self and Self @ 1440 w/ Alanis Morissette
No words can express taking a workshop with an artist who had such a high impact on my youth. But I'll make an attempt. Earlier this month, I took retreat at 1440 Multiversity in Santa Cruz and participated in a 3 day workshop with Alanis Morissette, Justin Gilroy, and Ann Rudolph.
Takeaways included a deeper dive into sensitive personas, relationships, and an understanding of taking responsibility for the self-care and personal reaction for one's own sensitivities. This also included the power of acknowledgement, something not only that impacts personal relationships, but also business and organizational relationships.
Moreover, it was my reconnection with nature, and a sense of nostalgia of days of being a Girl Scout, creating new relationships with different people from all over.
Barcelona Secrets
A Toast to 2018
West Coast Craft
The West Coast Craft is the mecca of craft fairs here in San Francisco. On November 18th & 19th at Fort Mason, nothing said "style" more than the hot ankle boots from Freda Salvador's booth walking through the gate.
There were so many goodies to peruse on the last day of the Craft Fair, I had to turn on my New York pace to get to them all before the day came to a close! On "Intro" row where WCC hosted new risers in the craft movement, I came across Drifter Organics, using their balm to moisturize my hands, but what caught my eye was their catch-phrase, "Nature looks good on you." And it does. It really does.
In the last year, I had deepened my fascination with ceramics by learning to make my own, but while I have been getting pretty decent, I still look at local heavy hitters and find new ones to admire all the time. Today, I discovered trendy tumblers in rose with gold detailing at Amy Hamley Ceramics and ceramic mugs styled by the range of the color wheel at Atelier Dion.
I suddenly found my future glory... in the Rockwell Mini in Noir, a socially conscious constructed leather beauty of a purse with a gold rounded handle and bag feet, by of course, Future Glory.
Brooklyn-based The Spinx and the Priestess was also in the house, with their manifest destiny candles based on the Tarot; the mystic shopping trend continues. Inside their soy-based scented candles, are energy charged crystals to help you make your call to the universe. My pick is "The Lovers"; I could use a little more love in my life.
Dear Annie
I am sending you a package to your PO Box on Monday. All phone and power in Puerto Rico has been down with the exception of very few areas. They are working on getting online communication back up. We only know through Facebook and PR Informa that the 100 Highway is clear and that all in Cabo Rojo are currently safe after Hurricane Maria. Ships just hit port with supplies and New York has been sending manpower to help. However, I don't know that those supplies are going to be enough or when the power will be back on. PR Informa said the Mayor is going house to house with a satellite phone. We're waiting to hear from you to make sure everyone is OK.
That being said, I am sending the below on Monday because I have no idea what you, Uncle Dixon, Abuela, Kate, Vianca, Rene, Emil, Yezenia, Diego, and Valeria are going to need.
1. SOL SCOUT Survival Kit (2) w/ blanket, fishing and sewing kit.
2. WATER TREATMENT to disinfect ground or rain water, the water system in Puerto Rico is questionable right now, you just need to mix Part A and B and let it dissolve into the water.
3. BASE CAMP PRO 10L water filter to get the gunky water particles out.
4. MOUNTAIN HOUSE Freeze dried food. The Chicken Teriyaki sounds delicious. Yum. Kidding. Yum enough if it's needed. You just need to add boiling water which I think you guys will be able to do with the Outdoor Fire Pits. Worst case scenario, just add water.
5. 8 lbs of rice and 4 packs of pasta.
If you can get to the Post Office, I am going to assume you can get to Abuela, Kate and Emil. I trust you'll distribute as needed. If no one needs anything, please give it to someone on the island that does.
Please contact us when you can. We love you!
xoxo
V
Coastal Pilgrims
My pilgrimage through California continues...
Labor Day weekend brought me up to Santa Barbara, a coastal city that I've been going to for as long as I can remember to escape the urban sprawl of Los Angeles. It is also a city that has helped me reflect on the joys of life, at every age. I can't describe it, other than it is like the taste of the freshest strawberries atop your french toast, because that was my time honored tradition for every stop & visit at this charming city.
