Parker Mesa Overlook: Best View In Town

Incredibly, the public can still enjoy unadulterated hilltop views of LA, from downtown to Malibu on a clear day. Don’t worry, this so-called ‘best view in town’ doesn’t involve scoring an invite to some exclusive mansion or becoming hired help. All that’s required is a bit of driving and hiking.



Parker Mesa Overlook can be reached two separate ways. One starts from Trippet Ranch in Topanga Canyon – the same starting point as the Eagle Rock hike. The other way – and my personal favorite - begins in Pacific Palisades from Paseo Miramar Road.



From Paseo Miramar, you will enjoy spectacular 180 degree views of LA the whole 2.5 miles up to the overlook. And when I say up, I mean up – a 1200 foot elevation gain to be exact. So on top of the views, this is a serious calorie burner.

The wide trail meanders up the ridge between the Los Liones and Santa Ynez canyons. Since it isn't a wooded trail with shade, remember to bring a hat. My favorite time to come is a few days after a spring rain when you're sure to spot wildflowers.



Thankfully, there are benches on the knoll at the top where you can rest and take in the view. If it’s really clear, you can spot Catalina Island in the distance. Be forewarned that the view is so captivating hikers have been known to completely forget about time. My husband and I got caught in the Parker Mesa Overlook’s spell and ended up hiking down in the dark – not something I’d generally recommend.

Click here for a great photo of Parker Mesa snapped by a fellow blogger.

The only downside to the Paseo Miramar starting point is that it sometimes can be hard to find parking in the neighborhood.

Driving Directions:
- From Santa Monica, drive north on PCH to Sunset Blvd.
- Turn right and drive 0.3 miles to Paseo Miramar
- Turn left onto Paseo Miramar and drive until the end of the road

Inn of the Seventh Ray – Dining in Fairytale Land

Do you believe in magic?

Fairy or sprite sightings would not seem out of the ordinary at this Topanga Canyon restaurant. The fairy tale-like setting in a woodsy canyon next to a trickling brook feels more like Middle Earth than LA.



Twinkling lights, fresh flowers, and a Buddha welcome guests as they pass under the Inn of the Seventh Ray’s entrance archway.

From the entrance, a staircase winds past tables tucked away into nooks that are surrounded by shrubbery. At the bottom, there’s a central, brightly lit fountain surrounded by tables graced with freshly-cut flowers. A small gazebo nearby houses another table.



The restaurant is unusual in that most of the seating is outdoors. It can get chilly at night, but judicious use of heating lamps makes it comfortable. And in case of rain, it’s covered by a clear tent top lit up with twinkling white lights. A small indoor dining area is available, but it’s nowhere near as spectacular as the outdoor section.

What really makes this restaurant special is the trickling brook that runs alongside the dining area. It is lit up at night to give guests a better view. Sometimes, you can even spot deer drinking from the stream.

The menu, filled with plenty of vegetarian and organic selections, perfectly complements the outdoorsy atmosphere. Fresh salmon, organic greens dressed in an herb and lemon vinaigrette, goat cheese stuffed portabello mushroom with apricot puree, butternut squash risotto, etc. Also worth noting is the restaurant’s pride in accommodating those with special diets, such as gluten-free or vegan.

On your way out, don’t forget to stop in the restaurant’s accompanying gift store, filled with organic cookbooks and handmade jewelry.

Inn of the Seventh Ray is something I don’t share easily. It’s not gimmicky or Disneylandesque. To me, it’s elegant, natural, and spiritual and it holds a special place in my heart because my husband and I celebrated our wedding day here.

May you enjoy this magical place as much as I have.

To check out reviews from fellow bloggers, click here and here.

Inn of the Seventh Ray
128 Old Topanga Canyon Road
Topanga, California 90290
310.455.1311

Snow Bunny Meets Big Bear

Looking every bit the disheveled snow bunny, I hit Snow Summit in Big Bear this past weekend. Theoretically, it’s about a 2.5 hour drive from LA. But it took us over 4 hours because the weather and traffic gods were working against us with all their might.



The crowds at the bottom of the hill overwhelmed me. Upon arrival, it seemed like every man, woman, and child from miles around was there. Skiers and boarders burst forth from cattle truck-like transports bringing people in from far-flung parking lots. Meanwhile, harried-looking staff ran around telling anyone who’d listen that tix were sold out. Thankfully, we’d pre-purchased.

