From Hollywood to Sweden

(This is our little amphitheater in town, what I like to call our version of the Hollywood Bowl)

I was raised in Los Angeles starting from when I was 5 1/2 (before that I had lived in NYC), and one can only imagine how strange it was for me to move out of a big bustling city to a small town in west Sweden like I did last year. I often get asked why I left LA for Strömstad (the town I live in now), and once I explain that it's because my now-fiancé is from here, people understand, but it is the number one question I get asked when I'm meeting someone new, no doubt.

I grew up in a suburb of LA called Valley Village (back when it was still considered to be North Hollywood), so the word "Hollywood" has always had a strong significance to me (not only because, fun fact!, my dad is an actor so I've grown up in the entertainment industry). I remember going on a summer trip to visit my childhood friend in Atlanta, Georgia, when I was 11 years old. Our moms had signed us both up for tennis camp (I played tennis regularly at that age), and on the very first day, as soon as the other kids found out that I was from LA, they immediately referred to me as "Hollywood" every single day for the next 3 weeks. I wasn't offended by it, but it made me realize that "Hollywood" was a special place to a lot of people, especially to people who had never been there and had always fantasized about it, like these kids at the camp. 

Do you remember watching the movie Hocus Pocus? I mean, who doesn't if you grew up in the 90s, but the main character (Max, coincidentally enough) went through the exact same thing when he moved to Salem from LA. The two guys he met in the cemetery on the way home from his first day of school teased him, called him "Hollywood" and stole his shoes. Luckily my shoes were never stolen, and I wasn't totally offended by being called Hollywood, but I always found it funny, and the older I get, the prouder I am of being from there. So when I saw this sweater on Joanie Clothing's website, I knew I HAD to have it.

Since moving to Sweden, I've discovered that I find the most comfort in surrounding myself with clothing and even home goods that make me feel connected to my old hometown, and that definitely includes this jumper. It's soft as can be, can be thrown on with a pair of denim and converse, or can be dressed up tucked into a skirt with a cute pair of flats like in these photos I'm sharing here! I plan on wearing it all spring and summer, and into the fall, too.

*gifted*

Link to the Oscar Hollywood Slogan Jumper can be found by clicking this link HERE

Love in La La Land (aka our Engagement Photos!)

When Max and I were in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving, one of my closest friends, Desiree, surprised us with an engagement session as a wedding present! Desiree is a professional photographer and I used to help her with all of her photography projects in school when we were much younger, so this was extra special that she got to be the one to shoot this special time in our lives! We weren't sure exactly where we wanted to shoot them and we actually differed in our ideas at first. I thought it would be fun to shoot in front of all of the old trains at the Griffith Park Train Museum, but Max wanted to have LA as our backdrop, which actually ended up feeling very fitting since it's my hometown and where we first met. So, one dusky evening we met Desiree in the Hollywood Hills and found a few really beautiful spots in Runyon Canyon. Truth be told, I'd never actually been to this hiking trail until this session, and now I wish I had gone to it when I lived in Los Angeles. It has the prettiest views and isn't super uphill (or maybe it is later on, we didn't walk particularly far), but it was lovely. Fun fact: Did you know that Max is scared of snakes? That kept things really interesting whenever we\d have to step into the more jungle-y areas, haha.

On the subject of weddings, I can't believe our wedding is almost six months away! Time seems to be totally flying by now, and we've gotten mostly all of the big things done, like choosing and securing our venue(s), picking our vendors, sending out the wedding website and buying some decorations for the ceremony. But we still need to do some really important things: meet with the day-of coordinator to go over how our day will actually go at the reception site, meet with the chef to choose a menu, send the RSVP's out in February or March, and reserve our charter boat that we will have to shuttle people back and forth after the wedding, mainly. With Christmas being right around the corner, we won't be tackling much of this until the new year, but I already cannot wait. <3

Photos by Desiree Asher Photography

Happy National Donut Day!

 Donuts In This Photo Were Made By Donut Snob

 I'm a little late to the party, but I just wanted to dedicate this post to my favorite treat in the whole world: donuts! I went out to my favorite café and bought myself a baked strawberry donut which was delish! Did anyone else go out and celebrate and if so, what donut did you treat yourself to today?

 

 Just because I love 'em so much, here are some photos of some of my favorite donuts around LA!

