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    Guide to Provo, Utah

    Brittany
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    1
    Guide to Provo, Utah

    Guide to Provo, Utah

    This post has been a long time in the making, folks. I’ve been wanting to do a feature on Provo, Utah, where I’ve now lived for three years, but as you know, it takes awhile to feel situated and like you’ve been able to experience a lot in your town. I’m a terrible social planner, but I know you’ve been on the edge of your seat waiting for it to come out, so sit back, it’s time to explore everyone’s top bucket list location, Provo, Utah (ha!).

    Provo City Guide and coloring page

    Provo is a popular destination for Mormons, or Latter-day Saints, and being one myself, I often get asked where to eat, where to stay, what to do. I also find that a lot of people from the North take the Utah I-15 route to go South to see Utah’s great national parks: Bryce, Zion, Arches to name a few. Utah is a gorgeous state and there’s a lot to see, especially if you love nature. I love looking at nature, but admittedly, I’m not the biggest nature go-getter. I prefer to mosey really.

    Provo City Guide and coloring page

    Provo is about 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City, and one of the last cities before you travel south down to the national parks and further south. For that reason, it’s another popular stop along the way. Being a university, there’s more diversity than you’d expect and a lot of interesting people.

    I’ve found that a lot of people are moving here from all ways of life and I love that it feels more and more diverse. After living in major cities for the last decade before moving here, I was expecting it to feel more small town and I’m so pleased with the direction it’s going. There’s more and more rad things to do and people are really latching onto it and making it their own.

    Provo City Guide and coloring page

    Many of the residents here are, as you might expect, part of the LDS community and with that comes a lot of unique living patterns. For example, LDS people don’t drink alcohol so the preferred vice of choice is soda and sweets. Thus, a thriving soda and sweets scene is prevalent. Never heard of such a thing? Neither had I! But the NY Times caught hold of it when a lawsuit went down between two competing soda places. Food for thought. Pun absolutely intended.

    Here we go!

    Where to eat in Provo, Utah

    Warning: there’s a LOT of pizza choices. Mostly because they are the best ones and not necessarily because I only love pizza though of course I do. I’m only human.

    Lars’ Short List

    1. Communal is perhaps the only restaurant in the area where you’d go for a really nice meal. There aren’t too many options for a date night that’s not cafeteria style and this one is nice for the farm-to-table aspect. I find that they have a very stable menu, which means that we don’t go too often because it often feels like there’s not too much change. Their chicken is delicious. 
    2. Black Sheep a fun spot for Native American/Mexican/Southwestern fushion. They’re known Navajo tacos but personally I love their hog jowl tacos and buffalo nickel burger best. Get their cactus pear lemonade for the whole table.
    3. Station 22 is a great place to bring out-of-towners because of the historic feel. It’s a Southern-inspired cuisine and the decor reflects that. They’ve got a large selection of old-fashioned sodas, in true Provo fashion.
    4. Slab. I love Slab SO much. A “slab” is basically two pieces of pizza put together. I LOVE the rosemary potato bacon. I get it every time, but they have so many options that I should try.
    5. Pizzeria 712. YUM! I adore their starters–you basically can’t go wrong with any of them! And all of their pizzas
    6. Cafe Rio is a popular Utah chain but there’s a reason for it. Two words: pork salad. But that said, I love their tacos because their tortillas are *chef’s kiss*.
    7. Ginger’s Garden Cafe is located in Springville, just south of Provo. It’s right by our studio. It’s all healthy and good. Delicious smoothies. Plus, afterwards, you can take a yoga class.
    8. Aubergine Kitchen. A delicious healthy option!
    9. Owl Bar and Foundry Grill at Sundance. You can’t beat a trip up to Sundance, just 20 minutes outside of Provo in beautiful Provo Canyon.
    10. Slate Restaurant is located inside the Marriott Hotel. While the ambiance isn’t the coziest, it’s one of the best kept secrets of Provo’s dining scene.
    11. Seven Brothers burgers is my fave burger joint.

