because life gets a little cray, when your typing away!
perhaps the gloomy weather looming around the la skies, has me day dreaming of pool parties & sweet cocktails. the past few weeks have been quite exhausting & i’m dying for some mind clearing relaxation. you ever have those moments where everything that feels “just right” just doesn’t? it happens. no matter how “perfect” it may seem. i’m trying to move past those minor failures & stay onward. so, palm springs is my immediate “run to”. something about that place is magical, old school, & enchanting. i wanna hop in my car and just drive…
breakfast is my absolute favorite meal of the day, so i’m always on the look out for new spots. i had only heard great things about the sycamore kitchen & had passed by the space weeks earlier while visiting the new steven alan space on la brea, which by the way has the best looks for spring! with a few friends, we planned a morning date (sweet stephanie & carmen!) & entered the airy space with a welcoming hello from the staff. the menu was a fresh mix of unique flavors & truthfully we couldn’t decide! after much debate, we all chose the pork belly hash & the hearty bowl was the perfect balance of savory. owners, karen and quinn hatfield score yet again with this perfect neighborhood addition…
the sycamore kitchen | 143 south la brea ave los angeles, ca 90036 | twitter@sycamorekitchen | instagram
who could resist these zoe karssen tees sprinkled with life lessons & kitty cats? i want it all, soft tissue cotton, hearts, & meow masks. they scream warm summer nights with cutoffs. oh, i want that…
made a quick stop in downtown la’s chinatown for the newest addition of roy choi’s chego. (just in case you unfamiliar, the chef behind the koji bbq food trucks. pure magic!) chubby pork belly bowl & ooey gooey fries were the two things i had to order up, plus tubs full of hot sauce seemed only fitting. with all these familiar mexican, chinese, & korean flavors, this native angeleno girl was in a state of bliss. this will be “my summer jam”. pulling up a seat on the patio, with the best rap music playing, & waiting for a steaming bowl to appear. yup, count me in…
chego east | 727 north broadway, #117, los angeles 90012 | twitter @eatchego
Filed under: around la, food, monicais... Tagged: chego, chego chinatown, chego chinatwon, chego east, chego los angeles, chubby pork belly bowl, clowns, eat chego, ooey gooey fries, pork belly, red, restaurants, roy choi, roy choi koji, roy choi los angeles, ruby red 
driving through culver city’s arts district is a weekly occurrence since i love visiting cognoscenti coffee (delicious cortados!), but this time after noticing their eye-catching storefront, i finally stepped into gramercy york. an airy space filled with carefully curated finds of indie & well known designers, like clare vivier, malin & goetz, wolverine, it is a welcoming change to this ever booming street. the inviting centerpiece table houses gifts, housewares & an enviable selection of leather goods to make any accessories junkie swoon. i had to snag this pair of intoxicating candles from long beach’s pomme frites candle co. & couldn’t stop sniffing them on the ride home. keep this boutique on your radar westside…
gramercy york | 8568 washington blvd culver city, ca 90232 | 310.280.1102 | twitter @gramercyyork | instagram gramercy york
summer is in full effect & these lazy days are filled with warm nights, bbq’s with friends, & endless daydreaming. perfect for those pinterest nights where you just can’t stop pinning. (here’s my profile & join in on the fun!) i’ve been on a kick & for those who still aren’t on or don’t get it; you don’t know what your missing!
who doesn’t want to be endlessly inspired?
here are three loves that i stumbled upon & can’t stop wishing i could wear as my uniform…
so after a stressful start to the year (some swift changes were made to get back on track!), i decided that i really wanted to commit to “relaxing”. although it is not always easy to get back & simplify, it was an important thing i wanted to at least try to do. i shifted my diet, exercise came back into my life, & gardening. yes, gardening. as a child, it was a first love and something that was a fun thing to do with my family. we were & still are a lover of plants, the outdoors, & anything your bare hands can cultivate and grow. after i was given a small pot with the most amazing specimen of succulent, alas the desire came back! its the little things. i’m a few weeks into my hobby & now my fashion haunts have turned into lowes trips, which i’m loving more everyday…
image from a beautiful mess
image from the brickhouse
i love lots of things. fashion, food, art & more, but i truly heart coffee. i’ve been drinking coffee since i was a kid. yes, a kid. i didn’t have milk with my breakfast & thank goodness my mother never took away the mug that i would steal sips from. i just loved the taste of it. the strong jolt & deep, rich flavor poured in every mug. so now as an adult nothing has changed.
