50 Amazing "Off The Beaten Path " Things To Do In Los Angeles

3. STAND-UP PADDLE YOGA

How's your side plank? What if you were rocking on the pacific ocean on a stand-up paddle board?

SUP is all the rage. It's accessible and inexpensive to rent the equipment and most people can do it no matter your fitness level. It's challenging and relaxing all at once and really gives you a different perspective out on the open sea, allowing you to cavort with marine life from the surface.

As if that's not exciting enough, Yogaqua has masterfully combined the the water sport of SUP with the athleticism of yoga, challenging your concentration and balancing ability. Our group met in Marina Del Rey, paddled out about a half mile and anchored next to the jetty in the harbor. With boats passing through creating a wake, Vinyasa Flow begins. It takes a minute to get your bearings but just as on terra firma a rhythm sets in and you're actually doing it. And then you fall in, which is a welcome refresher. Life preservers and all gear is provided you just have to provide the fun and self-honor.

50 Amazing "Off The Beaten Path " Things To Do In Los Angeles

2. LAKE SHRINE - SELF REALIZATION CENTER

Just a half mile from the congested intersection of Sunset Bl and Pacific Coast Hwy lies a hidden oasis relatively unknown to the masses. Dedicated by Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda, Lake Shrine is a peaceful spiritual sanctuary honoring the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. The World Peace Memorial in the garden enshrines a portion of Gandi's ashes and celebrates the free worship of all religions. The lake, brimming with fish and turtles below the surface while swans and ducks glide on top, is nestled among the eucalyptus and surrounded by lush tropical vegetation all lovingly cared for as a center for reflection and meditation.This glory is visible from anywhere in the garden but is especially spectacular near the rose garden. The lakeside temple is open intermittently and occasionally holds services and meditation while the Self-Realization Temple sits on the hill overlooking the pacific ocean and hosts 2 services each Sunday. 

A visit to Lake Shrine is a definite must while in LA to shake off the stresses of our
hectic pace. Sshhhh, we want to keep it a secret.

50 Amazing "Off The Beaten Path " Things To Do In Los Angeles

1. LA RIVER KAYAK SAFARI

I'm pretty active and always looking for an interesting adventure so when I'd heard that you could run a kayak down the LA river I was intrigued. I'd been hearing some buzz about a revitalization project underway but that they were touting recreation on the river was big news and I had to check it out. There are only two qualified companies permitted to kayak on the river and summer 2013 - from Memorial day to Labor day - was the trial period to determine viability as a recreational sport. I chose LA River Kayak Safari, ran by resident, enthusiast and activist Steve Appleton, offering 2 trips - morning and sunset cruises - daily. Reservations were difficult to come by.

The Los Angeles river runs approximately 50 miles through LA County from the San Fernando valley down to Long Beach. Historically the LA river is filthy. If winter yields good rain, the river is high, fast flowing and downright treacherous in winter. In summer it runs barely above a trickle. Until this past summer it was illegal to be in/on the river and quite often you'd read of harrowing rescue stories in the news. There's an enclave in central Los Angeles just NW of downtown called Elysian Valley that sits along the banks of the river. It was late August and our group met at a tiny little community park about 4 pm where we were fitted with beach cruiser bicycles and started off on the 3 mile meandering bike path along the river. When we reached the put in point our bikes were swapped for single man kayaks. All gear, safety lesson, river orientation and FUN are included.

We dropped in and the river swiftly swooshes you along. I have some kayaking experience but there were a few newbies in the group and some of them fell in. At least at this time of year the river is not more than a few feet deep in most spots. It is tertiary water but it's treated and not foul. Steve and his team are terrific and experienced guides out to ensure you have a safe, fun and educational ride on the river and all levels of experience are welcome.

There are some dark times in LA history and some that have had lasting blemishes on the quality of life here. I wasn't sure what to expect on this expedition since not that long ago the river was polluted and contained in a concrete aqueduct covered with graffiti and no doubt littered with loiterers. To my utter surprise the river is a rich, thriving eco-system home to myriad species including egrets, frogs and even osprey! As the vegetation grew up through fissures in the concrete and indigenous flora took hold the fauna followed. This habitat is nothing short of a miracle. The trip is a round trip which means the kayak portion of the journey is as long as the bike ride, roughly 3 miles, under the canopy of all this beauty. Steve is very well versed on the river and the restoration project and adds a lot of value through his wealth of knowledge. The most surprising aspect of all was the rapids! Really, white water on the LA river? Believe it. Class 2 at the most but some really great spots to navigate. I was working the entire time. There are a few places where you can just coast and let the river take you but mostly you have to navigate the rocky bottom and keep yourself upright. It was a total blast.

