perfect breakfast

September 27, 2012

I am slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things as I settle into my new home in L.A. and pick up with work. Part of the process of getting "settled" includes setting routines: especially important for those of us who work from home, and perhaps even more important for those of us who are "creatives." My natural inclination is to approach my day willy-nilly, but as that usually means that I don't accomplish everything that needs to be done, I try to stick to a routine as much as possible. My morning routine involves a run around the Silver Lake reservoir, followed by some mellow time for eating breakfast, reading the paper, and considering the day that lies before me. I'm not a morning person, so taking the time to "be" each morning is essential for me to get into the right head space.

Image | Styling by Lauryl Lane.

sneak peek

September 26, 2012

I love that I can look at these photos and my first thought is, "Oh, that is so Elana." There is definitely something about my designs that make them mine, but it is so very important to me that I taylor the design of each individual event to my individual clients. I feel like I've really done my job when I can look back on an event and see my client's personalities and aesthetics shining through in my designs.

Floral Design | Styling | Images by Lauryl Lane.

currently reading

September 25, 2012

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Image | Styling by Lauryl Lane.

weekend wishes

August 25, 2012

Image by Lauryl Lane.

Wedding at Shady Canyon Country Club

August 22, 2012

When I first sat down with Amanda and Trevor to discuss their vision for their wedding, I was thrilled to hear words like "Distressed Victoriana," "high fashion," "fantasy," "eclectic," "grunge" and "haunted." They described the crumbling estate home of Miss Havisham from Dickin's classic novel Great Expectations as their primary inspiration, and I was sold! I designed charmingly "overgrown" florals, added trailing greenery to chairs, tables, and the tent structure, brought in massive amounts of ferns, olive trees and other plants, added skeleton leaves to all the arrangements, wrapped the bouquets and boutonnieres in a luxurious French velvet, and draped the lounge furniture in cheesecloth "covers." The event ended up being a little bit Miss Havisham, a little bit steampunk, a little bit high society, and a whole lot Amanda and Trevor!

FEATURED | Ceremony Magazine.

the japanese tea garden in san francisco

August 3, 2012

Japanese Tea Garden 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 752-1171

As a young girl growing up in the East Bay, I have vivid memories of sitting in the back seat of the car with my little sister as my mother drove us over the Bay Bridge. I remember trips to the San Francisco Library, and climbing what seemed like thousands of stairs. I remember running on the Pier, and the sound of my sandals slapping against the wood decking. I remember eating chunks of hot, fresh sourdough while looking out across the bay and listening to the shrieking seagulls. But one of my most precious memories is climbing on the round bridge at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate State Park. After my family moved away, we still went to the Japanese Tea Garden every time we were back in the Bay Area for a visit. And after I married and moved back to California, I started taking my husband to visit the Tea Garden whenever we'd be up North to spend time with my Dad. It's no secret that I love formal urban gardens, but the Japanese Tea Garden will always remain my favorite because it is entrenched in my personal history. I've been visiting it for the past thirty years, and it remains much the same, year after year. A spot of serenity in the midst of a bustling, vibrant metropolis. It's stunning.

Images by Lauryl Lane.

chocolate peanut butter cookies

August 2, 2012

When I saw my little sister Rose in the middle of a road trip last week, she sent me on my merry way with a container full of freshly-made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies. These were a great favorite of mine and my siblings when we were growing up, but somehow I'd forgotten about them. When I got home, my husband devoured the cookies and promptly asked me to make more. They are a little time-consuming, as you have to roll the balls and shape the cookies, but the hard work is totally worthwhile!

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter, divided 1 egg, lightly beaten 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup baking cocoa 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars and 1/4 cup peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Blend confectioner's sugar with remaining peanut butter until smooth. Roll into 24 balls, 1 inch each. Divide dough into 24 pieces; flatten each into a 3 inch circle. Place one peanut butter ball on each circle; bring edges over to completely cover it. (Dough may crack; reshape cookies as needed.) Place cookies with seam side down on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes.

Image | Styling by Lauryl Lane.

greenery en masse

August 1, 2012

I was delighted when the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living featured arrangements of greenery on the cover! I've been mixing greens in my home, sans florals, for many years now. They aren't right for every occasion, but when I want some nature in my home (which is all the time), and I don't have the time to tend to fresh-cut flowers (they should be re-cut and the water changed out every single day!), I throw some pretty greens in a vase! They'll dry out if left unattended, but often look pretty even as they die/dry, and you can usually find a variety of greens to clip from your own yard if you don't have time to go purchase more unusual varieties (such as those shown above, or in MSL!). Not to mention, green is my favorite color. So sometimes, for my home, I just stick with greenery!

Images | Styling | Design by Lauryl Lane.