September 2015 - Emily Alder

WEST STREET GALLERY

09.17.15

This past Christmas my family surprised me with my long coveted Hazy Beach Art Print by Lisa Golightly. I was blown away unwrapping the large mysterious gift that morning, as you can imagine. The feeling of receiving something unexpected is both unique and exciting, but also emotional. I was taken aback and ended up getting teary. The thoughtfulness and surprise caught me off guard. I am so grateful that they took note of something I really wanted and presented me with something that I could cherish forever.

We immediately mounted the print in our dining room and since then I have been dreaming of creating a collection surrounded by our own images.

DESIGN, INTERIORS

MAR VISTA LIVING ROOM DESIGN

09.15.15

When I began studying interior design my first project was to work with a friend or family member to recreate a room design for them. Immediately I knew I wanted to work with my mom. For years we have talked about what we could do with my parent’s amazing 1930’s South Laguna cottage. I jumped at the opportunity to grab my mom and chat about her vision, gather inspiration, and start piecing things together.

The house they own, the homey beach cottage I was lucky enough to grow up in, is a small three-bedroom, one-bath cottage built in 1937 featuring hardwood floors, white walls, and lots of windows. It’s also full of family heirloom pieces that are treasured by all of us. I wanted to mix their antique farmhouse pieces with a fresh coastal California style.

I sat down and started working with some images my mom collected for inspiration.

DESIGN, SHOP

CB2 FALL 2015

09.09.15

CB2, Crate and Barrel’s newer and modern counterpart, recently released their Fall 2015 collection. Furniture and home decor inspired by the deeper colors of Fall. While my taste isn’t necessarily modern, I enjoy mixing styles and combining pieces that bring a space together in a unique way. Over the years, I have only purchased a few things from CB2, usually smaller items, so I was stoked browsing through their catalogue and tagging some wish list items.

EAT

SUNDAY PANCAKES

09.01.15

Our new Frigidaire stove came supplied with a fifth burner and cast iron griddle. Which means making pancakes in the morning are a breeze. We usually have a more casual breakfast on Saturday as we get ready to spend the day at the beach, soccer, or out and about. On Sundays we take more time and usually have a more complete breakfast. In an effort to eat more healthy and organic, I’ve been using raw and organic products. Toting that coconut oil and raw sugar can be replaced with normal oil and sugar at a 1:1 ratio I thought I would try my normal pancake recipe with different ingredients. I have to say, I liked it more than my original.