Highlights

Posted in Beauty, Breakfast, Explore, Fashion, Food, Fun, Shoes, Treats by C.

This week went by incredibly fast for me, but turned out to be a good one. I’m loving the extra sunlight after work hours motivating me in ways that fall and winter never seem to. Really great things happened in really small ways as I look back over the last week. My 2nd Birchbox made an appearance, I learned my lesson when I ran out of my favorite cleanser and my skin was NOT happy about it, the new gym in my building opened up, and I treated myself to my first pair of spring inspired wedges.

I have a lot on my plate this weekend. A trip to the museum is on the agenda (since last weekend we ended up at the Walt Disney Concert Hall instead), a stop at my favorite grilled cheese place is a must, as well as spending some time roaming the farmer’s market to kill two birds with one stone – enjoying the 80 degree weather while stocking up on goodies for the week. Have an amazing weekend! It’s going to be gorgeous here!

My week’s highlights…

EXPLORE| grand park

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I sat in the new(ish) Grand Park in downtown L.A. with my boyfriend watching the massive water fountain and sipping an iced tea on a Saturday afternoon and it was simply magical. I plan to spend more time here at some point in the coming months enjoying all the free concerts and programming offered.

BEAUTY| birchbox

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Boy, was I glad to see this hand delivered to my door last Saturday morning. So far, I’m very happy with this month’s samples. Review post to come later this month!

BREAKFAST| strawberries

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I bought a huge vat of sweet strawberries and have been happily enjoying them for breakfast (and when I need a frozen yogurt fix) this week, but it’s reminding me to always keep dental floss in my purse.

BEAUTY| murad

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I ran out of my favorite cleanser and didn’t immediately replace it, instead using some left over product I had on hand. Let’s just say my skin was not very happy about it and rebelled pretty quickly. Once that became utterly clear, I ordered it online and painstakingly waited a week for its arrival because I save so much more money (gotta love Amazon). Now, all is well in the world.

SHOES| audrey brooke teagan

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I stumbled on these Audrey Brooke Teagan Wedge Pumps a few weeks back and instantly added them to my Pinterest gotta have board. Patience paid off when I received a great coupon and free shipping earlier this week. They’re on their way!

14Mar2013

Angels Flight

Posted in Explore, Fun by C.

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Location: 351 South Hill Street, Downtown L.A.

One of the things I love about downtown that you can feel immediately, is this sense of history. While there are plenty of trendy and more modern buildings in the area, a walk around the corner and you’re transported to a slice of the early 1900’s.

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Angels Flight, “The Shortest Railway in the World,” was first created in 1901 when the Bunker Hill district residents wanted an easy way to climb the short incline between two prominent downtown streets. Over 60 years later during a controversial redevelopment of the neighborhood, the railway was dismantled and placed into storage for 27 years. In 1996, Angels Flight was rebuilt and relocated to its current location, undergoing several repairs and upgrades throughout the years. You cannot help but notice the brightly colored orange marquee and unique structure of this famed landmark against the concrete and glass buildings surrounding it.

While you can physically walk the neighboring stairs much faster than the railway actually goes, for 50 cents it’s worth channeling this early 20th century treasure, even if it lasts less than an L.A. minute.

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12Mar2013

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Posted in Explore, Fun, Music by C.

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Location: 135 North Grand Avenue, Downtown L.A.

This past Saturday was one of those days that I’ll always look back on fondly. What a treat when we decided to take a tour of the famous Walt Disney Concert Hall, home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, designed by famed L.A. based architect, Frank Gehry.

Named in honor of the legendary Walt Disney through an initial 50 million dollar donation on his wife Lillian’s behalf, the stainless steel structure sits eye-catchingly on the corner of 1st and Grand in Downtown L.A. Aside from the unique curvatures of the gleaming exterior, this facility was built to produce state-of-the-art, unparalleled acoustics for concert-goers.

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Always in the mood to explore something for the first time, I was ecstatic when I learned some time ago of their free architectural tours. You can take the self-guided audio tour or, as we did, the 60 minute docent lead tour. Eva, our excellent guide, graciously took us around the massive structure feeding us insight and key details that added context to the visual oasis around me. From the 12,500 pieces of steel; to the use of Douglas Fir tree trunks, for both aesthetic and structural purposes; to details on the funding, development, and construction; as well as the controversy surrounding the reflection issues that caused quite a stir when the sunlight hit the building producing unbearable amounts of heat for the residents living near the building; were all topics of discussion.

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What I found most fascinating that I wouldn’t have picked up on without Eva’s knowledge was that the space reflects Frank Gehry’s love of sailing. Inside, walls give a subtle salute to fish scales, railing and carpeting are reminiscent of a cruise ship, and the only piece of art, a painting, sits on the wall in a vibrant ocean blue.

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On top of the Concert Hall, sits a slice of heaven dedicated to the memory of Lillian Disney and her love of roses, a public garden that boasts spectacular views of Downtown L.A., the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory.

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Unfortunately, the tours don’t take you through the actual auditorium due to on-going rehearsals during this time of year, but we did get a taste of the space when our guide described the sophistication and attention to detail in the acoustic design. The energy and vibration she described that happens during a concert was palpable.

Leaving the space with such appreciation in its architectural design, I realized how much I wanted to return as an actual concert-goer to personally experience what the purpose of this spectacular building is for – a night of live music. It’s now on my list of things to do. Hopefully, I’ll get to share that with you very soon.

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