This is a very special episode of Unpacked by Afar. This week, we hosted Unpacked Live — a live version of the podcast — in partnership with Visit California in Dallas, Texas. The event celebrated California's extraordinary creative landscape, and today's guest has been shaping the way Californians live, work, and gather for three decades. Barbara Bestor is the founder of Bestor Architecture, a Los Angeles studio she's led since 1995 — at a time when very few women were doing so. Her work spans coffee shops and corporate headquarters, wineries and community music centers, private homes and historic restorations. She's on the AD 100 list of top architects and designers and has been called one of the most influential architects working in LA today. In this episode, she shares her process, her influences, and the places in California that never stop inspiring her — from a former cult compound in Joshua Tree to a secret rooftop garden at Walt Disney Concert Hall. On this episode, you'll learn: • What "informal formalism" means — and why it's the best description of California's design DNA • How the LA fires, post-COVID remote work, and multi-generational households are reshaping what people want from their homes • Why adaptive reuse is finally having its moment in California • How to actually crack the code on Ojai and Big Sur (hint: find the vegan restaurant and ask your server) Travel recommendations from Barbara: Los Angeles Take the stairs at LA Phil to the rooftop garden Walk the Bradbury Building lobby (free; you'll recognize it from Blade Runner), then cross to Grand Central Market and ride Angel's Flight back up to MOCA. For neighborhoods: Melrose Hill is the current place to be; Magnolia and Victory Blvd in the Valley are time-capsule California. Northern California Stay in the original Charles Moore–designed Condominium One at Sea Ranch In the Bay Area, stay at the Julia Morgan–designed Berkeley City Club Ojai & Big Sur In Ojai, go to a vegan restaurant and ask your server where to go — that's how you find the hidden hot springs. Hotel El Roblar (designed by Ramin Shamshiri) is the new splurge hotel in Ojai. In Big Sur, Nepenthe is the move: a Wright-influenced 1950s restaurant with a giant patio and sweeping views. Joshua Tree Drive in from the top and exit at the low desert — two completely different biomes. Stay at the Institute of Mentalphysics, where the rooms were designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd Wright Catch a show at Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown, then detour to Palm Springs and take the Sunnylands tour for "peak high-sixties modernist golf living." Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:00 From Cambridge to California 00:04:00 What Informal Formalism Means 00:06:00 Designing for How We Live Now 00:09:00 California's Architectural Legacy 00:16:00 LA Neighborhoods Worth Exploring 00:23:00 An Architecture Tour of California 00:34:00 Joshua Tree and the Desert 00:39:00 Where Barbara Goes to Recharge Resources Bestor Architecture Explore the ⁠⁠Afar guide to California⁠ Watch the live recording of our Dallas event on YouTube. Listen to our other Unpacked Live episodes featuring Roderick Wyllie and Obi Kaufmann. Be sure to subscribe to the show and sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠Behind the Mic⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us, and ⁠⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠⁠, where we spotlight the people and ideas shaping the future of travel. Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠Airwave Media⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Architect's California: From LA's Secret Garden to the Magic of Joshua Tree

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This is a very special episode of Unpacked by Afar. This week, we hosted Unpacked Live — a live version of the podcast — in partnership with Visit California in Dallas, Texas. The event celebrated California's extraordinary creative landscape, and today's guest has been shaping the way Californians live, work, and gather for three decades.  Barbara Bestor is the founder of Bestor Architecture, a Los Angeles studio she's led since 1995 — at a time when very few women were doing so. Her work spans coffee shops and corporate headquarters, wineries and community music centers, private homes and historic restorations. She's on the AD 100 list of top architects and designers and has been called one of the most influential architects working in LA today.   In this episode, she shares her process, her influences, and the places in California that never stop inspiring her — from a former cult compound in Joshua Tree to a secret rooftop garden at Walt Disney Concert Hall.  On this episode, you'll learn: • What "informal formalism" means — and why it's the best description of California's design DNA • How the LA fires, post-COVID remote work, and multi-generational households are reshaping what people want from their homes • Why adaptive reuse is finally having its moment in California • How to actually crack the code on Ojai and Big Sur (hint: find the vegan restaurant and ask your server)  Travel recommendations from Barbara:  Los Angeles     Take the stairs at LA Phil to the rooftop garden     Walk the Bradbury Building lobby (free; you'll recognize it from Blade Runner), then cross to Grand Central Market and ride Angel's Flight back up to MOCA.     For neighborhoods: Melrose Hill is the current place to be; Magnolia and Victory Blvd in the Valley are time-capsule California.   Northern California      Stay in the original Charles Moore–designed Condominium One at Sea Ranch      In the Bay Area, stay at the Julia Morgan–designed Berkeley City Club    Ojai & Big Sur     In Ojai, go to a vegan restaurant and ask your server where to go — that's how you find the hidden hot springs.      Hotel El Roblar (designed by Ramin Shamshiri) is the new splurge hotel in Ojai.     In Big Sur, Nepenthe is the move: a Wright-influenced 1950s restaurant with a giant patio and sweeping views.   Joshua Tree      Drive in from the top and exit at the low desert — two completely different biomes.     Stay at the Institute of Mentalphysics, where the rooms were designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd Wright    Catch a show at Pappy and Harriet's in Pioneertown, then detour to Palm Springs and take the Sunnylands tour for "peak high-sixties modernist golf living."   Chapters   00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:00 From Cambridge to California 00:04:00 What Informal Formalism Means 00:06:00 Designing for How We Live Now 00:09:00 California's Architectural Legacy 00:16:00 LA Neighborhoods Worth Exploring 00:23:00 An Architecture Tour of California 00:34:00 Joshua Tree and the Desert 00:39:00 Where Barbara Goes to Recharge    Resources     Bestor Architecture  Explore the ⁠⁠Afar guide to California⁠    Watch the live recording of our Dallas event on YouTube.    Listen to our other Unpacked Live episodes featuring Roderick Wyllie and Obi Kaufmann.   Be sure to subscribe to the show and sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠Behind the Mic⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us, and ⁠⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠⁠, where we spotlight the people and ideas shaping the future of travel.   Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠Airwave Media⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unpacked by Afar is your weekly guide to where to go, how to travel, and everything worth unpacking in between. Each week, host Aislyn Greene and the Afar team travel the world and dig into the big questions behind every great trip, from the best new hotels and national parks to traveling more responsibly. Some weeks we follow a story through music, food, and culture. Others we tackle a tricky topic, share our favorite destinations, or help you plan where to go next. Because the travel world is complicated. We're here to help you unpack it.

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