    Other Yummy Eats

    • Bombay House. It’s not my favorite Indian in the world, but most people around town think it’s the best. 
    • Bistro Provenance is a new restaurant from the same group that does the best restaurants in town. I’m excited to try it for a nicer meal!
    • Treehouse Room at Sundance for a fancier meal.
    • Brasas. Yummy Mexican. Plus, they let you try everything before you buy it.
    • Kolaches. A Czech pastry that come in savory or sweet. There’s always a line and they go until they sell out so go early! 
    • JDawgs: Delicious, loclaly-owned hot dogs! You must get the sauce on top.
    • Art City Trolley. Restaurant inside the iconic Springville trolley. 
    • Guru’s 
    • Cubby’s. I love their tri-tip salad.
    • 180 Tacos 
    • Bam Bam’s BBQ. Their sauce is the best! I’m a brisket girl myself.
    • Waffle Love. Delicious waffles!
    • Don Joaquin’s Street Tacos. Cheap and good Mexican.
    • Pogo. A lot of readers mentioned Pogo and I haven’t tried it yet!
    • Block Restaurant. Another farm to table restaurant.

    Treats to eat in Provo, Utah

    • Provo Bakery. Fun local vibe. And good news, They take custom orders!
    • Taste. It’s a new chocolate tasting shop. The interiors alone are worth the visit. It’s reminiscent of European cafes.
    • Hokulia Shave Ice
    • Rockwell Creamery. Homemade ice cream. Try the mint chocolate chip (REAL mint!).
    • Sweet Tooth Fairy. Yummy everything.
    • Startup’s Candy factory. Utah is the land of chocolate covered cinnamon bears. They make theirs in milk AND dark chocolate. Open to the public.
    • BYU Shop us a local tradition for candy and sweets. There’s also the Creamery on 9th for ice cream, but if I’m being honest, It’s not my favorite.
    • Brooker’s Ice Cream. Ice creamery in the style of the founding fathers. Again, not my top favorite but fun for kids.
    • Crumbl Cookie and Chip Cookies. You can’t go wrong with either.

    Drinks (the non-alcoholic kind 😉

    • Swig/Sodalicious. I’m not much of a soda fan (or anything with syrup) but locals love them. Which one is better? I have no idea. Try one of each and make the choice yourself.
    • Ivie Juice Bar

    Things to do in Provo, Utah

    The ones with an asterisk are also kid friendly.

    • Sundance.* I always take visitors to Sundance. It’s cozy and beautiful. They have zip lines, ski lift rides, skiing. Plus a number of workshops and classes. It’s beautiful.
    • Sunriver Gardens. My favorite nursery in the area. Lovely plant collection and setting and fun gift shop. They even have workshops and such.
    • Liminal. One of the newest shops in Provo. Has a great collection of plants in the back room and great gifts up in the front. Make sure to take a photo in front of their adorable mural!
    • Velour. Provo has a surprising number of successful bands that have made it big and they typically start here.
    • Provo farmer’s market.* Every Saturday in Pioneer Park.
    • Hiking.* Provo Canyon, Rock Canyon, Squaw Peak. Well, everywhere really.
    • BYU MOA. I interned there in college! Great exhibitions and collection.
    • Harmony classes. The best local craft classes. 
    • Springville Museum of Art. This is the site of my very first internship. I made the museum newsletter. It was my first exposure to InDesign.
    • Gem Studio and The Wick Lab
    • Riverwoods. If you need some retail therapy.
    • Color Festival in Spanish Fork.
    • Utah Lake (rent at outdoors unlimited)
    • Crandall Printing Museum: printing press
    • Provo City Center temple* is brand new and beautiful. Lovely for a walk around. It used to be the old Provo Tabernacle and was burned down in 2011 and recently completed as an LDS temple. 
    • Provo temple.* The older 60s temple. A peaceful walk around or Provo City Center temple in downtown Provo.
    • BYU campus. There’s even a slide in the Wilkinson center BYU Store.

    Things to do in Provo, Utah with kids

    Now that I have kids I see just how necessary this list is.

