Greetings from LA

On Top of the World at San Jacinto Peak

Sat, 05 May 2012 20:51:12 +0000

Back in February, I vowed to return to the San Jacinto wilderness and make it to the top of San Jacinto Peak. Little did I realize how soon I’d get the opportunity. As soon as I shared with friend D how great the hiking there is, she decided that I needed to return with her. [...]

Southland Craft Breweries

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:34:57 +0000

Although this post was prompted by a brewery visit last weekend, its genesis was actually a few weeks back, when Mom was in town. Looking for a lunch spot on a wet, windy Sunday, I remembered that I had wanted to check out Golden Road Brewing , one of the latest additions to the growing [...]

Hidden Desert Wonders

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:09:02 +0000

It started with an e-mail from my friend D: Ok, I have some new cool things to see and do in the desert next time…check out the oasis reserve in 1000 palms…incredible..good hiking, tours, on top of the San Andreas fault….fascinating. Also some cool places in Indio…. I was intrigued. And given how many trips [...]

Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt at the Arclight

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 03:55:18 +0000

It’s very cool to live in a city where you can regularly bump into celebrities. Busy Phillips in particular seems to be following me around. I’ve now seen her at breakfast at 3 different places. Yesterday L mentioned that it was opening night for a new movie at the Arclight Hollywood: Friends with Kids, and [...]

Only in LA – The Cupcake ATM

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 03:42:25 +0000

Before I moved to Southern California, I saw the movie LA Story. From earthquakes to rollerblading to freeway shootings of bottled water trucks, it poked fun at life in the City of Angels. There are certain things that Angelenos take for granted that we East Coasters would just shake our heads at. Now we can [...]

The Rock Arrives

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:27:42 +0000

In for a penny, in for a pound. After having seen the 340 ton boulder en route, I figured I should go all the way and watch it arrive at LACMA. Or perhaps I just wanted to prove that I could still stay up after 10PM, since it wasn’t set to arrive until the wee [...]

LACMA – California Design, a Big Toy and a Rock

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:47:55 +0000

Sometimes days take a 180 degree turn. Mine literally did today. I was suited up and driving to work, when I had a strong urge to take a personal day. With little on the calendar, it seemed a good opportunity to do so. I got the nagging errands out of the way. Then I needed [...]

Desert Getaway Part II: The Mountain

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:06:58 +0000

California never ceases to amaze me with its diversity of terrain and climate. In the course of minutes you can go from desert to mountains. Indeed, that’s what I did yesterday when visiting Palm Springs. Friend P and I took the aerial tramway from the valley up to the mountain, a 10 minute ride ascending [...]

Desert Getaway Part I: The Valley

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:45:13 +0000

When I moved to California, I failed to comprehend the appeal of the desert. I held that view for my first ten years here. But it has slowly grown on me – to the point, in fact, when I’ve visited 4 times already this season. And winter is definitely the desert’s time to shine: warm, [...]

An Overnight To San Diego on Pullman Sleepers

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:16:38 +0000

Uh oh. I wish someone would have warned me, because I think I’ve become addicted to train travel. In retrospect, I shouldn’t be surprised. I used to love getting on the old Erie Lackawana to visit the big city, and my first overnight train – a trip to Orlando – was a great adventure spent [...]