[LA Life] Frolic Among the Flowers at LA’s Best Botanical Gardens

July 29, 2016July 29, 20161 Comment

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With the weather we’re blessed with in Southern California, it’s no surprise that we spend the better part of our lives outside. Beyond the fact my wardrobe is perfectly equipped for it ( my daily uniform consists of a tank top, cut offs and flip flops – thank you, working from home), there’s an impressive amount of outdoor activities to partake in. You want wine tasting? You don’t have to go to Sonoma or Santa Barbara, just head to Santa Monica or Malibu – skiing and snowboarding are only a few hours away at Big Bear, and the beach is equidistant in the opposite direction. Fun, sun, snow, sand – we’ve got it all, and then some. Now that Summer season is in full swing, I’m finding it near uncomfortable to be stuck indoors with so much amazing weather, so when it comes to daily adventures – it’s time to start thinking outside the box – or at least, outside the home – for some fun day trips and day-tes in the area.

Though Los Angeles can come across as a completely concrete jungle, once you’ve found the right nooks and crannies you’ll realize it’s anything but! From the West in Santa Monica to the East in Pasadena, Los Angeles has been blessed with a gregarious amount of green space throughout the city, and it’s only right that as residents we get to revel in it. The fabled Griffith Park Observatory offers up acres and acres of fresh green space smack dab in the middle of the city and it feels like you’re on a wild safari when you’re trying to trek towards the Hollywood Sign, while assorted areas like Ernest E Debs Park and NELA’s Lincoln Park provide a pop of vivaciously contrasting greens in the heart of residential neighborhoods and burrows.

Even though I’ve lived in LA for over eight years, I’ve realized that here’s still so much to discover and uncover. There’s simply so many options to choose from that I have a hard time narrowing it down – after all, they all have their je ne sais quoi moments of sheer bliss, utter beauty and vivacious blooms. Between the neat little retreats and hidden gems with sincere botanical beauty, I’ve definitely made my way through a pretty solid chunk of what the city of angels has to offer and I’m eager to share my favorite botanical gardens and nature nooks with you.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

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The trifecta of artistic expression, creation and perfection – The Huntington boasts a bevvy of fantastic art collections, a wonderful library rich library and of course – a delectable amount of shrubbery, flowers, trees, flora and fauna. There natural areas are broken out by region, and you can take a leisurely stroll through a Japanese Tea Garden, a Chinese Garden and even a banzai exhibit, which is even cooler when you realize you’re staring at tiny Sequoias and Redwoods – it’s actually unbelievable. With over 120 acres to revel in, it’s easy to get lost – and even easier to not see absolutely everything the park has to offer. Good news – you can get an annual pass and visit whenever you want. Seeing as the park spans the globe, there are always wonderful specimens in bloom.

Check their website for the latest exhibits as well as their Summer hours, from my knowledge the venue is open from 10:30 to 4:30 every day except Tuesday.

1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA

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The Descanso Gardens

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Though I’ve only visited in the Winter (which in Los Angeles just means it’s below 60), the Descanso Gardens boast a stunning landscape that includes a Lilac Garden, a Japanese Garden, California Natives and a sprawling 5 acre rose garden. Open year round and only $9 for adults, botanical gardens offer a menagerie of courses and programs, and host a wonderful series of summer concerts.

1418 Descanso Dr, La Canada Flintridge, CA

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Los Angeles County Arboretum

Located off in Arcadia on the East Side of Los Angeles sits one of my absolute favorite venues, and every time I go I’m absolutely astounded by the fact it exists within Los Angeles county. Just one stroll around the LA Arboretum, in through the tall bamboo shoots or the indigenous South American trees, and you’ll feel instantly transported into a new land. Each corner and every inch of the park is impeccably maintained and absolutely stunning to marinate on. Plus, the third Tuesday of every month is free!

301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA

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Storrier Sterns Japanese Garden

Located off the beaten path, in the residental neighborhoods of Pasadena is one of the city’s unique hidden gems. The Storrier Sterns Japanese Garden is a stunning piece of throwback landscaping and architecture built by the one and only Kinzuchi Fujii in 1935, not to mention – the last standing one he ever created. Over 80 years later the two acre span is more beautiful than ever with a teahouse, relaxing areas to sit and meditate in and an active coy pond. The venue is tiny, only about two acres, but there simply so much to see that you could be there all afternoon.

