it’s time for another installment of fab finds — my recurring feature on all things fancy and fun, stylish and special, delicious and delightful! today i wanted to zero in on in a handful of VERY random things i love that happen to be local (within 20 minutes, anyway…) to me! if you’re semi-local as well, you are in luck. 🙂 take advantage of these wonderful things and thank me later! if you have a few more miles between you and soCal, i have to say the weather is fine and isn’t it about time you took a little vacation??

1) rA organic spa – burbank, ca

fab find #1 is a spot i’ve wanted to blog about for AGES. since discovering this discreet little oasis in downtown burbank, i have been altogether enchanted by it and proudly deem it my favorite spa in soCal. coming from me (a spa connoisseur, if you will… lol), that says a lot. i’ve been to all the ritzy and sprawling marble-clad spots you’ve heard of, as well as the humble (but still fab!!) korean day spas downtown. rA stands out to me because of three key factors: unique and calming atmosphere, excellent treatments and terrific customer service. rA is quite unassuming from the outside, and you could easily miss it if you were driving by. but once you step into the welcome lobby you are transported to an asian-inspired haven. you could never guess the size of the property from the outside — this place is quite large!! there are a variety of relaxation rooms, a sauna, private and group treatment rooms, and wonderful restrooms and shower facilities. everything is pristine, beautiful and pleasing to the senses. i’ve had two massages and two facials there in the past few months and all four treatments were sublime. if you are going for a massage, i highly recommend deep tissue or hot stone treatment with pa — she is insane!!! check out rA on a tuesday or thursday with a buddy, and each of you get $20 off your one hour treatments! OR, treat yourself to two treatments on a tues/thurs and you get $20 off one of them. everyone deserves a little blissful relaxation; enjoy!!

2) le grand orange café – pasadena, ca

photo by alen lin … who, interestingly enough, was an old friend of mine at cal! hi alen! 🙂

i have to thank michael & emi (of evoke photography) for introducting me to fab find #2. we recently joined them on a double-date at this cute little spot near old town and had a wonderful evening! we dined on the charming outdoor patio and enjoyed tasty bites like seared ahi and short rib tacos (my order — INCREDIBLY good with their homemade corn tortillas and guac!). erik ordered the burger (he judges most new restaurants by the quality of their burger, if they serve one) and deemed it delish. can’t wait for another visit! check out LGO on a monday or a tuesday night, when you can buy one entrée and get the 2nd for just $5! fantastic!

3) milt & edie’s dry cleaners – burbank, ca

yes, i’m actually blogging about my dry cleaners. 🙂 i absolutely love my fab neighborhood spot. you will NEVER receive better service at a dry cleaners. there is always an attentive host or hostess to greet you and summon an assistant to take your clothing. they are open 24/7. they can dry clean within two hours for no extra charge. they have free local pickup and delivery. they always have fresh coffee, freshly popped popcorn, cookies and other snacks available…gratis! they send me $10-off coupons when i don’t go in for a while, and another certificate for my birthday. they have 7 tailors on staff, 7 days a week, for instant alterations. they are eco-friendly! they repair buttons (secure or replace) and any seams for free…without asking! they just check for those things as part of their cleaning process! i seriously have nothing but praise for them. if you are even somewhat nearby, you need to check them out. love ’em! (p.s. since they are so close to all the studios, they do a lot of celebrity clothing and costuming. one time i picked up a jacket and the host asked if it was part of prince’s wardrobe. he wasn’t joking. i took that as a mega compliment. lol. will definitely debut THE jacket — an insane flea market find — when the weather allows!)

to round this post out, here are 3 more random “fab finds” that i recently picked up for myself. i actually had some gift cards to use up, so it was like Christmas in august!

jeanne by lanvin – my favorite perfume of the moment. fruity & feminine. notes include blackberry, peony, pear, citrus, freesia and amber.

kooba “jenny” bag in this yummy lime patent leather. i got it on sale at saks (score!) and i love everything about it: the asymmetrical front flap, funky geometric shape, silver grommets and hardware, side gussets and adjustable strap. it’s big enough for me to stash my old school ibook g4 inside, too!

my perfect converse. i love to live in chucks, and this quirky color combo is so so ME. if i were to customize my own pair, i’d probably pick just this trio of colors! cinder, raspberry and yellow. i had to search all over soCal to get a pair in my size, but am now contemplating buying 2 or 3 additional pairs because i know i’ll be heartbroken when i wear these puppies out. haha that’s justifiable, right??

that’s all for now! many more fun fab finds in the queue. 🙂 i’d love to hear my readers share one of their favorite “fab finds” with me. clue me in on something tasty, convenient, relaxing, or otherwise altogether delightful!

xoxo, angel