A little weekend away

Labor day weekend was a little weekend away and I'm only just now getting around to posting about it! It was a family wedding actually. We don't have a huge family, so these sorts of occasions are rare. It was fun - to go somewhere different and see family and eat a little too much along the way. I was finally getting my appetite back and I might have overdone it.

I've been a Kelly Wearstler fan for years now. Although I'll admit I'm still more a fan of her Hollywood Regency look than the brave new post-modern style she's swagging. But I've always wanted to stay in one of the hotels she designed. Mission accomplished at Maison 140. I'd call it a very small boutique hotel. In fact our room was very small. The lobby was very small. But with all that smallness, I loved the style. A french-asian fusion. Very dramatic.

I couldn't resist studying her style secrets while I was there and here's what I found:

• She's a master of using tight color schemes (black, charcoal, glossy white, red and persimmon)
• She uses high impact gestures, like the huge padded headboard, oversized art installations, crystal chandeliers against black ceilings
• She mixes styles and eras - modern with antique, asian with french, classic with kitsch
• She's not afraid to be bold!
• There are little luxe touches, like marble bathrooms and high end bedding (not to mention the luxe, ahem I mean pricey breakfast).

I nearly choked when I saw the bill for this hot tea.

I've never been to Beverly Hills before, so I enjoyed walking around early in the morning before the shops opened and seeing what it was all about from a distance. I still can't quite say I know what it's all about. Shopping is shopping is shopping. It's like Union Station in San Francisco or Soho in New York. I like to shop and all, but isn't there more to life?

But walking is one of my favorite things to do in a new place. That's why I'm so excited about Paris! And I'm such a foodie. I pretty much like to walk and eat my way through places. I had french toast at Le Pain Quotidien. I really loved that place and wish there was one in my neck of the woods. I couldn't resist buying their four berry jam to take home with me.

I also had to try a cupcake from Sprinkles since one of my good friends has been raving about that place. There were so many flavor combinations, but I went for vanilla and it was so good I went on the internet to look for a recipe (didn't find one). It tasted the way a proper wedding cake tastes to me. A taste that is rarely duplicated. Side note - why is it so hard to make a good wedding cake or cupcake for the home baker? You know, the ultra-moist, ultra-vanilla kind that's not too dense? If you have the perfect vanilla wedding cake recipe, do share.

The wedding was lovely. And it got me thinking sentimentally about my own wedding so many moons ago. I love weddings - just seeing how each couple chooses to uniquely express themselves. This wedding was set in a modern home in the hills. It was simple, but dramatic with a white, black and deep red color scheme. The bride's bouquet in different shades of red roses was gorgeous.

I think I'm ready for another weekend away now!