A Collection of Assorted Musings

Welcome to March's edition of Monthly Miscellanea, a series highlighting the objects, people, places, and experiences that have prompted reflection and conversation of late

01. Matilija Poppy Season - In a mostly dry and sunny climate like LA, the shift in seasons can be hard to determine. It often takes subtle cues that locals learn to relish, like the appearance of one of my personal favorites, matilija poppies, to truly mark the cusp of a new season. California's largest native flower, the matilija poppy (also known as the fried egg flower) typically blooms in spring and summer. Peak season is May and June when canyons, roadsides, and random patches of the city are sprinkled with wild swaths of these exquisite flowers.

02. Dries Van Noten - Hearts dropped with the bittersweet news of designer Dries Van Noten's impending retirement in June. If you haven't seen Dries, it's worth watching for a fascinating look at the designer's life, home, and work and why his departure will be so profoundly felt. 

03. Nai Nai and Wai Po - Also worth watching is the Oscar nominated "Nai Nai and Wai Po", a heartwarming documentary capturing the lives of and relationship between the filmmaker's paternal and maternal grandmothers. On the red carpet, Chang Li Hua and Yi Yan Fuei wore theater shoes from one of our favorite designers in the shop, Wax Apple. How beautiful do these elegant, spirited women look?

Untitled (TV Stone Tower), 1982 by Park Hyungki 

04. Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s - At LA's Hammer Museum is the wonderful show on the Korean experimental art scene that emerged from the country after the Korean War. It's eye opening, and we especially loved Nam June Paik and Park Hyungki's work combining digital and analog features. 

Clockwise from upper left:  When You Find a Rock by Barrie Klaits, 1976 via Stopping Off Place, sculpture/pedestal by Sung Jang, Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor, 1974 via Stopping Off Place, and side table by Jakub Kubica, followed by the personal archive of stones collected over 50 years by artist, Luigi Lineri. 

05. Monthly Saves - In the spirit of one of my favorite Park Hyunki's pieces, allow me to indulge my obsession with stones and share some saves from Instagram.