    • Classic Fun Center.* You know I’m all about the skating. Here’s where to go.
    • Stadium of Fire:* Biggest 4th of July celebration in existence. At least it feels like it. It’s so closet to my house it’s a little too close for comfort.
    • Thanksgiving Point:* Visit for tulip season!
    • Movies in the park* (rock canyon) 
    • Quarry Climbing. To be honest, I have NO experience with this. Ha! But maybe you’d like it.*
    • Provo Beach Resort. It’s the closest thing we have to California. There’s also an arcade inside.
    • BYU Bean Museum is a free museum where we take our two kids all the time. It’s great!
    • Float the provo river*

    Best Shops in Provo, Utah

    • Harmony. Great collection of artisanal fabrics, yarn, and gifts. Best ribbon collection in all the land!
    • Heirloom has a beautifully curated collection of children’s books, antique jewerly, and original art. I go there when I need a unique gift.
    • Pioneer Book. A local legend!
    • Liminal. Has a great collection of plants in the back and cute gifts in the front. Make sure to take a pic in front of the adorable mural in the front.
    • Actual Source. Minimal design book shop and graphic design agency.
    • Foxglove. Best local floral shop with fun gifts. 
    • Pioneer Books. Fun used book shop environment.
    • Blickenstaff’s. Beautiful toy shop when I feel want to feel like an Pinterest mom.
    • Soel Boutique. Gifts for baby and mama. 
    • DI Provo. If you’re into thrifting! It’s organized by color!
    • Brambles and Blossoms. Beautiful gardening and home goods shop. 
    • SOS Drug Co. in Springville. Old-fashioned soda shop
    • Cat’s Cradle antiques shop. WONDERFUL antiques shop. The owner goes all over the world to collect. Not cheap.
    • Asian Market 23 N 500 W. This is Paul’s favorite grocery store.
    • BYU Museum of Art Store
    • Planted Earth in Orem has a great collection of plants and antiques in an old home.

    Best Hotels in Provo, Utah

    There aren’t too many hotel situations in Provo. You have to go outside a bit for something really scenic and pretty.

    • Airbnb
    • Washington School House Hotel. Ok, it’s not near Provo much, but it’s beautiful! Located in Park City.
    • Sundance
    • Marriott
    • Hyatt Provo is the newest hotel downtown and is the best choice for the cost.

    Provo guide and coloring page

    DOWNLOAD the Provo coloring page here. 

    What would you add to this guide to Provo, Utah?

    Stay tuned, I’ll be doing more city guides including nearby Utah cities like Salt Lake and Park City.

    Don’t miss our Guide to Colorful Walls in Utah Valley and Salt Lake 

    Photos by Anna Killian 

    Palm Springs Style You Can’t Miss

    Brittany
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    Palm Springs Style You Can’t Miss

    The city really took off after the 1940s when the Golden Age actors of Hollywood wanted a retreat from the growing sprawl of Los Angeles. With all of that wealth coming to town, architects came along with it. William Krisel and John Porter Clark and Arthur Frey and Jack Meiselman and so many more created masterpieces and tract houses alike in this town. While you and I probably can’t commission the architecture gods to build us new homes, we can take cues from their style! It’s also a very real possibility to snag one of the homes for yourself if you’re in the market.

    John Porter Clark home. The sky is bright blue, the house is modern and flat-roofed and brilliant white, and the foreground is beige gravelAlbert Frey home made of glass and steel tucked into the plants and rocks of Palm SpringsA white and black Jack Meiselman Home at sunset. Palm trees sway in the background, and the front yard is xeriscaped.

    Color Reigns

    The look of Palm Springs is one of openness and ease, minimalism with playful twists. With the pervasive sun and expansive sky, most of the homes in the area are painted white but you’ll be hard pressed to find a neutral-colored door. Pastels and neons reign! Hooray! There is this random house that isn’t one of the rat pack mansions or anything, but it has become famous because of #thatpinkdoor. A few cans of paint is all it takes for you to bring this Palm Springs styling tip home with ya! 

    Vertical image of a modern white home with a pink door, agave plants, and structural landscaping

    Don’t Forget to Look Up

    If you go visit Palm Springs, odds are you’ll be so busy looking at all of the fabulous architecture that you might not notice the sky. Who am I kidding – it’s huge and bluer than you’ve ever seen it before. You can’t miss it. The architects who polished this corner of desert into a gem certainly didn’t! It’s almost as if they designed with the sky as the centerpiece. Check out this picture from my good friend Frank’s house. Architect E. Stewart Williams wasn’t messing around – he was showcasing the skies. My favorite Palm Springs houses have windows that are higher than I’m used to seeing. They also have cantilevered sections and skylights. This stunning photograph of the Sunnylands Estate, AKA “Camp David of the West” shows how important the sky is to the design of the property. By the way, Obama and Xi Jinping hung out here a few years back. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me! 

