The quarantine began in March and we’re still living in some level of self-isolation. As the August heat wave hit Los Angeles, the fans and portable air conditioner at home were fighting a losing battle. It was time to find ways to leave the house while maintaining health precautions. The best thing to do was stay in motion and stop only for food. Here’s how we got out of the house in the last month.

Road Trip to the Coast for Fish Tacos

We jumped in the car and hit the road, taking Grand to Venice and darting west. It was around 1 PM when we stopped for fish tacos and ceviche tostadas at Baja California Tacos just past Overland. We donned our face masks to get our order and retreated to the car for our meal. Then it was back on the road all the way to the beach, where we turned right and continued north to the Pacific Coast Highway. The countless beachgoers trying to make their way to crowded parking lots brought PCH to a crawl but the final leg of the drive would be worth the wait. We turned right on Sunset and flew through the twists and turns gaining the needed momentum to push us all the way home as the temperature began to dip for the evening.

Morning Hike in Elysian Park

The morning sun was just beginning to light the trailhead, which quickly took us away from the paved street where the car was parked. The beauty of Elysian Park trails is that hiking them is not meant to separate you from civilization. You hike Elysian Park to admire the city, not escape it. The 5 freeway wrapped around us with free-flowing traffic; a rare sight before COVID-19. We continued to climb and eventually crossed paths with two coyotes. One ran across the trail up the mountain while another camouflaged in shrubbery as we passed it. We capped the hike with platanos and an omelette from Gigi’s Bakery.

Doughnut Road Trip

The Donut Man has been serving up its legendary strawberry-filled doughnuts for nearly five decades in Glendora. Sure, a new location opened this year at the Grand Central Market but a pilgrimage to the San Gabriel valley meant we’d stay out all day. We stood in line for about half an hour (better than I expected when we first got there) to get the glorious treats and found a parking lot with tree shade to enjoy them fresh. Sweet tooth satisfied, we jumped back on Route 66 along the foothill cities to the open stretch of Santa Anita Park and all the way to Broadway through Lincoln Heights, the L.A. River and Chinatown.