TOUR Wife Travels: Tackling Los Angeles

text size

Hello and welcome to TOUR Wife Travels! My name is Erin and I am the wife of PGA TOUR player Jimmy Walker. My husband and I make it a point of exploring every city we visit, whether it's our first visit or our 10th, and finding new places to eat, shop, stay and explore has become our hobby. And now, TOUR Wife Travels would like to share those spots with you. If you ever find yourself in one of our "TOUR Stop Cities," I want to give you the insider information on all the places the pros, their wives and kids enjoy while they are in town.

Walker

I graduated from the University of Colorado in 2003 with a B.A. in Journalism and I am very excited that I am finally able to put my education to some use while traveling with my husband.

Jimmy and I met in 2004 in my home state of Utah, where he was playing a Nationwide Tour stop and I was a tournament volunteer. I am an avid sports fan and thought that volunteering would be a great way to see the pros in action. I had absolutely no intention of meeting, dating, then marrying a golfer but six years later it obviously was meant to be.

I don't travel on TOUR every week, as I am also a competitive horseback rider that takes me around the country, but I promise to give you as many fun and useful tips as I can when I am on the road. Visit my site tourwifetravels.com and follow me on Twitter @tourwifetravels for all up to date tidbits from me and other golf families.

It was quite the rollercoaster week at Pebble Beach, with a lot of highs and a few lows. Jimmy was pretty disappointed with his Sunday but considering how his opening nine at Spyglass Hill started (4 over), a top-10 was a great finish.

We are beyond thrilled for our wonderful friends D.A. and Lori Points and D.A.'s first win on the PGA TOUR. Jimmy and D.A. battled it out on the Nationwide Tour in 2004 finishing first and second on the money list, respectively, and we have been great friends ever since. Again, huge congratulations to the Points on a great win!

With Sunday in the rearview mirror we headed down the Pacific Coast Highway to our next stop, Riviera Country Club and the Northern Trust Open. Riviera is one of Jimmy's favorite courses and with my brother being a Los Angeles resident, it is a stop we always look forward to.

EAT

Obviously with Los Angeles being one of the largest cities in America and traffic being brutal at best, I'm going to keep this week's suggestions close to the golf course and the Santa Monica area. And because I have great suggestions for each, I am going to give you one for every meal of the day.

BREAKFAST

South along Ocean Avenue away from the hustle and bustle, is Cora's Coffee Shoppe (1802 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, (310) 451-9562). It's a tiny restaurant with primarily patio seating and no view worth mentioning, but offers great food made from fresh ingredients and something on the menu for every breakfast lover. The orange and blueberry pancakes are the house specialty and the huevos rancheros should not be missed. Don't blink or you may miss the place, but it's definitely worth the effort to find.

LUNCH

While strolling along Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, I highly suggest squeezing into Blue Plate for lunch (1415 Montana Ave., (310) 260-8877). Blue Plate is the perfect charming neighborhood restaurant to pair with an afternoon on Montana Ave. The soups, salads and sandwiches are all delicious but it's quite the happening locals spot, so I suggest going either early or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowd.

DINNER

Sticking to Montana Avenue, R&D Kitchen is a hip dinner spot with a drink list aimed to please and food to impress. Start with the dip duo appetizer, and the ahi tuna burger is a best seller. Get there early, as R&D doesn't take reservations and patrons are known to wait up to 90 minutes.

STAY

A lot of golfers this week are huge fans of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. The Fairmont is a beautifully traditional hotel combined with contemporary touches. The grand and lush exterior make way for beautiful guest suites that feel a bit more like the Bahamas than busy Los Angeles. Located just off Ocean Avenue, guests can stroll through the luscious gardens or out the gates and across the street for a walk along the Pacific; this is a hotel you shouldn't pass up.

SHOP

Back to Montana Avenue we go for my favorite type of shopping -- boutiques! This street is prefect for those who prefer unique shops like Every Picture Tells a Story, a children's art and bookstore specializing in rare artwork from the books we all grew up loving. Last year I found two amazing prints signed by the illustrator that make me smile every time I step foot in my son's bedroom. A true gem of a store, I highly suggest making a point to stop if you find yourself in shopping heaven along Montana Avenue.

GOLF

With Riviera being a private club, tucked in between the mega mansions of the Brentwood area, playing is not an option for most of us. But Riviera is a course everyone should experience. Time and time again this course is named as a TOUR player favorite and it boasts one of the most exciting short par-4 holes of the year in No. 10. Players can go from hero to zero as attainable eagles flirt dangerously with double bogeys and the line between the two is thin. Riviera is simply golf at it's best, and this is a week you won't want to miss.

Los Angeles is a completely overwhelming city and I hope I have given you suggestions that keep you happy and busy in one spot and off the freeways. Rain or shine, this TOUR wife plans on enjoying an amazing week in L.A.

Cheers!