It was the afternoon of October 26th — I had just finished riding my horse, lost in daydreams about the home I’m manifesting — when I happened to glance at my phone. There it was: an email from my dear friend Brandon, Director of Food & Beverage at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica.
He wrote,
“We’re preparing FIG Restaurant for our wine dinner on November 3rd, hosting 35 guests under the theme ‘Under the Tuscan Moon & California Stars.’ Could you please assist with creating floral designs and centerpieces that capture this ambiance — warm, elegant, and evocative of both Tuscany and California?”
I smiled instantly. The Fairmont is one of my favorite hotels — it’s where I’ll be launching part of my Flower Energy book tour this March with High Tea experiences — so to be invited to design for an evening hosted by Salvatore Ferragamo felt like divine timing.
And that’s when it hit me… how full circle life can be.
The Pretty Woman Moment
When I was 21 years old, I was dating someone from Canada. I had never even been to Rodeo Drive. We started that day with champagne at the Beverly Wilshire — the Pretty Woman hotel — and wandered into Salvatore Ferragamo.
I remember seeing the most beautiful pair of lavender shoes with wooden heels. I didn’t know the brand, I didn’t know fashion — I just knew they were magical. My boyfriend looked at me and said, “Try them on.”
When I slipped them on, it felt like Cinderella’s glass slipper — perfect. He looked at me and said, “We’ll take them.”
At that moment, I didn’t know how either of us would afford rent, but that feeling — of wearing something that made me feel powerful, elegant, and alive — never left me.
From Rodeo Drive to Fairmont
Fast forward to my late twenties — I became one of the top florists on Rodeo Drive, designing for Roberto Cavalli, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, Valentino, and more. Eventually, I shifted my focus to something even deeper — flowers as medicine. But I’ve always carried my love for designers, not because of the price tag, but because of their courage to create something that didn’t exist before.
That same creative fire is in me today — designing floral collections, wallpapers, China lines, and soon launching on QVC. And now, here I am — about to design for Salvatore Ferragamo himself, at one of my most cherished hotels, under the stars of Santa Monica.
A Message to My Younger Self
In a visualization once, my life coach asked me to picture myself at 45 meeting my 20-year-old self.
I asked, “How did you get here?”
She smiled and said, “Follow your heart.”
It’s true — following your heart isn’t always easy. You’ll have to let go of people you love, take leaps of faith, ride the rollercoaster of highs and lows. But through it all, keep your gas tank full, your wings open, and your heart centered on gratitude.
Because one day, you’ll look up — and realize you’re living everything you once dreamed of, under your own Tuscan Moon and California Stars.
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