The Waning Days of Summer and an Early Taste of Fall

“So at the end of this day, we give thanks

For being betrothed to the unknown.” - John O’Donohue

Before we dive in, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out with kind words or shared my previous message with a friend. When I drafted my first email to this group, I intended to share the simple delights that sustain me in hopes that perhaps they would inspire others to seek out beauty too. And yet, my own conviction in the sacred wonder of all things was put to the test, as I navigated a shocking family emergency that put the brakes on every aspect of my life, forcing me to pause and reflect on what I value and how I show up for those that I love.

The month of May was mostly an excruciating blur. I had been living in a liminal space—spending most of my time driving up and down highways, sitting in waiting rooms, and pacing empty halls. And metaphorically, as I held my breath in uncertain waters, unsure of where the course would take me or how fast the current would flow. Now that some time has passed and the tumult has settled, I have the clarity to see that the upheaval my family and I experienced actually manifested as a miracle, unexpectedly altering each of our lives for the better.

It’s remarkable how these tectonic shifts that forever reshape our existence can sometimes make us stronger, more resilient, a little wiser, perhaps a bit more tender. It’s counterintuitive, but at this point, I’m feeling grateful — not only for health and for family and for love and support, but for the unpredictability of life — for the fact that we can be thrust into a new reality seemingly overnight and that in the midst of uncertainty, we can experience unforeseen blessings veiled in mystery, reaffirming our trust in the intricate workings of the universe.

Several months have passed, and now, to my surprise, we're nearing the end of summer, and there’s an early shift towards fall. I eagerly await the harbingers of this season’s change: the first evening sweater, the sound of kids going back-to-school, rows of glimmering bonfires, the Harvest Moon. A segue from one chapter to the next.

At this point, I find myself gravitating toward the kind of places and experiences that allow me to slow down and reflect on the subtle internal shifts that are taking place. Even if you’re not feeling the same kind of slowness, I hope you can find some enjoyment in my letter today.

Here are a few recommendations for spaces that inspire me to explore my inner world — some are beautiful places in nature, others are sacred sites — no need to be religious to enjoy the stillness that they bring.

Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden

One of my favorite places to picnic and get away is the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden (most recently popularized by many Floating events). Tucked away in a neighborhood in Pasadena, it’s easy to miss the discreet signage, but once inside, a quiet world emerges. There’s a winding unpaved path, a waterfall that flows into a large koi pond, and the focal point is a traditional Japanese teahouse that illuminates as the sun sets.

Landscape architect Kinzuchi Fujii originally built the garden in 1935 in the Edo style for a wealthy, well-traveled couple. It’s a strolling garden, and like most Japanese Gardens, Kinzuchi intended for it to be a space for contemplation and meditation. He spent seven years designing it. Yet, tragically in 1942, like so many other Japanese residents, he was forced into internment, taking photos of his garden in his only allotted suitcase. He, unfortunately, never returned to his masterpiece.

Though Kinzuchi was a victim of our country’s dark history, his legacy is honored in the garden. Behind the tea house, there’s a Camellia that descended from a tree that survived the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bomb — it’s a poignant reminder that life and beauty can emerge even after destruction.

While strolling the grounds, I invite you to reflect on the significance of the Camellia tree as it applies to your life: What have you overcome recently or in your life more broadly? How have you re-rooted under shifting grounds or difficult circumstances? In what aspects of your life are you blooming right now? If you haven’t noticed you’re blooming, pause and reflect on how far you’ve come. How did you get to this point? Who or what has helped you? In what aspects of your life are you reeling from destruction or unexpected change? How might you nurture yourself so that you can thrive under the circumstances?

For a different kind of reflection, Kinzuchi’s design philosophy can also be a guide: “Garden-making is much the same as all other branches of fine arts and the inner spirit is as much, and maybe more, important as the outward form.”

The garden has varying hours due to private events, but they tend to open on Friday and Saturday afternoons from 4-8pm and Sundays from 10am-4pm. I strongly recommend looking at their website for availability before planning a visit.

St. Michael’s Abbey

Visiting St. Michael’s Abbey feels a little bit like entering a gateway to an ancient, medieval era when monks and nuns had cosmic egg visions, performed alchemy, and wrote with lapis lazuli. First, the drive: The abbey is nestled in a valley at the end of a winding road along the hills of North Orange County. Norbertine monks, who follow a 900 year old tradition, grace the grounds in white habits, and women tend to wear veils inside the chapel, following an old-world practice.

Once inside, the heavy scent of frankincense and devotion fills the cavernous, relic-filled church. And when the weather permits, the sun hits the stained glass windows so perfectly, flooding the walls with color-in-motion as the day passes.

The mere thought of being in a place so removed from the distractions of modern day technology is invigorating enough of a reason to visit, but the truly transcendent experience takes place each day around 4:30pm for liturgy and vespers. That’s when the monks sing their heavenly Gregorian chants, which are sung in a tune so angelic that they are said to have healing properties (see: Solfeggio frequencies).

