my favorite products: SoLA

Posted on September 10, 2014 by jaunt blog

i know it’s already mid-september (how?!), but i keep wanting to hold on to those last few scorching hot days. temperatures of 100+ degrees and crazy humidity? bring it on. as long as i get my warm nights and endless amounts of sun, i’m one happy camper. so i’m pretty thrilled that i stumbled upon sisters of los angeles (SoLA), founded by three amazing angeleno women, who, between them, add architect, author, product development specialist, manufacturer’s rep, fashion/lifestyle publicist, and marketing expert to their resumes. SoLA sells unique city-themed gifts that immediately brought back memories of living in los feliz and soaking up the sun.

and hark! SoLA sells products for a variety of cities, though los angeles-themed goods make up their largest selection. here are a few of my favorite gifts from their site. (fact: i doubt i can live without that los angeles beach towel/sun or smog tumbler set.) which are your favorites?

los angeles beach towel, $40:

dallas candle, $15:

new york friendship brackelet, $7:

golden state rocks – sun or smog, $48:

boston mug, $15 – 50% of purchase price will be donated to onefundboston.org which was founded by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.

beaches women’s t-shirt, $42:

las vegas mug, $15:

big san diego beach tote, $35:

my jaunts: claremont, california

Posted on June 19, 2014 by jaunt blog

as i mentioned last week, a long weekend in claremont, california has convinced me of the smaller-town lifestyle. while in town for a wedding, i explored the town (population: 35,000) 33 miles northeast of los angeles that feels more like a weekend retreat than a suburb of the second largest city in the US. the more i travel, the more clearly i articulate my ideal city. it is becoming in my mind something very close to claremont: a smaller town with education and culture (i’m realizing the smaller towns with performing arts, galleries, speaker series, etc. all surround college campuses), a thriving local economy (i.e. locally owned shops and businesses), and access to a city. the only other town i have found that is close to this is san luis obispo in central california.

seaver house at pomona college, one of the claremont colleges. lovely amongst the lush trees.

the locals refer to claremont as the town full of trees and PhDs, and it’s easy to sese why: trees line and cover the streets of claremont, instantly tranporting you as you exit the 10 freeway from the craziness of LA into the laid back lifestyle of this college town. the claremont colleges are located here, adding youth and culture that is evident in the many festivals, performing arts, and speaker series that occur throughout the year.

the pomona college museum of art, just across the street from the claremont village

in the middle of town, just east of the colleges, is the claremont village (see map below), which is nine square blocks filled with eclectic shops, locally-owned restaurants, and the most adorable city hall you’ve ever seen (a group of friends was eating a picnic on the grounds when we walked by…is this real life?). my favorite stores included vintage odyssey, where i purchased my usual vintage travel photos, and barbara cheatley’s gift shop, where i could have spent the entire day browsing through their unique gifts (as it was, i settled on a copy of fitzgerald’s on booze).

vintage odyssey in the claremont village

on the southeastern edge of the village sits the packing house, a large, open, former citrus packing house filled with a dozen or so stores and restaurants inside. i loved its locally owned bookstore, claremont forum bookstore and gallery, where i bought a travel photography coffee table book from the 60s, which i ogled over later that evening. packing house wines is located next door, and offers a large selection of wines by the glass or bottle with live music.

the claremont forum bookshop and gallery

we didn’t have time to eat many meals in claremont, but the two we did enjoy were fantastic. dr. grubbs is a quick and casual restaurant in claremont village and has large portions of freshly made, flavorful, and healthy foods. i had the grilled pesto chicken over couscous for something like $11. the next day i tried the mediterranean food a few blocks south at saca’s. both restaurants were casual (ordered at the counter), yet delicious.

just a typical picnic outside claremont city hall

who should go: angelenos who need a break from the LA grind (you can even take the metrolink directly to claremont village!)

nearby cities: visit claremont as a day trip while visiting los angeles, or stop by after a trip to palm springs (claremont is located just west of ontario, where the closest major airport to palm springs is located)

1. dr. grubbs, 353 west bonita 2. saca’s mediterannean cuisine, 248 west 2nd 3. packing house wine merchants, 540 west 1st 4. vintage odyssey, 201 west bonita 5. barbara cheatley antiques, 215 yale avenue 6. folk music cent, 220 yale avenue 7. the claremont forum bookshop and gallery, 586 west 1st 8. cloud nine paperie, 216 west 2nd

my favorites: letterpress stationery

Posted on May 23, 2014 by jaunt blog

a collection of some of my favorite letterpress stationery and notes over the years

in honor of the national stationery show (nss) that occurred this week in new york city, i thought i would devote this week’s post to my love of pretty paper. i’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere after college i fell in love with all things letterpress. as someone who still prefers handwritten letters over emails, i find so much joy in a colorful or witty or charming notecard that has been made locally (anyone want to join my challenge to write one letter per day in july?? i totally stole that idea from someone, so apologies if it was you!). see below for a few of my favorite stationery stops across the US. and learn more about some of the best stationery in the business here (anyone want to go with me to nss in 2015??).

the bishop arts location of we are 1976 – must.take.letterpress.workshop.

