Allow me to begin by saying that I love food. Anyone who knows me at all knows at least that much. This is important to state because I think it necessary to establish my street cred right of the gate.

So broad and far-reaching is my food obsession that I am the kind of person, who thinks about the next meal while enjoying the one in front of me. I go to bed pondering my next meal or treat and I have been known to drive hours to try a new restaurant or menu item that is all the rage.

For the record, I like to eat cute, I like to eat dirty and I pretty much like to eat everything in between. In this regard, I am most certainly not a food snob. Whether a restaurant is a favorite of Michelin or a favorite of the people, if it leaves me wanting more, I’m all in. As far as I’m concerned, an eatery doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be delicious. Which brings me to my next point.

Traditionally it has been my custom to write about luxury lifestyle and entertainment in these pages. And, while I don’t feel as though I’m straying too far afield of that subject matter with this post, I do feel the need to explain my thinking about the recommendations I am about to make.

As per my tagline, luxury need not be expensive but it must always be indulgent, price tags do little to impress me, but indulging in something decadent that takes me on journey outside the normal realm of life most certainly does.

The five foodie treasures I’ve identified below are particularly special to me because they serve up flavors defined by regions of the country other than the West and they not only do so with remarkable deftness and soul but also with real authenticity. Each of these five places transport me back to some place where I’ve had a memorable experience and that is, at least in part, why I love each one of them so much.

These are not merely places that I have visited once or twice but instead places that I visit regularly. They are temples of food worship to which I often make pilgrimages alone and in which I luxuriate in the seductive charms of my favorite menu items. That said, I also want to be clear that I receive no perks for my loyalty beyond the traditional customer service particular to each establishment. So when I say these recommendations come from my heart and from my stomach, there isn’t even an inkling of dissembling in that statement.

And with that, here are five places in LA that will convey you to another place in America through the simple powers of their homespun goodness.

Boo’s Philly Cheesesteaks
boosphilly.com

My passion for cheesesteaks goes way back to the night I went to a Patti Labelle concert in Philly when I was college. The hour was late when the midnight show ended, but, as I was still amped up by Miss Patti’s electrifying 2+ hour set, I did what you do in the small hours in Philly and trekked over to a 24-hour cheesesteak joint.

I ordered and my life was forever changed.

I was not a fan of the cheesesteak before that moment because I hadn’t had one prepared in the authentically Philly way. But after this introduction, I became a devotee.

At Boo’s, which has two full-time locations in Silverlake and Koreatown along with a third which is only open for events and concerts at The Forum in Inglewood, they serve cheesesteaks that do Philly proud. The bread is from Philly as is the steak which is appropriately thinly sliced, grilled with onions, salt and pepper and topped with your choice of Cheese Wiz, American or Provolone cheese.

When the sandwich arrives steaming hot in a basket, the cheesesteak even looks and smells like Philly’s finest (because, in truth, it is right up there with them). The cheese is perfectly melted into the steak which is nestled into a pillowy hot Amoroso roll, the scent of which should be bottled and marketed. Seriously, I’m not even kidding here.

To ensure that I wasn’t overstating the case about this sandwich whose praises I had been singing to anyone who would listen, I headed to Boo’s with a girlfriend who is a native Philadelphian. I needed her to verify the authenticity of these yummy cheesesteaks and join in my obsession. Well, not only did she co-sign my praise after that initial visit, she too became a big fan (much to her chagrin I might add).

So for a genuine taste of Philly in Los Angeles, head to the East Side of Los Angeles and stop in at Boo’s. As an added bonus, they even sell Tasty Kakes which are rarely seen this far away from the East Coast.  Trust me. You’ll be transported halfway across the country. Promise.

What I Order: Mushroom Steak with onions, salt and pepper; Provolone Cheese; Extra half-steak; Inside Out (a term that indicates you want the bread scooped out so the sandwich is less bready and more deliciously meaty).

[Note: I will admit that my obsession with Boo’s Philly Cheesesteaks is a little abnormal. Not only are my pilgrimages regular (as in weekly…sometimes more), they are also accompanied by rules. For instance, I always like to eat my cheesesteak hot, in the restaurant at the same table, and never wrapped for takeaway because I feel it loses a little something with every step taken away from the grill.]

