Day 1:
Alden:
I arrived at LAX from Jackson Hole mid-afternoon and took a painfully long uber to the Silver Lake Pool and Inn. I like this hotel. It smells good (they use Diptyque Baies). The rooms are very large. It reminds me of the movie Palm Springs if you’ve ever seen it. The pool, the selling point of the hotel and why I think it reminds me of the aforementioned Andy Sandberg movie, is a nice area to quietly work although it does turn into quite a scene sometimes.
However, the best thing about Silver Lake Pool and Inn is that it's a two minute walk to Erewhon. This was my first time experiencing the hot bar, a fun but confusing ordeal as I felt decision paralysis over various gluten-free and vegan options and felt embarrassed for not knowing all the options already. You could tell I was an Erewhon tourist. I resorted to what the person ahead of me ordered: gluten-free general sal’s (not Tso’s) chicken, brussel sprouts, and tofu sticks, plus a side of coconut cake.
At 8pm on a Thursday night the energy in the Silver Lake Erewhon is buzzing. There are still people in line for the smoothie bar, or is it called tonic bar? I felt a sense of excitement and energy re-enter my body. I’m in LA. The people working the register are friendly, flirtatious even. I was too caught off guard for the banter so I met his remark with a blank stare.
Afterwards I had dinner with a client at the hotel restaurant. I fell asleep to fireworks and car honking outside my window celebrating the Dodgers win.
Lizzy:
While Alden was getting settled in, I was viciously driving back from the farm in Pennsylvania to NYC. I got home in time to quickly pack and sleep before an aggressively early flight. I am an obsessive planner but those plans never include sleep. I noticed that my heart rate was irregularly elevated after my 4 hours of sleep, 3.5 hour drive and 2 large Celsius’s and jumped on the plane to LAX.
Day 2:
Alden:
I arose around 8 AM and walked to intelligentsia for coffee. A friendly barista suggested the seasonal latte – which I drank quickly outside and admired the happy people and their beautiful dogs with halloween costumes before going in and buying a simple cold brew for the kind of fuel I actually needed. It was not good.
I took the cold brew to Erewhon and asked for coconut milk which they kindly added to my sour bev. I bought discounted Weleda natural deodorant and travel size Osea face wash and oil as I waited for my Hailey Bieber smoothie. Cold brew and smoothie in hand, I breezed back to the hotel and worked by the pool.
Later that day Lizzy pulled up in a silver Jeep wrangler. We went right back to Erewhon, as she had never been. I’ll let her tell you about her first experiences.
Lizzy:
At 10:20 AM I landed in LAX and pick up a rental car. I picked a silver Jeep Wrangler and immediately envisioned Alden and I riding around door-less and sun drenched, red hair flowing in the wind. By noon, I have picked up Alden and we are in Erewhon. It’s my first time. We fumbled around other excited shoppers and ordered at the hot bar. I never wanted to be this girl but I was giddy to try the Hailey Bieber smoothie. Whatever that coconut cream is… I am into it.
At this point, I am feeling a slight twinge of a sore throat but the LA sunshine is making it easy to ignore. Onto yoga.



Alden:
Silver Springs in West Hollywood was our next stop and, wow, that studio is nice. The room is super hot. The people were hot. I was expecting something more like Core Power when we signed up for class but what we got was akin to the yoga I enjoy back home at Sky Ting. You don’t have to put your mat away and you're even offered a cool eucalyptus towel at the end of class. We took class with Emmie. She’s fab. This is the kind of yoga studio where they sell bathing suits but not workout clothes. I also bought the Magic Molecule antibacterial spray which smells like chlorine but is supposed to be helpful in preventing breakouts.
Lizzy:
I have been using Magic Molecule for two weeks now and I appreciate the tightening glow it offers. I carry it in my purse and use it directly after a workout to cleanse between face washing. A friend even told me I looked like I had just gotten botox. I’ve never received botox due to my fear of needles.
Alden:
When I walked out of class someone asked me what my name was again. “Alden,” I replied. “That name sounds familiar. Are you a teacher?” She asked? “Yes, I am,” I replied. I put my all-black, wrap around, The Row sunglasses on and walked out feeling my ego explode in real time.
Driving down Melrose Ave with the kind of daze-y high only a first day in Los Angeles will provide, Lizzy and I stopped by Double RL and bought more of those jeans I am obsessed with.
For dinner, we went to All Time. It was Halloween night and not many people were there.
Day 3:
Lizzy and I woke up really early– 6am to make a 7am Tracy Anderson class. The vibe was very different from the New York classes. You have to walk through the workout studio to put your belongings in the locker rooms. While our class was in session there were two other groups of people having privates. The energy was less intense than in NYC – which makes sense – aside from the woman who had a bandaid on her nose, bruises under her eyes and earplugs in her ears. She was not playing around.
Lizzy:
I haven’t been to LA in 11 years. This was my first Tracy Anderson class. I’ve done her videos online 12 years ago but my interest peaked when a former colleague of mine wrote about her program for WSJ and Alden told me about a “fight” that broke out in class. I love working out surrounded by intense people. The energy brings out another side of me. I did things I never thought I was capable of in this class and I honestly felt empowered. There's something about seeing myself, a scorpio, in a scorpion-like leg lift drenched in sweat.
