A Didion-Inspired Day in Malibu

We followed in the footsteps of Joan Didion up the Malibu coast, inspired by an article about the author’s homes in CA. Orchids, secret beaches, and french fries added up to a perfect peak summer day.

Angelenos have their ways of enjoying the Pacific, from meeting up for sunset picnics under the lifeguard towers, to joining beach clubs, to cruising the coast during off-season months. Most of us avoid Malibu in peak season but August makes me itch for sand between my toes. Maybe I’m missing the East Coast, but should we be depriving ourselves of the splendid coastline just because out-of-towners are flocking to it?

I couldn’t resist, so grabbed a friend and went for a mid-week adventure up the coast. We sailed past the busy enclaves of Cross Creek, past Point Dume, and slowed around Zuma, enticed to explore the magical environs of Trancas and beyond. This wilder part of Malibu was Joan Didion territory, as I learned from last year’s Atlantic article by Caitlin Flanagan, who wrote about her pilgrimage to visit Didion’s homes in California. I loved the article because it succinctly captures how a certain generation was deeply affected by Didion’s life and perspective. Best of all, looking out at the ocean from the same vantage as Didion helped me imagine what life was like 50 years ago along this wild and storied coast.