Literary Tour of Los Angeles

Those who know me know how much I love to travel.  Another well-known fact about me is that one of my favorite areas to visit
is Southern California (and that my wife and I hope to someday retire to Palm Springs - a desert oasis featured prominently in my new novel).

When writing my books, I try to paint visual pictures for the readers, and one of the ways I like to do that is to transport them geographically.


In my newest release, After the Glitter Fades, I take readers on a tour of Southern California. My characters, actress Siena Armetta and entertainment reporter Julia Westbrooke visit several real-life landmarks, including some of my favorite places.


In an early scene, Siena, Julia, and their mutual friend, Elise Campion, dine at Home, located in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. I have visited the Los Feliz location of this wonderful restaurant countless times, and the koi pond (and the cute servers!) portrayed in the book are very real. The ambiance is textbook laid-back Cali, and the food is comfort food at its best.

Another favorite location is kayndaves in Culver City. The food here is to.die.for. The only drawback is the true-to-life itsy bitsy parking lot behind the restaurant. Get here early or drive around while getting hungrier and hungrier while you search for a spot. Totally worth it, and don't even get me started on the drinks. Just be sure to order only ONE of the coconut flans for dessert. They're big enough to feed an entire entourage.

And of course, since these characters love to eat, it was essential that I have them work off some calories. What better, or more scenic place to do that than Runyon Canyon Park. There may be no better place to run or hike, surrounded by the beauty of the Hollywood Hills with the City of Angels below. This is another place that's always packed, but keep your eyes open for the many celebrities that come here to exercise - or if you're like me and missing your pets during your vacation to LA, this is a great place to surround yourself with Angelinos of the canine variety.

Read about these places, and others, in After the Glitter Fades - it's not just a love story, it's an homage to one of my favorite places on Earth.