the happiness i feel sipping a great cup of espresso or an artfully poured latte is one of my great moments of the day, especially when you’re experiencing the work behind the process.
so as the world continues to embrace the many growing roasting & speciality coffee shops sprouting in los angeles, i will keep enjoying the friendly people that gather & share my love for this special art form… 
a list of my favorite instagram coffee shops/roasters:
handsome roasters
go get em tiger
cognoscenti coffee
wrecking ball coffee
verve coffee
oakwood roasted
sqirl coffee
bar nine coffee
intelligentsia venice
caffe luxxe
blue bottle coffee
la coffee club
g & b coffee
bru coffee bar
dripp coffee
ritual coffee
coava coffee
los angeles: “there is no better time than now, to find the best cups of coffee & beautifully pulled shots.”
a few weekends ago, i decided to pay a visit to the newly built portland transplant, stumptown coffee roasters in dtla. just steps away from culinary darling bestia, this coffee shop is just more than a place for quick pick me up. this space urges you to linger, bump into strangers, learn & explore. the large roasting area & various rooms built within this restored building is a feast for the eyes & more importantly your tastebuds. a happy staff member offered this perfectly poured heart capp, while they filmed in the new space. 90 degree summer-like days in october? (not that i’m complaining) cold brew on tap? yep they’ve got that covered & so i’m surely digging this new addition…
i recently came across echo + air & was immediately drawn to the modern feel of la based designer jordana howard’s passion for minimal, simplistic beauty.
“her pieces have a great sense of movement & i could totally see these two silhouettes as “my go-to’s” while jetting around the los angeles streets.”
one look at the whole collection & you instantly feel influences from her scandinavian roots in both color & design. i can’t wait to see what else this emerging talent features next!
shown: “emma” top | “alter ego” dress
// echo + air // twitter // instagram // factory la //
last saturday, i headed toward the lovely city of whittier & took a stroll through the historic downtown. loaded with tons of cafes, restaurants, & indie shops, i happened to linger into casita del pueblo on philadelphia street.
“entering this shop is sensory overload in the best possible way”
there are so many things to discover that it’s best to start with a “first lap” & then settle in. if you appreciate vibrant, colorful mexican folk art, you’ve found a small treasure trove inside yolanda garcia’s family run boutique. the lovely ixchel, briefly told me about the store’s history & many relationships with local artists, community outreach, & city events. one thing you’ll instantly feel, is the warm of color, shades indigenous from mexican landscapes, clothing, & art that shows the boldness within the culture. a fun place to pick up a unique gift (especially if you’re looking for dia del los muertos items) or a piece to spruce up a dull home space, something i’ve been looking to do in my own dining room. i can’t wait to score some brunch & wander back into this little hideaway, i’ll certainly be back…
// casita del pueblo // 13100 Philadelphia St, Whittier, CA 90601 // (562) 693-2844 //
// twitter // instagram // facebook //
every time a new year rolls around, this sense of hope & positivity flows through everyone. i love it. i don’t care for the celebrations, drinks, or the party favors. i enjoy the static energy of people wanting MORE for themselves & the dreams they keep reaching for. even if sometimes “the date” means nothing really (cause you can change your life whenever you feel like it) , i like the idea of “starting over”. what are some of your resolutions or dreams for the year?
from my pinterest board | just words
it’s the start of the new year & in los angeles all the buzz is about the ace hotel setting up shop. one can’t help, but want to see with their own eyes the transformation of the old united artists theatre. so i made a morning of this field trip & it is stunning. as a lover of breakfast, the meal at la chapter was one of the best plates ever, along with a latte from stumptown roasters. the staff was attentive & quite charming. so for all the talks about this “new kid”, it’s worth your time. welcome ace!
