taken on a recent trip to joshua tree

Working, working working . . .

How about you?

Are you having a peaceful new year so far?

Claire Decet

Admiring the paintings, drawings and sculptures of french artist Claire Decet. The first image of the painting of wild greens on the sidewalk is titled Carottes Sauvage which translates to Wild Carrots. Thought that you might like this as much as I do! 

Grapefruit / Yoko Ono

 

GRAPEFRUIT / Yoko Ono

a fabulous little read

Interior / Interior

Interior / Interior

listening to this album on the record player over and over.

it's a mellow synth band from Japan from the 80's.

play this for your plants! 

a great find, thank you Preston

Micheltorena Block Party / En Soie

 

 

 

couldn't have done it without Elijah's help (per usual)

Eleonore + Rafa, guardians of En Soie

these two xx . . . sigh

 

meanwhile over at Dream Collective. . .

and then over to our friends at Tomboy. . .

I made some hanging Christmas tree kokedamas for Tomboy! 

Last night, my Silver Lake neighborhood had a festive holiday block party : Micheltorena Block Party to be exact. It was so much fun, seeing everyone, eating home-baked Swiss cookies (thanks Eleonore!) and drinking wine while visiting friends and neighboring stores including En Soie, Clare Vivier, Dream Collective and Tomboy. 

The lovely couple Eleonore and Rafa of En Soie asked me to do a floral installation in celebration of the big event and gave me free reins. It was really great seeing my vision come to fruition under the parameter of 'holiday' yet without the usual holiday suspects (cedar, amaryllis, holly, etc...). My inspiration was a winter's forest with a kiss of California desert. I went with fresh seeded ivy, wild sumac, pineapple, magnolia, protea and banksia, white hellebores, eucalyptus pods and hot pink poinsettias! I included some of my gold-leafed jars to hang from a giant branch along with various wreaths to create illuminated floating mobiles and other hanging forest ephemera. Overall it was a really fun evening, and it felt really great seeing everyone while the mariachis serenaded us. It makes me (and Elijah) feel very fortunate to have such a strong community that supports the arts and creatives alike.

A great heartfelt thanks to Eleonore and Rafa and the entire staff at En Soie (you too Mete + Camille!) for granting me the honor. I had so much fun! If you need some Christmas gifts may I suggest you stop by En Soie for a dose of holiday spirit and magic - the store has some of the most beautiful goods I have yet seen here in LA. Truly superb taste.

                                                               Merci En Soie x

Land of Fire and Ice

This Sunday will already mark our third week back home yet it feels like it was so long ago. I am still processing some film from our recent trip to Iceland, but in the meantime, here are a few pictures. Majestic doesn't even begin to describe the grandness that we witnessed. Have you been? If so, please do share your experience with me! If not, then please add Iceland, land of fire and ice, on your list of places to visit. It will change your spirit and leave such a deep impression.

more  h e r e

image by (wildly talented) Brian Ferry

Elijah and I are back, well, almost. My heart and head are still lingering over in Iceland. The glaciers, snow-covered fjords, lagoons, heated swimming pools and waterslides, furry Icelandic horses, the northern lights, the silence, the darkness, the grandness, waterfalls. The list can go on.

I trust that you too had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well? Happy December 1st. Sorry if this post is a bit all over the place. I feel like I kind of am too.