I'm back.

No, I haven't been swallowed up by a big studio or even a small network. I was being a tour guide for the always lovely Nicole who left frigid temperatures in Manitoba for the mildly warm climes of Southern California.

Besides my famous "off the beaten path" tours of Los Angeles which included such landmarks as Chili John's, Philippe's and MacArthur Park. as well as Serra Retreat in Malibu and of course biking on Venice Beach, a road trip took us to Paso Robles where we sampled wine, sushi and a spectacular drive to Cambria. Luckily the weather held till today, Saturday.


It's interesting to watch someone who's seeing some of the sights we take for granted for the first time, and I envy that first look at places like Serra Retreat and the lush green hills and valleys of the Central Coast.

It always reminds me of the other side of Los Angeles, not the crowded 405 freeway or the smugness of Beverly Hills, but the land itself, there truly is every type of land mass one can find here from empty ocean beaches near Cambria to the mountains of the grapevine and the carnival that is Venice Beach which offers sunsets off the Santa Monica Pier that are truly amazing.



I needed a break from the duties and frustrations of looking for money and now, as the rains are subsiding and Nicole has gone back to the frozen north, I feel refreshed, appreciative of this little part of the world and the things it offers and ready to do battle.

And have a look at Nicole's blog, you can click on it, The 6 Month Experiment, to the left under My Blog List. Her first book, Love on the Net is currently represented by agents and is making the rounds with publishers.

More Monday