Giving It Your Best Guest

Image via Coastal Living

This summer has moved pretty quickly. How we reached the middle of August already is rather maddening. Once again, Venice is suffering a non-summer, with too many gray days and temperatures that barely crack the 70s. I suppose I sound a little bitter, what with so much of America enduring blistering heat, but one look at my pale legs would tell you all you need to know. I'm in desperate need of some sun.

Sunshine comes in more ways than one. My favorite way is from friends. I was fortunate enough to have two sunny, mini vacations when dear friends, Christina Bilan and our beloved Miss Jenn, came for visits.

Christina stopped by near the end of June for four days. She came right after I transitioned jobs and was juggling an additional three clients. I was in dire need of a break, and her visit made me feel as if I was on holiday. We had no plan, no list of things to do. All we had to do was be. And so we woke when we felt like it, ate when we were hungry, we rarely looked at a clock.

Her first day in, we power-walked down to the beach and through the canals. Then we walked to the French Market Café for brunch, splitting a vegetarian sandwich, which is heaven on bread. After our meal, we wandered up and down Abbot Kinney, where I found an amazing little black dress at Sunya Currie, and I introduced Christina to my old friend, Sofia, at Kamofie. (Yes, *that* Kamofie.) We walked ourselves home and decided to order dinner in; not wanting to admit we had worn ourselves out.

Our view at Gladstone's

The next day, we did Malibu. Lunch at Gladstone's, then a walk around Lake Shrine Temple, which is one of the most magical places in Los Angeles. Tranquil doesn't even begin to describe it. Christina's friend, ended up being free for dinner, so we met him further up Pacific Coast Highway at Duke's where the waves were high and white and beautiful.

Her last day, we ventured East and to The Grove to our haunt, LA Farm. We wandered the shops, toyed with the idea of going up West 3rd, but decided to venture back to Venice. We walked down to the Mexican restaurant a few blocks from my home for some margaritas. The food was incredible, but I think we (or perhaps just me) overdid it a little on the chips.

I couldn't thank Christina enough for bringing the vacation to me.

Earlier this month, Miss Jenn came in for a quick stay. With merely 21 hours to spend together, we made the most of it. I picked her up at LAX after work, donning my new black dress, ready for whatever she wanted to do. She was elegantly carrying only a red vanity bag for her luggage. Très chic, was she.

We spent the evening chatting over Thai food and homemade martinis (well, she had one, I had two), and stayed up well past our bedtime. I stayed quiet as she slept in. After making ourselves presentable, we headed over to the French Market Café for lattes and croissants, then over to her doctor's appointment.

Image via UrbanSpoon

The appointment ran long. Now we both know to remind them she has a plane to catch. We thought we'd have time for a quick lunch across the street, but needed to make our way to the airport. Seeing we had a few minutes to spare, we popped into a Bristol Farms for a quick bite and a little more face-to-face time.

I love having friends come to stay, and only wish I had a room like the one at the top of this post to give them. I don't. They end up sleeping in my living room, which I happily turn into a guest suite. The sofa is to remain flipped out into a bed to make afternoon naps a breeze. It is their room entirely, and they should feel free to keep it as messy or tidy as they'd like. The hallway doorway becomes a clothes rack, because my coat closet is embarrassingly full. While I might lack some of the amenities, there is always 24-hour room service available.

Prepping for guests is part of the fun. Grocery shopping, house cleaning -- what normally are chores become a fun excursion. While I always clean my guest linens after friends depart, I launder them again before a new guest arrives. I think we can all say there is a difference between "clean" sheets and those that are "fresh".

My place is a little on the smaller side, and there's no counter in my bathroom (pedestal sinks are charming, but sometimes a girl needs a place to put her stuff). I make sure to clear space for friends and to let them know where to comfortably put their things, and to feel free to make even more room for themselves if needed. My place is yours. Make yourself at home.

I live on a busy intersection, so my home is not a quiet one. However, I was pleased that both Christina and Jenn said they slept deeply and well. I'm not sure if that was the spell of being on vacation, or if the cotton ball doused with a few drops of lavender oil hidden under the sofa was the helper.

A bit of advice I'd like to share with hosts is to keep digestive enzymes and ginger ale (I prefer Hansen's made with cane sugar and not high fructose corn syrup, and it's available in half-cans, which make them even more perfect), because, no matter how health conscious you may be, you will go off your diet and indulge. Even when those indulgences are on the more health conscious side, stomachaches will ensue.

I can't wait for their next visits, and for other friends to stop by. It's such a treat to find adventure in doing as little as possible while still making the most of every moment. The only plan we need to make is to simply have fun.