‘Ancient Redwoods, Empty Beaches, and Foraged Fine Dining’: Conde’ Nast Traveler Loved California’s Lost Coast
Redwood State Park trail [Photo from parks.ca.gov]
The author loved
- The Avenue of the Giants: The author rhapsodized, “The trees grow so close to the sides of this narrow, two-lane road and extend so high into the sky that it’s like driving through a wood-paneled tunnel.”
- The beaches: “Otis said migrating whales come up right to the cliffs—so close that his wife, Sally, who also works for the inn, claims she has smelled whale breath. When a storm is coming, they send notices out to all the guests and employees, and everyone gathers in the lodge with a glass of whiskey to watch the waves crash all the way up and over the cliff’s edge.”
- The food: “[In Anderson Valley] I ate one of the best meals of my life: shaved matsutake and yuzu persimmon salad, baby artichoke soup with fermented mushrooms, pork belly with lemongrass and turnips, pecan shortbread that was almost savory.”
- And, of course, the marijuana. The author quipped, “I bought a THC bath bomb that was so effective at chilling me out that I spent five minutes after my soak looking for my glasses until I realized they were still on my face.”
- But the highest accolade was for–not just the redwoods as a whole but one particular one–Ilúvatar. “It was like standing in front of a living skyscraper, so grand it’s scary…Ilúvatar and the redwoods were like so many of the delights in this part of the state: hiding in plain sight. They’re there for anyone who is willing to put in a little effort.”
Thinking about traveling close to home this year? This article just might be the inspiration you need.
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After a while locals may begin to only see criminals and revolving jail doors, mega grows with plastic clogging creeks, and the bitter ghost of our regional livelihoods. It’s kind of nice to get the perspective of new eyes in our darkly magical kingdom and remember why we loved this area so much to begin with: the uncanny spiritual experience of the dark woods, the feeling of aloneness juxtaposed with neighbors who are all heart and there for us in a moment’s notice, and the curve of the horizon upon our Pacific with it’s haunting siren’s song. I for one don’t know if I could ever leave. Our emerald triangle is flawed, yes, as well as irresistible and unforgettable.
And clean air.
the flaw is in those people who never leave and don’t know anything else. they take it for granted and fail to contribute positively to the community. that leaves us with clueless do-gooders making decisions and driving the future of the region.
like the way u write dinky
My mother brought my sister and I to meet the redwoods when we were in elementary school. At the time , my parents had just divorced and my mother in her ever protective love for us decided we needed a place where only “beautiful” happened.
Amongst the redwoods we saw my mother learn to smile and laugh again. We found out that our family of 3 was stronger than the 4 had ever been. My mother, 5’2″ green eyes and auburn hair that glinted specs of gold in the sunlight…..she was a redwood. Quiet. Ongoing. Strong. Majestic and beautiful.
I am 44 now and love these giants as if they were family. Maybe it’s because they are a part of the best memories of my mother. Maybe it’s because she is still here in spirit, in her beloved redwoods , her heaven hugging these trees eyes closed and smiling.. maybe these giants truly are the gates of heaven. To the family of three , the redwoods are cherished old friends that welcome my sister and I back and with every whisper of their branches, I can hear my mother laugh again. I love these trees as I love my mom, my tiny giant. And I miss them as I miss her , her having passed a couple years back. But she is in her heaven . And what a beautiful place it is.
That is beautiful. Thank you for opening one window into the love so many of us feel for the trees here.
Thank you so much! Too often it seems, the truest of treasures are overlooked or worse, disregarded and discarded . We live in the age of technology …. Which has its advantages.
However we are being robbed WILLINGLY, of our sense of selves and the connection of spirit to earth and essentially one another.
I have shared the gift my mother gave me with my own daughters because just as they have always done, the Redwoods have stories to tell . We just have to listen.
