Livin' the Life in LA

An Introduction to Hollywood Regency Design – Part I

October 22, 2016October 22, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Interior Design

The purpose of this post is to begin an exploration of the style we now refer to as Hollywood Regency. We’ll start with its roots, the design principles, social environment, and interior designers who initially popularized the style during Hollywood’s golden age. We’ll then move on to look at current 21^st century interpretations of the style as

ModernChinBB — A beautiful room setting from the Jonathan Adler website

demonstrated by design luminaries such as Jonathan Adler, Nate Berkus, and Kelly Wearstler. Elements of the style are all around us in contemporary interiors. Perhaps even in your own home.

The-Saloon — Regency style – The Saloon at the Royal Pavilion and Museums, Brighton

One of the best definitions of Hollywood Regency style that I’ve seen was offered by Michael Berman in a 2006 interview published in California Homes magazine. Berman defined this mid-century period as one that was “essentially created by the movie industry and takes the best motifs and decorative ornaments from the Regency, Georgian and even oriental genres and exaggerates them for a new classic styling.” When we think of the original Regency design style, we’re looking at a period from 1790 to 1837. The style was based on classical design elements, formality, opulence, as well as Greek and Egyptian influences such as columns and cornices. It is viewed as an extension or continuation of the Georgian style which preceded it.

The period known the “Golden Age” of Hollywood gave birth to Hollywood Regency and is the era from the introduction of sound in 1927 through 1949 when the motion picture industry was forever changed due to a 1948 Supreme Court ruling. During this era, the industry was dominated by eight companies, which included 20^th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, United Artists, and MGM. Movie stars at the time were major celebrities with glamorous lifestyles that were in the public eye. Famous actors of the era included Cecil B. De Mille, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, and Clark Gable to name a few. Many movies from that historic era remain as classics today, including films such as Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, and It’s a Wonderful Life.

One of the first references to Hollywood Regency design that I discovered was a collaborative effort between Dorothy Draper who is thought of as a pioneer in the interior design world, and Paul Williams, a Los Angeles based African American architect to the stars. Williams is a noteworthy design figure, and I’ll plan a post dedicated to his contributions to architecture and design in the near future. In 1939, Williams was the architect of the Arrowhead Springs Hotel, and Draper was selected as the interior designer. The two were brought together on the project by Jay Paley. Paley was a wealthy businessman who had previously hired Williams to design his Beverly Hills residence. According to a 1940 article in Time, Paley recruited a number of his Hollywood pals, including Claudette Colbert and Al Jolson as investors in the hotel. Time describes the 69 room hotel as “late Californian with a Southern Georgian trace.” The Draper Exhibition catalog from the Museum of the City of New York describes the project as:

“An informally laid-out complex of stucco-clad structures with flat or low hipped roofs, the buildings featured large windows, classical pilasters, and a semi circular colonnade, all decorated with delicate curvilinear ironwork. In its theatrical mix of modern and classical elements, this “Hollywood Regency” style was a Southern California version of the Draper Touch and thus the ideal setting for Draper’s equally fanciful approach …”

Given the Hollywood connection, there is no surprise that the grand opening featured a number of movie industry stars including the Marx Brothers and Judy Garland. Esther Williams was a frequent guest and several of her movies were filmed on-site. The hotel’s swimming pool was later named after her.

Prior to the 1949 court ruling, the studios were run using what was then known as the “studio system”. As vertically integrated businesses, the studios controlled all aspects of film making, from production through distribution. Film stars were under contract to the studios, and naturally, these contracts were written for the benefit of the studio, not the performer. These contracts included “morals clauses” which would not be tolerated in our modern society.

Hollywood’s leading man in 1930, based on box office draw, fell victim to the studio system but went on to reinvent himself as an interior design legend. Enter stage left, William Haines, more commonly known as “Billy” who was forced out of acting at MGM by Louis B. Mayer in 1933 because of his openly gay lifestyle. Haines later said that being forced out by Mayer was the greatest thing that was ever done for him. We’ll chat more about Haines and his enormous design contributions, such as the Brentwood chair in Part II of this series. Also on the blog, The Seven Elements of Hollywood Regency Style. Be sure to sign up for e-mail notification of new posts so you don’t miss a thing!

1399 — The Brentwood Chair by legendary designer William Haines is a Hollywood Regency classic

An Introduction to Hollywood Regency Design – Part II

October 21, 2016October 22, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Interior Design

In Part I of this post, we discussed a definition of Hollywood Regency design and its history. A racier definition if you’ve not read Part I, was provided in a 2005 LA Times article where the author describes Hollywood Regency as a “promiscuous mix of Georgian, Federal, and Second Empire flourishes.” True or not, it sure sounds exciting, and these interiors really can be exciting. Speaking of, I will be sharing in a follow-on post what I believe are the seven key elements of the style for your consideration. In addition, follow me on Instagram as I’ve posted a number of relevant images to illustrate the style with more to follow. We left off at the rise of William (AKA Billy) Haines and his contributions to this style and to design history. The Haines legacy is an important one as evidenced by the recent auction at Christie’s of The Private Collection of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

I was recently able to attend a panel discussion and preview of the Reagan collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). A major focus of the event was Haines’ design career, his contributions to Hollywood Regency, and notable pieces of his in the Reagan collection. Haines designed his furniture for comfort, and the Seniah chair pictured below is a great example. It was a staple of his which he used in many projects, and it remains in the company’s product line today. They were so comfortable and well made that his clients were known to simply re-upholster them — often remaining true to the original Haines design by using the same upholstery fabric. By the way, if you’re wondering about the name Seniah, it is simply Haines spelled backwards. My personal favorite piece of Haines furniture is the Brentwood chair which was featured in Part I of this post.

