Recommendations - October 2008: Southern California Edition

New York, NY

Another whirlwind trip comes to an end, and I have a few West Coast recommendations for you.

• STK - It reminded me why I love steak in the first place.
• Jack FM - When you've got nothing but an open road and a rental car en route to Santa Barbara, Jack FM is good company.
• Sofitel LA - There's a good chance when I first walked into my room I jumped on my bed for a good five minutes.
• Sky Bar at the Mondrian - Somehow I always end up in this place. And at 2am on a Thursday with more than a few gin and tonics in you, it just seems like the right place to be.
• Jinky's Cafe - On my last trip to LA, I forgot to go to Jinky's, a breakfast (anytime) joint in Santa Monica that made some of the best pancakes I've ever had. I decided a trip to Jinky's would be in order this trip, though I had a slight panic attack when I thought there might be a chance Jinky's closed during my absence. (It didn't)
• Apple - Forget the fact that they just rocked out with an excellent update of the MacBook, but they also publicly stated their opposition to Prop 8. A bold statement from a bold company.
• Ogio - They make absolutely bomb-proof bags. (Probably a bad term to use on an airplane)
• Born Standing Up - A random and impulsive purchase at an airport ended up being a great read. If you're a fan of Steve Martin's, I highly recommend picking up a copy.
• 944 Magazine - Photos from the event.
  

Santa Barbara kind of kicks ass. In a subtle but ass-kicking sort of way.

So what, I took a picture of myself on the beach. I needed proof I was actually in L.A.

When you're alone in a city, 2,300 miles from home, these are the type of fun-loving friends to make.