A DAY IN BRENTWOOD

Heaven Scent

Marie Mason Apothecary, 225 26th St., 310 394-5710

If there is such a thing as girl heaven it exists inside Marie Mason Apothecary in the Brentwood Country Mart. With baby-blue walls, dove-white shelves and cupboards and an elk chandelier, the one-room operation specializes in the art of custom blending personal fragrances. “Let’s say that you really love vanilla or tea rose,” says owner Marie Mason. “We try different things and talk about preferences. At the end we keep a private customer file with your name and your scent.” From that Mason can mix up lotions, shower gels, perfumes and bubble bath. She’s good, too, having learned her trade as a buyer for Fred Segal before opening her shop in 2005. Other tempting treats include Di Santa Maria Novella soaps and lotions, made in Florence since 1612, and a delicious line of hand-crafted lip glosses by former make-up artist Lawrence G.

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SPREADING ITS ROOTS

Brentwood’s development began in the early 1900s (one of its first subdivisions was known as Brentwood Park) and continued into the ‘20s. Now the exclusive neighborhood stretches between Sepulveda Boulevard and 26th Street in Santa Monica at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains. Coral trees line its main thoroughfare, San Vicente Boulevard.

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ART & ARCHITECTURE

Those at the Chalon campus of Mount St. Mary’s College like to say that only “God and Mount St. Mary’s look down upon the Getty.” Perched on a towering hillside, the Spanish-themed campus was built mainly in the 1930s. Its standout structures include Brady Hall (1931) and a Gothic Spanish chapel and faculty center (1939).

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ONE THING TO DO

Cuisine With a Conscience

Being vegan is easy at the wholesome A Votre Sante, where the menu promises a “new world of guilt-free dining.” They aren’t joking either. Even if steak tartare is your primary food group, you’ll recognize the health benefits of a whole-wheat tortilla stuffed with hummus and smothered in delicate carrot sauce. Other tasty choices include the “blackened tofu feast” with steamed vegetables, organic brown rice and soy tahini sauce, or a variety of egg-free pastas with nondairy sauce. Best of all: The portions are huge, prices are reasonable and there’s almost always great jazz playing from overhead speakers. 13016 San Vicente Blvd., (310) 451-1813.

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MY FIND

For five years retired doctor Lidia Rubinstein of Ariella Designs has created unique jewelry using stones and precious metals that she buys during her travels to India, China, Argentina and other distant locales. This necklace is made with sterling silver and African amazonite and sells for $450. 11695 San Vicente Blvd., (310) 820-4244.