my rituals: hi sweetheart boutique owner molly rossettie

There are two things I love about the new boutique Hi Sweetheart. One is the sunny, well-curated collection of home decor, kitchenware, gifts, and jewelry. It’s one of those places where I could very well see every single piece finding a home in my apartment. The second is its owner, Molly Rossettie, an Orange County native who just moved back to the West Coast after spending a handful of years between New York and Philadelphia. Even though her background is SoCal, I could feel that East Coast connection as soon as I met Molly. There’s just an instant recognition and familiarity. Plus, she has the best of both worlds: a totally relaxed personality paired with big-city style and sensibility.

So I wanted to find out how a SoCal native is adjusting back to a more laid-back life after living in two of the busiest East Coast cities. Today she shares her favorite La Jolla happy hour spot, Hi Sweetheart’s music playlist, and more.

Name: Molly Rossettie
Age: 31
Hometown: Orange County, CA
Current City: La Jolla, CA
Professional title: Owner of Hi Sweetheart Gift Boutique

Working on my fitness.
I workout two times a week with my trainer at La Jolla’s Finest Training. I wouldn’t say I was very motivated in the fitness department before I moved to back home to California. I would walk everywhere in NYC and Philly and dust off my tennis racquet here and there, but nothing serious. Shocking to everyone I know, I actually enjoy working out now and start sentences with “my trainer said…” It gives me a huge boost of energy, my body feels great, and I love watching Bart, an 88-year-old fellow trainee, hold a 5-minute plank. Now that’s motivation for you!

Shop window designing.
Redesigning the shop windows is something I do about once a month or when the spirit moves me! I like having a creative project to work on and it give me an excuse to buy things like crepe paper pineapples, hundreds of cocktail umbrellas, and random supplies and tools from Blick Art Materials and Home Depot.

Happy hour.
My husband, John, is a medicine intern at UC San Diego, so his free time is pretty limited, but we definitely make the best of it! Once a week or so he’ll make a surprise appearance in the shop and we’ll go to happy hour at Whisknladle. We sit and relax and talk and crack up about everything that happens in the shop and at the hospital. It’s one of the best cocktail bars in La Jolla (try the Wendy Peffercorn, inspired by the lifeguard in the Sandlot) and the atmosphere is friendly, bright, and comfortable.

Music.
I love music—all types except country, just can’t get into it—and listen all day, every day in the shop, in the car, in the kitchen. The shop’s current playlist includes Alabama Shakes, Francis and the Lights, The Bird & The Bee, The Beach Boys, Haim, and Curtis Mayfield—just little bit of everything! I also love live music and concerts. I’ve been going to Beaumont’s recently to see The Jones Revival, a local classic rock cover band. It’s so much fun!

Dog walks.
I have a 3-year-old French Bulldog named Penny (Pennsylvania Eric Rossettie). We go for walks three or four times a day around our neighborhood. He likes visiting all the kids at the Rec Center playground, looking from crumbs outside The Cottage, and getting treats at Muttropolis. He’s very loving and social dog. He’ll sit and wait at a corner until the person walking by pets him.

Thanks, Molly! You can also find Hi Sweetheart on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

All photos courtesy of Molly Rossettie