Lisa Hallett Taylor

Lisa Hallett Taylor

Somewhat Less Than 101 Random Things About Me

1. I'm a first-generation Californian.

2. My mother was born in Washington, D.C.

3. My father was born at home in a town with no name in Oklahoma.

4. I was born about 30 miles from Los Angeles.

5. I remember the smell of oranges from the orange groves in my hometown.

6. They chopped down those trees to make room for tract homes and strip malls.

7. I feel a wave of nostalgia everytime I smell orange blossoms.

8. I loved to dance.

9. Still do.

10. Growing up, I wanted to be a writer and artist.

11. Still do.

12. People say I have wanderlust and can have my bags packed in minutes.

13. I have yet to visit all those places on my mental list.

14. I love walking in and exploring big cities.

15. I'm fascinated by architecture, particularly old buildings.

16. They like to tear down "old" buildings in Los Angeles.

17. The city is constantly reinventing itself.

18. Now I live near the ocean.

19. Rewinding a few years back, I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a BA in Art.

20 . I minored in Art History.

21. Looking at art and architecture from the beginning of time 'til about the mid-20th Century is a spiritual experience for me.

22. I also wrote arts and entertainment articles for the college newspaper.

23. My jobs fresh out of college: production artist, radio station copywriter and phone answerer.

24. Theater and film critic for a daily newspaper.

25. Evening reporter for the paper's police desk.

26. The aforementioned and weekend entertainment editor and real estate editor and community news writer.

27. Publications editor/writer for KCET (PBS) LA.

28. West Coast Reporter for Soap Opera Digest.

30. Freelance writer for Los Angeles Times, Emmy, Westways, among others.

31. Freelance copyeditor for a book publisher.

32. Co-author with my husband of How to Draw Cars Like a Pro.

33. I am married and have two children.

34. Collector and dealer of Midcentury antiques/collectibles.

35. Got a certificate in Antique and Fine Arts Appraisal at UC Irvine.

36. Longtime (since childhood) gardener.

37. Re-did front yard last year to make it drought-tolerant and used California-friendly plants and landscaping.

38. Realized I wanted to design other people's gardens.

39. Presently working on my certification in Landscape Design and Horticulture.

40. I love testing out new plants.

41. Also combining editorial background to write about landscaping and plants.

43. I've gotten back to my "roots" and combined my skills and interests.

44. I'm interested in the environmental issues that affect landscape design.

45. My goal is to help people realize their involvement in saving the earth literally begins at home.

46. I practice organic gardening, don't use pesticides or commercial fertilizers, and economize on watering.

46. Trying to grow my own herbs, vegetables and fruits (I have a banana tree that produced fruit last year).

47. Hope to encourage wildlife and beneficial insects through plant selection and landscape design.

48. I love movies.

49. Also music, like rock, blues, and jazz.

50. I'm a trivia buff.