A common feature of Hollywood Regency is Chinoiserie design elements. Haines truly loved Chinoiserie, as well as Chippendale and Georgian pieces which he combined with modern pieces of his own design. Chinoiserie is an important genre within the world of design and is often evident in current day interiors. Think of Chinoiserie as design elements which are clearly drawing on Asian influences and motifs, but originally designed for the European market going back as far as the 18^th century. Examples might include foo dogs, ginger jars or cherry blossom motifs. A great example can be drawn from the Regan auction where I noted that there were 16 lots of lamps included in the auction which were designed by Haines or his business partner Ted Graber who had the lead on the Reagan project. I have included six pairs of lamps below as examples.

These lamps were predominantly Chinoiserie in style (note the neoclassical exception top right) and sold for top dollar at auction. By my calculations, the 16 lots of lamps (all but two lots were pairs), sold for just under $6 million. The lamps shown are timeless in their beauty and would fit happily included into just about any home today.

jrl-8854 — Floral Chinoiserie lamp from Horchow.com

I’ve also included a contemporary Floral Chinoiserie lamp from the John-Richard Collection for comparative purposes. Notice that the lamp base has a more modern shape and the floral design is more abstract and modern. Regardless, it would look fantastic paired with the bright yellow daybed shown below.

Haines designs included some gorgeous modern accessories using materials which were new at the time, such as lucite. The William Haines Company lives on today and continues to produce Haines’ designs for 21st-century consumers. You can see some of their work on Instagram @williamhainesla or on their website. Some of the aesthetics you’ll observe are the very modern design, low seating, tufted surfaces, metal arms and legs, and glass surfaces. Images below from the Haines website from the top are the Prism Vase, the Valentine Daybed, the Seniah Chair and the Angelo Chair.

1404 — Image Source William Haines Company website

If we consider that these furnishings were designed decades ago, it is amazing how timeless they really are. As an example, Haines designed the Warner mansion (Warner as in Warner Brothers Studios) in Beverly Hills. The mansion was constructed and designed from 1926-1937, so this is a project which concluded nine decades ago — it will be 80 years ago next year. The mansion was featured in a 2005 article in Architectural Digest. If you look at the screening room as shown here, you really would not know that it wasn’t designed last year but for the many advances in home theater technology. I mean really — the screen was raised with a water driven pump. You’ll notice that “promiscuous mix” where you see modern furniture design paired with Neoclassical architectural elements, a Budha’s head, and a Chinoiserie-styled wall covering. There was a recent article in the New York Times titled “Why Won’t Midcentury Design Die?”. When you look at Hollywood Regency, I think the secret to its success is that it draws upon multiple genres so that you see fresh, unexpected combinations. The article quotes Jill Singer, a founder of the design magazine Sight Unseen “Nobody wants to see a room that’s all midcentury….But when you have a beautiful, interesting piece, it doesn’t seem tired.” The pieces shown here from Haines’ collection are far from tired.

dam-images-homes-hollywood-warner-hosl03_warner — Image source Architectural Digest

Haines’ Hollywood network of friends and colleagues did serve him well. In addition to Warner and the Reagans, his client list included stars and influencers like Carole Lombard,

dam-images-homes-hollywood-lombard-hosl04_lombard — Image source Architectural Digest

Joan Crawford, the Annenbergs, and Betsy Bloomingdale. His biographer Jean Mathison described his style as “Hollywood Deluxe, a sumptuous amalgam of Deco Moderne and Regency Neo-classism” although others have simply described it as Hollywood Regency.

Another early Hollywood Regency architect was John Woolf. Credited with introducing the Mansard roof to southern California, and considered a master of scale, Woolf originally came to town from his native Georgia looking for a role in Gone with the Wind. His design clients included John Wayne, Cary Grant, Judy Garland, and David O. Selznick to name a few. It has been said that a Hollywood Regency revival began with a 2002 article in the New York Times written by restaurant and hotel entrepreneur Sean K. MacPherson. MacPherson purchased a home designed by Woolf in 1995 and wrote an entertaining article about the “livability” of Woolf’s architecture. He describes Woolf as someone who “brought pomp to a city of circumstance” The article included an amusing quote which compares Woolf to Le Corbusier:

“A house is a machine for living,” said Le Corbusier, whose mind was often on public housing. John Woolf, whose mind seemed to be on Marie Antoinette, designed machines for living well. Certainly the architect himself lived well. ”There was always a Baccarat tumbler with ice cubes and Scotch and a lit cigarette,” Woolf’s friend David Naylor recalls.