Phillips BBQ
www.facebook.com/Phillips-BBQ

Being from the South myself, I just love Southern BBQ.

I mean, I love Kansas BBQ, Memphis BBQ, Texas BBQ and pretty much any ‘cue you can think of, but there is nonetheless a special place in my heart for Southern BBQ. So, when I get a hankering for the smoky flavors popular below the Mason-Dixon Line, I go to Phillips BBQ.

At three no frills outposts on Crenshaw Blvd (my preferred location), Leimert Blvd and on Centinela Blvd in Inglewood, Phillips serves up BBQ to rival the best in the south in an equally no frills way. Expect richly smoked ribs, chicken, beef and hot links paired with white bread and Phillips’ signature mildly sweet, tomato-based BBQ sauce served hot, mild or mixed.

[Note: Also expect to wait in line (up to two hours or more on a holiday weekend) and to stand while you wait as there is little to no seating available]

What I Order: 3-meat Combo with Rib Tips, Beef Ribs and Pork Ribs; Double Beans; Mild Sauce on the side.

Orleans & York Deli
orleansandyorkdeli.com

Po’ Boys are the street food of New Orleans and LA newcomer Orleans and York Deli is serving up the big flavors of the Big Easy with authentic flair at five locations across the City of Angels. Though the menu is quite extensive at this deli where the zesty Cajun delicacies of New Orleans meet the traditional sensibilities of a New York deli, it really is the po’ boys that stand out because they are, quite simply put, done right. (And it’s not just me saying that – Los Angeles Magazine also named the restaurant’s po’ boys the best in the city).

Particular favorites are the classics – the Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy, the Fried Oyster Po’ Boy and the Catfish Po’ Boy. These massive sandwiches served on crusty bread, stuffed to overflowing with succulent, perfectly fried, mouthwateringly seasoned seafood and then dressed simply with lettuce, tomato and mayo will leave you singing anything but the blues.

Throw in a bag of Lousiana’s own Zapp’s potato chips and one of the wickedly delicious homemade desserts casually on offer at the counter and you might even dance a jig.

What I Order: Shrimp Po-Boy; Spicy Cajun Zapp’s potato chips; a slice of coconut cake.

Wexler’s Deli
wexlersdeli.com

For my first job out of college, I moved to New York to work in the fashion business. And while I loved my job, in my wide-eyed youth I also discovered a love of delis – not just any delis, but those really good Jewish delis that seem to be everywhere in NYC.  When I moved to Los Angeles, the love affair continued as I sought out the best pastrami, the best whitefish salad, the most outstanding smoked salmon and the best reuben the city had to offer. And I was pretty settled in my choices until Wexler’s Deli opened and upended the game, immediately becoming my new favorite.

Describing its menu as “Jewish Soul Food” this life-altering deli features a tight menu of deli favorites, many of the ingredients for which are produced right on the premises.

Take for instance the pastrami, the highlight of the menu, which is cured and smoked in-house, cut thick and always delicious. Or the smoked salmon which is also cured and smoked to perfection at locations in Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Or even the pickles, which are barrel-fermented in salt brine in the store. So many roads to the ultimate destination of Yum.

And, if all of the above, they even have their own private label caviar. Be still my heart (and my tastebuds).

Bottom line:  For a taste of New York on the Left Coast, Wexler’s has most certainly got dibs.

What I Order: The O.G. (Pastrami, Mustard, Rye) or The Newman (Pastrami and Corned Beef, Mustard, Rye) on lightly toasted Rye with extra pickles.

Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken
gusfriedchicken.com/la

What’s not to love about fried chicken? Better yet, what’s not to love about spicy fried chicken?

Born in Mason, Tennessee, this 60-year old brand has rapidly been winning fans across America and only just recently opened its doors in Los Angeles. Being something of a fried chicken aficionado, I have to admit I was skeptical of Gus’s at first.

And with good reason.

