Pumpkin soup. Warm spiced cocktails. Soft, oversized sweaters. It’s that time of the year when the warmth of your home draws you more than anything else and the feeling of the sun on your skin is all but forgotten. For the most part, we embrace those months fully. We are suckers for hygge (Danish word for cozy, comfy and homey) - a word you will hear us sneak into conversations and see us write here over and over.

 

Nevertheless, there comes a day halfway through winter when your youthful summer self restlessly stirs within you and begs to come out and play. It was on such a weekend in December when all the stars aligned and we did a quick sister getaway to LA.

 

Having spent several years in New York, we’ve come to know this inimitable city in all its beauty and ugliness. Like any intimate relationship, we’ve ridden some highs and suffered some lows, occasionally catching ourselves ponder the merits of moving out west. Wrap any loose ends on the east coast, uproot our settled lives and build an entirely new existence in a foreign place. Swap the 24/7 hustle, confined spaces and occasionally brutal winters for LA’s relaxed vibe, space and perpetual summer. Like in an escapist indie movie, hop into a vintage car and watch our sleek ride glide from the blue New York shadows into the warm orange light of LA.

 

There is something special about the light in LA. Pictures always seem bright and sunny, and the colors have a certain 70s-like quality. Sunsets in LA, especially if  witnessed from the beach, are so spectacular, with the sun dipping below the glittery horizon. We were lucky to have a front row view, as we were staying at The Rose Hotel Venice just steps from the boardwalk. The two sunsets we saw were like rituals to us - we scrambled out of the hotel and rushed to the broad swath of the beach, anxious not to miss the cinematic spectacle. Even long-time LA-ers, who you would expect to have lost their appreciation for a west coast sunset, seemed momentarily hypnotized.

 

The Venice Beach boardwalk itself was a wonder - a medley of hippies, surfers, skateboarders, artists, music, with the occasional, somewhat out of place, tech startup proudly displaying its most recent gadgets. We felt a unique atmosphere and buzz that we hadn’t quite experienced elsewhere in the US.

 

The Rose Hotel reflected this vibe beautifully. Created from an abandoned building, this airy and chic hotel is the perfect blend of the surfer and fashion aesthetic. White, beige and marine blue fabrics and textiles define the interior, and stunning photography featuring local surfers and fashion shoots fills the walls. Every morning we would wake up to the perfect spread of crunchy croissants and Stumptown coffee laid out in the sunny hotel lobby. We loved taking our breakfast to the front porch decorated with gorgeous white roses. Our stay only reinforced what we already associated with LA - relaxation, wellness, joy, and a beautiful sense of aesthetics!