Saturday January 8, 2022, thatโs when I started getting back to me. I was taking my daughter to gymnastics, a routine that usually involves lots of fussing and rushing to get there on time. My husband and two of my kids had been sick the entire week and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. My best friend of the past 20 years called while I was driving to tell me that her trip to California that was planned for the next weekend had a little hiccup. Her cousin was no longer able to go on the trip, and she was feeling bummed. I listened to her gamely explaining that she was going anyway and then I had a thought. I interrupted her to say, โIโm coming.โ She kind of laughed and said I was welcome to join her, but I could tell she didnโt buy it. After all, I hadnโt been on a trip alone since 2014 and my last flight was 4 years ago. I had never been away from my kids, and she was leaving in 5 days, there was no way I was going to pull this off. Oh, she of little faith!
I spent the next few days prepping food for my family. I made arrangements for my girls to spend the night with my mom for a couple nights while I was away. My husband was left with full charge of my son, mainly because heโs a champion sleeper as long as heโs in his natural environment and we didnโt want to mess with that. By Thursday mid-morning, I was on board my flight with a business class upgrade courtesy of my spouse who travels a lot for work. Champagne at 10:00 AM? Donโt mind if I do.
Our first stop on the trip was a visit to Lancaster, CA to meet a relative that my bestie connected with after doing one of those at home DNA tests. The drive to Lancaster from LAX was beautiful! The best thing about our time there was the people that we met just walking around the city. They were so nice! It was just like being at home in the south. One of my favorite finds in Lancaster was a personal size Vornado fan at the local Goodwill. I know, sounds strange but if you donโt already know, Vornado makes amazing fans with great warranties so if this fan breaks in the next couple of months, theyโll send me a new one. I also fell in love with Nantiquez Vintage Flair, a fun, eclectic shop right on The Boulevard in town. I bought a few things from Nan including a yellow vintage rotary phone! Honestly, since Iโve brought it home, on two different occasions I actually picked it up to call my mom before realizing what I was doing. And this may sound surprising, but my favorite meal by far came from Wienerschnitzel! Apparently, they have these in Houston, but Iโd never heard of them. Fast food hot dogs including plant-based options for my travel partner who does not eat meat. Delicious. Who knew!
After spending a couple of days in Lancaster, we headed back towards L.A. but took a detour over to Pasadena for some shopping. I think if we were to ever move to the greater Los Angeles area, I could see us living in Pasadena. There were lots of families out in the parks, going for walks and I really enjoyed the independent shops they had in abundance. One of my favorites was Homage which was filled with unique and quirky items to adorn your person and your home. They had some pieces from a designer that was new to me, Robindra Unsworth. What caught my eye about her work was there was almost this rustic precision to each piece. Large, natural gemstone rings with these oversized sculpted prongs that make you think about the construction of the ring. (Ring photo credit Robindra Unsworth)
Homage also had the coolest Cloudnola clock Iโve ever come across. The time is written out in words, and I think if I could have fit it in my suitcase, it would have been an easily justifiable impulse buy.
A noteworthy jewelry stop was Place Vendome. The proprietor, Max, introduced us to the brand Gas Bijoux, a French fashion jewelry brand that has been around since the 1960โs. I absolutely loved the look and feel of the pieces. Their website describes their โgoldโ pieces as gilded metal which is a process that I would love to learn more about. In a nutshell the jewelry is fashioned by applying a thin layer of gold on top of a base metal, commonly brass. Iโm not sure yet if they use a proprietary method or one that is more generally practiced in fashion jewelry manufacturing. I asked Max to find out if they could make an Aida necklace for me that was a bit longer and Iโm looking forward to adding one to my collection. (Jewelry photo credit to Gas Bijoux)
We left Pasadena for an overnight stay at Le Parc Suite Hotel in West Hollywood. The staff at the hotel was so courteous and the room decor was phenomenal. It even had a teal record player! The next morning, we walked to the Melrose Place Farmerโs Market. I love California farmerโs markets and the market on Sunday was so refreshing. This one had an amazing collection of vendors; everything from jewelry and handbags to delicious cookies that I keep kicking myself for not noting down the name! I needed another carry-on bag since Iโd bought so much during the trip, and I picked up this great handmade bag made from recycled plastic bottles. Both my friend and I ordered probably way too much vegan cream cheese from Mishaโs Kind Foods, but it was the best I’ve tasted, and they ship nationwide. I had something called a Pink Latte from Alfred at Glossier Alley which was probably the weirdest coffee drink Iโve ever had, but hey, it was an experience.
Aside from all of that fun, I discovered Eye Kandy Jewelry at the market as well! The owner/designer was there, and we had fun chatting about how she manufactures her jewelry right there in L.A. and has worked in the fashion industry for years. What I loved most about her jewelry was that itโs in the moment, on-trend and stylish, but affordable! I was so impressed that I called a good friend of mine who I met working at Tiffany because I knew sheโd been looking for a paperclip necklace for a while. She trusts me, so when I told her I found one and sent her a picture, she immediately bought it, and I bought one too. I also picked up a fabulous pair of earrings. Most of her inventory is gold-filled, which is a mechanical process where a thin sheet of gold is welded onto a base metal and then rolled to a desired thickness. Over time the gold will wear away, but it typically lasts longer than gold plating and with care the jewelry can last for several years.
I was pleasantly surprised while in the Los Angeles area that there was a lot of affordable gold-filled jewelry available! Much of it is manufactured locally which I appreciate. People sometimes make negative comments about gold-filled jewelry or jewelry that isnโt solid gold. I wore one piece of real jewelry during my trip and every time I looked at a piece of fashion jewelry, I would compare the color to what I was wearing. If the color was comparable, I would go ahead with the purchase. If it was too yellow or too light, I set it back down. This is a great way to expand your jewelry wardrobe and support local designers. As long as you donโt shower or swim in gold filled jewelry, donโt spray it with perfume or get oils and lotions on it, youโll be fine.
By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I was ready to go home, but I was so grateful to have had the chance to get away. I had a great time, and it showed me that my family is okay without me there directing everything! They were probably glad to get a break from me too. We tend to think, no matter what our job is, that if weโre not there, things will fall apart. But if you never step away, youโre the one that starts to fall apart. I hope to inspire all of you to take that trip, be spontaneous, and pick up some jewelry along the way!
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