The getaways issue
Best Palm Springs Hotels, Santa Barbara restaurants, PCH roadtrip; The Sea Ranch Lodge, The Jay, White Caps Beach Club, Sonoma, Bordeaux, MORE
ABOUT FOUND • Reader Survey
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ABOUT FOUND • Getaways
FOUND is deeply interested in getaway destinations within driving distance (or a short flight) of San Francisco. That means Napa and Sonoma, the Central Coast, Tahoe, Palm Springs, and more. What do the regulars eat and drink, where should you stay and shop, and, to take this to its logical end — what about buying a second home of one’s own there?
Beyond the world of weekend escapes, FOUND closely tracks the local hotel scene and airports, particularly Bay area airports, and the need-to-know intel that can make or break a trip. From time to time, special correspondents will file reports from far-flung destinations like the French Riviera, because there are some experiences that transcend this mortal plane and beg to be shared.
Here, a sampling of reflections, recommendations, and Routines from the first six months of FOUND Getaways.
GETAWAYS • Sonoma
Wood and water
Last summer, historic Sea Ranch Lodge completed a multi-year renovation, giving travelers yet another reason to visit the idyllic Sonoma coast community it anchors.
Incorporated in the 1960s with the notion of “living lightly on the land,” Sea Ranch comprises 10 miles of rugged coastline, redwood forest, and hundreds of distinctive timber-framed homes designed to meld with its surroundings. The oasis for nature, design, and architecture heads is a hundred miles up the coast from San Francisco, but the trip’s well worth it.
Rooms at the revamped lodge are decked in red cedar, oak, and fir, with plush furniture and big windows looking out onto the Pacific. In place of TVs, a fireplace, a set of binoculars, and a pair of walking sticks. Outside, the coastal bluff trail winds past tide pools, windswept flora, and clusters of private homes.
The Lodge is also home to a bar, lounge, restaurant, and café, the only food and drinking establishments in Sea Ranch proper. If one tires of the middle-of-the-road fare, there’s a trusty seafood shack one town north in Gualala, in addition to a weekend barbecue stand outside Surf Market.
With its cozy, convivial atmosphere (the bar’s a popular haunt for locals), the Lodge is a fitting shelter for first-time visitors. For return visitors, a Sea Ranch home rental to fully immerse in the pleasures of this tranquilizing community might better do the trick. –Emily Wilson, 01/05/24
→ The Sea Ranch Lodge (Sea Ranch, CA) • 60 Sea Walk Dr.
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Hotels, greater Palm Springs
Parker Palm Springs (Palm Springs), Jonathan Adler design, complete w/croquet courts and firepits, $419
Sensei Porcupine Creek (Rancho Mirage), wellness retreat w/golf and tennis, food by Nobu, $1160
L’Horizon (Palm Springs), William Cody-designed poolside bungalows, $450
Life House (Palm Springs), new property inspired by old Hollywood glamor, $259
Two Bunch Palms (Desert Hot Springs), serene hot springs resort and spa, $425
Casa Cody (Palm Springs, above), historic hotel w/ chic Spanish revivalist decor at base of San Jacinto Mountains, $389
The Colony Palms Hotel and Bungalows (Palm Springs), adult-only property w/poolside dining and spa, $380
Sparrows Lodge (Palm Springs), restored 1950s lodge w/massage tent, $539
The Ritz Carlton (Rancho Mirage), five-star resort nestled in mountains, overlooking city, $593
GETAWAYS • Staycation
A new downtown nest
Old school San Franciscans remember 433 Clay Street as the Park Hyatt, or later, Le Méridien. Now, the brutalist hotel has reopened as The Jay, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, after the company spent millions in an effort to revive downtown’s luxury lodging scene.
It just might work. The years-long renovation by design firm AvroKO introduced 360 brighter, lighter, and sexier rooms than at any other hotel in the area. The penthouse, nicknamed “The Nest” due to frequent visits from the city’s wild parrot flock, is stunning, a 1,660-square-foot space with a bathtub that might be the wildest place to ride out San Francisco’s next big earthquake.
The Jay’s restaurant and rooftop terrace also take big swings, intended to lure locals to mingle with the out-of-towners. The Omakase Restaurant Group, also behind Michelin-starred sushi spot Omakase and steak and whiskey destination Niku, is hoping for similar cred at The Third Floor, the hotel’s all-day offering. The menu is a work in progress, but echoes the group’s overall East-meets-West vibe. Highlights so far include a duck dumpling soup and a truly ambitious passionfruit Pavlova.
