There is something so completely fascinating to be able to walk through someones dwelling and see how they live. This is something I've always loved to do. Call me nosey. Call me someone with an avid interest in architecture and interior design. Shoot, call me a voyeur. Either way, I dig checking out a person's natural habitat.
When my Dad used to live in South Pasadena, I loved the drive from my grandparents home in El Sereno to his house. I would take Huntington Drive to Oak Knoll, and it would wind around all the devastatingly beautiful homes. If you've never been to San Marino, let me just say its old money. Gorgeous Spanish-style homes replete with hanging moss, tile work, lush landscaped lawns, brown nannies pushing strollers with little white babies to the park, etc. Huge homes, mansions even.
What I would have given to be able to walk into these homes and discover what was behind the closed doors.
Last month I got to experience a voyeur's shameless fantasy...the Brewery Art Walk in L.A. The Brewery is supposedly one of the largest art colonies in the world. Its a huge structure that used to be a Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery, right off the 5 freeway. Now its a place where over 300 living/working artists live. Twice a year they open it up for the public.
I went last year and couldn't believe I could walk into each artist's space and examine their work space, how they stored their paintings, what type of paint they used, what they were working on and where they ate and slept. Too cool. It was like my childhood fantasy come true. I've always wanted to live in a really cool loft with brick walls, sky high ceilings and lots of windows and have a studio space for my work.
I mean, what artist doesn't?
So I had to drag Michael with me back again this year. We've always dreamed of having our own studio....but to actually live in place like this? With six baybays--it ain't happenin'. The logistics of it gave me a headache. I mean, how would I even get the groceries in here?
But alas, that was just a sweet, sweet fantasy, baby.
Still, it was fun to just walk around and check out people's space. To be totally honest, I wasn't really checking out too much art. Only a couple of artists really caught my eye. I was, however, totally checking out Ikea islands, loft beds, wine racks, Cost Plus World Market furnishings, etc. Many of the artists were very gracious, letting people walk into their place (especially nosey, wierd people like myself), check out their stuff. Some even had snacks and wine out for people to enjoy. I'd heard the wait list to live there was years and beyond. But on this last visit, we stumbled upon a couple of empty lofts, ready to be rented.
Oh, for a mere three to four thousand a month.
We had to cut this visit short because 1.) it was unpleasantly and unseasonably hot on this October afternoon 2.) I consumed a fabulous cup of fruit-filled sangria and combined with the heat and the fact that we hadn't eaten anything since breakfast--I got a little tipsy and 3.) There is alot of stair-climbing and Michael's back was just about done. I know, right?
I guess you could say we're a tad high-maintenance.
So we left. Drove into Pasadena, past all the people getting shuttled to the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl. Then we had a delicious dinner of Mongolian BBQ.
It was a fine Sunday afternoon. Yeh, and I'm only a month late in posting this.
They have this scary walkway that connects two of the buildings. Here is Sol, drinking in the So Cal sunshine. 
My love.
