Ted Winterer's Top Destinations: Ocean, Mountains

When I caught up with Planning Commissioner and 2010 City Council candidate Ted Winterer for an interview, it was hard to whittle down his favorite aspects of Santa Monica to just a few. We met at  on Main St., one of his favorite hangouts—but it was only the tip of the iceberg, in terms of where he loves to go.

Here are four more of Winterer's favorite spots in SM:

1. "I happen to love this Ocean Park neighborhood," he said. "It's very conducive to walk [around]. When I'm done here, I'll walk to the post office and walk home or meet my family at the food trucks. We [often] go out for dinner on Main St.

"Every time I walk around, there are people I know and get to say hello to," he continued. "There's a real big sense of community, and that's important when you live in a big metropolis, to feel connected to [other people] emotionally."

2. "I'm a big fan of the farmers markets," Winterer said.

3. "I try to look at the ocean at least once a day. More often than not, I'll take the dogs for a walk on the pedestrian path in the morning. I find it very soothing; it reminds me of why I live here," said Winterer, who previously resided in New York.

4. "I also greatly enjoy our relatively close proximity to the local mountains. You can pack the car and go for a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains and get away from it all. [Or] go skiing in the San Gabriel mountains," he added.