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...!

Phenomenal Woman, That's Me

Just look at that swagger...

Dr. Maya Angelou passed away today, and the world has lost a fierce visionary who taught through expressive prose and poetry, and her rights activism, that love, kindness and perseverance were the way. When I think of Maya Angelou, defining themes of rising above and blazing forth flutter into my consciousness and I feel inspired to be a phenomenal woman, too:

I say,

It’s the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

-- Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Mariachi Serenade

What better way to cap off Saturday than with a mariachi serenade? These guys surprised us with spirited Mexican folk music at a birthday pool party I went to this weekend. Sheer fun, they were!

The highlight of the party, they played beloved sing-alongs from icons like Vicente Fernandez as everyone sang together in Spanish and smiled, and danced!

I felt far, far away from L.A, and loved the celebratory journey that these talented musicians took us on.

Guns & Villains

Date Night doesn't exactly scream guns and villains, but that's how it went down last Wednesday.

Alejandro and I went downtown, to have a fun night at the most typical of after-work spots -- ya know, the Los Angeles Gun Club. It was his idea. I was down for adventure.

I was nervous, as I had never seen a gun -- let alone hold one. After getting a lay of the land from the enthusiastic employee at the counter, Alejandro chose an Israeli army gun and a precise numbered target, me an old-school revolver and a cute zombie sheet. Inside the shooting range, Alejandro was setting up our booth as fear almost nicked my face -- bullet shells flew back toward me as guys nearby fired away like it was a work day from hell. The shrill gun sounds were trumped in scariness only by the after-shock vibrations that ripple through a room after a gun has been fired.

When it was my turn to grab the revolver and aim for Mr. Zombie, a wave of intense fear flooded me and I froze. I must have stood in the booth for almost 10 minutes, unable to place my finger on the trigger even after holding the gun properly and cocking it back like a (sort of) pro. Alejandro was patient, reassuring me that I could do it, telling me I had this.

And as it sometimes happens, a wave of total calm suddenly rushed over me, displacing the wave of fear. I widened my stance and straightened my arms to fire my very first shot. A few rounds later I had to say, it wasn't near as scary as I had imagined... I ended up having a lot of fun!

After the gun club, we ventured over to a bohemian-style outdoor tavern in the nearby Arts District to end the night in fitting form -- with a nightcap at Villains Tavern as live blues music rumbled through the crisp night air.

4, 3, 2, 1...

Success!

Partners in crime

Like a boss (ok, sort of)!

Victory drink at Villains Tavern!

Braver than a Possum?

I let a possum win.

Last Sunday I buckled down to do laundry, after all I needed my favorite jeans. I carried a basket of colors through my leafy courtyard to the tiny laundry room at the back of the Spanish-style building where I live. Luckily, my neighbor who owns a hair salon wasn't washing 25 towels and salon cover-ups that night - the laundry gods were on my side!

Thirty minutes later, I slipped on my Converse, grabbed keys and walked down the stairwell to switch my clothes to the dryer.

And then I saw him.

I heard a rustle in the courtyard and saw a massive thing, some kind of rodent scurry across the pathway toward the back of the building, long rubbery tail fluttering.

Oh shit. What was thaaat? Summoning my courage, I proceeded toward the back since I knew I could make it to the laundry room so long as I didn't spot my new friend again.

But he wasn't ready to say goodbye.

At the back of the building, just as I was about to hang right for the laundry room, I looked over and saw this furry creature - it was a possum! - climbing a small tree with orange flowers about six feet away. The possum froze as he gazed over, staring at me with big, beady black eyes. I figured he was mad since I disrupted his peace, but then I spotted the vulnerability in his eyes. He started to drool out of fear, clenching that branch even tighter.

I don't know who was more scared, him or me?

I stood there for what seemed like eternity, staring at this guy and trying to muster the courage to walk past the tree where he clung for dear life. "Don't be ridiculous," I reassured myself. But my fear only intensified as I pictured the possum leaping from his branch and wrapping his claw-feet around me. Irrational thoughts, I knew, though ... I just couldn't do it.

I walked back to my apartment, defeated. And laughing. Yeah, I let that terrified possum win.