The MacPherson residence pictured below was listed for sale in 2013 with an asking price of $2.95 million. At the time, the home was occupied as a rental by designer Nate Berkus and his then fiance Jeremiah Brent. Harper’s Bazaar featured the couple and their home in July 2013 which was described as equal parts Mad Men and ultra modern.

Another Beverly Hills home designed by Woolf. Image circa 1960 from Slim Aarons/Getty Images

The Hollywood Regency style fell out of favor in the 70’s, and as we fast forward to the present, a shared experience between several innovators of the original Hollywood Regency style and its current grande dame, Kelly Wearstler is working on Hollywood movie sets. The use of proportion and the grand scale theatrical bent of designers like Haines and Dorothy Draper are carried forward in Wearstler’s interpretations. Draper’s 1954 design of the restaurant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art shown at left has similarities with Wearstler’s more recent design work at Bergdorf Goodman’s New York City restaurant which is shown at right. Draper’s use of black and white accented with a bold lipstick red color, slick leather upholstery, dramatic light fixtures and columns would be perfectly appropriate for a current incarnation of Hollywood Regency style.

Image from exhibition catalog, The High Style of Dorothy Draper

Image from Bergdorf Goodman website

So now that we’ve covered the history of Hollywood Regency design, and some of its key contributors, it is time to explore what I think of as The Seven Elements of Hollywood Regency Style that you can apply to your interior design projects. Thanks for taking the time to read these posts. I hope you find the information useful and would love to hear your questions and comments, as well as ideas for future posts. I anticipate a similar series of blog posts on Spanish Colonial Revival in the near future. Be sure to subscribe so that you’ll be notified of new posts.

Celebrate Fall with Anastasia Beverly Hills Limited Edition Buys

October 20, 2016October 23, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Everything, Makeup and skincare

I have recently made a couple of limited edition purchases from the Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) fall collection. After the smashing success of the Modern Renaissance palette, I decided that I’d better jump on the new Master Palette by Mario. ICYMI, this 12-shadow palette was developed in collaboration with Mario Dedivanovic. Mario is a celebrity makeup artist (MUA) who counts Kim Kardashian-West (and her sisters), Gabrielle Union, and Priyanka Chopra among his clients.

If you’re still wondering what the big deal is, Mario has 2.8 million followers on Instagram, and he single-handedly made the highlighting and contouring trend a staple in our makeup routines. While Beyonce has him beat in terms of Instagram followers by a long shot, his fame in the world of makeup is well established. I follow three MUAs on Instagram for ideas and inspiration – Mario, Charlotte Tilbury, and Wayne Goss.

Now back to the Master Palette by Mario – if you don’t already have one and want it, you better start looking for it now. Initially, the palette was launched exclusively on the ABH website and then rolled out to a select handful of retailers. Due to the high demand for the palette, the initial launch was a bit chaotic and I believe the supply allocated to ABH was exhausted in less than 24 hours. I ordered mine on the first day and got an e-mail that they were sold out and my order was canceled, but a few days later I did receive one from them.

When the palette launched on Sephora’s website, I ordered one from them thinking that I would not receive the first one, so I ended up with two. Sephora and Ulta have since sold out online, so my plan is to use the second one as a Christmas gift. This should make a lucky lady very happy. By the way, I took a look at completed listings on e-Bay and a number of these have been sold for as much as $125 with shipping factored in. I will say that from a marketing point of view ABH did a great job building demand for the product in advance through social media.

I believe the quality of this palette is on par with Modern Renaissance, but there are a few key differences (beyond the colors of course). First, you get fewer colors – 12 with the Master Palette versus 14 with Modern Renaissance. Second, you will pay a little more for this ($45 versus $42). Second, one of the reasons for the popularity of Modern Renaissance is a large number of matte shades…the Master Palette is the exact opposite with a lot of shimmer shades. The colors are beautiful and very appropriate for the fall season ahead. I am happy that I was able to snag one of these as I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it. I have provided a photo with swatches from ABH so that you can see all of the shades on a variety of skin-tones. I highly recommend taking a look at the ABH Instagram feed for inspiration as a lot of looks have been created with this palette. In addition, one of my fave YouTuber’s is Wayne Goss. In his video, he describes the palette as “a neutral heaven.”

The second seasonal limited edition launch from ABH is their Fall Lip Gloss set. I purchased their Summer gloss set and immediately fell in love with it. For $28 US, you receive six different half-size glosses. Although they are half-sized, you get a generous amount of product – I used these frequently and have yet to finish any of them. I love the formula of these – they are opaque so you can wear them on their own which is what I usually do. The texture is nice as they aren’t goopy or overly sticky. By the way, I normally use a lip primer with these and skip the pencil. I like the primers from Urban Decay and Bite Beauty. As I was writing this, I noticed that ABH has a lip primer on the Sephora website that I wasn’t aware of. It has a four-star rating so I’ll have to investigate further. The gloss set’s range of colors are complimentary to a variety of skin tones, and I find that I can easily wear at least four of the colors solo, and use the remainder to mix with lipsticks and create new colors.

