So! I was in Anthropologie playing happy tourist in Los Angeles recently and realized that I should snap some photos of some of the rad displays. Like a good little girl, I asked the lady who stands guard next to the front door with her Madonna mic on her head. She gave me the go ahead with a very military-like nod and I went around the store snap, snap, snappin’ as much as I could while dodging evil stares from the sales crew, who may not known that I had asked permission first. And so, these are my sneaky spy action snaps blurry and not at all pro-level but hey, it is what it is. So many good ideas in these photos, I had to capture the awesomeness that is Anthropologie. Their visual teams blow my mind.
I loved this installation with all of the books on the wall. It was such a grand entrance to the store!
This installation was also fantastic, thousands of what appeared to be papers on string cascading from a beam on the ceiling.
This was a surreal moment, seeing Flea Market Style by Emily Chalmers on the shelf, which was photographed by Debi Treloar whom I was there in L.A. with since she is shooting the book that I’m working on. It was just a moment for me, I guess. I felt really proud of myself and sometimes we need time out to feel good about ourselves and to reflect on our joys, don’t we? I also took this photo because I love the reimagined paintings of Leslie Oschmann and was so excited to see a few, for the first time, in the flesh.
I could have taken home this entire shelf. Swoon!
Love all of the salvaged wood we’re seeing on walls, furniture, kitchen cabinets, even on bathtubs lately! It’s so inspiring and I also adore seeing it as living wallpaper like this in Anthropologie.
Enjoying this woodsy theme…
I wanted to buy these organically-shaped porcelain vessels shown on the top shelf. I flipped them over to see who made them but I’ve forgotten so if you know, do tell. I couldn’t fit them in my luggage and was scared to spend so much money only to have them fall to bits in my suitcase, so I passed… but it was really hard to walk away.
Smart idea to organize a bookcase with drawers! Also like the simple, framed butterfly as art.
Isn’t Anthropologie an inspiring place?
(images: holly becker for decor8)
So I’m back from Los Angeles and had a great week out there! I stayed at The Farmer’s Daughter on Fairfax Ave. in West Hollywood, since it was a great location for me to hang out as I had work in the area so the location was prime and the hotel was great! A real gem! I really liked their adjacent restaurant, TART, and the patio area — we had breakfast there a few times and really enjoyed it — so fresh and delicious. Even if you don’t stay at the hotel, you should hit TART to eat and drink.
We had a special dinner at TART one night with the book designer and oh la la the cocktails were divine, especially the raspberry Tartini. :) Those came in handy after long days on shoots! Across the street from the hotel is the Original Farmers Market which is this large outdoor area packed with food “kitchens” and plenty of seating. Most of the food was locally sourced and most places seemed to be owned by small, local businesses but there was a pinkberry and a few other chains as well but I liked the mashup of things and enjoyed having so many great meals at super affordable prices directly across the street.
Also next to the farmers market I found a massive outdoor shopping area with a big Barnes + Noble, Anthropologie, Nordstrom (they had a killer sale that week and yes, I picked up some things), movie theater, more restaurants, J.Crew, I could list the stores but I don’t want to bore you – you get the drift. Being a tourist and out of the country for nearly a year, it was fun to shop at some of my favorite big box stores because we don’t have the same stores here in Germany and when I was in New York City the week before, I had little time to shop as we had 7 shoots in one week. Anyhoo — I loved that The Farmer’s Daughter hotel was within walking distance to so much because L.A. traffic is brutal and the less time I am bored in a car the happier I am!
So if you’re ever in L.A. and need a clean, inexpensive hotel with all the basics, great customer service, on-site safe parking, and walking distance to tons of great places to shop and eat then perhaps you’ll like this place. It was suggested to me by Victoria from SFGirlByBay and also another fab lady, Annie May from Yolksy — thanks, ladies! I needed a great place to stay, put a cry for help out on my facebook page, and they suggested a great one. Loved it and will definitely stay again!
Other great LA spots I hit: Dinner with Leslie Shewring and some other nice peeps at Katsuya on Hollywood and Vine (lots of paparazzi there, very Hollywoodish), the Santa Monica pier and 3rd street promenade (I saw Bruce Willis! For real!), an afternoon on Hermosa Beach just chillin’, dinner with Paul and Marcia from Zia Priven at R+D Kitchen (yum) in Santa Monica, the Getty Museum (gorgeous views and great places to lay in the sun and eat your lunch!), and a slew of random vintage shops and boutiques though I barely had a moment to really “enjoy” any of them as I was constantly on the go but that is how business trips usually are, right? Next time I’m in L.A. though I am organizing a meet and greet because I wanted to hang out with so many of my friends and had no time to do it. Next Spring, for sure!
I’m getting close to wrapping up the travel portion of this book project by the way — next week I’m off to Belgium and the Netherlands, finishing up in Amsterdam, then I go to London I think the week following and that is it! I can’t believe it, I’ve been on the road since the end of April on and off so I won’t know what to do with myself being back at home so much – ha ha! I’ve enjoyed this experience immensely but I’ve really missed connecting online so I look forward to hanging out with you guys more often going forward. :)
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Oh and a big P.S. — I cannot forget to tell ya — if you are in the Los Angeles area, then don’t miss the Designer Tag Sale organized by Vanessa De Vargas in Brentwood on July 31st, here is more information in case you are lucky enough to make it!
(images: holly becker for decor8)
I wrote about St. Jude’s Prints today over at Real Simple thanks to my current partner-in-crime Jo Copestick who is writing Decorate with me. She went to their gallery in Norfolk, England a few weeks ago and told me all about her visit so I had to learn more…
Here’s a link to the post on Real Simple, enjoy!
(images: st jude’s prints)
I’ve talked about Art as Life before on decor8 and have had Debee Campos as a Flickr contact foreevah but I thought today I’d give her the spot as blog of the week because her work continuously inspires me… And well, when people give you a positive reaction, share so many great ideas and inspirations and well, make your day so often then it’s not a bad idea to shout them out once in a while, is it?
So Debee this post is for you. Thank you for bringing your art, talent and beauty into the world. You rock, girl.
You can follow Debee’s inspirational blog, Art As Life, for a weekly dose of gorgeousness too. She has an etsy shop under the name Bella Drummer as well. Enjoy!
(images: debee campos)
When I was in New York a few weeks ago (so fun being there for July 4th!), I spent 8 days mostly working but whenever I could find a free second, I slipped out to hit this or that design store — so many great places to shop, omg! I hit Kate Spade one afternoon after a shoot, the homeowner actually brought me there to go shopping with her and then she pointed me over to ABC Carpet + Home where I fell completely in love with their ceramics, pillows, jewelry and the Madeline Weinrib Atelier. There are no words to describe that store, right?!?
But Kate Spade was such a highlight for me, the store was so decked out in all its colorful amazingness – a little quirky, a little retro, and a lot of style and color! I wanted to buy everything I saw but I only had a pair of sunglasses in my budget so I picked a pretty pair and now I can’t stop wearing them – so comfy and no lines across my nose – yeah! They came in so handy too – we were in New York during the heat wave and it got up to 103 F one day so my little purchase really got me through that crazy weather – and in LA too – I wore them on Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica and felt like a million bucks because well, that’s what a great pair of sunglasses can do for a girl, am I right!?
(images: kate spade)
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