Good food, great hikes really get him jazzed

Jazz composer and guitarist Anthony Wilson was born in Hollywood, and his heart hasn’t strayed far. He tried New York for a few years after college but came back to L.A. in 1994. “That was a tough thing because as a jazz musician everyone says you’ve got to be in New York,” he says. “But I love California more than any place on Earth.”

The Studio City resident knows how to pack a lot into his weekends, from Peruvian chicken to hiking above the Pacific.

In search of nourishment

Friday night, if I was feeling ambitious, I’d get together with friends or other musicians, and we’d start the night at LACMA for the jazz. You can see all sorts of amazing artists for free. There’s great eye candy too, beautiful eccentric people.

Then we’d take a trip to 8th and Western to Pollo a la Brasa, where we’ll get the greatest roast chicken that can be found in the whole of Los Angeles. You get to 8th, and you see this place with wood stacked up outside next to a carwash. And if you can see in the window, you see these chickens roasting on spits over a raging fire. There’s only about four tables, so we might have to eat in the car. You get a whole chicken -- the skin is crackling and the meat is tender and amazing -- and rice and beans or fresh-cut fries. If we could get a seat inside, I’d bring a bottle of wine and drink it from plastic cups.

After that we’d go down to Steamers jazz club in Fullerton. It’s one of the best jazz clubs in Southern California. It’s a very casual, very friendly jazz club that makes it possible for people who are a little afraid of jazz to feel really comfortable.

Fueled for shopping

Saturday I’ll go to Fryman Canyon in Studio City to do a little local hike and get the blood flowing. I’d get some breakfast at Ned’s on Magnolia -- it’s really good for eggs -- to have plenty of energy to go shop.

I’d start at Atomic Records in Burbank; it has an incredible selection of vinyl LPs, which I collect. Then I’d drop a bunch of money at Amoeba Music.

Looking for my home, Silho Furniture on La Brea is a furniture shop but they also have incredible art. Another really great store for art books and home design items is O.K. on 3rd Street. Next door there’s a store called Douglas Fir, which is a really small shop that has the best men’s clothes. It’s very stylish, but nothing crazy or outlandish.

Saturday night I’d get dinner at Cheebo on Sunset Boulevard, where they make pressed sandwiches and this insane sausage and fennel pizza. Then I’ll get really good seats at Disney Hall, or if there’s nothing there, at the Cerritos Center.

Through the canyon

Sunday morning I go to the Studio City Farmers Market to get a breakfast burrito and watch the kids on the pony rides. It reminds me of being a kid. Half the block that is now the Beverly Center was an amusement park.

Then I’d have a nature day, starting by driving over Topanga to Malibu for another hike in Coral Canyon or anyplace in the hills. Maybe I’d stop at Woodland Hills Wine Co. -- a great shop near Topanga Canyon and Ventura boulevards.

I’d return to the Valley over beautiful Topanga Canyon and stop at Froggy’s for dinner. It’s still one of the quintessential Topanga Canyon hangouts, with great fresh fish and a fun atmosphere in a really old building. I think even Neil Young owned Froggy’s at one point, but doesn’t he own everything in California? And of course, I’ll bring in one of the great bottles of wine I bought earlier.

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-- Robin Rauzi