Palm Trees and Pools

Katja’s July travels didn’t end with her trip to Boca; she was in New York just briefly before it was time to head to the airport yet again. This time, however, she decided that a change of scenery was in order, so took a flight out of JFK instead of Newark. The experience reminded her why she generally avoids JFK; that said the Pre✓ line was infinitely speedier, so perhaps she should focus on the positive. It's not like there's really much glamour in travel these days anyway, so it's the small things that count. And, ultimately, dealing with the lack of comfort and masses of clueless travelers is worth it in order to visit places both new and old. Plus, flying is always a good time to do the things she likes to avoid doing, like sewing the ribbons and elastic on her pointe shoes.

This time Katja's destination was Los Angeles, a city she loves. As in New York there's a lot of craziness, diversity, and creativity, but amidst a landscape of palm trees and pools. And the city has infinitely better weather. She’d be tempted to move to LA if it weren’t for the whole having to drive thing (she doesn't have a license), and the fact that it’s much too far from Europe. So instead she opts for frequent trips out west.

Katja stayed with fabulous friends in Pasadena, and spent much of her visit catching up with them, lounging around the pool during the day, and around the outdoor fireplace at night. Of course much red wine was had, paired with delicious cheeses that she and her friend picked up at the Epicure Warehouse Sale (very much worth the drive to one of the city’s not so glamorous neighborhoods).

Wine and cheese are two of Katja's favorite food groups. Another one is frozen yogurt, so she embarked on a daily trip to Menchies to indulge and keep cool (not that she needs an excuse, but it was unusually humid for Southern California). The South Pasadena Menchies is located in the charming Mission District, an area that has lots of fun little coffee shops and stores. Two of her favorites are Hodgson’s Antiques, which she highly recommends for vintage jewelry, and The Red Shoes, where she's picked up cute dancewear over the years.

Of course Katja is much too hyper to spend the whole time just lazing around, eating and drinking. Plus, all of the indulgence needed to be counteracted with some calorie burning (leotards hide nothing, after all), so the visit also involved hikes around the Arroyo Seco. She loves the beautiful views, especially from the Colorado Street Bridge, and is a great fan of the local flora, especially the tiny cacti scattered everywhere.

Katja also stopped by the Huntington Botanical Gardens, a truly spectacular place that is home to twelve gardens spread over 120 acres, and definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.

Katja is a sophisticated, highly cultured jet-setter, so no trip would be complete without seeing some art and/or attending a performance. This trip involved a very special treat, a private tour of Charles and Henry Green’s Blacker House, an incredible example of American Arts and Crafts architecture. The architects made extensive use of exotic hardwoods when designing the 12,000 square foot home, which they filled with highly detailed furnishings and fixtures, all intricately linked to the space they occupy, each room thus functioning as a Gesamtkunstwerk.

Although previous owners stripped the house of much of its furniture, lighting, and fixtures, the present owners have restored the home, recreating the interiors down to the most minute details. The house also has a lush vegetable garden, and the owners kindly sent Katja and her friend home with a variety of heirloom tomatoes (people are so nice in California). They devoured the tomatoes that evening, along with some burrata, and of course wine (it just brings out the flavor in everything, and tastes pretty good on its own, too).

Just as no trip would be complete without some culture, it wouldn’t be complete without a good party. This time the party was An Evening with Star Chefs, a fundraiser held for Rosemary’s Children Services. The event took place at the Ambassador Gardens, a lovely outdoor space. It was a festive and beautiful evening, filled with lots of wine (what else is new) and tasty chef-made creations. Despite all of the gourmet treats the highlight for Katja was the ice cream sundae bar. What can she say, she has a sweet tooth. Plus, she's a creative type, and loves anything that's do-it-yourself, especially when it involves colorful candy (even a sophisticated girl can be tempted by such simple things).

Katja was very sad to leave LA, both because she was having such a lovely time, and because she currently doesn’t have a flight booked anywhere, a situation that obviously needs to be remedied as soon as possible. But in the meantime she’s happy to be back in New York, spending time with friends, enjoying all the city has to offer, and of course getting back to her ballet classes.

And then there is that thing called work…