Getting Cubed in Laguna, California

Green Cube Store in Laguna Beach emphasizes re-use and sustainability, all done with creativity and an edgy beauty. 

 As you know, we just got back from a So Cal Spring Break. We stayed in Laguna Beach, one of my favorite places in California....gorgeous beaches, beautiful hills, great shopping and restaurants, home of the Pageant of the Masters (which we may be heading back to see this summer!)....it is a perfect place to get away.

We fit a lot into this little break, and shopping was high on my list! Tim was very indulgent because he had a day of golf with the guys while my daughter and I went to Disneyland the first day we got to town. The next day we hit Laguna to do a little shopping, since the weather was not as warm for the beach as we had hoped. 

 There are lots of great shops for fashion in Laguna, (and my daughter was happy as a clam to find one boutique where everything was $15 or less.)

 And then I found "my" shop......actually Tim found it while my teen and I were in "her" shop. Tim was wandering a bit while the teen was trying on outfit after outfit. He came in to find us, and said..." I think you are going to like the next one". So of course, I hustle the teen along so I can get on down the street.

Then we stepped into the Green Cube.....Tim knows me so well...

What can I say about the Green Cube? I can't say enough! It is innovative and edgy, creative and beautiful. It has a bit of everything I love....furniture, lighting, decor....but it also has fashion.....and shoes! Even better, the focus of Green Cube is what you might imagine, given the name....there is an emphasis on sustainability. Everything for the shop is selected by the very beautiful and stylish owner, Sanja Simidzija. I was captivated.

 I ended up in a long conversation with Sanja's husband, who was manning the fort while Sanja was next door in their second gallery, Art Cube.....hold on....there is a SECOND gallery?

 I was already so intrigued with Green Cube and its collection of creative rustic modern decor and distinctive fashion, it was hard to tear myself away to go next door.

But I was told that Sanja could be found in her art gallery, so I had to go meet the creative soul behind both Green Cube and Art Cube....

Art Cube Gallery

 I stepped into the Art Cube Gallery and it was like stepping into a cloud with it's white walls and floors. It was a perfect backdrop for the collection inside. Described as a place to find "breathing room for the spirit", one can certainly breath in the talent in this space.

 Sanja has curated a fantastic group of cutting edge contemporary artists, whom I have already bookmarked into my files for future projects! Be sure to check out the Art Cube website HERE for information on all of the artists

 Finding Green Cube and Art Cube was a lovely way to spend a cool and foggy morning, and having the opportunity to meet the charming and handsome owners was the icing on the cake.

 On you next trip to So Cal, do stop in and say hello to Sanja. Green Cube and Art Cube are located in the heart of town on Forest Ave. 

The lovely Sanja Simidzija, proprietress of Green Cube and Art Cube

You will find them, the galleries and the owners, a breath of fresh air.

Tagged: Five Things to Love About My State

I have been tagged by the stylish Callie Grayson of the Grayson: A Different Shade of Grey blog. Thanks Callie! The subject is five things I love about my state. After reading her post, I realized it was not about my state of confusion, or even the continual state of chaos in my house....I had to find five things to love about my state of California.

Well....I must say, I think I have a slight advantage here. So here goes:

1) I love the weird stuff we have in California like:

The Devil's Postpile

The Tufas at Mono Lake

Stalagmites and Stalactites in the California Caves in the Gold Country

2) I love the extremes, like:

Mt. Whitney, the highest Peak in the contiguous United States

Death Valley, The lowest place on earth, and the hottest in the United States

The Redwood Trees, the biggest trees on earth

Lake Tahoe, the biggest Alpine Lake in the United States

3) I love the varied architecture and architects, like:

Frank Lloyd Wright's Walker Residence in Carmel

Greene and Greene's Gamble House in Pasadena (where I grew up), a prime example of Bungalow Style Architecture

Frank Gehry's Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles

Julia Morgan's Hearst Castle

4) I love that we can do all this within a few hours drive:

Horseback ride in the Mammoth Mountains in the Eastern Sierras

Fish at Lake George

Cross Country Ski in Bear Valley

Play wave tag in Newport Beach

Hang out at the beach in Laguna

5) I love that California has a Cuisine named after it and world famous wine country:

Alice Waters, co-founder of the esteemed restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California is usually credited with originating "California Cuisine". The emphasis on using fresh ingredients in season grown by local farms garnered her reputation as the proprietress of one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Photo by Brent Miller, WineCountry.com

Then there is the Napa Valley, or what I like to call "the Valley of the Gods". It is stunningly beautiful and produces some of the best wine in the world.

OK....that is my five things.

But, as much as I have tried, I cannot wittle it down to five. I have to add:

What would we do without it?

And this:

California, the home of The Happiest Place on Earth

Kay....I'm done now. And I am tagging:

Pigtown

Cote de Texas

Lime in the Coconut

The House of Edward

Visual Vamp