Getting the flavor of … A historic mission and hacienda, and more

A historic mission and hacienda

The vibe at Fort Hunter Liggett north of Monterey, Calif., is “decidedly eclectic,” said Jane Engle in the Los Angeles Times. The Army’s main reserve training center in the West, this fort comprises 160,000 acres of scrubland and mountains. Its architectural style can be described as “Mission-era California meets Desert Storm meets Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Yet the fort is home to two architectural treasures—the Mission San Antonio de Padua, founded by Spanish padres in 1771, and an “imposing hacienda” by Julia Morgan, the architect who designed San Simeon for publishing baron William Randolph Hearst. The “lovingly restored” mission includes the original burned-brick facade, a bronze bell from 1813, an 1820s well, and a mill house. On exhibit at its indoor museum are a 1771 holy-water font and a 1798 violin “crafted by the son of a Mission Indian.” The hacienda, a half-mile away, originally served as headquarters for Hearst’s ranch staff. Contact:Missionsanantonio.net

‘The most famous ZIP code on Earth’

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Beverly Hills is back, said Andrea Sachs in The Washington Post. Beverly Hills 90210, that is—the television show named after “the most famous ZIP code on Earth.” The revived show on the CW network—now called just 90210—means the high-end neighborhood northwest of downtown Los Angeles will again be a destination for visitors with a taste for vicarious luxury. The boundaries of the 5.7-square-mile postal code start at “Britney Spears’ house and extend” to Wilshire Boulevard. Its main cultural institution, the Paley Center for Media, is “a vision of white and glass designed by the modernist Richard Meier.” Rodeo Drive is a “catwalk of couture,” full of stores showcasing the designs of Prada, Gucci, and others. To tour the residential hills, take a ride on the Beverly Hills Trolley. Legendary names are “dropped on nearly every corner”—Gene Kelly, Clark Gable, William Randolph Hearst. The Polo Lounge, “a venerable gathering place” of power players and actors, is a good spot to glimpse celebrities.

Contact: Beverlyhillsbehere.com