Painted canyon, ladder trail hike

Last weekend i hit up Palm Springs with the fam. My parents are visiting. My dad booked us a delux room at the Miracle Hot Springs resort in desert hot springs. Many relaxing hot springs pools :) . Saturday we headed to Indio for a little hike i found in my new book of hikes in the Palm springs area ( anyone up for hiking ;) )...

Painted Box Spring/ladder trail looked very interesting. I did read the description to my mom first, for prior approval, had another picked out just in case. but she seemed not to notice. "Let's do it!".. she said.

After a bit of a drive and some off roading on the dirt road up to the trail we finally made it. An older guy talked to my mom for a bit, info on the trail. I think he reassured her about the ladders though it was odd, since he turned back from doing the hike because his dog couldn't make it up the ladders.

A have to highly recommend this hike! Very interesting .. walking through small crevass on little mountains over the fault line. With the ladders and the snug areas at part.. not necessarily for the squeamish or claustraphobic though. 3-4 hours but not too demanding either, very little altitude gain.

Mom did a great job at the ladders and made it through! You could see the Salton Sea from the view from the top, my first glimpse of it.

One of the last ladders.... this one you took down... try to precariously place yourself on that!

indian food.. mmmm

an ole' college friend was in town and we did a little catch up last night. I haven't seen her since back at school.. how long was that.. hmm... let's see i graduated around.. '00 ;) ...

anyway, she hasn't seen much of LA and i've been wanting to check out different areas so we walked around Los Feliz. A couple of very cute clothes shops! plus... A huge bookstore, didn't go in but i will be back. And a very cute & good Indian Restaurant. We wound up eating there if you didn't guess. The Electric Lotus, added to the HotMap!

The food was very good. We ate outside, but the inside was super super cute decor. I want/need to go back! It happened to be Monday night we were there so not crowded at all. Though I noticed the reviews when i added it to the hotmap and they mentioned it does get quite busy.. so be prepared.

Best of all .. next time i take the subway!! Red line - Vermont and Sunset blvd, baby

sunshine cleaning

My love of Shabu Shabu is only second to my love of Thai Yellow Curry...... mmmmmm

I skipped working out Tue eve, to enjoy some free tickets for a movie screening offered to LACMA members. The movie was an independent flick: Sunshine Cleaning. I recommend checking it out pretty entertaining, i don't want to give anything else away ;) .. Oh but i did get a mini workout in. Running late as usual, i grabbed the first parking spot i saw open on Whilshire.. thinking LACMA was a block away.. well it was more like 5 blocks, so i ran.. ran right past LACMA to the next museum, with the city light display out in front. Thinking it was LACMA of course.. i walked around.. realizing i had no idea where i was and wasn't even sure of which way to head. Luckily my friends are more responsible than i. They were there already, picked up my tickets and helped me navigate via cell phone.

After the movie we headed nearby for a bite to eat. I've been wanting to try Shabu Shabu ya, ( on La Brea just before Whilshire) since I had seen it when i decided to try the La Brea exit off the 10 one day. It is a very cute, slightly divey place. They had do it yourself shabu shabu and a bit of sushi available. I say do it yourself because Ebizo sker's in Manhattan beach, offers the shabu shabu bowl which is still my top fav!.. mmmm beef shabu shabu with lots of yummy veggis and brown rice. Shabu shabu ya may be 2nd but it's first in my local area and i will be checking it out again, i've added it to the hot map.

spazmatics

A couple of weekends ago a friend dragged me to see "the most awesome 80's cover band ever" . I was skeptical, but it was Sunday and the venue was close to me so i though sure why not.

I headed over to DragonFly in hollywood, off Santa Monica. I think i had been here once before years ago, i can't remember why. It is a very cool place to check out bands. Small stage, entire bar has a great view, nice outside patio equipt with heat lamps :) I've added Dragon fly to the hotmap. Snowflake icon - for bars that have bands play.

Anyway back to the band. There was an intro band, i can't remember their name.. something maybe.. like Betty Usher. There were pretty good. Rock with a female singer, the only thing i didn't like was her outfit.. she had a tutu on.

It's nearing 12 and we're waiting for the main event. I was pretty sure i wasn't going to make it too much later. Then Spazmatics take the stage. Um ... let me just tell you they are "the most awesome 80's cover band ever." I am so glad i went/stayed. They're all dressed up like 80's nerds, the music is more 80's rock than 80's pop. The entire crowd is into it and we're singing along almost every song. I will certaintly have to check them out again.

barbs birthday

A few weekends ago, i was lucky to be able to join a friend for her 30th birthday celebration. I only flew out for one day to keep costs down. They picked me up at the airport and we headed to Sonoma for wine tasting. It was a beautiful day, and beautiful in Sonoma. Yellow fields all over.

Champage brunch at the first winery. Barb's future sister in law prepared her for the next decade with 30 things she'll need when she's 30. Then onto another winery very cute, above pic. Dinner in Sonoma has some very delicious muscles. Then back to San Fran.

Half hour to get ready, then we chilled with some drinks at Scorsece's bar, rumored to be where he wrote the Godfather. It was a long fabulous day. I was very glad i was lucky enough to hang with a good friend.

delta sunshine

I use Rhasphody at home as my main music provider. Subscription music.. i like it because i get to try a lot of new music without buying the cd's or songs. And.. i can also use the subscription music on my mp3 player.

anyway... the other day i was just listening to one of they're channels, - Alternative hits i think and i heard: Delta Sunshine - trashcan. Loved it.. Downloaded their whole cd: Ode To Sunshine.. and really like it. Though if your going to try it.. try Trashcan first :)

they are kind of a folksy.. but rocky.. maybe with a pinch of Vampire Weekend ish..


... i think as a second favorite on that album .. try People, turn around

sun and moon

On this rainy SoCal day... i'll share some pics of our heavenly bodies

valentines day haiku

Joy and love to all the world
heart beating inside chest
door slams shut

new year ... new plants

So i thought.. on embarking into 2009.. i'd extend my apt family. fuzzy cats.. dogs.. turtle???.... nah.. Plants! I'm still away from the apartment too much for a fuzzy animal (besides they are restricted in my apt. complex).. and i was thinking: Plants don't poop . The perfect sunny apartment complement.. and easy for me.

So here are my new family members:

Buddy

Rose

And introducing: the shammys

I started these guys out.. from seeds i had purchased in Ireland couple of years ago. I will update with their progress. I'm so excited i actually got seedlings.

So fingers are crossed... hope i can keep these guys alive. Not too worried on Buddy.. but Rose.. didn't think she was an orchid.. some long name on her sticker "Phalaenopsis" .. find out when i get home.. yup that's an orchid... i'm afriad....