Sommer Designs

Saturday morning hike::Palos Verdes love, part 2

Must keep going, must keep going, must keep going. We are expecting a high of 87 today. I kid you not. My apologies to those who are still dealing with snow, sleet and rain. Spring is here.

Right.
Here.

At 7:30 a.m. this morning I grabbed my girlfriend and her leash, and we headed out the door. The McBride trail is around the corner from my house, but I do it backwards. I don't know why, but I always have. I don't call it the McBride Trail either, I call it the Rim Trail. The Rim Trail is so much more appropriate, because it skirts the rim of a pricey development of homes hugging the canyon that faces the ocean. I'm talking about prime real estate and jaw-dropping views. But you have to be careful where you step, because this is the canyon after all, and there are creatures out there.

I've seen many, together with little cottontail rabbits, scorpions, and beetles. Here's a photo op with Gracie - I'm explaining the flora and fauna to her, and she's rapt with attention:

You go around that little bend and up a butt-kicking hill to the rim.

That construction dead center in the photo is the old Marineland site, which is now becoming the Terranea resort.

I prefer looking South - less building, more pastoral views. More real Palos Verdes. The way it was, the way it should stay.

I tried to take another picture with Gracie, but she just wanted kisses.

"Look Grace - that way." No. She's having none of it. She would rather gaze at me. At least my dog idolizes me.

"Oh! You mean like this?! You want me to look AT the camera?"

"Well, okay. But it'll cost you."

"That will be one belly rub please."

Sometimes, it takes us a while to finish a hike. What with all the belly rubs and kisses along the way.

Friday morning hike::Why I love Palos Verdes.

My friend Karen dragged my butt out this morning. Well, she didn't really - we planned it a couple of days ago. It felt so good to walk around San Francisco that I didn't want to let the motivation go. I feel so much better when I walk (especially my lower back, which was really beginning to strain!), and today is amazingly gorgeous (over 80 people!), that I had to comply.

We did a trail near her house, off Lariat Lane. I've only done it one other time with her, and it's beautiful and dotted with three butt-kicking hills. It's a feast for the eyes, and always so fun to see what people/animals are up to on the trail. This little lady was getting some new shoes!

Isn't she beautiful? "Take a picture, it'll last longer." Yeah, yeah.

"Make sure you get this side too. Come back later, I'm getting my mane brushed and braided, you'll probably want to document that also."

This is such a beautiful time of year - everything is in bloom! The hills are a carpet of mustard. When we drove up Highway 101 last week, we passed miles and miles of hills blanketed in yellow, blue & orange. Literal blankets of color! It was astounding.

At the top of butt-kicking hill #1, we came upon this trail that looks like it's being maintained by the land conservency. I'm so glad.

I love the makeshift fence.

I just want to freeze this moment and this space.

Regretfully, the wildflower season is short, and then the big guns come in to try to keep the brush down, because wildfire season is long.

Another butt-kicker approaches, Karen is way ahead of me. She usually is. We called her the Energizer Bunny when we climbed Mount Whitney...

All trails lead to the [flat] street - this makes me very happy at this point.

But then again, so did the butt-kicking morning hike! I hope everyone is beginning to see signs of spring!

Del Cerro in Action!

Did you know that there is an actual Del Cerro place? You might know this, but I name all my bags after little pocket areas in Palos Verdes, where I am based. This is a really beautiful area, and I am so blessed to live here; I still catch my breath when I am driving, and come around a bend, and get a glimpse of the cliffs and the ocean, and the Channel Islands beyond. We moved to Palos Verdes in 1970 when my parents relocated to California from Long Island, New York. I grew up here, Scott grew up here, and except for a few short years in Hermosa Beach and then Torrance, we haven't left.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula is a large hill between Redondo Beach and San Pedro port, and as a Peninsula, juts out into the Pacific. You can see the ocean from many places on the hill. Del Cerro is at the top of the hill, and adjacent to the neighborhood is a pretty little park, also called Del Cerro. I've long wanted to take pictures of each of the namesake bags in their proper namesake environment, but I'm short on models.

