Trina Turk on California & Design: Insider's Guide to L.A., Palm Springs & Sea Ranch

California Girl and fashion icon Trina Turk is known and loved for her bold prints and affinity for all things mid-century modern. She splits her time between the Los Angeles creative enclave of Silver Lake and homes in Palm Springs and the Sea Ranch (a Sonoma Coast hideaway for architecture fiends). Here, she shares her favorite places to eat, shop and explore in each.

How long have you spent time in the Sea Ranch? What first drew you there?

TT: The Sea Ranch is an architectural community on the Sonoma Coast, about 100 miles north of San Francisco. We (my late husband Jonathan Skow and I) first visited in 2007 as weekend renters. We were enthralled by the juxtaposition of miles of trails, dramatic coastline, tide-pool beaches, serene meadows, cypress hedgerows and a particular style of California modernist architecture based on the sheep barn vernacular of the area’s past. We rented several houses over the years, and had no intention of buying there, until the compact 1966 house that founding Sea Ranch architect Joseph Esherick designed for his own family became available. The latest evolution of the area has been an influx of new full- and part-time residents during Covid, a complete restoration of the original 1960s Sea Ranch Lodge, which serves as a community hub, and the re-evaluation of what it means to “live lightly on the land” in an era of climate change. This was a tenet of the original Sea Ranch founders.

Why should more travelers have this place—for a first or return visit—on their list?

TT: The Sea Ranch maintains a quiet vibe that is an antidote to the craziness of Los Angeles, and having grown up in Northern California, it evokes memories of a simpler time. More travelers should not necessarily have this place on their list—it’s not for everyone! First of all, it’s remote. Getting to The Sea Ranch involves driving along a spectacular, but windy, stretch of Highway 1 that is constantly being maintained, sometimes resulting in short waits along the way. If you’re looking for scene-y shops, restaurants and nightlife, this is not your place. On the other hand, if you enjoy stargazing, a 10-mile bluff trail along the Pacific ocean with crashing waves on one side and intriguing architecture on the other, redwood forest walks, sunset viewing with a glass of local wine, or just curling up with a good book—this is the place for you.

How does the Sea Ranch inspire your work for the Trina Turk brand?

TT: The Sea Ranch is more likely to inspire a fall collection than spring or summer—a more subdued color palette, with browns, greens and the deep teal of the ocean.

Are there any new projects you are working on that you are excited about?

TT: Next year is our 30th in business for Trina Turk, so we’re working on a special Anniversary Collection for Spring 2025. I’m also excited about our forays into the world of home décor, which include new patterns added to the Trina Turk Indoor/Outdoor for Schumacher printed textile collection, a collaboration with the carpet tile company FLOR, and our upcoming collection of concrete tiles with Tesselle, which will launch this fall.

What is your favorite place for breakfast or a coffee?

• L.A.: Intelligentsia in Silver Lake or Canyon Coffee in Echo Park for coffee; for breakfast, Marco Polo at The Silver Lake Pool & Inn.
• Palm Springs: Koffi for coffee; Palm Greens Café for the Green Goddess smoothie.
• The Sea Ranch: Pastries and coffee at The Sea Ranch Lodge. If you happen to be in the town 30 minutes north of The Sea Ranch—Point Arena—Franny’s Cup and Saucer is a tiny bakery with excellent sweet and savory baked goods. (They have limited hours, so check their website before you go.)

Favorite places for lunch?

• Palm Springs: The Pantry at Holiday House—lunch poolside in an intimate setting of resort-y blue and white décor. Or the old favorite Norma’s at the Parker Hotel under colorful scalloped sunshades designed by Jonathan Adler. I love the lobster and mango salad there. In High Desert—La Copine in Flamingo Heights; it’s worth the drive!

Favorite places for dinner?

• L.A.: Yangban downtown for a Korean American menu full of intriguing dishes with surprising flavors. Saffy’s for Middle Eastern home-style cooking in an Art Deco building in Hollywood.
• Palm Springs: Bar Cecil is a little jewel box of a restaurant and bar, so small that it’s hard to get a reservation. I’ll meet a friend there early to dine at the bar.
• The Sea Ranch: A 30-minute drive north is the quaint town of Point Arena, where you’ll find Gama, serving coastal izakaya—essentially Japanese tapas—accompanied by a wide range of sake and Japanese beers.