Dk Donuts

1614 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

 

 Fonuts

8104 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

 

Donut Friend

5107 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065

Neighborhood Love

 

As you read in my last post, I recently (well, not SO recently) moved across town to an eclectic neighborhood in Los Angeles located on the "east side" of town, near Hollywood and Silver Lake. I've always loved the east side of the city because it has a real community feel. I love being able to run into old friends while I'm taking a stroll, and seeing familiar faces at the shops I go to frequently. But, it's not just the community that I've come to love, it's also the shops themselves! These are just some of my favorites (there are many!). 

1. Figaro Cafe - Best Happy Hour / This is THE place to go if you want fancy drinks and fancy french food for cheap. I happen to love their artichoke ravioli (with truffle oil, $6), and I always get a glass of their Lillet Blanc ($5)! Happy hour runs between 4-7 pm every day of the week. Plus, who doesn't want to just dine leisurely at a bistro on Vermont Ave?

2. Skylight Books - Best Neighborhood Bookstore (and the only one, really, for good reason!) / This is an amazing bookstore with events happening every week. They also have a sister book store next door that carries more "art books" like music biographies, graphic novels and the like.

3. Tomato Pie - Best Pizza (non vegan) / What's not to love about a bright orange and blue pizza joint? This cute little pie shop houses the tastiest pizzas ever, including The Florentine (jam-packed with veggies so I don't feel AS guilty eating it), delectable garlic knots, and the prices are pretty reasonable. I was going to also highlight my favorite vegan pizza spot called Cruzer, but I couldn't find a pretty picture of their shop to post, haha. If you are looking for vegan, this shop off Hillhurst is THE place for yummy non dairy/non real meat pizzas. I'm addicted to their gluten free pizza crust which is buttery and crunchy in just the right places. My favorite pizzas are their BBO Chicken, and Philly Cheese Steak. Also, you have to try their potato wedges with vegan ranch dressing or else. There are no words.

4. Little Dom's - Best Romantic Dinner / Ahh.. what's not to love about Little Dom's? Well, for one, they have a great deal on Mondays which includes an appetizer, main course, and dessert, all for $15! Also, many movies have been filmed here, including We Bought A Zoo (which is not one of my favorites but hey - it's cool to see Matt Damon sitting in one of my favorite restaurants). What I love most, though, is the atmosphere. They play cool music, serve yummy Italian food (mmm pasta), and sometimes I don't know that I'm sitting behind a famous person (last time it was Kristen Wiig) which adds to the experience. This will always be my favorite Valentine's Day AND Birthday dinner spot. Oh and their breakfast/brunch is pretty stellar, too.

5. Los Feliz 3 Cinema - Best Movie Theater / Many would disagree with me on this and say that the Vista is their favorite theater (another vintage theater in the vicinity), but I have always loved this theater. They always have three movies to choose from and it has such a classic, nostalgic feel to it.

6. Spitfire Girl - Best Spot for Fun Gifts / I love this little gem of a shop! I come here when I want to find a unique birthday present for a friend (like their Birthday In A Jar kit, which includes random items such as a balloon, fortune teller and confetti), or cute glasses for the kitchen (my favorites are the cats wearing pirate eye patches). They also have handmade greeting cards, pillows, jewelry, and more, most of which is handmade by the owner herself!

7. Alcove Café - Best Brunch Spot / There are so many great brunch/breakfast spots in this neighborhood, but for me, my favorite is definitely Alcove (mmm brioche french toast). From the outside, it looks like a tree house, with sweet bistro lights hung about and mismatched tables and chairs taking up the majority of the front of the restaurant. They also have a small bar inside. If you could see their bakery selections, I guarantee you'd be coming every day. Their cakes are INSANE! (Did I mention they also make their own chocolate in-house?) I also love their after hours menu that includes yummy bacon sliders and chili cheese fries.

8. Ramekin - Best Dessert Spot / I only recently discovered the genius that is Ramekin. As you can probably guess, every dessert here is served in a ramekin. The bread pudding is pretty much heaven, and their chocolate chip cookie is a little raw in the middle, and chewy on the outside, which to me is the perfect combo. I love to just sit outside and chat with friends for hours (they're open late!), sipping on tea + eating these yummy treats.