And thankfully they have ticket limitations. Amazingly adept at capacity control, Snow Summit seems to know when enough is enough. The cap on tix prevents a ride down the slopes from turning into a jam-packed, elbow-bumping experience. So try to buy your tix ahead of time.



My snowboarder friends, decked out with their own gear, hit the slopes immediately, while I battled a frustratingly long line to get my equipment. Thankfully, it was all downhill from there!

Once I made it to the slopes, all was forgotten as I took in the view of white-powdered mountains and the glistening lake below. After a short 5 min. wait for the lift, my spirits lifted as I zig-zagged down Summit Run – a wonderfully long beginner run that was miraculously uncrowded. In fact, none of the slopes were really crowded.



Warm sun, fresh mountain air, piles of white stuff (fluffy, not icy). I didn’t want to go home, but then it started getting cold (I know, I've turned into a total SoCal wimp!)

As for leaving, beware of Hwy 18 - the so-called Rim of the World highway - if you leave after dark. Our friend’s car spun out briefly due to black ice. And for over 10 harrowing miles, our visibility was reduced to about 10 feet, if that, due to ultra-thick fog cover. Not so fun.

Here are some tips if you're a Snow Summit virgin:

Tip 1: The beginner’s lift ticket deal that includes two lessons is a total jip. For one, most people don’t need two lessons. Two, the ticket only lets you access the bunny slope, which gets boring faster than alphabetizing a library catalog (yes, I had that enviable job once upon a time). So for all those beginners out there, go for the all-day lift ticket. If I can handle the non-bunnies, anyone can.

Tip 2: Newbies should stick to Chairs 1, 2, and 9 that all lead to green beginner slopes. My experienced friends said the blue and black-rated slopes around Chairs 5, 6, 7, and 10 were the least crowded and most fun.

Tip 3: Your lift ticket at Snow Summit also gives you access to Bear Mountain. A shuttle runs btwn the two. So if you somehow get bored w/ Snow Summit, you have options.

Adamson House: Malibu’s Tile Masterpiece

Isn’t Malibu all about shiny new things? Flashy cars, big mansions, new breasts. The 'Bu has a well-deserved rep as the playground of celebs and the uber-rich. But less well-known are its historical landmarks, like the Adamson House - built in 1930.



A fabulous example of Spanish colonial revival architecture, the Adamson House boasts fountain-filled courtyards, arched windows, and last but certainly not least - exquisite ceramic tiles.

Once Mr. and Mrs. Adamson both passed away, the state of California had a cringe-inducing idea. In 1968, it purchased the house and planned to knock it down to make way for a parking lot. Thankfully, locals intervened.



The house’s colorfully detailed tiles come from the now defunct Malibu Potteries, which was a Rindge (Adamson) family business that only lasted six years from 1926-1932. The bathrooms feature the best examples – bright orange, blue, green, or red designs cover them from floor to ceiling.

There’s also a Persian-looking, rug-like decoration in a hallway built into the floor using tiles. It even has a fringe – now that’s attention to detail!



The house’s second-floor balcony provides stunning, Beach Boy music-invoking views of Surfrider Beach, the Malibu Pier, and the decorative fountains on the grounds (one’s star-shaped). If you have time, check out the fountain in the patio behind the house. See if you can spot the one upside-down tile.



Guided tours are the best and only way to see the inside of the house. These are not quickie in-and-out deals. Our guide Frank had encyclopedic knowledge of the house and used up the whole hour allocated.

Tours start in the garage adjoining the house, which is a sort of museum that includes pieces on Malibu’s history dating back to the Chumash Indians, who first inhabited the area. Available Wednesday thru Saturday from 11a to 3p, tours cost $5 per person. Click here for more info.



Post-tour, consider sauntering over to the nearby Malibu Lagoon, where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific Ocean. A true birders’ paradise, over 200 species of birds pass through here. For non-birders like me, the sparkling water, gentle sea breeze, and graceful flutter of birds overhead are enough to make it a great place to sit and zone out.

Outdoor Ice Skating At Pershing Square

For most of the year, Pershing Square is a largely concrete, downtown plaza that plays host to a fountain, a bizarre purple sculpture tower, along with some homeless nappers. Calling it visually appealing would be a stretch. Yet, experiencing an LA winter would be incomplete without a visit here.



Get into the winter spirit by hitting (hopefully not too hard) Pershing Square's small, outdoor ice skating rink, open from November 15 to January 21.



