#42 Lounge by 5 Hotel Pools

La Quinta resort in the Desert.

That guy from The Sapranos gave us spaghetti sauce. Typical Burbank night. 

They finally opened a Nashville style hot chicken joint in LA. Long line, but worth the wait.

Tailgating with a bottle of Pride Cabernet.

#19: Read 10 new books. Not as interesting as I was hoping.

IMG_7952 from henry james on Vimeo.

#87: Restructure/negotiate all monthly bills

Sonia managed to get Directv to add the MLB package and reduce our monthly bill by $40. It will be Giants and Cubs all summer long.

The Highlanders finished their Spring season on a high with another two wins.  While the competition may not be what it will come Fall, this team looks better than last year’s.

The jalepeno and green curry yellowtail at Animal was a huge hit.

clips from henry james on Vimeo.

And we got bracelets.

  
It’s game day, which can only mean one thing. Brit woke up with Strep and severe shin splints. Nevertheless, she managed to play about 50 minutes and had a brilliant run and assist for the first score of a 3-0 shutout against UC Bakersfield.

  
Watched my wife work out than ate and spent the day poolside with Rio.

Happy she gets the student-athlete thing.

  
I got older and Sonia turned 5.

  
 The only place worthy of my 43rd.

Pearl Jam from henry james on Vimeo.

#14: Pearl Jam.

A year shy of a quarter of a century ago I saw Pearl Jam at the University Theater at Marquette with around a thousand other students. I still have the drumstick that took an entire song to wrestle away from another fan. I couldn’t convince any of my friends to join me, but it remains the greatest concert of my life. Last night’s concert came pretty close. Although I planned this trip around the event, I had no idea Sonia and my Dad were conspiring to make it epic. My dad called in a favor to his friend who just happens to be Pearl Jam’s manager and scored us All Access Passes, the set list and a signed poster from the band.

#41: Nap in a hammock

Enjoyed a mid afternoon Miami escape in a hammock with my wife.

  
Few things better than a pool day.

  
Still not too old for the club.

#42: Lounge by 5 hotel pools

Poolside at the Edition Hotel, Miami.

#12: Vist an American city I’ve never been before: Miami.

  
First things first. A proper Cubano sandwich. 

Birthday weekend in Miami.

Feels good to be on a plane again. It’s been nearly five weeks.

Tried a private supper club. Right up our alley.

#13 Try 10 New LA Restaurants

The Church Key in Hollywood makes at least 10.

Brunch at The Blvd at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, then some early bday shopping at Barneys New York.

#13: Try 10 New LA Restaurants

Enjoyed the Peruvian restaurant, Picca. Then took it back to the 80’s with Air Supply at the Saban. It was a great show but it smelled like grandma.

IMG_7122 from henry james on Vimeo.

#4: “Write one true sentence” Each Month & #76: Write One Leaf aka a page.

Both goals remain strongly on track. When I was a screenwriter, I carried around a small notebook to record the constant stream of noise that filtered through my brain. Whether I was seeing fully formed scenes or hearing bits and pieces of dialogue, it was a constant experience. When I shelved my screenwriting aspirations to make a living the voices in my head slowly, then all of the sudden ceased to speak. I missed the voices, so I put two writing exercises on this year’s list and, just like that, the voices awoke. And now that they’re talking again, whether they make sense or not,  I use instagram as my dump in hopes that they will one day inspire or make their way into a novel.

An incredible brunch followed by a competitive easter hunt that resulted in Rosie finding the “Golden Egg”. We then moved on to the corn hole tourney where Sean and mostly Kim breezed through the competition .  We ended the night with another decadent dinner, but I was too overwhelmed to take a picture.

I took the pictures. Devin was in the bathroom.

We found the miracle worker. Brittany, Sonia and I went to see a physical therapist/chiropractor who, in one session realigned Brittany’s pelvis and made her one inch taller.  He completely relieved Sonia’s and my TMJ.  And most importantly for me, my back pain is gone and I can’t help but stand up straight.

The unveiling of the new Porsche 911 at the Ronald Reagan Library benefiting the Children’s Hospital.

#10 Try all of L.A.’s Iconic Burgers

Pie n Burger in Pasadena. Another tasty burger.

#15: Try 6 downtown coffee houses.

Verve Coffee on Spring Street.

You’re halfway there.

#13 in Progress: Try 10 New Restaurants

Took a client to the relatively new downtown L.A. restaurant, Le Petite Paris. Beautiful space, pretty food.

#49: New Workout

Two months in with TRX. Punishment for cheeseburgers.

Introduction was the best part because LeBron and the Cavs absolutely destroyed the Clippers.

#91: See Five Local Bands

Saw LA band, The Proof at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, but loved the Nashville opening act, Smooth Hound Smith.

Found a few additions for the garden.

#10: Try all of LA’s Most Iconic Burgers

Straight outta Compton. Mom’s Burgers is a tasty burger in the hood.

#15: Try 6 downtown coffee houses.

Blue Bottle Coffee in the Arts District. I went with a cold brewed New Orleans coffee.

#47: See ten movies in the theater.

A few over the top scenes does not make a good movie, but man, those scenes were funny.