house philosophy.

Shopping with Molly

One of my friends, interior designer Molly Luetkemeyer, recently e-mailed me some of her favorite shops in Los Angeles. Though I must admit I have not yet been to any of her suggestions, I completely trust Molly -- she is extraordinarily talented and has exceptional taste. I just scheduled a day of shopping and plan on visiting all of her recommendations. I sense a follow-up post will be coming soon...

Direct quotes from Molly:

Ige - 7382 beverly blvd.  Gorgeous, well curated things.  Lots of unique pieces designed by the shop owner, Helene.  Don’t miss the kick ass silk-screened pillows and tee shirts...

Zelen – 8055

beverly

blvd.  This guy has a stylist’s eye and every gift you buy there makes you look like a genius.  I think he’s started doing some custom furniture as well...

Show – 1722 n.

vermont

ave.  Funky, artsy stuff.  Owner Brad is great, too.

Blanche –

8315 west 3rd street

. I have never walked out of this shop empty handed.  It’s actually a problem...  They see me coming and start envisioning dollar signs.  Oy!

An Afternoon at the Country

There's no place I'd rather be than the freshly updated Brentwood Country Mart. (Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but seriously, this is one cool place!) With shops and stalls arranged around a central courtyard, this kitschy 1948 red-board structure is a west side institution. While certain shops such as the post office and barber shop evoke days of old, new boutiques including Calypso, Flora & Henri, and Sugar Paper  liven up the joint and attract a chic clientele. Spend a day shopping with friends, or bring the kids to "dine" on freshly grilled Barney's burgers or rotisserie chicken. In addition to goods and grub, the Mart occasionally has special events such as Santa at Christmas (last year they even had a live reindeer!) and concerts in the courtyard. Always terribly popular with my little ones are the coin-operated rides -- while they're going round and round, I'm window shopping and planning my next purchase. Trust me, we all leave with a smile on our faces.