Imagine skating outdoors, surrounded by people who have never touched a skate to ice before, with the sun beating down and palm trees in plain sight. Rockefeller Center it ain’t, but why skate in freezing weather when you don’t have to?



Here’s what I enjoyed this past Sunday:
Gleaming skyscrapers loomed over the rink. Friends and families, some chatting in Spanish and others in English, along with pockets of Korean and Italian, tried to stay upright with varying success. Kids laughingly fell into heaps as shutterbug parents snapped their wobbles from the sidelines. Meanwhile, a centipede-like line of skaters clung to the outside railing, pulling themselves around the ice. And once the sun went down, sparkly lights gave the rink a holiday glow.



Bonus for Sunday skaters: live music! This past weekend I heard fun redneck classics like “Wooly Bully” and “Margaritaville” from a stage right in front of the ice. The novelty of live music at an outdoor rink was cool – for the first hour.

If you’re hoping to show off your mad skating skills or want to uninterruptedly zoom around pristine ice, Pershing Square is not the place for you. For one, the ice on the small rink is kind of uneven and two, it can get as clogged as LA rush-hour traffic, at least on weekends. So if you fall into this category, try one of LA’s year-round skating rinks.

Skating sessions last an hour with 30 minutes in-between sessions to smooth the ice for the next crowd. Admission per session costs $6, plus $2 for skate rental. Parking is available at the garage under Pershing Square. Remember to get your ticket validated to reduce your parking payout. Click here for more information.

To get a feel for the square in its normal state, check out this post from a downtown LA resident.

A Day Without Plastic Bags

Plastic bags pop up in all sorts of places - beaches, hiking trails, wind-blown on the side of the highway, and ultimately landfills - and it's not a pretty sight.

Yes, it can be a hassle to remember to bring your own bags to the supermarket, but it's worth making the effort, especially on LA's first 'Day Without A Bag' - today, December 20.

According to Heal the Bay, LA County residents use six billion plastic bags each year and recycle only 5% of that amount. Cleaning up all those bags costs us, as taxpayers, millions annually.

So either bring your own stylin' bag or skip a bag altogether if it's a small purchase. The environment, your conscience, and your fellow Angelenos will all thank you!

LA Kings: Good ‘Ol Hockey Game at The Staples Center

Get into the winter spirit with a Kings game at The Staple Center – one of the few places with ice (ice cubes don’t count!) in sunny LA. So what if it lacks the cachet of the Lakers? Sticks clack, skates swoosh, ref whistles trill, bodies slam against the boards.



Last Monday, I was treated to a LA Kings v. Edmonton Oilers game. We were in the nosebleed seats in section 303, not necessarily a bad spot at The Staples Center. The air may be thinner in the section 300 sideline seats, but we had a full view of the ice and the tix were only $25/pp through Goldstar, a site specializing in discount event tix.



Better still, we were in the midst of true blue (ok, it's actually purple if you want to get all technical about the jersey color) Kings fans. They yelled out to their star players using affectionate monikers like “Cammy” for Michael Cammalleri and lovingly dissed their team: “That shot was as wide as my ex-girlfriend.”

Even if hockey is not your all-time favorite sport, everyone should experience the bizarro intermission entertainment at least once. Imagine three fans in clear giant beach balls scrambling back and forth across the ice in a race for an autographed jersey. Add in a Guitar Hero contest, fan rides on the Zamboni (the ice resurfacing machine), and the Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grade Hockey Fan? faceoff, and you start to get the idea. The brilliant thing about hockey is that there are three 20 minute periods, which means there are two intermissions – 2x the fun.



After the Kings came back in the 3rd period to tie it, the game went into a 5 minute OT. Still tied, the Edmonton Oilers emerged victorious after an exhilarating shootout. Add in a couple of good tussles and overall, it was an awesome night.

On the way out, I just couldn’t stop myself from humming that annoyingly catchy Stompin’ Tom Connors ode to the sport:

The good old hockey game,
Is the best game you can name;
And the best game you can name,
Is the good old Hockey game!



The area around the Staples Center has undergone a major facelift in the past few years. Check out the brightly-lit Nokia Theater across the street. Parking can be pricey in the lots around the Staples Center, around $15 to $20. So try looking for street parking or use the Metro Blue line, which stops nearby.

For another take on excitement that awaits you at a Kings game, check out this recent blog post from the Militant Angeleno.