“there is so much to look at & you will encounter many just gazing straight up”
ace hotel dtla | 929 south broadway, los angeles, ca 90015 | la chapter instagram |
it feels like my early vacation to a little border town from puerto vallarta was so long ago. non-touristy, boca de tomatlan was the perfect place to lay low, relax & enjoy late nights laughing with friends. the days were filled with epic views of the coastal terrains & no shortage of homemade prepared meals. it’s safe to say it was paradise, even if for a few sweet days…
i am a self-professed fragrance junkie. since i was a child, i have always been fascinated with perfume and it’s sensory power. i feel like scent can bring you back to a place, a memory, & make you feel all around better. if i happen to skip a spray in the morning, i feel like i’m missing a bit of me. so, imagine my excitement when commodity came out with the brilliant idea, to bring the sometimes overwhelming process of scent shopping to your door step!
after ordering, the try-on kit arrives neatly packaged with all the useful tips you’ll need to find your next signature scent. once you narrow it down (and let me tell you it’s quite hard!) you’ll find a nice credit sitting in your cart towards your full size or travel size purchase. the pressure of figuring out “will this scent work for me?” , near a salesperson is gone. it’s on your own terms. man or woman will love this nifty service! it’s beautifully designed so the fragrance shines through, not the marketing noise…
my top fragrance picks: paper | moss | gold | whiskey | wool | cane
commodity goods | twitter | instagram
just had a recent coffee date with fellow instagram/twitter friend (and now real friend!) chermelle aka the coffeetographer from smdlr.com. it’s a nice thing to connect with people via social media. many of your followers share the same interests and likes, so it’s nice to venture past our phones & meet in real life. we chatted about where we grew up, passions, & why we love being in the presence of coffee shops.
nestled behind a flower lined bush, we met at bar nine collective in culver city. with just days being open, this beautiful coffee shop has managed to pick up quite the following amongst the growing la coffee community.
“service, hospitality, & of course amazing coffee, make for a great experience”
bar nine collective | 3515 helms avenue, culver city, california 90232 | instagram: barninecoffee
after seeing this coffee shop pop up on my feeds, i had to venture to the valley to experience this treasure for myself. compañía de café is one of those places that has to be seen in person to really enjoy the intense colors, rich smells, & hospitable staff. the mexican influence is heavy, yet intriguingly modern. i was in a very happy place. as a mexican, i felt instantly at home. i tried several drinks, ranging from the horchata latte, aguas frias, to the standout carbonated tamarind cold brew. everything was meticulously cared for that my only gripe (if any!) would be that it’s oh so far. a definite trek, but worth every bit of valley traffic…
compañía de café | 110 north maclay ave san fernando, ca 91340 | for more info read this
if you live in los angeles, you know that finding a reliable/affordable hair & nail salon is quite a challenge. although there are tons to choose from (too many if you ask me) most of the time your trusted person, eventually moves or worse the salon closes down. so while heading down pico towards paper or plastik cafe for that afternoon perk, i spot the cutest curb appeal coming from enamel diction, who coincidentally i had discovered on instagram.
instant love affair created.
i met one of the lovely owners, mariana stanciu who along with australian design duo/color experts Tamara Sheeran & Sean Morrison created this safe haven. she cheerfully chatted me up about the salon’s inception & ultimate goals to brighten up this patch of pico real-estate. upon arrival, i notice all the lovely details: the bright skylight, comfy leather chairs, clean & inviting space, plus a collection of nail polish that one dreams of. (rgb, uslu airlines, you name it they have it) my experience was so relaxing & fun, that i never once felt the doom from terrible experiences of sub-par nail salons.
this is my new place. just like when i found my current hair salon, i want to scream it from the mountain tops & i wish them all the success in the world…
*last three images by tiffany rose photography
enamel diction | 5405 west pico blvd, los angeles, ca 90019 | (323) 900-0355 | instagram: @enameldiction