Next up: a concise “power lunch” menu and afternoon tea service. Until then, there’s always a “Here’s Johnnie” cocktail (Scotch, apple brandy, carpano, and Earl Grey) at the sky-scraping bar. –Eve Batey, 4/17/24
→ The Jay (Fidi) • 433 Clay St.
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Design mixology
TINEKE TRIGGS • owner • Tineke Triggs Interiors
Neighborhood you live in: Cow Hollow
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I work out every morning before I go into the office. On Wednesdays, I play tennis in the Presidio and get to work around 9am. We’re a hybrid office, and usually anywhere from five to nine people are there at a time. We work in teams of three, and we’ll have everything from client meetings to people running errands, or opening boxes, or conducting interviews. We’re planning and drawing new designs. I’m usually doing about 20 different things — I’ve got spreadsheets open, drawings to redline, Powerpoint design boards, Pinterest boards, etc. It’s just very, very fluid. Chaos doesn't usually start hitting till about midday.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Today is the first day back in the office after press day for this year’s Decorator Showcase (through May 27). For the last week, I’ve been hyper-focused on making the showcase’s reception room a hit. I’ve collaborated with vendors like Hewn, Dolby Chadwick Gallery, and Luis Peña for the custom wet bars on either side of the fireplace. Tonight is the big gala event, so I’ll leave early to get ready — I’m wearing an outfit themed to match the reception room I designed. I’m also working on a Victorian restoration in the Castro, which will have a nouveau riche undertone and funky tech vibe.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
This weekend, we’ll be going to designer Jiun Ho‘s Sonoma home for a private dinner. The house even has a name. It’s a Japanese-inspired getaway with gardens called Nagomi.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I convinced a few showcase designers to join me for a boxing class at Baker Street Boxing this weekend. I’ve been practicing for 13 years. We also love going out in SF for all things culture. We recently saw Alonzo King LINES Ballet and had dinner at the classic Zuni Cafe. We belong to both SFMOMA and the de Young, where we just saw the "Fashioning San Francisco” exhibit. And I’m excited to check out this year’s San Francisco Art Fair at Fort Mason. We can’t do what we do unless we stay connected to the arts.
Any weekend getaways?
We have a house in Sonoma with tennis courts and a pool, so we spend a lot of time there. Santa Barbara is another favorite for weekend getaways. I either stay with family or at a client’s guest house, and always visit Oliver’s for great vegetarian, Rosewood Miramar Beach for happy hour, Field and Fort in Summerland, and Hendry’s Beach. And when I can, I love to escape to Mexico.
What was your last great vacation?
Paris is one of my favorite places on the planet, and I try to go once a year. I mean, there’s nothing you can’t love about Paris. On my last trip, I saw the Iris van Herpen exhibit at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. She’s a Dutch fashion designer, and her work is incredible. The show blew my mind. I also bought some wonderful things for this year’s showcase from the Paris Flea Market. One of my favorite things to do when I’m here is to start at a coffee shop (Noir is the best) and then wander the streets exploring different arrondissements.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I had the luxury of seeing local designer Lan Jaenicke’s latest collection with my good friend Caroline Lizarraga. I splurged on some custom dresses, which I’ll be debuting at upcoming showcase events. After our atelier visit, we all went to dinner at Bix.
What store or service do you always recommend?
I love Danielle and Betty Lin for clothes. Found by Maja is one of my favorites for housewares and unique objects. For jewelry, there are too many good ones, but I’ll say Carats & Stones and Fiat Lux on Fillmore. 05/15/24
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Restaurants, Santa Barbara
Bettina (Montecito), pastels and wood-fired sourdough pizza from expat NYC baker
Bibi Ji (Downtown Santa Barbara), modern Indian fare paired w/impressive wine list
Caruso’s (Montecito), pre-fixe Italian-Californian inside Rosewood Miramar Beach
La Super-Rica Taqueria (Milpas), Julia Child-approved tacos and tamales joint remains packed
Sama Sama (Downtown Santa Barbara), Southeast Asian w/Michelin approval
Lucky’s (Montecito), stoic, serene chophouse, martini nirvana
The Lark (Funk Zone), seasonal California cuisine in industrial-chic digs
Tre Lune (Montecito), classic trattoria serving cacio e pepe and veal parmesan
Satellite (Downtown Santa Barbara), farm-to-table vegetarian w/ natural wine shop
GETAWAYS • Wednesday Routine
Barrel proof
MAGGIE KRUSE • winemaker • Jordan Vineyard & Winery
Town you live in: Windsor
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Our cellar team always starts early in the morning, so I arrive at 7 a.m., check in to see if anyone has questions about the day’s activities, and then make my way to my office. I’ll grab a coffee and either sit down at my desk to answer emails or head out to the vineyards. This week’s a fun one — we’re meeting with our growers to taste different blocks from the previous vintage. It’s always a treat when we get to enjoy the hard work and effort our growers put into each block of grapes they bring us.
