-if you’re looking for a healthy, organic brunch/lunch/early dinner option, you must try The Farm in Malibu. They are located on the base and the far end of the Malibu pier. Both locations on the pier are the same restaurant, but each have their own specialized tweaks, quirks, and gems to their menus. For example, the far end of the pier has a killer Red Wine Basil and Strawberry Sangria my husband and I love sharing on the weekends together over a nice afternoon lunch. But the base of the pier has a wonderful yellowtail sashimi plate and roasted chicken salad that’s to die for! It’s your choice which part of the “restaurant” you choose to venture into, but this is a definite recommend from me!
-the Adamson House. The original owners of the estate, Rhoda Rindge and Merritt Adamson bought this property in 1892. Rhoda’s father was one of the last owners of Malibu…that’s right, the town itself. The family is said to have referred to this coast as the “American Riviera.” No roads existed at the time in Malibu…everything was done by horseback. When the man of the estate passed away, the lady was forced to find some other means to pay everything off as she was essentially “land rich and cash poor.” So she searched the property and found buff and red clay. Therefore, leading to the creation of Malibu Potteries. Where Rhoda and Merritt eventually built their home of the 13-acre property is in an area called “Vaquero Hill,”—so called because a cowboy shack was once in its place. They raised the home with many farm animals, a couple of children, and multiple leisure activities. The estate has now been left to the city for visitors to come enjoy it’s beginnings, it’s length of history, and spectacular views. And bonus**…if you’re looking to plan a wedding, they do hold weddings on this property….what a perfect place to have a Spring or Summertime wedding!
-Sushi. The best sushi in the world I have tasted thus far…and I have had it in a few different domestic and international establishments all falling under the same restaurant name……is Nobu. By far, I feel my favorite establishment out of all Nobu’s I’ve tried, is Nobu, Malibu. Gregorio Stephenson is the executive chef there, and I have to say he’s got to be one of the most creative chefs in the world. Originally from CA, he’s worked in various areas across the globe including California, Italy and Chicago. His cuisine is not only fresh and always spot on, but unique, with incredible pairings, infusions, and tastes gracing his dishes. Not to mention, the restaurant is located right on the beach, built in beautiful teak wood and designed to make you feel like you’re floating on a boat in the middle of the ocean…absolutely sensational! A must try for lunch or dinner if you’re in the area, and a place you’ll want to reserve a table at ASAP, as they’re in super high demand!
–Pepperdine University is located here, and I can personally say what a fantastic college it is. I feel like sometimes college for folks is all about personal experience as some enjoy smaller campuses, some enjoy bigger campuses, some enjoy certain recreational sports they wish a college to have, etc. For me, Pepperdine was perfect. Their undergrad school, Seaver College, had a little over 3,000 students at the time so the classes and atmosphere were more intimate. This was great in a lot of ways because not only did that mean your professors were more accessible to you for help in your studies but you it also wasn’t out of the norm to run into a friendly face on campus most of the time you were out walking about. Their law school and business schools also carry very high reputations, and let’s face it, folks….it’s overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Hard to beat when you can sign up for ‘Surfing’ as a P.E. class or study your homework sitting on the sand, looking out at the waves….Go WAVES! (The school’s mascot)
-if you want to catch a killer, breathtaking view on a beautiful sunny SoCal day, then visit the cliffs at Point Dume. There are bluff trails to walk out to the point on the cliff and there you can get a 180 view of the Pacific Ocean….catch the sea lions basking in the sun, and sometimes run into rock climbers hanging off the side of the big point. To get there, you take PCH to the road that leads to Westward Beach. Follow that down and you’ll pass by the Sunset Restaurant on your left…continue up that winding road into a residential neighborhood, and when you stumble upon an area that is sandy trails, brush, and land…you’ve reached the spot. Parking is super limited, so its best to go probably on a weekday rather than a weekend. Tidbit: It’s a great place to take a loved one and grab a smooch—after all, mothernature can be pretty romantic.
-Wine tasting! When you think of Malibu, you probably don’t think of wine, but as a matter of fact, yep, there are a small amount of tasting rooms and vineyards located there. You could cruise your way down the Pacific Coast Highway (in an Uber ofcourse, if you’ll be wine tasting…), and make a stop at Rosenthal Wines Tasting Room located near Topanga Canyon Road. Or you can keep heading north, and make your way down Kanan Dume Road. Off of Kanan Dume is one of my favorite tasting rooms in Malibu–Malibu Family Wines. Fun Fact: We filmed part of my music video shoot for “You Belong” on their estate—check it out here (video link here). In both of these spots you can catch some live music, sit out on a lawn under strands of twinkle lights, picnic with your wines, and just enjoy life! There are also some amazing quaint tasting rooms further down Kanan Dume road such as Cielo Malibu wines and Cornell Winery—each room packed with its own charm. Make sure to drink and drive responsibly!
–The Malibu Country Mart. The Malibu Country Mart has been changing drastically over the last 10 years or more, at least. Some now call it a “mini Beverly Hills” with its high-end fashion and accessory shops such as James Perse, Ralph Lauren, 7 for all Mankind, Vince, Ted Baker, Alice and Olivia, Michael Stars, Oliver Peoples, Madison, L’Occitane, John Varvatos, Wildfox, Calypso St. Barth, Lululemon, JCrew, Intermix, Alexis Bittar, and Planet Blue. It’s also filled with many folks’ favorites—your local Starbucks and Coffee Bean and Tea as well as other delicious little restaurants including two of my favs., Taverna Tony’s (killer Greek food and atmosphere here) and Malibu Kitchen (PERFECT spot for lunch). (link restaurants) If you’ve got kiddos, there’s a sweet little playground area located in the heart of the country mart, or if you have the itch to get an intense, incredible workout in, you can hit up Soul Cycle here as well.
-Hiking. Malibu is a perfect place to go for a hike! With the Santa Monica Mountains being the primary range that runs through this 27 miles of beach town, you can imagine there are lots of trails you can enjoy. Some of those trails include The Backbone Trail in Will Rogers State Park, Escondido Falls where you can take an easy hike along Winding Way to find a beautiful waterfall at the other end, Solstice Canyon where you can catch a mild waterfall and the ruins of local 1950’s grocer Fred Roberts home—burnt down in the 80’s, Tuna Canyon for its moderately difficult trails, Paramount Ranch where multiple television shows such as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Charlie’s Angels were filmed as well as numerous classic films throughout time, the Zuma Ridge Trail at the north end of Busch Drive off of PCH entailing an intense hike with breathtaking views, and many more.
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