In this image (but mostly in my mind) I am doing my best to channel the admirable Wes Anderson.
Hello! I am Lisa Martinez founder of lark and creator of well styled dinner parties, marketplaces and guerrilla larks here in Southern California.
There is an intersection of reasons I started lark, but at its core is a desire to recreate an experience that āfed my soulā.
It can only be described as good fortune to have been exposed to a truly collaborative and creative environment-in the world of Still Photography-where I felt whole, connected, and began to see beauty in everything.
Through much thought, writing and rewriting of business plans and endless conversations (anyone who might listen) I figured out a way to recreate this experience and share with others.
With lark, I (we) invite everyone to step into a “photograph”āwhere you can be yourself, enjoy a glass of wine, be inspired by your surroundings and, best of all, partake in the rediscovered art of conversation.
Modern. Organic. Inspirational. Social Dining. Come on a lark with us!
Next lark 7/25/19 in the gorgeous garden of The SOUL Project in Laguna Beach!
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Thursday, July 25, 2019 6:30pm-9:30pm $125. per person, all-inclusive four course meal & wine pairing by the talented Chef Kyle Powers Purchase Tickets*: Let’s Go On A Lark! *Non-refundable/absolutely transferable
Because it’s always about the people you meet along the way! Meet the inspirational Tera Stephens, Founder of TReSs Apothecary in Lido Marina Village, who has graciously open the doors to her vibrant-yet minimalist-shop to lark! Pull up a chair, we invite you to come along through our fun questions & answer session!
Q. Where do you call home?
A. Iāve lived in Huntington Beach for my whole life!!
Q. When did you decide to open your own business? What factors came into play?
A. I opened TReSs after working as a stylist for 17 years. For the last few years I had this growing feeling that my clients deserved and would appreciate a greater attention to detail that was missing in most salons and that led me to opening my own!
Q. Was the minimalist vibe what you had in mind OR did this come about organically?
A. I have a very busy brain so keeping my space minimal is key to keeping my anxiety low! I started a Pinterest board that I shared with my architect and we worked together in creating the vibe of the space.
Q. We noticed the fireplaces in the shop…do you know the history of the space? Was it once someone’s home?
A. Lido Marina Village was built in the 40ās and were originally custom homes. In the late 60ās or early 70ās they began to convert to retail, office and restaurant. We were the first lease signed under the new development of LMV and were lucky to keep our fireplace. I believe we have the only working, original fireplaces in the Village!
Q. The vibe in the shop is so positive, do you a work style/management philosophy?
A. ABSOLUTELY!!! I believe in treating our team like family and that has created a culture of mutual respect and care for each other. The benefit of our culture is that our clients feel the good vibes and that makes them love to hang out with us! Itās all good for business!
Q. We know your taste + love for beauty and style is expansive, have you always played in this arena?
A. I have loved beautiful things since I was a little girl! Some of my favorite possessions were handmade original garments from my grandmas and aunts who sewed and crocheted!
Q. What is your favorite food experience?
A. Iāll never forget my husband and I celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary at the French Laundry. It was a bit of a stretch financially at the time but something I had dreamt of for as long as I could remember. It felt a bit old and stuffy for us at first, we were babies, but our server found our rhythm and every dish was spectacular. Our dinner lasted over 5 hours!!!
Q. What is your favorite question to ask someone?
A. What was the best thing that happened to you today? My kids know I will ask them every single day!!!
Q. What does Summer Solstice mean to you?
A. Summer has always meant freedom for me and the Solstice, being the longest day of the year, is the kick off to my favorite season!
Q. Who or what currently inspires you?
A. My team at the salon inspire me; they are fun, talented, fresh, innovative, smart and adorable. They make me want to work hard for them!
What to know and see more? Join us Friday 6/21/19 to welcome the first day of summer with cocktails + mingling leading up to a delicious chef crafted four course meal & wine pairingā¦all while partaking in the rediscovered art of conversation, tickets and details available on our landing page: www.larkartisanmarket.com
On Thursday, May 30, 2019 we enjoyed a most gregarious lark at the design haven of @mcgeeandco in East Side Costa Mesa! Here gathered around the communal table to disconnect + reconnect over a chef crafted meal, delicious wine & the subtle art of conversation.
The Master of Makeshift, Chef Kyle Powers, rocked the menu once again – and the McGee gals came through with some serious style.
We are super thankful to all the beautiful people who came together to create such a memorable & adventurous evening @mcgee&co @mrforky @forkintheroadcatering @theurbanspring @lunareececeramics @emweber @dperlof @kaileeinthekitchen @mb.maher @amenahdesigns + @theflowerstand.
