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Saturday Field Trip

2014 March 30
by WWGD

SugarPaper-WhatWouldGwynethDo

If you follow me on Instagram (and I hope you will, if you’re on there…it’s easily my most favorite social medium) then you know that the Sugar Paper sample sale has been on my calendar for weeks now. I have been a long-time Sugar Paper fan and ever since I met the lovely founders last year, I am even more of a devotee. Chelsea and Jamie are not only incredibly talented and successful, they are so sweet and kind and personable and have really made their dream business a reality. And I just love knowing women like that. So when my husband said he had to head out of town for work for the day, I knew my littles and I would be road tripping up to LA for the afternoon.

We lived in LA for close to ten years and Little D was born there and lived there until she was almost four. It is a big part of our history. But apparently not hers. She barely remembers any of it when we go. We drive by our old apartment that she lived in for so long, visit the parks she used to frequent, take her to the same cupcake shop she always loved…and she stares around in wide-eyed wonder like she has never seen the place before. Curious. Happy to be there. But no recollection of her life there. Of our life there together. It’s so strange, isn’t it? So I guess we will just have to create new memories there…because as much as I like our quieter, easier life in the suburbs, there is a part of me that will forever be more at home in a bigger city. Here’s a look at our day together.

SugarPaper-WhatWouldGwynethDo

Not only did we hit the sample sale hard, Chelsea was kind enough to offer us a private inside look at the Sugar Paper HQ (top photo). And it was absolutely dreamy. Perfectly styled and simply beautiful. And the paper…oh my god. I could literally spend all day long in their “vault” just ogling all the goods. They have such an impeccable sense of design and bring their vision to life so beautifully. It was really fun to get a look behind-the-scenes and the kids came home and played “card making factory” so clearly the letterpress machines impressed not only me, but them as well.

WhatWouldGwynethDo

These kids were some of the few in the line up for the sale and they were a bit of a handful but thankfully a) they found these other darling girls to play with and keep them busy and b) they are cute, so no one seemed to mind them running around like crazy people. I got them each a notepad for good behavior and they were thrilled. It’s funny because we used to live around the corner from where the Sugar Paper studio is now and I used to walk those streets all the time and complain about the neighborhood. It was definitely more “up and coming” at the time so we got a gorgeous, roomy apartment for a very decent price, but the area needed a lot of work. Yesterday I saw it in a whole new light and loved our little stroll through its streets, taking in a view that is so different from the one we have today. Not better or worse, just different.

WhatWouldGwynethDo

We spent some time at the park we used to go to as a family all the time. The kids were amazed, of course. Any park is amazing when you are a kid, especially one with ducks and turtles. They took out their new notepads and sketched the ponds.

WhatWouldGwynethDo

We had lunch as a trio at Tavern in Brentwood. I have been wanting to try this place forever and though I wasn’t confident it was going to be kid-friendly, the timing was just too perfect. It’s not that kid-friendly…but they did fine and the hostesses were lovely and mama was able to enjoy a glass of wine and a proper meal while the kids enjoyed pasta with butter (of course). I really pride myself on having kids who can eat in restaurants (here are my tips on making that work) and was proud of them for being so great after a tiring morning.

SusieCakes-WhatWouldGwynethDo

We had all earned ourselves a cupcake by then. SusieCakes has been another one of my favorites since it opened in our (then) Brentwood neighborhood many years ago. And apparently my kids were giving off a VIP vibe yesterday because they were invited to meet Susie herself while we were there and to see how they make their huge vats of icing and do the decorating and all that good stuff. I know, these two had a rough day. It was super fun so thank you for your kindness, Susie! We are waiting for you to open in San Diego!

WhatWouldGwynethDo

Shortly thereafter, we headed home. These two managed to save their exhaustion for the last 30 minutes of the drive and most of the evening right through until bedtime. That was a little rough. But the day was so fun and spontaneous and filled with such laughter and play and exploration that it didn’t really matter. They were happy and patient and polite and so excited by every little thing that crossed their paths, every new corner, every new sight, every new friend. And of course, every single bite of cupcake.

One Response
  1. Elizabeth permalink
    March 30, 2014

    Looks like such a great day spent with your littles. A good reminder, that you can be a mom and still get out there and do things that are fun and refreshing!

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