    Image of a house with a huge blue sky, topiary-style trees, modern flat roof, and a pink ramp leading into a flat blue pond.

    Geometric Ease

    Okay, thanks for humoring me while I ranted about the sky for a bit. A huge part of the appeal of Palm Springs is its ease. I just look at pictures and feel relaxed. The design is simple to understand; it’s all about straight lines and symmetry. I love this photo of a room at Twin Palms – the sunburnt orange color is definitely an homage to the earth tones outside. I love that color as a headboard! The symmetry of the room is so precise and uncomplicated that it looks good from every angle. Imagine having a wall of matching prints of identical size behind you for zoom calls! The exteriors of Desert Modernist homes tend to have breeze block and hardy plants that are almost impossible to kill. What’s not to love about that? 

    If you’re looking to add some freshness to your space, try channeling the vibe of Palm Springs! Its simple color scheme, sky-inspired design, and linear geometry create such a feeling of comfort and relaxation. That’s exactly what I want right now!!

    Shop Palm Springs-Inspired Decor

    Shop Palm Springs-Inspired Fashion

    Palm Springs-Inspired Accessories

    Looking for more style guides? Don’t forget to check out our In the Mood For series! We’ve found fashion, home decor, and accessories inspired by Frida Kahlo, Josef Albers, The Queen’s Gambit, Andy Warhol, Alma Thomas, Monet, Wes Anderson, The Royal Wedding Anniversary, Jane Austen’s Emma, Iris Apfel, Little Women, Alexander Girard, Anne of Green Gables, and Hamilton.

    Image sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

    Provo Mural Guide: A Lars Tour

    Brittany
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    Provo Mural Guide: A Lars Tour

    Why Murals?

    Murals have been around forever but have seen an unprecedented bout of popularity since the rise of Instagram. They can be incredibly simple, like The Pink Wall of Los Angeles fame. They can also be intricate and heavily patterned. I’d be crazy not to include our murals in a Provo mural guide! The House That Lars Built team has actually painted two pieces around the town already! In 2016, I teamed up with Dove Chocolate and painted one of their classic foil-phrases behind an antique shop: What are you waiting for? The brilliant letter-artist Jill DeHaan helped design the scripting and whatnot. I had the hardest time selecting colors, but am really pleased with how it turned out. It feels wonder-full. 

    Our “what are you waiting for” mural is located behind Block 100 Antiques (145 N University Ave) in Downtown Provo.

    Another mural painted by the Lars team is our geometric color wall! Everything we do is about color. You can see why in our video Hue Are You? Asking a person what their favorite color is might be a silly question, but as a person who is crazy about color, it means a lot to me! The wall we painted is a tribute to color, and our geometric patterning was designed to the let hues shine. This mural of ours is located on the west side of 111 W 600 S.

    The Provo Mural Guide 

    Of course, our murals are not the only ones in town. I love seeing all of the art contributed to my community by fabulous artists, and I’ve narrowed down the list to some of my favorite murals. If you ever come to town, visit the murals! It’s like a community museum with the sky as the roof. 

    Colorful Provo Mural

    Located at 27 100 W

    Image source

    CHOM Mural

    Painted on the side of the tasty burger joint CHOM, this mural is allll about line play. The wall is broken up into three segments; one has a white, rolling line wandering along a black background. Another section has a circle segmented by an invisible line. The invisible line cues a color change! 

    Image source

    Color Block Wall

    Located on the north side of 150 S 100 W

    Image source

    Maeser Park Wall Mural

    This lovely work is featured prominently in a local park, and the quasi-primary color scheme reminds me of fun childhood years. I love how the artist used a familiar color scheme, but altered the colors just enough to hold my attention. Located at 600 S 500 E.

    Image source

    “This is our home” Mural

    Located at 111 W 600 S Provo, UT.

