Los Angeles is just a train ride away

It was 25 years ago that musician John Doe and his band X helped put punk-rockabilly on the map with the album “Los Angeles,” their brilliant breakthrough debut. Although a retooled X continues to gig to this day, Doe has been busy lately with his solo career. His new release, “Forever Hasn’t Happened Yet,” arrived in stores this week, with live dates to follow.

Doe and Los Angeles parted ways a while back, with the singer, wife Gigi and teen/tween daughters Veronica, Elena and Amelia now residing 90 miles north of town near Frasier Park. But L.A. has a place in his heart -- and in his favorite weekend.

Bakersfield bound

Usually our weekends consist of doing laundry and driving our daughters to and from their friends’ houses, but since this is an ideal one, we’d arrange something for the girls and then my wife and I would drive to the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield to have dinner and see Buck Owens. I love to see him do “Made in Japan,” but the best thing is to see him make fun of the couples who are out celebrating their anniversaries. That’s really something. It’s good home-cooking there -- plenty of meat. The wine is OK, but it’s better to stick with beer or cocktails. If we didn’t feel like steak, we’d go to Uricchio’s, also in Bakersfield, where they have a chicken cilantro pasta that’s outstanding. Or we’d go to Fishlips for the catch of the day or my favorite, the scallops with oil and garlic. After that, we’d go to a movie.

Staying on track

On Saturday morning, we’d have a moderate breakfast at home and then we’d drive to Valencia with the whole family and then take Metrolink to Union Station in downtown L.A. Even kids as old as 17 (like daughter Veronica) love Union Station because it’s just so beautiful. We go from track to track, looking around. Then we might head over to Olvera Street and do some shopping and see if anything is happening at the square. Then it’s lunch at Philippe’s for French dip sandwiches. It’s about the only time I’ll have lamb. I’m kind of against the whole lamb/veal thing, but that’s the only place I allow myself to forget. They also have the best cole slaw and a pretty decent apple pie and peach cobbler. But they put in a drop ceiling about 10 or 12 years ago and it gets really noisy at lunch, so we’d take off as soon as we finished eating and go to Chinatown, where I love to go to all the different shops. I never get tired of it. I give the kids $5 or $10 each so they can pick up a little something. It’s a great place for Christmas gifts. Then it’s back on the Metrolink and maybe a movie and something to eat in Valencia before heading for home.

More on the griddle

On Sunday mornings I’ll make pancakes from scratch and then we’ll take our horses out into a couple of acres we have out in the forest. Or we’ll trailer the horses and take them out even farther and spend the day riding. I also coach girls’ soccer on weekends, for better or worse. I used to play in high school. But it’s fun to coach girls -- they don’t hold on to stuff like making mistakes and losing as long as boys, who can get a sour attitude. But the girls have fun and just play and then forget it. If it’s during the winter, though, a friend and I will go skiing all day on Mt. Pinos. When I get back home at the end of the day, if I’m cooking, I’ll either do spaghetti with red sauce and turkey sausage or it’ll be baked chicken. If my wife cooks, it’ll be enchiladas or chile rellenos. Then it’s bath night -- everyone takes a turn in the tub.

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-- Mark Sachs