SO freshly back and hundreds of pics and still kind of spinning trying to process the last few hours of my life... ~ on the next page you'll find a visual walkthrough of the chaos that was the President Obama Town Hall meeting in Los Angeles ~ i was lucky enough to snag a ticket (#0010!!!)... Not going to go into the politics, but it was an incredible thing to experience in person ~ so here's a look at how it felt to be there... and while i'm not the best at playing "spot/name the politician" many around me were remarking about how the event was a real who's who of politics in California... the chairs around the stage were VIP, and us ticket holders were in the bleachers. Also, i've never been SO close to a president before... it was kind of trippy sitting so near the stage, and having him enter just a few feet away!

p.s.
for the full text of the meeting check out the LA Times

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Tags: events - los angeles

On stories that definitely fall under hollywood lore... here's a great one that showed up in my inbox...

Stephen Sprouse moved into Chateau Marmont in 1991 for a month but had no money to pay his bill when he was checking out. So Andre Balazs agreed to let him off if he designed some apparel for Chateau Marmont in exchange...a couple of months ago they were going through the archives stored in attic of the hotel and found 6 original sketches by Stephen by accident - all signed and dated. These are never-seen before sketches. And Andre had not seen them for years - he was really excited to be re-united with them.

AND... NOTCOT has an exclusive to show you one of those 6 sketches (as to be expected, the other 5 will be popping up around the net as well)!!! Can you just imagine living the life in a hotel for a month? Only to magically work something out bartering your craft? And it certainly does seem timely that just as the new Sprouse book and LV's Sprouse revisit pop up, that they *happened* to find these sketches... For those unfamiliar with the late Sprouse's work, i'm sure you've seen it everywhere... he's known for pioneering that classic 80's graffiti/pop/punk melded with mainstream fashion with a love of the florescent ~ who went from 70's band photographer to 80's-90's fashion designer/artist! See the full sketch on the next page!

p.s. i'll add the other sketches when possible!

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Tags: art - fashion - hotels - los angeles

"I am reaching out to you because we have an amazing event coming up for which your presence is requested, WITCHES presentation by designers Lauren Alexander and Gabby Applegate. The most secretive of launches . . . Lauren Alexander started her fashion career with her namesake collection "Lauren Alexander" touted by LA's own Kitten Magazine and GenArt, then created a lasting impression on fashion world with her well-established basics line, LnA."

How can you resist something as vague and tempting as that? Promising... "WITCHES" the new shadowy, supernatural, and chic collection from Lauren Alexander and Gabby Applegate. An incredible editorial presentation in vignette style to showcase the occult collection. Friday, the Thirteenth of March, Seven to Ten in the evening. Chateau Marmont, Bungalow 4"... fascinating part, not even the Dietch PR folks had seen the line before this evening... the designer's description? ""This line is a modern take on Goth, Grunge, and Victorian dressing. The entire line is comprised of black lace, velvet, silk, and spandex. The collection includes everything from floor length velvet cloaks to lace cocktail dresses with rope details. The goal has been to combine all of these style elements to create something that we feel has been missing in our closets. This collection truly embodies the idea of a "modern witch"."

Intriguingly vague? Well the scene at Bungalow 4 was surreal... magic carpet vignettes with models wandering about and posing in their "avant-goth" outfits (credit for the term definitely goes to Whitney Pierce)... the truly amazing part beyond the gorgeously wearable (and affordable, $200-400) pieces... the details! Take a look at the glam/goth styling for the whole setup and pictures of the event and clothing on the next page...

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Tags: events - fashion - hotels - los angeles - shopping

I've been racking my brain as i photoshopped these pics and realized i didn't take pics of the magical door between/behind the booths you enter through.... or the crazy neon signs i love so much outside Cole's... i thought about telling you how you had to find your way in yourself, but here's a peek at the inside, but let's be honest ~ i was having too much fun, and really just took a few snapshots while inside!

For those who don't know ~ Cole's is an LA institution ~ (there's an age old rivalry as to whether Cole's or Philippe's invented the French Dip) ~ and it's adorable! And has an adorable bar in the front already, and old school booths and walls with pics of days past... and now, when you go through the door in the back with the little martini glass on it, you step into one of LA's latest speakesy-esque spots, The Varnish. Complete with old school cash register, industrial lighting, wood paneled booths, retro phones and more... my favorite detail is probably the flasks... and the giant ice... and the metal straws (which you can apparently purchase)... "The venture is a partnership between Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey in New York; mixologist Eric Alperin of Mozza and the Doheny; and Cedd Moses, owner of the newly remodeled Cole's" according to Angelenic... So take a peek at the pics on the next page ~

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Tags: drinks - liqurious - los angeles - travel

Just RFID mini-golfed behind the scenes of MOCA... and ate donuts. Rumor has it that for every ball that went into a hole a donut hole was made... and when your RFID foamy golf ball went into a hole you also got a call on your cell with audio rambling and randomness... quickly got the feeling that far more people showed up than anticipated, or this was a project that wasn't set up to scale well, although there were a LOT of security throughout... and mix crazy mini golf course + alcohol + quite a few pushy/competitive hipsters + a sneak peek at a side of MOCA you never see + not nearly enough space for all these people to be wandering through, let alone trying to golf through... and yea. Wow. It was pretty crazy... It's hard to explain with words really, but i took a bunch of pics for you to take a peek at the world behind MOCA! (And unfortunately there's one pic plain clothes security made me delete... it was a fun look at all the security screens of the museum though!)

