InsideHook LA Best of May

These hills don’t have eyes – but we do. This month, we scoured high and low for destinations that might have flown under your radar, from a country club with race cars to a secret cocktail society to a hike into Cold War California. Enjoy the Best of May.

Spring Mountain Motor Resort
Say hello to Spring Mountain Motor Resort, a stately country club with supercar test drives and a firing range. Manned by a former NASCAR champ and run by Radical Racing, Spring Mountain is where you go when you’re serious about speed. Read on.

Nike-Ajax Missile Hike
Los Angeles, these hills once bristled with nukes. Today, the remains of ‘50s Army outposts make for excellent hikes. Introducing the Nike-Ajax Missile Hike in San Vicente Mountain Park, a trek into the heart of Cold War-era California. Read on.

The Whaling Club
We’re happy to introduce you to The Whaling Club: a semi-secret cocktail concern that meets in the West Hollywood apartment of bartender Dan Scott (of Son of a Gun fame) and his partner Marie Buck, taking RSVPs now. Read on.

Garrett Leight
Arthur Miller and Hunter S. Thompson had a few things in common. A love for the typewritten word. A fondness for blondes. And sunglasses. Celebrating all of that, but especially the sunnies: Garrett Leight’s Icons Collection. Read on.

Paper or Plastik
Gents: whither the perfect date spot? A spot that impresses with food and ambience, but isn’t oppressively haute. A spot that just gets out of your way. That spot is Paper or Plastik. It’s one of LA’s lesser-known dining gems, and they now serve dinner. Read on.

And from our “Momentous Human Accomplishments” department …

InsideHook San Francisco
Now bringing you the best in outdoor action, extraordinary dining, local travel, culture and more in the Bay Area. First up: master the art of kitesurfing with a real captain. Check it out.

Man of the Month
At 21, he crossed the Sahara alone. A decade later, he summitted Mount Everest. Now he’s returned from a North Pole trek. Meet Gavin Bate, InsideHook’s Man of the Month for May. Check it out.