    Image source

    Leuven Provo Bike Mural

    With its hot pink hue and white lettering and bicycle, this wall painting makes me smile and remember days when a bike was my only way around town! I still love ‘em, and am happy that Provo has its own delightful bike culture. This mural is tucked back behind FoxGlove Flowers and Rent-A-Center near 470 W Center Street in Provo.

    Image source

    Musicians Mural

    I love funky illustration, and these musicians are definitely feelin’ it! The proportions are silly, the colors simplified, and each person has a unique identity and emotion. I could look at this one and giggle for quite some time. This one is a must-see on any Provo mural guide. Located on the east side of June Audio, located at 39 W 200 N

    Image source

    Shapes Mural

    From a design standpoint, this mural speaks to me! It’s fairly simple, but the shapes are organic and brightly colored. The color scheme is consistent throughout, but no shapes near each other have the same hue. It creates a lively vibe as my eyes hop from one shape to the next!

    Image source

    Fish Kiss Mural

    I think I could do something similar to this mural! If you’re looking for some DIY inspo, check out the mural on the side of the Fish Kiss spa. The round bubble shapes present a casual riff on polka dots. Love it. 

    Image source

    One Time in Provo

    I figured I’d wrap up my Provo mural guide with a piece painted in the city’s unofficial town square. Part of why I love this one is the varied script – the cursive is simple yet elegant, and reminds me of a storybook. The big punchy block letters stand out and remind me of my excitement just to be here!  

    Image source

    Take a Walk

    No matter where you live, take a long walk around town and look for art. While art in your community might not be as obvious as a gigantic mural, I hope you’ll find some wonderful secret spots in the town you call home. 

    And if you are local to Provo or Salt Lake City and want to visit even more colorful walls, check out our full guide here!

    How to make your own mural

    Want an art installation with big impact but minimal clean up? Our oversized paper-chain mural is the perfect choice when you don’t want something permanent!

    Draw your own mural! We made this one in our old studio that doubled as a massive coloring page anyone could help color in! Just tape up some large white paper and go to town.

    Or for another great temporary option, learn how we made a sticky note mural here! Yes you read that right, a mural made completely out of sticky notes.

    Click here to see our process for painting a lemon mural in our office! We also added a dainty wall mural to Jasper’s nursery when he was first born. We are big fans of going all out for a real mural, indoors or outdoors. Don’t worry! You can always paint over it one day.

     

     

    Paris-Inspired Design: A Bastille Day Bash

    Brittany
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    Paris-Inspired Design: A Bastille Day Bash

    How to visit Paris without leaving home

    Bastille Day is akin to the USA’s Independence Day in that it marks an important historical turn towards democracy. The bastille building itself was an armory that citizens of Paris stormed and set political prisoners free on July 14, 1789. Modernly, people celebrate in different ways all over the country! My favorite tradition takes place each year in the gardens of the President’s residence, the Palais de l’Elysee. The President hosts a picnic!! Isn’t that amazing? Take your own trip to France tomorrow by celebrating Bastille Day!

    Cue the inspiration for my Bastille Day celebration: I’m throwing myself a picnic. Make your picnic simple and clever with these printable placemats!

    Our Paris cake toppers from illustrator Jessie Kenelos Weiner, author of Paris in Stride are available for FREE! Download your own and make breakfast extra sweet tomorrow morning. Plus, you can count this as tomorrow’s homeschool geography lesson 😉

    How to celebrate like a Parisienne

    Lars girls love garden parties and all things French, so this particular celebration is downright delightful. I whole-heartedly suggest you decorate with some adorable France printables, as they are an easy way to play with the stylish theme: Paris-inspired design. Take color cues from there! The tricolore of red, white, and blue is simple and classic – just like French design. Don your best Breton striped top (blue and white of course), chic trousers/skirt, and a pop of color in the form of red lipstick. Stay up late and light off fireworks to celebrate the end of the day. 

    Print off our Paris crown and invitation suite here for your next party. Whether you are celebrating Bastille Day, a garden party, a birthday party, or anything else – this party is sure to be tres chic.

    How to decorate and dress like a Parisienne

    I can’t write about Paris without mentioning how much I adore the style and design identity of this city. With each encounter, I feel creatively inspired. You got your first taste of this with our tips on how to recreate the iconic style of Monet’s French home. And everyone knows Paris has the best fashion. They even have a best baby’s clothes! As I figured when I visited while pregnant with Jasper. Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks for incorporating Paris-inspired design in your home and wardrobe. 

