These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: Runyon Canyon

I firmly believe that claiming to hate LA is simply a failure of imagination. We have amazing food, great culture and fantastic weather, what's not to like?

Yesterday, on an impossibly blustery but pristinely clear afternoon, JMT and I hit the slopes of Runyon Canyon for some cardio amidst the wildflowers and it was one of those times where I was struck by how lucky I am to call Los Angeles home. What can I say? I was raised by hippies. I see flowers and blues skies and it instantly takes me to my happy place.

While there were none of Runyon's usual star sightings (on a recent trip up the mountain I ran into the very unsweaty cast and crew of "The Hills" filming an upcoming episode), the Hefner-rescued Hollywood sign winked at us from the east.

My new favorite artsy-fartsy shot: The sunglass reflection image. Oooo. Ahhh. Ohhh.

One day, I'd like to have a house in them thar hills.

Wind-whipped and triumphant...

This is the view from the top.

As if I needed another reason, Runyon always makes me love LA a little bit more.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: Dodgers Baseball

The smell of spilled beer and peanut shells, the roar of the crowd, the crack of the bat. That's right, ya'll. Baseball season is upon us once again. Hootie hoo!

After watching the Dodgers clinch the West last season, Jenny and I were back in Dodgertown yesterday for our first game of the new year, thanks to the freebie tickets we scored from Leah.

And, best of all, it was free hat day!

Sadly, the new headwear wasn't enough to keep our pasty selves from growing faint in the sun as the game remained tied 0-0 all the way into the seventh, when the San Francisco Giants pulled ahead with a homerun. So we scurried into the last row of the reserve deck for some shade and a lovely breeze just in time to watch pinch-hitter Manny Ramirez strut up to the plate and clock a two-run homer, the 548th of his career, in the 8th, sealing the Dodgers' victory, 2-1. That's just Manny being Manny.

In case you weren't sure, this is my town!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: My LA Family

The USC Family contingent. "What, this old thing that I just re-cut, re-sewed and made fabush?" Marisa Lynch is a design genius.

Mama Rachel.

The Barnsdall Ladies.

And the man who brought us all together.