Craving the perfect brunch in LA?

The view of DTLA from Perch

Let’s be honest, in LA brunch is more of a lifestyle than just a meal. By the time Saturday and Sunday afternoon roll around, boozy brunches rule the scene. With restaurants boasting delicious French toast, custom omelettes, and unlimited mimosas on every corner…how do you choose?

THE PLACES

DOWNTOWN - PERCH - The view alone is reason enough to eat here. Luckily, the food, drinks, and atmosphere all stack up, making this hot spot a favorite of many (including myself!) Perched on a rooftop in Downtown Los Angeles, this restaurant is known for their pitchers of Sangria filled with fresh fruit and croissant French toast. Make sure you snag a reservation, because it does get pretty packed!

WEST HOLLYWOOD - IVORY ON SUNSET - Located at the Mondrian Hotel right next to their pool and Skybar, Ivory on Sunset offers sweeping views of Hollywood through their clear glass windows. The views of the city looming below give patrons the perfect backdrop for unlimited mimosas and delicious food! Highly recommend their burger and flatbread…after all you’ll need a little food in between mimosas. And don’t worry, the servers here are on top of refilling your glasses, so they’ll be no shortage of OJ and champagne. The whole place has a very chic vibe that will serve ya well for the ‘gram (if you’re into that sort of thing.)

Drinks and a view at Ivory on Sunset

STUDIO CITY - FIREFLY - Firefly, a hidden gem in Studio City, only offers their epic brunch on Sunday. For $38 you get an all you can eat buffet filled with breakfast food, meat, and pastries galore…and let me just tell you, everything is delicious! Want to add some drinks into the mix? You can add all you can drink mimosas! This restaurant mixes a homey vibe with a trendy one to combine for the perfect Sunday brunch with anyone.

HERRINGBONE - SANTA MONICA - This cute spot has top notch food, all you can drink mimosas, and is walking distance from the beach. Really, do I even need to say more? Okay I will, the décor is also on point – both trendy and inventive. You’ll definitely want to add this one to your list of the best boozy brunch restaurants on the west side.

26 Beach's funky chic decor

26 BEACH RESTAURANT – VENICE - This quirky Venice hub that combines Japanese and American dishes has been around for over three decades, making it a staple in the Venice brunch scene…although I only discovered it recently! I stumbled upon 26 Beach when celebrating my birthday this year and let me just tell you, it is the perfect spot for a brunch the night after going out on Abbot Kinney Blvd. They have unlimited mimosas, great eclectic décor, and great food! They have it all, but are especially great at the basics, so if you’re craving some really good eggs next time you’re in Venice on a weekend afternoon, swing on by.

How to make New Year's resolutions that actually work

It’s officially 2020 and you know what that means…a million recap posts and New Year's resolutions have popped up on all your social media feeds.

I have to be honest…I have a complicated relationship with New Year's resolutions.  Up until 2018 I never made them, I didn’t understand why suddenly in January we all decided we were going to change our entire lives….for about two weeks before almost everyone falls back into their old ways.  Something like only 10 percent of people achieve their New Year's resolutions, so I just never really saw the point. If I wanted to make a change I could just as easily set goals in April or September. 

Then, about two years ago in one of my acting classes, my teacher talked about the power of resolutions and creating vision boards.  That setting concrete goals and seeing them in front of you every single day help transform your ideas into reality. She told us about a bunch of success stories.  So in 2018, I made a vision board.

The problem is I felt like a lot of the goals I set were out of my hands. Such as, I can prepare as much as I want for auditions, be in classes, get coached, but at the end of the day whether or not I get the part isn’t really something I can control. It seemed hard to track progress for these goals and ultimately I don’t think the vision board really helped me.

However, I get the idea and like it, so this year I’m making my New Year's Resolutions differently. I’m doing something that has already worked for me, something that has helped me make positive changes in my life.  Instead of big overarching goals that I can’t control, I’m working towards smaller, achievable things, that will ultimately form the building blocks to accomplish those larger goals I dream of. 