    1. Don’t overdo it

    You’ve probably heard this quote from Coco Chanel: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take at least one thing off.” I’m pretty sure she is talking about accessories here…  Still, the advice stands – Paris-inspired design/fashion tends to be somewhat minimal. The pieces themselves can be extravagant and ornate, but use a light hand when decorating and accessorizing. 

    2. Mix the classic with the eclectic

    Part of what makes Paris so magical is its history. There’s just so much that has happened in that ancient city, and all of it feels magical. Select pieces that reflect the growth of the city! Ornate mirrors and crown moldings look fantastic juxtaposed with chic European modernism. Picture a chunky strand of gems or pearls atop a simple black suit jacket. Or fabulous shoes beneath a pair of pleated shorts. Invest in a few significant Paris-inspired pieces, then really showcase them. 

    3. Embrace romance

    The feel of Paris is really worth celebrating and if you’ve been, you know that feeling is one of romance. It’s almost as if some city official found a way to transform Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose into a scent and then pipe it through every vent in the city. If you’ll take a moment to recall the romantic moments of your life, I’m sure you’ll discover what I have: it’s all about the details. The same idea goes for creating a romantic feel for a space or look! Pick one romantic touch, like long-stemmed candles, your grandmother’s hand-embroidered pillows, ornate frames surrounding photographs from memories you love, sheer curtains, or a touch of crystal. Little details like these can make even the coldest rooms come alive. 

    Paris-inspired Decor

     

    France-inspired art prints to hang on your walls

    We firmly believe anyone can pull off a beret, and this print from Monica Dorazewski agrees! Or for a more subtle reference to the city of love, transport your self to the Palais-Royal with this Stripes is Rhythm print from Jaqueline Diedam.

    Fill your home with the art of French artist Julie Marabelle. We carry some of her stunning papercut art in the Lars Print Shop and they have added a touch of a French garden to my bedroom. You can read more about her life in France here.

    Other fun French items

    Everything you need for Paris-inspired design filling your home. If you are planning a trip to France, our favorite guides are Paris in Stride which you can read more about here. As well as Paris by Design by my good friend Eva Jorgensen. You can also find our guide to small shops in Paris here. As well as our itinerary from our last visit to France, here!

     

    Enjoy! 

    A Lars Girl in Mexico City: Travel Inspired Design and Fashion

    Brittany
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    A Lars Girl in Mexico City: Travel Inspired Design and Fashion

    Mexico City definitely is at the top of my list of favorite trips. Truly, it is a place of dreams. The gigantic, bustling city is home to almost 9 million residents, and the feel of the city is indescribable. I’m trying to teleport there using fashion and interior design; I’ll let you know if it works!

    I visited Mexico City a couple of years ago with friends Nadia Coates of Casa Palomi, Meta Coleman and Chaunte Vaughn. (You can find Chaunte’s work in our print shop here! And some of Meta’s curated home picks here.) We went to visit Abby Low, whose work is also in our print shop! Abby’s book This is Mexico City is full of the color, print, and culture that inspired today’s post.

    I am imagining what A Lars Girl would wear if her wardrobe was inspired by Mexico City. And what her home might look like. After getting a feel for some of the amazing sites in our Mexico City guide here, explore the links below for A Lars Girl top picks for fashion and decor.

    Mexico City Inspired Fashion

     

    Accessories

     

    Read more about this amazing place

    La Ciudad

    Ciudad de México is an ancient city. Long before the land was called Mexico, the Aztec civilization built impressive temples and monuments in the middle of what was then a lake. Due to Spanish imperial efforts, much of the ancient city was destroyed or buried beneath new buildings. Modern renovation projects have done a beautiful job of peeling back the layers, allowing the city to truly shine. Though its past isn’t pretty, a beautiful way of life and a unique design sense has developed literally out of the ruins. Now a modern and very cosmopolitan place, Mexico City is a truly fascinating spot. 

