M Cafe at Calamigos

Our 2-year wedding anniversary was last week, so, like last year, we went back to Calamigos -- our wedding venue -- to take a walk and remember.

During last year's visit we discovered the grass field where we took most of our portraits was now a lake with paddle boats and waterfalls.

This year, we stumbled on M(alibu) Cafe at Calamigos Ranch. The outdoor venue is only open Thursday through Sunday, but it's a unique and really creative little eatery.

Housed in the middle of the Ranch, the Cafe offers an al fresco lunch by the lake, with a candlelit patio, cocktails, and live music. During our lunch, there was a nice bluegrass band playing. Bluegrass isn't normally my thing, but for this outdoor venue, it worked.

Guests have their choice of sitting in one of the private cabanas, in the field near the lake, or up on the patio by the bar. We opted for the (shaded) patio.

We really enjoyed our lunch there. So we'll definitely be back -- but for dinner. Seeing the ranch at night with the tea lights and live music should be very cool indeed.

Walkin' the Parade

Over 250,000 people live in Santa Clarita, and somehow, on the 4th of July, the City still managed to have a small-townesque parade.

I've lived in the valley for 20 years now, and this was my first time going to the parade. Partly because we're always looking to do something new, and partly because we were doing some grassroots marketing for one of my Rhyno clients.

We first rolled out of bed at an ungodly hour and headed to the Rotary's pancake breakfast. Not much to explain there. Four bucks for some pancakes and coffee. Cool.

And then with the rest of my Street Team, we walked 3-4 miles handing out free coffee and stickers.

The exceptions being those photos below, almost all of the parade participants were cars and trucks with logos slapped on the side. Not necessarily the creativity of the Rose Parade, but it somehow continues to bring the community together really early one morning, so it's doing something right.

Looking at the photos now and pretending I haven't a clue where they were taken, I can see how the photos would actually look like a small street in a small town.

Instead, it's a main drag that's being 'revitalized' to look old. Never really understood that...