Happy Trails

Date: September 7, 2014

Destination: Zuma Canyon Loop Trail

Cost: Gas only

The oppressive Valley heat has gotten old, but I yearned for an afternoon on the trail. Simple solution: head over to the coast for a trek with an ocean breeze. I've never been to Zuma Canyon before, which seems strange given the multitude of visits I've made to Zuma Beach. The National Park Service website gave me all the info I needed, including a trail map that I printed out to carry along.

I parked at the trailhead at the end of Bonsall Road, which is on the inland side Pacific Coast Highway at Westward Beach Road. The parking area is large and it’s free. Exiting the car, a blast of hot air made me second guess my decision. It wasn't that much cooler at the coast and I had arrived at the hottest part of the afternoon. Undeterred, I donned my cap and set off up canyon.

The Zuma Canyon Loop trail soon appeared on the left, which seemed like the best option given the temperature – no need to ascend ridges. But the trail soon diverted from the canyon floor and made a moderate ascent up a chaparral covered hillside. Wiping sweat from my brow and everywhere else, I wished the ocean breeze was a bit stronger. After pouring some drinking water over my head, I continued on and the trail soon leveled, providing expansive views of the pristine canyon. The crinkly dry brush could succumb to wildfire in an instant, and most bushes looked dead and brown. In other spots, bay leaves were deep green and glossy and there were a few lushly flowering buckwheat surrounded by appreciative bees.

The trail meanders back downhill to the canyon floor – passing under a wide ancient oak which provides welcome shade. Arriving at the dry stream bed, with a slight dip in temperature thanks to the leafy sycamores – I continued up to the rocky narrows, enjoying the diverse boulders that had lurched down from upper reaches. Hiking in the heat meant I had this beautiful canyon to myself, with chirping birds and scurrying lizards to keep me company.

I came back out via the Scenic Trail side loop and returned to the car – for a total of about three miles. I can’t wait to return after a spring storm, when the perennial creek is gushing and green grasses and wildflowers are abundant. With cooler temps, I’ll tackle the Zuma Ridge Trail or Ocean View Trail – far too ambitious for a hot summer Sunday.

Much Ado about Twelfth Night

September 6, 2014

Destination: Theatricum Botanicum, Topanga Canyon

Cost: $41.00 plus gas

(also:  August 24, 2014, Independent Shakespeare Company, Griffith Park, Cost: gas only)

Summer in SoCal is synonymous with Shakespeare. (Hope that’s enough alliteration for you.) At present, according to the Shakespeare in LA website, there are 25 bard-inspired productions currently playing or about to start.

I made the short trek to Topanga Canyon on a hot summer Saturday to see “Much Ado About Nothing” in the oak-shaded ravine that is home to Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum. I don’t know of a lovelier venue in the Southland and this troupe consistently produces shows of good quality.

“Much Ado” is a favorite of mine due to its feisty heroine, Beatrice – but this is a tricky role to animate with feeling. Susan Angelo was a capable physical comedienne and more than competent at Shakespearean wordplay. Robertson Dean’s Benedict stole my heart. This actor understands how to imbue rich Elizabethan language with feeling and blends a sense of the contemporary with Shakespearean style.

The production had the lightness of a gavotte, and was choreographed to utilize all areas of the expansive stage and chaparral covered hillside. The players were well cast, and only one actor fell in to the fake English accent trap that is so common in American classical performances.

The comedy in the Botanicum’s show was much gentler than that put forth by Independent Shakespeare’s Co.’s production of Twelfth Night in Griffith Park.  I saw this free performance two weeks ago and was delighted by the huge turnout and mix of attendees. This play is very special to me, as it’s the first show I directed when we started Sierra Classic Theatre in Mammoth Lakes fifteen years ago. Like Much Ado, Twelfth Night is driven by a dynamic heroine, Viola, who has a complex, modern personality.

Setting up for the Green Show in Griffith Park

The actresses in Twelfth Night were the weak link, however, with Kalean Ung’s Viola completely missing the mark. Her shouted, metered delivery - with accents in strange places - ruined the subtleties of a finely drawn character. There was no chemistry between the sets of lovers – and while the comedy worked as Countess Olivia falls in love with the young man Viola is impersonating, the feelings felt false.

What was brilliantly effective in this show was the broad vaudevillian comedy. Shakespearean clowns often fall flat, but I eagerly anticipated each of David Melville’s entrances as Feste, with his one-man band musical contraption and “ba-dum-bum” delivery. You don’t go to Twelfth Night expecting Sir Andrew Aguecheek to steal the show, but Andre Martin did just that. His performance was stagey in the the best possible way – hysterically over the top; he preened in his garish yellow morning dress and mugged shamelessly. LA Weekly’s review of the show echoes my sentiments. 

Dollar for dollar, laugh for laugh, Twelfth Night provided more bang for the buck than Much Ado About Nothing. But the Theatricum production left a deeper impression and inspired me to take action. I’m looking into their Shakespeare scene study workshops to better reacquaint myself with the Bard.

