CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: With Jen Garcia from People magazine at a Kate Spade dinner at Sunset Tower Hotel. On set with our cover star, Rachel Zoe, and one of my favorite photographers, Brian Bowen Smith. Celebrating Top Chef’s Gail Simmons’s book launch at Red Medicine.

	At a Kate Spade dinner at Sunset Tower Hotel with stylist Caley Lawson and actress Ahna O’Reill

Lately I have been obsessed with vision boards. In my office, in my home—wherever I can—I create a collage of the most exciting, appealing, and interesting images (and sometimes articles and quotes) I come across. But recently, my vision boards seem to run out of room almost immediately, and I’m constantly having to take one thing down to accommodate something new. I hate trading one source of inspiration for another, so I have been having daydreams of creating an entire wall made of corkboard—a massive ode to creativity that would fill the space from floor to ceiling. I can’t think of anything more satisfying than being totally surrounded by inspiration.

I often feel like my job is one giant inspiration board. As we put together each issue, I keep the pages of this magazine posted on a wall in my office so I can see how it is evolving and coming together. As it does, beautiful layouts replace the white pages we put up as placeholders, and I become newly excited about the promise of the magazine we’re creating. There is so much to be inspired by in this city, and I think we cover a good chunk of it with every Los Angeles Confidential.

Take this issue, for instance: We have a glorious fashion feature set against the breathtaking and acoustically perfect Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by the legendary Frank Gehry. The combination of high style and high design works seamlessly in this stunning story. We also profile cutting-edge photographer and filmmaker Alex Prager, whose eerie creations are so beautiful and haunting, you literally won’t be able to turn away. Additionally, we write about one of my favorite restaurants, The Tasting Kitchen in Venice—each time I dine there, I am blown away by how inventive and delicious the dishes are. And who wouldn’t be inspired by our lovely cover star, Rachel Zoe? Her evolution from a world-class stylist to an incomparable brand is nothing if not awe-inducing (I feel tired just thinking about a day in her fabulous life).

Ultimately, I hope every issue we put out serves as inspiration for you—our readers—giving you countless reasons to be excited about and influenced by our incredible city. And maybe, just maybe, if we do a really good job, you will even tear out a few pages for your own vision board.

SARI ANNE TUSCHMAN

Follow me on Twitter at @sarituschmanLA