This was part of First Thursdays at MOCA ~ "KNIFEANDFORK, founded by Brian House and Sue Huang, presents three new works for ENGAGEMENT PARTY, MOCA's series of interventions by local artist collectives" ~ and this was the first! Emptiness is Form (Golf and Donuts) - Voice interventions by Nathan Phillips, Donuts by Deanna Moody of Dee's Bakery and Donuts, DJ set by Wendy Yao, Blogging by Guthrie Lonergan...

See the pics on the next page for the full effect!

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Tags: art - golf - los angeles - museum - technology - travel

Wow. There is something so magical about having the Natural History Museum as the backdrop for a friday night filled with science, food/wine, live music and exploration... especially when in between all of that you add some wild lighting and simple glowing modern furniture... As part of the Los Angeles Natural History Museums First Fridays, tonight we got to see The Bird and The Bee with a bison diorama as the backdrop! Listened to DJs spin in front of elephants... learned about "Evolution: What the fossils say and why it matters" from Dr. Don Prothero in front of some moose. Got wine from in front of some apes... Saw projections on and around the skeletons of a t-rex and triceratops... All in all it was a hell of a night, and a fascinating multisensoral experience. Check out images of some of the very surreal situations encountered on the next page!

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Tags: animals - events - los angeles - museum - nature - science

Ok, so you've seen the warning signs, and here are the animals of the LA Zoo! We brought the 40D and the 5D Mark II ~ so these are a mix of pics that both dan and i took while wandering around... hilarious the expressions some of these guys make... and the eyes! And the crazy shenanigans some of them try to get up to... like the orangutan that threads the swing rope through the fence to whip more plants towards itself... and the giraffe with its tongue!!! Anyhow, check out a bunch (ok, 25!) pics on the next page!

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Tags: animals - los angeles - nature - photography

Browsing The Dieline just reminded me about the Absolut Los Angeles launch which happened a few days ago when we were in San Diego... (and remember the massive sponsorship Absolut gave the walk of fame? and the uproar?) and i must admit it's kind of exciting to have my home city have an Absolut of its own. The flavor is Acai, Acerola, Pomegranate, and Blueberry - supposedly a nod to our city's trendy, environmentally forward, and health conscious ideals... More screenshots from Absolut and recipes on the next page!

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Tags: advertising - drinks - los angeles

Another find at at GLOW ~ was a collection of suspended robots under the pier, EX-SE-08, Shieh Chieh Huang. Made from plastic bags, plastic bottles of various sizes, computer fans, portable dvd players - all combined with circuit boards and what looked like many power adapters for the larger pieces... these robots were buzzing and breathing (well the bags looked like inhaling and exhaling oxygen bags that come down in airplane emergencies?) and spinning about - while filled with glowing lights, black lights, and uv glowing liquids... It was mesmerizing to say the least, especially when i wandered back in around 5am in a bit of a haze... i ended up taking more video of these creatures than pictures, so check out the video below for an overview of them in action, and a few more pics as well on the next page!

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Tags: art - events - los angeles - robot - santa monica - technology

I think i've waited 25 years for GLOW to happen - i love my beach towns, and Santa Monica is where i grew up, and the first ocean and beach i ever touched... and FINALLY, the City of Santa Monica let go of all their many rules for 12 precious hours (and we went, from 7pm to about 6:30am) - with an incredible first GLOW festival - the pier, with its new crazy uberbright-LED ferris wheel, the whole park overlooking PCH, the neighboring restaurants and shops, the beach, the work out rings and ropes - all packed with people of all sorts and all ages all night long... enjoying various music, techno/eco-art installations, and ultimately just each others company, and how nice it was to have all of this come together so beautifully and so playfully in Santa Monica. So before i get into the specific installations i have to show you video of... here's an overview post to give you a feel of what an incredibly nice 12 hours it was... highlights are definitely lying on the beach listening to pirate lullabies at 3am, the interactive projection on a HUGE water spray, the computer fan driven upcycled electronic organisms under the pier, and watching people from such varying walks of life coming together for this Santa Monica first. (Oh and for really odd things, in the midst of all of this, we even ended up at Google for drinks, since the bars were just maddness - which led to a finger rocket war through the cubicles.)

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Tags: art - events - los angeles - santa monica - technology

It's felt like Friday every day this week! No idea why, perhaps its the weather, or how productive we've been suddenly... today's been quiet because we've been busy playing with iphone apps, trying the rather hyped new Anisette Brasserie, finally seeing Wanted (LOVE it - but i'm a sucker for action), and checking out the launch of the new Indigo Farm Pop Up Shop at Fred Segal Man in Santa Monica.

