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The original interview video is private on YouTube.
Photograph by Peggy Sirota
Ready to strengthen your body, mind, and soul? These retreats will let you step away from daily life…and breathe.
The spa, in Rancho Santa Fe, offers a secluded, lush environment for meditation and relaxation. At the Serenity Yoga Pavilion—where the teacher’s mat floats on a small pool—guests can choose from Yoga Flow, Power Yoga, Gentle Yoga, and Foam Roller/Yoga.
Tip: For your post-yoga relaxation, enjoy lunch at Rancho Valencia’s new poolside bar, Rein, or schedule a massage or facial at the Spa.
At this property in Big Sur, yoga classes are held in a yurt. The groups enjoy guided postures and breath work or restorative yoga that includes visualization meditation and gentle breathing. Private yoga and meditation sessions are also available.
Tip: Treat yourself to the Big Sur Jade Stone Therapy treatment. Warmed Big Sur jade is applied to the skin to relax taut muscles and relieve sore joints, then cooled marble is applied to reduce inflammation.
Located in beautiful Laguna Canyon, the Pearl Laguna is an all-inclusive yoga and hiking retreat. Your stay includes two daily yoga classes: Geo’s Power Yoga in the morning, which energizes and helps build strength and flexibility, and, in the evening, Flow Yoga to promote peaceful sleep.
Tip: Make sure to try the spa’s infrared sauna, which is said to eliminate built-up environmental toxins and promotes healing.
Immerse yourself in yoga while enjoying resort living in one of Southern California’s most beautiful valleys. Choose from a variety of yoga experiences, including Intro to Kundalini Yoga, which is based on energy and mind centering, and Yin Yoga, a series of naturally slow Yin postures blended with active Yang movements.
Tip: Be sure to catch the “pink moment” as the sun sets over the east end of the Ojai Valley: the fading sunlight turns Topatopa Bluff a brilliant shade of pink for several minutes.
In true California style, Suja Juice co-founder Annie Lawless loves to hit the road and enjoy the expansive ocean views and open spaces that the state’s highways offer, but she saves her favorite drive for her birthday. Starting in San Diego, she heads for Santa Barbara, then Big Sur and Napa, enjoying leisurely, sun-soaked pleasures along the way. Here are some of the best stops along the route.
Stay: San Ysidro Ranch Relax in your bungalow near a creek- and tree-lined path. “It has an incredibly boutique feel,” Lawless says. At the spa, treat yourself to an exfoliating, circulation-boosting Japanese skin brushing.
Eat: The Stonehouse Restaurant at San Ysidro Ranch Executive chef Matt Johnson’s cuisine combines organic inspiration and culinary artistry. Set in what was a 19th-century citrus-packing house, the dining room overlooks a creek. Do a bit of stargazing from the ocean-view deck.
See: Sustainable Vine Wine Tours Tour Santa Barbara County’s small-production, family-owned wineries that are committed to sustainable farming. The tour includes transportation by luxury Tesla Model X SUV, premium tastings, a made-to-order organic lunch served outdoors, and an industry professional as your personal host.
Stay: Post Ranch Inn Sitting on a cliff 1,200 feet above the Pacific, the inn has 39 rooms that blend rustic elegance, comfort and privacy with ocean and mountain views. “The Post Ranch Inn is so secluded,” Lawless says. “You can experience amazing things, like yoga in a yurt, and it’s a great way to take in the woodsy side of California.”
Eat: The Restaurant at Ventana Big Sur Relax on an expansive patio that overlooks 50 miles of coastline. Executive Chef Paul Corsentino uses fresh ingredients that celebrate California’s Central Coast.
See: Carmel Art Galleries Pop over to Carmel-by-the-Sea and stroll through nearly 100 art galleries showcasing works by world-renowned artists. Stop by the Tuck Box for afternoon tea. (Don’t miss the fresh scones with whipped cream and preserves made from olallieberries—they resemble blackberries—that grow in Northern California.)
Stay: The Carneros Inn Choose a cottage, a suite, or—the ultimate in wine-country living—a private Carneros Courtyard Home in a gated area. Enjoy your personal fireplace and indoor and alfresco showers—and add a private yoga class to start your day.
Eat: The French Laundry Chef Thomas Keller established his famed restaurant in a building, built from river rock and timbers, that housed a steam laundry in the early 20th century. Recently, the Michelin Guide San Francisco 2016: Bay Area & Wine Country awarded the French Laundry three stars, the guide's highest rating, for the tenth year in a row.
See: Napa Valley Aloft Balloon Rides Avoid the crowds. This company offers small, private-party hot-air balloon rides over Napa Valley. Your experienced pilot (and Napa expert) will be your host. Book the Exclusive Flight for Two and enjoy your three-to-four-hour early-morning flight followed by a champagne breakfast.
She’s giving up some of her best-kept secrets: the places she goes when she wants to eat and drink with other in-the-know locals.
Discover where law student-turned-wellness entrepreneur Annie Lawless goes when the retail bug hits.
When it comes to premier shopping, Annie Lawless finds that: “California is not cookie cutter by any means.” The La Jolla transplant and Suja Juice co-founder says she prefers to hunt for independent retailers that are a little out of the box. “I love when I find things I didn’t know about already, that somebody else has curated,” she says.
“Once a year I like to go on a shopping trip with girlfriends in Beverly Hills and just indulge,” Lawless says. “Being there transports you to a world of luxury that is really fun to experience.” There’s nowhere better to do that than Rodeo Drive. Hire a veteran stylist like Aly Scott of StyleChic (stylechicla.com) to make appointments and shop with you, or request access to the VIC (“Very Important Client”) third-floor suite at Louis Vuitton, the private salon at Dior, or the Burberry Penthouse, complete with a garden rooftop terrace and serviced pantry. At the Rodeo Drive location of Jimmy Choo, discerning clients can even pick out fabrics and collaborate on made-to-order shoes.
“In a world of malls and shopping centers and chains, finding something like Cedros, which is one-of-a-kind, is so unique,” Lawless says. “It’s a hidden gem.” The 2½-block stretch features more than 85 boutiques and galleries, plus a weekly farmers’ market. “The great thing about Cedros is there's a lot of variety. One of my favorite spots, SoLo, is in a restored warehouse and is filled with home goods, greeting cards, candles, and unique art. At my favorite clothing store, Tucci, I can find all sorts of amazing designer items.”
Jill Battaglia/Shutterstock
“Palm Springs has some really funky and unique shops and is a great place to enjoy that California desert experience,” Lawless explains. Palm Canyon Drive is the heart of both downtown and the Uptown Design District. More than 50 shops and galleries showcase Midcentury Modern design and vintage treasures. Standouts include Boulevard for vintage and new furniture, art, and lighting, and Christopher Anthony, for sculpture, fine art, and 20th-century furnishings.
Tyler
gabby
annie 