California Love
A Southern writer retraces her SoCal roots and finds new joy
By April Economides
From the plane window, I gaze out at the hazy air, looping freeway interchanges, and subdivision grids. It has been four years since I visited my hometown of Long Beach, California, and my daughter and I are flying over inland neighborhoods. Even the region’s least flattering view can’t dampen my excitement, though, as another day will present blue skies and shimmering ocean vistas. The soul of Los Angeles County is found mostly at sea level, along colorful streets and sandy shorelines.
My daughter and I are in town to catch up with family and friends and reacquaint ourselves with the area. Rather than revisiting beloved old haunts—an easy habit when returning home—we experience new places that have opened since we left and prioritize wellness, wholesome food, and inspiring art.
FROM CHAOS TO COMPOUND
While my daughter explores with friends, I head to Compound, a contemporary art, cultural, and wellness center. Through the entrance, replete with a neon façade installation and sculpture garden, I pass diners sipping coffee at tables around the perimeter, while a DJ spins Brazilian jazz next to the contemporary gift shop.
Founder Megan Tagliaferri, a designer and philanthropist, recruited L.A. chef Eugene Santiago of Baryo pop-up fame to helm Compound’s restaurant, Union. Every brunch dish I savor is so flavorfully executed I am eager to come back for dinner—which I do just a few days later, dining under the stars on succulent pork belly bao buns and an exquisite chocoflan dessert that conjures memories of the kids iconic scene from When Harry Met Sally. Walking back to the car, I watch artists Dave Van Patten and Kashira Edghill paint thought provoking side-by-side murals.
The multisensory experiences at Compound are sublime, but I have another reason to visit—yogini and spiritual guide Kelsea Mazzocco is leading a weekend Kundalini meditation. The one-hour meditation includes Kundalini breathing techniques and a relaxing sound bath. The experience lifts my foggy-headedness, making me feel both grounded and invigorated. Mazzocco’s spinal energetics class has an even more profound effect. At the hands of her energy work, I experience a quiet but powerful emotional release, the transformation substantial and lasting.
HOME IN THE CITY OF ANGELS
On Sunday morning, my daughter and I make our way to Los Angeles for a series of meaningful experiences, beginning with meditation and service at Agape International Spiritual Center, led by the renowned Reverend Michael B. Beckwith. Agape embraces people of all faiths and backgrounds, a spirit reflected in its diverse congregation and welcoming community. Being there feels like home, thanks to the warmth and kindness of everyone we meet, including Dr. Beckwith himself. Before we leave, I spot actor Sterling K. Brown casually chatting with an elderly woman selling books.
Driving east on Wilshire Boulevard, we drink up colorful murals and soulful exhibitions at Craft Contemporary before stopping for lunch. Despite the abundance of tempting eateries in L.A., we head straight to Sage Regenerative Kitchen and Brewery, the city’s first regenerative restaurant, in Echo Park. Sage is owned by chef and farmer Mollie Engelhart, a pioneer in the field of regenerative agriculture, a practice that restores soil health and sequesters carbon. I’ve long admired her leadership as both a farmer and restaurateur.
“Agape embraces people of all faiths and backgrounds, a spirit reflected in its diverse congregation and welcoming community. Being there feels like home.”
Award-winning journalist and author Jennifer Grayson joins us. Her new book, A Call to Farms, is a compelling read that gives generous ink to Southern farms. “I wrote the book I wish someone handed me 10 years ago,” Grayson says, as she sips a matcha latte and my daughter and I devour chilaquiles and Sage-brewed kombucha. “It’s for all of us who care deeply about the environment, reclaiming real food, and want to find a job or way of life connecting the two that isn’t only in the virtual world.”
Although it feels strange to breeze by beautiful Echo Park Lake without picnicking like usual, we happily head to our Westside hotel for a much-needed nap. Hotel June’s airy design is a warm blend of beach culture and mid-century modern style, and the lounge and lobby are as welcoming as the comfortable guest rooms. A DJ plays mellow beats by the pool, and the service throughout our stay is impeccable.
The next morning, we head to sunny Venice Beach to dip our toes in the Pacific and soak up the culture and street art. At the pier, a trio of girls strap their surfboards to cruisers and bike home smiling. We walk along the shoreline until we reach the famous skatepark, where kids skate bowls next to rainbow graffiti-painted palm trees. After wandering the peaceful canals, we meander the narrow streets, past porches with old pianos and homes with large, colorful murals painted right on the façades.
We enjoy lunch at sustainably minded Great White, before heading to Anima Mundi apothecary on lovely Rose Avenue, to enjoy herbal lattes in its peaceful back garden and peruse its large selection of wildcrafted botanicals. After gazing at the beautiful shops along Abbot Kinney Boulevard, we leave Venice in the late afternoon, sun soaked and joyful.
SOME THINGS OLD, SOME THINGS NEW
We head back to Long Beach for the most important part of our trip—dinner with family at George’s Greek Café. At this 25-year-old institution, our cousin has guarded family recipes of dishes like slow-roasted lamb, pastitsio, and avgolemono. Our family photos that line the walls make me tear up in gratitude. After dinner, we stroll to Alamitos Bay, looking across the still waters toward Naples Island—where I paddleboard through its scenic canals the next morning, my favorite pastime in Long Beach.
There are other traditions I am unwilling to give up. I gather with friends at Long Beach Museum of Art’s nighttime event, where we delight in a Keith Haring exhibit and sip wine overlooking the ocean. I frequent Retro Row, my favorite district, lined with vintage fashion and furniture shops, neon signs, local music venues, and the city’s only remaining independent movie theater. Meow Vintage has outfitted shows like Mad Men and Stranger Things, and Pike Restaurant and Bar is owned by Social Distortion drummer Chris Reece.
But new places dot familiar landscapes. A former Retro Row preschool has been thoughtfully retrofitted as Alder and Sage café and restaurant, featuring natural alderwood and a seamless indoor-outdoor design. On its large outdoor patio, a former sandbox now serves as a circular sitting area to sip drinks, and the menu features local, organic ingredients delivered daily. Just down the street is the artisanal panadería Gusto Bread, a James Beard finalist, and a quarter-mile north is the city’s most coveted reservation—Heritage, a Michelin starred farm-to-table restaurant sourcing from its own organic farm and local purveyors.
They say you can never go home again. But on this trip, going home feels both comforting and inspiring. I’m already planning my return.
Photography provided by Kelsea Mazzocco, Compound, April Economides (Compound; Venice Beach); this story appears in our Winter 2025 issue. Since publishing of this issue, devastating wildfires have affected parts of Los Angeles. To aid relief efforts in these areas, consider donating to the American Red Cross, California Community Foundation, or Direct Relief.