I won’t mention names, but I can’t tell you how many times I have listened to people go on about the fried chicken at this or that place and how it was supposed to be so revelatory, only to find out that it was just average at best.

After calling my cousin, who had gone to college in Tennessee, and getting the thumbs up from her, I immediately headed over to Gus’s new Los Angeles location and was pleased on many levels, not the least of which involved the chicken itself.

Crispy, salty, with a hint of heat that grows with each bite, the bird served up at Gus’ is unlike anything else being served in Los Angeles. It is not hot chicken (though to tame the palate, it is served with much needed white bread like hot chicken) nor is it traditionally spicy fried chicken. It is instead, its own original, memorably delectable creation served with an array of outrageously tasty sides, notable among which are the beans, greens, potato salad and macaroni and cheese.

From the décor to the food, Gus’s will deliver you to Tennessee and back over the course of a meal and leave you craving a porch and rocker in which to savor the experience afterwards.

What I Order: Three Piece White with baked beans and macaroni and cheese; Fried Pickles with Ranch; Sweet Tea.

[Note: Gus’s only sells spicy fried chicken so if it heat is not your thing, you probably better give this place a pass.]

Now who’s hungry?

To read this story on the Huffington Post, click here.

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From LACMA and the Hammer Museum to the Walt Disney Hall and the Dorothy Chandler, below is my response to LA’s critics:

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Not that you ever need a proper reason for a road trip, but one of the best involves an occasion that is decidedly personal. I had such an occasion this past weekend which I credit with having given birth to this entire road trip extravaganza. That the occasion occurred in my own hometown of Los Angeles is beside the point…because, as I say, you never need a proper reason to take a road trip. Among the many extraordinary things about living in a city like Los Angeles is the fact that it is constantly changing and evolving to the point that you may well find yourself living in a place that you truly don’t know very well. Of course, we can all toss off lists of old faithful places in our hometowns to recommend to visiting guests, but how many times have you found yourself reeling off the same list over and over again to the point that you bore even yourself? It was this notion that got me to thinking that while I was exploring the rest of California I should do a little of the same in my own backyard. My first stop was at the Hotel Orlando on W. 3^rd Street between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. In the last decade or so, W. 3^rd Street has turned into one of the hottest and trendiest boulevards in Los Angeles, chock full of the hippest boutiques and eateries lined up neatly alongside each other for a stretch of several blocks between La Cienaga Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Hotels are, however, the one commodity in short supply on 3^rd Street which is why the Hotel Orlando piqued my curiosity.

I have not only driven past the Hotel Orlando on many occasions but I have dined at and even written about the property’s popular Churchill gastropub which specializes in handmade cocktails and seasonal American cuisine. However, I had never set foot inside the hotel until this past Saturday. Boutique and lively, the Hotel Orlando is fun four-star hotel in the thick of the action on 3^rd Street. Searing hot local faves like Joan’s on Third, Son of a Gun and Blue Plate Oysterette are all within walking distance of the hotel. As are shops including Trina Turk, Civilianaire and Duncan Quinn.  Having just undergone a renovation recently, Hotel Orlando, is a handsome, hip neighborhood hotel whose time has come. Another hotspot worthy of note from my weekend of exploration in the City of Angels is The Continental Club in downtown Los Angeles, which has all the au courant festiveness that has come to rep DTLA wrapped in the classic feel of a speakeasy right down to the downstairs entrance to the club through an alley. The ambiance is old-school, the music is eclectic and the vibe is definitely completely and utterly downtown (with a stylish dress code of course). Finally as I head out of Los Angeles, I do so with fond memories of yet another starry evening at Andre Balazs’ Chateau Marmont, which remains the king of cool in a city with many pretenders to the throne. As far as I’m concerned, you haven’t seen Los Angeles until you’ve had dinner at the Chateau and danced until dawn while peering out over the city from the balcony of the Penthouse Suite. Now, as Frank Sinatra sang…”That’s Life!” Next stop Palm Springs. In the meantime, here’s a little mini gallery from my LA adventures…

Cocktails at the Continental Club

Interior Continental Club DTLA

Continental Club Entrance

Road trips are always a cause to celebrate

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http://youtu.be/BuMLskD4DmM

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There is at least one place in Los Angeles County where cars are scarce, the pace is slow and wild buffalo, rather than paparazzi, roam free. It is about 22 miles off the coast of Southern California and accessible primarily by boat or ferry but it is indeed part and parcel of Los Angeles County. Of course, I am speaking here of Santa Catalina Island – known simply as Catalina in local parlance – the largely unspoiled 21-mile island that has been a favorite getaway for both famous and not-so-famous residents of Southern California for decades.

