA is a musical paradise. We are so lucky to have plenty of great live music here any night of the week. But for those times when you get tired of ticketing agencies doubling the price of your ticket, it’s nice to know that you can always find some awesome free music right outside your door. One of our favorite places to catch a free live show is Amoeba Music in Hollywood. With a great mix of bands and DJ’s coming through, including some pretty big heavy-hitters, it’s worth bookmarking their schedule and keeping it in your concert-going rotation. We recently caught a live set from Band of Horses, one of our favorite live bands. We’ve seen BOH play all over Southern California—The Masonic Lodge, The Majestic Ventura Theater, The Observatory—and they have never ceased to blow us away with their pure heart, soul and grace on stage. So when the chance came to see them up close and personal right at home, we jumped on it. There are a couple ways …