OCCUPATION: Fashion journalist
MY STYLE: I like to work an Audrey Hepburn simplicity but with a model-off-duty ease and a hint of Alexander Wang-esque edge. My home is all about the children and our dog, Lucy, a Belgian Malinois mix that we rescued when Sophie was a baby. I would describe our interior aesthetic as comfortable chic without being precious.
I LOVE LOS ANGELES BECAUSE: It is so close to nature, and it has spectacular weather. I grew up mostly in Toronto, where we had to drive at least an hour to find any wild spaces or wide-open places, and the skies were cloudy for 10 months of the year! I rode horses in the countryside, and I’ve always preferred cities that incorporate both urban and natural landscapes. L.A. has that in spades. I can be at the top of a mountain or at the Marc Jacobs shop half an hour after leaving my home! And we can always count on a beautiful sunny day as the backdrop for our family adventures. The weather rarely keeps us indoors.
Café Gratitude
Vegans, vegetarians, and die-hard carnivores alike rave about this sunny, energetic café’s completely organic, meat- and dairy-free cuisine. Much of the produce comes from its own farm, named Be Love Farm, in Vacaville, California. Vacaville’s a bit of a trek, but seeing as the café is centrally located and entirely healthful, we think it’s the perfect ladies’ lunch venue!
Milk
Milk is a veritable place of worship for those with a sweet tooth. We can’t get enough of the macaron ice cream sandwiches, banana dulce de leche ice cream, and Milky Way malt, as well as other inventive ice cream flavors and fountain shop classics. What’s more, Milk’s savory lunch and dinner menu (think sandwiches and mac ‘n cheese) gives the sweets a run for their money.
Mel and Rose
There’s always a great find to be found at this wine shop and deli. We’ll pick up a great bottle, tasty sandwich, fantastic caviar, or just about anything else we can get our hands on! Mel and Rose also stocks such international delicacies as Japanese candies and Cadbury milk chocolate spread.
Chevalier’s Books
Cevalier’s is the kind of small independent bookstore you grew up with. It’s a favorite stop for a thoughtful gift or a quick browse before exploring the rest of Larchmont Village. The bookstore’s large, separate children’s room is a great place to browse and explore with your little ones. It provides the kind of fun and educational environment that fosters a love of books from an early age. On weekends, there’s a special story time for kids.
Bleicher Gallery La Brea
Showcasing outsider art and artists with contentious or contrary ideologies, this gallery always hosts a stunning assortment, from the mesmerizingly beautiful to the haunting and disturbing. A past exhibition featured paintings by artist Courtney Reid, a single mother of a daughter with Down syndrome. Reid’s work plays with and blends genres in landscape and figure, while building on her own psychological and spiritual experiences in motherhood.
Acres West
This full-service training and stable facility is located on a beautiful, sprawling property in Calabasas. Horse owners can enjoy full-service amenities from the stable staff, while first-time riders can take lessons on leased horses. The property is also home to several other animals, including turtles, rabbits, pigs, goats, and many dogs. Sometimes we think our kids love visiting just for the petting zoo vibe!
The Huntington
Railroad and real estate Henry E. Huntington was an avid art collector, historian, and horticulturist. His estate in San Marino houses his collection and impressive gardens. Among the best is the 9-acre Japanese garden, complete with a 19th-century Japanese house, and the 100-year-old Desert Garden, which features more than 5,000 species of succulent plants. One of the Huntington’s more recent projects has been the completeion of the Chinese Garden, Liu Fang Yuan, complete with a peaceful manmade lake, fragrant flower trees, and a tea house. Last year, the Huntington launched another new project, Huntington Ranch, to research sustainable urban gardening. While it remains a closed research facility, the Ranch offers public talks and programs, as well as a great entertainment blog.
Urth Caffé
Many are happy to ogle the colorful, tiled facade of this restaurant from the street, but we recommend stepping inside for a bite! A citywide favorite for more than two decades, the West Hollywood location offers a round-the-clock bustling scene and delicious health-minded food. Dishes to try: Albacore tuna salad, sprout sandwich with Jarlsberg Swiss, Urth tamales with sweet corn and tomatilla.