In the early heyday of Hollywood, while privacy craving stars like Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe were regularly kicking up their heels on the island and quietly mingling with the locals, the Chicago Cubs gathered on the island annually for spring training, a practice that lasted for over three decades. Simultaneously, Catalina became a popular backdrop for classic films including the likes of Treasure Island and Mutiny on the Bounty starring Clark Gable. Inevitably, the island eventually added to its allure by cultivating a whiff of scandal thanks to the murky circumstances surrounding the death of actress Natalie Wood who drowned off its coast back in 1981.

These days, as it has actually been for most of its modern existence, Catalina is primarily a laidback beachside resort town where rows of quaint cottages line the main streets of town and golf carts and bikes are the primary mode of transportation. Locals who have lived on the island all their lives, mix with families for whom the island has been a regular escape since its early beginnings. In season, tourists aplenty swell the ranks of the town and cover its beaches, but there can still be no denying that Santa Catalina Island feels a world apart from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles though the hum of the city buzzes just over an hour away.

For one of the best vantage points from which to appreciate Catalina’s charms, the Descanso Beach Club is without question the best venue. Tucked into the cove of one of the last private beaches with public access in California, the Descanso serves up picturesque views of both the Pacific and Catalina’s landmark Casino along with more than a few amenities that only serve to reassure its status as the premiere destination on the island.

Not only does the club boast the only seaside restaurant on the island, it also offers chaise lounge rentals and seventeen fantastically private cabanas, the reservation of which includes complimentary bottled water, smoothies upon arrival, chaise lounges, Wi-Fi and beach towels (massages and bottle service are extra but available). And, just in time for summer 2014, the Descanso added three new luxury cabanas that can accommodate up to six people and include all of the amenities of the smaller cabana as well as a waterfront deck and a personal beach butler. One of the more posh amenities the island offers, these cabanas are worth the splurge if only because even in the City of Angels, such treatment is hard to come by at any cost.

Apart from the beach and the town of Avalon, which serve as the sort of heartbeat of Catalina, the other eighty percent or so of the island remains largely undeveloped, which is where the buffalo come in. So the story goes, back in the 1920s a film company brought in 14 bison for use in a movie and when the filming was over, they gifted them to the island and the population has since grown to 200 under the guidance and management of the Catalina Island Conservancy.

Speaking of the Conservancy, because so much of the island has been so well preserved, there is much natural beauty to take in on Catalina. You could hike parts or bike others but it is an exceptionally rocky island, so I recommend a bio-fueled Hummer off-road tour over Catalina’s scenic East End Trail. In just about two hours, you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the island as you climb 1,684 feet to the summit of East Peak overlooking Avalon and with any luck along the way you’ll also manage sightings of all manner of wildlife including the indigenous Grey Fox and maybe even a bison or two.

The beauty of Catalina is that it’s easy. It’s an easy place to get to (Catalina Express ferries leave from Long Beach and Dana Point regularly) and it’s an easy place to be once you do.  And perhaps best of all, it’s an escape from Los Angeles without leaving Los Angeles and all the benefits of Southern California life and weather. Now, I ask you…how bad can that be?

Find out more about Catalina Island at www.visitcatalinaisland.com.

To read this article and more from my archive on the Huffington Post click here.

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Immortalized in Vince Vaughn’s Swingers, the space formerly known as The Brown Derby, is today the epitome of Silverlake hipster chic.

