Category Archives:
Interviews

How To Shop At Flea Markets:
Tips From bettershelter’s Steve Jones

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bettershelter homes are known for their bohemian coastal chic styling. The man behind that styling has an addiction to flea markets, and he took a moment to tell us how to work it at the flea!

1. Do you have any tips on how to bargain at flea markets?

I think the best tip is to BE NICE. A smile goes a long way! Remember this is how a lot of these people make their money and to be respectful of that. Do your homework and offer a price that does not insult the vendor. Everyone wins.

2. What is your favorite flea market?

I love the Rose Bowl! Even with the internet and eBay, etc. it is amazing what people STILL pull out of Rose Bowl! The granddaddy of them all for sure.

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(image via privatelosangelestours.com)

3. Do you have any flea market shopping techniques?

I make a list on my phone of what items I am looking for and then review that list every 20 minutes or so to keep me on track. It is VERY easy to get distracted! I usually drag a cart around with me and I pick stuff up as I buy it, then I don’t have to run around at the end trying to find all my purchases. For larger purchases I have a van to haul stuff back. Bring food. The food at the flea is not very good.

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4. What are you usually looking out for when you are browsing?

I am constantly looking for architectural salvage stuff; windows, hardware, anything to add to the homes that will give it charm and authenticity. A lot of our staging furniture comes from the fleas as well. I also have been known to pick up a few personal things for myself as well, my crammed home is evidence of that. Did I mention watches? I have a few of them too.

5. Are there any current popular flea market items/trends?

The whole steampunk industrial trend still pretty strong! After you go to the fleas for a while you will see that different vendors have specific points of view; I have lots of favorites who I can depend on to deliver the goods! My eye is so trained now that I only see what I want to see and I edit everything else out of my brain, it can be overwhelming the first few times.

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6. What should we watch out for when buying from flea markets?

Sometimes vendors are selling reproductions; it is OK to ask and typically they will tell you. With furniture you should sit on it and wiggle it slightly to make sure it is structurally sound. Look for hairline cracks on pottery. Other than that, have fun and enjoy the hunt! I certainly do!

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(image via baskmagazine.com)

LA Area Flea Markets:

Rose Bowl Flea Market: 2nd Sunday of every month.

Long Beach Antique Market: 3rd Sunday of every month.

Melrose Trading Post: Every Sunday, rain or shine.

The Roadium Open Air Market: Open 7 days a week.

The Ventura Flea Market: Check schedule for dates.

 

THANK YOU FOR THE TIPS STEVE!

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8 Questions With Derek Lyons:
Owner of Sonny’s Hideaway
American Comfort Food for NELA!

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We are ecstatic for the upcoming opening of Sonny’s Hideaway, York Boulevard’s newest neighborhood restaurant in Highland Park. Derek Lyons, the owner and man behind Sonny’s Hideaway, agreed to talk to us about his vision. We cannot wait for the opening next month!

1. What inspired the concept/name behind Sonny’s Hideaway?

It’s named after a curious little place that I used to drive past as a kid and never got to go to, primarily because it was a scandalous little dive bar and I was 9. But it was just a plain stick-frame stucco box with one window.  Very modest and unsuspecting. When I pulled up in front of my place on York for the first time I looked at it and said, that’s Sonny’s Hideaway.

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I’m a bit of a building whisperer so I parked out in front of the space and stared at the building and then I sat inside and I let the walls talk.  Ever since this place was built back in 1922, it’s just been a plain old average box.  It told me that it’s been waiting to be Sonny’s Hideaway it’s whole life.  It said, ‘make me grand and dignified and intriguing and I will be grateful.’  So I obliged.

We were also guided by a few quotes from the early 1900’s during the Arts & Crafts movement in Highland Park.  One from the Arroyo Guild Newspaper, …“man’s innate need to create beautiful things with his hands.”  And one from Charles Lummis, “Whatever they made had to honestly contain the talent of its creator and the humility of medieval or rustic exemplars.”

2. Who or what inspires you right now?

That list is long.  Everyone who got me to this point and everyone who has touched this project so far.  It’s been an unbelievable collaborative effort and I’m so fortunate to be surrounded by so much talent and generosity that I can trust .