Our next lark finds us greeting the first day of summer, Friday 6/21/19, by taking in salty air + beautiful surroundings at the gorgeous waterfront retreat of @tressapothecary in Newport Beach.
Modern. Organic. Inspirational. Social Dining. Come on a lark with us!
Image credit to photographer, foodie, conversationalist: MB.Maher.com
It’s really about the people you meet along the way. Thrilled to share a little insight from our conversation with Julietta Sipprelle + Nicole Sayers, the fun, generous, and enthusiastic owners, of Poetry of Hair in San Clemente, who invited us to set our communal table their swanky bricked walled shop for a super fun lark with friends old & new.
Q. What is your idea of a great day?
J: Living in the moment where ever and whomever Iām with.
N: 6:00 am Hot Yoga or running, 10:00 am go on a hike with a friend, 12:00pm grab some lunch, 1:00pm hit the beach, 6:00pm dinner and drinks with friends
Q. Is the name Poetry of Hair derived from anything special?
J: Nic and I wanted to bring Poetry into our salon with inspiring words for ourselves and our clients. We created a poetry wall while personally designing our salon, these poems inspired our name.
N: Yesā¦I love literature and Poetry and we wanted to use Poems, quotes, etcā¦to inspire our clients. We have a black board that we change often with great quotes.
Q. What is your greatest extravagance?
J: Captain Jacks yearly on my birthday, āBest Crab Legs Ever!ā
N: Dining out,
Q. What do you most love about San Clemente?
J: My clients who I consider my friends and family.
N: The laid back atmosphere, the beauty all around me that I soak in everyday, the people, the climate and the style.
Q. Do you cook?
J: I attempt, oh my poor daughter growing up. I prefer to bake. Love a good bread pudding.
N: Yes all the time. Iām pretty good at it too!
Q. What is your favorite food?
J: Crab Legs and butter!
N: Tacos!
Q. What is your most memorable dining experience?
J: Flying first class and dinning on the stunning coast of Cinque Terre Italy. Truly amazing!
N: Iāve had many amazing ones, but probably Si SeƱor in Punta De Mita Punta De Mita, I love the food, drinks and the view is insane!
Q. Which talent would you most like to have?
J: To sing like my grandmother, and play guitar!
N: To be able to fly.
Q. What question do you love to ask people?
J: What do you do? Do you love it? Itās inspiring to hear so many people love what they do when they really think about it.
N: How have they conquered the road to success?
Q. What is your most marked characteristic?
J: Making people beautiful. Through style, words, or just a smile.
A fast + fun way to get our creative juices flowing, uplift each other and thank our collaborators. Oh, and sometimes, taste some wine! Thanks to @winc for introducing us to “Folly of the Beast” Pinot Noir – it is definitely one of our our favs!
Super thankful to @kathryncolbyphotography for not only capturing the vibe, but for bringing all her good energy + ideas to our playful gathering.
We loved meeting Angie Boyd creator of @lupthelabel who shared with us her latest design, LOVE! Don’t be surprised if you find us wearing these gorgeous threads on a future lark!
Create + Collaborate + Elevate
This lark took place at the swanky (+ super accommodating) Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach, California
Because, when on a lark, fashion +food go hand in hand. We are thrilled to share this bit of Q+A with the inspiring Isabella Davidson, owner of Kindred Boutique in the seaside town of San Clemente; where we will kick off lark #46 with delicious food, wine & conversation on Friday 5/3/19!
Q. What is your idea of a perfect outfit?
A. The perfectĀ outfitĀ is something you are comfortable and confident in.Ā
Q. What, when outfitting oneself, do people consistently overlook?
A. Having fun with it!!! Your outfit reflects your personality, so let it shine!
Q. Fashion school or apprenticeship?
A. I believe education is important, but being coachable and having experience is more valuable.
Q. Do you cook?
A. I LOVE cooking, it’s therapeutic for me and allows me to disconnect and turn my mind off.
Q. What is your favorite food?
A. Pizza is my weakness, but i also love anything spicy.
Q. What is your most memorable dining experience?
A. My most memorable dining experience are my family trips to Mexico. Sharing laughs and delicious food together will always be some of my favorite memories.
Q. If you could dine with anyone dead or alive, who would that be and what would you wear?
A. Anthony Bourdain hands down. I would wear something loose and comfortable because we would be drinking and eating until we were sick.
Q. Which talent would you most like to have?
A. I wish I could communicate with “spirits” or that I was a backup dancer.
Q. What question do you love to ask people?
A. Where’s your next travel destination?
Q. What is your most marked characteristic?
A. I’m bitesize.
Q. Who or what currently inspires you?
A. My business inspires and encourages me to always give my best, and pushes me to do things even if they make me uncomfortable.
