Juice Cleanse (aka 72 hours without food!)

Today makes one week since I aced my first-ever juice cleanse. I went 72 hours (that's three days!) without food, and I'm pretty ecstatic.

A proper cleanse to reboot my system had been high on my to-do list, but I worried about the no food ground rule. Could I go a day, or heck, three hours, without chewing ... something? Eek!

But alas, I had come down with a bad cold and my appetite dissapeared along with my energy, making it now-or-never timing.

Each morning I picked up nutrient-rich juices from Pressed Juicery, which offers comprehensive juice cleanse programs at three locations in L.A.

I did Cleanse #1, the easiest plan where you drink six special juices every two hours along with chlorophyll for hydration as needed and aloe vera an hour before bed for digestion. Two "greens," or vegetable-based juices, and two "roots" are joined by a "detox" juice and an "almond milk" concoction that is brilliantly left for last so you have something scrumptious to pine for.

From my hair that's miraculously shinier to my skin, legs and digestive system that's been a rock star, the cleanse has brought about some fantastic results.

I plan to do one every three or four months, and my mom is even thinking of having these little juices shipped her way so she can see what the new-age fuss is about!

Let's Be Spontaneous!

On Wednesday I decided to be spontaneous.

I saw The Pinker Tones, a cool electronica pop duo from Barcelona, at the El Rey Theatre with my friend Carlie -- though we had planned to hang out, we decided to check out the band on a whim since I scored free tickets.

We weren't sure what to expect upon entering the stunning art deco theatre that was pretty empty, but we got white wine and decided to hey, just go with it. The opening band took the stage with gusto and rocked out with fiesty pop songs that recalled David Bowie and fun, playful '80s tunes.

The Pinker Tones took the stage about 10 PM and slipped behind a huge white table that held iPads and techy devices to help them guide the energizing dance music from one song to the next. And there we were, dancing on the front lines.

Thank god I didn't lose my voice, as we became fans in a matter of minutes and expressed our vocal appreciation each time one cool dance song gave way to another.

It was a fabulous way to end a Wednesday -- and a wise note to self that I seek to expect the unexpected!

The Pinker Tones live at the El Rey Theatre

The Mission Inn

On Thursday I drove about 60 miles west of L.A., after breaking through horrendous "Obama traffic" as we call it (the President had just arrived in L.A. for George Clooney's fundraising party).

But my destination was well worth the three hour and then some drive -- I went to The Mission Inn. It's a gorgeous castle-like hotel and National Historic Landmark in Riverside near Palm Springs.

I'm now working with the hotel, and wow, I love its stunning hybrid architecure that goes from mission revival-style to gothic and features such cool elements as spiral staircases, bell towers, romantic balconies, a Spanish patio, flying buttresses and even two chapels. It's a kid's dream!

A favorite moment of the overnight visit was a docent tour at 10 AM where I explored the hotel's nooks and crannies with a knowledgeable guide while learning about its fascinating history. It has hosted royalty, titans of industry and big stars like Bette Davis and Clark Gable. President Richard Nixon got married there and President Ronald Reagan honeymooned at the hotel.

If only these walls could talk!

It looks like Europe!

President Nixon was married in front of this very fireplace

The chapel is beyond stunning

Chicago: Part II

After the excitement in downtown Chicago, I went to Brookfield for my cousin Casey's wedding at the Brookfield Zoo.

It was wonderful to hang out with a lot of my family who I don't see all the time since I'm way yonder in California -- I caught up and laughed with mom and dad, aunts and uncles, cousins and my grandparents who are amazing.

The rehearsal dinner was that Friday night, followed by the big day. Grey, damp skies threatened, but by the time the ceremony started that early evening, no showers would rain on this party!

The ceremony took place in a covered pavilion, with bright white everywhere from the walkway and platform to the chairs. The bride, Kelsie, stunned in a simple white halter-style dress with pretty little flowers adorning her upswept hair. They're a tall pair, and look great together. It was a lovely ceremony.

Then came some adventure -- we hopped on the zoo's tram and whisked away to the cocktail hour inside the monkey and gorilla exhibit! The big, burly gorillas and cute monkeys were just feet away in the trees or on the rocks as we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and drinks.

The tram then zipped us to the reception location where we'd end the night with a nice dinner and dancing. I really enjoyed dancing with my little cousins, Emily and Jake, who are adorable and just really neat. A good time was had by all!

Me with grandma and grandpa just before the wedding ceremony.

Casey and Kelsie just before saying "I Do." Don't they look perfect together?

Jake and Emily, my comrades during the cocktail hour with the monkeys and gorillas.

Chicago: Part I

Springtime in Chicago is a treat. I dug in last weekend when I visited my high school pal, Erica, before going on to my cousin's playful wedding at Brookfield Zoo.

From gleaming tulips that illuminated from every flower bed in the city to Erica's favorite hipster restaurant in the cool meatpacking district and playing hooky on a school day just like Ferris Bueller, this trip was a blast.

Herewith, some highlights from the first leg of my Chicago adventure:

Erica and I made like tourists on an architecture boat tour that cruised the Chicago River -- it had been on my to-do list since watching the famous, tender boat scene in "My Best Friends Wedding." We had our first beer, the local 312, before noon and I knew it would be a lovely day!

Walking north on Michigan Avenue from Erica's awesome apartment across from Lake Michigan, I was in awe of the tulips that bedazzled from every flower bed in the city. It's enough of a reason to visit Chicago in April.

Our inner kids came out to play at Navy Pier, as we hopped on the massive ferris wheel that gave us this stunning skyline view as Frank Sinatra's "My Kind of Town" sweetly played.

Next up was a Chicago must: The Signature Lounge on the 96th floor, at the top of the John Hancock Center. Those killer city views? 'Nuff said. It's just as spectacular with twinkling lights at night.

Chicago doesn't mess around when it comes to great food and craft beers --Erica and her sweet boyfriend, Blake, treated me to one of their favorite foodie haunts, The Publican in the meatpacking district. From its retro European-style beer hall decor to the hipster crowd and delicious meat-focused small plates, this spot rivals the best joints in L.A.

This darling limestone church smack dab on North Michigan Avenue was a showstopper with its bare branch and white tulip setting (again with the tulips!). I snapped this photo the next morning, en route to the new Topshop store where I got a light pink blazer.

NPR Reports: Free Education!

I was en route to work this morning, about 7:50 AM, when I heard brilliant news on the radio: NPR reported a Silicon Valley start-up called Coursera will introduce FREE online classes from top U.S. universities for enrollment by anyone around the world.

This awesomeness kicks off in the fall.

The concept began in 2011 when computer science professors at Stanford decided to open some online classes to the world. More than 100,000 people signed up for a free machine learning class online, and ta-da!

I can't wait to see the class roster -- I hear the selection will be diverse, going way beyond techy stuff and even venturing into poetry. Classes will be interactive and you'll walk away with a grade.

Click here to read the full story. I'm already daydreaming about what I may want to learn -- Egyptian hieroglyphics, creative writing, a dive into Shakespeare, China then vs. now, philosophy 101, the secret life of bees...