Best of L.A.: Bret Michaels mixes a brew of family fun, rocking out
Longtime Poison frontman Bret Michaels steps back into the limelight this week with a new iTunes single out featuring Miley Cyrus, of all people, on a power ballad called “Nothing to Lose.” His new album, “Custom Built,” is due in late spring, and he’s also in the cast of “The Celebrity Apprentice” season premiering March 14 on NBC.
“And March 15 is my birthday, so everything is kind of hitting at the same time,” said Michaels, who’ll be 47. “It’s a good feeling to still be this busy this far into my career.”
He stays busy on weekends too.
Revved-up ranch
I spend so much time on the road touring that it’s always great to be able to spend some time back home on my ranch in the Malibu area, just off Mulholland. I built a dirt-bike and go-kart track, which didn’t endear me to my neighbors, but it did endear me to their kids, who I let ride on my property. So we worked it all out.
I also love taking my daughters, Raine and Jorja, down to the beach in Malibu, or we’ll go up to Zuma. Zuma is great in the early morning because there’s hardly anyone there, and they have that long stretch that’s great for running. But sometime the girls and I will even shoot down to Huntington Beach if they’re having a surfing competition.
Fine-tuned
After a good hard workout in my home gym, I love Mel’s in Sherman Oaks for breakfast. And good old IHOP is always reliable. If I really want to go crazy and ruin the workout, I’ll order a stack of pancakes, the sugar-free syrup because I’m a lifelong diabetic who injects himself four times a day, and then the pigs in a blanket, and top it off with a steak and then, to be a little healthy again, some egg whites. There’s a fine balance in there somewhere.
Good vibrations
A place that’s kind of like my good-luck charm is the Four Seasons. Every time I go there, something good comes out of it, whether it’s a business meeting or just hanging out for the weekend. And it’s not as cliquish as you might think; everyone there is very loose and seems to be having a good time. I like ordering a burger and fries out on the patio and washing it down with an ice-cold Corona. That’s perfect.
I also like taking my Harley out and cruising down to the Rock Store, a really cool biker hangout off Mulholland. And the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas is great too, and they always have a great band playing. It’s got that roadhouse vibe to it, and people are just hanging out and having fun.
On the Strip
One of my favorite places where I still love to eat and party is the world-famous house of debauchery the Rainbow Bar & Grill. When I first moved out here from a small town outside of Pittsburgh, I used to have a blast there, but I don’t go there to relive the past; it’s still just a fantastic place to hang out. They have great steaks, but I usually go for the chicken soup and pizza and some good beer.
And then you just stumble out of there a few feet and you can see a great live show next door at the Roxy. That’s why I love L.A.