The Search for the Perfect Cereal Bowls

Moving into a new home is a great opportunity for a fresh start in the Kitchen. Especially when you've been living with the same dishes for over ten years.

My first set of dishes was given to me by my mom when I moved out to attend college in San Luis Obispo. When you think of college living, you probably picture a hand me down set of dishes with ramen on top. Fortunately for me, my mom puts great importance on dishes and my first set was a new, Tuscan inspired collection from Pier 1.

Union Station, Los Angeles

For a while now I've been wanting to tour Union Station in Los Angeles. I have a deep affection for Spanish Architecture in and around Los Angeles. In fact, I'm constantly snapping photos of homes around Los Angeles in an effort to discover details and features that I can incorporate in a new Spanish style home I've been working on. What makes Los Angeles the perfect source of inspiration is that the structures are so old, historic in most cases, and they were all built with an attention to detail (and no attention to expense) that you just don't see anymore.

Bathroom Shelf Solution

I recently moved into a new apartment in West Hollywood. Our bathroom came with one of those over the toilet shelving systems, which for most people is a great storage solution and our bathroom is low on storage. However, low isn't always "not enough".

I found there to be plenty of storage under the sink, and more than enough in a nearby hall closet for items we don't use daily. Since our bathroom is on the small side, the first thing I wanted to do was get rid of the shelving system to open up the space. The room felt heavy and a little crowded.

Washington Irving Library

There is an area west of Downtown Los Angeles that I find myself driving through for work, usually on my way to a plater who has recently been refinishing a lot of brass for some Interior Design projects. It's on the map as Arlington Heights and has some of the coolest, gigantic old houses in Los Angeles. Many of which I'm learning were more frequent before the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.

I haven't been able to find much information on the history of Arlington Heights online. More generally, there is a great deal of history on Historic West Adams which consists of several neighborhoods: Adams-Normandie, Pico-Union, Angelus Vista, Harvard Heights, Victoria Park, Lafayette Square, Wellington Square, Jefferson Park and Arlington Heights.

Halston

I do not have a Netflix account (yet), but find myself glued to documentaries whenever I am able to take advantage of a friends. Most recently, glued (or should I say draped?) onto Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston.

It's the story of American Fashion Designer Roy Halston Frowick and how he revolutionized the industry during his quick rise to fame in the nineteen seventies and eighties. It seems to be that every film centered around the disco era shines with decadent excess and ends in dark despair - consequences from the excess in fashion, drugs and sex. Halston's life was no exception.

Revel In: Brass Shades

 
I'm crazy about Brass these days. I love the warmth that this metal finish holds in comparison to cold steel and glaring polished gold (which can often give off a green tint). A lot of my older friends or clients hear the word brass and gasp. It's commonly associated with a dated look for some reason. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for any finish. But the truth is, brass is very popular in the design world today as it is commonly offered as a finish option.

Education: Chateau Marmont

 
It's been a while since I've had a source of inspiration for a side project. A side project for me is always an ambition, a wild dream and a rebellious idea. This particular daydream is sort of a new interpretation for an existing fashion label.
 
My history in retail actually began with this brand and I find it sort of ironic that it has, in one way or another, stumbled back into my life. It's as if everything comes full circle in life. Well, my idealist nature fantasizes that it could come full circle and be a break my career could prosper from.