Because of my great experience with the Summer gloss set, I didn’t give a moment’s thought to buying the Fall set – it was a great decision. So far I have used four of the six colors and have loved every single one. I’ve gotten compliments on these, and they’re much easier to get your hands on. They are available exclusively on the ABH site (see link above) and US shipping is free. I highly recommend adding these to your fall makeup wardrobe.

If you’ve already purchased one of these products, I’d love to hear about how you are using them and your favorite tutorials for using them.

Pumpkin, Oat, and Date Muffins

October 18, 2016October 18, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Baking, Everything, Food and Beverages

Now that fall has really arrived in Southern California, I thought it was time to do some fall baking. I think of pumpkins as really being the ultimate symbol of the season. I had some canned pumpkin on hand and thought a muffin recipe would be a good choice for seasonal baking. I started with a base recipe from King Arthur Flour to develop this variation. These came out with perfect texture and just the right amount of sweetness. To boost the nutritional value and fiber content I used some of King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat and whole rolled oats. I had considered using my Vitamix to make oat flour, but that extra step really was not necessary.

Note that the base recipe (Pumpkin Leaf Muffins) I jumped off from called for 100% all purpose flour, which always makes me feel guilty so I substituted 1/3 white whole wheat for the all-purpose. I like the milder taste that you get from white whole wheat – it isn’t as obvious in terms of the taste or texture. According to the King Arthur website,

“All the goodness of grains in a lighter, milder-tasting flour.

Our unbleached white whole wheat flour is milled from hard white winter wheat – a lighter-colored grain than traditional red wheat – which yields milder-tasting baked goods. Substituting this flour for up to a third of the white flour in your favorite recipes gives you all of the nutrition and fiber of whole grains without compromising flavor.”

I’ve been using this flour for several years now with good success. If I happen to be out when I’m placing an order with King Arthur then I will order it directly from them. Otherwise, I am usually able to find it at local specialty grocers and will pick up a bag as I need it. If you haven’t tried it, and if you aren’t a fan of regular whole wheat flour, do give it a try.

Here are the ingredients that you need which will yield 12 generously sized muffins. By my calculations, each muffin comes in at roughly 221 calories with 2.45 grams of fiber and 4.82 grams of protein. The fat content as written was 33%, but you can substitute reduced fat (2%) milk without any negative effect on the taste or texture.

1 cup pumpkin puree (about 1/2 of a 15 ounce can)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil – I used grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 cup milk
1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup King Arthur Premium Whole Wheat or White Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped dates (add 1-2teaspoons of flour if you are using a food processor to minimize sticking)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-well muffin pan with papers.

In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, molasses, salt, spices, and milk.

In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.

In a third bowl assemble the oats, nuts, and dates

Add the flour mixture all at once to the wet ingredients and mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Stir in the oats, nuts, and dates.

Distribute the batter evenly into the wells of the prepared muffin pan.

Bake until firm to the touch, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Store baked muffins well-wrapped, for 3 days at room temperature, or freeze for up to a month.

Eat and enjoy!

The Seven Elements of Hollywood Regency Style

October 15, 2016October 20, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Everything, Interior Design

These in my mind are the seven big ideas to take away when you think about how to achieve a Hollywood Regency look. Don’t feel like you have to do all seven of these, but some combination of them will get you there. You’ll probably notice that in most cases the images I have selected exhibit multiple elements. That is the beauty of Hollywood Regency – it allows the “promiscuous mix” of design elements we talked about in my blog posts titled An Introduction to Hollywood Regency Design. If you have not seen them, here are the links to Part I and Part II. In addition, I am developing a series of Instagram posts with additional images selected to illustrate the best of this style. You can follow along on Instagram by following me — social links are embedded in this page. Note that I cannot take credit for most of the images shown here. I identified the sources wherever possible, and for the most part found them through simple Google searches. There is a lot of design porn here and out there on the internet for your enjoyment and creative inspiration. My goal is to provide you with examples so you can see what to look for and what works with this style of interior design.

Play With Scale. Scale in this context refers to the size or level of something in comparison to what is average. When thinking about Hollywood Regency interior design, we could have furnishings, architectural details or other design elements that are larger or smaller than average. For example in a room with higher than average ceilings, you might have larger than average doors or decorative panels. When it comes to furnishings, you might have items that are lower to the ground. My beloved Brentwood chair as an example has a seat height of 15” which is a bit lower than average, while a canopy chair with its very tall back which provides additional visual height. Note the slideshow images here from Kelly Wearstler’s 2006 book titled Domicilium Decoratus which provides rich interior design eye candy with a mix of scales (and super elegant interiors). Mixtures of scales that are appropriate for your space are the first element of the Hollywood Regency style.

