Time present and time past. We travel to Los Angeles and spend a weekend away with our latest Aje Insider, Senior Visual Designer Ashton Eramya.
In town shooting the Cruise 20 Capsule Collection, come behind the scenes on our recent escapade as we explore his favourite haunts in the City of Angels. Captured in West Hollywood by good friend Julia Homard.
Ashton Eramya
Senior Visual Designer
I admit, although I don’t really want to, I am an LA cliché.
The Moon Juice drinking, Verve Coffee lounging, window shopping down Melrose kind of LA cliché. You’re most likely to find me by the pool and in the sun downtown at The Standard or eating plates of pasta at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood.
Hollyweird – there is nowhere like it. What seems as though one of the most unsettling places in the world still seems to carry a sense of nostalgia that makes you think of home.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
I like to believe I am a professional tourist – one who’s yet to master the art of packing. A 6am arrival at LAX is not ideal when all you dream of is a shower and cup of coffee. After doing a quick bag drop at the concierge, an immediate trip to Moon Juice for a bottle of ‘Goodness Greens’ is crucial – not a preference for flavour but the best decision for the benefits of regaining your daily iron allowance which helps boost energy, muscle and brain function. Suddenly, a text message appears, you have been granted an early check in to your hotel room. I throw myself onto the bed and allow some time to read over emails when before I know it, I’ve had an hour-long nap.
RISE AND SHINE
My preferred wake up time is 6am but it is all dependant on the night before – did I say I was going to have an early night or did I end up on the dance floor until 2am? Breakfast usually happens out of the hotel room because of my longing for barista made coffee. Wherever you end up in LA, make sure there is good coffee on your doorstep. In West Hollywood, my favourite spots are Alfred, Verve, Blue Bottle Coffee and the Coffee Commissary.
After a trek through the neighbourhood, I’ll quickly shower and begin my 12-step face routine. Wash, cleanse, exfoliate, tone, mask, serums, moisturise, eye cream, eyebrows, body, mist (only if necessary) and scent.
WORKING NINE TO FIVE
Let’s talk about our Cruise Capsule... Ultimately, the final result of all of the work we produce is the reason we do what we do. When even thinking about working on a shoot offshore there are so many factors you must think about. The first is obviously selecting and reaching out to your creative team. Next, model castings – it goes from packages to rates to digi’s. Selecting a face over the computer gets a little tricky when you’re unable to see your selected model in person.
Now, the logistics of the entire production is where it can get messy. We are lucky enough to have a showroom in LA meaning shipment of samples is quite simple when you have base on a different territory.
Fast forward to shoot day and everything is a breeze. The sun is shinning over Beverly Hills and we have the best crew on set including the beautiful Eliza Rutson who fronts the Cruise 20 Capsule Collection.
LET'S GET PHYSICAL
I’m quite an adaptable personality. I find myself in a constant battle around doing everything but exercising. This in mind, when in the environment of a workout, I do exactly that. A hike through Runyon Canyon Park watching the sunrise over the city is such a beautiful moment in itself. A slight contradiction to my usual mantra. For those, like me, who will do anything to avoid the gym I highly recommend this kind of exercise – scenic and picturesque.
WINE AND DINE
Dining alfresco is my favourite pastime, always in good company. It’s the simplest things. Escuela Taqueira for Mexican, Cecconi’s and Jon & Vinny’s for Italian and CATCH for seafood. When in town my guilty pleasure eateries are Sweet Chick and In-N-Out.
BEAUTY RITUALS
Lately I’ve been fixated on Drunk Elephant’s ‘C-Firma Day Serum’ and ‘C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream’ both of which I picked up from Mecca Cosmetica in Paddington. When visiting LA, I make sure to pick up all the good things I need to stock up on before boarding.
In town, Violet Grey is one of my favourite stores to visit. Tatcha’s ‘Dewy Skin Face Mist’ and La Mer’s ‘The Treatment Lotion Hydrating Mask’ are both incredible in the air.
I have an obsession with Saje Natural Wellness and all of the amazing essential oils they produce. Their ‘Peppermint Halo’, ‘Fortify’ and Tranquillity’ roll-ons are perfect additions to any beauty bag. For scents, Le Labo’s ode to the city of angel’s ‘Musc 25’ is the obvious winner for hot summer nights.
A trip to LA is never complete without a visit to Glossier. My shopping list is usually filled with repeat offenders and new commodities I’ve yet to experiment with including ‘Boy Brow’ in brown and clear, ‘Milky Jelly Cleanser’, ‘Priming Moisturiser Rich’, ‘Balm Dotcom Trio’ in mango, coconut and berry, ‘Brow Flick’ in brown, and the ‘Body Hero Duo’.
READING, WATCHING, LISTENING TO
I’m currently reading James Franco’s ‘Palo Alto’ and André Aciman’s ‘Call Me by Your Name’ for the fifth time. I can’t seem to ever find myself finishing either of these books but always returning back to them.
Coincidentally, I’ve just finished watching the second season of ‘You’ on Netflix which found the storyline taking the lead to Los Angeles.
Music... what aren’t I listening to? At the moment my rotation looks like Kaytranada’s ‘Bubba’, Summer Walker’s ‘Over It’ and Lana Del Rey’s ‘Norman F**king Rockwell’ all whilst eagerly waiting for Grimes’ ‘Miss Anthropocene’ to drop next month.
Aje Insider : Ashton Eramya
Photographer : Julia Homard
Shot in Los Angeles, USA
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