On the road again

OUT TO LUNCH: It's not summer yet, but I'm off on a road trip up north. Ain't no time like the present to get a new perspective on life, and of course to do some shopping in someone else's neighborhood.

That '70s feeling

LADIES OF THE CANYON: In my mind the greatest decade for fashion in the last 50 years is the '70s. There were a lot of bad moments, for sure, think platforms for men and hot pants. But the evolution of the late '60s hippie look was a success with natural hair, denim and peasant blouses. And the early '70s were a great time for singer-songwriters, especially women like Carly Simon, Carole King and Joni Mitchell. A recent issue of "Vanity Fair" featured a lengthy article on the three groundbreaking singers, as excerpted from a recent book. With spring finally here it's a perfect time to take fashion inspiration from that time. Think maxi-dresses, floral prints and moccasin boots. And what with jacked-up gas prices and an unpopular war, it's almost like we're really back there!

What dreams may come

One of my favorite movies ever is the early '90s flick "Until the End of the World." Directed by Wim Wenders and starring William Hurt and Sam Neill, the movie is a worldwide trek that ends in the Australian Outback with an invention that allows people to watch their own dreams, which is dangerously intoxicating for all involved. It's such a beautiful film words don't do it justice. Also brilliant is the soundtrack, which is one of the Top 10 film soundtracks ever. Check it out for great R.E.M and Talking Heads, and for the standout title track by U2. The best track though is Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "I Love You Until the End of the World." Who else can write a lyric about a blind pencil seller shouting for his dog that lay dead on the side of the road?