270 Arlington Drive, Pasadena, California 91105

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Arlington Botanical Gardens

One thing about the wonderful botanical gardens in the area – is you more or less have to pay for them. Great news about the Arlington Botanical Gardens, is they’re open to anyone, any day, for Free.99. The Arlington Botanical Gardens stand as the only public open space in Pasadena and it offers a great arena to walk and relax among it’s community maintained garden, or the rich array of Californian and Mediterranean trees, bushes, flowers and succulents with a wonderful amount of benches scattered among them – so bring a book, get comfortable and get into your R&R.

275 Arlington Dr, Pasadena, CA 91105

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I’ve by no means gone to all of the local gardens, but I’ve been blessed with the opportunities to visit a great number of them and be awe struck by their beautiful, blooming bounties. Also, if you couldn’t tell – I effing love reflection shots!

What are your favorite Botanical Gardens and Open Spaces – in Los Angeles, or your favorite city?

Let me know in the comments below!

[LA Life] Can You Outwit The Escape Room?

July 25, 2016July 25, 2016Leave a comment

For the last four years, I’ve worked my job from home – which definitely has an equivalent amount of both perks and problems. On the plus side, I can work from anywhere with a WiFi signal, or from home on my front yard in a bikini, or with my cats in the comfort of my apartment and my pajamas. Conversely, some days I have almost no social contact and end up talking to the cashier at Trader Joe’s about our cats for twenty minutes because I JUST NEED HUMAN CONNECTION. So when Disney tells me to come in for the day and do some team building exercises with the entire department, I jump at the opportunity and eat it up like hot cakes. Well, at least 95% of the time. We’ve done personality workshops and have volunteered with local shelters…but when I found out we would be doing an Escape Room – my heart skipped a beat or three.

Maybe it’s because I’ve seen the movie Saw too much (highly possible) or my anxiety was just running away with itself (equally possible), but my initial reaction included thinking “Hell to the no, how can I get out of it?!” I don’t talk about it much, maybe even at all except to Danny and my family, but I get anxiety, and lots of it. Anxiety over small things, anxiety over big things, anxiety over past actions and future endeavors. My mind is creative, vast, deep, imaginative – and it tends to run away with itself at times, like the Escape Room. Being stuck in a room with hypothetically close quarters and people on other teams that I wasn’t as familiar with struck an anxious chord in my body that I couldn’t shake. After some excellent convincing by teammates, friends and Danny – I put on my big girl pants and saddled up for the ride.

There are multiple variations of the Escape Room around Los Angeles like The Exit Game, The Basement and Countdown Escape Room, each with their own tricks and treats. Some seem a tad more sinister or brooding than others, but the one we went to reminded me more of Da Vinci Code mixed with some CSI than anything else. The Escape Room in Downtown Los Angeles was a pleasant experience that I would actually do over, over and over again. A mix of problem solving ingenuity and being able to think outside the box while trapped inside a box, the Escape Room was befit with four incredibly different rooms. The Detective and The Theatre transport you back in time, while The Cavern and The Alchemist transport you to another place altogether.

As we descended into downtown Los Angeles, my nerves started getting the best of me – I’m incredibly thankful that I have solid friends that surround me that know how to calm me down. Plus, you technically only have an hour to outwit the design – after that, you’re released from the room regardless! As we separated into teams, I tried to translate my anxiety into excitement – because let’s face it, this was about to get fun. My team was assigned to The Alchemist, and once inside the room, I kind of went from 0 to 100 real quick – but in the best of all possible ways. I think in patterns and have a keen ability to recognize them immediately, not to mention thanks to shows like Law and Order and CSI, I was always under the impression that I’d be a pretty kickass, problem solving detective and after kicking ass and taking names with my team – I actually have some foundation for that claim. Each room contains hidden clues that need to be unlocked in succession, some of it is cryptography – some of it is ingenuity, but it’s all an amazing amount of brain power, team work and fun. Though we didn’t get allll the way through, we were damn close – plus our room only had a 18% success rate. The Escape Room was the perfect ploy for team building in an extra special setting. Games run $30 a participant during the week, and $35 on the weekends.

We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the rooms, so besides what was on the website -there aren’t any- plus, I don’t want to ruin it for anyone that might fancy a game! For more on the Escape Room LA, or to reserve a room for you and your squad – head to their website or socials:

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[LA Life] Revel in Monkey Town’s Evolved Dining + Entertainment Experience

June 17, 2016June 17, 2016Leave a comment

Beyond being daring, bold, engaging or thought provoking – being ‘different’ is good for you, while experiencing and entertaining different endeavors is healthy for the psyche. When we experience something outside of our social norms, we evolve, we push the limits of our own comfort zones and passionately pursue unique creative endeavors, avenues and adventures in the process.