Brentwood Chair from William Haines website

Valentine Sofa from William Haines website

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Don’t Be Bashful — Color Boldly! Bold pops of color are used freely in these interiors. It may be used on an accent wall, key pieces of furniture, art or accessories. The options are almost endless. Just be careful to know when enough is enough (or not). In addition to the Domicilium Decoratus images above with that beautiful bright orange, here are two additional examples. The first is an image from Jonathan Adler that features a kelly green sofa against a creamy background with pops of black (yes, black can pop). The second image takes an entirely different approach by using a black background and the color pops come from the white sofa and accessories as well as the Kelly green patterned rug. The key is a bold jolt of color, and when used against a black background even white can be a bold choice.

From Jonathan Adler website

Use Patterns With Impact. Hollywood Regency interiors often get big impact through the use of pattern. If you look back at the black room from point two above you’ll notice the neo-classically patterned floor rug and side chairs combined with the subtle damask like wall covering. The image below also shows the use of a large bold geometric pattern on the floor combined with a smaller scale geometric print on the chairs at left. Note also the bold pops of turquoise blue on the campaign chair and accessories combined with the deeper ocean blue on the sofa. This is all set within a mid-century interior (the fireplace is a dead giveaway). Notice also in the adjacent space the bold, complementary orange accent wall.

Accent With Chinoiserie. I will confess, I am deeply fond of Chinoiserie. Although my home décor doesn’t adhere to enough of the elements here to be considered Hollywood Regency, there is a place for Chinoiserie in many different interior styles. There are a number of ways to incorporate Chinoiserie elements. For example, you can use decorative items like ginger jars, lantern styled lighting fixtures, Chinese Chippendale chairs or beautiful hand painted wallcoverings. Here are some beautiful examples. Note the bedroom scene uses a couple of panels which are a lower cost way to introduce more expensive hand painted papers. Notice also the pair of turquoise foo dogs on the bench.

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Bring On The Gloss. Glossy lacquered furnishings are so appropriate to the Hollywood Regency style. The little apple green chest in the slideshow above is a “three-fer”. Not only does it have a glossy lacquer finish, but it features Chinoiserie motifs and a bold pop of color. These are the types of pieces which really “bring it” from a style point of view. Some of my favorite lacquered pieces at the moment are from Jonathan Adler a few of which are in the slideshow below. I love that he has a number of different pieces that have great hardware and can be made to order in as many as five different colors. He also offers lacquered Chinese Chippendale chairs which would give you a “twofer”. Another approach is to use a high gloss paint on walls, old furniture or woodwork which is an inexpensive way to go. Yet another option would be a piece of furniture with a more exotic hardwood finish. Naturally, there are many decorative accessories you can choose from to bring a bit of gloss into the room.

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Touchable Tactile Textures. There are a lot of ways to bring textured textiles into the room and delight the senses– textured wallcoverings, plush velvets on the sofa, silk pillows, leather, and fur throws are just a few. If you scroll back through the images you’ll find these in many of the previous examples in addition to the ones shown below.

Pretty Shinny Things. Bring additional sparkle into the room with items like mirrors (may include mirrored furniture), lighting fixtures and reflective surfaces. These items add instant glamor and drama, especially when the room is lit. Don’t forget to create layers of lighting as they are needed in every room design regardless of the design style. The four basic layers are ambient, decorative, task, and accent — I look forward to explaining these further in an upcoming post. Your biggest bang (from a “sparkle” point of view) is likely to come from effective decorative and accent lighting. This is very important, however with Hollywood Regency as these interiors are meant to be dramatic and glamorous. If you look back at the previous images, you will see examples in addition to the ones shown below.

barclay-butera-hollywood-jpg-rend-hgtvcom-616-924

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

October 5, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Everything, Food and Beverages

As the seasons change, one of my regular cooking projects is making homemade soups and stews. I typically make a large enough batch so that I can have some to eat that week and a supply to freeze for later. Ultimately I will end up with an impressive stash of soups and stews that I can take from the freezer and use to supplement lunches or dinners during the fall and winter months. Just imagine how great these are to have with homemade bread.

One of my favorite fall recipes is for a Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup from Joanne Weir. I had the pleasure of taking a couple of Joanne’s classes at Sur la Table a few years back, and I would love to take one of her culinary journeys to Tuscany, Spain or Morocco. The recipe is easy and straightforward, and the result is another creamy soup without added calories from cream so it is guilt free. When blended in a Vitamix you end up with a creamy, silky smooth soup with a texture similar to the Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup from an earlier blog post. Joanne recommends enjoying this soup with a nice Sauvignon Blanc. I would second that recommendation as this soup is filled with spices which include paprika, cumin, turmeric, and coriander.

This is a really simple soup to prepare. The two most difficult things are 1) cutting the butternut squash in half, and 2) neatly getting the soup from the pan to the blender. It is also a good recipe for advance prep work since you can roast the squash in advance. In addition, I tend to wait longer than the recommended 15 minutes for the soup to cool because it really is tricky getting the hot soup into the blender without spills or burning yourself. As with the tomato soup recipe, the Vitamix will reheat the soup while you’re blending it, although you may want to pour it back into the pan for stovetop reheating to ensure it is evenly heated.