1. we are 1976, dallas, tx – this store has it all. from greeting cards and graphic posters to felt donuts and handmade jewlwery, i could spend hours here. with a couple of stores in town, i have found that my favorite is the bishop arts location, which i visited several weeks ago. my heart just about skipped a beat when i saw the giant letterpress behind the counter and learned they also offer classes for cards, posters, and business cards! can you even imagine how delightful teal pressed jaunt cards would be? i can.

lovely words from sugar paper los angeles, next to my international vogues and venice postcard…bliss.

2. sugar paper la, los angeles, ca – what started as a small venture in the brentwood country mart has turned mega popular across the US thanks to their recent target line. i adore their polka dots and gold inlay and basically anything they write in script, like my “work hard and be nice to people” poster i purchased from them a few years back. they have the most pleasing cards and colors, and never cease to outdo themselves (seriously, check out their new kate calendar for 2015…never too early to plan!).

ten years ago this summer (sigh), shopping for stationery with my bestie and coming out with too, too many finds (my bag not pictured!).

3. kate’s paperie, new york city, ny – i stumbled in here on a trip to new york with my best friend, and we instantly fell in love. first, it’s huge. second, it has cards you’ve never even dreamt of. perhaps this was the moment i fell in love with letterpress. i’m pretty sure we spent a couple of hours (and many, many dollars) at kate’s, and came away with some delightful treasures.

do you have any favorites i should add to my list?

my favorite time of year: the summer travel season

Posted on April 7, 2014 by jaunt blog

the summer 2014 travel lineup

somehow, miraculously, my busiest time at work is over. it seems too good to be true, but after several 80+ hour weeks, and many more 70+ hour weeks, i’m ready to explore something other than a corporate office. thanks for your patience these past few months – more frequent blog posts to return shortly.

while not necessarily recommended, work stress does have one positive impact on me: it forces me to plan vacations. i love having something to look forward to, a celebration for the end in sight. or in this case, not just a single celebration, but many! i am so excited for the travel lineup this summer, i can hardly wait. after agonizing over the budget with my husband (we set aside a certain amount each month to make sure we can travel to the extent we like, foregoing other luxuries like nicer cars or a bigger house), we’re booked for the following locations:

the stunning texas hill country

road trip through texas – my husband is going on a bachelor party road trip through central and southeast texas, complete with bbq, biking, and beer. i tried to insert myself into that soiree, but apparently it’s not very traditional for a female to join. shame. at least the wedding is in hill country, too. thinking of buying myself a pair of boots for the occasion. yeehaw.

the devil’s backbone, outside of wimberley in texas hill country

new york, new york – then it’s my turn for a bachelorette party in the city of cities. my all time favorite, and this time i don’t have to plan a thing! the last time i was in new york, i focused only on brooklyn, hardly venturing into manhattan. while fantastic (and something i would definitely recommend), i’m ready to again be in an empire state of mind.

let’s hear it for new york…

los angeles (x2) – does it count as a vacation if you’ve lived there before? i think so. i’m looking forward to seeing old friends and partaking in several father’s office burgers (if you are ever in LA, you absolutely must try this burger. as someone who counts cheeseburgers among her favorite foods, believe me when i say this burger is incredible). and staying at the cottages in silverlake is always a treat.

the view from our cottage in silverlake, a favorite stay in los angeles

new orleans, louisiana – is it crazy that i have never been to n’awlins before? i think so! so thrilled that my friend, stephanie, pushed our friends to book this trip. it is shaping up to be a fabulous time with good food, great friends, and (hopefully) lots of jazz. did i mention good food?

