Pati Dubroff has the kind of career most makeup artists only dream of. After assisting the legendary François Nars she branched off on her own, creating editorials for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Allure, eventually snagging the coveted role of spokesperson for Dior, and later Clarins. When she's not traveling the world with one of her devoted clients (including fellow moms Gwyneth Paltrow, Julianne Moore, and Charlize Theron), she's spending time high up in the Hollywood Hills with her trilingual daughter and Italian husband. Their calm oasis is filled with treasured objects found on their travels to Morocco and India, while plenty of outdoor space ensures that this close-knit family of three (plus a blued-eyed cat named Raja) feels worlds away from the hectic buzz of Los Angeles. Much like her accomplished mom, nine-year-old Bianca is already a prolific painter, fluent in three languages and, not surprising, loves a good lip gloss.
Bianca, nine, October 2012
1. "Going on hikes
2. Hanging out with our cat Raja
3. Food adventures: traveling far and wide for great ethnic foods
4. Listening to Bianca play piano
5. Summers in Italy with our best friends
6. Going for manis and pedis together"
On Bianca: H&M t-shirt, Polkadots & Moonbeams tutu
"My strategy is to be fully present in whichever role I am in, whether at home or at work. I can't worry about missing something when I'm not there. I am so blessed to have a husband who is a nurturing and attentive parent so when I'm away I know all is well. I also make sure to take care of myself. A friend once told me that, just like in the safety instructions you're given when flying, it's important to first give yourself the life vest and oxygen before helping others."
On Pati: Lanvin top
"I did this one in 2008, when I was five years-old. The first part, I painted with my hands, and the messy part I did with my feet. It was inspired by an artist named Olga Seriojina." —Bianca
"I take a stuffed animal, and you cut their heads off, and then I cut the head off of the other one and sew it on." —Bianca
"The best advice I've ever gotten is to listen to your children with your whole being—if they know they are heard they will feel safe, protected and confident."
Birdcage decals by WallCandy Arts on Bianca's bedroom wall
Lady Gaga by Bianca
"As a mom, your whole world opens up when a child comes into the mix—a whole new set of friends, a whole new way of looking at the world."
"I hope to help her know that beauty truly comes from within, and it's important to find real self acceptance and not to get hung up on body issues."
On Pati: Marni dress
On Bianca: dress from Dragonfly DuLou
"There is a lot of communication online with her friends, a lot of internet surfing—it's scary to think about all that is accessible in the world of the web and how that access can be disturbing. The reality is we all spend too much time online, therefore not setting the best example."
"This print was made by our friend Barry Silver who is a yoga teacher and artist living in Tokyo. It's a collage made by taping together small pieces of the overall print. It depicts the deity Krishna."
1. "Clarisonic brush for keeping my skin clean and glowing
2. A bright shade of By Terry lipstick for a quick polished face
3. Nothing quicker than a messy bun
4. Curling my lashes and bypassing mascara to open up my eyes"
Pati's beauty arsenal
"The hardest thing for me is that I travel often for work. It can be tough to be present from across the globe—sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night to make sure I get in facetime before she goes to bed."
"Style-wise, I don't try as hard and definitely do not wear high heels like I used to. I have found my comfort zone with dressing and it's all about ease and simplicity. In regard to décor, I have also had to let go and loosen up my needs for order and perfection—I have come to accept the messiness that comes with kids."
1. Favorite thing about your home: "Everything"
2. Favorite food: "I'm a vegetarian, so I love spaghetti with tomato sauce & fried eggplant. And I love Japanese food, especially fried tofu and rice."
3. Favorite thing to do with your mom: "Just being together is my favorite thing."
4. Favorite music: "Hip hop and pop"
5. Favorite character from a book: "Katniss is a cool chic and really strong."
"I wish I was better at setting boundaries and structure. I also wish I spoke French so I could be of assistance with homework (she goes to French school)."
"My husband and I try to get in a date night fairly often. We also try to include Bianca in the things we like to do—concerts, restaurants—we believe in inclusiveness and Bianca is our sidekick."
Bianca's collection of ceramics she's made, gifts from friends, and favorite photos
"My favorite part of the day with Bianca is bath time. We have a huge soaking tub and our ritual is to do 'spa' bath together. It's when we talk about our day, tell secrets, and relax."
"The love I am filled with and watching this beautiful person grow and find her passions is the best part of being a mom. She is the person I love spending all my time with."
"We call this wall of Bianca's paintings 'the gallery'. Many of these were done at her fabulous art class, The Wizard of Art in Los Feliz."
"Right when I found out that I was pregnant, I heard about a lecture that was being given up in Topanga Canyon about natural birth choices and home birth. It was hosted by Anna Verwaal who is a very well respected Birthing Doula. We knew right away that this was how we wanted to nurture the pregnancy and to birth our child (and that Anna was going to be a crucial member of the support team I assembled). For me, I didn't feel the need to over medicalize the process. I didn't want to disturb my growing baby with invasive procedures. Our Midwife, Shelley Girard, had been delivering babies for over 25 years and my visits with her were comforting, never rushed and very empowering. The entire pregnancy was regarded as a very sacred and spiritual time. I did a lot of yoga and meditation and hikes."
"The actual labor was very long. I went for hikes, took naps, had massages and acupuncture. My husband cooked for everyone and baked. Anna, the doula, reminded me that there was something I needed to acknowledge related to my relationship with my own mother—I needed to deal with this, to face it. As soon as I did there was a shift and the baby was ready. The actual delivery was fast, and although I had no drugs to hide the pain with, it was empowering and intense (I totally understand the "ring of fire" term). Bianca was born in water, in the birthing tub we brought in. The best part of birthing at home was that we never needed to get in the car, we were in our safe nest for the next month, with occasional walks in the neighborhood only. The house we had Bianca in is right below the house we live in now, in the same canyon."
Pat's recipe for mung bean dosas