From our buildout crew; Wade Robinson (WadeCoDesign), Dick Rude; foreman, Jim Jewett; finish carpentry, Jeff Electric, Rob Sullivan, plumbing, Chef Jimmy Everett (also our tiler), and the brothers, Magbis and Franklin who are the backbone of the whole crew.  Cleo, from Project M  Plus designed our logo and it turned out better than I saw it in my imagination.  Zafar Mehbood lent his hand on the website. And Ryan Ballinger, who charts a good course. (Editorial note: Ryan Ballinger is the owner of The York, another Highland Park cornerstone).

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3. To you, what is the best “secret spot” in Los Angeles and why?

Besides the one opening soon on York Blvd., I’d say the best secret spot is at the intersection of, It’s a Secret and I’ll Never Tell.

4. What’s your favorite L.A. neighborhood and why?

Probably the one I haven’t discovered yet.  That’s truly the greatest things about Los Angeles, you can live here for years and keep discovering great new neighborhoods.  There aren’t enough days in the year to hit Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Silver Lake, Downtown, Koreatown, Griffith Park, West Hollywood, Venice, Leimert Park, the list goes on.

5. What kind of vibe will Sonny’s Hideaway have?

A timeless, classic, relaxed atmosphere.  Imagine if there was a blue-collar, working-class version of the Rat Pack that lived in Highland Park in the 30’s. They’d hang out at Sonny’s Hideaway.

6. What kind of food can we expect to see on the Sonny’s Hideaway menu?

We’re going to serve modern American Comfort cuisine:

Red wine steamed, pan-seared octopus, coffee braised pork cheek with coconut milk and honeycomb, mussels in a smoked grape broth, roast chicken with celery root puree, beer gravy, and maple pecans, and braised short ribs with bone marrow hash, to name a few.  We wanted to put together a menu that we wanted to eat, so our approach was to blend some traditional, satisfying elements with some adventurous, bold creations as well.

7. When will Sonny’s Hideaway open?

So far, we’ve been on-time and on-budget, which is crazy, so we’re shooting for a grand opening on Friday, April 19. Give or take a week.  Probably give.

8. What makes Sonny’s Hideaway unique/special?

Sonny’s Hideaway uses a lot of classic design elements but what sets it apart are the minds, hearts, and hands of the people who put it together.  As far as York Blvd goes, it’s the only spot between 45 and 55 with a full menu, table service, a full bar, and a back patio.

_MG_3375THANK YOU DEREK, HIGHLAND PARK IS ABOUT TO GET THAT MUCH HIPPER. WE CAN’T WAIT TO COME HIDE AWAY AT SONNY’S AND TRY YOUR FOOD! — ACME

 

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8 Questions With: James Graham, the owner and chef of Ba Restaurant!

James and Julia(The owners of Ba: Chef James Graham and sculptor Julia Latané)

We were thrilled to get to interview artist and chef James Graham, the co-owner and chef of Ba Restaurant in Highland Park. Ba is one of our favorite NELA eateries with its fresh ingredients and fabulous French cuisine. The restaurant itself (designed by Julia Latané) is comfortable yet stylish, intimate and extremely romantic. If you have not already fallen in love with Ba, add it to the top of your “LA must go to” list now!

1. What inspired the concept behind Ba?

My landlord, Mr Vargas, was trained in a French Bakery in Santa Monica in the 1960’s when he bought the bakery here on York in 1972…he was doing baguettes and Pain au Chocolate. That made me realize what the neighborhood needed was a romantic French place.

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2. Who or what inspires you right now?

Andre Guerrero.

3. To you, what is the best “secret spot” in Los Angeles and why?

The Seafood district downtown around 8th St and Sante Fe. At  4:00 a.m. you can buy live sea scallops in their shells, and see pools of halibut flopping around as trucks arrive from Japanese Ships in the port.

4. What’s your favorite L.A. neighborhood and why?

Highland Park! For those of us who are not smart enough for Silver Lake and not good looking enough for Hollywood, it is our home.

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5. What makes you happy?

Thank you…now that there is a comic book store on York, I don’t have to leave the neighborhood for anything!

6. What is the most popular thing on Ba’s menu? What is your favorite thing on the menu?

Mushroom Brulee is the most popular thing. We have made hundreds of these shitaki and Crimini appetizers from a two hundred year old recipe. Duck Cassoulet is my favorite thing. I love making it. It reminds me of winters in New York.

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7. What is the typical “crowd” like in your restaurant?

Art faculty, professionals, punk rockers…that crowd. A lot of them on dates.

