Birds and Bees

Destination: Caballero Canyon Trail, Tarzana
Cost: Gas only

When you’re looking for a quick Santa Monica Mountains getaway, Caballero Canyon is a handy option. Reached by heading south on Reseda Blvd – you’ll find lots of cars parked along the road at the trailhead opposite the Braemar Country Club sign.

This is a great spot to bring kids, since the trail is wide, smooth and relatively flat – at least for the 1^st mile. Right now there are a variety of wildflowers on display: including (I think) buckwheat, monkeyflower and California lilac. Glistening black phainopeplas dart in and out of old oaks. The name comes from the Greek word for “shining robe,” an apt moniker for this striking songbird.

Get out there early, or on a June gloom day – as there’s not much shade on the trail. Enjoy the dense herbaceous aroma that marks spring in the coastal range. At the top of the ridge, there are great views of the Valley.

A Mouthwatering Movie

May 29, 2013

Destination: “Chef” at AMC Promenade 16 -Woodland Hills

Cost: $13.00 plus gas

I love movies that let you enter a new world where you want to linger. IMHO -  if you’re sad that the film is ending, it’s a good movie. “Chef” with its Latin rhythms, crunchy sandwiches, darling kid sidekick and blubby hero was this kind of film.

I’ve been a Jon Favreau fan since “Swingers” and he’s adept at clever comedy that doesn’t beat you over the head and he also excels at eliciting exceptional performances from his actors.

The theatre was nearly empty and the ticket clerk mentioned “Chef” has been playing to light houses. He was surprised because he thought it was a great movie. I guess more folks are interested in seeing a shiny blue Jennifer Lawrence and/or lots of explosions.  It’s too bad that AMC insists on blasting the volume in the theaters and I wasn’t wild about their reserved seating policy, either. If someone plops down next to you chomping popcorn open-mouthed, it’s harder to relocate. Next cinema outing, I’ll search for a better venue.

In the meantime, I can’t wait to try the technique I learned for making a tantalizing grilled cheese sandwich.

Lotus Flowers and Reflecting Pools

Destination: The Japanese Garden at the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, Van Nuys
Cost: $3 entry fee plus gas

I've been meaning to visit this garden ever since it opened about a decade ago.
WHAT? They're celebrating a 30th anniversary??

So I finally made it here today. It's truly the "peaceful oasis" the brochure describes. It includes a dry Zen meditation garden, a large stroll garden and a tea garden complete with tea house.

There were few people here, but lots of birds and bamboo. The stately lotus flowers in the water garden are beginning to bloom. There is water everywhere: ponds, streams and waterfalls - logically, since the garden is next to a water reclamation plant. The plant's award winning modern architecture is meant to enhance the traditional landscape.

 
It was a very warm morning and the air was still - which meant the Suiho-en (Garden of Water and Fragrance) lived up to its name. Unfortunately, the fragrance came from the effluent and not the flowers. Even though I don't have the nasal acuity of a bloodhound -  the subtle smell was pervasive. The Japanese Garden is a lovely spot - but I think I'll revisit when it's cooler and breezy.

Slots and Ocean Sunsets

Destination: Chumash Casino near Solvang
Cost: $40 in losses plus gas

This blog was started to record my adventures and inspire others to savor the wide variety of experiences available in LA and its environs. I recently returned to Woodland Hills to care for my elderly mother after spending the last seventeen years in Mammoth Lakes. I'm blown away by everything there is to do in the Southland - and feel like I've just emerged from a deprivation tank.

While I'll usually be traipsing solo, there will also be excursions with friends and family. Today's episode was at my Mom's request. There's nothing she loves more than playing slot machines, so off we went to Chumash Casino.

Really, the drive from the San Fernando Valley beats the destination. Escaping the crowds in LA and heading up Highway 101 through green fields and alongside shimmering beaches brings back memories of an earlier time in Southern California. Hats off to Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties for their slow-growth policies. It's mandatory to listen to Santa Barbara's KTYD (99.9) on this stretch of road, which seems to have kept the same playlist since the early Eighties.

The casino is all Vegas glitz, flashing machines and cigarette smoke. Our pocket money was quickly devoured by hungry slots. We skipped the coffee shop this time, but you shouldn't: their hamburgers are divine.

Memorial Day at the Beach

Destination: Topanga State Beach
Cost: Gas Only

Is there any better way to unofficially begin summer than drive to the beach and hang out on the sand?

On this day of perfect weather, I drove through Topanga Canyon and parked for free just across from the strawberry stand where the canyon meets the sea. It was a short walk to the shoreline, which was bustling with families celebrating the holiday. Tents dotted the strand and Little Mermaid wannabes screamed in delight as ebbing foam splashed their bare legs.


To my mind - walking along the shore on a sunny day demands some cheesy Kenny G., so I listened to  iHeartRADIO's Smooth Jazz station. As the saxophone sashayed, I watched terns dive, kids toss footballs and build up piles of sand, women saunter along in flowing dresses and pelicans fly overhead in military formations. Bring on the Coppertone, summer is here.