Present Joys: LA again, toilet paper towers, purple plates, and puppy play dates

Week of November 21, 2023

Nov 21, 2023

Rediscovering LA

It’s been such a joy to dive back into life in LA. From driving through familiar neighborhoods with Lee to wandering around Huntington Gardens with my mom to grabbing food and drinks with Joyce and our friends, I must say it’s nice to be back. Here for any and all recs as I rediscover the beauty of LA.

Outdoor scene of trees in the background with a squirrel on a fence in the foreground

Squirrel Highway

A peek out our kitchen window on any given morning is a glimpse into the fast-paced lives of our neighborhood squirrels. One after another they use the fence between our yard and the neighbor’s as their own personal interstate—ferrying nuts and berries to and fro for hours. I wish I could travel to their den (do squirrels have dens?) and see the cornucopia of goodies they collect with my own eyes. Until then, I’ll stick to my side of the screen window and admire the fervor they bring to the day.

Mexican Scandinavian

Having recently moved back to LA, Lee and I have been struggling a bit with the seemingly gargantuan task of furnishing a completely empty place. We both work full time and neither of us has much in the way of interior design prowess, so in an effort to try and establish a guide post, I asked Lee what “feel” he liked most and anchored the question regionally. He confessed he prefers Scandinavia over the Southwest, while my dream home is something akin to Mexican modern. While not an impossible combo, I still feel puzzled, so it was absolute kismet for me when I saw this Mexican cutlery in an IKEA container at a Huarache Azteca in Highland Park. It’s all possible, and perhaps not all worth taking too seriously. (Also, just as a note on technicalities… the cutlery may not be Mexican, but I’m pretty sure 3-4 of my tias have this exact same set, so from my point of reference, the utensils are at the very least Mexican at heart.)

Toilet Paper Towers

I couldn’t tell you why, but the peace of mind that copious amounts of toilet paper brings me has become hard to ignore. I’d say maybe it’s a response to the mad rush for toilet paper at the beginning of Covid or a terrible bathroom experience of yore, but alas, I felt the calm of bushels of paper long before then and have a feeling that mounds of it will forever make me feel cared for. So, without further ado, shout out to Bub and Grandmas for stocking up and having this grand bounty on display.

Bucket Lists-ish

Before leaving the UK, I made a bucket list filled with adventures I hadn’t yet taken but was aiming to complete before coming back home. I was recently reflecting on which of those things I did and didn’t do (yes they have Costco, no I didn’t make it) and realized it would be nice to always have this sort of list in hand however long one may or may not stay in a place. It’s common to live in a place and miss key landmarks or to-dos or simply put them off for another time. Time is a privilege, and I really do wish I had made it to Costco UK, however, in the same way that it’s nice to make a list of things to do and see, perhaps it’s also nice to leave a few of those things undone—therefore always leaving something to look forward to.

A stack of three Sasaki Vignelli Stoneware plates in Plum.

Purple Plates

Van and I own two sets of dinnerware. One is a set of white melamine Hellerware Stacking plates and the second a set of purple Sasaki Vignelli Stoneware plates. The white plates are our workhorses and accompany many a lunch spent working at our respective laptops. (Sad, I know). Our purple plates, though, signal something different. If Van serves up dinner on one, I know to light a candle, slow down, and create space for conversation. It’s become a nice, unspoken gesture of care and respect. Our lives have been somewhat busy lately as the year is catapulting to a close, so last night’s purple plate of rosemary chicken was most welcome.

Kettle’s Yard Vignettes

This past October I got to visit Kettle’s Yard, the former home of Tate curator Jim Ede and his wife Helen. With the intent always being to open the space to the public, Kettle’s Yard now displays the Ede’s collection of 20th century art and objects (including works by Brâncuși, Hepworth, Miró, and more). During her brief introduction, our docent encouraged us to take note of all the various vignettes inside the space. She explained that Jim Ede liked to compose small moments of curation so there’s visual interest wherever you choose to glance. I’ve now adopted this approach and I love how it’s removed some of the intimidation of home decor.

Marathon training schedule with three days marked off with red dot stickers.

AM Workouts

I wouldn’t have believed this joy even a couple newsletters ago, but here we are. Daylight savings gave me a proper push in this direction and I’ve somehow been able to keep up the habit of workouts before work. I’m training for next year’s LA Marathon and it’s been surprisingly nice to greet my mornings with brisk runs and blushing skies.

Overhead shot of a miniature dachshund puppy. — Bruce hiding by my feet during puppy playtime.

Puppy Training

Van and I took Bruce to his first puppy training class at the Pasadena Humane Society last weekend. Bruce brazenly occupies our (read: now, his) apartment, so it was sweet to discover that he’s a bit of a shy guy! He was cautious yet curious, slowly but surely mustering up the courage to commune with the other pups over the course of the class. Like mother, like son. 🥲

Man restocking pink butcher paper-wrapped sandwiches inside a deli.

Roma Sandwich

Nothing blows up my DM’s more than a Roma sandwich. If there’s a shred of that iconic pink butcher paper in an IG story, it’s certain I’ll receive an array of affirmations on my pick of lunch. For those unfamiliar, the sandwich is simply comprised of: crusty Italian bread, a drizzle of olive oil, and slices of capicola, mortadella, salami and provolone. I picked up a couple sandwiches for Van and I last week and I’d forgotten just how good they are.

Case Study: Saba Jam

Thrilled to announce our latest case study, Saba Jam! We worked with founder Saba Parsa to craft a new identity, website, and packaging system to better represent Saba’s own taste and values. Peruse the project, shop her jams (she’s offering 10% off for new subscribers), and reach out if you’d like to work with Present.