When I moved to Los Angeles back in 2008, almost eight years ago to the day, it was because I found meaning in the pseudo glamorous glow of the neon lights and late nights of Hollywood, melding minds with the like-minded and lost souls, twin and triple flames chasing shots and dreams. For the last eight years, I’ve delved headfirst into the entertainment industry any way I could, from modeling to movies, beauty blogs and music festival PR; after eight years, I’ve seen a lot, but I’ve also seen a lot of the same thing – so when I hear about something different in this town, I take notice. Back in May, I noticed an article from the LA Weekly about ‘Monkey Town‘; after chuckling at the name for a minute and letting the click bait sink into the back of my brain, I couldn’t resist reading more. And I’m so glad I did!

What exactly is Monkey Town? Think Dinner and a Show on steroids or Dinner Theater: The Next Generation with 40 of your new best friends and a 5 star meal. At Monkey Town, you’ll dine on an expertly cooked, and wine paired, meal from none other than chef Nick Montgomery of Osso fame while submerging yourself inside a four walled cube where you’ll experience a handful of short films like you’ve never experienced film before. The movies range from immersive and nature laced to ironic and introspective – and everything in between. Plus, the musical accompaniment switches biweekly, and provides a perfect stage to showcase locally loved and underground talent.

My experience at Monkey Town puts the evening on par with the excellence of Cirque du Soleil. Though both enterprises are completely different shows, the former being a five star, five course dinner, live entertainment and a nearly 360° audio visual experience while the later is a breathtaking adventure into aerial arts, body contortion and the human relationship, their immersive ethos and next level creativity are unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. And if there was ever an option to experience the two events back to back – mark my words, I’ll be the first to sign up. My chances of that happening are unfortunately slim to none, as I’ve heard the LA leg is Monkey Town’s final tour. So, if you live in Southern California or plan on passing through the Los Angeles area this Summer, snag your tickets for this one of a kind experience right now.

Purchase Tickets Here

For more on Monkey Town and their three month pop up dining experience in Los Angeles, head to their website and socials.

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[LA Life] A Gloomy June Afternoon In Ernest E Debs Park

June 16, 2016June 16, 2016Leave a comment

This past weekend the all too timely June Gloom hit Southern California, but that didn’t stop Danny and I from adventuring off into the great outdoors and exploring a nearby park that’s been on our bucket list. As it turns out, there are actually upwards of 200 beautiful landscapes, parks and hiking trails scattered throughout the previously presumed concrete jungle of Los Angeles. The parks themselves cover nearly 24,000 acres of land and are the perfect destination for those looking to romp, roam, rock and roll their souls all over the city. Over the last few months, we’ve done some due diligence in the great outdoors, exploring the nooks and crannies of diversely delicious landscapes around the city from Cahuenga Peak and Point Dume to Lincoln Park and Griffith Park, so this time – we thought we’d keep it local and see what we could discover in our backyard.

For the last few weeks, Danny’s been raving about this wonderful outlook where you’re served a stunning 360 view of the city – including the skyscrapers of downtown (when it’s a clear day, that is) – and when I heard there was a little lake on top of the hill, I was sold; it was off, off and away on a Sun-date adventure to Ernest E Debs Regional Park in the heart of East Los Angeles. Open every day from dawn through dusk, the park is never staffed and boasts a bevvy of picnic tables and BBQ fits perfect for parties and public use, and yeah – a gorgeous lake with lots of little fish for those inclined to take their gear for a spin – and it’s smack dab middle of the city!

As it turns out – that “little walk” up the hill to the lake has a pretty impressive incline, it’s short, sweet and way worth it…but don’t say you weren’t warned. On our way up, as we stopped to catch our breath, we noticed a few black and white snails – and then a few more….and all of a sudden, we realized that there were literally hundreds of them swarming the plants. I’ve never seen so many snails in one place! If they could move quickly, I might have been a little nervous about the whole ordeal but I mean an infestation of snails is one of the least aggressive infestations I’ve personally ever heard of (or, seen, for that matter).

For more information on Ernest P Debs Park, head to their website or socials – or if you’re local to the Los Angeles area, just drop what you’re doing and pay the park a visit; I mean, when was the last time you took a real lunchbreak outside? If you’re curious how your local parks stack up to the rest, take a gander at ParkScore. A sucker for my city’s walkability, Park Score gives you a metric based, analytical overview of your favorite public spaces. Give it a whirl!

