It's that time of the year again to witness the annual Burbank parade along Olive Avenue. I have…read moreattended this event many times in the past but will never get tired of it. Each year there's a parade theme so this year, it was decided to be "Aloha Burbank". So I joined the big throng of people to enjoy the festivities as I comfortably sat by the sidewalk to get a better view of the parade. I watched several marching bands from different schools, cities, and organizations. There were also lots of horses representing the equestrian part of the city. Different mascots were there to cheer the young ones as well as the young once. Our respectable members of the armed forces and police department were fully represented as they paraded the fire trucks, military jeeps, ambulances, etc. In attendance were trainees, officers and veterans who were respectfully applauded and cheered on by the spectators. Different city departments were also represented by different floats. Same goes with the various local businesses in the city of Burbank. Each one brought their A game in decorating and entertaining the crowd. They even distributed souvenirs and discount coupons. The festivities continued in the grounds of George Izay Park where numerous vendors and food trucks were lined up. The public were also treated with a free show of dancing dragons and Hawaiian girls doing the hula. It was a indeed a fun-filled day!

I don't know where or how I heard about Down & Derby, but I am thankful for the happenstance intro…read more Once a month on Thursdays, the Echoplex is taken over by short shorts, knee-high tube socks, 'fros, gold chains, and wheels, lots and lots of wheels! The entire floor is transformed into a disco roller rink. With beer. It's not the most safe combination on the planet, but boy is it a real hoot. For $10 ($5 entry and $5 for skate rentals), the evening is taken from random bar night to funkytownUSA. RUI (rolling under the influence) is highly encouraged!

Down & Derby IS: 1…read more An excellent way to get your cardio on (and blister your feet). 2. An excuse to wear really short shorts or in my case, a body suit. 3. A reason to tell everyone you live life dangerously (No, seriously. Invest in health insurance before you attend this event). 4. A total indulgence in the music of the disco era (with a few really good remixed new hits thrown in here and there) 5. An overall great time to be had. Down & Derby is NOT: 1. A traditional skating rink with wooden floors. It's a venue vacant of tables and chairs with a concrete floor and it can get scary. 2. For people under the age of 21. 3. For the faint of feet. If you're wobblin', chances are you're going to cause an accident (and people can/have/will get really hurt). 4. On the weekday, so plan the following work day accordingly. 5. Where you'll take your best photo. Trust me, I know. Now go get your skate on!

The ultimate party on wheels! Midnight Ridazz happens the second Friday night of every month. What…read morestarted as a small group of friends riding bikes through the city after dark has grown into a phenomenon of more than 1400 people reclaiming the roads of Los Angeles in the name of bicycle culture, and has inspired similar rides both within Los Angeles and in several other cities. The ride is similar to the Critical Mass in that they both are about promoting bicycles. But whereas Critical Mass is much more political and confrontational with the motoring world (occurring during rush hour), Midnight Ridazz begins around 10pm after the roads have cleared and is more about having fun rather than having an agenda, thus attracting riders of all experience levels and backgrounds. As a result, I would argue that it is largely responsible for the sort of bicycle renaissance happening in this car-centric city. Midnight Ridazz rides used to regularly congregate at the Pioneer Chicken parking lot, but now the meet-up point changes every month. Check the website the week of the ride to get the details. The routes are usually around 15 miles long and go at a very easy pace so everyone can keep up. The saying is "No rider left behind" so even if you get a flat tire or something else should go wrong, there'll be people there to back you up. Bring a bike, a flask, and a serious appetite for a good time and remember: when they say, "Midnight Ridazz!" you say, "RIDE ON!"

I met my wife on MR. I'm as serious as a heart attack…read more If you're looking for love, whether be it with a human or velocipede, MR is your golden ticket to happiness.

The city of Chatsworth is a surprising one. It's got some great hidden gems like Chatsworth Park…read moreSouth (North needs some love), Artvanta Art Museum (which needs some Yelp love ;) #AddABusiness if you've been) and Hand-Brewed Beer (just refreshing for craft brew enthusiasts). And a lot of familiar chains like Ralph's, Dollar Tree, Vons, Trader Joe's, Grocery Outlet (my fav), Del Taco (fast food taco king in the SFV) and one of the cleanest Burger Kings I've set foot inside more than once. The Anytime Fitness (so nice, clean and full of wonderful people) is just above the Chatsworth Metrolink station where you can also connect with several city and local busses as well as the Metro G Orange Line for the San Fernando Valley. Like all cities there is some grime, grit, graffiti (though not as much) and interesting characters, but also some charm and history. They have several public and private schools (almost 50/50) including Chatsworth High School which has a ton of notable alumni including Alex Borstein, Kirk Cameron, Lori Beth Denberg, basketball player Dwight Evans... and even Mr. CrossFit himself Greg Glassman. In terms of living and housing it's a little more on the secluded side in parts as most residences are in small neighborhoods and communities. It's not as cost affordable though you can possible find a nice spacious studio under $2K, but you're looking at much more for a 1 bedroom and up for an apartment, condo or townhome.... though Northridge, which borders Chatsworth has some more reasonable property being a college city (CSUN). I had a friend who lived up near the Garden of the Gods (trails and additional local flavor) and the old infamous Iverson Movie Ranch I'd visit a lot and got to see a lot of this city I never knew with some beautiful views. It's easy to drive, cruise and take it all in. You can enjoy some good cuisines including Indian, Vegan, Thai, Japanese, Comfort, American, Mexican and numerous others. Vegan My Thai is a must, Woodlands on Topanga Canyon Blvd has an incredible Indian Buffet and Paint with A Twist (a paint and sip creative space) is high up on my must try list. Topanga Nursery is great for plant enthusiast as well as Paradise Nursery, which lives up to its name and known more so for it's incredible fruit trues (planting + delivery services are available). For entertainment you have the California Conservatory of Performing Arts, Harley's Valley Bowl in Simi Valley... not to far away from the Santa Susana Depot/Railroad Museum plus local Magician and DJs for your party bliss or pop-up events pleasure. The closest movie theaters are the AMC Northridge, AMC Porter Ranch or Regency Granada Hills, but non directly in the city itself... for night/barlife you have more laidback or niche fun like the Cowboy Palace Saloon, The Rabbit Hole (technically in West Hills), 818 Brewery (Canoga Park), Olive & Fig (which borders West Hills, Canoga Park and Chatsworth) and a few others including several dive bar and venues, which can sometimes surprise you much like the city of Chatsworth itself.

