Since we’ve been eating our way through LA, today’s 600-ft-elevation-gain hike through Runyan Canyon provided some much-needed (for me) sweat therapy.

 

1 a3o-cny-trio

 

And then the crazy kids decided they wanted to run back. “Just an easy jog,” they said. Which confirmed that I am not now—nor will I ever be—a jogger. Give me hiking boots on a mountain trail; snowshoes in deep powder; but don’t make me run. Wah.

So after all this sweat therapy, we rewarded ourselves with food at M Café. Of course. Where I had the best salad I’ve eaten in a long time – hearts of romaine and mesclun greens, avocado, cucumber, spicy black beans, roasted corn, tomato, crispy tortilla strips and chipotle dressing.

 

1 a3o-cny-salad

 

Which means we’re still eating our way through Los Angeles.

Sometimes a thing never enters your mind until someone tells you not to do it. This sign at the end of the Runyan Canyon trail where it hits Mulholland Drive: “Please Do Not Use This Gate As An Exercise Apparatus.”

Which practically begs people to use the gate as an exercise apparatus. In this case, a chin-up bar.

 

 

1 a3o-cny-exerc2

1 a3o-cny-exerc

 

Things I’ve learned since relocating temporarily to southern California:

1. Sometimes your adult children never really grow up.

2. If J&D stayed here year-round and we ate out three meals a day – every day – we’d never finish eating our way through the all the great food in the Los Angeles area.

3. Even though I’m a born-and-bred California girl, my preconceived ideas of southern California were pretty much off-base.

Consider exploring someplace you never thought you’d enjoy.