I've also recently discovered that the Del Cerro Tote makes a perfect knitting bag! As you can imagine, this thrills me to pieces. While I was finishing up this last batch of bags, I was dreaming of a photo shoot at Del Cerro park. And, as soon as the weather cleared and warmed up a bit (I know, look at the wimp over here... It's finally over 65 degrees), I set out to make it happen by myself.

Now, a disclaimer: I don't like modeling. That's why I cut off my head. And, luckily, the bag hides my thighs. And I wish there was grass planted where the park bench is, but who am I to complain?

Del Cerro in action:

This is probably a much better picture; the bag is deep enough for a bunch of yarn (which you can't see, but there are about 5 balls at the bottom), my WIP Slouchy Cardigan (which I have not picked up since the holidays) on long needles, and the pockets hold all sorts of [knitting] paraphernalia:

But really, it took me forever to finish these photos, and I could have sat there all day long. Because, you see, this is what I was looking out over:

Isn't it gorgeous? Forget the flipping bag, check out the view! Too bad it was so hazy...

Little known fact: Pirates of the Caribbean (#1) was filmed straight ahead.

To think: Johnny Depp was in my neighborhood.

Eventually, I peeled myself away from this and went to Target.

Long summer days....

As you can see, I'm posting a little less these days. I'm a little consumed with trying to get myself better organized, and staying on top of things, but summertime keeps encroaching on these mental moments. Part of the problem was that I took a friends' advice and checked out a fabulous book, that I literally, could not put down. In the 48 hours it took me to read it (only because I could not put it down), it went everywhere with me. So, here is my latest book recommendation: The Double Bind, by Chris Bohjalian - get yourself to a bookstore or library, but I warn you, it is dark and it is disturbing, but wow - what a read. If you ever read Atonement, by Ian McEwan, I think you'll enjoy this. It has similar elements.

Tuesday evening we went to a barbecue at Portuguese Bend Club, where we have a friend who is a resident. We hadn't been for a couple of years, and I fell in love with this little enclave all over again!

There are maybe 50 homes in this tiny gated area, all perched on a hill overlooking the ocean, maybe 100 yards from the water. So when the windows are open in your house, you most defintely hear the waves - is that not paradise? When I was in high school, there were families that lived in other parts of Palos Verdes and had weekend bungalows at PBC - I kid you not. A mere 10 minutes away from their main house!

The beach is only sandy where the tables and barbecues are, and rocky at the water, so it's not a swimming beach. But there are amazing sea-water turned rocks everywhere, and if you walk south a bit, some of the best tide pools and amazing shells to be found.

I think I read at one point, somewhere, that there used to be an actual clubhouse and small pier in the early days (and early days in Palos Verdes is sometime in the 1920's, I think). This is all that is left of that pier.

I didn't have much time to go exploring with my camera, as I would have loved to do. We didn't get there until 6 p.m. and the good light was as good as gone. It's just such a beautiful, peaceful, untouched place. One of the only places where you can barbecue on the beach, and then turn your barbecue into a nice roaring fire for the marshmallow roast.

I hope everyone had a wonderful, fabulous and safe July 4th!

The corner office.

One of my most favorite places in Palos Verdes is Malaga Cove Plaza in Palos Verdes Estates. Whenever I think {dream} about where my off-site studio would be, the picture that always comes to mind is Malaga Cove, specifically that second story corner.

Isn't it amazing? With those two little balconies - and how sweet of the current tenant to put out the pots of geraniums. I can picture myself up there with the french doors open, gazing at the ocean, sipping my latte, planning my line. I'm sure I would get tons of work done.

I was driving by the plaza early yesterday morning, after I had dropped Drew off at summer school, on my way to meet my friend Kathleen for breakfast. And as I drove by, I noticed how peaceful and empty it was...for a change, and the sun was just coming over the treetops.

