Santa Monica

An excellent home ogling weekend lies ahead.

Imagine my delight while temporarily living and working in Hollywood one summer, I discovered the serenity and charm of Santa Monica in western Los Angeles County. A shimmering diamond in the rough landscape of La-La-Land, this beachfront locale has several merits: It’s relatively removed from the materialistic “industry” bourgeoisie, it delivers a balanced mix of upscale and laid-back, and it’s an environmental embodiment of California cool.