DTLA

A Delicious Dream

February 19, 2016February 22, 2016 by Alyssa Garrison

It’s no secret I love sugar, and I always joke that my main cost when travelling is the amount I spend on special sweet treats. Seriously, I will explore a city completely based on bakeries and chocolate shops, determined to try every sweet creation I can, no matter how unbelievably full I am at the time.

Bottega Louie in Downtown LA is my ultimate undoing, and I’ve been dreaming of the pastel shelves and marble details since my last visit a few years ago. Perhaps that’s why we pencilled in lunch just after we’d finished booking our flights with Expedia.ca– we knew Bottega Louie was the first place we wanted to be when we touched down.

Last time my stop in Downtown LA was pretty rushed, but this time around I made sure Johanna and I had lots of time to eat, explore, and shop (I also bumped up my Bottega Louie “souvenir budget”… which I very quickly exceeded regardless.) In the bistro we feasted on portabello fries and berry lemonade, and in the market portion we swooned over cakes and delicate gold-flecked macarons. With Amina from Studio Mucci at our side to guide us through the treats (she lives nearby), it was truly the perfect first afternoon in LA.

Dear Diary

Pastel Heaven at Bottega Louie

November 5, 2014June 22, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

I’m not sure where to even start with Bottega Louie. As a lover of all things pink, sweet, and pretty, I practically fell over when I first started seeing photos from people in LA who had visited. My obsession only intensified when Paige brought me back 6 macarons from an LA buying trip and not only were they packaged in the most adorable pastel purple box, but they tasted like heaven, and the earl grey flavour was painted with gold leaf!

My deep love for Bottega Louie hit an all time high when Paige an I finally visited together on our recent LA trip. We met Amina Mucci of Studio Mucci for lunch, and yes, we absolutely stayed for dessert! We filled our table with gourmet pizza, portobello fries and berry lemonade, and when we were finally so full we could’ve burst we moved on to the retail section.

I’m going to be really honest with you guys here: I budgeted $100 for my Bottega Louie visit, and I came pretty close to meeting that cap. I mean come on, everything from the pasta sauce to the coffee to the eclair boxes was so out of this world beautiful! I seriously came *way* to close to buying myself a $200 gift box with a bottle of pink Moet and truffles in it (hem, Christmas is coming!)

In short, Bottega Louie was the pastel heaven I had always dreamed it would be, and even though I’ve shared so many Instagram photos from my visit already, Paige and I just couldn’t help dedicating a special post to it as well!

And yes, in case you’re wondering, everything does taste as good as it looks!

Dear Diary

Inside The Tassel Factory

October 22, 2014June 10, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

I first started following Studio Mucci on Instagram when my friend Sarah bought one of her garlands for her new apartment. “You don’t follow Studio Mucci?!” she asked, clearly confused, and when I did search and follow Amina Mucci’s account, I immediately knew why.

Studio Mucci represents everything that Paige and I love in the world. Glitter, colour, the desire to celebrate everyday and the resilience to take down party decorations long after the special occasion has passed. Amina, her amazing husband Salvatore, and their team of tassel fairies spend their days building beautiful handmade piñatas, garlands, and the occasional special surprise, and even though their studio (aka. Tassel Factory) is closed to the public, they were kind enough to invite us up for a little peak!