Mulholland Drive Magic

I think I am getting the hang of this...I've been in California for 4 weeks and I am starting to shed my East Coast tendencies. This week I rode my craziest canyon to date, saw live music, comedy, and enjoyed down time in the sun.

Monday. Coffee at Cafe Brentwood and a day of errands.

Tuesday. I was fortunate enough to make friends that ride in LA, and one of them took me on the most gorgeous ride through Malibu to Mulholland Highway. Mulholland Highway is in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains. You've probably seen it in a movie, music video or read about it in a novel. It's a piece of Hollywood history, a curvy road bordered by green mountains dotted with breathtaking homes.

It's about 20 miles of twisting black ribbon that once again tested my driving skills. Thankfully, I was more familiar and confident leaning into each turn after riding Topanga Canyon the previous week. During the ride we passed vintage Porsches and sports cars on the shoulder of the road snapping photos as the sun was setting. We were too taken with the ride to stop and get pictures, but I don't regret it in the least.

Wednesday. We stepped out to check out Mark E Bassey's concert.

Cafe Brentwood for a cappuccino and Corona

Thursday. A day of planning my return to New York, a trip to Europe and busy work. Lots of big changes to come.

Vintage image of The Comedy Store

Friday. Wanting to experience more of LA's entertainment options, I decided to check out the Comedy Store, a local comedy club. I made it to the Original Room in time to see Bobby Lee, Neal Brennan, and Erik Griffin. Bobby Lee was uninhibited, personal and killed his set. However, Neal Brennan stole the show. He is best known for co-creating and co-writing Chappelle's Show with Dave Chappelle... and he is absolutely hilarious in-person. His jokes are cerebral and superbly timed.

Saturday. I rode around LA and explored Santa Monica, Downtown, and Marina Del Rey. It was a day of leisurely exploration.

Sunday. My favorite day of the week. We started the morning at the Brentwood Farmer's Market and gathered up our groceries for the week. I started having an obsession with dates, putting them in everything, and was stoked (my new surfer lingo) when I found the date stand.

Then I had my first surf lesson... and now I'm hooked. Just being in the water was pure bliss. Love you New York, but the Hudson River pales in comparison to the Pacific water . After a few hours, we packed it in and headed home to have Sunday dinner with friends. We rounded out the day at a friend's comedy show at The Improv. It was an intimate show with most of the comedians testing out new material. Overall, it was a damn good day.