new orleans, as shot by ed bierman at https://www.flickr.com/photos/edbierman/10798203675/

south africa – yes! we booked it! it’s official! i fell in love with southern africa after reading brendan van son’s blog last year when he rode a motorcyle through africa, and i couldn’t wait to see it myself (sans bike). we’ll be taking the beginner’s guide to south africa as i like to call it, which includes about five days in cape town and five days in kruger national park. so excited to explore the winelands, table mountain, and see the big 5 (the lion, rhinoceros, leopard, buffalo, and elephant). one of our safari lodgings includes canvas walls so that “you can hear the animals and be that much closer to nature.” scared. out. of. my. mind.

cape town, south africa, as shot by eGuide travel at https://www.flickr.com/photos/eguidetravel/2919101197/

mystery location – yes, you read that correctly. it’s time for the biannual bestie trip, and we cannot decide where to go. solution? let’s wait until the last minute and play travel roulette and follow the deals! we may end up in boise, but hey, i hear boise has it going on.

please, please tell me about your adventures this summer! where are you going? and would you like to write about them in a guest post? i would love to feature them and hear more! i get so inspired from others’ vacations.

my favorites: canals

Posted on February 6, 2014 by jaunt blog

the canals of tongli in western china

ok, i admit, have a list of favorite canals is a stretch. and strange. but here’s the thing: writing about venice on tuesday really got me in the mood for that other-worldly venetian spirit. and i think canals have something to do with that. two cities immediately come to mind with the same spirit of venice that somehow only a boat in a narrow green canal can create:

the canals of venice in los angeles

venice, california – it still amazes me that most angelenos don’t even know of the venice canals, though it was always on the top of my list for visitors (and the town’s namesake). south of santa monica, tucked away just east of the crazy beach and west of eclectic abbot kinney, the canals wind through blocks of stunning houses, each creative and different from the next, connected through narrow alleys and steep foot bridges. i could spend an afternoon wandering the canals, peeking into residents’ lush yards (probably not recommended?), and then spending the evening strolling abbot kinney and eating at one of its many famed restaurants. the hardest part? finding the canals. good luck!

just some family fun along the venice canals in los angeles

tongli, china – referred to as the venice of the east (sensing a theme here?), tongli was my favorite city on my tour of western china. during a cruise along the canals, i overheard women singing at a restaurant, waved to elderly chinese men taking an afternoon stroll, and listened to the patter of light rain on the stone bridges as we passed underneath. i also witnessed a truly absurd fishing habit. an older woman had tied the ankles of large black pelican-type birds to her rickety boat. on command, the birds would dive for fish, catch them, regurgitate them into an empty bucket, and then get their necks wrung by the woman. extremely strange.

the site of the bird fishers. seriously mad ritual!

which places have you visited that are simply magical?

street/canal signs in tongli

my favorites: pizza

Posted on January 28, 2014 by jaunt blog

just a good veggie pizza at pizzeria regina in boston

what’s better eating than a good slice of pizza? pizza has always been a favorite food (does anyone not like pizza?), and here are a few of my favorites throughout the united states:

di carlo’s in los angeles – hidden in a non-descript building near the corner of hollywood and sunset in los feliz, this was my regular pizza joint for the duration of our time in los angeles. it doesn’t look like much from the street, but the pizza is amazing, and you can have the leafy back patio with strung lights to yourself on most nights. the owner is great (he’ll set aside the patio for you if you want to have a party), it’s byob (not even a corkage!), and the diavolo pizza is a personal favorite. can’t go wrong here.

celebrating on the back patio at di carlo’s in los feliz, los angeles

pizzeria regina in boston – an oldie, but a goodie. serving pizza since 1926, this north end tradition is sure to not disappoint. i went a few years back with a good friend, and tried some pizza over a cask of chianti (i’m starting to see a trend here with the vino). the pizza was amazing and the people were friendly – not sure what else you could want!

cask chianti at pizzeria regina in boston

new york pizza, of any kind, provided it is cheap and sold by the slice – while i like a great pizza with wine and atmosphere, there’s nothing like stopping in a hole-in-the-wall pizza parlor in new york, chilled from the wind and the elements, ordering a slice of piping hot pizza, and perching against a standing-room-only table to wolf it down. the entire process embodies new york for me almost as much as the obligatory morning bagel and chic evening cocktails.
the classic and delicious new york pizza by-the-slice

what are some of your favorite pizza stops? i’m on a hunt for the best, so don’t be shy!

my jaunts: the coast starlight

Posted on November 4, 2013 by jaunt blog

view of mount shasta in northern california from the coast starlight

about a year after i moved to LA, los angeles magazine mentioned huell howser as one of their top 50 favorite things of LA. not one to miss out, i instantly googled huell, and learned he was a popular los angeles tv personality (he has since passed away, RIP HH), with multiple shows on public television that chronicle his travels through california. i instantly fell in love. huell was an extremely charismatic man, who was paid to travel through california, meet people, and talk about their adventures on television. dream job!