Any day seems like a good one to visit, but St. Michael’s feast day is probably the most spectacular of the year (and likely the most crowded) — it is only on this day each year that the sun hits the rose window so precisely that it illuminates the high altar at the beginning of vespers. If this doesn’t inspire awe, I don’t know what will!

Carbon Canyon Redwood Grove

Towering at around 100 feet, a three-acre cluster of Coastal Redwoods can unexpectedly be found in a city park in Brea. While the redwoods are very far from their native environment, and thus will not be able to grow to their full potential, they still offer a serene escape from the city. The cool shade of their canopy is a respite from the oppressive heat, and their earthy aroma evokes nostalgic memories of moody days in Northern California. It’s the kind of place that seems like it would be transportative to visit any season — an oasis in the summer, a fog rolled forest in the fall.

I wish the origin story of the grove were more romantic — trees planted as tokens of devotion for a cherished lover, or perhaps an effort to create an ecosystem for a rare bird. But alas, the saplings were leftover from a promotion at a local bank that had given out baby trees to new customers in the 1970s. Regardless of how they got to where they are, these trees are a miraculous lesson in resilience, and there’s something quite romantic about the fact that they’re still there!

Getting to such a serene place is surprisingly simple. There’s plenty of parking, accessible restrooms, and the hike there is only a short stroll away. I’d recommend planning a visit to relax under the redwoods for a couple hours whenever you need a break.

Wayfarers Chapel

I am far from alone in thinking that Wayfarers Chapel is one of the most serene architectural locations in Southern California. Towering redwoods envelop the stunning glass chapel, and it sits gracefully on a bluff, commanding panoramic views of the ocean. Completed in 1952, “The Glass Church” is unlike any other designs of the region — architect Lloyd Wright (son of Frank Lloyd Wright) had initially intended for the chapel to be something much more standard for the era, possibly a Spanish revival, but luckily, he updated his designs after returning from a trip to Big Sur. He used glass “so that the natural growth, the sky, and sea beyond became the definition of their environment.” And he planted young redwoods all around, imagining a day when they would grow and surround the chapel. Now, years later, his vision has been realized. Perhaps this is the kind of romantic origin story I had hoped existed in Carbon Canyon…

Lovebirds from all over the country fly in to get married here, making it a wise choice to visit in the off-season or on a weekday to absorb the stillness and beauty of this sanctuary.

Monastery of the Angels

A ten-minute walk from the lively and occasionally seedy Hollywood Walk of Fame, at the end of a quiet street in Beachwood Canyon, lies a peaceful escape from the fame seekers, tourists, and drifters who descend on Hollywood Blvd in search of starlight. For the past 90 years, The Monastery of the Angels has been home to a group of cloistered nuns who have committed their lives to praying for mankind.

Unfortunately, the order of nuns has had a decline in new membership, and the last few remaining nuns have all moved away. While the monastery’s future is unknown, the beautiful property is still semi-available to the public. There’s a chapel with public hours, a courtyard with sculptures, and a few small benches for contemplation. The most charming and delicious part of a visit is the gift shop, which sells pumpkin bread and chocolates made by the nuns. Transcendent and divine!

Music for Cocooning, and for Coming Alive

“Steeper Than The Roses” Playlist: This playlist provides an ethereal backdrop to moments of uncertainty, big decisions, reflective periods and deep conversations.

On the other end, Bar Italia’s “Nurse” shifted something inside of me when I first heard it, unlocking a latent part of my spirit, much like the main character of the song.

What’s in Season? Recipes I love: Figs & Hatch

One of my favorite ways to always have something to look forward to is to cook seasonally. The farmer’s market stand is where I can tap into something joyful and new on a regular basis. This time of year, I especially look forward to the mild sweetness of figs and the flavors of New Mexico in hatch chiles. Below are a few recipes that I love and look forward to making this season.

Hatch Chile

Green Chile Stew

Hatch season is so fun for me because it’s such a fleeting moment in LA — usually around mid-August, I start to see hatch chiles popping up at grocery stores. Then, by the end of September, they’re gone! I love to make green chile stew, especially if there’s a strange cool day (I made it a few weeks ago during the eerie Tropical Storm). While you’re roasting chiles, it’s also worth making green sauce or freezing some extras for later.

This recipe is from the cookbook Tasting New Mexico.

