10 Off-Radar Finds Along the Pacific Coast

Over-water cabins, lighthouse hostels, tiny island distilleries — these laid-back spots dot the west coast from southern California all the way up to British Columbia and just might inspire a quick weekend trip.

1. Crystal Pier Hotel, San Diego, CA: Ripe for a breezy girlfriend getaway or a lovebird weekend away, this collection of historic Cape Cod-style cottages sits on San Diego’s retro Crystal Pier. Each one comes with its own kitchenette (convenient for breakfast and lunch prep on the cheap) and private deck (nicely outfitted with chaise longues and an umbrella-shaded table). (Photo via Crystal Pier Hotel)

Bonus points: Nearby Baked Bear is famous for their custom ice-cream sandwiches (seriously a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that concept). First, you choose your top and bottom — mixing or matching from a selection of cookies, brownies and donuts — then you pick your ice-cream flavor (”Bear Batter” is the play), and finally, select your toppings, which could be Oreo crumbs or hot fudge.

2. Malibu Farm, Malibu, CA: This farm-to-fork concept has a pair of locations: a sit-down restaurant at the beginning of the Malibu Pier and a counter-service cafe at the end of it. The menu is similar at both — sink-your-teeth-in breakfast burritos, all-organic salads, luscious grass-fed burgers — but the cafe does have outside seating right on the pier under strung lights, which gives it the edge. It’s a magical place at dusk on weekends when it stays open a little later. (Photo via Malibu Farm)

Bonus points: Hiker-ready Backbone Trail, which winds for 67 miles from Malibu to Pacific Palisades and has been under construction since the ’60s, just opened in June.

3. Olivas Adobe, Ventura, CA: Only a stone’s throw from the bars, boats and seafood joints of the Ventura Harbor, this 1800s hacienda feels like a throwback, a place where Old California lingers, trapped in some kind of time warp. Thick adobe walls cool down an interior filled with period furniture, and the surrounding grounds hold a rose garden, fountains and an impressive number of cacti. Wandering the grounds is free, while tours of the house go for $5. (Photo via Spot.com)

Bonus points: On Saturday evenings in summer, Olivas hosts a Music Under the Stars concert series featuring an eclectic lineup that spans from classic rock tribute bands to salsa to zydeco.

4. Nepenthe, Big Sur, CA: On a sunny day, an hours-long lunch at one of Nepenthe’s alfresco tables is one of life’s purest pleasures. The restaurant is a classic — serving since the 1940s — and the view and vibe are so good you won’t at all mind the inevitable weekend wait (not to mention that you can order a drink and chill out on floor pillows while you do). A chimichurri-doused rib eye and pan-seared tuna make an appearance on the surf-and-turf-heavy menu, but the most famous dish of all is the ambrosia burger, named for a “secret” sauce that’s a spicy-creamy mix of mayo, tomato sauce and salsa. (Photo via Spot.com)

Bonus points: Just down the road, you’ll find the Henry Miller Library in a tree-shaded cabin once belonging to Emil White, a longtime pal of Miller’s who himself resided in Big Sur for 18 years. In keeping with the artistic leanings of its former owner and his devil-may-care tribe of creatives, it’s now a cultural hub, bookshop and venue with an outdoor stage where bands play on summer evenings.

5. HI Point Montara Lighthouse, Half Moon Bay, CA: A lighthouse-turned-hostel with nothing between you and the big blue Pacific. What more do you need to know? That you can spend the night in an 1875 lighthouse station? That there are both shared and private rooms? That the sound of the ocean crashing will lull you to sleep? That whale and dolphin sightings are frequent? The lighthouse is a quick drive from SFO, but even if you’re from the area, a staycation is in order. (Photo via Spot.com)

Bonus points: An outing to the Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail is a must. The easy-going hike (walk, really) winds past pocket beaches and fantastical artists’ studios that look straight out of Hobbiton.

6. Nick’s Cove, Marshall, CA: First the welcome: Other hotels give you a bottle of water (if you’re lucky), but Nick’s lays it on with cocktails and a platter of barbecue oysters. Next, the rooms (ahem, try stand-alone cabins): There are 12, with five out over the water, and all with a rustic-chic charm that’ll have you kicking back on your porch with sandy toes and a cold beer one minute and soaking in your huge copper tub the next. And, finally, the restaurant: It’s a charismatic community hub that feels like a cross between salty-dog dive and hunting lodge, only the food’s superb. Go late, after the crowds clear out, go for a window seat and go easy on the oysters (there are many in your future). (Photo via Spot.com)

Bonus points: Stop by the Tomales Bay Oyster Company, grab a bag of oysters and take them down the coast about half a mile to Millerton Point beach, which will be far less busy. Of course, this means you need oyster-shucking accoutrements and fixings on hand. Bring them with you, grab them while you’re at Tomales Bay or pop into The Marshall Store before you hit Tomales. Your mission for the day: Shuck, slurp, sunbathe. Repeat.