P.S. – The recipe calls for a 1-1/2 to 2-pound squash, but often the ones in the store are much larger. This time around I bought and roasted a 3-1/4 pound squash with the intention of using half for the soup, and keeping half for another use. You can certainly just eat the other half or use it in another recipe. I’m contemplating a butternut squash and spinach lasagna recipe for the other half.

Let’s Celebrate National Mud Pack Day

September 29, 2016October 15, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Everything, Makeup and skincare

Friday September 30^th is National Mud Pack Day, so I am giving you a little advance notice so that you can clear your calendar for the event. It is the perfect time to treat yourself to a spa night at home with a DIY facial. A mud pack is only one element of spa caliber facial – the ritual should include deep cleansing, exfoliation, and rehydration. Of course a Zen relaxation playlist from Spotify, a glass of fruit or herbal infused water, and scented candles can enhance and take your DIY experience to the next level. You’ll also want to have a terry headband and an inexpensive synthetic makeup brush on hand.

Why mud or clay masks you might ask? Because they draw impurities or toxins from the skin, which would otherwise cause nasty things like blackheads for example. They also help to exfoliate resulting in smoother, more radiant skin. Depending on the product, the mask can also help to nourish and moisturize the skin.

Some of the best professional facials I’ve had combine the deep cleansing element with
facial massage. I have regularly gone for facials at Kate Somerville in West Hollywood for over five years. Between pro visits, my aspirational goal is a weekly at home facial using one or more masks, and a separate weekly sheet mask application for a mini facial. When things are hectic, I’d say just getting a sheet mask in during the week is an accomplishment.

For cleansing during my at home facials, I often use Kate Somerville’s Moisture Milk Cleanser which I combine with a facial massage. I recently discovered an instructional video on Into the Gloss, which will help up your facial massage game. You can link to the video here. I keep a supply of inexpensive wash cloths from Bed Bath and Beyond on hand ($6.99 for a set of six by Lasting Color) which I use for cleansing and removal of my masks. This way I don’t have to worry about staining my “good” wash cloths.

Once I complete my cleansing and massage, I typically use my facial steamer to open my pores and some sort of scrub like Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate to exfoliate. I purchased my Mira steamer from Amazon for around $35.

From a mask perspective, I will apply one or two products depending on how my skin is behaving. I have combination skin with enlarged pores, especially around my nose, but other areas can be flaky or dry. I have had issues with extreme flakiness around my nose which I’ve been struggling with for the last several years, despite an arsenal of expensive prescription creams. Just when I think I’ve found the solution, it flares up again so I am crossing my fingers and keeping my mouth shut for now about my latest remedy. For mud, I have two go-to masks that I’ll mention here. The first is the GlamGlow YOUTHMUD Tinglexfoliate Treatment (the one in the black jar). If time is of the essence, I use this one as it exfoliates and helps to clean out the pores, and it is ready to use straight from the jar. You only need to leave this on for 10 minutes for it to work its magic. Ingredients include various clays, volcanic rock, green tea and various herbal extracts. The one downside with this mask is that it tends to dry out once opened, so I add a bit of distilled water to get it back to a spreadable consistency. I will often apply this one to my T-zone with the GlamGlow THIRSTYMUD Hydrating Treatment Masque (blue jar) everywhere else. If I have more time, then I will break out a mask from May Lindstrom called The Problem Solver. This mask is kinda expensive ($90 for a 8.45 ounce jar), although it should last for quite a long time. You mix it right when you’re ready to use it, and combine 1 tablespoon of the powder with 1 tablespoon of water for a single application. The powder contains a variety of clays and spices, so it has a very strong odor and is very finely milled (don’t inhale or it will make you will cough), and it does take quite a while to dry (up to one hour). Despite the time required to mix and let it dry, it is an effective mask for when you have more time. I apply this to my entire face, and it does tingle quite a bit because of the spices.

Once I remove whichever mask I’m using with a washcloth and water, I apply toner and finish with my normal serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. This is the ritual I have planned for National Mud Pack day – how do you plan to celebrate? Let me know in the comments. Remember, you deserve a bit of pampering on a regular basis! Your skin will thank you!

P.S. – If you’re seeing this post after National Mud Pack Day, don’t despair…you can treat your skin at any time. It doesn’t know about the calendar. Sephora carries all of the featured products except for the May Lindstrom Problem Solver which is available at Beautylish.