It is such a beautiful place, built in a Spanish Renaissance style, this plaza was the peninsula’s first commercial area that was built in 1925. When I was young, the plaza was filled with stores and cafes. The rents have skyrocketed in the last 30 years, and now there are just a couple of stores, a great little hole in the wall sandwich place, the original little market, a flower shop, and tons and tons of real estate offices and brokerages.

It's so pretty, that I named a bag after it when I launched my line almost 4 years ago. I can't believe it's almost been four years!

A lot has happened, and this little business has grown in more ways than I ever thought imaginable, and I am thankful each and every day. I've met so many incredible and inspiring people, and have seen so much talent, it makes my head spin!

That's Neptune up there (and below); he's surrounded by little cherubs with giant carp (I think. I don't know my marble fishes very well...) and below the cherubs are mermaids...spouting water...from areas that don't naturally spout...water.

Neptune Fountain is a two-thirds size copy of a fountain in Bologna, Italy. The fountain was a gift to Palos Verdes and was dedicated in 1930.

This has been a really good week; a busy week. Not necessarily busy in product, but busy in terms of contacts and directions and doors opening in places that I never thought imaginable. Dreams are becoming realities, and I'm scared and excited and paralyzed all at the same time.

How's that for cryptic? I'm not quite ready to share some amazing news that has come my way, but promise to as soon as the details are ironed out. I hope everyone has a fantastic and relaxing weekend. Me? I'll be working the fair, which is what I love to do. And if do you anything, make sure you are doing what you love to do...

XO

I thought I had run out of blog material.

Really, I was going to take today off. Then, I got an email from an old web design client of mine: "You are on the front page of the PV news and I haven't even read it yet but I had to e-mail you right away."

Bolted from the computer, ran outside in my pajamas, ripped the plastic from the fog-drenched publication, to find this:

Egads! Remember? It was this day, and remember how I said I was chattering away {nervously} and he (the photographer) probably got a picture of me with my mouth open? Well...

Still, I'm quite happy! Shanna did a lovely job (thanks so much!), and if they upload it to the site soon, I'll come back and provide a link!

ETA: Here it is!

On a clear day, you can see forever

Alternatively titled, Why I love living here.

Driving home, the long way yesterday (along Palos Verdes Drive West, to Palos Verdes Drive South (yes, don't worry, it does turn into Palos Verdes Drive East, and then Palos Verdes Drive North - our founding fathers {it had to be men} were not very creative. Either that, or people just can't follow directions), I started snapping and Scott had the forethought to pull over.

Looking behind us, toward Santa Monica:

Looking straight out:

Toward Catalina Island:

Washing it all down with some delicious Sushi (this is a Rolling Hill Roll {not Rolling Hills Roll, as we were corrected}):

And then, finally heading home. This was taken driving up Hawthorne Blvd. from Golden Cove Plaza - looking east and toward Palos Verdes Drive South/East:

It's amazing what a day of rain will do.

Solitude in the hills...

Due to a miscommunication, I ended up hiking alone yesterday. The trail is long, and at times quite isolating (i.e. boring), so I think in all the years I’ve been hiking it, I’ve only done so alone once. When my friend was late, and I called her and realized the snafu, I considered just going back to my car, going home and jumping in the shower. It would have been so easy. Then I would have snuck into the workshop and started another frustrating & overwhelming day. Instead, I put one foot in front of the other and propelled myself in the direction of the gate. I’m so glad I did.

 

The trail was quiet most of the time, broken up by the conversations of other early morning hikers and broken up even more by the whir of mountain bikers blazing past me. It was such a welcome relief. I brought along Scott’s camera because I was in the market for a new one and he has a nifty little Canon PowerShot that he loves. I kept up a pretty good clip except for the moments when I was moved enough to stop and snap.

About a half mile down the trail, there is this big, beautiful, old pepper tree. Its branches hang heavy with foliage and drag to the ground. It’s one of those trees you would love to have in your backyard, if your backyard has been around for decades.

I love this tree. It has a secret.