Ingredients:

1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds beef chuck or pork butt (shoulder), cut in ½ inch cubes

2 medium onions, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 to 1 ¼ pounds red waxy potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, and diced

5 cups beef or chicken stock

1 ½ tablespoons salt, or more to taste

3 cups chopped roasted mild to medium New Mexican green chile, fresh or thawed frozen

Instructions:

1. Sear the meat in a Dutch oven or large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it browns and liquid accumulated from the meat mostly evaporates. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for several minutes, until the onions become translucent. Pour in the stock and scrape the mixture up from the bottom to loosen browned bits. Sprinkle in the salt, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook uncovered for 1 ¼ hours.
2. Stir in the chile and any of the optional ingredients and continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is quite tender, the vegetables are soft, and the flavors have blended together.
3. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Figs

Balsamic Chicken and Figs

It’s not the prettiest dish, as seen above, but it’s absolutely delicious. Chicken thighs go well with lots of different kinds of fruit, but the combination of balsamic and figs is exceptional. If I were creating a dinner menu, I’d recommend pairing this main with: a starter of blackberry & goat cheese toasts (extra recipe below), mixed greens with edible flowers and a simple olive oil and lemon dressing, and a side of mashed potatoes.

The recipe can be found here. I tend to overcook my chicken to be safe (sorry to all the real cooks out there!), and I find that the recommended time in the recipe is not enough to my liking. I’d recommend browning and cooking the chicken any way you’re used to.

Bonus: Blackberry and Goat Cheese Crostini

Ingredients:

6-8 oz ripe blackberries

1-2 tablespoons honey (to your taste)

2 fresh thyme sprigs, remove the leaves and set aside

Small rounds of toasted baguette or other toasted bread

Soft-ripened goat cheese

Instructions:

1. Stir blackberries, honey and thyme leaves together. Mash with a fork. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
2. Cut the baguette into thin slices, brush with olive oil. Toast the bread in the oven (or when it’s hot out and I don’t want to use the oven, I do it in a skillet on the stovetop).
3. Drain the extra juices from the blackberry (save for a cocktail later!)
4. Serve crostini with goat cheese and mashed blackberries.

Coming Soon: Apple Picking

Towards the end of September, I love to get into cozy fall activities, and one of my yearly traditions is a pilgrimage to Oak Glen for apple picking. There’s a comfort that comes with being in an orchard with the smell of cider in the air, picking fruit directly from a tree and turning it into a sweet treat to share with friends.

There are tons of apple orchards in Oak Glen, and it can get quite crowded on the weekends (over the years, it has become quite touristy). But it’s personally still worth it to me to visit, even if it’s just to bring home a gallon of my favorite apple cider from Law’s. On that note, I can’t find much information online, but it seems like perhaps the cider mill has shut down following the death of matriarch Theresa Law at 105 years old last year. Huell Howser paid her a visit many years ago—it’s a lovely episode that gets me in the autumn spirit. And I had a chance to meet her back in 2018. I still have a voice memo on my phone from our conversation! Mrs. Law had the most famous apple pie in Oak Glen, served at her now long-gone diner, Law’s Oak Glen Coffee Shop.

This was her secret to good apple pie: “I think the secret of good apple pie is having cinnamon and nutmeg with the sugar, and don’t make it too sweet, because I think lots of pies are much too sweet. And keep the pastry fairly thin, so it’s not all pastry. It’s tasty, but not heavy pastry!” to which a passerby said “That’s a good mantra to live by” so true!

An adaptation of Mrs. Law’s famous apple pie recipe can be found in Sunset Magazine.

As for farm visits, here are a few lovely spots, but there are many orchards in the area to choose from.

Stone Soup Farm is one of my favorite orchards. It’s much more intimate than the rest, though they seem to have switched over to a reservation model. I’m curious about their private picnics!

Los Rios Rancho is the largest apple farm in California and has been around since 1906! It’s a family friendly area with hayrides, baked goods, bbq, and crafts.

Snow-Line Orchard is home to mini apple cider donuts and the oldest chestnut tree in California.

A Special Mention: Thai Paradise in San Gabriel

I first noticed Thai Paradise in the spring while leaving Golden Deli in the neighboring plaza. The windows are decorated in bright and inviting hand painted flowers, and when I peered inside, the yellow walls and handmade floral arrangements piqued my curiosity. I am admittedly not a connoisseur of Thai food, so I can’t rate this place based on how it compares to other restaurants (although I have loved everything I’ve ordered!), but I can review it based on how loved it feels. Everyone who works here is warm and welcoming, the food seems to be served with pride, and the restaurant has a great vibe. I am very lucky to have tons of incredible restaurants near me, but when I just need a comforting meal in a cozy environment, I often find myself coming here.

Good News: A New Wolf Pack

An endangered species of grey wolves, a mama and her four pups, were found last month in Sequoia National Forest, hundreds of miles away from the nearest known pack of wolves. Wolves used to roam around freely before they were hunted nearly out of existence in the early 1900s, and while they’re making a comeback, there are only a handful of known packs in California. (Read more at NPR)

That's all I have for today's letter. Please do reach out with thoughts or updates if you manage to check out any of the recommendations or share some of your own. Enjoy a beautiful season of life, wherever you are.