    La Mezcla

    Old-world European architecture meets older ancient architecture, and all of it fits into an amazing modern place. When I think of Mexican design, I tend to think of folk art and textiles brim with life! Bright colors are used on funky patterns. But when I think of Mexico City, complex stylistic ideas with refined elements come to mind. Once there, you’ll know what I mean. If you’re looking to steal the style, try designing with Old World tastes, then decorate with clean-lined modern elements that allow ornate intricacies to shine. Conversely, try designing in a contemporary, clean design, then add some flair with natural or folk elements. To see this mezcla (mix) work in real life, check out pictures of the Museo de Artes Popular! Its architectural style is stunningly simple art deco, while the works within it are traditional and FUN! 

    The residents of this city know how amazing it is, but most are happy to share the place they call home. I became friends with my cabbie and the local barista pretty quickly, and they clued me into the real neighborhood spots. Only true locals know the local spots. So, make some friends and get exploring! While you’re there, or even if you’re just lazing around the house, bring a dash of la Ciudad de Mexico into your life! See our shopping list above and below for clothing items and home decor that we think make the mark.

    Mexico City Inspired Interior Design

    Artwork

    Decor

     

     

    New York Cake Topper

    Brittany
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    New York Cake Topper

    New York Cake Topper and Confetti

    We love all the components of this cake topper. It really is the essence of New York on a cake! You could also make cupcakes and top each one with a different New York scene.

    Materials: 

    Instructions:

    1. Print out the templates on heavy-duty white card stock.
    2. Cut out shapes using scissors.
    3. For the cake topper, place a bamboo skewer in the middle of the back side of each NY shape and adhere with hot glue.
    4. Stick each NY shape into the cake and artfully assemble.
    5. Decorate the table with some confetti and your cake and celebrate!

    Make sure you snag this book to plan for your next NY trip! Tag us with #larsmakes so we can see all of your New York creations!

    Copenhagen city guide

    Brittany
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    4
    Copenhagen city guide

    I’ve been wanting to share my favorite Copenhagen tips for years now and I don’t know how it’s taken 9 years to do so. Wait, yes, I do! Consider it one of those “never a tourist in your own city” moments, meaning, I experienced it all, just never wrote it all down in one concise list. Well, thanks for your patience! I’ve received numerous emails over the years asking for my recommendations and I’ve given them out, but I always thought that I needed an extra “oomph” to get it out into the world. That extra oomph was our recent trip to Denmark visiting family and revisiting some of my favorite haunts. Guess what? They still hold up! And they’re amazing.

    If you’re planning a trip to Denmark, here’s what you MUST do:

    Continue

    Mexico City Guide

    Brittany
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    0
    Mexico City Guide

    Growing up in Southern California, Mexican food was a staple and Spanish was second nature. I had briefly visited Mexico back when you didn’t need a passport, but I’m embarrassed to say that I really didn’t know much about the thriving culture that is Mexico. I mean, I wasn’t hiding under a rock and I knew and had witnessed many aspects, but until you live it and see it at its best, it’s really tough to comprehend how thriving a culture really is.

    Abby Clawson Low, a designer whose work I’ve admired for ages, moved to Mexico City a few years ago and documented her adventures (you can check out her Instagram here and here) and I couldn’t help but gawk at every image. She revealed a side to it that I didn’t knew existed. She brought it to life! She recently released a book about it called This is Mexico City and it inspired me to finally make a visit just in time for her book signing. Along with former Mexico City resident and Utah Valley tamale maker expert, Nadia Coates of Casa Palomi, and my good friends Meta Coleman and Chaunte Vaughn, we hit up Mexico City with two babies and lived to tell about it.

    I call our experience an “Ode to Barragan” because the focus of our trip was discovering the work of Luis Barragan. I am forever changed!

    Here’s what to see, what to eat, and what to do in Mexico City! Lars approved!

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    Lars’ Must Sees in New York City

    Brittany
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    Lars’ Must Sees in New York City

    New YorkI had the opportunity to go to New York last month for work and lucky for me, I got to go back for round two this past weekend! New York is one of my favorite places in the world and I will never pass up an opportunity to explore the big apple. Baby J accompanied me on both trips, and though it slowed my usual pace, there’s nothing sweeter than seeing faces light up once a baby is around. It can melt even the crustiest of hearts (see my story below!). I felt so empowered to find that I could still visit my favorite places with a baby.