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[LA Life] Morning Bliss in Lincoln Park

May 3, 2016May 3, 2016Leave a comment

A picture might be worth a thousand words, but what they often won’t tell you are calamity, chaos and all around entropy surrounding those perceived moments of serenity.

Just minutes before I found my mental zen at East Los Angeles’ Lincoln Park, I was frustrated to my boiling point with the DMV – infuriated that we’d wasted over two hours of the morning and I’d had essentially had it up to my ears with any semblance of ‘humanity‘ before the clock had even struck noon. There are few tribulations that we can all share here in this world, and dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles is definitely one of them. As we were gallivanting throughout the city’s side streets on the way to the DMV, I noticed glimpses of pastel and primary colors in delicious dichotomy with the multitudes of green in a park across the street. against the multitude of greens. And now that the morning had manifested in its own auspicious way, it felt like the only remedy was to delve back into whatever nature I had found as soon as I could.

The second we parked, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough – I took a breath of Spring air as I gingerly skipped from the parking lot pavement to the grassy landscape encroaching the tranquil lake. Technicolor buildings reflected against the lake in a kaleidoscopic fashion as we slowly made our way around in a giant pseudo-circle. Strolling in synchronicity, we shared a bakers dozen of laughs – enjoying what little time was actually left of the morning hours, blissfully aware that under any other circumstance we would have been tethered to our work lives and inundated with tasks that would require us to stay in doors.

Like treasures tucked away in uncharted territory, there are a plethora of small city parks located around the city of LA simply waiting for you to discover them. I’ve loved Echo Park Lake for a long time, but Lincoln Park is almost a miniature version and a whole lot less populated. Founded all the way back in 1881, Lincoln Park was originally named East Los Angeles park, only to be renamed ‘Eastlake Park‘ in 1901; you wouldn’t know from looking at it now, but the park used to house a full zoo, cactus garden and a private alligator farm. Renamed Lincoln Park in 1917 after the local high school, this portion of paradise has been a staple of Los Angeles’ beautiful cross section of counter culture humanity and the arts.

The park itself comes equipped with a menagerie of of activities for all ages, lush lands to picnic on, a playground that has adult swings (yeah, you heard right), a skate park designed by a professional, BBQ pits, fishing in the lake and last but most certainly not least – the wonderful Plaza de la Raza Cultural Center for the Arts + Education, a prominent meeting spot for the community and the only multidisciplinary building of its kind in the city. Not to mention, my favorite touch, sprinkles of large scale art around the edges of the park.

For more on Los Angeles’ Lincoln Park, head to their social media pages – or better yet, just drop on by and pay it a visit.

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What are your favorite local parks?

Let me know in the comments below!

Florence Nightingale; The park’s second sculpture, commissioned as part of the New Deal in 1937

[LA Life] Trekking Cahuenga Peak To The Hollywood Sign

April 4, 2016April 4, 2016Leave a comment

Now that Spring has officially sprung, it’s been a personal mission of mine to get out and enjoy every ounce of sunshine I possibly can. Depending on your perspective of Los Angeles, it’s easy to flounder under the incorrect assumption that the city is a concrete jungle – but quite the contrary: in the midst of the hustle and bustle of our go-go-go lifestyle are a plethora of green spaces waiting to be explored. From The Huntington Gardens to Pasadena’s Arboretum, Griffith Park and Runyon Canyon – there are a lot of amazing nature hikes to offer, and you don’t even have to go far to get it in.

When we first set out for our hike, we only had one thing on our mind – it’s a beautiful day to get some exercise in. We packed a little pack of water, snacks and goodies and were off, off and away on a Saturday adventure. Not gonna lie on this one, the struggle was definitely real; we haphazardly decided to ascend the Tree of Life Trail to Cahuenga Peak so we could get as close as possible to the Hollywood Sign. Depending on your source, the tree in question is equally referred to as ‘The Wishing Tree’, ‘The Wisdom Tree’ ‘The Giving Tree’ and ‘The Magic Tree’, but whatever you choose to call it – it’s a beautiful hike up a ridiculous incline; meaning you’re going to want some badass shoes to accompany you. As a fair warning, this hike is not for novices or beginners – and I only say this, because I consider myself both, especially when it comes to this trail.

