Ah, my arrival. There were actually two arrivals—one into Paris, and one at the Chateau. And let’s just say, it’s hard to say which one was more dramatic! When you ask the universe to take you out of your comfort zone…be prepared to be unceremoniously yanked out at full speed!
Read MoreIt is Monday, June 2nd, 2025, 5:01am. The remaining jet lag has me up early, and I want to use it wisely…hopefully creating a new habit of being up before dawn. Out my window, I see my sleepy suburban neighborhood, a lone streetlight, and a tall, still palm tree…there is no breeze. I want to remember all of my time at Chateau Orquevaux…
Read MoreEl Coyote has stamped a giant, taco-shaped imprint on my soul! My family has been coming here for as long as I can remember. I’ve celebrated countless birthdays within these walls—including my 16th and 21st. I’ve dined here as a child, then while pregnant with both of my kids, and now with those same kids—who are somehow teenagers!
Read MoreHiking in LA just hits differently. The gridlock and smog fade away, and the vast urban sprawl shrinks into a miniature skyline, softened by distance. The constant hum of honking horns and sirens is replaced by birdsong and the rhythmic crunch of packed dirt beneath your feet…
Read MoreThis piece is my homage to the breathtaking flora that thrives in and around Los Angeles. Thanks to our mild Mediterranean climate, the City of Angels bursts with blooms year-round. I snapped the reference photo for this painting on a quiet, hilltop street in Silverlake, where a charming home was nearly consumed by a cascade of pink and fuchsia bougainvillea, with peachy-pink roses standing along the fence.
Read MoreHigh in the hills of Sun Valley, my grandparents built their 1960s dream home—complete with a “J”-shaped pool (for Jackman, our last name) and a sweeping view of flights arriving and departing from the Burbank Airport. My grandpa, a true travel enthusiast, loved watching people take off to faraway places, dreaming about exotic destinations
Read MoreThis bright pink bungalow in Silverlake is one of those rare, truly special places—full of history, personality, and charm you won’t find anywhere else. Casita del Campo opened in 1962, founded by Rudy del Campo and his family. Not long after, he met his wife, Nina, and together they ran the restaurant until they passed, leaving it in the hands of their son, Robert.
Before becoming a restaurateur, Rudy was a dancer on Broadway and even played a…
Read MoreAh, my beloved Hollywood Hills! For those who don’t know, these hills sit right behind Sunset Boulevard, bordering Studio City, Universal, Burbank, Hollywood, Los Feliz, and Griffith Park. They’re home to the Hollywood sign, the Hollywood Bowl, and some massive homes of A list actors, musicians, and producers. If you ever watched ‘The Hills’—these are them!
I grew up on the other side, The Valley (yes, THAT Valley), where a lot of the…
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