after setting up a series recording for all of his shows (he has many), i learned he would be appearing at train day at union station. sounds nerdy, but we went and met huell! we also were able to tour many of the trains at union station and learn of the routes. it is here that i learned of the coast starlight, the amtrak train that travels from los angeles to seattle over a 36 hour period. sold.

meeting huell howser at los angeles’ train day at union station

two years later, we boarded the coast starlight at union station, found our roomette, and off we went! our car attendant brought us champagne as a send-off, which only helped to reinforce the fact that we had made an excellent decision. since we had a sleeper room (“room” is a bit of a stretch, but the space served us well), we had access to the parlour car, which included personal dining (with a delightful and witty waiter, greg) and arm chairs in which to relax and enjoy the views. we also visited the sightseer car, with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the dramatic landscapes.

a champagne send-off on the coast starlight in los angeles. all aboard!

the early afternoon of day 1 was spent enjoying the breathtaking ocean views of the southern and central california coast. though we had taken a trip through central california earlier that summer, the train meandered through the rarely seen views from vandergriff air force base, which is off-limits to drivers. a guide who formerly worked on the base peppered us with some interesting tidbits about the area and the base. we enjoyed a wine and cheese tasting in the dining car that afternoon (all included in the price of our ticket), which included wine and cheese from regions we passed on our route.

coastal views in central california, just north of santa barbara

when we woke up on day 2, the scenery was completely different: deserts and coastal cliffs now turned into mountains and pine trees as we travelled through oregon and washington. we met more of our fellow travelers (i had no idea such a large train community exists!), and swapped stories from our respective hometowns.

views of oregon on the second day of our coast starlight train ride

the most memorable part of the trip, though, was the relaxation that ensued. on a train, i was trapped. i couldn’t work (wifi is available, but only works about half the time), i couldn’t run errands, and i couldn’t worry about delays (and there were many delays; definitely do not make plans at your destination for the four-hour period after you are scheduled to arrive). instead, i spent time reading, chatting with my husband, and meeting people from all over the world. i enjoyed the diverse views, and finally had some time to think, without caring about the urgencies of my everday life. how often do our trips afford us that luxury?! next up: the empire builder line from seattle to chicago. montana, here i come.

the dining car in amtrak’s coast starlight

who should go: explorers, those looking for some time to relax

who should not go: the high maintenance

what to read: a murder on the orient express, agatha christie

what to watch: darjeeling limited

what to pack: rooms are small, so pack light. a scarf and cardigan will protect you from the changing temperatures on different cars. a camera is a must.

my jaunts: for love of the game

Posted on October 18, 2013 by jaunt blog

a beautiful night for baseball at chavez ravine in los angeles

all of this post-season baseball has me excited for, well, the best sport in america. i haven’t always been a fan, though. during a wildly fun trip to new york in the summer of 2004, my best friend dragged me to a new york yankees baseball game. i was very skeptical of this outing (why do we need to go to the bronx again?) and frantically looked up safety issues for the surrounding burroughs.

my first ever major league game at yankee stadium with kim!

once in the park, though, i fell in love. the fans, the music, the hot dogs and beer, the players – i loved it all! and it was so decidedly new york. it was big and it was passionate and it was that crazy high of community you get at any great sporting event. and it didn’t hurt that a-rod hit a walk-off home run to win the game (fact: i did not know who a-rod was at said game, but rather fell in love with hideki matsui). riding back on the subway to manhattan (crammed full of fans, by the way – no safety issues there!), a long-time yankees fan struck up a conversation and, after hearing this was my first game, said, ‘after a game like that, you’re a fan for life.’ and so i am.

enjoying the game from the bleachers at the rangers ballpark in arlington

fast forward 9 years, and i’m now married to an avid baseball fan, which means we spend a fair amount of our summers watching baseball. naturally, any trip to a major city involves catching a game or at least a stadium tour. i’m looking for a map to track the stadiums visited (anyone have any ideas? i’m all ears!), but in the meantime, please enjoy some photos and, of course, some lists.

the view of downtown pittsburgh from pnc park – stunning!

favorite stadium overall: old yankees stadium (of course, it’s where the magic happened)
favorite view from the stands: tied between pnc park, where the pittsburgh pirates play, and petco park, where the san diego padres play. one is on the water with the city in the background, and the other is in the middle of downtown san diego. stunning.
favorite hot dog: the world famous dodger dog in dodger stadium in echo park, los angeles
favorite beer: the many microbrews offered at safeco field, where the seattle mariners play
favorite stands: the crammed and awkward stands at fenway park in boston (especially the green monster!)
favorite fans: the bleacher creatures :)

the view of downtown san diego from petco park

what are your favorite sports related sites to visit?

my jaunts: brooklyn, los angeles, oh my!

