Back in the swing... sorta.

It is indeed lovely to be able to catch up with home and my peeps after some time away. Yesterday in particular was really nice. I worked throughout the morning on busy work that had been on the back burner for a while, and then I ran errands. It's wild how much the typical drudgeries can invigorate when you haven't done them in a while – bank, post office, getting a refill for the day planner. I made the rounds and then hit the road for the ocean. On the way, I moseyed through Topanga Canyon. Across the years, this area has been a haven for musicians, blacklisted actors, hippies, and free spirits of all sorts. (The photo above is of a random flying pig sculpture, likely left from an old roadside attraction of some sort.) I appreciate the laid-back vibe, the quirky shops, and the lazy meandering landscape on the way to the Pacific, just south of Malibu. Once at the ocean, I stopped in my favorite little seafood dive, The Reel Inn, and hunkered down with a seared ahi steak, home fries, and salad. Val Kilmer came in for take-out while I inserted fresh pages in my day planner. I wandered on the beach a bit while talking to Mom on the phone, and then headed to Montana Avenue to wander a bit more. The evening brought an invitation from the amazing Meloney to catch one of her Disneyland friends playing jazz at a lovely place in Sherman Oaks.

All in all, it was a fantastic day of catching up with home and taking a breath before diving back into some work which is what I'm doing today (well... while I'm not procrastinating thanks to Blogger and Facebook). So here I go! Wish me well. Peace and love, y'all!

My "stop & smell the flowers" list...

I love to explore. I'm a curious person and love learning about stuff, and one of my priorities when I visit a new city is to seek out fun and interesting locations – museums, historical landmarks, interesting shops, etc. But isn't it funny how we often miss the amazing exploration possibilities in our own back yards? I've done okay here in LA. I've hit a bunch of museums and attractions, and I've taken a touristy guide book around Hollywood to see places where folks lived and died and made movies. I've done a lot, but there is still SO much more I've missed. I've started to make a list.

I can't let the spring pass by without seeing a couple amazing gardens – Huntington and Descanso. In the museum department, I have yet to visit LACMA, MOCA, and the LA Natural History Museum. I've been letting the crowds shrink a bit before my first visit to the Griffith Observatory which reopened last year. The Museum of Jurassic Technology is – I've heard – a "must see", and heads my list of the more obscure attractions to explore.

This little list is only an abridged view of my list, and while it looks like I'm such a slacker, I have checked off some of my list in the last year. When Griffith Park burned last year, it made me jump on checking out its offerings I had yet to witness – the Travel Town rest home for retired trains as well as the current location of Walt Disney's little trains, the thoroughly charming and aging Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, and the LA Zoo. I've discovered a favorite local escape by driving north to Topanga Canyon, taking its winding path to the sea, grabbing seafood and chilling on the beach just south of Malibu.

There's so much out there to explore and I vow to explore it. Take care, all! Peace and love.