P.P.S. – I just learned about a nifty website for royalty free images so I am supplementing the photos I take with images from pixabay.com. Check them out if you have a need for stock photography.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

September 20, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Everything, Makeup and skincare

I know that you know the rest of the rhyme from Snow White – who is the fairest of them all? At a great deal of risk, I’m going to share my opinion of who the five fairest ladies on the red carpet at the Emmys were this week. Again, this is my opinion only – you may make totally different aesthetic choices, and that is okay. I have no desire to be critical of anyone, and I won’t do that. Instead, I picked the five that I found most pleasing, and while many, many more were absolutely fabulous, I forced myself to choose five. By the way, my choices are based solely on makeup. The beautiful gowns or hairstyles were not a factor in my choices — although three of my winners were wearing deep blue. I will not attempt to rank them, this is where I will chicken out and put them in alphabetical order. Also, to be clear, I did not take a single one of these photos. Credit for the beautiful imagery which I downloaded from the Hollywood Life website goes to REX/Shutterstock unless otherwise noted.

One other observation I’d like to make is that all five of these ladies had three very important things in common. These three things are what I consider to be foundational or table stakes. They are: 1) flawless skin, 2) brows are “on fleek” and 3) they are all “lash game strong”. Notice that two of the three are directly related to framing the eyes which are a critical element in any makeup look. Here goes….

Priyanka Chopra from Quantico, who previously won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Actress in a New TV Series. Priyanka absolutely nailed it with strong brows and a bold matte red lipstick, which complemented her gown and made for a super elegant look. Her makeup artist, Yumi Mori, used Chanel lip products – specifically the Precision Lip Definer in Rouge Profond, and Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Color in Rouge Charnel. I would run out and buy this, but I just got the Rouge Dior matte lipstick in 999 as I recently realized I did not own a matte red. Chopra got rave reviews for her red carpet look, not only here in the states, but in the Indian press as well.

Getty Images

Chanel RougeAllure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Color

Next up is Angel Parker with a very fresh natural look. Parker recently played Shawn Chapman in FX’s award winning “American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson.” Celebrity makeup artist Kym Nicole created a stunning look with blue eye shadows and a pretty pinky-lavender lip. I have no idea what products she used, but the finished look was fantastic. I found a closeup on Kym’s Instagram feed, so if you’d like to see the look without the gown you can check that out.

Source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images North America

There is lots of buzz about this star in her fabulous Zac Posen gown and rich blue eye makeup that reminds me of Cleopatra. Emily Ratajkowski also knocked it out of the park, and the soft nude lip is perfect with the very bold eye makeup. The Alter Ego lipstick is from Lorac in the shade Exhibitionist. Makeup artist Hung Vanngo (favored by Victoria’s Secret models) created the striking eye look with Lorac’s Front of the Line PRO eye pencils and PRO eyeshadow palette. You can see a bit of subtle contouring to further define Emily’s cheekbones. To get a better feel for Hung’s work, check out a recent article / tutorial from Into the Gloss. He also has some nice close-ups of this look (with over 5,000 likes) on his Instagram feed.

Source Wenner Media

emily-ratajkowski-emmys-2016-emmy-awards

My next look is from Abigail Spencer, and while she also wore a blue gown, her makeup artist went in a totally different direction from Hung Vanngo. Makeup artist Lauren Anderson went with a bolder lip and a more sutble eye using Avon products exclusively. The Avon True Color Perfectly Matte Lipstick here is really a gorgeous berry hue in Ravishing Rose. I was floored by the price tag, only $5.99 on sale. If the rest of the products are similarly priced this would be a very budget friendly way to re-create a red carpet look.

Last but not least is a very soft, fresh look on teenager Holly Taylor from the cast of “The Americans.” This to me is a great example of what teen makeup should be all about – that youthful glow doesn’t last forever – work it while you can, LOL.

I hope you enjoyed my picks. Let me know what your picks are and what wisdom we can take away from the celebrity makeup artists.

Monthly Blog Post: Rose’s Bread Bible Bakers September 2016

September 18, 2016September 20, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Baking, Everything, Rose's Bread Bible Bakers

This month I discovered a superstar ingredient that has really taken my hearth bread baking up to a whole new level. You might wonder how that could be when using such simple ingredients – flour, yeast, honey, water, and a touch of salt. Read on to learn more about this important discovery.

Our September recipe was Rose’s Basic Hearth Bread. Although this was the first hearth bread during our bake-along, I have baked this recipe and several others many times over the years. This type of bread is a staple for me, and many years ago I invested in a La Cloche clay bread baker. My baker is similar to this version from King Arthur Flour, the only difference is that mine is unglazed.

When baked in the La Cloche, your bread develops an absolutely awesome crunchy crust. I typically preheat my oven an hour before baking, with the La Cloche cover in the oven as it preheats so that by the time I’m ready to put my bread in the oven the cover is good and hot. The accumulated heat in the lid creates steam when you put the bread in the oven which leads to the fabulous crust. I’d highly recommend a La Cloche type baker if you plan to bake this sort of bread on a regular basis. A less expensive tool that I’d also recommend is an inexpensive lame to artfuly slash the top of your bread. The plastic version I use from Sur La Table retails for $9.95, while a more impressive version with a black walnut handle from King Arthur retails for $34.95. I baked this bread according to the recipe directions with minor modifications to account for the La Cloche. For example, it is not necessary to add ice cubes to the oven to create steam, and after 30 minutes of baking, I removed the cover and baked the bread for an additional five minutes.

