Sunset

the long way down

THE WEST IS WHERE THE UNEXPECTED IS EXPECTED. Take the solo trip I planned one year down the Pacific Coast Highway. I borrowed a motorcycle, threw a leg over the saddle, and taped directions to the tank. Point A: San Francisco. Point B: Big Sur. That was just about it. As I made my way down Highway 1, I thought of advice the writer Paul Theroux once shared. “Leave the camera at home,” he said. “You’ll remember the journey more.” My mother, a lifelong nurse, had offered her own kind of wisdom upon learning of my two-wheeled indulgence. “Bring good underwear,” she said. “If you end up in the emergency room, they might have to cut offyour pants.” Both had a point: Travel’s better when you live a little. Practice calculated spontaneity.…

sunset

CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER Michael A. Reinstein PUBLISHER David Steinhafel EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matt Bean CREATIVE DIRECTOR Clark Miller EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jen Murphy SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR Matt Gross Home & Garden HOME EDITOR Chantal Lamers GARDEN EDITOR Thad Orr ASSOCIATE HOME EDITOR Nena Farrell Food FOOD EDITOR Hugh Garvey Travel TRAVEL EDITOR Kate Wertheimer Assistant Editor Maya Wong Editorial Assistant Kelsey Maloney Digital ASSOCIATE DIGITAL DIRECTOR Jessica Mordo AUDIENCE GROWTH EDITOR Kendra Poppy ASSOCIATE DIGITAL PRODUCER Zoe Gutterman PRODUCER Nicole Clausing Contributors Heather Arndt Anderson Stephanie Granada Art + Photography ART DIRECTOR James McCann PHOTO EDITOR Christine Bobbish STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Thomas J. Story PHOTO PRODUCTION EDITOR E. Spencer Toy Copy PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Jamie Elliott RESEARCH CHIEF James Reddick COPY EDITOR Lesley Bruynesteyn Sales INTERIM PUBLISHER Kristine Shine ACCOUNT DIRECTORS Ben Warner, Jana Robinson, Jennifer Edmonds, Jonathan Sandak, Kristi Rummel, Laurie Robertson, Michelle Bâby, Michelle Rosen, Pamela Coffey, Rand Wellhouser, Robert Wiegland, Shannon Johnson ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN MANAGER Isabel Lanaux PRODUCTION MANAGER Barbara Rousseau Marketing HEAD OF MARKETING AND EVENTS Tracy Seng SALES MARKETING ASSOCIATE Alisha Agrellas Sunset Publishing Corporation CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Doug Neiman BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Tom Griffiths, Graydon…

humans were not meant to be bored

PARK MGM AND THE NOMAD HOTEL are two boutique experiences remixing the definition of Las Vegas. Designed for those who seek quality over quantity, the unique destination offers curated dining and entertainment options. From Eataly, Best Friend by Roy Choi and Juniper speakeasy to amazing residency acts like Lady Gaga, Aerosmith, Cher and Janet Jackson, there’s nothing else like it. MGM GRAND does everything bigger, better and Vegas-er. Virtual Reality powered by Zero Latency, will immerse up to eight players in an interactive digital universe, allowing them to physically navigate while collaborating with other players in heart-racing challenges. Grand Garden Arena has show-stopping entertainment like Hugh Jackman, Pacquiao vs Thurman, Chris Young and more. Come for one of our world-famous pool parties at Wet Republic with DJ appearances by Calvin Harris, Zedd, Lil…

ask sunset

Q: L.A.’s Arts District is super cool, but still super industrial—it’s also where I happen to live. For reasons of both health and aesthetics, I’m looking at filling my loft with indoor potted plants. What I need to know is, do certain plants really help filter the air, or should I just buy whatever pretty greenery I can find? a: Buy whatever fiddle leaf fern or snake plant strikes your fancy. The myth that plants can purify air in a meaningful way started when former NASA scientist Bill Wolverton published How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office, which is based on a study that proved some of our potted friends actively remove carcinogens like benzene and formaldehyde from indoor air. The rub was that this…

the new artisans

Glass & Ceramics Viviana Matsuda of Mud Witch, San Francisco Japanese Mexican artist Viviana Matsuda first tried her hand at ceramics when she inherited a set of supplies after the passing of her father, who had trained as a potter in Mexico. Today, the 32-year-old San Francisco native makes colorful mugs, vases, and pots using mostly mid-fire and high-fire clay out of her cozy Mission District studio space. The playful shapes of her work go beyond eye-catching items that are fun to hold. “The base of my designs is always inspired by women’s bodies and body positivity,” she says. “That’s why a lot of them are called Chubby Cup or Venus, and why I use squiggly shapes to represent curves.” Matsuda’s signature “neutral rainbow” color palette is inspired by her LGBTQ+ experience.…

wine country gets wild

THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME to go wine tasting in the West. Wineries are reinventing the tasting experience, adding chef’s kitchens, firepit-warmed terraces, and homey hospitality centers. Sipping safely no longer means riding the Napa Valley Wine Train. Retro VW buses tour people around Napa and Sonoma’s top vineyards, and you can walk or bike to dozens of tasting rooms in urban areas, such as Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. You can still find excellent Napa Cab and Oregon Pinot, but don’t underestimate the Italian varietals being made in Sonoma, the Spanish styles from northern Arizona, and the Rieslings coming out of Idaho. MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME These new tasting rooms feel like living rooms with design ideas you’ll want to steal for home and a laid-back vibe that makes it easy…