Birthday Hooky

Since my work generously gives you your birthday off, I indulged in playing "hooky" on my special day on Thursday.

The day was low-key, just as I wanted. As you get older, the realization knocks you on the head that simple pleasures and what's authentic is more key to happines than, say, the big to-do.

With that in mind, I enjoyed a latte at Peet's while people watching and flipping through magazines I got at the newsstand (such a weekend thing for me!), talked and texted with family and friends, ambled into a favorite boutique and bought a stellar summer dress on sale, oh, and then walked to the Montage Beverly Hills hotel for a massage I booked on a whim. The spa was gorgeous, and enjoying the relaxation room, steam room, sauna, and salt water pool was an ideal way to round out the afternoon.

Then it was off to The Avalon, a hidden gem hotel in Beverly Hills with cool mid-century modern flair, for drinks around the retro kidney-shaped pool.

After all that, I don't feel so bad about turning 30. I'm, gulp, embracing it...

Molly and me in front of our cabana at The Avalon

I love The Avalon's retro vibe -- they filmed scenes from Dreamgirls here

Take a Hike

I wanted to start the week with a serene mindset, and so I hiked my favorite trail, Temescal Canyon, in the Palisades.

Thank god the temperature had cooled and yet the sun was still aglow, dappling soft light onto leafy trees that canopied the forest scene.

I zipped through the forest that feels like a hidden world, before winding up past sienna rocks to a wooden bridge that hovers over a creek with boulders that are fun resting spots. If it has recently rained, you can catch water trickling down the cragged rock wall facing the bridge, which is neat.

Then, as you're almost at the summit, the forest breaks open to a bright blue sky and there it is ... the ocean stretching to the horizon.

The hills of the Palisades and Malibu are to your right, the shoreline of Santa Monica and Catalina Island to your left, with the rest of L.A. -- Brentwood, West L.A., Century City, West Hollywood, Hollywood, eastside, downtown -- coming into view as you turn even more to the left.

The view is unreal -- it always gets me. I know how lucky I am to be standing there to see it. To enjoy it.

And with that, here's to a really good week...

Happy Fourth!

Life got super busy in June, but now that summer's arrived and with today's mid-week holiday, I'm feeling the joys of lazy days and am esctatic to get back to the blog.

A cup of black coffee is starting my Fourth off with a pow, and then I'll head for a run before going to the Dodgers game for some baseball, beer and the requisite hot dog. Fireworks at the park will be the perfect finale.

Maybe they'll even have S'mores?

Whichever neck of the woods you're in, Happy Fourth of July!