Favorite place for a drink with friends?

• L.A.: Dada on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park with the entrance in the back. It's chic and chill—with a delicious kumquat and fennel margarita.
• The Sea Ranch: If the weather is nice, there’s nothing better than sitting on the deck at The Sea Ranch Lodge with drinks, friends—and the really good French fries from the bar menu—to watch the sunset. (Or you can watch with a glass of wine from your architectural rental house, which can be found through Sea Ranch Escape; The Sea Ranch Lodge also represents some homes.)

Favorite museum or cultural institution to visit over again?

• L.A.: The Getty, not only for the exhibitions, but for the view, and LACMA to see how the construction is going.
• Palm Springs: The Palm Springs Art Museum and its satellite Architecture & Design Center in a restored mid-century bank building.

What is your favorite local ritual and why?

• L.A.: The PCC Flea Market on the first Sunday of every month.
• Palm Springs: The Palm Springs Vintage Market on the first Sunday of every month, from October through May.
• The Sea Ranch: The Soroptimist architectural tour, which happens every year in May around Mother’s Day.

Favorite neighborhood to wander in?

• L.A.: I love looking at the variety of architecture in the homes in my Los Feliz/Silver Lake neighborhood.
• Palm Springs: The Twin Palms, Canyon View Estates, Vista Las Palmas (especially Rose Avenue) and Deepwell neighborhoods are all great for walking, with some flavor of classic Palm Springs mid-century architecture.

Favorite wellness ritual or outdoor activity?

• L.A.: The Griffith Park Trails for early morning or sunset hikes.
• Palm Springs: Murray Canyon in Indian Canyons, a natural palm oasis with a creek. It's different in every season, but the most beautiful in the spring.
• The Sea Ranch: Walking along the Bluff Trail, with stops at Black Point Beach or any of the other five beaches there. Getting there is a bit of an adventure itself. It’s a beautiful drive from the Bay Area, whether you go through Lucas Valley Road to the coast (maybe stopping for BBQ oysters at The Marshall Store) or up the 101 and through Guerneville and the Russian River Valley.

Favorite places to shop?

• L.A.: If you need a gift, OK is a great shop to find something perfect for you or your design-oriented friend (there are locations on West 3rd Street and Silver Lake).
• Palm Springs: Trina Turk / Mr Turk for something optimistic to wear in Palm Springs, Palm Beach or any resort destination. Our new neighbor on Palm Canyon Drive, Phylum, carries beautifully curated modern housewares. Bon Vivant for vintage jewelry and decorative accessories for the home. MarketMarket for vintage and repurposed goods. Super Simple for chic, mostly neutral home décor items. The Frippery for vintage clothing.

Favorite “hidden gem” places you love to revisit?

• L.A.: The Hollyhock House, a Frank Lloyd Wright home from the 1920s, which is now open to the public. The Eames House in the Pacific Palisades. The Vista Theater in Los Feliz.
• Palm Springs: The Frey II House is situated on the hillside amongst the rocks above Palm Springs. It’s the ultimate bachelor pad that Albert Frey designed for himself. It's open to visit through the Palm Springs Art Museum during the high season, and it's closed in the summer.
• The Sea Ranch: The Sea Ranch Chapel is a non-denominational organic modernism from the early 1980s.

Lightning Round:

Where are you traveling to next? Sea Ranch, this month. Washington state to visit my 94-year-old mom in July. Shelter Island and Block Island in August. Venice and Milan in October.

What items are always in your carry-on? For long flights, dark chocolate, the Laniege lip sleeping mask, silicone earplugs, an eye mask and a good book.

Do you have a favorite travel ritual? The week before a trip, as I come across clothing and accessories I’d like to take, I pile them on the bed in my guest bedroom, then make the final edit the day before departure. Many travel articles talk about packing an all-neutral travel wardrobe, but I can’t do it! I always pack a few colorful, unusual pieces that spark conversation and make for memorable photos.