It’s easy to get overly ambitious with New Year's resolutions. New year, new me and all that.  And don’t get me wrong, it’s great to want more for yourself and strive to achieve that, but I think real change happens in the small moments. It’s the mundane every day changes and choices that shape your life.  Setting your alarm an hour earlier and going for a jog 3 times a week, reading to learn about something your passionate about every night instead of mindlessly watching Friends for the 200th time, or setting aside an hour a week for self reflection and self care. It's the small acts that turn into habits and help shape your life that make the biggest impact. And hey, if you achieve those small goals and want to challenge yourself more in a few months, GO FOR IT. It's not really about the New Years Resolutions anyways. It's about finding a way to get back on track after the craziness of the holidaze and reflect on what worked last year and what you want to improve on.

So this year I am setting attainable goals that are fully in my power to achieve. For my first one? I'm going to try my hardest to post one blog a week, bare minimum once every other week. My resolution is not to grow my readership or page views or anything like that, because I don't control those things. What I can control is putting the work in consistently, pushing myself, and not allowing my perfectionism to stop me from posting.

I’m putting it on here so I really have no choice but to follow through!  Stay tuned for the rest of my resolutions, I will be making a vision board for 2020 and will post that in a few weeks.

So think, what are your resolutions this year? Do they inspire you to work harder every day? Are they realistic? Have you changed them up if resolutions haven't worked for you in the past? For example, if every year you want to lose 20 pounds and it never happens, this year set a resolution to go to the gym 3 times a week, or meal prep healthy food on Sundays! Or if you hate resolutions, just look at what in your life is and isn't working, then take steps to improve.

There’s no better time to change your life than today (not tomorrow, not next Monday, not oops I already messed up my resolutions, might as well start next year) no, today.  It doesn’t matter that it’s January 7th or February or midnight on a Tuesday in August. If you want to see results, make those subtle but incredibly important changes and remember you can adjust and re-evaluate your goals as you go.

Creating the cozy home you've always dreamed of

I opted for a gallery wall, where each piece of art meant something to me

Home. Home is more than just a structure or shelter, it’s more than a physical thing and it probably means a little something different for everyone. The key, is figuring out what it means for you and creating a space that fosters that. For me, home is cozy and creative. It’s safe and warm. Welcoming and uniquely me. It is my safe haven, a retreat from the chaos of the outside world. 

This was my little relaxation corner. My bed, the inhale exhale signs reminding me to breath, and my floor couch from Pottery Barn. Peep the balloons from my launch party in this photo as well!

The importance of creating a home you love goes way beyond simply looking nice (though I must admit, I love that aspect). It is about designing a safe space where your creativity and work can flourish. A place where you can entertain the people you love and quiet your mind long enough to take a breath and feel refreshed after a long day.

It always surprises me just how much your surroundings can influence your overall mood. Whenever I’m super stressed, I look at my surroundings, and often times my space mirrors that and has become a little cluttered. A clean space, a clear mind tends to ring pretty true for me.

Creating this space, my old studio apartment, was a year long journey. I wanted to have somewhere that felt authentically me, but I also didn't have an unlimited budget. I started with some inspiration, looking at Pinterest and some interior design Instagrams/blogs! Then, I started shopping, slowly hunting down good sales, and finding cheaper pieces that looked like the expensive ones I loved. I checked out Wayfair, Overstock, Homegoods, West Elm, Pottery Barn, CB2, and Anthropolgie (for statement piece splurges!)

So this was my creative haven for the past year, a year of great transformation…the year I launched this blog.  

I actually recently moved in with one of my best friends and while saying goodbye to this space was sad, I had a ton of fun designing my new room! So stay tuned for that 

The Anthropologie dresser I drooled over for months before I grabbed it for 75% off + the one who really made this place feel like home, my pup Zoe!