Posted on September 25, 2013 by jaunt blog

a beautiful day in brooklyn spent walking along the east river

apologies for the delay in posting – there are just too many things going on! i haven’t had a chance to upload anything substantial these past couple of weeks, but there are so many places i’ve gone and things i’ve seen that i want to share. with trips to manhattan, brooklyn, and los angeles in the past several weeks, i have too much to write and not enough time to do it. in the meantime, a few things i came across during my travels that i just adore:

the sketchbook project in brooklyn – this is a library based in williamsburg that also roves across the country and encourages artists, writers, even YOU to sketch in a notebook, tag with themes, send back to the project, and then allow others to check out your work. you are notified each time someone checks out your book, and you can check out others’ books through random selection or by searching with key words for themes people have associated to books. so hipster, so fun.

the sketchbook project library in williamsburg, brooklyn

my new book – one of my favorite things to do in new cities is check out their independent bookstores. my friend, matt, took me to powerHouse books in DUMBO (Distict Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass…seriously), brooklyn, and i purchased a copy of “a week at the airport” by alain de botton. basically, he was given access to an airport for a week, and he writes about what he saw, his adventures, and who he met. there are photos. i cannot wait to read it. problem: i still need to finish infinite jest, and i only recently made it to the halfway mark circa page 600.

powerHouse books in dumbo, brooklyn, where i purchased “a week at the airport” by alain de botton

the magic castle – when i lived in la, i thought this elusive magic castle was dumb. basically, it’s this old castle-like house where a bunch of magicians go each night and perform tricks and illusions for members (and their guests!) who adhere to a strict dress code and pay a lot for dinner. except then i heard that neil patrick harris was the president. so off we went, underdressed in business casual but overamazed at the ridiculous amount of times i kept saying “no really, how did you do that??” no photos were allowed inside, but suffice it to say that the three stories worth of narrow hallways lined with pictures to the ceiling, a piano with a ghost that plays any song you request, and tricks performed up close and even in your hand will leave you amazed…and full from the delicious meal, as well. i shall return.

red carpet at the magic castle (like my work badge?)

i hope you have been just as busy and exploring new places on your own. let me know if you’ve found any i should check out! i’m looking forward to being back in town for a few weeks to have some adventures around dallas.

my favorites: art museums

Posted on July 26, 2013 by jaunt blog

my friend, kate, and i on the lawn at the getty center a few years back

i’m a bit of an art junkie; i can’t seem to stay away from museums in any city i visit. the more modern, the better, but i appreciate it all. here are some of my favorite museums throughout the world. there is no way to narrow it down to just three, so stay tuned for additions to this list throughout the year. what are your favorites?

the menil collection, houston, texas – my friend, amanda, found this museum while we were both visiting my parents after they moved to houston. known for its surrealist art collection (it includes a room with other-worldly gadgets, knick-knacks, masks, etc. owned by the surrealists – a personal fave everytime i visit), this is a must-see for every magritte, dalí, and miró fan. and best of all, it’s free.
peggy guggenheim collection, venice, italy – i visited this museum, housed in peggy guggenheim’s former home in venice, while studying abroad in asolo, italy. overlooking the grand canal, the museum includes art peggy collected throughout her avant garde life. i highly recommend the tour, which provides scandalous insights into the life of the collector. sadly, i have no photos from the museum, so please check out this google images link to see how grand the setting is.
the getty center, los angeles, california – it’s hard to not fall in love with the getty. overlooking west los angeles, the getty’s unbelievable views are rivaled only by the architecture and bright gardens within the musuem’s campus. i love(d) bringing a picnic to eat on the expansive green lawn, and then taking a tour of the latest photography exhibit. while it does cost to park (discounted after 5pm!), entrance to the museum and exhibits is…you guessed it…free!

the cactus garden at the getty center in los angeles

the gardens at the getty center in los angeles

my friend, amanda, and me at the menil collection almost 15 (yikes!) years ago. still one of my very favorites, even though my love for permed hair has lapsed.

jaunt: one girl's search for adventure

Tag Archives: los angeles