issue
09
magazine
mediocre
4: Sam Mendes 6: Frank Lloyd Wright 8: Ode to LA 10: LA Artworld 14: Andy Warhol 16: Lost In LA 18: Best Coast 20: Dallas Clayton 22: The Beautiful Tragedy 24: Miranda Richardson 26: Everyone’s a Star 26: Russell Crowe 28: Saint Monica
contents
a poetically sarcastic snapshot of a tragically beautiful city
THANK GOD I DON’T LIVE IN L O S A N G E L E S I THINK IF YOU’RE THERE THE WHOLE TIME IT JUST GETS OUT OF P R O P O R T I O N AND YOU LOSE TOUCH COMPLETELY WITH R E A L I T Y
s a m m e n d e s
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.
ODE to la
Los Angeles is different from any other city It is unique. It carries itself on the executives of companies And the unfortunates on the streets. Los Angeles represents its people And it is not afraid to show Itself as it is. Los Angeles knows it cannot hide crimes And knows it cannot have prejudice Against any one race. Los Angeles has been built not only on concrete and steel But by the passions of its people And is filled in by the dreams of those who come here. Los Angeles may be dangerous And city officials may not like Its spice and sass, As parents do not like Rebellious children. But Los Angeles knows what it is best at, And that is, Being Los Angeles.
Kira Wessels
Orginally in Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine
t
here is a belief that art is universal—a belief, more often than not, perpetuated by New Yorkers who just happen to live in the city where universality comes to roost. But like the popular axiom about politics, art happens on a local level. Sure, the final product might eventually hang just as nicely in any whitewalled space from Moscow to Abu Dhabi(that’s the point of white walls), but all art originates in a specific place with its own social obsessions and regional leanings. Some of the most provocative, potent art being createdin the United States today isn’t coming out of New York City but clear across the continent in Los Angeles—and what’s more, those artists aren’t simply raising up their canvases like sun reflectors for NYC approval. It used to be that Ed Ruscha was the lone dignitary forced to
represent the entire Southern California scene—his backward Hollywood signs and epic fires raging on vacant landscapes almost suggesting what little cultural value the environment held. But today, thanks to L.A.’s own community-building efforts, artists have moved far out of Ruscha’s shadow. Emerging talents mix with art history’s radical pioneers.Hollywood and consumer culture are consistent references, but so is the terrain of the city itself, where the sprawling geography and jutting horizontals allow for productions that would be physically or psychologically impossible in the compartmentalized verticality of Manhattan. Experimental galleries and non-profits have exploded. Innovative collectors willing to take risks—and with morewall space than their East Coast counterparts— have risen the stakes. Contemporary art in Los Angeles is not new. But there is no question that in the last few years, a new sense of manifest destiny has electrif ied the city’s art scene. If art is in essence a conversation, Los Angeles, at the very least, is an opportunity for a new way of talking. It sounds completely different than anywhere else. It sounds very much like the future.
I LOVE LOS ANGELES. I LOVE HOLLYWOOD. THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL. EVERYBODY’S PLASTIC, BUT I LOVE PLASTIC. I WANT TO BE PLASTIC.
Andy Warhol
lost angeles
12
LOST (in LA) celebrated the “lost� history of radical creative dialogue between France and Los Angeles. The exhibition sought to make an important contribution to the current re-birth of LA as an international arts capital. Accompanied by innovative education and outreach activities, LOST (in LA) aimed to inspire a new generation of Angelenos to rediscover the vibrant multicultural patrimony of their city through the eyes of a select group of artists who areon the leading edge of the contemporary art community in France and the United States.
in
Best Coast Best Coast Talks Weed Lemonade, Gluten-Free Dining, and the Ultimate Fish Taco
Best Coast’s dream pop songstress Bethany Cosentino is a C a l i f o r n i a Girl through and through. Her love of the Golden State’s not only evident in her surfy beach tunes, it’s also central to the band’s dining picks (seriously, don’t even get her started on East Coast tacos!). WEater caught up with Bethany ON HER California foodie pride and favorite spots to hit on tour.
You recently discovered that you have a gluten allergy. In large cities like New York and L.A., it’s pretty easy to eat vegetarian, organic or macrobiotic. But how has a gluten-free diet affected eating on tour? It is definitely hard to avoid things like bread, pasta and pizza on tour. But there was a place in England that we got really into called Marks & Spencer. It’s like a roadside rest stop kind of market, but they have all these amazing organic salads and fresh fruit. We ended up going there pretty much every day. On the U.S. tours it’s a lot easier because of places like Whole Foods. I actually just started eating salads from McDonald’s — they’re not that bad! I’ve noticed you tweet about hometown restaurants you miss on tour. What are your favorite local spots in LA? I love Señor Fish! I always miss Mexican food on the road. I even refused to eat anything that resembled Mexican food while we were in Europe because Californian Mexican food — especially from Southern Californian — is so good. Señor Fish is one of my favorite places because they have these fish tacos that are Ensenada style, so it’s grilled fish with cabbage, pico de gallo, and guacamole. It’s the best thing ever. When I lived in New York, I would always try to eat Mexican food and it was never any good, so I ended up going to Chipotle all the time. I also love this Vietnamese restaurant in Eagle Rock, California called The Blue Hen. It’s all fresh local ingredients and almost all of the items on their menu are gluten-free.