From start to finish the trip was about 4 hours long. I found the $65 price tag to be an exceptional value considering the expert guiding and all gear included. It appears as though the season was a success and trips will resume in May so book early to secure your spot on this most unlikely and amazing LA experience. It is, after all, in the heart of a dense urban area and the juxtaposition of the lush greenery growing up out of a concrete backdrop seems like something you'd only see in the movies.


Visit LA River Kayak Safari on Facebook to see photos and keep updated on the river haps.

Check back tomorrow for another amazing off the beaten path adventure in Los Angeles!

The Un-Tourist in Los Angeles - 50 Amazing Things to do in LA

People visit Los Angeles and tend to gravitate to the iconic and typical attractions like Disneyland and Hollywoodland. In my view this is a serious faux pas and dismisses, er overlooks, everything great about LA.

LA has so many wonderful hidden spots to explore if you just get off the beaten path. There is something for everyone and every budget. Debunked is the myth that LA is devoid of culture, which is abundant, but we have so much more to offer, especially for the outdoor enthusiast. Here I'll offer 5o things to do in and around the city promising to give you a uniquely LA perspective you can't find in the movies.

I'll post my nominees; one each day and not in any particular order. Rest assured they have all been tried and tested by yours truly, a discerning tourist even in my own city. 

 

My Personality Type: The Analytical Thinker

My Personality Type: The Analytical Thinker

Obamacare is Obamanable!

This is not to say that I think people should not have access to affordable health care. I do. But we do NOT have an insurance problem we have a WELLNESS problem. And we have skyrocketing, out of control healthcare costs problems - not an insurance problem to reiterate the point. And the only seeming beneficiary of the Affordable Healthcare Act are the insurance companies. Not citizens like me, a member of the middle class who continues to be squeezed and bear the brunt of lousy policies as demonstrated below.

The healthcare offered by my employer has gone up to $450/month for an individual due to rising healthcare costs and an aging population of participants in our plan. This is simply unaffordable. So I decided to check out the Covered California website to see what my options are. Frankly, they are not very good. I was trying to compare apples to apples with the existing plan that I have, where I love my doctors and medical group, and have been for 20 years without incident. Mind you, I'm healthy. But the reason we buy insurance is for the "what if" and "just in case" scenarios. When I first logged onto the site back in the fall it crashed and was unavailable for a least a few days. When I was finally able to get a sustaining few moments on the site and navigate around there was not an option to shop for plans until you created an application which, incidentally, is an arduous process. I did not do this but when I returned some weeks later they have brilliantly added this feature. I perused the available plans and determined that it would cost me about as much to buy from the marketplace since my current plan is purchased with pre-tax dollars. Not to mention having to change all of my records over to a new carrier. I decided to stay out. Well now it is mandatory that I purchase through the California exchange and lo and behold the plan I chose, although it is the highest tier Platinum plan with one of the highest monthly premiums, does not accept my doctor or medical group even though our champion of change Obama himself has promised that I could "keep my doctor".

Once I learned this information I decided to change the plan I had enrolled in noting that I could keep my doctor if I went to a lesser coverage plan with premiums in the ball park of better plans. Since I'm healthy I thought this the best course of action in the near term. I called the phone number listed on all Covered California correspondence and the automated voice says they are not able to take the call due to high volume and refers you to the website. Luckily I have a computer and went to the website where I was directed to a live chat page. I waited 2 hours for an attendant to assist me but since they finish work at 8 pm and it was 7:56 I was disconnected without having all of my questions answered. So I continued the hunting expedition to try and change the plan. This is not possible. It forces you to terminate your participation and gives you a nasty warning message about it being the law to have health coverage. Moving on it now gives me the option to choose a plan but as soon as I click to do so an error message pops up preventing this action.

I am an educated person with advanced computer skills and a general knowledge of how insurance and healthcare works. If this ridiculous and frustrating first step of choosing a plan is an indication of the service provided if you need it than I'm just as happy to sit this one out and take my chances on not having insurance. As touted, the model only works and is only affordable if healthy people are part of the pool. Well, Obamacare, you just lost this healthy chick cause you can't get your act together.

