offers full-day bicycle rentals just a few
blocks from the Pier) has seen a spike
in visitors, prompting it to launch urban
bicycle tours. The new program offers
a variety of options which showcase
the city’s memorable sights and attractions: the Urban Farming Tour explores
local farms and gardens, the Street Art
Tour offers appreciation for West Coast
legal graffiti, and the Sweet Spots Tour
includes a sampling of gourmet desserts.
Biking dramatically shifts gears at
Izip Store, a local favorite for buying
and renting electric bikes (or e-bikes),
a European trend that’s breaking into
the U.S. market. E-bikes run on electric power as well as traditional pedaling. They have futuristic frames, and
are quite thrilling at higher speeds—
not to mention perfect for those who
normally strain on a traditional pedal
bicycle. Haibike is the most popular
option with visitors.
Since Izip opened in Santa Monica,
celebrities like Maggie Lawson and
Michelle Rodriguez have purchased
e-bikes from the store, and Leonardo
DiCaprio recently visited. “E-bikes are
great for Santa Monica due to the city’s
52
great bike infrastructure compared to
the cities that surround,” says Izip store
manager Steve Ryu. “Protected bike
lanes are painted green; there’s great
bike parking; valet is offered at the local
farmers market and most hotels; and
Santa Monica even has a beach bike
path. It’s the perfect place to ride a bike.”
Time to Dine
Whether it’s fresh seafood or an avantgarde tasting menu, Santa Monica is
home to a fantastic culinary scene that’s
garnered attention for its distinguished
health-conscious, farm-to-table dining.
Thanks to a major epicurean revolution,
foodies have every reason to make the
city their new stomping ground.
Kye’s, a new superfood mecca on
highbrow Montana Avenue, is spearheading the fast-casual trend in Santa
Monica. Focusing on healthful dining,
Kye’s claim to fame is its KyeRito, a
portable wrap that showcases a medley
of premium, locally sourced fare conceived by owner Jeanne Cheng. “Our
concept offers healthy and delicious
options that meet every dietary preference, packaged conveniently for beach
picnics,” she says. “Locals appreciate
what we are offering since Santa Monica
focuses on fresh, quality ingredients—
with their fantastic farmer’s market—
and on healthy food in general.”
Main Street was the go-to for
destination dining back in the 1980s
(when Wolfgang Puck opened Chinois)
though it fell into a slump when few
other restaurants were able to measure
up. But the stretch is now experiencing
a revival: About a dozen notable restaurants opened on the bustling street
in 2014 alone, proving that it’s establishing itself as a contending dining
hub once again. The award for most
popular goes to Fork in the Road, a
casual, farm-to-table restaurant that
serves up hearty new-American dishes
like short rib ravioli and pork belly and
brown egg flatbread.
Since opening in 2013, the Water
Grill has become the “it” restaurant
in Santa Monica, and with good reason. The 8,600-square-foot eatery on
Ocean Avenue is breezy and fun, and
Executive Chef Damon Gordon’s fresh
seafood options, including whole fish,
cioppino and bites from a raw bar, are
some of the city’s best. You’re in luck to
arrive when the soft-shell crab is in season, May to September. Equally notable is the restaurant design, with rustic
wooden beams, large columns inlaid
with white subway tiles from New York
subways, and comfortable leather sofas.
Shopping Spots
From upscale emporiums to designer
boutiques, shopping is a Santa Monica
highlight in itself. It isn’t unusual for
visitors to peel away from the beach
LEFT PHOTO COURTESY OF WATER GRILL; T