Time to buy?

Home prices have dropped nearly 20 percent in 12 months, according to this L.A. Times story.

It's worse in some neighborhoods. I know a couple that, in January 2008, bought a $420,000 townhome in a yuppie neighborhood in Orange County. Last week, the neighboring townhome - with an identical floorplan - went on the market for $320,000.

Ouch.

I feel bad for my friends - most of them newlyweds - who bought six to 18 months ago. They're all "underwater" - i.e. they owe more on their property than the property's worth.

That being said, the market is ripe for people like me who suspected that property was overvalued. In Long Beach, two-bedroom homes (not townhomes or condos) in decent neighborhoods - less than a mile from the beach, no less - are now going for $250,000.

The question is, how low will they go?

The man and the legend

My motorcycle riding group headed up to Santa Monica and Malibu Saturday for a twisty ride up into the Grand Mountains and "The Snake," one of California's curviest - and most scenic - roads. Unfortunately, my attention was fixed on not wrecking, so I didn't get to soak up the scenery like a passenger.

We broke up the trip with a coffee stop at The Rock Store in Cornell, a legendary biker bar and grill.

We ended the ride at Neptune's Net, a renowned seafood joint on the water brimming with bikers and surfers.


All in all, it was an awesome day of riding with friends, capped by a great meal and an ice-cold ale on PCH overlooking the Pacific. I love California!

Rockin' the Cellar

Twelve of us gathered at the Cellar in Long Beach Saturday night for barbecue and a sold-out jazz concert by southern California vocalist Derek Bordeaux.

For $25, we got a four-course barbecue dinner - I ordered St. Louis ribs, collard greens, black-eyed peas and cornbread - and three hours of jazz by Bordeaux and guitarist Blake Aaron, who was the opening act.

Enjoy the above clip of "Love and Happiness." Bordeaux is flanked by two special guest whose names I don't remember.

Heading up to Malibu Saturday for a group motorcycle ride through the canyons. Mulholland Drive, here I come ...

On an unrelated note, I was clearing out my camera's SD card, and I came upon this photo of a sketch by one of my former reporters. When I was transferred from Anaheim to Santa Ana last August, my staff surprised me with this drawing of me and well wishes on the matting.

I coined the phrase "Death Star" when referring to our main office in Santa Ana, but for some reason the picture has me escaping the Death Star on my intergalactic cycle, the Triumph 7000.

What matters most in work relationships is not what peers or superiors think of you, but how you are regarded by those you manage. This picture hangs above my desk at home ...

Young Dubliners at Fingerprints

I've locked up tickets to another in-store performance at Fingerprints, the independently owned music store in Belmont Shore.

The Young Dubliners - a Celtic rock band promoting the new album, "Saints and Sinners" - will be performing 4 p.m. Sunday, March 15.

I've always liked them - but I've always had a soft spot for Irish music. They remind me of the Waterboys, with a dash of Van Morrison in their ballads. On their new album, I recommend "Rosie," "Saints and Sinners" and "Love Anymore" (for the softies).

Summer comes early

The weather has been, well, perfect: highs in the mid 70s, overnight lows in the 50s.

So Saturday, I went on a 40-bike motorcycle cruise with a local riding group. We started at Long Beach Motorsports and drove norhwest to San Pedro. From there, we hugged the coast through Rancho Palos Verdes before ending at Texas Loosey's Chili in Torrance.

After that, a few of us from Long Beach rode back to Long Beach Marina for a cigar, Harp and a good view of the sunset on Larry's 40-foot (40!) Catalina sailboat. Good times ...

Here are some pics:

- Above: Me just before the ride starts.

- Below: Me chatting with a few friends during a stop at Wayfarers Chapel - a beautiful church that looked so much like a scene from "Lord of the Rings," I was looking for wood elves up in the trees.

- Bottom: A row of bikes at the chapel - you can spot my Triumph near the middle.