Ideal Sunday in LA

It's Sunday & if I were back in LA I would most certainly be heading out to a flea market. Actually, an ideal Sunday would involve hitting a farmer's market (most likely in Atwater Village because it's super-nearby), then a flea market (today would have to be Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High because PCC & Rose Bowl are the first & second Sunday respectively), & lastly a late brunch most likely at Figaro on Vermont in Los Feliz because by this point I am STARVING! 

Here is my attempt to re-create my ideal day... I think I am doing this one a little more for my sake today, is that okay? Hope you get a little something out of it too!

These shots were taken some time ago at the Atwater farmer's market when my niece Aria was still in soft shoes (fabulous hand-made gold soft shoes, that is!)

shoespiration 

backpacks are becoming de rigeure around town - not just seen at the markets

smoked salmon & creme fraiche at Figaro Cafe

This photo does not do it justice! They shot a Louis Vuitton campaign with Madonna here a few years ago - it's that authentic!!!

Just like a good meal, a good post should end on desert!

Longing For You Kushiyu

In the spirit of being both terribly homesick for LA & still heart-broken for Japan I thought I'd offer you this post... Outside of Japan I think it's pretty tough to find better sushi than what's available in LA (especially The Valley - which is in LA County but consists of a cluster of small & larger cities in a giant valley called San Fernando). Kushiyu is located in Tarzana & is a real stand-out! Everyone I've introduced it to falls madly in love - including my dear friend Natalie who lived in Japan & would know the difference. Katsu-ya & Sushi Nozawa are probably the best known & trendiest but it's my job to give you the inside scoop on LA. It's a good thing my blog isn't quite so well known just yet because I'd be forced to keep this one on the down-low considering the wait gets longer with each weekly visit & "The Kardashian's" are there almost as often as I! Feast your eyes on these tasty treats & by all means if you should find yourself in a place called "The Valley" - don't stop until you find yourself seated before Katsu at the sushi bar! Here's what to order:

Lemon Roll

Half 'n Half

We always ask Katsu to make us something off the menu, usually involving red snapper - this was what he came up with this particular visit - he's an artist.

Sushi Chef Artist - KATSU

Green Roll - wouldn't you know, my sister Amy & friend Natalie were just salivating over talk of the Green Roll just a few hours ago!

Hamachi Cilantro

Kushiyu is located at 18713 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA. http://www.kushiyurestaurant.com/

Incidentally, they also have a large grill in the center of the sushi bar which serves up delectables they call "Kushiyake" - just in case there is a member of your party who prefers his/her food cooked!

Bloggers Day of Silence

While we blog about our possessions... our thoughts are with you Japan...

"Would I Wear My Home?"

I was recently scouring a number of sites in search of the perfect wallpaper for my dressing area when I encountered these lovely little mobile dwellings. Adorably outfitted & plopped in the centre of a perfect scene, they remind me of my approach to living. I have lived in some beautiful cities around the world & no matter where I find myself, in order to feel truly at home I must be surrounded by my things! To me, the way I dress & live are forms of personal expression. They are completely related. My approach to decorating is no different from the way I dress... Have you ever asked yourself: "Would I wear my home?" 

(photos courtesy of Scandinavian Wallpaper & Decor)

... Or how about this question: "If I were a piece of furniture, what would I be?"

Right now I'd be this version of an Arne Jacobson Egg Chair. 

Here is a simple way to get the same look - I found this old quilt in an antique shop in New England. Now my Design Within Reach sofa isn't so high & mighty! 

This is an older shot of me, pretending to blow into an "Angel's Trumpet" in South Pasadena one lovely Sunday afternoon... This outfit is a pretty good representation of the furniture seen above. The silhouette is contemporary... The top is Trina Turk (great LA designer!) & the skirt is vintage, as are the piled-on accessories - all mixed & matched to be worn in a modern way (not that Mr. T is to be considered modern). I'll try to post some recent photos of outfits that depict what I am trying to get across here... Not sure what this blog is about yet. I can tell it's going to waver between all my favorite things: food, design, art, fashion, collecting, shopping, eating (did I already mention food?) - and all in the context of LA. It's a little tough right now, considering I am posting from Canada, and experiencing the toughest time in my life but it's a nice escape for me... To think I dare be homesick with all the loss in Japan... 

Bottega Louie - A Taste of Home

I apologize for the lack of new posts recently. My father is very ill & I have been in Canada doing what I can to help out & spend time with him... Whenever I wonder if I made the right decision to move clear across the continent I think of how much I truly love my adopted home. I feel comfortable in my skin here. I hope you enjoy these photos taken when my sister Amy & I ventured downtown to the Diamond District a few weeks ago. Bottega Louie is our answer to NYC's Dean & Deluca... I needed a little taste of home today. I hope you enjoy & if you ever have the chance to visit Bottega, by all means - indulge!

This is what we walked into! Exquisite!

If you are at all like me, & have trouble deciding between cupcake & macaron, Bottega makes it so that you don't have choose! 

Okay, I got a little ahead of myself - back to desert later! There are several "stations" set up around the very large space. I love the warm wood with gilded details set against the marble floors & stark white walls...

This is the pizza station. My sister Amy likens the pizza to biting into a cloud! It's our favorite pizza right now!

The peach bellini I enjoyed while I waited patiently for our feast to begin...

You know it's going to be good when they have Himalayan Pink Salt in the shakers...

Portobello Fries with an aioli dipping sauce are a revelation! 

We split the Ceasar it was so generously proportioned! Deeeeelish!

A slice of "cloud" - the breakfast pizza with egg, arugula, prosciutto, & fresh mozzarella.

The panini counter.

Can you believe we had no room for desert?

Not even for these!

To go please!

Bottega Louie is located at 700 South Grand Ave in downtown LA. www.bottegalouie.com/

The Eyes of Laura Mars

Well, now that the Oscars are finally over, can we get to what really captivated my attention last week? Fashion Week in Milan! Is it so wrong of me to be a little disinterested in the Oscars, given I am an LA resident? I live but a few miles from the Kodac Theater, yet my interest couldn't have been further! For the record, there were a few dresses that did catch my eye - Kate Blanchett's little Givenchy number being at the top of my list...

(photo courtesy of otrc.com)

So, now that that's out of the way, back to Milan! One of the strongest collections I've yet to see for FW2011 was Frida Giannini's for Gucci. It had all my favorite elements: saturated colors, fur, structured silhouettes vs diaphanous draping, great accessories, & a strong 70's influence (my favorite fashion decade).  What pleased me most however, was Frida's nod to the 1978 cult classic "The Eyes of Laura Mars"! 

(photos courtesy of style.com)

I have always wondered when a designer was going to take full advantage of the visual spectacle "Mars" makes of itself & I couldn't be more pleased with the results! Now if only I could afford a frock!

If you were a high powered fashion director, what movies would inspire your next collection?