State Street, once a center for locals and UCSB college students, alike, has seen a string of retail store shutterings. Every restaurant and every big box retailer that I know, from Roxy's Mexican Restaurant to Macy's has closed its presence on State Street in the wake of triple net leases. Ah, so it's not just a San Francisco issue ;).
Yet, smaller businesses have survived.
Among my favorite is The French Press. Boy, do coffee and CPG categories persist, or what?
Nothing like an almond milk macchiato to tie my past and present.
I have been focused on health, as of late, so has my family. For me, it's been moving away from dairy (which is like all my favorite things: ice cream, cheese, half and half creamer!) and even going a bit more vegan at times. I cheat, but places like Lilac Pâtisserie make it so that I don't have to indulge in the wrong direction as they make yummy gluten-free and vegan desserts. Sure, you pay $8.00 for a slice of cake versus $3.00, but have you ever tried to bake with gluten-free flour, like Cup 4 Cup from Sur La Table? Not so easy, huh.
My time in Santa Barbara is always very brief. So on to the next.
Mom was insistent that I go with her to Pismo Beach this year. It was the first time I ever went to this California Central Coastal town. The importance of the ocean in my life has mostly been a big part of my own upbringing, from California to the island of Puerto Rico. I commented on the ocean's healing power at dinner. If there is ever a time where you feel like you're just starting to get to know your parents, it's when your Dad drops tidbits of information on you, things you never thought your parents could possibly know, things like, "Well, you know you feel that way about the beach because the ocean creates negative ions that make you feel good."
And, OMG, he's right.
The high point of course, was our family return to Hearst Castle. I had not been there since I was eight years old with the family on a road trip. My relatives from Puerto Rico had come and we had embarked on a journey in a VW van, up the coast with a stop in San Simeon.
My memories of golden satin beds and the luxurious Neptune Pool have stayed with me since, but this time we saw the cottages of the ranch for the "Designing the Dream" tour.
Wiliiam Randolph Hearst was the son of a miner, George Hearst, and a Harvard enrollee, who used to parade his pet alligator, Champagne Charlie around. William Hearst was responsible for commissioning the architectural behemoth, Hearst Castle, that would have been estimated to cost $220 billion dollars today to construct, according to my tour guide Mike Davis. The structure was overseen by architect extraordinaire, Julia Morgan over the span of 28 years.
Now even though Mr. Hearst is the reason for Hearst Communications today, which is the umbrella company for media companies such as A+E, Lifetime, as well as magazine publications Elle Decor, Food Network, Marie Claire and well, you name it, it all started for him with the take over of the San Francisco Examiner, after he had discovered his love of newspaper from working on the Harvard Lampoon.
Inspiration really does come from everywhere.
Hearst Castle architect, Julia Morgan, graduated from U.C. Berkeley and was the first woman to be admitted to the architecture program at l'École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. She designed more than 700 buildings in her career, in addition to Hearst Castle, she also worked on some Bay Area local gems such as the YWCA in Chinatown and Mills College in Oakland, some of which represent the Arts and Craft movement.
Although Mr. Hearst bankrolled the project and certainly had his own ideas, ambitions and desires for what he wanted it to be, Ms. Morgan was responsible for its execution and certainly had to cope with what was described by California State Park Guides as a "changeable-ness" of mind. Moreover, Ms. Morgan stood at 5 foot tall, much like yours truly, and sadly, not much is known about her own personal life, other than she lived on the cheap, accepting much less than what she was worth for jobs in her day, never marrying, with no known romances and no known children.
Huh. Mr. Hearst had a wife, who he never divorced, a girlfriend 30 years his junior, and 5 children. While he inherited a fortune, due to how he spent his money, he was $156 million in debt by the time he died in his 80s.