In addition to a crispy crust, one of the things I love about a bread like this is the flavor. Rose’s use of a starter which you can allow to ferment for up to 24 hours before mixing the dough creates a wonderfully developed flavor in the finished bread. For this go around, I allowed my starter and flour mixture to ferment for 1 hour at room temperature, and then refrigerated it for about 10 hours. I had great results with 10 hours of fermentation, but I do wonder what would have been with 24 hours. The point is to start your starter or sponge as early as you possibly can for awesome flavor development. As you may recall, last month I forgot to add the salt as I rushed off for a mani-pedi, but I made sure to include it this time.

Now let me tell you what I think really took this bread to a whole new level for a white bread. Rose includes ¼ cup of whole wheat flour in addition to the bread flour which she says acts to enhance the flavor. I’ve done this in the past, and the results have been good – this time I used King Arthur’s white whole wheat, but the real superstar ingredient was a new one for me. I had decided to try King Arthur’s Artisan Bread Flour, and I’ll admit I had my doubts as it is a good bit more expensive than their regular bread flour. The price on the website for the regular bread flour translates to $.99 per pound versus $2.65 per pound for the Artisan version without tax or shipping. According to the blurb on the front of the bag,

“This medium-protein flour balances strength and flexibility -– perfect for baguettes and pizza dough. Use it to bake European-style hearth breads with crisp crusts and airy, flavorful interiors.”

While the sentence about balancing strength and flexibility makes me think about what a good workout regimen should do, this flour absolutely delivers the baking results advertised. By the way, this flour has a five star rating on the King Arthur web site with over 170 reviews. Indeed, it is so delicious that I will need to step up my exercise routine to compensate.

Freshly baked bread elevates the humble tuna sandwich

Case in point, I decided to elevate the humble tuna salad I prepared for lunch with this bread. It was so good, I had to eat a slice of the bread by itself afterwards. By the way, as a bonus, I’ll share below how to make a flavorful, but low fat tuna salad to accompany the bread.

This bread recipe is a great one to use to build your expertise with making hearth breads, and the Artisan Bread Flour provides the opportunity to achieve super delicious professional level results. Honestly, I had dinner last night in a well-regarded local Italian restaurant and decided to eat one slice of their hearth type bread to compare. Theirs was good, but honestly mine was even better.

The shaped loaf before rising

Risen, slashed and ready to bake

P.S. – if you’d like to follow my blog via Bloglovin’ it is a new option for you so you don’t have to miss a thing. Just click here. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

P.P.S. – just learned that this recipe was previously published on food.com at this link.

Bonus Skipjack Tuna Salad Recipe

The tuna salad shown here uses:

2 5-ounce cans of Wild Planet Skipjack Tuna with the juices
Approximately ¼ to 1/3 cup chopped onion to taste, I use brown, red, or green onions based on what I have on hand
8-10 pitted Greek olives, chopped
1-2 tablespoons chopped dill or parsley to taste
Approximately 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Lemon pepper seasoning to taste, I use one by Scott’s Food Products

Note that you do not drain the tuna, instead you use the juices and just a tiny bit of mayo which keeps the fat down. Stir the ingredients up and enjoy with veggies, crackers or on a sandwich.

Test Kitchen: Bush’s Hummus Made Easy

September 13, 2016 by livinthelifeinla, posted in Everything, Food and Beverages

I tried a new product today that I’d like to share a quick review on. If you’ve followed my blog, you’ll know that I typically bake or cook from scratch. In fact, I don’t often use canned beans. If I have my act together from a planning point of view, I will soak and cook ahead dried beans when I need them for a recipe.

Last month I attended the Blogher conference here in LA, and the Bush brand was one of the conference sponsors. I have not received any compensation from the company related to this post other than a $1 off coupon that I forgot to take to the store with me. I decided to try Bush’s Hummus Made Easy as I have not up until now found a black bean hummus recipe that I like. I have several recipes for the traditional chickpea based spread so I wasn’t particularly interested in the two other varieties – Classic and Roasted Red Pepper.

All that is needed is one pouch of the Southwest Black Bean Hummus Made Easy mix which is basically a mixture of tahini, olive oil, lime juice and southwestern spices as well as one 15 ounce can of black beans. I used the standard black beans, not the pre-seasoned or low sodium varieties. You can prepare the hummus using either a blender or food processor. My Vitamix makes great hummus, but I decided to use my food processor as it is a little easier to scoop the finished mixture out of the larger work bowl. This hummus is super easy to make and was nicely seasoned with a little kick. I drizzled the finished mixture with a bit extra virgin olive oil, and garnished with a bit of freshly chopped red bell pepper, cilantro, and red onion. Naturally you can serve with crudités or pita, but I also enjoy hummus with my favorite Snack Factory “Everything” flavor pretzel crips. The hummus turned out yummy and I’d certainly make it again.

P.S. – if you’d like to follow my blog via Bloglovin’ it is a new option for you so you don’t have to miss a thing. Just click here.

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