Social media has not now or ever been able to calm my spirit and will never bring my soul closer to God and my mother. The redwoods always have. They always will. I may be wrong in saying they are God’s backyard….but I doubt it.
Love Blessings and Light in all things for your good💓
Kind of wish our beaches didn’t get so much publicity. Me and my best friend just got back from a two-day backpacking trip, it was a very needed escape from reality. Or should I say an escape back to reality.. Even woke up one morning surrounded by elk.
Anybody have any ideas how the number 8 got into the stone?
Anybody have any ideas how the number 8 got into the stone?
Hey Conde’ Nast- Shut up!! The reason those other beautiful places are crowded is because of people like you blasting them out to the sheeple. Get a real life instead of blowing up every secret chill place you can find. What you do is not helpful- it is parasitic. Word of mouth spread from friend to friend is the best tourism. Not internet announcements to the idiot masses so they can all come and trample every good thing on the planet into broken pieces. You make your money from encouraging morons to run around and trash everything -yes, that’s what they do!
Ah, there’s that northern California hospitality I keep hearing about; “Locals Only unless invited by a local.” Everyone else stay out. 😏
Right?? Gotta love the hospitality..🤣🤠💩
Kinda selfish eh?
Kinda selfish for tourists to come here and trash our natural environment and make it extremely unpleasant for the people who live here!
Then you think it’s so beautiful so you move here then you want a Walmart, In’n’Out and stripe mall and you build more houses causing our forests and rural lifestyle to disappear.
YEAH WE’RE THE SELFISH ONES!
Yes we’re rude and unfriendly so don’t come up here!
Right. You have to earn respect. Tourist $ is not worth the destruction they leave behind. It’s a disgrace.
Where’s my glasses?
Arriving to the “Lost Coast” after escaping 95 degree/80 percent humidity in Philadelphia is /was one of the best experiences in my life..
Mendocino has been on my mind since we left.
As far as weather and scenery you guys can’t be beat.
Sure,the water is cold ,there’s no seashells an d you have to climb down/up steps to get to the beach but it’s all good.
We are looking to comeback in July 21
and we can’t wait.
We definitely will disperse our monies to local Mom and Pop stores.
Can’t wait.
Looking forward to seeing all “youse”
guys again!!!
It was only a matter of time…we are basically the least crowded, most affordable climate refuge. And then, there’s the forests, beaches….
Stop crying…Californians have been coming to Oregon for YEARS. Thanks for your tourism. It drives our state’s local business economy ❤💯😃
No I kind of agree. I live in Santa Cruz and we have (had) a giant swing that sat in the sand and when the tide rolled in youd be swinging over the ocean. It was made from two old wharf bridge pillars that are still there. Anyway some guy blasted this local secret spot up on one of his blogs or whatever. Next thing is some guy and his family come to see and ride the swing. They broke it. That swing was there for so long. And just for shoots and giggles they actually had the nerve to make a tik tok about it. They said sorry we broke your swing. They were not at all sorry. So sometimes those secret treasures are best left to word of mouth. Not media frenzies. And Californians are very hospitible, just dont piss us off by being rude or trashing our home.
America the beautiful…I remember, during my short term itinerant preaching, traveling to Andersen Valley. As we neared the township, the smell of peaches captured our attention. We stopped at a fruit stand, and enjoyed the most delicious fruit imaginable. It was a garden spot in 1989. There were the beginnings of East Coast types then. They are always the same, and Northern California politicos try hard to keep up. Charlie Brown maintained the Baptist church there. It was impeccable. He was around eighty years old. He complained about another scourge, the charismatic Jesus movement, which was sucking the life out of the church. But the real Jesus movement, an encounter with Christ, despite the sarcasm, ironies, and wild opinions is possible.
The North Coast is beautiful. Be careful. Avoiding the pot farms and shotguns is essential for your health.
Enjoy it, nevertheless, and consider that Christ died for you. Heaven shall far outweigh the beauty of the earth’s most pristine wonderland.