Le Blog.

I have some exciting news to share! After twelve years together, Alex and I made it official on May 31st! Insert exploding confetti balloon here. Our beautiful, magical wedding in the Lost Sierra mountains was captured by Blue Kite Cinema and is going to be featured as the season finale on their new TV show ‘Our Wedding Story’ on the UP Network THIS FRIDAY!!! To say we were honored to have this crew film our wedding is an understatement for the ages! Their collective talents are truly immeasurable. They are some of the most creative, wonderful spirits we have ever met and we cannot wait for you to see their handiwork! They are one-of-a-kind videographers, producers, and creators and have talent that will blow your damn mind. The bonus? We have met forever-friends, I’m sure of it. ☺ We heart you BIG TIME BKC Boys (+Girl)! Once the episode has aired I will give you my full download of the entire experience and share some of my favorite snapshots from the week-long extravaganza! It’s one I will hold right next to my ooiest, gooiest, most lovey-dovey places forever and ever and ever. I haven’t seen the episode yet so I’m a mix of excited and terrified at the same time! If you happen to give it a watch this Friday, let me know what you think in the comments below! Here’s to hoping I’m not super awkward on camera! Cheers, LF

It’s safe to say that if I’m at home, there is at least one candle burning at all times. I love everything about them, the flame, the fragrance, the flicker of light. My name is Lindsey and I am a candle-o-holic. There, I said it. Enter designer Lisa Marie Todd who I meet in a poolside cabana on the rooftop of the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills. I know, fancy right? Her aquamarine eyes instantly captivate me. They are the Mediterranean Sea personified. Seriously, they are that striking. Before I can make a fool of myself (maybe) introductions are made. Lisa has added 4 new signature scents to her ever-expanding line of candles, Marie Todd Collection and I am here to smell them, not gape at their maker. Added to the lineup are Fresh Mint, Rose & Clove, Jasmine & Cedarwood and “there’s a Vetiver & Sandalwood that is a little more unisex, which I actually prefer myself, it’s one of my favorites”, says the designer. Also new to the collection is the larger 32oz option and her bright, cheery packaging “inspired by gemstones”. It’s so beautiful, in fact that I have decided to reimagine the box as a home for the straws on my bar. What scent is Lisa Todd herself currently burning at home? “I’m into the Blue Agave & Cacao which is a fragrance I’ve had for a while because I’m an avid gardener and cook and I’m growing a ton of blue agaves in my backyard right now. I got rid of all my grass, I’m being conscious of the drought but I still need pretty things!” Amen to that! For more masculine fragrances, look no further than Lisa’s men’s collection, M Todd. If you’re like me, you’re constantly on the hunt for fresh gift ideas for the opposite sex and these candles are just that. The line offers scents like leather, black pepper and tobacco leaf. With monikers like ‘The Bad Boy’, ‘The Adventurer’ and ‘The Artist’ there’s sure to be one for every kind of man in your life. Oh and one more thing! I learned something new about diffusers from Lisa: flip your reeds every two weeks. The dry ends will soak up the oil and reinvigorate your scent! xo, Lindsey SaveSave SaveSave

I’m embarrassed to admit that after living in this city for 11+ years I’ve barely set foot in the concrete enigma that is Downtown LA. Why you ask? Mostly because of her tricky one-ways, the wafting smell of urine and the dark alleys where obviously there lurks a monster of one kind or another. For me, DTLA was the shadowy place the light didn’t touch and so I heeded Mustafa’s advice and steered clear whenever possible. But honestly 10 years ago she was unattractive. After decades of abuse and neglect the beautiful art deco facades of downtown began to crumble and slowly she became a shell of her former glamorous self when the well to do and celebrities flocked to her theaters, restaurants and hotels in the 1920’s and 30’s. I have wistfully poured over pictures and articles of that magical time in the city’s history. She was so spectacular! The reality however, the morose state of her disrepair always just bummed me out when I walked around the city. And so I would trek back up the 101 like the good little Valley Girl I am, leaving behind my dismal mood and an untold amount of unfulfilled adventures. But over the last few years I’ve witnessed a visible difference, a major revolution. Every time I visit there’s new construction being done or renovations completed or a grand opening for whatever new bar or restaurant has moved in. The change is incredible! This city is dusting off her flapper dress and rising again, albeit slowly, into the dazzling metropolis she once was. Think less of the 20’s glitz & glamour, though, and more urban vitality. There’s a new, contagious energy in DTLA that was missing before but that you can’t deny has taken over the city. I suppose I should give credit where credit is due. I have my fabulous friend Jacqueline to thank for my new adventurous relationship with Downtown. She, like me, is from Minnesota. When she told me she was moving out here and that she wanted to live downtown I was mortified! I thought, oh god, she’s going to hate it and move back immediately! But my words of hazard luckily did not pay off and she and her boyfriend Emmanuel moved there two summers ago. Because of Jax Downtown Los Angeles is not as much a concrete enigma to me anymore as she is an artsy, culinary jungle ripe with an unlimited amount of fun! I’m very much looking forward to getting to know her better…and soon. Rules for Visiting Downtown LA: #1. Go in off-traffic times or you’ll regret ever getting in the car at all. #2. Know where you’re going and where to park ahead of time. #3. On that note, bring cash for parking, as most of the lots don’t accept debit cards. #4. Go hungry. The food options down there are plentiful and worth the drive alone. #5. Finally, and this one is really important, those aren’t homeless people, they’re hipsters. Apparently there’s a difference. SaveSave