With the rise of gourmet food trucks across the country, you guys ever take a gamble on street food in new cities? Yeah, our bassist Bob is really into street food. Not so much in New York but in L.A. we have taco trucks, hot dog trucks, Korean BBQ trucks — and they’re everywhere. There’s also a really famous deli here called Canter’s and they have a truck. In fact, one time we were playing at the Echoplex and the Canter’s truck was there that night. Bob freaked out and wouldn’t let anyone in the band go home until he got this huge pastrami sandwich. We’re definitely into the mobile food craze and try to hit food trucks in new cities, too. There was an article in the New York Times recently talking about a food trend sweeping the nation called “haute stoner cuisine,” where pot-smoking informs the menus of major restaurants like Kogi in L.A. and Momofuku in New York. I know you recently did an interview with High Times magazine, so on that note: are there any novelty stoner dishes you’ve come across on the road? You know, it’s crazy, but on that subject there are a lot of pot dispensaries in California and many of them sell edibles. Because it’s L.A. everyone has a weird dietary need, so you can actually buy sugar-free ones, vegan ones, I haven’t come across one with gluten-free Wedibles, but they even sell hemp olive oil and pot hot sauce. It’s so weird! There’s a publication here in L.A. called L.A. Record and I went to their Christmas party this year. They
had so many edibles including this thing called “Lazy Lemonade” — lemonade with weed in it. It’s actually kind of bad because we just kept drinking the lemonade and eating popcorn with weed butter on it — you don’t realize how high you’re getting because it tastes really good. But as far as real ‘stoner cuisine’ meals, I think anything cheesy, rich and sweet tastes better when you’re high. When you’re on tour in the U.S., are there any cities you particularly look forward to for the restaurants? Probably New York, of course. There’s this great place in the West Village called Risoterria and it’s all vegetarian and gluten-free Italian food. Even if I wasn’t gluten-free I’d still want to eat there — they also sell their own fresh-baked loaves of gluten-free bread. Another great restaurant we like to eat at in Brooklyn is Wild Ginger. I think that New York really has some of the best food in the U.S. and so many options. But California still has the best Mexican food, I’m going to stand by that!
on the road? Usually it’s crazy hours and we end up at fast food places, but there is a place in Los Angeles I love called M Cafe. I just found out they’re going to be opening one in New York, too. It’s macrobiotic food so it’s more expensive, though it’s not technically a sit-down dining experience. They have the most amazing food. It’s Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna’s personal macrobiotic chef who branched off and opened this restaurant. It’s really some of the freshest prepared food I’ve had and you feel so great after you eat it.
Touring is a lot of long hours and navigating unfamiliar cities. With that in mind, do you guys have any favorite chain restaurant standbys you hit regularly? I actually really like P.F. Chang’s because they have a gluten-free menu and everyone in the band still likes eating there. I get really excited because I love Asian food but soy sauce has wheat in it and most Asian food is cooked with soy sauce so there’s not a lot I can eat. But P.F. Chang’s actually has their own gluten-free Tamari sauce they use in everything. Do you guys ever get to splurge on fine dining while
Randy Briggs
ON LIVING IN LOS ANGELES
d a l l a s c l ay t o n
To spend your days well choose your city based on its Industry: Steel Coal Tobaco Oil M a k e B e l i e v e
the
BEAUTIFUL
tragedy
r ey c o n t r e r a s
The city of angels is where I want to be Where I don’t know them Where they don’t know me Either with company or alone The city is my kingdom And I want to sit on the thrown Just room for one king This city, so beautiful yet deadly This city never sleeps Filled with angels and creeps Filled with the rich and with the poor Filled with the saints and the whores I wouldn’t have it any other way This is my kingdom you see Because whether I like or not I’m both inprisoned and free
Los Angeles Skyscrapers Break the sky, Smog chokes the air, Endless buildings go on ForeverLos Angeles TimesLAX, Traveling down the 10 Towards Santa Monica, Dirty Filthy Ragged city. Where are the artists? Poets? Writers? Musicians? All at home creating The city. Inspiration For the willing. Ugly, dirty, ragged, Beautiful. This Filthy City.
In Los Angeles,
D e n z e l W a s h i n g t o n
everyone is
a star --
You can have a laugh in Lo s A n g e le s, or you can weep in Los A n g e le s depending on your attitude towards it.
I'd move to Los Angeles if New Zealand and Australia were swallowed up by a tidal wave, if there was a bubonic plague in England and if the continent of Africa disappeared from some Martian attack.
Russell Crowe
Augustine’s Mother, St. Monica, Santa Monica, CA
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California is like a tragic country - like Palestine, like every Promised Land. -Horizon Magazine, 1946