Jamie's gorgeous dahlia and heirloom tomato arrangements at the entry of Bell Street Farms in Los Alamos, CA

Adesso Creative Director Liberty and I were supposed to be on-site for a two-day photo shoot in the Santa Ynez Valley on Monday and Tuesday.  We also had some brand brainstorming and the need to start designing the Fall 2012 collection on our plates.  So, we decided to head up to the area on Sunday to enjoy a change of scenery for our work.  The weather was gorgeous and perfectly autumnal (before the onset of rain we have been experiencing the past two days) and some fresh air always is a good thing!

We gathered up our sketchbooks, inspiration boards, colored pencils and boxes of Fall materials, which amounted to an approximately 75 pound suitcase that we lugged around the Valley and never opened!!!  We love The Presidio Motel in Santa Barbara and decided to try out their sister motel, The Hamlet Inn, in Solvang.  It was a great choice!  The rooms were spotless (a major bonus in my book) and wonderfully designed in a simple Danish modern style.  After a delicious dinner at Full of Life Flatbread, we eased into our work by reading up on the latest fashion and home decor magazines, chatted about our vision for Adesso and, as laughing seems to be an integral part of our process, we watched awkwardly funny shorts on Hulu.com, called “7 minutes in Heaven with Mike O’Brien”.

Views from The Hamlet Inn in Solvang where we stayed for our brainstorming retreat and photo shoot with Merryl Brown Events

In the end, Day One of our gypsy caravan photo shoot with Merryl Brown Events was postponed until 5 pm on Monday.  Liberty and I headed over to the Antique Depot Mall for some inspiration and Bell Street Farm Eatery & Market in Los Alamos. After finding two perfect chairs for my family room, we set up shop at Bell Street and had an incredibly productive work day. We brainstormed about the brand and sketched out a great outline for the Fall 2012 collection all while enjoying owner Jamie Gluck’s amazing food and hospitality!  Can we come work with you every Monday, Jamie?

One of the two new chairs I bought to re-upholster for my family room at the Antique Depot Mall in Los Alamos

Half a rotisserie chicken with a perfectly dressed green salad, pickled green beans, cucumbers and corn, house cured olives and peanut butter pie at Bell Street Farm Eatery & Market...Liberty and I were in heaven!

Bell Street Farm's owner Jamie Gluck pays us a visit on his beautiful back patio

A glass of Folkways' "Revelator" after a Fall 2012 sketching session and a marketing meeting! We love our "office" at Bell Street and are obsessed with Jamie's logo!

We then were off to an incredible photo shoot, which you will be hearing more about in the weeks to come!

Just a reminder that sometimes a change of scenery (and some beautiful scenery at that) is just what the doctor ordered to get the creative juices flowing…