Fruits de Mer

August 7, 2014

Destination: Pismo Fish and Chips

Cost: $13.25 plus gas

Before summer slips away, I’ll record another adventure from the August road trip which took me up the California coast to Clear Lake and then back to San Francisco and the Outside Lands festival. “Day One” of vacation always hints of unlimited possibilities, so I decided to beach hop up the coastline. After leaving LA in the early morning, I got coffee and a breakfast burrito to-go in Carpinteria – perhaps my favorite Southern California beach town -  and noshed on the strand.

After exploring the Santa Ynez Valley for a while, I made a late lunch stop in Pismo Beach. While I’ve stayed in motels here, I’ve never actually explored the downtown area. I liked that it was unglamorous and apparently so did the bustle of tourists from all over the world. It didn’t hurt that it was a perfect summer day – sunny with a fresh salty breeze. The restaurants on the main drag were jammed, and I was hoping the spot I’d read about on TripAdvisor, a few blocks away at the corner of Cypress and Stimson, wouldn’t require a long wait.  

No worries – Pismo Fish and Chips had plenty of open tables. Their menu offered a variety of options with reasonable prices. Shunning the obvious choice (fish and chips, duh), I selected the half-size Shrimp Louie which seemed perfect for a summer afternoon.

This restaurant has been owned and operated by the same family for over fifty years and its old school décor was a delight, featuring a hand painted mural of Holland on one long wall.

I’d hate to see what the full sized salad looked like. My large bowl was filled to the brim with crunchy lettuce, eggs, tomatoes, olives and piles of small tender shrimp, served with a thick slice of warm and crispy Sizzler-style garlic bread. The Louis dressing was the de rigueur salmon color and brought back memories of lunches with my grandmother at the Cliff House in San Francisco. It seemed as though I ate and ate and ate – but finally waddled out into the sunshine to continue my northward journey.

The combination of friendly service, reasonable prices and fresh, tasty food made Pismo Fish and Chips a winner, and I look forward to the chance to eat my way through their menu.

Wilderness50

September 2, 2014

Destination: Little Lakes Valley, John Muir Wilderness

Cost: Gas only

It’s hard to imagine that before 1964 the U.S. did not have any designated wilderness areas.  On September 3 of that year, Congress crafted a bill – signed by President Lyndon Johnson - which protected 9.1 million acres of pristine lands across our country. We were the first nation to introduce this kind of legislation, but certainly not the last. In ensuing years, an additional 100 million acres have been protected as wilderness. September 3rd marked the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Wilderness Act and there are myriad celebrations marking this astounding achievement.  

My party was pretty small. It involved me hiking into the John Muir Wilderness (one of the original designated areas) and visiting Little Lakes Valley, one of my favorite spots in the Eastern Sierra, just south of Mammoth Lakes.  The Mosquito Flat trailhead is reached by taking Rock Creek Road west from Highway 395 and following it past Rock Creek Lake to the end of the road. This is a famous fall color corridor on the Eastside, and the aspens were already showing hints of gold after an uncommonly early spring. Since it's a popular hiking spot, finding a parking place can be troublesome in the summertime. Since I went the day after Labor Day, I had no problem – other than delays getting to the trailhead due to road work. 

The trail leads gently, but steadily uphill with Rock Creek on the left.  The path continues through this stunning alpine valley touching upon one lake after another – Mack Lake, Marsh Lake, Heart Lake, Box Lake, Long Lake and Chickenfoot. The main trail continues to Morgan Pass or a side trail leads up to Ruby Lake. There’s astounding scenery in every direction and many more lakes off the main trails. I have hiked this valley at least 10 times and have only scratched the surface.

On this warm and mosquito-free September afternoon, with limited time, I only made it as far as Heart Lake, where I found a spot on the grassy shore and enjoyed an impromptu picnic. I basked in the sunshine for a while, enjoyed the sparkly reflections on the crystal clear water, and in honor of the Wilderness Act, cleaned up a bunch of sunflower seed shells left by an ignorant tourist. 

My time was limited, since I was attending a Sierra Club houseparty celebrating this important anniversary. It featured a Google Hangout with the Club’s Executive Director, Michael Brune, a discussion of ways to encourage our youth to care about these special places, and an advance showing of the Smithsonian Channel’s Aerial America – highlighting wilderness. A fitting day spent marking an important occasion.

Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler

August 28, 2014

Destination: Skirball Cultural Center

Cost: $10.00 parking plus gas

The nights in LA are still deliciously warm, but, alas, the summer outdoor concert season here is drawing to a close. I was listening to KCSN and heard about the final performance of the season at the Skirball Cultural Center – music by Jeffrey Broussard & The Creole Cowboys. As a longtime fan of zydeco and Cajun music, a trip up the Sepulveda Pass was in order.

