love #4.

Hello there, and happy Friday! It's time for a Love List. Let's not waste a moment.

1. Love these re-imagined pin-up paintings by artist James Paterson.

Original art via James Paterson.

2. Love these notebooks by Michael Roger. I pick them up at the Hennessey + Ingalls in the Space 15 Twenty in Hollywood. They are my go-to journals these days.

3. Love the Spring Pizza at Pitfire Pizza Co. in NoHo--shaved asparagus, red onion, lemon zest, cream, ricotta, mint, pea puree and asiago. Who knew you could pack all that on a pizza? So good.

4. Love the purple alstromeria I saw at the Farmers Market on Sunday.

5. Love these dresses from the amazing Tavin boutique in Echo Park. I could live in them all year long.

 

6. Love these dishtowels my friend Julie brought back to me from Patina in Minneapolis.

7. Love this stunning blog, The Red Telephone.

Photo by @lisesilva via The Red Telephone.

8. Love the views both big and small at Point Dume, Malibu.

9. Love the beautiful harmonies of the Haden Triplets.

10. Love The Way Way Back. Such a sweet, little movie, and it's getting me in the mood for summer.

That's all for now...wait! One more thing. Don't miss the Echo Park Craft Fair this weekend. It looks like lots of fun.

Photo via echoparkcraftfair.com

 

interlude: malibu.

So, next Tuesday I am going in for my first major surgery and will be recuperating for six weeks. I really wanted to make it out to the beach before my convalescence, so my friend and I packed our dogs into the car and headed out to Malibu for the day.

Lechuza Beach has to be my new favorite place in the Los Angeles area. I know I've written about it before, but I don't care. I'm talking about it again. I'm a rebel like that.

Lechuza is a small enclave of Broad Beach, just down a lovely wooden staircase hidden on Sea Level Drive. It's a public beach that looks private, and although the welcoming sign says "No Dogs," I counted at least six dogs on the beach besides ours. I've noticed that about many places in Malibu--for the record, they are "No Dogs," but most everyone seems to turn a blind eye.

This small stretch of beach is so clean and peaceful. My dog Isabel now recognizes the place when we arrive and makes all kinds of crazy, delightful noises. She's officially a beach dog--I guess the next step is to get her out on a surf board.

It's funny, because I feel myself becoming a beach dog, too. I've always been such gritty, urban kind of girl, but these days, I could see myself living out here. In heaven.

Maybe.

After a quick lunch, we were off to Point Dume.

Point Dume is not only a gorgeous beach, but a nature preserve and state park. Here we heeded the "No Dogs" sign, as they can upset the fragile environment of the preserve.

I would have loved to have hiked up to the top peak, but I have to take it easy before surgery, so we walked down to the beach and waded along the beautiful tidal pools.

The times we spend in the 'bu are always so restorative. I remember my what my grandma used to say about those chilly, Minnesota winter days--how they were both calming and invigorating. I feel the same way about Malibu.

That's all for now. But I'll be back soon.