Car Jammin'

Tough, this past work week was. Some long hours -- in at 7 am, out at 9 pm on Tuesday -- and a flurry of "immediate-now" to-do's meant that by Wednesday, my brain was dreaming of counting more sheep, my taste buds craving an exotic drink like a frothy pina colada or a tropical tiki concoction with a bright paper umbrella.

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating. Just a tad...

But come Wednesday during my after-work commute on Olympic Boulevard, I was listening to 89.9 KCRW (a given, I know) when DJ Garth Trinidad played a duo of songs back-to-back that shook me out of head-down mode.

The first song was an airy, gospel rendition of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" by The Brothers & Sisters that seemingly floated from the hallowed confines of Sunday church in the '60s South. Listen here, to be uplifted.

After being transported to Sunday church, sun-drenched visions of an island jam session suddenly swayed into view -- courtesy of this irresistible reggae roots song called "A Message to You Rudie" by Grant Phabao, The Lone Ranger & Carlton Livingston. If there's any true justice in the world, this ditty better be playing this very minute at a toes-in-the-sand happy hour in a place far, far away. Its zippy beat dances with pure joy!

My spirit soared as I jammed in my car to these two songs, time zones and terrains away from the concrete jungle of Olympic Boulevard in West L.A. And it's these songs that played on repeat in my head as I hopped into bed, eager for tomorrow's adventures following a dreamy night's sleep.

Pinata Inspiration

My eyes were supposed to be glued to the Mexico-Holland World Cup game at Loteria Grill on Sunday. And they were (they really were!), though I glanced up at some point and was dazzled by this candy-hued starburst of a pinata -- dangling above me, perfectly ripe for its candy fillings to topple upon us.

My eyes turned back to the game and even though Mexico ended up losing when Holland scored twice in the final 10 minutes, this soaring rainbow of papier-mache made me smile from the inside each time I looked up.

Morning Becomes Eclectic, at KCRW

When I was invited on a behind-the-scenes tour of the KCRW public radio station in Santa Monica, I think I smiled for miles. I've been an ardent fan and supporter of this groundbreaking, independent station for years, and I was invited to check out their digs since I'm a monthly subscriber.

KCRW is groundbreaking since it tempers rare music gems and the forgotten songs of yesteryear with the most progressive, independent and underground music that most radio stations in America aren't playing today, all from a humble basement studio beneath a cafeteria at Santa Monica College. They have developed a knack for breaking some of today's biggest and brightest artists -- think Coldplay, Beck, Norah Jones -- and its weekday morning music program, "Morning Becomes Eclectic," inspires and sets exciting new standards for top artists, dee-jays and record labels.

Can you tell, I'm a bit of a fan?

All this incredible prestige, though as I moseyed through the studio I felt like I was back in my young '20s, hanging out in the college newsroom where a special buzz landed on your shoulder every so often because you knew really exciting things were playing out:

This instant photo wall greets all guests, a who's who of influential artists, bands, actors and thought leaders who have visited KCRW for the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" program and other shows

Me playing it, err, cool at the photo wall

A music lover's lair, the station's music library is a sacred space for vinyl (all music is also digitized)

A killer in-studio performance from singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten concluded the tour, as gut-wrenching heartbreak songs sent me back out into the sun to finish my day of work -- listen to Sharon's KCRW set here!

Hello June, Game On!

Why hello, June ...

Soaking up rays and tunes at the Make Music Pasadena festival...

Eagerly awaiting... wait for it, wait for it...

Sinful chicken & waffles at Bru's Wiffle in Santa Monica...

Kicking back with pretty tequila cocktails at Gracias Madre, a new vegan Mexican spot (yes, this exists!) in West Hollywood...

A bratwurst and beer lunch of champions during the World Cup showdown between England and Italy at Wurstkuche in Santa Monica...

They call me mellow yellow -- Sunday with Carlie at the Ace Hotel in downtown L.A...

Ornate visions of a former cathedral from the rooftop of the Ace Hotel...

Exploring "the other Venice" at Erin's birthday party...

... And taking in the lovely sights of the Venice canals...

The stuff of summer dreams at the Hollywood Bowl, hanging and sipping rose before Janelle Monae came on ...

Lord of the Rings Hike in Malibu

L.A. weekends are made for hiking.

Alejandro and I decided to try a new hike in Malibu, called Solstice Canyon though it seemed more like "Lord of the Rings" to me. You begin on a dusty dirt path that curves right and winds far back into a wooded canyon, past leafy trees that pop chlorophyll green against the blue sky.

Then comes Cool Part I.

In a clearing in the brush you come upon what looks like an archeological site, one with red-bricked hearths and a stately fireplace that rise from the concrete foundation of what was once a sprawling house. Turned out it burned long ago in a forest fire and the site has since been dedicated with a plaque for curious hikers like us.

And beyond these structural remains is Cool Part II.

You suddenly come upon big gray rocks that blanket the ground, leading to a Jenga-style jumble of stacked boulders that surround a stream of water trickling into a pool below. The bright green moss and foliage around you seem right out of "Lord of the Rings."

We had a lot of fun climbing up the rocks, finding the best route through the stones that was manageable but also fun. Each time we climbed our way to a new level of flat ground, we were delighted with a natural spring bordered by a massive stone wall or another small stream of water that trickled through moss. We must have gone up four or five levels before we decided to call it a hike since hunger was settling in.

For our next adventure in Solstice Canyon, maybe we'll make it all the way up to the water source? To be continued...

Beer Floats!

I made like a kid last night, slurping this delicious beer float at The Golden State gastropub on Fairfax.

A kid who's all grown up, of course -- the float pairs Old Rasputin beer with a glorious scoop of vanilla gelato with a brittle "brown bread" sugar mixture that lends a sweet crunch.

Between the beer floats, juicy hamburgers -- cooked to medium-rare perfection and combining Harris Ranch beef from central California, cheddar from Fiscalini Farms east of San Francisco, and glazed applewood smoked bacon -- and fried sweet potato wedges with garlic aioli, my friend Carlie and I soon slipped into food. coma. heaven.

Zzzzzzzzzz...!