Last night West Elm San Diego launched its local shop, a pilot program that brings local artists and their handcrafted goods to a bigger spotlight. A few locations across the U.S. have already launched their own iterations, but yesterday I got to see San Diego’s curated collection, which includes home decor, accessories, and gifts from all over California.
Ever since moving to San Diego and becoming invested/inspired by the city’s creative community, I’ve had a big urge to shop local and support small businesses. West Elm Local is such a cool way to bring these brands to the forefront.
Here are a few of my favorites:
These air plants by Bird and Feather, comprised of San Bernandino-based Marianne Gardner and Sean Maginity, come in the coolest hand-painted containers.
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OK, back to the post. Our apartment has turned into a bit of a DIY factory this past month. It all started with an abandoned door we found next to a dumpster by our apartment that we decided to turn into a headboard. That was a long, laborious, but ultimately rewarding DIY that I’ll share soon, but that whole process motivated me to finally attack some lingering—and much easier—projects on my list. The truth is, I can be quite lazy. And though I do Pin a lot of crafts and love the idea of making something myself, I often don’t have the patience or gentle touch.
But once I got started with one, I got DIY fever.
The gold mug above is maybe the simplest DIY on this planet. Make a pattern with tape, spray paint with choice of color, and coat with ceramic sealer. But because I am so lazy and it took me months to go to Michael’s and get that dang ceramic spray, I only just finished it. But I love the end result! It’s easily my favorite mug for morning coffee.
The penny trick: You can remedy droopy blooms by tossing a couple of pennies into the vase. The copper reacts to the plants, and just like that, the stems start to straighten out. I owe this bit of flower power to Lexi Foster of Leaf it to Lexi, who hosted a class on florals and building terrariums at my local West Elm just a couple of weeks after I had moved here. She was sweet, knowledgeable, and incredibly welcoming, which was very much needed for my new-to-San-Diego excitement/nerves.
Since then, I’ve followed her work from weddings—check out this sustainable kumquat tree centerpiece!—to magazine covers to features on sites like Style Me Pretty and 100 Layer Cake. She has a knack for color and incorporating non-flower elements, so it’s no wonder that pretty much every arrangement of hers is Pinterest-worthy.
And between daughters who surf and parents who make and sell their own jam—it’s clear that she surrounds herself with a lot inspiration. Today she talks about her favorite book, cooking ruts, and the bliss of laundry day.
Near our apartment is a gorgeous canyon that leads to an even more gorgeous solitary street lined with lush greenery, charming Sapnish colonial architecture, and interesting details, like a mini library and some sort of Asian script etched on a huge stone. It’s one of my favorite places to walk in the evenings when the whole area is bathed in yellow light. Here are some snaps from yesterday’s stroll:
For most 20- and 30-somethings, having your birthday fall on a Saturday is the perfect opportunity for a crazy night out. For me it meant brunch, a picnic, Mexican food, and falling asleep before 11 p.m. It was my idea of perfect.
At the start of the weekend, I had given myself one goal: Do not think about work, errands, exercise, or fussing over the dog. Lately I’ve had more trouble focusing on enjoying the moment, and it often feels like I’m moving from one errand to the next, without absorbing a thing. My mission was to live in the present, forget about to-do’s, and remind myself that all those “pressing” things could wait.
But even on my own birthday I couldn’t relax! I woke up knowing the dog needed adequate exercise before being crated throughout the afternoon. And then, “I should really go to yoga tomorrow,” followed by “We should really finish that DIY project by Monday.” Ugh, I couldn’t even sit still on the day where I have full license to be a waste of space. Ay carumba. I struggle with this ADD and guilty feelings more and more lately, and I know it’s something I need to work on. Maybe I should start taking baths or meditating or something. Ideas are certainly welcome.
But I am happy to say that, whether I finally made good on my goal or the previous day’s calorie assault did me in, I was quite the couch potato on Sunday. I watched maybe five episodes of Locked Up Abroad and ate Tex-Mex leftovers for breakfast. Gross-sounding in retrospect but quite delicious on a lazy Sunday.
A San Diego newbie reached out to me recently after seeing my 22 San Diego Musts post. Being new to the area, she wanted to meet a fellow transplant and try one of the coffee spots on my list. (We actually ended up at my new favorite place, Young Hickory.) I thought I’d be imparting whatever lessons, tips, and tricks I’ve gathered from my 1+ year in this city, but as it turns out, I was way more excited to hear her story.
Her name is Anabelle Harari, a food justice fellow and world traveller. After graduating from college in 2011, Harari knew she wanted to travel. Backpacking in Europe? No. Trekking in South America? No. She instead volunteered in Nepal, working in a Kathmandu slum for four months, teaching about environmental issues at a local school, and launching a school gardening program. She also educated local women on health and basic nutrition. Harari then traveled all over India, worked on her blog, got to know farmers, villagers, and NGOs, and spent time in a Kerala ashram.
THEN, she spent a summer teaching gardening and social justice in Canada before moving to Jerusalem, where she worked at a Jewish-Arab school, running their community garden. This past September a fellowship opportunity brought her back to the States and into the beach community of Encinitas, just north of San Diego. There she lives on a 67.5-acre property, developing sustainable agriculture systems and working on state policies for the Hunger Advocacy Network.
OK, are you as impressed as I am? Read on to learn more about Harari and how this nomad is settling into a life of staying put (for now):
After basking in some morning sunshine in Pacific Beach this past weekend, starved and adequately toasty, we stumbled upon the charming Cafe 976, located a few blocks from the beach. Set in what used to be a 1920’s home then a school then an antique store (!), this restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, smoothies, coffee, and plentiful workspace. Seriously, nearly half the patrons were pounding away on their MacBooks.
This place is definitely a hidden gem, but I can’t decide what I love more: the rose-filled garden outdoor seating or the fact that their vegetarian sandwich actually contains so many veggies. Hey, other restaurants, lettuce and tomatoes does not a veg sandwich make.
San Diego unveiled its new Central Library in November, and since then the landmark has quickly established itself as a place that’s about so much more than books. Beyond the bay views, art exhibitions, and sleek architecture, the Library Shop is a great boutique of home goods, accessories, pet needs, and, of course, books. This ain’t your musty regional library with stale, boring gifts. At San Diego’s Library Shop, you’ll find everything from Rifle Paper Co. to handmade jewelry and artistic bookends—and all proceeds benefit the San Diego library system.
What’s more, the Library Shop also hosts awesome events. This past weekend, I went to the Shop’s morning yoga class run by downtown studio Hale Holistic. We set up our mats outside the shop, and even though the morning was a bit chilly—we can be wimps in San Diego—the sun came out and it turned out to be a beautiful day. With the PA system, it was easy to hear the instructor, and the class was a perfect medium level. Sometimes as these types of free events, the classes can be a bit basic, but for someone who does yoga once to twice a week, it was just challenging enough. To top it off, they served James Roasting coffee (for free) afterwards, so what’s not to love?
Here’s a look at the yoga class and other goodies from the Library Shop. And for updates on their upcoming events, including a calligraphy workshop on May 31, check out their Facebook page for more info.
