Ah, there's nothing like busting out of work in San Jose on a Friday afternoon, firing up the car, and making a quick drive down to dinner in... Los Angeles? Ok, so you have to be a bit of a leadfoot. This, my friends, is why I have a tendency to rent Mustangs with cruise control. For the record, I made it down on time to have dinner at some overrated diner in Los Feliz with my sister & company. Knowing it would be a crazy weekend, I planned for a lot of sleep and much relaxation. The sleep part didn't quite work out, considering I didn't get to bed 'til about 4:30 am on Friday night.

Relaxation flew out the window when Michelle & hubby-to-be Adam invited me along on a hike at nearby Wildwood Park. After getting up early and going record shopping (that's real, actual records, not CDs), I met up with them and headed out to the vast park that has its very own.. umm.. teepee. I decided I had to stand in its firepit and model my new DJ-boi shirt from the morning's excursion.

It's pretty hard to imagine that just minutes from the smog, traffic, and fairweather sports goons of LA that there's this sort of peace and serenity. Actual woods, a big pond, and Paradise Falls. Whodathunkit?

Ever wonder where really cheap bottled spring water comes from? From city-boy freaks who go for hikes near water. Next time you buy "Omid's Paradise Falls Mountain Spring Water - Bottled at the Source," check for backwash.

If it weren't for the gnarly reflection, you'd see crawfish under the surface of the water! Really. Bob the Wonder Dog, however, was content enough to fetch sticks out of the water. Crawfish pinch, you know. I'm definitely a dog person, but at the end of the day, it was back "home" to the cat people - Attosa & her man Kelly, here seen cradling their kitty Pepper. Aww... Later that evening, I went to the newly remodeled Galleria to catch the film Insomnia. I had no idea how well that would fit in with this weekend, considering I once again didn't get to bed until about 4:30. Did I say something about wanting to rest?

The next morning called for some yoga and exercise to re-center my sleepless ass... Shortly thereafter, Sarah swung by and we headed down to the ever-interesting Venice Beach. I absolutely love Venice. Between the people-watching, activism, and eclecitc architecture, it's total sensory overload, yet the fact that it's on a beach makes it all very relaxing. After a bit of lunch, we laid out on the sand. Ah, finally! Some rest and relaxation! My mind was clear at last.

Even the frenetic rhythm of the big drum circle assembled on the beach nearby couldn't ruin my chill. Sun-worship can be a meditative, calming state, even when you're sitting there bending your mind around some riddles.I was totally relaxed. Of course, those riddles would haunt me later. (Thanks, Sarah, that was fun, but I hope you get a damn good prize for solving them!)

It was back to homebase late in the afternoon, with a little venti frapuccino action at Starbucks for some very necessary refueling. I got ready to go out while watching the Sacramento Kings (yay!) duke it out with the LA Lakers (boo!) in the best (ok, only good) NBA series since 1987. Then it was go-time.. I hopped in the rental 'Stang (brilliant shade of yellow, isn't it?) and tore through the Valley in full muscle-car style. I was only missing the turquoise tank-top and mullet. I did, however, have a Guns n Roses CD in tow. A short drive into the mid-Wilshire area and we were at the Wiltern, ready to see... GARBAGE!

First things first - Butch Vig was out with an ear infection, so a lot of the newer songs that the backup drummer wasn't familiar with didn't get played... But the show rocked nonetheless. Perhaps I'm a bit biased as a Garbage fan, but it was an incredible show. There wasn't a single tune I wanted them to hurry up and "get it over with," and they went through each of their albums fairly heavily. Throw in a cover of the Ramones' "I Just Want Something to Do," and you've got the makings of one of the most energetic, dynamic sets a band can play without any pyrotechnics, special effects, or fancy stage set-ups. And Shirley's stage presence and cute little Scottish accent makes her sexy, even with that nasty boy hairdo. MaD PrOpZ also go out to opening act "Abandoned Pools" who put on an impressive set - I've had their CD for several months now and can say I only love it more now after having seen them in person. Highly recommended!

By 11:30, it was time to head to Westwood and pick up a couple of dozen Diddy Riese cookies to bring back for everyone up north. I finally jumped on the road at a bit after midnight and was well on my way up. This is what a dashboard looks like when you're running on very very little sleep. Luckily, most of I-5 is pretty much a straight line. I finally got home at - you guessed it - 4:30 am and somehow dragged myself into work hours later.

But after work, there's no rest for the wicked. I still had the rental car (hurrah for unlimited miles!) and it was Dara's last night in San Francisco, so it was time for a proper Bon Voyage party. And that means loud music and strong drinks and quite obviously, not getting to bed early as hoped. The Mission's 26 Mix was the place, and the red atmosphere with tribal decor alone made for an interesting ambience. There were tons of people there to send Dara off on her travels to Florida and Europe and beyond.

Music was provided by local artists Wishbone, who were very weird and abstract and difficult to listen to at first, but as they settled into a groove, some of us found ourselves getting very hooked by the music. I definitely want to see them again. Alas, the night was growing late and exhaustion was setting in. We said our goodbyes and wellwishes to Dara and headed back.. and finally, before 4:30 am, I slept.