Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga

We almost got married here despite it being double the price. It's a worthy price with this view, though - this is clearly where fairytales are made.

Fortunately, if an entire wedding isn't within your budget, you can still treat yourself to breakfast or lunch at a creekside table. 

Let the beautiful breeze cool your Cappuccino and marvel at the magic of the tiny stick of rock candy you swirl to sweeten to taste.

Listen to the water trickle as you peruse a menu full of familiar sandos and plates. Place your order with the server who might be the most genuinely sweet stranger I've ever met. She's down-to-earth but has a way of making you feel like you matter.

You'll feel like royalty when you dig into the Duck Bacon Omelette, a fluffy egg filled with sweet, melt-in-mouth chunks of duck belly and strips of brie and caramelized onion. Take a break with the side of purple potatoes and fresh salad with simple vinaigrette. The portions are generous, and this dish alone is almost enough for two.

Even a simple wrap has a layer of luxury; The Shrimp & Green Papaya Wrap is a lighter option. Cold papaya adds a refreshing crunch to tender jumbo prawns, bolstered by leaves of fresh mint. The flavors meld with the background of rustling branches and cheeping birds. Fries are crisp and cut, clearly right out of the fryer. 

The food here is simple, nothing you haven't seen before, but that's the best part about this place. Everything is so beautiful, yet it's so relatable to the life you know and love. I’m the kind of person who experiences physical pain at any mention of fairies in the forest, but even on my worst day, I can’t not marvel at the magic of this place, and I'll always say yes to seeing it again.