7. Bandon Beach, Bandon, OR: With those offshore rock formations, Bandon is less known but equally as striking as its more famous north-Oregon cousin Cannon Beach, which played backdrop to goofballs and vamps in The Goonies and Twilight. Hit the beach early in the morning when it will be blissfully deserted (save perhaps one early-rising dog owner and pooch), then commandeer an outside table for fresh crab and smoked fish at Tony’s or Bandon Bait & Tackle, both tackle shops doing a bang-up job with their seafood-shack side gigs. (Photo via Spot.com)

Bonus points: You can rent the 1905 cobbler-built River House for a one-of-a-kind stay in a lofty, historic space right on the river.

8. Heceta Head Lighthouse Keepers House, OR: With panoramic vistas of the Pacific, the working 1894 Heceta Head Lighthouse is perched cliffside near the pint-size town of Yachats. To say the lighthouse gets its picture taken frequently is an understatement; the pop of red and white against an evergreen background is essentially the paint-by-numbers version of a stunning photo. Point, shoot, score. (Photo via Spot.com)

Bonus points: While many people come for a couple hours — tops — most don’t realize that you can actually overnight in the lighthouse keeper’s home, a Queen Anne-style beauty flanked with covered porch (pictured).

9. San Juan Island Distillery, San Juan Island, WA: You’ll find this charming family-owned distillery a couple hours north of Seattle on postcard-ready San Juan Island. On Saturdays, its ciders, gins, brandies and liqueurs, produced French-style in a large copper still, can be sampled in a lovely little on-site tasting room. In keeping with the very PNW all-things-local maxim, apples from a neighboring orchard are the base of most of its liquors, and island botanicals like wild roses and blackberries flavor limited releases. (Photo via San Juan Island Distillery)

Bonus points: While on the island, drop by Pelindaba Lavender Farm, where 25 dizzyingly fragrant acres of organic lavender fields and a lakefront location make for a magical place to wander.

10. Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, B.C.: You come to this hotel for the storm-watching: Viewing the waves, winds and rain through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the inn’s luxe lobby, hot toddy in hand, made it famous. But when skies are clear, the hotel’s Ancient Cedars Spa, oriented to the open Pacific, has the kind of views you write home about — or at least post on Instagram. This is the spa for the not-a-spa-person crowd, where the Cedar Escape Treatment, a rub-down with organic sea salt followed by an aromatic massage, gives new meaning to the term “come undone.” (Photo via Wickaninnish Inn)

Bonus points: The town of Tofino, a short jaunt north, holds a handful of sweet artisan shops, the kind that are curated to a T and bonkers for all things small-batch and handmade. Habit is a goodie, selling an imaginative ensemble of coastal-cool clothing and local jewelry.

What coastal trips are on your travel list? Tweet us @BritandCo!

Emily in Paris season 4 was the buzziest season yet, and for good reason. Emily's in Rome, Camille was never pregnant, and Gabriel's hair went from très hot to tragique. In addition to the viral response to Gabriel's new hair, season 4 left me pretty sad because after four years of waiting for Emily and Gabriel to get together, they almost immediately break up — and actor Lucas Bravo is just as confused as we are.

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“The ‘sexy chef’ was very much part of me in Season 1 and we grew apart season after season because of the choices he makes and because of the direction they make him take,” Lucas Bravo told IndieWire while promoting Mélanie Laurent’s Freedom. “As they made him kind of unaware of his surroundings, of the dynamic, always victimizing and always being completely lost in translation and oblivious to anything that is happening around him and being manipulated by everyone, it kind of became not fun for me to shoot or to see a character I love so much and brought me so much, being slowly turned into guacamole. I really grew apart from him.”

Honestly it makes me really sad that a character we all love so much is becoming unrecognizable. But at the same time, it makes me feel a little bit better, because we're not the only ones who feel like Gabriel has changed. And while Lucas has done what he can to bring those early-series aspects of Gabriel back, he says "there is only so much I can do in the limits of a script.”