Q. What is your motto?
A.”You are the carrier of the light inside of you” &Ā “IfĀ youĀ wantĀ something you have never had,Ā youĀ mustĀ beĀ willing toĀ do something you have never done.”
Friday, February 22, 2019–We were thrilled to lark with husband & wife team Cecilia + Bryce Cole, co-founders of the locally loved Coast Modern in Seal Beach, whose highly intentional lives project the high impact of their design experience from graphics to textiles to architecture.
We are thankful to all our friends, old and new, who came a little closer to share an an amazing chef crafted meal, wine pairing & conversation! The warmth of the space filled our bellies and our hearts.
Meet husband and wife Cecilia + Bryce Cole, co-founders of the locally loved Coast Modern in Seal Beach, whose highly intentional lives project the high impact of their design experience from graphics to textiles to architecture.
Q.. How do you know each other?
A. We met while Bryce was designing a menās clothing line and I worked for the agent who was handling the manufacturing.
Q. What is good design to you?
A. Good design is pleasing to the eye, functions well while being simple and in some cases elevates your consciousness.
Q. What is better living to you?
A. Everyday of our life we are dependent on products, systems and structures that were designed and created by someone, those designs when good, make our life better, good design can improve the quality of our life, that is why we say āGood design for better livingā.
Q. Why the name Coast Modern?
A. We both love architecture, we would go to architectural tours often and even lent our home for one many years ago. We also had the pleasure of seeing and meeting Julius Shulman a few times and saw many architectural documentaries, Coast Modern is one of them and we thought the name made sense being two blocks from the beach and represented our passion for mid century art, architecture and design.
A. Our first date. We went for a drink while waiting for a table and realized more than an hour later that we had forgotten we were waiting for a table or that we were hungry. We have been together ever since.
Q. What is your most prized possession?
A. We are grateful for our home and the furniture we have been able to collect. Yet, the memories of our time together, traveling, doing home projects while listening to music, watching our son grow up and turn into an adult we are very proud of. Those memories and the time we get to spend together and with the people we love are priceless.
Q. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A. Traveling.
Q. What is your greatest extravagance?
A. I think for myself (Cecilia) my extravagance is shopping at the Farmerās Market in Orange, the kombucha bread is phenomenal, though not economical and the cheese is addictive, the celery looks like a flower arrangement and the rest of the fresh produce are just as lovely. Bryce seems to never have enough mechanical pencils and notebooks.
Q. If you could change one thing about how people approach design what would it be?
A. āClear accounts, long friendshipsā though, Bryce says I use the āFā word the most, ha ha ha !!
Q. What do you hope to accomplish in life?
A. Be of contribution to others and if we can make a difference in the world, it will make us very happy.
Q. What is your motto?
A. Be kind to others and be kind to yourself too.
We are thrilled to have Coast Modern open their doors to our next communal dinner party with the talented Chef Kyle Powers!
Their Mid-Century Modern vibe at their Coast Modern home is intimate, well curated, and with its smart use-of -space, warmly reminds us of our favorite meals enjoyed in the cozy restaurants of Japan.
Join us as we gather to partake in cocktails and mingling leading up to a chef crafted menu + wine pairing….. all while enjoying {the rediscovered art} of conversation.
Come on a lark with us on Friday February 22, 2019! Tickets $125 per person includes good vibes, four course meal + wine pairing curated by Chef Kyle Powers.
Friday, January 25, 2019. Lark #44 Where Fashion Culture meets Food Culture, the photos say it all. We had the most amazing time on a lark at the super hip fashion house of Costa Cabana in East Side Costa Mesa enjoying the tropical vibe, food, drinks + {the lost art of} conversation.
Here we collaborated “hand in hand” with the talented and passionate chefs of L.A.’s rctngl {the shape of a table} who shared their version of “Asia meets L.A.” delicious Kamayan experience; where we all enjoyed eating with our hands!
We are grateful to all the beautiful people who gathered to make this a memorable & magical evening. Special thanks to Chef Andrew Marco+ Chef Ralph Hsiao of @rctngl, Lauren Flores of @costacabana, @stylingbyjo, @lunareeceramics, @frenchbuckets, @housebeer, @theurbanspring, @maysonhauck, Daniel Perlof and our forever curious + adventurous guests!
Menu crafted by @rctngl:
INATOG/corn, calamansi butter, palapa, red onion, cilantro
LECHE FLAN/creme caramel, raspberry, Japanese shiso, caramel shards
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Modern. Organic. Inspirational. Social Dining. Come on a lark with us! Next up, 2/22/19 at Coast Modern in Seal Beach with the talented + self-taught Chef Kyle Powers.
Photo credit to our favorite foodie + conversationalist MBMaher.com