"And Away They Go...."

Breeder's Cup 2013

Once the fever of the famed Triple Crown cools - Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes - passions reignite for the culminating meet in thoroughbred horse racing, the Breeder's Cup. This year it was held at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountain Range, the track, one of California's preeminent, is a gorgeous art deco grandstand built in 1934. The Breeder's Cup is considered the west coast's Kentucky Derby therefore commanding a high fashion experience from celebrities and dirt bags alike. It is such an exhilarating  day from the beauty of the horses and the natural surrounding scenery to the excitement of the racing and the energy of the crowd. My dad and brother are rabid horse racing fans so I know something of the sport. It is almost guaranteed that the favorite horse in the race, as evidenced by the odds, changing minute to minute by gamblers betting on their final positions, will not win. Bearing this in mind have a little fun and place your bet on the long shots, which almost always upset. Sure you can pour over the stats and consult with experts and handicappers but they are living creatures after all and anything can happen. Precisely why a day at the races is so much fun!

A Day At The Beach

I guess I better write about the triathlon that I did since it is likely the last organized event I participate in... I think. To be clear, the organized events are AWESOME; the staff, the volunteers, the way it rallies a community.

Don't get me wrong, I love it. I'm just lazy. Unless I just can't think of anything yet that I haven't done and have a burning desire to do. Well, in truth I've always wanted to learn to Scuba dive but that is not a sport for the poor. It's always on my mind and with the advent of Groupon may be more within reach.

Anyhow, on October 6th, 2013 I competed in a cute little triathlon in Hermosa, CA called the Day At The Beach. It was a quarter mile swim in the ocean, a ten mile bike ride and a three mile run. Easy, right? Yes, easy for someone who can swim. It's not that I can't swim. But I would consider it more not drowning than swimming. You see my parents were not swimmers - not outdoorsy types in the least - and I found out only recently when I complained about this fact that they both had traumatic experiences in large bodies of water. Hence, they did not teach me to swim. My grandparents did and only because they had a pool and needed me to be water safe. So when I got the hair-brained idea to participate in a triathlon, which, hello, involves swimming, I signed up for swimming lessons at the YMCA in order to learn how to properly swim and use my breath and body effectively.

So after months of training, mostly swimming, both in the pool and the ocean, I was ready to go. I allowed myself 30 minutes to complete the swim and ended up doing it in 16.

I was thrilled to just finish and I wasn't last. The two women doing it with me, a long time girlfriend and her sister, are very athletic, especially the sister who routinely does iron man contests, 100 milers and has even swam the Catalina Channel (26 miles one way from mainland Los Angeles). Intimidating? You betcha. She says she does it because she can in the name of all of those who can't through no choice of their own. I wish I were so energetic.

It was a great day. I finished in 1:44:04 a little more than I had hoped but a little better than I had planned. Here are a few snaps to commemorate the day. The best one is of the 92 year old man at the finish line. What an inspiration to us all.

Reason, Season or Lifetime

 

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you figure out which one it is,

you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,

it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty;

to provide you with guidance and support;

to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend, and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without  any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient  time,

this person will  say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,

because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;

things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,

and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

Death Wishes

NB: I am NOT suicidal!
This post is likely to be perceived as very weird given I'm in middle age but I just attended a funeral prompting me to have some thoughts about my own death and I wish to communicate them publicly lest there be any question about my posthumous fate.

Firstly, I want my remains donated to science for purposes of plastination. Think Body Worlds, that cool worldwide traveling exhibit with cross-sected organs, hanging tattooed skin and plasticized muscles and tendons holding yoga poses. If they can use an eyeball or something, great! If not, they can feed me to the lab rats. I do not want to take up precious space in the ground and cremation strikes me as more morbid than death itself.

I reject the idea of a sad and tearful funeral service. Such a somber and uninspiring mood - utterly counter to how I've lived my life. I hope people will joyfully congregate and tell stories and share smiles and laughter. Black attire and fussy suits are strictly verboten. Grieve quietly.

And if I'm really lucky somebody will dedicate a park bench in my honor on one of my favorite hiking trails inscribed with Rumi's "Reach Higher...Reach for your Spirit".