    You may be thinking: “Brittany, how do you get around New York of all places with a BABY?” Well, thanks to Uber, we were able to navigate the city seamlessly. It can be done! And today I’m giving you a rundown of my favorite shops, restaurants, and sights of New York so you can start planning your own trip. And whether you have a baby, traveling solo, or a whole gang of girls, Uber’s new On-Time Pickups Guarantee is sure to make your trip stress-free.

    New York

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    Our France itinerary

    Brittany
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    Our France itinerary

    It’s been a few weeks since our trip to France and as we’ve been cooking on all 4 cylinders since, what with the One Room Challenge and all of our holiday content, not to mention some upcoming big projects (stay tuned!), but I’ve now hunkered down to share our itinerary because if you ever get to the chance to plan a trip to France I’d highly recommend so many things that we did. They took my breath away. I mean, look at my face here! That’s the look of pure joy (and it’s all staged because we’re pulled off to the side of the road 😉 )  Because we were there for a wedding, it took us to a part of the country that I’ve always wanted to go to but hadn’t prioritized yet. It was a life-long dream really.

    Instead of creating a comprehensive Paris guide, I’m just noting a few bucket list items that may or may not be the Eiffel Tower. You can find those in all tour books. These are worth it, but not mentioned as often. Here we go!

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    The installations of Chateau Chaumont

    Brittany
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    The installations of Chateau Chaumont

    LES PIERRES ET LE PRINTEMPSI just got back from the most glorious trip to France (actually sitting in the airport on our last leg now!) for 10 days and I can’t tell you how many miracles happened to make it such a particularly memorable experience. Well, miracles combined with a lot of poor customer service, but that’s par for the course, I suppose. I hope you were able to follow along on Instagram and Instastories because I did a lot of documenting. A lot. But don’t worry, I’ll be more thorough here on the blog. Lucky you 😉

    Flower Power festival at chateau ChaumontI wanted to start with one of the most magical experiences of the trip: Chateau Chaumont. We went to France to attend the wedding of Paul’s brother who lives in Denmark and got married to a lovely lady from the Loire region. I had done a ton of research on which chateaux to visit as we’d have a car for the first portion of our trip thanks to our friends at AutoEurope so we planned a road trip for the days prior to the wedding staring out in Brittany and Normandy and then working our way down. I knew we’d have a bit of sight-seeing time around the wedding celebrations, but, like all travel schedules, time is way more limited than you think it’s going to be–gah! The day of the wedding was one such example. We had about two hours to go do something before we had to get ready for the town hall wedding in Onzain. Instead of the chateaux I had researched, I looked on the map and noticed one just across the river–because that’s what happens when you are in chateau-land–chateaux just appear out of nowhere. We popped over and what do you know? There’s a Flower Power Festival. You can imagine my excitement. 

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    Las Vegas City Guide

    Brittany
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    Las Vegas City Guide

    Illustrated Downtown Las Vegas City map

    I grew up visiting Las Vegas WAY more than I ever wanted to. Being from Southern California, it was always a practical pit stop on our way to other destinations. Admittedly, it’s a welcome sight after miles of thirsty desert, and for a child it’s a fantastical Disneyland of sorts. But you get into walking the strip and realize, “hey wait a minute, there’s something odd about this city of neon lights and magic shows” (alas, it may have something to do with the hundreds of naked girl fliers being passed out by men flicking them in their hands). After an unfortunate experience with my family involving not reserving a hotel for the night and ending up at a trucker motel in North Vegas and finding a surprise in the bathroom (hint: it’s not what a 10 year old should be seeing and no, it was not a dead body), I swore off Sin City. 

    However, since moving to Utah it has since become the closest destination with some sort of entertainment component and I LOVE staying in hotels so we’ve been discovering the city more and more and you know what? There is WAY more than meets the eye. I recently met illustrator Abbie Paulhus who introduced me to the lesser-known and totally rad side of Las Vegas and today she’s sharing her favorite spots along with this beautifully illustrated map.

    I’m so excited to get to share about this because I’m so passionate about people seeing that there’s more to Vegas than just the strip and “sin city”. Here are my favorite spots in the arts district of Downtown Las Vegas:

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