Californiaaaaaaaaaa, Californiaaaaaaaaa!!!

Is anyone else hearing the OC theme song?

:>)

My week in super sunny California was amazing!  (the weather was off the charts perfect - I really didn't want to leave).   It started off with a bang - seeing Jake Gyllenhaal at the Nashville Airport fresh off a "secret" date with you know who.  Man, he's cute.

Anyhoo, the flight was uneventful and before we knew it, our friend Brooks was picking us up from LAX.  He and Billy dropped me off at dinner with the girls, then they went to meet the boys for their own dinner.    The 2 main reasons for our trip to the west coast were 1). To see my sisters new apartment and hang out in her neck of the woods, and 2). To throw Ali and Brooks an engagement party!

Dinner was at a tiny Italian restuarant in Marina Del Rey - and Ali asked all of us to be bridesmaids in her wedding!  Wedding season has officially begun.  Again :>)

The next day was a whirlwind of wedding dress shopping in Beverly Hills and racing back to Alyson's house to set up for the party.  Alyson lives in an amazing condo in Santa Monica.  She bought her first place last year and spent a lot of time and effort on decorating.  And she knocked it out of the park!!!  Her home is truly stunning:

Her dining room - the colors throughout the main living level are greys, yellows, whites, and blacks.  She re purposed an old door for her dining table - flipped it on its side and covered it with glass.  The yellow curtains are her newest addition since I was last there - gorg!

The dining and living areas blend seamlessly together with similar colors and open floor plan.  I love her spotlights in the corner!  They add amazing ambiance at night.

The deep grey accent wall is picked up in the pattern on her ottoman (left).  The coffee table was her old dining room table when we all lived on Ocean Front Walk.  She had the legs chopped off, painted it a lighter grey color, and covered the top with glass.  I'm pretty sure the couch is her old couch, just recovered, too.

Her condo is 3 levels with a rooftop deck. On the 1st and 2nd landing she painted the walls with chalkboard paint.  It's great for parties and for leaving little notes!

Main level full bath (this place has 3 full bathrooms!)

Kitchen.  I long ago decided that wherever we live, I would really like the kitchen to open up into the living space.  Alyson's kitchen does not disappoint!  The yellow accents tie everything together and create a modern, cheerful mood.

Some shots from above.  Her office is on the third level.  It's a half level with a balcony overlooking the living room.

Sorry for the dark picture.   I was attempting to show her view of the ocean from the third level windows.

Alyson grilling from the rooftop deck for the party.

The three hostesses "chilling" out before the festivities begin....a necessity before any big shindig!

Party pics in the next post!

xo,

k