This lovely pair of dresses feeds all of my current spring cravings - sporty stripes, anything blue, and the whole nautical theme that the navy color reminds me of. Kayla Frock and Dahlia Frock, both by Australian brother-and-sister design team Camilla & Marc.

I recently came across Sophie Griotto’s site and it was the first time in quite awhile that a creative find made me smile. Her work is such a breath of fresh air - uncontrived, uncontrolled, and understated in the best ways possible. And just plain freakin’ fun and happy. You can tell this girl loves what she does.

Oh yeah. It’s safe to say that I am obsessed with this line. OB-sessed. Effortless yet thought out, special but not precious. You put one of Development’s dresses on and you feel powerful and feminine at once. Speaking from experience.

Speaking of fashion, I’ve been busy with a fashion show (hence the more-than-usual lack of posts) and am currently looking for sponsors. It’s going to be a fun, sporty, spectacle of an event in L.A. - if this is something you’d like to get your name or product in, let me know.

I’m really into succulents right now. I suppose they’ve become quite the trendy accessory for any design-conscious home or wedding, but my black thumb loves them for their low-maintenance geometric-meets-organic beauty. I picked a few of these little lovelies up over the weekend to make my own arrangement. If you’d like one too but would rather leave the arranging to the pros, Succulent LA will send you one for $45.

I recently moved closer into the city - closer to all the places and things I love. So this week I thought I should share some of my favorite places to eat, shop, and hang out in L.A.:

Tiara Cafe is my place to have brunch on the weekends. It’s a pretty pink palace of a restaurant in the middle of the Fashion District - very fun and frivolous in the most stylish and well-executed way. And very opposite the celebrity-infested Hollywood ultra-lounge that’s so common around here. They serve up lots of organic and locally grown fare that’s unbelievably tasty. And if you’ve ever wondered what the inside of a jewelry box looked like if we could all fit in it - well, this would be it. They even play jewelry box music during lunch.

Sarah Sloboda has an intriguing style of photography, particularly with children. Her photos are neither precious nor precocious, the two categories that such portraits usually fall into. I am also a fan of her blog, the University of Sarah, where she documents her artistic experiments behind - and even in front of - the camera.

I’ve been a fan of Vena Cava’s for quite awhile. I love that you can’t quite put a profile on the kind of girl who wears their clothes. They hit on every element of style - sophistication, bohemian, lady-like, whimsical - and approach their designs in an almost philosophical, worldly way to still end up with something fun and approachable. I truly love them for that. And that they are originally from Los Angeles too.

I haven’t been keeping up with all the fashion shows lately, (or are they over already? I don’t really know) but up & coming Vicente Villarin caught my eye. I love the floaty, layered prettiness weighed down and balanced out with more structural elements. The designs are something familiar and different at the same time.

While doing research on the brand, I found out a bit of a fun tidbit: designer Joanne Cordero Reyes’ mother designed my prom dress! Mother, like daughter, also creates beautiful dresses for weddings and other special events at a local dress shop in the suburb that I grew up in. That is quite the hometown connection.

I found photographer Ramona Rosales flipping through the newest issue of Flaunt Magazine that I picked up at the Flaunt Hennessy party last week. Her work is so up my alley! I love the ironic, almost dark, sense of humor that lies underneath her photos’ glossy surface.

I just got an email from Jin Patisserie in Venice, my favorite place to get macaroons, and I am alerted to two things: 1.) that they are making dark chocolate Easter eggs filled with sea salt caramels, and 2.) that it’s been a long time since I’ve been there. Must go soon. It’s been quite a crazy month, but what’s one more item on the long list of to do’s, right?