Way down here, in the middle of nowhere, on this trail, if you walk inside this beautiful tree, you will find a rope swing that someone suspended years ago. I can’t even begin to wonder what the motivation was to put up a swing, hidden in the branches of an old tree, almost a mile down a dirt trail, but it’s so wonderful. If that tree were in my backyard, I'd place a hammock inside, and hang chandeliers from the branches. A secret garden. A private spot. Wouldn't that be nice?

This trail is actually a fire road, which is nice because it’s maintained. A developer was trying to build in this area a couple of years ago, and so spurred a preservation movement to squash his efforts (which were successful – I think the Land Conservancy raised about 5 million dollars to keep this place like this - maybe more, 5 million doesn't seem like a lot for this). I think during that time they re-graded the dirt road. It’s better like this – before it was all ruts and ditches, with rocks from rain runoff making it totally hazardous.

The view is amazing and inspiring and I always say that if I had the time, I would do this everyday (round trip is about 1.5 hours minimum). There’s an ocean view nearly the entire way, and the breeze is the sweetest thing…

Halfway down (and then up!) the trail ends and you find yourself at the gate into Rolling Hills. The gate that you squeeze through is actually the end of Portuguese Bend Road, and walking up it is the most strenuous part of the hike. It’s brutal. It’s nearly vertical – always moving thanks to some inherent land issues (so much so that the utilities are all above ground).

Rolling Hills is one of those rural communities where time stands still. You can still find open lots for $2-3 million if you want to build, and all the homes in the area have acreage. The equestrian influences are strong and the street signs are charming.

Look - the Partridge Family lives here! I actually went to high school with Susie...she lives in Ohio now, on a farm! Lucky girl!

The lone Rolling Hills Fire Station: we figure they are the lonliest, sleepiest station in the area! Yes, that is a bathtub in the foreground - now used as a water trough for the local horses. I stopped in my tracks when I noticed the flag at half mast; bringing me back to my Sunday morning thoughts about the fallen firefighters in the Esperanza blaze.

Lots of solitude. Lots of quiet. Lots of thinking time. I felt so invigorated when I finished - muscles all stretched and sore; but a good kind of stretched and sore. The happy kind. Like I finally accomplished something. I needed that.

Good Monday to you!

Here's hoping, at least! I spent most of the weekend working (what a surprise!). I am now officially out of purse feet, and hope Hong Kong air moves fast! There's a lot I can do in the interim, lest you think I'm just sitting on my haunches, eating Bon Bons waiting for the postman...

But wait! Look! Look! Look! I received my Aqua & Red Swap package, and I'm telling you, I had the absolute BEST package there ever was in the history of Aqua & Red Swaps! My sender, Marianne in Michigan, read my profile and filled (and I mean filled) my box with all sorts of Aqua & Red goodies! Please, hold yourself back from jumping into your monitor...

It started with a cute envelope, with a spool of skinny red ribbon coming out, leading me to each item, which was clipped to the ribbon with an Aqua plastic clothespin (which, for some reason, looks green in this photo...)!

Damn if this girl wasn't crafty! Would you check out this WALL HANGING??!!! I was beside myself!

 

As if that wasn't enough, I received the cutest Aqua Melamine teacup & saucer with a sweet handmade pin cushion; a vintage Red coin purse; a vintage Aqua thermos with tea; a vintage tin cup with glitter and Sharpies (yay Sharpies!); Chocolate (gone); Cherry gumballs (almost gone); paper; notecards; some old vintage Aqua & Red fabric; Gingersnap creamer (oh, yum!); a fun zip-out tote...man, did I get everything? I am in awe. I feel like the luckiest swapper in the world! This was beyond the best and totally made my day! Love it! Thank you - Thank you - Thank you Marianne!

Just so you know, I did also get out on the trail Sunday! And, I took a loaner dog! This is Charlie, who was too enamoured with the view, and what was on the other side of this hill, to pay attention to the camera (smart girl). She's up for adoption, and Dylan is begging us. I took her on a 5 mile hike to see how she'd do (wonderfully, but she pulled nearly the whole way), and then she came home and spent the afternoon playing with Candy. At this point, we are undecided...but she sure is sweet.

Farmer's Market today!