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“I tried for seasons to bring nuances but we don’t have much liberty on set," he continues. “It makes me question if I want to be part of Season 5…because my contract ends at Season 4. I really want to see if Gabriel gets back to his fun, cheeky, playful, alive self. Because three seasons playing melancholic, sad, depressed, and lost is not fun anymore. It’s a comedy, everybody is having fun around me, everybody is jumping around, and I’m just slowly sinking into god knows what.”

Say what now?! If Lucas Bravo leaves Emily in Paris, I truly don't know what I'd do. Gabriel is my favorite character on the show! (Or at least, early Gabriel was.) Seeing him move from 30, flirty, and thriving to someone who's consistently in the middle of an existential crisis doesn't make sense within the world of the show. And even though Lucas thinks the show has a "lack of risk," he still loves everyone involved.

“I love the show. It started everything for me. I love the show and the people in it," he says. "With saying that, I feel like I am not being nice or grateful, but when you love something you want it to be…you want the best version of it. I’m not going to lie, I’ve been frustrated with the direction by character is taking. But we’ll see where it goes. The show is not over.”

Just like the show's iconic costumes are all about expression and fun, here's hoping Emily in Paris is able to bring some life back into our favorite chef. Because if not, it sounds like we could be nearing the end of the show's most popular would-they-won't-they relationship. Fix this Netflix, I beg you!

What do you think of Lucas Bravo's dilemma? Do you miss season 1 Gabriel? Let us know in the comments and check out the latest Emily in Paris season 5 news.

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie created reality TV gold when The Simple Life debuted in 2003. Their antics were outlandish, but we couldn't help repeating their iconic phrases like "That's hot" or "Sanasa" during random moments in our own lives.

It's no secret the two didn't really act that way, but their 'characters' left a huge mark on a generation of millennials. "I knew what I was doing but the whole world didn’t, so it was kind of frustrating to me to be perceived in that way because it’s not who I am at all," Paris told People.

Even though she may have felt judged, it seems that Paris Hilton realizes how many people actually loved The Simple Life because she and Nicole Richie are teaming up to film a reunion special that'll debut on Peacock as we speak! Here's everything we know so far!

When did speculations about 'The Simple Life' reboot begin?

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Peacock first shared a video clip on Instagram that hinted something special involving Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie is coming in May. A nostalgic TV set with a black and white screen can be seen while our favorite duo's voices can be hearing saying, "Sanasa, Sanasa."

Peacock captioned the post, "New Era. Same Besties. Coming soon to Peacock," and fans could barely contain their excitement. Even celebs like Naomi Campbell and Katy Perry commented on these hot vibes.

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Then Paris Hilton took to her own Instagram to share more about what fans could expect. She said, "As some of you may know, we are doing a reunion special to celebrate 20 years of our show The Simple Life and it's been so much fun."

Actress Selma Blair shared how much she's looking forward to this by commenting that she's "living for this."

So are we!

What was 'The Simple Life' about?

The Simple Life/20th Century Fox

The Simple Life showed Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie as they basically traded their wealthy lifestyles for 'everyday' living. Cameras followed them from fast food jobs to dealing with getting out of sticky situations they'd supposedly never experienced. Needless to say, it was hilarious, iconic, and instant reality TV gold.

How long was 'The Simple Life' on air?

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The Simple Life was on air from 2003 to 2007 with five successful seasons. It seemed like it wasn't going to be hit at first, but it defied expectations. By how much you ask?

According to reporting from The Cut, somewhere around 13 million viewers tuned in to watch Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's oddball take on daily life. That's a pretty huge deal if you ask us!

When will 'Paris & Nicole: The Encore' debut?

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Paris & Nicole: The Encore will premiere on Peacock December 12! The two were previously seen at a Sonic drive-thru yesterday so it can be assumed filming is underway (via People)!

Sporting partial Sonic uniforms, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie added accent pieces that match their signature flairs. Paris wore a pair of reflective sunglasses, silver sequin heels, and added a pink flip phone to front of her blue apron. Nicole wore gold hoops and a pair of slingback pumps alongside her hotdog mascot costume. That's hot (dog).

How does Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie feel about reuniting for a reunion special?

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Paris Hilton has expressed how much she loves to be sharing the screen with Nicole Richie again. "I'm so excited to be doing this with Nicole on Peacock. Nicole has been my best friend since we're 2 years old, every memory that I have is with her," (via E! News).