What’s on the agenda for today?
After some office work, I’ll drive to Russian River Valley to take a look at our chardonnay vineyards and investigate some new sites for us. Our chardonnay has been Russian River Appellative for decades, but in the last few years, we’ve been focusing on getting fruit from even colder sites in the Russian River Valley that are closer to the Pacific Ocean. After the offsite excursion, I’ll go back to the office for a cabernet tasting to decide if the 2022 Alexander Valley Cabernet is ready to be drawn from the new French oak barrels.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
One of my new favorite restaurants is Augie’s French in Santa Rosa. Classic French food is one of my favorite types of cuisine, and everything at Augie’s is delicious. The menu, vibe, and wine list are all amazing. My husband and I could devour the entire menu, but my picky 10-year-old loves the duck confit.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I love live music at outdoor venues. I try to get to the Berkeley Greek Theater at least once a year, and I’m excited to see Khruangbin there again this summer. The Hollywood Bowl has been on my coveted concert venues list for a while now, and I’m finally going to see Chris Stapleton there tomorrow night!
Any weekend getaways?
I struggle to unwind and relax most of the time, but when I spend the weekend on the Sonoma Coast, I’m instantly at ease. If my family has a three-day weekend without plans (which is rare), we always try to rent a house and head to the coast. A weekend to just relax, hike with the dog, read, and unplug can be so necessary.
What was your last great vacation?
My last great trip was renting an apartment on the Gironde River in Bordeaux. By day, we spent time tasting in the different wine regions. By night, we explored the city. When most people think of Bordeaux, they picture vineyards and wineries, but the city of Bordeaux is quite lively and worth exploring. My favorite morning started with a trip to the farmers market across the street from our apartment, where we bought delicious bread, incredible roasted chicken, fresh vegetables, and of course, the regional delicacy canelés. 07/26/24
GETAWAYS • Summerland
Beach town chic
Summerland is no longer the kid sister of Santa Barbara. It’s officially a proper destination as of last month, when the White Caps Beach Club’s opening on Memorial Day weekend exponentially grew the curb appeal of the town’s main drag, Lillie Avenue.
Set just back from the buzz of the 101, this terraced, outdoor-focused property begins with a restaurant operating out of a 16-foot-long custom-made trailer. Get the lobster roll made, as it should be, with Maine lobster, and served on Röckenwagner Bakery rolls. There are plenty of other food and drink options, and plenty of picnic tables to spread out, play games, socialize, and generally soak in the California coastline.
Hanging out with a bottle of wine and some snacks here makes for a great day trip, but anyone driving all the way up from LA should check out the three casitas crowning the top of the hill. Casually decorated by proprietor Michael Haber, a local photographer who recently began the trek into hospitality, these airy one- and two- bedrooms read more like your artsy friend’s beach apartment than formal hotel rooms.
All three of the Summerland bungalows come equipped with kitchens, separate living spaces, and ocean views, along with private fire pits and decks for stargazing. Haber calls his decorative style “eclectic modern farmhouse,” and insists that White Caps Beach Club is a place where “everyone’s a member.”
What it lacks in exclusivity it more than makes up for in character, set here in what’s still decidedly a beach town, just five or so miles from Santa Barbara. White Caps Beach Club might not fit neatly into the luxury category, but it’s firmly luxurious on its own terms. –Caitlin White
→ White Caps Beach Club (Summerland) • 120 Hollister St • Weekend rates from $887.
THE NINES • Getaways
PCH, family roadtrip
1 Hotel (Embarcadero, SF), ecolux, bridge views, adjoining 451 & 452
Zuni Cafe (Market St., SF), Caesar, fries, chicken for two, warm glow
Nepenthe (Big Sur), arrive 30 min before lunch, order the view (above)
Alta Bakery & Cafe (Monterey), coffee & pastry, kids are still sleeping
Moonstone Beach Boardwalk (Cambria), mid-trip constitutional
Bettina (Santa Barbara), blistered crust, pavlova 5 spoons, languid vibes
Beachwood Cafe (Beachwood Canyon, LA), 8 am pancake light, hills
Gjelina (Venice), patio, grilled escarole, butterscotch pot de creme, sunset
Santa Monica Proper (Santa Monica), stunner, rooftop pool, adjoining 555 & 557
Travelers: 2 adults, 3 children (10, 12, 14); season: spring break.