You can make your own social conclusions here. Although, I'm thinking a woman should still be able to do her work + have a personal life in this day and age we live in, don't you? I certainly didn't see any footnotes of Ms. Morgan accumulating any debt, she seemed to manage finances pretty well. No man seemed to blink an eye, while Mr. Davis, our guide, shared that Mr. Hearst had a GF 30 years his junior, with a wife. Bummer. Although, all the men there were Boomers. Hopefully, monogamy is still in fashion for some. Not all of Generation Y is non-committal, that's a misconception that I hope to someday prove with data.
What Mr. Hearst and Ms. Morgan did together, as partners in commerce, was create an in-door Roman Pool that you would have changed into a scratchy wool suit for, in order to dive into the topsy turvy design of stars in the deep water, to see sea life in the high ceiling. Within such a celestial haven, guests would walk on 22 carat gold mosaic tiles.
Jumping back to present day, Mom & I took our selfies on the ranch.
Coming back from the Central Coast was a reality check. Years before, we had been there with our loved ones from Puerto Rico. Today, I worry about their safety as they prepare for Hurricane Irma, after the havoc made with Hurricane Harvey in Houston. The Caribbean islands are considered third world, by the way, even when marked as U.S. territory. Recovery + repair is hard in any country, but is often made easier with federal funds. The economy in Puerto Rico has suffered for over 10 years, thus I worry deeply not simply over mortal harm, but further economic harm.
I'm thinking good thoughts for you family, Puerto Rico, and my little Caribbean islands of special paradise. Stay safe.
Valley Girl
Alright folks, time for a confession. I'm a Valley girl. *Gasp*
So now that I've said that, let's discuss what that means. It means, that I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley (namely Sherman Oaks) in Los Angeles County. It also was a movie from 1983, starring Nicholas Cage. If anyone asks, I just say L.A. and yes, the Valley IS considered a part of Los Angeles, so if you too are from here, don't ever let a West Sider, a Transplant or one of your own, tell you otherwise.
The Valley is typically considered to extend all the way from Calabasas, where the rich and famous hide-away in "Hidden Hills", to Burbank and Glendale on the cusp of San Gabriel Valley, where Pasadena + the amazing Huntington Library Botanical Gardens are located.
Q: Is Simi Valley a part of the San Fernando Valley?
A: Nope, that's a part of Ventura County.
Q: What about the Hollywood Hills?
A. Depends on what side of the hill you are on, northern part could be considered Studio City, but don't worry, you'll see the sign on the twisted narrow road that tells you, you've hit West Hollywood.
As for the "Like", "Oh my G-d", and "Dude" vernacular, I'm sorry I can't take credit for that one. Since much of the studio system, including ABC/Disney, NBC, Universal, CBS and others are in the Valley, including those who work, write, produce and perform, it is no wonder, that by means of television, film and simply pop culture, that this has become everyone's vernacular, particularly Generation Y, which extends to people in their 30's, as well as their 20's. I just heard a member of Generation Z say "OMG" verbally, over the phone in the Oakland Airport, as the acronym. I think we can attribute that to mobile. Your hypothesis is as good as mine.
Now that we have addressed the stigma, I'd like to tell you what the Valley is to me.
It's home.
It's the first home I ever knew. And it's changing a lot.
First off, global warming. It has to be. When I walked off the tarmac in Burbank, I think it was literally 108 degrees. Not kidding.
Secondly, more cool stuff. Like artisanal ice cream.
I love Portland and I love Salt & Straw, they even have a Farmer's Market series of flavors this month! So guess what my fellow Valley peoples, they have a location in Studio City.
Crazy? Crazy good.
Where were they when I worked on the CBS Radford Lot? Not there.
Even more unique to the scene, is Wanderlust Creamery in, wait for it... Tarzana?! It's near the center where my childhood dentist was located. Ironic, isn't it?
Inspired by travel, born in L.A. (but based in the Valley :P). I mean "ABUELITA MALTED CRUNCH" sourcing chocolate, cinnamon and chili? I have an Abuela, go Hispanic heritage! "PRETZEL + RÚGBRAUÐ" originating from Iceland and using pretzel-inflused ice cream and carmelized rye crumbs? I LOVE Iceland. "SMOKY ROAD" named for the Pacific Northwest, laden with housemade marshmallows and smoked sea salt? Wow. They took all my favorite things and put it in an ice cream cone.