Messhall, as it is now known, has settled comfortably into its epic environs with an updated menu of comfort food that has afflicted locals and foodies from all over Los Angeles alike with brief bouts of amnesia regarding calories, carbs and the much ballyhooed perils of sugar.

Cocktails poured from small batch American spirits are kinda brilliant (the house Old-Fashioned even ingeniously reinvents the classic); Corn Fritters are smoked and served with a poblano & pumpkin romesco; pork belly is perfectly crisped and served alongside battered and fried pickles and a remoulade in a mouthwatering pairing whimsically called Pig & Pickles, and the Willard’s “Far-Famed” Crispy Chicken served with Yukon mash & gravy and slaw sets a new benchmark for fried chicken in the City of Angels.

That said, you don’t have to be bad to be good at Messhall where, in keeping with the predispositions of the locals in the hood, Vegan options like the Camp Chili, a bean medley with crisp hominy and tofu cream and the Kale Caesar have followings of their own.

Ditto for the desserts, of which the Banana Cream Jar Pie complete with banana brulée and the Some More, a chocolate bread pudding and graham crumble served with the ‘most amazing ever’ marshmallow ice cream, are the undeniable stars.

Popular nights: Mondays| Burger & Beer (or Bourbon) $15 and Tuesdays | $1 Oysters & $5 Drafts.

Find out more at: messhallkitchen.com

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Even before entering a single rose bud vase arrangement into competition at a State Fair in Castle Rock, Washington at the tender young age of eight years-old, Jason Vorse, the Los Angeles-based, internationally recognized Lead Floral Designer of AOO Floral, had already developed a passion for flowers that would dictate the course of his future. In truth, Jason was merely continuing and building upon the interest in horticulture that his great grandmother Rose, a florist herself whose name in and of itself presaged her great grandson’s future career, had nurtured in him early on in his childhood. You might even say that Jason was born with a proverbial green thumb.

“I was that dork…I was about my only friend I guess,” Vorse says with a laugh reflecting on his early forays into floral design. “Grandma was helping me at the time [but] my interest began in my own house. I helped create 35 acres of gardens surrounding our house. I’ve always helped in the garden. I’ve always done little arrangements for different parties or whatever… from an early age. Probably from like the age of four or five that’s what me and grandma and my aunts did. A few years later, after I kept competing in the Castle Rock Fair, I went onto my first job at 15 which was working in the greenhouses where I was cultivating the varieties with different scientists.”

A quick study, Vorse had earned the designation Master Gardener by the age of 16 further confirming the course that had seemingly been ordained for him from birth. After high school, he continued onto the Seattle Floral Design Institute where he studied Floral Mechanics and Design Elements and it was in this period that he began to develop the “modern with a romantic edge” approach to floral design, combining sculptural and cerebral elements, that would become his calling card.

“[When] I studied horticulture and plant physiology… I got into the plant physiology …and that was when I started to see how I could pull things apart and use them in different ways and actually design with them in a different fashion than I actually saw before,” Vorse offers in explanation of his groundbreaking work. “I use the product in a different way typically. With my knowledge of plant physiology I often don’t use things in water at all. I often separate the orchids into five or six different pieces and then reconstruct them in a different fashion. So the way that I put things back together whether it’s in their natural form or after I have basically dissected them is basically what creates the difference [between what  I do and what other floral designers do].”

Vorse’s unique talent earned him not only the immediate attention of the Four Seasons in Los Angeles, whose design department he would head for five years, but also that of none other than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who commissioned the designer’s talents to brighten up a celebration for one of her royal descendants.

“Queen Elizabeth hired me to come down to Sandringham Castle the first time for Princess Beatrice’s 18^th birthday,” recounts Vorse. “We transformed one of the ballrooms into a discotheque which was ridiculous. We utilized what was in the ballroom…these like $50,000 crystal containers… which was scary as all get out but it was a pretty cool opportunity to be able to really go in there and change that whole space.”

Not too long after that royal appointment, the Thai royal family came calling offering the master florist the most ‘exciting’ opportunity of his career – creating a calendar promoting tourism to Thailand that gave him the rare chance to scour the jungles of Thailand along with all the local shops and products to  design a calendar utilizing the country’s natural resources. “Really jumping into the culture was probably the most exciting part for me,” he says.

