Postcards from Los Angeles

Last week’s trip to LA was a two-day whirlwind of location scouting for an upcoming party, catching up with my Santa Monica-dwelling brother, & of course tons of eating in one of my favorite food cities in the country. This trip yielded a new favorite restaurant to add to the list: Gjelina, a super stylish pizza spot in Venice, with a beyond-hip crowd and to-die-for Italian fare. A modern rustic setting with exposed brick & cozy fire pit makes this the type of place I could hang out & drink wine with friends all night. Cracker-thin pizzas from the wood-burning oven are piled high with California seasonal ingredients…Did I mention that I really, really loved this place?

Snapped some pics while roaming Beverly Hills…good thing that my hands were kept busy with my camera, since it helped me refrain from reaching into my wallet for shopping distractions. (*Highly dangerous in this part of town.)

I’m currently planning a June rehearsal dinner in Santa Monica, so this trip called for location scouting. We’ve settled upon the bride’s bungalow backyard: a brick patio that we’ll transform into a magical setting with strings of globe lights, terra cotta pots of herbs & sunflowers, & vintage Italian music serenading guests as they twirl pasta & toast the bride & groom. I snapped a few shots of the Santa Monica foliage as we walked around…I never get used to the amazing trees, colorful flowers & exotic succulents that pop up everywhere in California!