When we're finally tired of shopping, we head to their favorite part of the strip, La Poubelle Bistro. Caitlin is a fan of the French restaurant's Filet Mignon and Crispy Brussels Leaves, while Melinda prefers the salad with burrata cheese and Coq Au Vin. It's clear that they come here often when they lead me inside and I see a portrait of them hanging on the wall.
"We love the atmosphere, the food, the people – it's all artists and musicians – and the owners are so wonderful," says Caitlin.
"They support artists, and they love art. We even had shows here when we first started out," adds Melinda.
The Dahls have since graduated to performing at venues like the Viper Room, Hotel Café and Room 5 over the past few years, while releasing a self-titled EP in 2009 and steadily working on material for Midnight Picnic. Often times, inspiration could be found in every-day situations.
"We relax by going on hikes, taking long walks. I come over here [to Franklin Village] to visit friends, and we walk up to Bronson Park and the "Bat Caves.' It's so beautiful," says Melinda. "Right at the top of Bronson, that's where [the title track] 'Midnight Picnic' was inspired."
Even when they tried to take a short trip to relax, inspiration would hit and they would find themselves working on a song. A jaunt to Lake Elowin in Three Rivers, Calif., led to the track, "Periwinkle Sky."
"The color of the sky on Lake Elowin was periwinkle purple," says Melinda. "I went up there with Ryan, and we wrote 'Periwinkle Sky.' We came back, recorded it with the band, worked it out/arranged it, recorded the song and went back to Lake Elowin and shot the music video. So, it was full circle."