"Human activity" is what the LA Times is reporting is the cause of the fires. That's arson if it wasn't an accident. The most destructive fire in Malibu in nearly 15 years raced through parched canyons Saturday, consuming 49 homes and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents. The so-called Corral fire burned 4,700 acres before the fierce Santa Ana winds died down, allowing firefighters to make a stand. By evening, the blaze, which......

Five reasons I am thankful to be living in this city... 1. Urban + Nature It's truly the best of two worlds to live in Los Angeles. My native Angeleno ex-girlfriend used to ask why would anyone want to leave LA? You can surf in the morning and ski at night. She didn't do either and, well, she eventually moved away. Still, pick up a Southern California hiking book or two and you'll find......

It's summertime folks, and we hope you are enjoying the many refreshing activities around LA. We recently visited this very same spot at Malibu Canyon's Rock Pool (shown in the video) and are not so confident the water is as deep this year (but we can hope!). Still, it's a great hike that you'll get wet on unless you are some kind of super rock climber.......

Go to Santa Fe Cafe (5679 Las Virgenes Rd.). It's so good; we need to start finding more reasons to go to Calabasas (oh wait, Malibu Canyon and that cute girl who just informed us she lives behind the restaurant). Even this vegetarian can attest that meat eaters find this place to have some of the best tacos in the Los Angeles area. Come on, the tortillas are laced in parmesan cheese, the chips......

Blue sky, balmy temps and, as if things weren't bad enough, no sign of the dread red tide turning the Pacific all foul and stinky. It's shaping up to be another hellish Independence Day here in Malibu. Seriously. It sucks here on the 4th. PCH is a parking lot by noon. Beaches, restaurants, shops and sidewalks are jammed with slaphappy day-trippers. You might see Pierce Brosnan's limo stop for a latte at the Starbucks......

There are only a couple of weekends left before most of us say goodbye to summer. Of course, for those of us in summer school, ironically, we're about to get our break, but that's quite the exception to the rule. Anyhow, in the midst of an academic panic last weekend we realized that what we needed more than anything was a little mini-getaway. Nothing that would break the bank or suck up precious time,......