Alden:
Later that afternoon, we drove to Ojai to see David Elliot – the whole purpose for our trip. The drive out there was super easy and enjoyable except for the fact that the Jeep Wrangler feels like you’re driving a tin box down the highway. We checked into the Hummingbird Inn. Very cute. Got lunch at Rory’s Place. SO GOOD. Lizzy saw David first. I drove around.



Lizzy:
After listening to both of his audiobooks and hearing about Alden’s training, I decided I wanted to book this trip to Ojai to see David following my birthday. David warmly welcomed me with his dog Rainbow — I was smiling ear to ear and nervous as hell. As I greeted Rainbow, my nervousness lifted a little. We talked and I breathed. This practice helps me get out of my head and into my body. During the breathwork and over the music I started to hear and feel a vibration while undeniable energy poured onto my body. It felt like a weighted blanket. I know David mentions in his books that he uses a didgeridoo in sessions, was this it? I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the feeling — and left feeling grateful, heard, and lighter in spirit.
Alden:
Then it was my turn. My session felt like effective therapy. I gained insight that I probably already knew but felt nice to be affirmed. I have some anger issues. I am a control freak. I should probably be doing my personal breathwork practice more frequently. Leaving I noticed dozens of hummingbirds flying around and how their wings move so fast and how they just look like they're floating in air for a moment before they dart off to a new flower.
Lizzy and I convened in the car and recounted our experiences while Ian, my boyfriend, was the last to see David.
In the meantime, we went to the legendary Barts Books. The world’s largest outdoor bookstore which has been serving the Ojai community since 1964.
We all ate dinner at a little Japanese restaurant, Izakaya Full Moon.
Day 4:
Alden:
Woke up early-ish. Eat Rory’s for breakfast. Drove back to LA. Scarcely made it back in time for Kyle Miller’s class at Silver Springs. Class was packed. Kyle is a star. Her playlist is perfect. After class she asked if we were enjoying Los Angeles and we emphatically declared we loved it and described all the wellness treatments we were lining up. “That’s what LA has to offer!” She exclaimed. On the way out after cooling down with a eucalyptus towel we said our goodbyes to Kyle. Her friend sitting next to her said, “nice hair.” I tucked my sweaty red hair behind my ears and said “thank you!” “He was talking about me,” Ian said. He was referencing the fact that they both had frosted tips. Ego deflation.
Lizzy:
I saw the wonderful yogi and massage therapist, Kumi, for a miraculous massage. She worked into my right shoulder and my right arm literally felt shockwaves afterwards. I was drunk. But also extremely congested after laying on my stomach and this was when I knew I was really getting sick.
Alden:
Ian and I walked to the trendy coffee spot, Maru. The place was packed. We sat down on their little wooden benches and tried to work for a little. My hands are really dry, I complained. The girl sitting next to me gestured a L'Occitane hand cream in my direction. Thank you, I exclaimed. Not to get all Carrie Bradshaw, but, I couldn’t help but wonder if that would happen in New York.
I also received a spectacular massage by Kumi who has a really beautiful and kind touch.
We all got tacos at Playita Mariscos and talked about one of the only things we really know how to talk about – working. Then we popped over to the Glendale Galleria, which we all agreed was truly horrifying, to see Anora, which we seemed to all have varying opinions on.
Day 5:
Alden:
By this point Lizzy was sick.
Lizzy:
I was unwell. I stayed in bed re-watching Escape From Dannemora. The scene with Take Me To The Pilot playing is my favorite part.
Alden:
Ian and I woke up early to go surfing with Peter in Malibu. Whenever we come to LA it’s been our ritual to take lessons with Peter and then get Sun Life after. Afterwards we drove back to Silver Lake. Stopped by Erewhon. Stopped by Mohawk General. I was exhausted and had nothing left to say. Back to the apartment. The client I had dinner with Thursday recommended a lymphatic drainage person. I texted him the second she shared his contact.
He came over with a very bare bones massage table. Told me to lie down and then produced to rub the most absurd amounts of synthetic smelling body oil all over me with plastic gloves on. Anthony then began applying the most rigorous massage I’ve ever felt in my life. “Feel that?” “That just released,” Anthony said, proudly. He told me he almost worked on Kim Kardashian. Ian saw him next. Lizzy and I stood outside the door hysterically laughing listening to him moan in pain each time Anthony worked on “releasing his lymph.”
Lizzy, Ian, and I met our friend Ali for dinner at All Time and really got to experience why everyone loves this restaurant. It was a Good Time.
Lizzy:
I left on the red eye from hell. I spent the descent of the flight doubled over in pain as my sinuses were a wreck and my ear wouldn’t pop. From the moment I got to LA I knew deep down I was getting sick. I convinced myself that Emmie, Kyle, Tracy, David, Rory’s, Kumi, Maru, lypo-spheric vitamin C and Wellness Formula would fix me. It did not. What I needed was real rest. I was abruptly reminded of what real wellness means. My body was whispering signals to me and I ignored them. By the time I was on the flight home my body was now screaming at me. REST. I was cooked.
Day 6:
Alden:
On Ian and I’s last day we caught one last surf lesson with Peter in Malibu. I was so tired by the end that I could no longer stand up on the board. We headed back to Sun Life afterwards. I watched teenage girls in low-rise sweatpants and Bella Hadid-adjacent influencers with baby strollers enjoy $36 acai bowls. I flipped open the front-facing camera on my phone and noticed the sun had brought out some freckles on my nose and cheeks. I remind Ian that this could be our life too. He replies, “no, LA is cooked.”
This makes me want to book a trip to LA