A born Gemini, Vorse acknowledges that diversity is what keeps him interested in his work, saying flatly, “I get very bored if my brain is not being stroked.”  It is a fact well borne out by the variety of freelance projects the floral Jedi took on in his freelance years prior to joining AOO Floral, a division of AOO Events.

“[After the Four Seasons] I started freelancing and looking for different ways to express myself,” Vorse says of his journey to his current destination.  “I started to do more editorial and that really pushed me into different directions. That allowed me to do floral in a different way. It allowed me to build wedding dresses for photo shoots and to do jewelry lines. I actually worked with several different jewelry designers making prototypes out of real flesh floral before they were cast in silver, gold and diamonds. I did that for about seven years and worked freelance and now I’m kind of doing all of the above with AOO.”

With such a full and varied plate, one might be inclined to think that Vorse had already discovered enough boundaries to test, but that notion couldn’t be further from the truth according to the designer who also aspires to create “wearable art”.  “Most everything I do is pretty sculptural,” he expounds. “But I think [I’d like to create] some sort of livable, wearable piece for someone like Lady Gaga because it lends itself to my style. Back in the day when Gaga was first coming out Gaga Gone Green was my goal to get after. But even a Raja get up lends itself ultimately to what I want to do. I could see that happening very flawlessly.”

And quite fragrantly no doubt.

Find out more about Jason Vorse and AOO Floral at www.facebook.com/AOOEvents.

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Picture this…

An ultra-cool man cave on Melrose Avenue decorated with oversized leather chairs, the front-end of a classic Chevy pickup truck and a 1940’s leather punching bag and gloves that also offers custom-designed hand and foot treatments paired with personal flat-screen TVs, headphones and complimentary beverages.

If that sounds like your version of pampered heaven, then Hammer & Nails, opened by A-list Hollywood entertainment executive and screenwriter Michael Elliot may well be your new relaxing escape. Billed alternatively as the first nail shop for guys and the first male nail shop in Los Angeles, Hammer & Nails is looking to reshape the face of mangrooming nationwide.

Find out more or book an appointment at: http://www.hammerandnails-salon.com/.

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In Los Angeles, mention the name of José Andrés and you’ll likely hear shrill, near orgasmic moans about the James Beard award-winning chef’s celebrated The Bazaar restaurant at the SLS, to which foodies, local and otherwise, make regular pilgrimages. That the Philippe Starck-designed Bazaar has reached the apex of the ever-changing list of Los Angeles hotspots and remained there is a testament to its stylish environs and most importantly, to Chef Andrés’ delectably innovative signature menu via which Spanish cuisine is approached with new vision.

That understood, it is no particular secret that The Bazaar is regularly ranked among the city’s finest dining establishments.. A better kept truth is however that Andres’ other restaurant Tres, located right next door in the guest lobby of the SLS, is an equally transformative experience for many of the same reasons.

While the dining room at The Bazaar is expansive in order to accommodate its substantial draw of sparkling Angelenos, Tres is a more intimate, but no less chic, affair — an attribute that is reflected in both the menu and design of the restaurant. Though, it may prove hard to avoid being seen at The Bazaar, at Tres, which was also designed by Monsieur Starck, the restaurant’s clubby, more relaxed setting (and two private dining rooms) lend themselves in equal measure to romantic interludes or discreet business dealings. In fact, I visited Tres on a mid-week afternoon for lunch and rather enjoyed being seated on a comfortable sofa in a private far corner of the dining room wherein my guest and I were inclined to feel that we were the only people in the entire space.

On the menu at Tres, you’ll find some familiar items like the Croquetas de Pollo and the Patatas Bravas Chips with that delectable aioli that never fails to impress at The Bazaar. You’ll also find that the menu at Tres is more comfort food-oriented and as such may feel a bit more accessible for some. But of course, it goes without saying that comfort done by José Andrés, still shows all the complexity and masterful understanding of flavor profiles that has distinguished him as one of the world’s greatest culinary minds.