I can't talk about the new, without talking about the old. In this case, that would be Sushi.
Everyone who is from the Valley knows that Ventura Blvd. is Sushi Row. Period. Dot.
Now the sexy executive or "Biz" dinner might take place at a Katsu-ya or a Sugarfish by Sushi Nozawa. Or good ole' All-You-Can-Eat Midori. This is all good stuff. I may kick myself later for telling you about this... but Chiba. It's like a little secret tucked away in the industrial part of North Hollywood and it has been there for YEARS. They recently moved their location to allow for more parking because they were constantly crowded, they could never accommodate. They have a hard close for lunch at 2:30 and re-open for dinner around 5 or 5:30pm. They don't even have a website.
Yet, their sushi is serious. So... shhhhhhh.
There is definitely more to come here. In the Valley, Venice, Silver Lake, DTLA, you name it. As I discover things, I'll be sharing along the way.
The Davis
Even though I am a California native, born + raised, my trip through Santa Cruz began a love affair with California cities and towns that I have yet to visit.
For just $27 dollars each way on Amtrak, you can hop a last-minute train to Davis out of Oakland. I decided to find out what “The Davis” was all about.
I escaped the overcast gloom of San Francisco, ferried across the Bay, and caught the train to the hot college town just outside of Sacramento. The gentle ride took me through the pastoral section of the East Bay, with the water glistening off its coast, we passed through Berkeley, Fairfield, and Martinez until all you could see was golden grain, cows, and bison. An hour later, I walked off the train through the small depot right into the town with the GORUCK backpack my brother had sent me for the holidays, the Mother Jeans that kept me comfortable & chic and the locally-made golden bar earrings that helped me stay on trend. Well-traveled, I was a young stylish woman, ready for adventure!
Ten minutes later by foot, I arrived at the Aggie Inn to check-in and drop my bag. I’m no stranger to being a lone traveler, but even so, I keep certain traditions, like dressing for dinner. I washed up, put on my new Ali Golden Black Silk Romper and headed on down to the local Izakaya, Yakitori Yuchan. Like any college town, it’s all mostly pretty casual much like a Westwood (UCLA), Palo Alto (Stanford), or Berkeley (UCB), but in this college town, you could get more bang for your buck. A 300 ml sake bottle, edamame plate and spicy gyoza later, I head over to the Davis Creamery for a cookie, where I am informed that in order to use a credit card, they have a minimum of a dollar. The last time I paid 75 cents for a cookie was at a high school bake sale. I was in a college economic parallel universe and it was awesome.
The next morning, I borrowed a bicycle from the Inn and rode through UCD getting a glimpse of the Arboretum with the fresh scent of the hybrid gum trees and Eucalyptus in the air.
After returning the bike and partaking in the continental breakfast, I took a stroll downtown and found Temple Coffee. I don’t usually order the expensive pour over coffee, but today I picked the Nicaraguan. I was impressed how these roasters were able to deliver pour over that was not bitter or burnt, serving me a side of almond milk, without charging me extra!
A couple blocks away at Central Park, I caught the Farmer’s Market where I was able to get some healthy finds for my fridge. An Apple-a-Day quart of cider, the vegan + gluten-free Marin Gourmet Artichoke dip, and farmer fresh basil were my top food picks.
As my brief getaway came to a close, my appreciation for a life outside an urban center rose. A love for local businesses and farmers came back to San Francisco with me, as I made a fresh tomato bruschetta with a dash of that Marin Gourmet Artichoke dip, served with cider.
Verve
While venturing to Santa Cruz on an inspiration trip, I came across Verve Coffee Roasters downtown. Verve is named for the spirit and enthusiasm surrounding the creation of art. Since art typically reflects life, it so cleverly led me to The 1950 blend, “Because that’s it. That’s where we are…”
In the blend was a dash of McCarthyism, a dash of pre-1950 Fascism, WWII despotism and a reality wake-up call to the politics of the present. Well, not really, it was a wonderful candied blend with a hint of Earl Grey, but the livening scent of caffeine gave way to awareness, prophetic even, because two days later the events in Charlottesville struck.
