A day of sunshine, sand and non-stop smiles.Few things can cure the mid-winter blues faster than a spirited drive up the California coast in… [Read More]The post First Drive: 2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible appeared first on Pursuitist.

A day of sunshine, sand and non-stop smiles.Few things can cure the mid-winter blues faster than a spirited drive up the California coast in an open-topped car on a sunny day. How do I know this" On February 10 under the slate gray midwestern skies, I boarded a plane bound for LA where waiting for me was a Caribbean Aqua 2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible. The day I spent behind the wheel and under the sun did more to cure my Seasonal Affective Disorder than a fistful of Wellbutrin and binge watching reruns of Baywatch ever could.But before I could drive I had to be briefed on the new Mini Convertible and the changes that had been made for this new model. That meant a group dinner at The Commissary, one of Roy Choi?s signature restaurants in The Line Hotel. We were treated to a variety of dishes that epitomize modern California cuisine, including grilled lettuce with pear, bacon and avocado; cauliflower steak with curry, parmesan and yellow sauce; chicken confit, pan-roasted scallops; veal short rib stew among other things.The Line Hotel itself is an appropriately funky place in Koreatown, where the rooms feature sleek, modern furniture and the walls are poured concrete. With large windows on one wall overlooking the Hollywood hills, i...