Michael Jackson

* The veteran Los Angeles talk-radio host joined KRLA-AM (1110) in January. He can be heard live Monday-Fridays, 9 a.m.-noon, and recorded on Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Riding High: My wife, Alana, and I enjoy riding horses. My wife could ride before she could walk. Her father was actor Alan Ladd, who made many movies like “Shane” on horseback. We ride in the hills behind the town of Simi in Simi Valley. We’ve had horses for years. When we do get the time, it’s a wonderful way to get our minds off of everything.

Therapeutic Gardening: For complete relaxation, I have a wonderful vegetable garden at home. It’s about the size of half a tennis court. I grow everything from zucchini, avocados, lettuce, carrots and tomatoes galore to peaches, nectarines, plums and apples. We are self-sufficient in vegetables. While I’m doing that, my wife has the most amazing green thumb and grows the most beautiful flowers. We work separately and together. It immediately eases the pressures of everyday life.

Culinary Couple: We love to cook. I enjoy preparing Provencal food and every kind of fish you can imagine, and, of course, the vegetables from the garden. I’m not too bad with pasta, but mostly I cook with fish. I love tuna and salmon. I also enjoy oysters, mussels and clams. If it’s got a shell on it, I love it.

Delightful Dinner Parties: We love to entertain, usually parties of eight. I don’t think a week goes by when we don’t entertain at least once. In our home our family room includes our kitchen, and guests usually end up in the kitchen with us. So food plays a major role. My wife has made our home a gem. She did all the decorating. There are always flowers and vegetables around.

Weekend Getaways: Sometimes we will go to Beaver Creek in Colorado. It’s a weekend spent staying with friends and skiing. It’s a very small town about 20 minutes from Vail. It’s famous for its long runs, and it’s not crowded. It also has excellent restaurants, which vary from simple Italian to rather fancy French. We also like to visit friends up at their ranch in Sonoma. We love to be with them when they’re tending their olive groves and their vineyards.