DESTINATION: TOPANGA – A Guide, A Map, A Love Letter, Part I

Diana Mathur
Jun 15
3 min read

Updated: Jun 19

Cover photo by Miriam Geer Designed by Nira Lichten

It was high time to update DESTINATION: TOPANGA the Chamber of Commerce’s Guide & Directory last published before the pandemic. A call came from Chamber President Ron Fomalont, asking me to spearhead its revival. (I'm on the board, Publications Chair.) That 'yes' kicked off a rich Canyon-wide collaboration.

The original Guide was created by Bruce Royer and Nira Lichten, with subsequent editions put out by Joseph Rosendo and others.

This time, our team included Ron, Joseph, Robyn Bensinger (Home Productions US), Dianne Porchia and Max Kramer—each of them a Topanga stalwart.

We had a deadline: Launch the new edition at Topanga Days 2025.

Funding came partially courtesy of LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and the Business Interruption Fund, a lifeline after the months-long closure of Topanga Canyon Boulevard in 2024; and partially through advertising sales.

Miriam Geer donated her luminous photography, including the daisy-drenched cover image (above). Miriam’s photos appear throughout the Guide.

Nobody has captured Topanga's beauty more than Miriam Geer. It was a challenge to choose from among her photos. Here are a couple of stunning ones we didn't have room for.

Nira Lichten, veteran of The Malibu Times and Canyon Chronicle, worked from Haifa, Israel to design the booklet and half its ads. She understands Topanga’s soul—and she also happens to be a phenomenal photographer. Several of her images are featured in the pages of Destination: Topanga.

Topanga homeboy Wes Mathur shared some epic panoramics showing the canyon in all its glory—hiking trails, bike routes, and wide-open wild. We had to pick just one, but here are some other favorites we didn't have room for.

A sweet social scene.

Dog-walkers on Callon.

Diana, Bosco, Jane Marla Robbins, Dancer and Ricky.

Kris Mathur on the trail.

Artieque Trail - after a fire.

Wes is a cinematographer, drone cameraman, and influencer.

Follow Wes Mathur Media and

Travel Japan with Wes Mathur

on TikTok and YouTube.

David Dayan-Fischer contributed art from his “Love” series.

Matt Doolin's Topanga Art Tiles graced the back cover.

I dove into the copywriting trying to capture the mash-up of legend, contemporary commerce, and creativity that is today’s Topanga Canyon. From surf to summit, twisty trails to tucked-away studios, the place hums with aspiration, incense, and mushroom lattes. After thirty years of living here, I still found new gems—people I’d somehow missed. We’re visionaries, artists, healers, scientists, and industry folks. We hike, we dance, we protest, and we party (all in one weekend). Updating the events calendar felt like stitching together a quilt—woven with festivals, food trucks, film nights, and drum circles.

The Soul of a Canyon, Mapped

We commissioned Topanga Muralist Tim “Pidge” Jobst to craft a Visitor Fun Map. From the Flying Pig to Owl Falls, Pidge captured the story of the town’s brick-and-mortar businesses. He roamed the boulevard, canvas under his arm, chatting with shopkeepers and drawing out the essence of each storefront.

His subtitle: “Topanga Canyon—A Beautiful Place to Live, A Fun Place to Visit,” is true on both counts. He even slipped in a game: How Many Coyotes Can You Find? (Clue: They’re sneakier than you think, blending into the hills and hollows. The answer’s on the Chamber website.)

Robyn watches Pidge add a few details at Topanga Living Cafe.

Georgia Saroj, a Topanga native and digital artist, colored and fine-tuned the map, right down to the blue tree behind the Community House and the biplane jungle gym at Children’s Corner Preschool.

Topanga Chamber of Commerce Visitor Fun Map 2025

Robyn, the Chamber Board and I asked past supporters to renew ads and wooed new advertisers. We updated the Chamber’s membership roster. Before long, the project started feeling less like a directory and more like a high school yearbook—it would be a printed marker of us, right here, right now. The more characters we included, the truer the snapshot would be. We placed several ads in Topanga New Times inviting the whole town to be part of Destination: Topanga.