Nicole also posted a few throwback moments from The Simple Life on her Instagram, but the most notable one is the video mashup of them singing "Sanasa, Sanasa" over and over. "20 years ago, not only did we become television stars… we became song writers. Happy Anniversary Sill @parishilton#TheSimpleLife#sannnasaaaaa" she wrote in the caption.

What have Paris and Nicole said about their reunion special?

Peacock

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie sat down with W Magazine to let the world know the Paris & Nicole: The Encore show is on its way! Not only that, but fans can expect to see an Opera version of the show they fell in love with two decades ago. Paris said, "The idea of the opera was unexpected" while Nicole chimed in with, "What people need, even though they don't know it yet, is for 'Sanasa' to be an opera.'"

The two besties came up with the idea via a series of texts that started off as ideas between them. Nicole said everything "came up organically" for the two and we can only imagine the memories this brought up for them. OG influencer Paris even talked about how The Simple Life was an "important show in pop culture history" and we couldn't agree more!

Nicole truly wants people to enjoy themselves while watching Paris & Nicole: The Encore and "find the same joy" she had while filming it. According to Paris, she feels what they have is "magic" because "there's just so much history behind it."

It's not every day that you can get to have fun with your best friend while coming up with long-lasting memories that contribute to pop culture, but Paris and Nicole have always danced to the beat of their own drums. Now we'll get to see them in action again!

Watch The Trailer For 'Paris & Nicole: The Encore'

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This post has been updated.

Friendsgiving season is coming folks! And if you have one on the books, but have no idea what to cook, we have you covered. From deliciously cheesy veggies to a healthy take on everyone's favorite spuds, we're rounding-up easy recipes to make that won't weigh heavy on your pocketbook. Take a look through to see the yummy ensembles you should be whipping up!

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Drop Biscuits

Because everyone needs a carb to soup all those juicy drippings on your plate. This 'The Final Table' winning recipe does the job.

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Smashed Brussel Sprouts

Not crazy about veggies? These greens will change your mind. Topped with cheese, chives, and a nice crisp topping, they're extra yummy (and keto-friendly!)

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Cacio e Pepe Chickpeas

Sure this one is a bit non-traditional, but your vegetarian friends will love it. Plus they make the perfect topping to nearly any dish (who needs croutons when you have these anyways?!).

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Roasted Broccoli

Puts some greens on your plate with this holy-grail recipe. Trust us: It's sooo easy!

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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Polenta

Dust off the ole' Instant Pot will this delectable fall polenta. Filled with butternut squash and lots of parmesan you (and your besties!) will quickly fall in *love*.

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Roasted Sweet Potato

Just when you thought you knew how to roast sweet potatoes, this recipe came along. And boy are we taking notes!

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Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Be the friend that brings the booze. This autumn-themed mulled wine drink will warm everyone's spirits.

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Fall Quinoa Salad

If you're designated salad duty, take a twist on it by packing it full-on quinia, pomegranate, and a tangy dressing. Yum!

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Cheesy Pasta Bake

When the temperatures drop, your friends will be extra thankful for this soul-warming, cheesy pasta.

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Spinach + Mushroom Gnocchi Casserole

No time? No worries! This freezer-friendly pasta bake complete with pillowy gnocchi, creamy mushrooms and spinach is super easy to create ahead of time, without taking away from any day-of deliciousness.

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Cheddar, Jalapeno, and Chive Biscuits

Upgrade your biscuits with "addicting" flavors of cheddar, chives, and jalapeños. Pro tip: Double the batch to ensure you have more than one for everyone!

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Keto Cheese Ball

Your hostess will thank you extra for showing up with an app to tide guests over until the main meal is served. Packed with yummy baked potato fixings, it's got an extra "kick" to make it comparable to store bought options. Plus it's keto-friendly... you can't go wrong with that!

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Cheesy Keto Asparagus

Keep the keto ideas coming, am I right?! Make this popular Pinterest vegetable dish loaded with garlic and extra cheese. Yes please!

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Yogurt Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Pack a 'lil extra protein into your mashed spuds (with the bonus of making them extra creamy!). Who knew yogurt would soon become your go-to secret ingredient?

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Pumpkin Spice Toffee

And let's not forget about the sweets! Make a batch of this pumpkin spice-flavored treat as a great take-home option for overstuffed guests! (Just be sure to save some extra for yourself!)

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This post has been updated.