When I first wrote this, before my CMS froze and lost my initial draft, it was filled with intense facts regarding the history of violence of the KKK and Neo-Nazis because I felt not enough was being said on the lessons of past history. I had cited the Declaration of Independence then former Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush released a statement:
“America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms. As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city’s most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights. We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country.”
That’s leadership.
I heard that another rally by a white supremacist group was scheduled in San Francisco’s Chrissy Field for August 26th via Facebook. I immediately wrote Mayor Ed Lee and I didn’t plead, I demanded action. San Francisco is a city of free speech, not a place of violence against diversity. The next day, San Francisco leaders sounded the alarm and released that it was the National Park Service that issued the permit to an “alt-right” group called Patriot Prayer and pleaded with them to withdraw the permit.
While I’m still not sure how the events of August 26th will be handled, it gave me some comfort that leaders are listening, and even more comfort when Tina Fey resolved that Americans should eat Sheet Cake instead of engaging in a hate screaming match against “alt-right” protesting on SNL’s “Weekend Update”, certainly adding more verve to the conversation.
Color Factory
Perhaps you've heard of the experiences brought to you by the sold-out Museum of Ice Cream that are taking wave over New York and Los Angeles. Now, Jordan Ferney, founder of lifestyle blog Oh Happy Day!, has collaborated with hot local artists Leah Rosenberg, Erin Yang, and numerous designers to produce a two-story, 12,000 square foot interactive color experience Color Factory (575 Sutter St.) right in the heart of downtown San Francisco. The factory opened to the public August 1st, attracting all ages, from young children to Millennial adults. Tickets have already sold out for August and the 15-site installation has been extended into September.
As you enter the building, the experience team cloaked in yellow jumpsuits, guide you down a technicolor staircase and into a rainbow-abstract room, a feeling reminiscent of the beloved film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. You are handed a photo card in the striped reception space to use at any of the photo booths of the highly Instagram worthy rooms. But wait! Before you enter, you are invited to partake in a sweet treat sponsored by Chantal Guillon, on a rotating color wheel.
After an introduction to the neon eccentric monochromatic orange room installation by Tosha Stimage, enter a hair raising static-induced blue balloon room sponsored by Geronimo Balloons and Alaska Airlines. In the adjacent room, get ready to sparkle on the dance floor lit up by delightful disco balls.
From dark to bright, after you have toyed with the Lite Bright inspired installation, you'll be able to color yourself happy with a giant green marker in the freehand outlines on the walls by Andy J. Miller and Andrew Neyer.
You've made it to the much anticipated ribbon room, where you can walk, twirl, shake, hide, or do as you please in a multitude of hanging pastel-hued pieces.
The 2nd floor awaits! Up the neon pink lit stairs, past the happy face, and the core of the factory gleams with colored sunlight as the factory reminds all, "This is a place to sit, take a deep breath and soak in all the colors." The method sponsored confetti room allows visitors to splash the candy-colored tissue into the air for whimsical moments. Across, the violet #Selfie room, created by Tom Stayte, makes all think about the meaning of digital self-portraits by allowing the audience to tag #tomstayte and automatically print his or her selfie, amidst all the other violet selfies.
For those who haven't stepped into a ball pit since their Chuck E. Cheese days, welcome back. In a yellow space with cursive quips, even if you are not under the age of 12, no one can resist but to dip their toe in the lemon-colored pool and immerse themselves in play. Once out of the pool, you can bring yourself back to adulthood, with a completely yellow pop-up curated by New York's Randi Brookman Harris. Garden Creamery will allow you to savor the time you've had in the factory with some dainty banana soft serve.
Is it over? The journey through the factory has come to a close, but don't fret. The experience continues in the 7x7 city with a map of areas & partners filled with pops of colors, ideas, and chromatic inspired deals.