8. What makes Ba unique/special?

Home cooking at midnight on the coolest block in LA!

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Thank you James and Julia, we are so thrilled to have Ba in Highland Park!

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Reclaimed Spanish Tiles +
Whitewashed Guest/Pool House =
A Dream Pad in West Hollywood!

LIST PRICE: $2,250,000  BR: 2 (MAIN) 1 (GUEST)  BA: 2 (MAIN) 1.5 (GUEST) 

We got tipped off to an upcoming listing in West Hollywood that is so special, we just had to give ACME readers a sneak peek. This special property was a designer renovation, and boasts gorgeous wide plank floors, custom lighting, a beautifully-tiled saltwater pool, movie theatre, white-washed guest house with bar and more. We interviewed Leigh Herzig, the designer, on her inspiration for the home.

1. What was your overall design vision for 342 Westbourne?

My goal is always to create a home where you feel like you’re always on vacation — chic, open + peaceful. I want life to be centered around the outside & the pool. We live in LA and I want to celebrate that everyday! A lot of new homes built today are modern and I wanted to create something a little warmer and a little more glamorous while maintaining the modern amenities.

 

2. What are your favorite design elements?

That’s a toughy because I love them all.  The wide plank french white oak floors are for sure a favorite.  They’re sealed with a hard wax oil which leaves them feeling almost bare, but they’re totally protected. I also love the reclaimed Spanish roof tiles and brick pavers. They’re centuries old from Spain. The combination of the pale red of the pavers and roof tiles with the grey/green painted trim on the exterior drives me crazy. I sourced the pavers and roof tiles from this wonderful man named Rene.  His company is called Exquisite Ceramics. He doesn’t know exactly what buildings they come from but all his materials come from the ancient cities in Southern Spain.  All the materials are over 100 years old and handmade. No fancy names :)

The tiles around the pool are from Arto, a local company who makes beautiful concrete tiles.  I was originally going to do something completely different but when I saw the tiles I fell in love with the Moroccan feel to them and changed direction.  I always wanted to make the guest house all white.  The room is flooded with light all day and seemed like the white floors would work great with the sun and create an amazing workspace for an artist or designer as well as a beautiful place for guests to wake up in the morning.  With an all white room you can go in so many directions — colorful + bohemian, all white + minimalist or a glamorous black, white and gold.

3. As a designer, what do you think the public values most in terms of features?

A decadent master bathroom doesn’t hurt. The overall vibe of the property — indoors and out.  It’s all about lifestyle.  About how a house makes you feel.  This house makes me want to get up with the sun and make fresh orange juice,  play all day until cocktail hour when it’s time to get serious.  In southern California, being connected to the outside is so important because your backyard is like another room in the house — the best room!

4. Why did you get into design?

I couldn’t help it. It’s just what I do and the career followed. I never went to school for interior design specifically. I worked at Vogue Magazine and Vanity Fair in NY as well as for a top fashion stylist there. All of those jobs taught me a lot about style and design (more than I could’ve ever learned in school)! I got my bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from York University and then went to FIT to study fashion design. I designed a couple apartments in New York for friends and one thing led to another and I was in LA doing houses.  From there I’ve been doing offices, houses and all kinds of projects.  I’m working on an incredible private residence in Venice right now, as well as amazing projects in Manhattan Beach, Culver City, and several in West Hollywood.  Most recently, I just finished doing Bruno Mars’s recording studio in Hollywood.

6. What inspires you?

I study the Internet, (I love remodelista), I read books, and love to explore movies for the set designs. But nothing beats just being out in the marketplace.  You can shop the world on 1stdibs, that site is indispensable. I love the LA flea markets — the Rose Bowl, Santa Monica Airport, Long Beach, Fairfax. For me, it’s just important to get out there…go to art galleries and restaurants, share ideas and see what other people are creating.

The fixtures in the house are a mix of Ralph Lauren to Thomas Obrien.

I always try to work within the space rather than trying to make it something it’s not.  So I think in this case, the Mediterranean vibe comes from the fact that even though it was an extremely extensive remodel, the house already had Spanish bones. From there, I ran with the idea of wanting to create the feeling that you were on vacation in the south of France or Spain.

If you are a buyer and want to get in to view this spectacular home, email me at courtney@acme-re.com or call 323–919-0375!

Property will be listed by Seth Gold, Westside Estate Agency.

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