You know something, I have no idea when we met Britt Blain. I'm not sure if we followed each other on Instagram and became online friends before we actually met or not. This has happened quite a bit with my friends and it's totally normal for me but, I'm also aware this is odd to some people. I do know that our dear friends Kylle and Haley were the ones who introduced her into our lives, along with the rest of the Carlsbad /Encinitas crew. I remember walking into her backyard one night and being completely blown away. The lights, the teepee, the green green grass, random friends, and surfboards and bikinis laid out perfectly like it was a set from a movie. I then found out this perfect place where she entertains and lives was called the DollHouse. I'm pretty sure the only reason I can't remember when we actually met is because it feels like she has always been in our life. When you meet Britt it's electric, everything about her pulls you in. I've taken several friends over to the dollhouse throughout the years and every time I love to see their faces when they walk in the backyard. This backyard is totally a reflection of who Britt is. It's beautiful and inviting! You see that same facial expression (all lit up) when they walk in the back yard as when they meet her for the first time. I hope you can feel this through the computer screen when I introduce you to the very inspiring Brittany Leigh Blain.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from Pasadena, California & Laguna Hills, California.
Where do you currently reside? Do you have roommates?
I relocated to Encinitas, California about 8 years ago. Certainly the best decision of my life.
I currently live with 2 roommates and a fish named Donut.
What is your day job?
I have a couple small business, my main focus is as a Medical Esthetician (glorified face washer) and I do wedding planning on the side.
What are your passions?
I love hosting friends in my home, watching people laugh and creating a place for memories. I love traveling as much as possible and making new friends from different cultures. I’m passionate about people that feel lost and hopeless and helping them find healing and peace.
What or who inspires you the most?
As cliche as it may sound, there is no one that inspires me like God.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be? Breakfast, lunch or dinner?
If I could eat only one meal the rest of my life it would be breakfast hands down!
What made you buy a trailer? Travel, to live in, or camp?
I always dreamed of one day traveling around and going on camping adventures with my future family. It wasn’t until I starting working with my business adviser Rachelle, she helped me see it as a reality now. I told her I wanted to start investing my money and she (knowing my trailer dream) suggested that I invest in a fixer upper trailer that I could use and then one day sell. That's all I needed to hear! Sold.
Did you have to do a lot of work to it? If so what was the process and did you have a clear vision?
I got this 1972 Cardinal Deluxe for a steal. I took a friend along (who certainly knows a great deal more about this stuff than I). It was plain to see that this thing was going to need a lot of work. Luckily I brought the right guy along, because he offered to fix it for me for free as a summer project! I don't think either of us knew just how much work that would be. In the end, he replaced the entire front and back walls, reinforced the corners of the frame and probably a bunch of other stuff I don't even know about.
My job was the interior. I spent my entire summer on it and I think it's the best summer I can remember in years. Constant trips to Home Depot, the happiest place on earth, I was elated to have an excuse to buy more tools. All in all I repainted the entire thing, installed shelves, installed “wood” laminate flooring, backsplash, copper curtain rods (made from copper piping) and sewed her up some curtains. But the best part of all is the custom walnut table designed by my favorite fine furniture maker, Kylle Sebree in Carlsbad, Ca.
Did you name your trailer?
Oh! How could I have forgotten to tell you her name? Her name is Frankie. A friend of mine was working on a documentary at that time about this spunky, free spirited, former Olympic swimmer who at 83 years old was still coaching. And of course her name was Frankie. As soon as I heard about her I knew I wanted to name my funky, vintage camper after her.
What would your advise be to someone who is wanting to buy a fixer upper trailer like yourself?
I definitely learned my lesson the hard way with this one, but in a way I enjoyed the challenge. I was so excited about finding this trailer for such a great deal that I didn't give it enough time to really see the condition it was in. Although I did have someone with me to inspect it, we missed the most important part. The bottom of the trailer has dry rot and needs to be completely replaced, a $2,500 mistake. What I wish I would have done was have it towed down the street to the trailer repair shop and have a thorough inspection. Instead when I took it in AFTER the purchase, the mechanic called another guy in the shop and said " Hey come over and check this out! Remember this trailer?! That guy sold it to her and didn't tell her about the underbelly rot!" You could imagine the look on my face.
But in the end, my trailer knowledge increased and I'll make wiser decisions in the future. So needless to say, if your serious about purchasing one, take the time to have it inspected first.
Can you give us a glimpse into your life and describe a typical day in the life of Brit. We know you always have someone coming through or staying at The Doll House/ Side Ball House.
Well it’s nothing glamorous but I certainly can not complain. For starters I do wake up in my trailer. Living by the beach we don't have AC but that doesn't mean my room isn't scorching hot in the summer. So for the past several months I just step out from my bedroom a few steps to the trailer where it’s legit 15 degrees cooler. In the morning I make coffee and listen to my sleep talk recordings from the night before (I’ll explain later), try not to die working out with my trainer a few times a week, and either head to work or spend the day working on my computer at my favorite coffee shop, Coffee Coffee in Leucadia. I work about 3 days (long days mind you) a week so on those days I take a 10 min drive down the coast to my office where I’m warmly greeted by the staff. I honestly ask myself everyday how I got so lucky to find that place. I spend my work day making people feel better about themselves and sharing life stories with them. Seriously, how do I get paid for this?? The weekends consist of beach days , BBQ’s, projecting movies in the backyard or trips to LA to see friends. And yes you’re right, more than not there is some foreign guest staying at my house like Thom, but like I said before, it’s one of my favorite things in life.
If we came over what songs/playlist would you put on? You always have the best playlists.
Oh music, how I love thee. I’m gonna keep this list short, but here are some of my faves: Amason, Van Morrison, Timber Timbre, Dylan, Billie Holiday, Radiohead, Neil Young, Homeshake, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Nils Frahm
Ok and about those sleep talk recordings.... tell us how you started Slumberland Antics, I mean its genius and I love popping over to your Instagram and hearing what you said in your sleep last. How do you come up with the drawings?
Ha, Slumberland Antics is.. uhh.. “special”? I’ve heard stories from friends and family since I was a lil tike, of all the weird things I do and say while sleeping. A few years ago I discovered this app called Sleep Talk Recorder. Basically you start it before going to sleep and if there is any audio (dogs barking, snoring, sleep talking…) the app will record it. So in the morning I wake up and listen to the recordings to see if there’s any sleep talking and save a particular recording if its good/weird enough. I had several friends that would harass me to send them the latest recordings, so in order to streamline things a bit I decided to post them on Instagram for them with a little illustration to go with it. The drawings are of course inspired by the recording and then mixed with whatever image is created by my weird brain. And yes, any sleep talk from this summer was indeed recorded in the trailer.
Quote you try and live by ?
“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Where is your next trip?
I have a few trips coming up that I’m really looking forward to. Next month I’m going to visit a friend in Japan, I’m most excited about the possibility of climbing Mt. Fuji (if its not too cold that is). Then I’ll spend Christmas and New Years with one of my best friends Elin and her family in Sweden. This will be my first time there in the winter so I sincerely hope I survive.
If people come to Encinitas what are your recs?
I’d say these are a few places you can’t miss when you come for a visit: Pannikin Coffee or Coffee Coffee for the obvious, Q’ero, Haggo’s Fish Tacos, Las Olas, Swami’s for good eats, La Paloma Theater for a midnight showing of Rocky Horror or during the day the SRF gardens. Ah! And last but certainly not least, my favorite little dive bar Captain Keno’s.
