Welcome to this month’s sample platter: a quick overview of what I’m reading, something I recently bought, what I’m working on, an artist I love…a taste of what’s on my mind these days.
Book on my nightstand: I’ve been slowwwwly reading Sloane Crosley’s new memoir Grief Is for People. It’s short—only 200-ish pages—and it’s incredibly beautiful AND funny, but I’m really taking my time with it due to its heavy subject matter.
If you’re looking for something to read of Sloane’s that isn’t sad and will make you snort-laugh, I recommend her 2018 story “Outside Voices”. It’s a short personal piece about Crosley’s voyeuristic, all-consuming relationship with her very loud teenage neighbor, whose fairly normal adolescent antics are sonically amplified thanks to the proximity of their apartments. I mentioned it in the interview I did for
’s newsletter, so if you saw that you’re probably like, we get it, enough already, but it really is worth a read for the ending alone.House I wish was mine: Last month World of Interiors featured Emily Adams Bode Aujla and Aaron Aujla’s new West Village apartment, and I attended a talk at Bode LA between the two of them and Tyler Mitchell, who photographed the space. It was an interesting conversation that bounced between Emily and Aaron’s collaborative design process, the history of their building, and Tyler’s experience in capturing the feeling of their home. I can’t remember which of them said it, but I have the phrase “a portrait of a person by way of their interior” saved in my notes app, which was the perfect way to describe how they approach the spaces they design. “Emily and Aaron have been close friends for several years and have always impressed me with their ability to make worlds with whatever it is they touch,” wrote Tyler in an Instagram post. “They did it again with this immaculate and deeply personal house. You can feel the history and the meaning in every single object.”
Recently purchased: Last weekend I was heavily daydreaming about overhauling my outdoor patio space. For hours I stared into images of poolside Italian villas and French country houses while I tried to think of ways to translate that feeling into a 12’ x 12’ suburban patio with gray walls and a giant air conditioning unit. A very cool and inconvenient thing about me is that when I want to do something I want to do it right then and there, so tunnel vision took over and I lost I don’t even know how many hours scouring the internet for outdoor furniture and planters and even FOUNTAINS that could transport me to Provence on an IKEA budget.
But the commitment to the quest always pays off, my friends, because just as I was hanging it up for the day I came across some woven bistro chairs on Facebook Marketplace that really do a lot of heavy lifting for the vibe. I think bistro chairs can be a little corny—they can just feel very “I’m a Francophile!!!”, so I have to be careful not to step over the line into theme-y décor and balance it with things that don’t look like they came from a Parisian sidewalk. But these ones sub faux bamboo for a slim metal frame and the red is this perfect almost rusty-red, so I went for it.
The furniture gods must have appreciated my diligence because the chairs were conveniently located just down the street. They now live happily on my patio, right beside my potted olive tree, and I’m well on my way to a summer of leisure.
On my wish list: So, just like every work-from-home girl in Los Angeles, I pretty much live in Donni soft pants (the pointelle are my favorites) and I’ve been known to copy the brand’s styling tricks almost exactly. Back in September Donni’s founder
shared some BTS peeks from a shoot that included a silk butter yellow set and I’ve been ab-so-lute-ly fixated on it ever since. Sincere apologies to the Donni social media team for the number of times I’ve asked about it!!!!!
Two more hints of the silk variety have been dropped since: a pink coat (!!!) and the pants/top set in black (!!!!!!!!). I need to make a game plan but who knows, it wouldn’t be unlike me to temporarily lose my mind in a moment of panic and buy them all.
What I’m eating: 1. The best croissant in LA from CAR in Pasadena; 2. My go-to Highly Likely order, the Mediterranean eggs with a side of halloumi; 3. My sandwich club’s highest-ranking sandwich so far: Lady & Larder in Santa Monica; 4. This month’s cookbook club spread, from Ever-Green Vietnamese by Andrea Nguyen. (I’m in a lot of clubs.)
Currently working on: So many things. I’m not complaining!!! I love and am grateful for an abundant work moment. Right now the list includes brand identities for a French homeware brand, a beverage brand, and a brand that sits at the intersection of art and wellness. Plus, Mille’s summer catalog, a really fun portfolio site, and about 1,000 things for Pasta Girlfriend. Lastly, I’m working on (and failing at) saying the word “brand” less.
An artist to know: This is more like artists to know…and go see if you’re in LA. I went to The Future Perfect’s new space the other day to catch their current exhibition “Inner Space”, which features the work of Minjae Kim, JB Blunk, Isamu Noguchi, Alana Burns, and Ian Collings. I was bummed to have missed it during Frieze, mostly because my sister saw Andrew Scott/Hot Priest there that weekend and that is an A+ celeb sighting, but my friend Tracy and I booked an appointment therefore had the wholeeee place to ourselves, so it was worth the wait.
Every room is a stunning presentation of furniture, jewelry, sculptures, light fixtures, and installations made especially interesting in the context of the old Hollywood details of the Goldwyn House. It’s running until May 1st so pop over this month if you can!
Now playing: I’m in a bit of a TV tailspin. Buying Beverly Hills? Check—obsessed with the Umansky sisters. Traitors UK? Check and check. All 14 seasons of RHONY? Check. That really dark docu-series about Nickelodeon? Regrettably, check. I feel like my next step is to make a move towards a new franchise…I could pick a fresh group of Housewives to dedicate weeks of my life to, dabble in Summer House, or (and I say this with extreme hesitation) get into The Valley??? Decisions, decisions…
Something I’m looking forward to: I’m headed to NYC in a couple of weeks and am planning something reeeeally fun. If you like pasta and girlfriends (hint hint) keep an eye on @pastagirlfriend next week for an announcement!
Next week’s newsletter is a Side Order, aka my themed shopping round up for paid subscribers! Make sure you get it in your inbox by upgrading your subscription below:
Have a great weekend,
x
Ali
In case you missed it:
Love your patio find!! Love it all, actually. And I want to be all things Bode in my next life!
Your patio looks so good! I'm inspired. 🍝