Ok packaging fetish time: the denim in this beautiful 20 piece limited edition collection, and only 50 or 60 units per style, come in engraved wooden boxes. And to top those gorgeous boxes... "For the truly devoted collector, there are also three 3-piece sets of handmade denim luggage, each one including a steamer trunk lined in 100-year-old Asian woodblock printed poplin." See the close ups of the black and white woodblock print on the next page, i was absolutely taken by these woody/denim steamer trunks.

Next thing i gushed over: the space! "Warhol Factory X Levi's X Damien Hirst designer Adrian Nyman presents his second installation at Fred Segal Man in Santa Monica, a capsule collection with cult Hong Kong denim brand Indigo Farm, making its U.S. debut here exclusively from July 1st to August 14th." What does this mean? Much like those steamer trunks, the whole room was denim or wood, from floor to ceiling. The walls were all denim or stacked with firewood, creating a fabulous multifaceted effect. And to add to the ambiance, there was the tattooed rocker of a banjo player, Elijah Trotsky, which was quite mesmerizing. So take a look on the next page to catch up on tonight's scene...

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Tags: events - fashion - los angeles

Happy 4th of July ~ sorry posting went quiet, i popped down to Laguna Beach yesterday to see some old friends ~ and relaxing out at the beach house was perfect. BBQ, beers, and ironically playing rockband next to a wall of Rickenbackers, while watching all the beach goers frolic down below. So here are a few fun fireworks shots (some looking a bit more apocalyptic than festive!) to share!

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Tags: events - los angeles

Today is truly a beautiful, possibly cliche, Los Angeles beachy summer's day ~ and as i wandered the few blocks to pick things up for the party tomorrow... it was great to see the whole town (yes, Pacific Palisades, totally feels like a town!) out and about, setting up chairs on the sidewalk for tomorrow's parade, kids running around in packs and swinging in their yards, tons of dogs and strollers being walked... and then i checked my email and saw the preview for Edwin Ushiro's first solo show, "While Tides Guide You Back Home" ~ which so perfectly captures that glowingly carefree summer day moment, and his use of textures is just breathtaking!

"While Tides Guide You Back Home", will be opening at the Project:Gallery in Culver City on July 12th, and they were nice enough to let me share the show preview ~ so on the next page you can see some of my favorites! (If you're looking to purchase, act FAST, i hear many are sold or on hold already!)

A bit of background on Edwin Ushiro: "Aloha. My name is Edwin Ushiro. Transplanted from Maui to California, I attended the Art Center College of Design and attained a BFA in Illustration with Honors. Since then, I have been working in the amazing world of entertainment as a Cinematographer, Production Designer, Visual Consultant, Art Director, Storyboard Artist, and Concept Designer." This should come as no surprise once you see his works! Also, check out some of his corporate work on his site as well - beautiful! I can't wait to see what else he produces.

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Tags: art - events - los angeles

Two of my favorite vices - dark chocolate and scotch... combined?!?!?! K Chocolatier by Diane Krön's K HIBALLS filled with Blue Label Scotch and Ketel One Vodka - a more sophisticated variation of the recipes of chocolate once exclusive to Emperor Franz Josef of Austro-Hungary, that i'm sure the Emperor would adore were he alive today - will absolutely raise the bar for any chocolate/liquor experience. But first, let me fill you in on the background of the most delectable chocolates you may ever feast on. Food Network calls K Chocolatier by Diane Krön "the Rolls Royce of Chocolates".

These chocolates have blown my mind since childhood, and i can't believe i forgot about them the last few years! Thank goodness i rediscovered them today while wandering in Malibu... as far as things exclusively found in LA, this is one you absolutely must try. For a quick background on K Chocolatier by Diane Krön...

"In 1973, Diane and Tom Krön established Krön Chocolatier in New York City based on recipes from Tom's great grandfather, chocolate-maker to Emperor Franz Josef of Austro-Hungary. They soon became very famous for the quality and novelty of their chocolates (Tom invented the chocolate-covered strawberry) and opened many Krön stores across the U.S. Diane and Tom Krön sold Krön Chocolatier in 1983 and retired from the chocolate business to travel and raise their family. New management took over and the company went in other directions. Now Diane Krön is back ! Lured by the excitement of Beverly Hills, Diane decided to develop a new company, and in 2000, created a new brand of luxury chocolates with new combinations and more sophisticated recipes. K CHOCOLATIER is based on those secret Krön family formulations of cocoa powder ratio and viscosity, but with a difference: using as little sugar as possible."

Still family run (we met one of the sons at the Malibu store) ~ they produce these chocolates locally in their Gardena factory, and create daily batches in limited quantities. They are available exclusively in their Beverly Hills and Malibu boutiques, and if you are anywhere near the area, stop in - even if just to try the samples - and luckily you can now also shop online with them, since they ship nearly everywhere See more images of the beautiful packaging, some other variations... and i couldn't help it, so a little rant about my childhood memories of K Chocolatier by Diane Krön as well.

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Tags: drinks - food - los angeles