Pete Yorn moved to Los Angeles almost exactly 30 years ago.
“I remember it was May 16, 1996, maybe three weeks after I graduated from Syracuse,” says the singer-songwriter known for his smart, tender folk-rock style. “Which means I've lived here longer than anywhere else. But when people ask me where I'm from, I still say I'm from New Jersey.” He laughs. “I guess I identify a lot with my upbringing.”
In Sunday Funday, the people of Los Angeles tell us step by step their ideal Sunday in the city. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
Despite his Jersey pride, Yorn's 2001 debut album, “Musicforthemorningafter,” is steeped in his experiences as a young transplant moving and shaking in a busy Los Angeles social scene that he now compares to Doug Liman's classic film “Swingers” — “at least if you take away the swing dancing,” he says. “But driving and going to parties were all the same.” (Yorn's older brothers, Kevin and Rick, are prominent actors in the entertainment business.)
The singer, who is 51, is on tour this year performing “Musicforthemorningafter” in its entirety to commemorate the LP's 25th anniversary; She's also playing songs from the rest of her career, including a 2009 duet album she made with her friend Scarlett Johansson. On July 24, she will release her twelfth studio album, “All the Beauty.” Here, he discusses his Sunday routine in his adopted hometown with his wife, jewelry designer Beth Kaltman, and their 10-year-old daughter.
7 am Get up and have dinner
I wake up at 6:45 or 7 just because I'm used to taking my daughter to school every day. I like to eat right away and eat the same two things every day: yogurt with frozen berries or overnight oats called Mush. The blueberry mush: I can't get enough. That's what I eat before my shows too. I go somewhere and people say to me, “What would you like for dinner? We have this beautiful menu,” and I say, “I'll just have Mush.”
10 am Playing
Sunday is usually a day for something with my daughter. She loves to ride horses (she's much braver than me), so I'm taking her to this barn near Bell Canyon, which my wife told me is actually in Ventura County. I said, “No way, Ventura County is way up there.” And sure enough, there's the south end of Ventura which is about 25 minutes from my house on the 101. Anyway, I'm going to go and watch her ride a horse. I'll be honest: I'm always very nervous. But my wife grew up riding horses and my daughter loves it. It can be very fickle, but this is something that is stagnant.
Now, I have to say: if it's NFL season, I can't skip football. I'm a huge Raiders fan, it's terrible. So if there's a big game, I'll have my Sunday Ticket on my phone and take a look at what's going on. But it's okay, you understand.
12:00 Retail therapy
After the horse, we could go to a place in Van Nuys called Iceland. It's ironic because my wife's dream trip is to go to the country Iceland, and the closest we get to that right now is an ice skating rink. Or I love going to Fashion Square mall. [in Sherman Oaks] — I don't know if it's a vestige of growing up in New Jersey or it just gives me the nostalgic feeling of being with my parents at the mall. I don't even have to buy anything. I mean, I might end up being forced to buy something, not a Labubu because it's already gone, but some sort of kawaii stuffed animal. I just like that the mall still exists in a time where it's so easy for everyone to buy everything on their phone. My daughter was like, “Wow, can you go in and touch things?”
3 pm Guilty pleasure
Here's a naughty one: There's a little bakery right off Ventura Boulevard called Schazti's, and they have this chocolate banana pudding that's ridiculous. It comes in a paper cup.
6 pm Dinner time
If it's Football Night in the United States, my wife and daughter would order Japanese, Chinese or Thai food. They'd probably order that every day if they could – they're obsessed. Sometimes I just eat a bowl of cereal and call it a night. If there's no game, a cool place to go that's been there forever is the Smoke House in Burbank. I had always seen it but had never been until a few months ago. Just a classic, old school place – the steak is excellent.
10 pm Slow for the show
I go to bed early because I know I'll get up early to take my daughter to school, which is my favorite thing to do when I'm home. I don't want to miss it. I'm very aware of how fast it's growing and I know myself: I'll be sad when it's all over. We could watch a show or movie, but I'll feel my eyes get heavy after about 10 minutes. It takes me quite a few nights to finish an episode.