If you’ve been following my adventures over the last few years, I’ve evolved into a nature nymph of sorts and I absolute adore it. There’s nothing like the brisk air and fresh breeze of the great outdoors, but man – was I a sweaty, panting mess by the end of it. This hike is one puppy that you want to pack some supplies for – some snacks with sugar to keep up your blood sugar, sunblock to prevent heat stroke, tons of water to rehydrate yourself and some quick to eat protein like nuts or beef jerkey. Overall, I would say it took us about two hours to get to the top with a few pit stops along the way to stretch our muscles and take in the view. It was only later that we discovered a simpler way to the view, where you can park on city streets and take a paved, lazy river of an incline to the top. Definitely not as gratifying but thank goodness we could take that route out of the park!

Overall, the view from the Tree of Life Trail is breathtaking, and the aerial 360 of the city is as stunning as it sound. This is one hike that I not only recommend, but will be doing far more frequently – after all, we didn’t actually make it over to the Tree of Life – we caught ourselves a stellar view of the city instead – so that’ll have to be a day-venture for another time.

[LA Life] South Pasadena Farmers’ Market Finds

March 1, 2016March 1, 2016Leave a comment

Though I’ve often joked that maturity is simply understanding when to be mature, the older I become, the more I understand about the ways of the world – or at least American culture. I’m more aware of the impact of large corporations, menageries of manufacturers and big businesses on the smaller, more sustainable markets, local lore and mom and pop stores. Even with streamlined supply chains and an eco-conscious attitude, there’s no greater feeling than being economically supportive of your outlying community and being an educated member of society; and this is coming from someone who works in Operations for Disney and Wal Mart – so, trust. Small businesses have an incredible influence on local economies, including increased opportunities for employment within the community, environmental sustainability and economic innovation. The biggest plus about local businesses is understanding that your money is being recycled back into your neighborhood, and – in my personal opinion -the greatest example of this is your local Farmers’ Market.

Like in most large metropolitan areas, Los Angeles plays host a menagerie of places to foray into food shopping, with a niche for every type of nutrition freak. I’ll be the first to admit that at my last apartment in the Fairfax District, I was a bit spoiled: I was just a stone’s throw from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Farm Fresh, Erewhon and even the fabled Farmer’s Market at The Grove – but where did I find myself doing most of my food shopping? Locally owned grocery stores like Cochran Produce had a lock on fresh fruits, hearty vegetables and tasty herbs while Dimond Bakery opened at 5am and sold out of their salacious sourdough baguettes before 8am, every damn day; it was such a lovely set up that leaving the area was a bit difficult. When I moved to Eagle Rock, I was excited to see that I could walk to the local Trader Joe’s but the local Farmers’ Market barely reached a whole city block and hardly merited shutting down the street. So, believe you me when I say that I’m thrilled that Danny discovered an amazing Farmers’ Market that’s just a hop, skip and a 10 minute drive away .

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The South Pasadena Farmers’ Market lays claim to the area right next to the Gold Line South Pasadena Station, and runs every Thursday afternoon from 4pm – 8pm in the Spring and Summer, and 4-7pm during the Fall and Winter. The market itself is rain or shine, but in LA you can be pretty sure it’s almost all shine. Hands down, it’s one of my new favorite weekly activities and I’m already giddy about going back. Last week, we loaded up on micro greens, farm raised pork + bacon, duck eggs, delicious pressed juices from Pulp Story Juice and a menagerie of mushrooms from LAFungi.

The weekly event is fully equipped with fun for the whole family – featuring a quaint park perfect for picnics, live music, food trucks ranging from mouth watering oysters from the Shucks Oyster Truck to properly roasted corn from and sushi and snacks from Mama Musubi and farm to table fruits, veggies, poultry, exotic herbs, milk, cheese, olive oils, pressed juices and bacon – yeah, farm to table bacon: put that on your stove and grill it.

Your local Farmers’ Market is the perfect opportunity to support small businesses and get to know your community. Next time, invite your squad and make it a group outing – and who knows, if you keep frequenting the events you might even make some friends while you’re there.

If one local Farmers’ Market is good – more are obviously better; so, now I’m on the prowl for a local haunt for every day of the week. I’ve heard that there usually aren’t many on Monday or Tuesday, but what I’ve learned living in Los Angeles is that anything’s possible Keep it locked to The Bouncy Kitty for more Farmers’ Market Finds and if you’re still curious about the South Pasadena Farmer’s Market, head to their website or socials:

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