A really, really pleasant surprise. Turns out there's a bit of community and color in the San…read moreFernando Valley after all. This monthly block party draws out the creatives that you didn't know were next door. They play music of all styles from sidewalk stages and hidden parking lots, create gorgeous graffiti installations before your eyes, serve you snacks from food trucks, and show off unique pieces and products. Kids color, groups walk, talk and admire, and those who are really feeling the music dance or hula hoop along. It's as unexpected as it is necessary- a dose of artsy, grassroots community amid the sprawling sleepy burbs.

If you can envision it, you can make it happen! A local…read morecommunity event that you can help manifest! Check it out June/July/August

If you love doing Taco Crawls in Highland Park, then you'll love the Boyle Heights Latino Food…read moreFair. Imagine all your fave Latino street food vendors congregating in one parking lot and this is pretty much what the place is. It started informally a few years a go with just a few vendors, but now when you go there in the evenings, its a full blown food fair. A variety tacos, including fresh hand made tortillas. Check. Champurado? Check. Pupusas? Check. Agua fresca? Check. Taquitos? Check. Fresh churros? Check. Heck, they even have a cart lady that makes crepes. I think the only missing were missing was a paletas vendor. You name it in terms of Latino street food and odds are they will have it here. The vendors are sell primarily Mexican and El Salvadorean street cuisine. They even have the El Salvadorean style tamales that I prefer over the Mexican ones. The food vendors start arriving in dusk and by 8 PM or so, they are out in full force. Best time to visit is on a weekend night, but many of the vendors are also there during week nights. Most of the dishes cost between $1.00 to $2.50. Its basically a Latino smorgasbord. And the food quality? It ranges from good to excellent, depending on what vendor and what item you purchase. This is a CASH only place. They will not accept credit/debit cards. however, if you forget to bring cash and have an ATM card, the Fair is conveniently located beside a BofA with 2 ATMs. The only downside is that there are no restrooms nearby. So arrive with an empty bladder before you load up on the agua frescas and other specialty beverages the various vendors offer. They take over a parking lot beside a Bank Of America. Its between the I-5 freeway and Soto Street. When driving on Cesar Chavez, just look for the B of A and the Big Buy Foods. The cross street is Breed. There is still parking available on the lot - you can pay by quarters or credit card. Its $1 per hour. after 9 PM, parking is free. Or you can look for parking in the nearby streets as well.

This place was such a gem to find and I owe it all to Robert H.!!! We have been back now more than…read moreonce and I can't say anything bad about this place. I mean it is what it is which is.... a bunch of Latin food stands in a parking lot behind the B of A. You can find anything from sopes, empanadas, tacos, arroz con leche, gorditas, quesadillas, pig skin, hand made tortillas, churros, squash flower, pupusas, bananas, strawberries and yogurt, crepes, bread friend in pork fat, I mean I don't know the names of alot of this stuff because lets face it, been a while since my 9th grade Spanish class and we certainly didn't cover street foods. Point is it is hot, it is fresh and made to order with the price totally right $1-3 for just about everything. Check it out some weekend in the evening if you get a chance.

There is free parking on Main Street and in a small parking lot in the area. The downtown is…read moreabsolutely adorable! It is a nice change of pace from Hollywood Blvd. There is a park by the walk of western stars that I would like to visit on a future trip. The stars like both sides of the street and will take roughly 15-20 minutes to see them all. I found recognizable names like Melissa Gilbert, John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Bruce Dern. The plaques are big and similar to the ones on the Hollywood walk of fame. It is an interesting thing to go and see on your way to Magic Mountain or something in the nearby area.

A Must Do. 4 & 1/2 Stars. It's really great to see what they've done with this area. If you want to…read moreget out of the big city & hit pause & get back to a slower pace of life, then head over to Main St. If you want to taste that hometown feeling that may be missing from your life then take a trip to Main St. in Santa Clarita. It's Amazing that this place is less than an hour away from LA yet feels like I'm in some other State. They have combined that old time country laid black charm of Mayberry with some contemporary independent shops, eateries including a BBQ place & they even have a brewery here too. There's lots of cool unique one of a kind places on this street. You can find Free Street Parking as well. Remember to walk up & down both sides of the street & check out The Western Walk of Fame with Famous Cowboys on the sidewalk like Roy Rogers & Dale Evans. This is a great little niche in LA to take a breather, unwind & relax. Every April they have the Annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival which is right up the street; that is So Much Fun. It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

Fun & Free Photo-Op. Popular Among Swifties. Located on Intersection of Stanley & Melrose. Paid…read moreMeters & Free Residential Parking.