Last night was one of the those nights that made this blog worth it.

Joining Kelly Wearstler in her Beverly Hills home for an intimate dinner with a handful of other bloggies is something that I had honestly never even dreamed of. To me, Kelly was an unattainable force that only existed in glossy interior design books.

I became fascinated with her work in the early 2000’s as I sipped mojitos lounging in a bungalow by the pool at the Avalon Hotel. I was so taken by the vibe that I did something I had never done before, I researched the decorator the second I got home.

In my research I discovered a striking woman named Kelly Wearstler who was a fearless interior designer and to many a fashion icon. I continued to follow her work, studied her every detail and began to approach interior design with a new sense of “Wearstlerism.”

Walking into her well known foyer last night was surreal (I mean, the hand painted mural has been the background on my blackberry for the last year). “If only this furniture could talk,” I thought.

We were greeted with watermelon cocktails which we all quickly downed – the intimidation anxiety was understandably high.

Kelly walked in, a tiny little thing with beachy hair which hung perfectly over her kick ass motorcycle jacket. Her laid-back style, which put us all at ease, against the backdrop of her museum like home was such a great juxtaposition. Editorial, really.

Also quite editorial was the performance of her favorite band (which included her two sons, ages 7 and 8), The Negotiators. Set in yet another sumptuous room they rocked out and charmed our gaggle of bloggas like pros.

We moved into her grand dining room. Chandelier dim, table perfectly set. As we gabbed and ate a meal I wish I could order time and time again Kelly made her way around the table with a genuine interest in each and every girl present.

I nervously waited for her to make her way over recounting the list of pertinent questions I had including, “who does your hair color?”

Talking to someone you truly admire can go one of two ways: it can be a terrible disappointment or it can reaffirm your dreams and fill you with inspiration. I was relieved that meeting Kelly was the latter.

She was so chill and so cool. A loving mother who works her ass off doing what she loves each and everyday. She does what it takes whether that be working out at 5am so she can drive her boys to school an hour away, getting desk-side manicures and haircuts or giving up weekends so she can work on launching her new clothing line.

It was her vibe, her life and I learned a great deal from her tireless approach. It’s rare to have the opportunity to meet one of your icons and for this experience I feel truly fortunate.

A special thank you to Kelly, Karen and Kendra! XO

Photo: art-dept