Ralph's place is a total gem! It is large and bright, a perfect retreat. We were looking for somewhere that made us feel far from LA but was not a long trip. We couldn't decide on beach or mountains and I fee like we got both with Ralph's. It was 15 minutes to the beach, and also 15 minutes to Starbuck and a movie theatre going the other way. And then while you are actually at the cottage, you are in a vinyard on the side of a canyon - the trees are literally one foot from all the windows! The views are spectacular. TIP: while getting there is easy, you feel you need to have a car, as you can't really walk or bike anywhere easily. I would also suggest having a full tank of gas and be prepared for a very very steep driveway that, while common to LA, feels like an achievment in engineering to anyone used to flat places. Ralph was in the process of fixing up the outdoor area which was great and I imagine will only get better.