A year ago, January 26th, I embarked on a fun day with my crew. A Sunday bike ride to various spots in Hermosa and Redondo. I’m lucky to have a strong group of friends that are about fun with no drama and no bullshit. Well, maybe some bullshit. And a Sunday Funday by the beach? What could be better than that?

Our first stop that day was Naja’s in the Redondo marina. It was at Naja’s that we learned of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people in the helicopter crash that shattered the LA community.

Now, I’m not a Lakers fan (Spurs) and I never was a huge Kobe fan but his talent was not to be denied and his greatness unquestioned. I perhaps never knew how much he really meant to the community until his death. The effect it held upon my friends and people of this city was unlike almost anything I’ve encountered. He was ingrained in the soul of this city and his passing began a year shrouded with sadness, death and the unknown.

My friends and I continued on our bike trip that Sunday (the first picture is a shot of us at the now closed Barney’s Beanery) and it felt as if the trip and day worked as a catharsis for the loss of such an icon. It was perhaps the healthiest response to a tragedy I’ve witnessed. As the day passed and we told Kobe stories, cheersing his greatness and mourning his loss, the day became more of a celebration of life than a treatise on despair. At one point, I looked around me and visualized the crew as a whole. These are friends that I’ve gone to Spring Trainings with, attended concerts; they were there to celebrate the best of times and they’ve been there to hold me up in the worst. Little did I know how much that would mean in the coming months. Most of these guys live within blocks of each other and some in the same building. I shudder to think what 2020 would have been without them and am grateful for all we’ve done for each other. What a year, it truly was.

The anniversary has come and gone and the day of Kobe’s passing feels like a decade ago. In the year of years, my friends and I have survived and now are ready to thrive. I’ve learned much and read about Kobe’s drive and will. He’s an inspiration for what can be accomplished. I hope I can channel that inspiration to my goals.

I raise a toast to Kobe, but more important to me, I raise a toast to my friends, may we enjoy a bike day again very soon.

There have been many down moments since March 2020 and moments of joy have been parceled out injudiciously. The shutting down of outdoor dining in November, crippled many bars and restaurants and, sadly, many have shut down and thousands may never recover. That’s why it was such a joy to hear of the opening of outdoor dining. Now, I know, we’re not out of the woods but this could be a nice start.

I’ve written of several places in the past few months and I want to cheers them again. Here are their hours. Please visit for outdoor dining or take-out and help them get back on track.

The Crest Tuesday- Sunday 11 Am- 10 PM

Barnacles Monday-Sunday 11 AM-10 PM

Torrance Tavern Monday-Sunday 11 AM- 12 AM

HopSaint Monday- Sunday 11 AM- 10 PM

The Hangar Inn Monday-Sunday 11 Am- 8 PM

Thank you all for reading and remember, my friends, to take my advice; pull down your pants and slide on the ice.