LOS ANGELES — Medical marijuana patients and other 21-and-older weed consumers who left behind their pipes, bongs, rolling trays and other pot paraphernalia in the recent wildfires in L.A. County can get new gear — free of charge — at six West Hollywood dispensaries through an accessories drive organized by the local cannabis community.

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David Ambroz grew up homeless in New York City. His childhood was violent, hungry and terrifying. He wrote about it all in a 2022 memoir, “A Place Called Home,” which was gorgeous and brave and heartbreaking.

“As a child, if I died and my family died, no one would care,” Ambroz told me at the time. “We were invisible. We were in front...Read more

During my years as executive director of the Columbus Botanical Garden in Georgia, I fell madly in love with the garlic chives in our herb garden. I’m not an herbalist or a culinary artist in the kitchen, but I am a butterfly lover and had just completed a stint as executive director of the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas.

Who ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- The world inside a downtown L.A. warehouse seemed to come to a halt, and all I saw was a blur of colors, where pinkish-red hues bled into shades of yellow and purple. And I was surprised at what I felt: rested but not tired. This was a deep, calming state, one in which I was wide awake but unable to zero in on a specific thought ...Read more

For years, I’ve worked with clients who come to me saying the same thing: “I just can’t find the right person.” When I dig a little deeper, a common theme appears — they’re clinging to a very specific idea of who their “type” is. (It often starts with a physical attribute, but it goes beyond that, too.)

And here’s the kicker:...Read more

Dear Anna,

My partner of three years absolutely despises Valentine's Day. He calls it a "commercialized scam" and refuses to participate in any way. I understand his perspective — yes, it's commercialized. All holidays are! And yes, we should show love year-round. But here's the thing: I genuinely enjoy having this day dedicated to ...Read more

Dear Kid Whisperer,

What do I do with a 16-year-old son who swears all of the time? I can’t stand it, and I’m at a loss.

Answer: This presents a good opportunity to make an important point: Which behaviors are OK and which behaviors are not OK is determined by individual parents and their values. My opinions about “taboo” language, or ...Read more

Q. My breakup with my ex was messy, and I stayed away from dating for a couple of years. However, I’ve recently signed up on a dating app and I’ve started to date again. Unfortunately, the first question everyone wants to know is why did I break up with my ex. I don’t want to talk about it. He was abusive and almost killed me and he is now...Read more

We blew out all the stops to celebrate the husband’s birthday with a last-minute meetup at McDonald’s. Do we know how to party or what?

Three carloads. Five adults. Six kids, all girls.

If we squeeze six into the bench against the wall that spans two tables and grab extra chairs, we can make it work. Kids squirrel around as adults take ...Read more

MIAMI -- Nearly 350 riders hailing from all corners of Florida revved their motorcycle engines in the parking lot of a Doral church, as they waited for the signal to start their ride. The chilly temperatures that plagued South Florida for a week warmed up to a nice 70 degrees. Perfect for a Sunday ride.

No, these aren’t the Hell’s Angels ...Read more

CHICAGO -- The Field Museum’s lakefront building isn’t original to the “White City” constructed for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, but its collection began as a permanent home for many of the items exhibited at that famous fair. One of these 19th century specimens, a taxidermy tiger, is now prominently displayed in an array of ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Philly winters have been streaky in recent years, but homeowners and hockey enthusiasts are making the most of the recent deep freeze to build backyard ice skating rinks.

While many families favor the dependable conditions of an indoor rink, Fox Chase resident David Bara prefers the slow, chilling burn of a homemade skating ...Read more

If you want something done, goes an old saying, do it yourself. Unless you’re me, in which case you not only have a lot to worry about but couldn’t finish a do-it-yourself project or write a self-help book without asking someone else (not me) for help.

This is especially true when it comes to self-checkouts.

“Are you ready to check out?�...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Togetherness can be a mixed blessing.

As the Palisades fire raged, every member of the Cullen family — deeply rooted in Pacific Palisades since the 1960s — found themselves displaced. 10 family members from multiple households there were forced to flee the homes they owned as the inferno swallowed up their neighborhoods.

Six...Read more

The giddy texts and videos came rolling in from my bundled-up sister in New Orleans on a historic day in the Big Easy.

“It’s snowing, it’s snowing, it’s snowing,” she whispered, her eyes wide in disbelief, as she stood on her front porch in a rarely worn winter hat and scarf.

In fact, it snowed on Tuesday in record amounts across ...Read more

Years ago I had the opportunity to visit gardens in Victoria, Vancouver, and scenic towns like Leavenworth, Washington, and was mesmerized by their hanging baskets and mixed containers. If you’ve been there, you probably have had the same dreams as The Garden Guy. And the past two years have opened my eyes to new possibilities, thanks to the ...Read more

When Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde led a prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral the day after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, she did not hesitate, nor did she equivocate.

“Millions have put their trust in you,” she said to the president. “And as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- If you’ve ever spent 12 hours in a gym watching 8-year-olds play primitive basketball on a glorious June weekend in Minnesota, you may have wondered why you submitted yourself and your family to the all-consuming vortex of youth sports.

And Johnny Tauer is right there with you.

Tauer can see the good, the bad and the ugly of ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles is a place that feels physically and emotionally fractured these days. For tens of thousands who are displaced, routine is a near impossibility. Others carry on with little visible change to their daily life.

Yet that doesn't mean there isn't a heavy inner struggle.

How do you grasp the fact that a sizable part of ...Read more