After a very chilly winter, I recently reunited with my bike. I’ve been cycling around the sun-drenched hills of Los Angeles, where I’m living for a few weeks while house swapping with a friend, and bucolic Sonoma County, where I spent a dreamy weekend at a new hotel (more on that below!).

While I always try to take advantage of warm weather with long bike rides, I’m back in the saddle and rebuilding my endurance for a very specific reason: my dad invited me to participate in AIDS/LifeCycle, a seven day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles, with him and his United Airlines team (he works as a ramp agent in Denver!). If I’m planning to cycle from San Francisco to L.A. in June to raise money for a very important cause, I’m going to need to whip myself into shape.

I’m looking forward to the physical challenge of the ride, but I’m even more excited to spend time on two wheels with my dad. We have a long history of cycling in our family: my dad was once a top competitive cyclist, and when my brothers and I each turned 13, he took us on our own father-son, multi-day cycling trip. I’ll never forget riding through the Rocky Mountains from Breckenridge to Glenwood Springs together.

When I re-engaged with the sport as an adult, my dad gifted me the Schwinn Paramount bicycle he used to race in 1973. It’s currently being restored at a shop in Brooklyn, and I can’t wait to experience the retro ride in all its glory. For the AIDS/LifeCycle fundraiser, however, I’ll be riding my Canyon Endurace, which packs up easily for traveling with the help of my Orucase bike travel bag.

I was also especially touched that my dad asked me to join him in supporting AIDS research. Growing up in a home rooted in conservative Christianity, I never imagined we would be cycling for a cause so closely tied to the LGBTQ community. If you’d like to support and cheer us on, you can donate to my fund here and to my dad’s fund here. It would mean the world to me.

Favorite links this week

MY NEXT BINGE

I can’t stop watching the new-to-Netflix series Old Enough, a Japanese television show where very young children run mundane errands. Watching three year olds complete tasks like picking up groceries on their own is both impressive and utterly heartwarming.

MARTINIS FOREVER

According to Grub Street, martinis are having a renaissance. Once reserved for dignified people in fancy places, the martini is now being enjoyed by the masses, well, everywhere. Though I’ve always appreciated a good martini, I’m glad to hear the youths are catching on.

A NEW-OLD AESTHETIC

What do Jody Williams and Rita Sodi’s celebrated Shaker-inspired tavern and the controversial “cottagecore” shop from The Wing founder Audrey Gelman have in common? They’re both a response to a booming demand for a countryside aesthetic that’s—apparently—now trending.

THE MADRONA

Last weekend, I made a quick visit north to Sonoma County to check out The Madrona, a new boutique hotel in Healdsburg, California. With 24 beautifully-designed guest rooms on eight acres of lush property, it’s an intimate, jaw-droppingly gorgeous wine country getaway.

The six buildings that compose The Madrona were originally constructed as a gabled private residence in 1881, when the Aesthetic Movement celebrated beauty for beauty’s sake. Co-owner and designer Jay Jeffers honored that sentiment as he reimagined each space with a modern-day interpretation of that late 19th-century look. He maintained historic features like tall ceilings, bay windows, and ornate fireplaces, while adding ebonized mahogany furnishings and animal motifs throughout the art and fabrics.

In addition to the luxe accommodations, the hotel’s restaurant is a serious draw. Helmed by Michelin-starred chef Jesse Mallgren, the all-day establishment offers Northern California cuisine crafted with ingredients from the on-site garden and neighboring farm. Guests can enjoy their meals in the cozy indoor dining room or on the airy Palm Terrace. Casual bites and drinks (don’t sleep on the impressive cocktail program!) are served on the wraparound front porch, in the parlor, and at Hannah’s Bar, which is named for the one-time matriarch of the place.

While the property is steeped in history, it still provides all the modern amenities travelers seek. Relax by the heated pool, warm up by a fire pit, or workout at the fitness studio, which is equipped with Peloton Bikes, a Tonal Smart Gym, and more. When I wasn’t touring the valley on my own wheels, I was taking the complimentary Van Moof electric bike for a spin into . The finishing touch? Luxurious bath products from Flamingo Estate. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

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