Succulent Rotisserie Jidori Farm Chicken is served with Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Rosemary Sauce, SLS Sliders are made with Prime Beef and bathed in a trio of cheeses including Blue Stilton and the cheekily named Beverly Hills ‘Bikini’, Chef Andrés blasphemously decadent take on a grown up grilled cheese sandwich has the audacity to be comprised of a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, truffles and honey aioli. (As for the latter, I must say that while it won’t help anyone get swimsuit ready anytime soon, it is well worth the indulgence).

Tres serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. And on weekends there’s also brunch which is well known for a number of memorable menu items, not the least of which is the 12 Quail Eggs Sunny Side Up. Likewise, Afternoon Tea, is served daily at Tres from 3 – 5 PM and just as you might expect, at Tres the traditional come with a twist a la treats ranging from Smoked Salmon with Coconut Sandwiches and Guacamole Cones to Chocolate Pop Rocks and Tablets.

Find out more or book a reservation at Tres at: http://www.sbe.com/tres.

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Drive past the bustling intersection at the corner of Fountain Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Silverlake and you might easily miss the recent arrival of Spruce, the Los Angeles edition of one of New York City’s most celebrated and awarded flower boutiques. It is not because it is particularly demure or due to any particular design flaw that Spruce might so easily escape immediate recognition, but instead because the space is so unlike any other floral emporium in the City of Angels. In fact, it is in this very quality of singularity that Gaige Clark, the owner, mastermind and floral artist behind Spruce’s visionary approach to floral design, revels.

For the last 15 years, the originality of Clark’s floral arrangements has been setting the global design community ablaze while simultaneously setting the scene for television shows like Ugly Betty, Ellen, Law & Order and Damages, as well as a who’s who of clients that includes a mix of celebrities, socialites and royals. With two stores in New York and now one in Los Angeles, Clark has, with her unique approach and in her own inimitable way, evolved the art of floral design and the essence of floral boutiques one elegant stem at a time.

“I hate when people say, ‘I’m an artist’, but I feel like I am a creative director and what I do is I create spaces, and then when I create the spaces I put flowers into them,” Clark explained over a glass of Spruce juice, the refreshing signature concoction that welcomes customers into her minimalist chic vision of the world. “This is the most modern store I’ve built and the aesthetic of this store is based on the Getty and homes that I visited in Palm Springs. What I wanted to create was a flower laboratory. I wanted to deconstruct flowers to their essence…like no one’s ever done before.” Check.

There is something absolutely post-modern about Spruce. The white walls of the store are lined with shelves showcasing individual blooms in architectural vases, flowers and leaves submerged in jars and wooden crates packed with perfectly upright, neatly lined rows of roses unfettered by a shred of embellishment. In its sleekness, Spruce represents, in short, the antithesis of the traditional flower franchise and the penultimate in modern. No wonder then that Clark counts among her greatest compliments the words of the writer who after visiting her Silverlake outpost wrote, “…If there was a flower shop in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange it would be Spruce,” a description that is admittedly so fitting it would be difficult to best.

As if revolutionizing the very idea of floral design vis-à-vis her three stores weren’t enough, Clark now has her sights set on so much more. On the horizon is the imminent launch of a Spruce product line that will include bath salts, body lotion, hand soap and an antibacterial countertop spray, in store classes in floral arranging, and a book that will, among other things, explore Clark’s experience of growing up gender queer. There’s also the leather store in Provincetown she hopes to buy and bubbling under plans for Spruce stores in Paris and Japan. Needless to say, Clark is as long on ambition as she is on creativity.

Asked about the source of here seemingly boundless drive, Clark credits her upbringing.  “I have two very charismatic parents,” she explains.  “My mother really, really drove me and my father does standup comedy. He’s so funny. So I think I got humor from him and the ability to be able to look beyond the tragedy in our lives. The key to it I think is laughing at things. That’s why I’ve always been able to say, ‘What’s next?’ You know …you lift yourself up you dust yourself off and accept.”

And then bloom…clearly.

Find out more about Spruce at www.sprucela.com.

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