How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Pete Yorn

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Pete Yorn moved to Los Angeles almost exactly 30 years ago.

The singer-songwriter, known for his thoughtful and heartfelt folk-rock music, recalls moving here on May 16, 1996—about three weeks after finishing college at Syracuse. That means he’s lived here longer than anywhere else, but he still considers New Jersey home when people ask where he’s from. He chuckles, admitting he strongly connects with the way he grew up.

Although he’s from New Jersey, singer-songwriter Yorn’s first album, “Musicforthemorningafter” (2001), reflects his early days navigating the Los Angeles social life. He describes it as similar to the movie “Swingers” – minus the dancing. He recalls a lot of driving around and going to parties. His brothers, Kevin and Rick Yorn, are also well-known figures in the entertainment industry.

The 51-year-old singer is currently touring and performing his 1998 album, “Musicforthemorningafter,” from start to finish to celebrate its 25th anniversary. He’s also playing songs from throughout his career, including a collaborative album he released with Scarlett Johansson in 2009. His 12th studio album, “All the Beauty,” will be released on July 24th. Here, he shares what a typical Sunday looks like with his wife, jewelry designer Beth Kaltman, and their 10-year-old daughter in the city he now calls home.

7 a.m. Rise and dine

I usually wake up around 6:45 or 7 a.m. because I’m accustomed to driving my daughter to school. As soon as I’m up, I eat one of two things: yogurt with frozen berries, or a brand of overnight oats called Mush. I especially love the blueberry flavor—I could eat it all the time! In fact, it’s what I eat before my performances. When venues offer me dinner, even with a fancy menu, I always request the Mush.

10 a.m. Horsing around

I usually spend Sundays doing something with my daughter. She’s recently gotten into horseback riding – she’s far braver than me! – so I drive her to a barn near Bell Canyon. My wife mentioned it’s actually in Ventura County, which I thought was much further away, but there’s a part of Ventura County only about 25 minutes from my house on the 101 freeway. I go and watch her ride, and I’ll admit, I get pretty anxious every time. My wife used to ride horses growing up, and my daughter really loves it. She can change her mind about things quickly, but this is one hobby she’s consistently enjoyed.

When football season starts, I absolutely have to watch! I’m a big Raiders fan, which means it can be a stressful experience, but I always make time for important games. I’ll usually stream them on my phone with NFL Sunday Ticket to keep up with the action, and everyone understands that’s just part of my routine.

12 p.m. Retail therapy

After our horseback riding, we’re planning to head to an ice-skating rink in Van Nuys called Iceland. It’s funny because my wife really wants to visit Iceland, the country, and this is the closest we’ll get for now. I also enjoy going to the Fashion Square mall in Sherman Oaks – maybe it’s because I grew up in New Jersey, or it just reminds me of going to the mall with my parents. I don’t even need to buy anything there, though I might end up getting a cute stuffed animal – not a Labubu, those are out of style, but something similar. It’s nice that malls still exist when everyone can shop on their phones. My daughter was surprised you can actually go inside and touch things!

3 p.m. Guilty pleasure

There’s a small bakery named Schazti’s, just off Ventura Boulevard, and their chocolate banana pudding is unbelievably good. It’s served in a simple paper cup.

6 p.m. Time to dine

When Football Night in America is on, my wife and daughter always want Japanese, Chinese, or Thai food – they absolutely love it! Honestly, they’d eat it all the time if they could. Sometimes I’ll just grab a bowl of cereal when it’s game night. But when there’s no game, I like going to the Smoke House in Burbank. It’s a classic steakhouse that’s been around forever, and I finally tried it a few months ago – it’s really good.

10 p.m. Slow for show

I go to bed early because I like to drive my daughter to school – it’s the best part of my day when I’m home, and I don’t want to miss it. I’m aware of how quickly she’s growing up, and I know I’ll miss these mornings when they’re gone. We might try to watch something on TV, but I get tired really fast, usually after just a few minutes. It takes me several nights to finish even one episode of a show.

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2026-05-08 13:31