Admission to the galleries is free on Thursdays, and there’s no charge for the concert – so with your $10.00 parking ticket (which you must show at check-in) you gain entrance to the galleries and the Taper Courtyard music venue.

Pre-concert, I toured The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats exhibit. While not familiar with this children’s book author and illustrator, I enjoyed his blocky prints and warm palette. The whimsical artwork belied the serious themes of his books.  I was particularly drawn to the collages he created with marbleized papers.

Back outside, a large crowd assembled in the courtyard. This is a lovely space, with the stage set in a pool filled with floating lilies. A large dance floor

had been placed at ground level, surrounded by groups of chairs, mostly reserved for dinner guests and VIPs. I toured the upstairs gallery, which provided some nice views and a fresh breeze, but was unable to find an open seat with a view of the stage, so I stood next to the sound technician as the concert got underway.

The band played lively Creole music and soon the dance floor was filled with smiling couples. Jeffrey Broussard is an accomplished accordionist and good singer, but the band’s sound was a bit thin, since they only had a drummer, bass player and Jeffrey’s son on the rub-board.

This was a “feel good” evening that made me wish summer nights would linger.

Surf's Up

August 27, 2014

Destination: Malibu Surfrider Beach

Cost: Gas only

With word that Hurricane Marie was spawning big waves, I headed to the coast yesterday to see what all the fuss was about. Malibu's Surfrider Beach seemed like the obvious destination, since this Valley girl didn’t want to make the drive all the way down to Orange County’s iconic “The Wedge.”

Leaving in late afternoon meant there was a bit of rush hour traffic on the 101 freeway, but Las Virgenes Canyon was clear sailing and I decided to park across from the Malibu Library to extend my journey to the shore. By doing this, I discovered Malibu Legacy Park, a fifteen acre preserve across from the Civic Center that was designed as public open space and a stormwater/urban runoff project. The park contains well-designed interpretative features, some nice sculpture and walking paths. This made for a perfect stroll over to Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Lagoon, one of my favorite spots for birdwatching.

Arriving at the strand of Malibu Surfrider (Second Point), I was surrounded by abundant tourists and locals, out to watch the surf and surfers. The late summer afternoon could not have been nicer, warm with a soft breeze. Is there a subculture which produces a finer strain of strapping young men than surfing? I think not. The scenery was magnificent, and I’m not talking about the waves.

There were a ton of photographers taking it all in. I was looking for celebs in the sea, and spotted Richard Gere and Ashton Kutcher lookalikes. (Unless it was really them??) There was even a drone overhead, perhaps from Surfer Magazine. Renowned surfer Laird Hamilton shot the pier on a paddleboard, and evidence of this made it to Youtube.

An afternoon at the beach is always fun, but viewing giant waves and droves of expert surfers made a good day better.

Miss Yvonne, Again

August 20, 2014

Destination: The Hollyshorts Film Festival

Cost: $16.63 plus gas (plus $1.00 for the meter)

Is it just me, or it does it seem like there's a film festival in LA every week? This isn't a bad thing. These festivals have a great vibe, so the more opportunities to attend, the better.

Last night I headed to the TCL Chinese Theaters (formerly Grauman’s) to view an evening of comedic digital short films at the Hollyshorts Festival. Approaching Hollywood Blvd and Highland, I knew something was up – there were traffic officers in the street and a massive crowd assembled in front of the theaters. The film premiere of “If I Stay” was happening at the same time as the short film festival and the red carpet was getting in the way of my timely arrival.

I parked just off Sunset and sprinted uphill to the theaters, only to find the front entrance blocked off from the west side, necessitating a detour around a parking structure, up an elevator to the back service area of several restaurants, out through a mall to the street – and then up another elevator to the third floor back entrance to the multiplex lobby. Here, finally, were a bunch of tinseltown scenesters hobnobbing it up and posing for photos. I cut through the schmoozers and settled into a seat in the crowded dark cinema just as the first film “Bingo Night” was starting.

And there was Lynne Marie Stewart in the lead role – the former Miss Yvonne of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. This was a happy coincidence, since I just saw her perform live on stage two weeks ago at the Groundlings (see previous post) and I’m not ashamed to profess my fondness for Pee-Wee.

“Bingo Night,” directed by Jordan Leibowitz, was one of the highlights of the screening. The other standout shorts included “One-Minute Time Machine,” “The Lord of Catan,” “Human Resources” and "Floating Sunflowers.” The program, titled “Too Funny Shorts,” was mislabeled, since many of these films were barely comedic and a few had ultra-dark themes – but it was still a fine evening. The best part of these festivals is the rousing applause and cheers from the filmmaking teams and the Q&A sessions with directors after the screenings. Also, the crowds tend to be convivial, and did I mention, hip?

The regret is that I didn't arrive earlier in order to celebrity gawk at the film premiere and have time to grab a cocktail with Hollyshorts attendees pre-show.  At least I got to see the ad hoc memorial for Robin Williams at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.