Oh, Hello Friend

On a trip to Los Angeles a few weeks ago I had the chance to stop by the new storefront for Oh, Hello Friend. I have been a huge fan of her blog for a few years now, and her online store is one of my go-to spots, so as soon as I heard she was opening a retail location I knew I had to check it out. As it turns out, the shop was only ten minutes away from where I was staying! An opportunity that couldn't be passed up.

As expected, the shop is everything charming and inviting. Beautiful vignettes line the shelves featuring beautiful pieces from her own line as well as a selection of curated items from other artists and craftsmen. Gorgeous. The difficult part was narrowing it down!

As I look back at my purchases, I see a theme emerging. Office supplies! I'm trying to make my cubicle feel more like home so I've been working on collecting more natural materials to contrast the metal/plastic I've currently got going on. This translated nicely to pretty wooden magnets and a charming cat tape dispenser (that I've actually been eyeing online for ages). I am kind of smitten with that pencil too.

One thing I don't think I could have left the store without was some new washi tape. The shop boasts a whimsical collection of prints and a deal for purchasing three. You know I couldn't resist those polka dots.

In the Los Angeles/Fullerton area? Check it out! From housewares to stationary to a beautiful selection of jewelry, Oh, Hello Friend has something for everyone. An aptly named shop, you couldn't ask for a friendlier atmosphere. Danni and her husband have created a wonderful space, definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

Half and Half Tea Express

Last weekend I had the chance to take a short vacation to California. While much of that is a story for another day I did want to kick off the week with some of the best boba tea I've ever had. When I knew that I was going to be in the Rowland Heights area of Los Angeles I knew I had to give Half and Half Tea Express a shot, especially after reading Joy's review. The tea didn't disappoint.

Upon walking in the shop you are greeted with some seriously cute decor. They have a garden and natural wood theme going and it works. The menu itself is simple, note the ten options on the board, but those options are well worth the lack of variety. After spending a few minutes agonizing over my choice I decided to go with the caramel pudding (that I knew I would enjoy) and the taro pudding (which I wasn't too sure about).

Not surprisingly the caramel was delicious. The honey boba was the perfect compliment to the sweet caramel pudding and I can think of few things that go together better than milk tea and caramel. Unexpectedly, the taro pudding was the stand-out favorite of the morning. The taro had an almost nutty quality, reminiscent of toasted sesame. With the swwet milk tea and honey boba it was the perfect pair. This is definitely somewhere I would return to the next time I'm in California.

Have you found any unexpected gems while traveling lately?