Monday, February 9, 2015

Weekend Update

Highlights included...

-1-
The coolest sink.


-2-
Wine tasting way up in Topanga Canyon.


-3-
Super into this wrap bench.


-4-
Love the outline of the leaves.


-5-
Sunday Santa Monica sunbeams.

Hope you all had a great one as well!

xo,
Kate

Friday, February 6, 2015

Photo Dump: Murphy's Ranch Nazi Camp

As I mentioned back here, this past weekend a few friends and I went for a little hike in the gorgeous Pacific Palisades. We were in search of Murphy's Ranch. The history of the ranch is a little sketchy and while the best story I could find of what went on there is here, below is what wikipedia has to say about the ranch...


The Murphy Ranch is a ranch built in Rustic Canyon, Los Angeles in the 1930s by Winona and Norman Stephens, who were sympathizers of the Silver Legion of America.The owner of record in 1933 was Jessie M. Murphy. Designed as a base for Nazi activities in the U.S.,it was intended to be capable of being self-sustaining for long periods. The compound had a water storage tank, a fuel tank, a bomb shelter, and various outbuildings and bunkers. The estate's main gate was designed by Paul Williams, a well-known African-American architect in the Southern California area.
On Monday, December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, local police occupied the compound and detained members of the 50-strong caretaker force.
As of 1990, it was abandoned and in a state of disrepair, and covered in graffiti.The site is currently owned by the city of Los Angeles. As of 2014, the ranch buildings were still standing, despite repeated proposals for their demolition.

Are you hooked?! Further googling encouraged.

The entire place is just fascinating. 
Filled with unlimited amounts of graffiti, a shocking number of appliances-we counted 3 tubs and 1 stove, the rotten framework of a shed or 'tetanus filled playground' as we called it, everywhere you turned there was something to see, climb on and ponder over. Personally, my favorite item was the over turned Volkswagon. I laughed out-loud when I saw it.



In no particular order, here are a few of my photos from that day. 



Hiked and Haunted, 
Kate

P.S. For anyone who wants to do the hike, I highly recommend researching where to start as the entrance was well hidden. There is also an incredibly steep staircase of over 500 steps that drops you from the side of the road to the bottom of the canyon. 

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Humanity

I believe in people. I believe in the good in the world and the power of humanity.
Call it what you will, idealistic or otherwise, but this belief allows me to have hope for the future.

After reading the news these last few days, I am having an extremely hard time believing in humanity. 

Beheadings, a man being burned alive, a retaliation hanging, all accompanied by a photo or a video no less. I understand that these individual, though horrendous acts, are part of a much bigger issue, but after seeing the photos I was stopped dead in my tracks. 

I am at a loss for words.

Masaya, Nicaragua
Nov. 2014
Let's hope tomorrow is a new day.

With love,
Kate

Monday, February 2, 2015

Weekend Update

A few moments from this beautifully blue Super Bowl weekend. 


Highlights included...

-1-
A hike to the hidden Murphy Ranch Nazi Camp.


-2-
A long Saturday night dinner consisting of multiple courses, multiple glass of wine, and multiple lovely ladies at Hostaria Piave. Long Italian dinners are pretty much one of my favorite things in life.


-3-
Started Sunday early with Redondo's annual Super Bowl 5k/10k. 
Couldn't have asked for better weather.

So proud of this lady and her new PR! 


-4-
Sunday brunch with my mom and Sheridan to honor a very special family friend.


xo, 
Kate

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Andy Warhol

Lindsey, Lauren and I met way back on the multicolored carpet of Kindergarten and have remained friends ever since. A fact that when I really stop and think about it, is really quite impressive. 

Our friendship has moved beyond holiday gifts and knocking on doors at each other's homes. It is assumed that any item of clothing is up for grabs and regardless of how long it's been since our last conversation, we always pick up right where we left off. 
It's a relationship I cherish. 



On a rainy day in January, we finally got the chance to celebrate our "Christmas" with a trip to the Andy Warhol exhibit at MOCA followed by dinner at Faith & Flower. The rain was a special treat, and the exhibit was pretty darn cool. 

All of which is so much more memorable than a sweater in a box. 



Kindergarten - now,
Kate

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Joshua Tree Video

As promised, the accompanying video from the Joshua Tree birthday extravaganza!

The music is by Clayton Joseph Scott, a LA local artist whom I discovered up returning the vans. Clayton's CD had been left in the van and I hit the CD button after unsuccessfully trying to turn on the radio. After rocking out on the drive back to the rental place, I promptly went home and purchased his album off itunes. He is kind of my new fave.



Joshin' again, 
Kate

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Photo Dump: Joshua Tree

Back in the beginning of January I turned 28. 
A pretty adult age. 
I guess.
I wanted to do something different for this birthday. Not another night out at a bar, or restaurant, or house party. Those birthdays, while always a good time, seem to simply blend together.
This year was going to be different.

With a lot of thinking and a little luck, things and people and dates all fell into place to make for a two day, one night slumber party in Joshua Tree. Right smack on my birthday weekend. 
We fit 10 people in two camper vans, one van named Sherbet and the other Wild Wild West. I'm not even kidding. We had two drivers, one incredible chef, one party planner, one navigator and the rest entertainment. Two additional friends and two additional dogs met us out there. And it was epic.
I can't even express to you how special it was to see so many of my favorite people out there, in the middle of nowhere (kinda), bonding, laughing and eating together.
It just made my heart swell. 


In no particular order, here are a few of my favorite photos from Joshua Tree.



Thank you to all for making this birthday oh-so memorable!

Video to come.

Joshin',
Kate

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