All photos from the airbnb booking site
This trip dates back to February 2024 but I feel compelled to share a slice of our "nature meets luxury" escape to Topanga Canyon before attending a conscious living expo in Los Angeles. The whole experience was incredibly inspiring and elevating on a sensory and spiritual level.
Daniela and I were celebrating 11 years together (our sacred number 11!) and wished to do something special that would bring us back to what we originally connected over at a yoga studio in Oakland, CA in 2013 and have nurtured ever since: inner growth, wellness, nature and love in all forms.
We came across an event in Los Angeles that was particularly interesting this year with its themes of planetary ascension, astrology, star seeds, and the new form of human emerging in the Aquarian era! One of our favorites, Elizabeth April, was going to be speaking so even more reason to attend and feel her electric energy in person! We also met Althea Lucrezia Avanzo whose amazing light code and channeling we also came to love - definitely look her up.
Little did we know that there would be 14,000 people in attendance at the Conscious Living Expo (a slight panic attack for introverts and HSPs like ourselves) and a whole slew of climactic events leading up to our trip (massive floods and an earthquake upon arrival) that would try to keep us away. But our intuition continued to say yes, and we prevailed!
Before the high energy of the conference, our intention was to ground, relax and restore before venturing into a very different type of environment. We consciously chose Topanga Canyon, a small boho town nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains, just north of Los Angeles, to start our journey.
We enjoyed the vibe up there but also found it slightly unnerving with windy roads which had been battered from the storms, higher than usual car traffic and some filming taking place (to be expected in LA after all). We drove down the hill a few times and explored Venice and Santa Monica to soak in expansive views, the stability of lower grounds and the water element - mainly in the ocean and canals.
All photos by Daniela Renn
The airbnb we chose to nest in for two nights was perfect for our shared love of minimalism, nature, sustainability, holistic health and well-being.
Here is the description of the property from the airbnb site:
This rustic, Japanese-coastal design inspired home is tucked away in the Fernwood area of Topanga Canyon, and is just minutes from the beach and the Topanga State Park. Created with tranquility in mind, this peaceful cottage is a minimal, modern hideaway which allows guests to enjoy natural luxuries with organic amenities.
Below are some of our favorite features, all of which have inspired the design of our current and any future living spaces.
dimmable incandescent lighting (no LED or blinking lights); lots of natural light from the four directions and sky lights, all intended to sync us back to the sun's rhythms.
distraction-free environment - There were a few pieces of artwork on the walls and no electronics save for a Nest thermostat. The colors were calming and neutral with Japanese style plants and wooden bowls scattered around the house. All of the materials felt solid and of the earth.
hand-crafted artisan wares and foodstuffs like pottery, wood carved utensils, locally roasted coffee, a small hand coffee grinder, maldon sea salt and manuka honey.
organic bath products infused with essential oils from a local fill store - love this circularity in the plastic loop.
high quality organic robes and linens - restful sleep and luxurious on the skin.
biomat available - we tried this out and loved its calming effect for the mind, body and emotions.
spa-like wellness features - infrared sauna (we spent a LOT of time in here), outdoor shower for hot / cold circuit with reflexology stones underfoot; clawfoot outdoor tub which we enjoyed in the early morning with the birds' lively soundtrack.
calming gardens and simple landscaping; a hammock and benches to relax on.
isolated location up in the canyon, free of noise or wordly concerns; no cell service either!
high quality water filtration system - purified water is key to health so we appreciated this while traveling.
EMF mitigation for deep relaxation and restoration - hope this becomes standard in all living units. We use grounding rocks and crystals to aid further at home.
essential oil diffuser filled with a blend of organic lavender and bergamot, our new favorite combination that is at once purifying, relaxing and uplifting.
Hopefully this list will inspire you to consider what goes into creating a nurturing home or vacation environment. Overall, this was a splendid getaway and certainly did the trick of grounding us from our travel day while also preparing us for the momentum of what lay ahead on our trip!
May we all imbue love, care and intention into our sanctuaries that we spend so many waking and sleeping hours in.
To our health,
xx Kristin
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