Kirsty Stone, the Brentwood-based founder and designer of fine jewelry brand Retrouvaí, developed a love and appreciation for her chosen profession at an early age. The Toronto-born talent grew up with one grandmother who worked for a costume house and the Hudson’s Bay Company department stores, and another who was a collector of semi-precious gemstones. “The name Retrouvaí is drawn from the French word retrouvailles—a term that captures the joy of rediscovering something precious from one’s past,” says Stone of the line, which launched in 2015 and is produced in downtown LA. “I design through a lens of nostalgia and reverence for the stories we carry.” Her life as a mother of three young girls undoubtedly serves as a major influence on her work, which is known for its quirky, playful style and bold colors—often incorporating enamel and gorgeous faceted stones—and has been worn by the likes of Taylor Swift, Halle Berry and Olivia Wilde. She also seeks inspiration from her adopted hometown—most recently designing a new collection, Bond, that speaks to the struggles of the LA fires. “It’s about finding beauty in things that have been broken and put back together,” says Stone of the pieces, which incorporate flowers as a representation of life, and pays tribute to kintsugi—the art of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer, “making them arguably even more beautiful than the original.” Here, a few of Stone’s favorite local places. retrouvai.com
“Located in the courtyard of the Country Mart, Frida Tacos is easy and casual, and one of our go-to last-minute meals. It’s not fussy—just good chicken tacos.” 225 E. 26th St., #14; 310-395-9666; fridatacosla.com
“The Brentwood Farmers’ Market is a family Sunday morning ritual. If we’re in town, I go to the market pretty much rain or shine! Our kids love it too.” 741 S. Gretna Green Way; rawinspiration.org
“We enjoy taking guests to the Getty Center. I highly recommend the garden for children to run freely.” 1200 Getty Center Dr.; 310-440-7300; getty.edu
“I really love having Capitol in our neighborhood. The salespeople are the best and the curation is spot on.” 225 26th St., #38A; 424-268-4641; shop-capitol.com
“We are at Farmshop several times a week! The breakfast is great and it’s practically a community center.” 225 26th St., #25; 310-566-2400; farmshopca.com
“I hesitate to share because I don't want him to become unavailable, but Santi the tailor at the Fitting Room gets it right every time!” 11740 San Vicente Blvd., #112; 310-826-6664
“I don't drink coffee, and Alfred Coffee is one of the only shops with a decent tea selection. I recommend the white coconut and the hibiscus lemongrass.” 11908 San Vicente Blvd.; 310-340-0094; alfred.la