Happy First Day of Spring! Lili Cuzor knows a thing or two about Spring. She’s an artist and flowers are her chosen medium. Her verdant stylings have been seen on the pages of Vogue, in cool florist pop-ups around Los Angeles, on her beautiful blog, and now in The Box at The Standard, Hollywood. Joined by her friends and partners-in-crime, Claire Cottrell and Lauren Spencer King, Lili’s installation will transform The Box into a hanging kokedama garden. Lauren will help the lobby to bloom further with her beautiful floral renderings. And as for Claire, The Standard, Hollywood will showcase one of her original films and she’ll be curating a pop-up, called Book Stand, which features collections of books about plants, L.A.-based artist Ben Medansky's ceramics, Alexis Smart's floral remedies and many more one-of-a-kind items. As an added bonus, Book Stand will also be hosting events, tastings, book signings, and workshops all month long!
As the ring leader of this magical trio, we asked Lili to help us celebrate the First Day of Spring by telling us her favorite things about the season:
Cardoon - these are growing all over the hills on the east side where I live and secret fields that I like to forage in. They are majestic with their giant silvery-green leaves and purple flowers and add a touch of whimsical-meets-tropical. Some consider them (edible) weeds but I consider them star-players. Keep your eyes out for them!
Lupine - this purple wildflower is growing all along the hills too! I like to cut them at the very bottom of the stem and if you place them in a nice well-lit spot and give them plenty of fresh water they will even grow a little more for you!
Pineapple sage - this herb rules! Not only does it produce brilliant red flowers that look like clusters of butterfly wings but it actually does smell + taste like pineapple! I usually make anyone who visits my garden close their eyes and crush a leaf and inhale; they are always so surprised. Even better, throw 4-5 leaves of pineapple sage + 1/2 a bananna + 1 orange (cut rind off) + 1 pear + some carrot top greens + ice + water and blend well--you'll have a fantastically tropical tasting smoothie the color of cool pistachios and so super good for you. Go and plant some of this in your garden/box/pots! Trust!
Wilder Quarterly - I collect the issues to read and re-read them. It provides a steady source of inspiration, wonderful DIYs, photographs that make me want to grab my camera and go! Simply put: a stellar collection of imagery + writings that are well read, insightful and pertaining to things that I am interested in (even if I didn't know I was interested in them before I picked up the magazine). It allows me to geek out to plants + flowers. Spring issue is on it's way---> keep your eyes open for it!
Blooming Jasmine - I can always tell that Spring is here when I wake up one fine morning and it seems as if all the Jasmine exploded-blossomed overnight! This is so glorious. I walk by this fence in my neighborhood that during this jasmine-explosion time literally turns into a white fluffy flower wall that snakes along the sidewalk, gracefully so. It awakens a nostalgia in me too for past summers (even though it blossoms in Spring) and is such a kind reminder that the warmer weather and longer nights are soon to be had. Their scent is intoxicating. Their delicate white flowers so elegant.
Lili Cuzor’s installation in collaboration with Claire Cottrell and Lauren Spencer King, entitled Plants: Our Silent Guardians, will be on display in The Box and lobby of The Standard, Hollywood through the end of April. An opening reception will be held Thursday, March 21 at 7pm at The Standard, Hollywood.
