Curated Routes: Santa Monica & Pacific Palisades — Coastal Modernism and Sensory Rituals
The Tea Squirrel has always been about the pursuit of the perfect cup, alongside the beauty, rituals, and creativity that surround it. As my work evolves, I’m thrilled to introduce a new series: Curated Routes. Whether exploring my adopted home of Los Angeles or traveling further afield, tea is no longer just the destination; it's the compass we’ll use to dig deeper, uncovering the intentional spaces, curated objects, and sensory experiences that make a place worth finding.
While international travel offers a shift in perspective, challenging one's expectations and stereotypes and igniting curiosity, playing tourist in your own neighborhood can be very rewarding. In this route through Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades, we let tea serve as the narrative thread, grounding a beautifully paced day of mid-century architecture, intentional art spaces, and exceptionally sourced, vibrant food.
The Architectural Anchor: The Eames House (Case Study House No. 8)
Pacific Palisades
A well-curated day begins with an awe-inspiring masterpiece. Nestled into a eucalyptus grove on a bluff overlooking the ocean, the Eames House is a landmark of modernist architecture.
Designed by Charles and Ray Eames—the visionary duo widely celebrated for iconic industrial design pieces like the Eames Lounge Chair—the home was built as part of the post-WWII Case Study House Program. As you approach the exterior, the interplay of the steel frame, glass, and rectangular panels of primary colors beautifully evokes the feeling of a three-dimensional Mondrian painting seamlessly integrated into nature.
Unlike many architectural landmarks that can feel distant and monumental, this was a space for living and creating. Today, the property is meticulously preserved exactly as it was when Ray passed away in 1988. The visit is designed as a self-guided tour; while you cannot physically enter the main residence, the home's expansive floor-to-ceiling windows make it remarkably easy to observe the living spaces from the outside. You are, however, able to step inside the adjacent studio. The foundation maintains the estate with the express intent of creating a "pause"—a lingering, intimate sense that Charles or Ray might step right back into the room at any moment. Standing before this structure invites you to walk the paths they walked, look closely at the details they treasured, and set a highly intentional, curious tone for the rest of your route.
The Sensory Compass: Odd One Out Tea
3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica
After the architectural immersion of the Eames House, the route shifts toward the center of Santa Monica just as the midday energy begins. Situated in one of the beautifully designed kiosk pavilions on 3rd Street Promenade, Odd One Out immediately draws you in with its inviting layout and signage.
Odd One Out on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
True to their tagline—"Craft Milk Tea"—this space treats tea with a refreshing level of precision. The brand originally hails from Taiwan (I actually visited their Taipei location during my trip this past March—you can read about that here), and their ethos is built on pure flavor. They use exclusively small-batch tea leaves and botanical ingredients, avoiding artificial or unrecognizable additives.
Odd One Out on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
The menu here allows for a beautifully tailored, ingredient-driven experience. I recommend the Red Oolong Milk Tea, with oat milk and unsweetened or at a 10% sweetness. This allows the deep, naturally honeyed and roasted notes of the oolong to remain the absolute focal point. For something brighter, the Grapefruit Pomelo Refresher is brilliant, pairing a crisp Jade Oolong with grapefruit juice and juicy pomelo pulp for an incredible textural element. They also have an exceptional selection of tea-flavored gelatos. Such a memorable tea experience!
Red Oolong Milk Tea with oat milk
Movement & Perspective: Palisades Park
Santa Monica
With your tea in hand, make your way over to the sweeping coastal paths of Palisades Park. Lined with palm, eucalyptus trees, and foxtail agave plants, the park offers unobstructed lines of sight over the Pacific. It is the ideal stretch for an extended, intentional walk. Enjoying the deep, roasted notes of the Red Oolong or the crisp, floral brightness of the Jade Oolong while the ocean breeze rolls in offers a pleasant sensory grounding.
Curated Form & Texture: Local Art & Functional Design
Santa Monica Airport Art Studios, Bergamot Station & Main Street
Whenever I am not drinking tea, you can find me gallery hopping and I want to put some of my favorite art galleries on your radar.
Studios 3026 at the Santa Monica Airport: This unique destination occupies a vintage airport hangar that was reimagined into an art incubator in the early 2000s. The building houses beautiful gallery spaces alongside individual artist studios, featuring an incredible group of creators working in multiple mediums with decades of collective experience. The Santa Monica Cultural Affairs division facilitates incredible artist-led programming here; a recent paper-making workshop I attended, taught by artist Sophia Allison, perfectly echoed the sensory and tactile focus of this route. While exploring the studios be sure to seek out the work of Joan Wulf, whose approach to elements like wood, fire, and paper is a brilliant exploration of natural form.
Bergamot Station: This industrial-turned-creative campus is an essential stop for contemporary works. Its iconic corrugated metal sheds house not only a vast, immersive collection of art galleries, but also a dynamic performing arts element with a small comedy club known as The Crow.
OK the Store (Main Street): To bridge the gap between fine art and functional, everyday living, head down to Main Street to visit this impeccably curated design shop. It is a treasure trove of modern, understated, and exquisitely made objects. From independent jewelry designers to architectural books and decorative arts, their curation is fantastic. As a brilliant extension of the shop's ethos, the owner Larry Schaffer authors a newsletter dedicated to mid-century architecture, design, and travel—a perfect thematic tie-in to the modernist inspiration that started this route.
The Culinary Culmination
Santa Monica and Venice
A day of sensory exploration requires food that is equally intentional, prioritizing fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients and exceptional sourcing. These are some of my favorite fast-casual eateries, but their commitment to flavor is anything but ordinary:
Sunny Blue (Main Street): This cozy Japanese eatery on Main Street is perfect for a quick but tasty meal, and could also be perfect for a picnic on the beach (just two blocks away). Their handcrafted omusubi—traditional Japanese rice balls wrapped in nori seaweed—rely on the simple brilliance of quality rice and savory fillings. My absolute favorite flavor combinations are ebi mayo (shrimp and mayonnaise sauce with bright lemon zest) and tuna mayo (albacore tuna with mayonnaise sauce), but honestly, I haven't tried anything from them that I didn't like!
Ela Greek Eats (Lincoln Blvd): Moving just south into Venice, this fast-casual gem vibrantly captures the essence of traditional Mediterranean cuisine. The dishes here are bright, structured, and incredibly complex. Their chicken souvlaki bowl and gigante beans are addictive.
Lady and Larder (Pico Blvd): This women-owned cheese shop champions exceptional craftsmanship and feels like a beautifully curated artisanal general store. While they are renowned for their visually stunning and delicious cheese and charcuterie boards—alongside a fantastic selection of wine, flowers, and picnic boxes—they also offer a secret lunch menu of tasty sandwiches. If I'm entertaining, I'll order one of their cheese boards, otherwise you'll find me here picking up a wedge of cheese to take home and pair with a few slices of my own freshly baked, gluten-free sourdough bread and a tea from my extensive collection.
A cheese and farmer’s market fruit board from Lady and Larder
To help you recreate this day, I’ve mapped out the entire curated route in a custom Google Map below. Whether you are sipping craft tea, immersing yourself in mid century architecture, gallery hopping, searching for functional design, or simply hunting for the perfect artisanal bite, I hope this guide inspires your next beautifully intentional weekend on the Westside of LA.
