Courtesy of Esqueleto.
Published as part of LA Weekly’s Best of L.A. issue 2017
For Angelenos who want to sample the creative wares of the Bay Area without the annoyingly long drive, Echo Park's Esqueleto offers a wide array of handmade jewelry, household goods and original artwork by Oakland artisans. Shop owner and jewelry designer Lauren Wolf's light-filled shop is based on her eclectic flagship store, which is hidden away on Oaktown's Temescal Alley, nestled among some hipster guilty pleasures including an artisanal doughnut shop and an old-timey barbershop. Since 2015, her L.A. outpost has presented a mix of global discoveries such as Middle Eastern kilims and Moroccan rugs, handmade pottery and works by indie jewelers. Alongside her cleverly curated objects, the real treasures are Wolf's own creations, some of which are influenced by her time studying jewelry design in Mexico. If you're looking to put a ring on it, the shop also sources non-cheesy vintage engagement rings that don't look like something out of Blanche Devereaux's jewel box. Then there are Wolf's own one-of-a-kind, understated wedding rings, whose otherworldly visions provide ample proof that you didn't get it at Jared.