ICON Magazine Winter 2012/13 by The Icon Mag

Staff/ contributors Editor in Chief >> Casey Geren Art Director >>> Samuel Guevara Copy Editor >> Christopher Dorsey Entertainment Editor >> Reilly T. Bates Sex/Love/Dating Editor >> Lexa James Fashion >> Mito Aviles Travel >> Christina Loglisci Anthony Pallitto music >> Christine Solomon food >> Esther Trinh

Contributing Photographers >>>> Steve Erle Giuliano Bekor Sebastian Smith Michael Del Buono

cover chris colfer Photography by SteveErle Shot on location at siren studios

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table of

content 06 12 18 20 32 36 40 46 56 60

art - A Pop Tart That Seeks The Truth

Eliza Coupe - Frenemies and making it!

love sex dating - Get Your Winter Sexy Time On!

Chris Colfer - The Guy With The Magic Touch

Food - Pastries and Pours

Music - In-Q

travel - South Africa Safari

Patrick J Adams - The Suit Doesn’t Always Make The Man

fashion - Throw this dog some Rag & Bone

Miami Living

COVER wardrobe CREDITS: *Brunello Cucinelli Shirt and *Puffer leather Jacket this page - wardrobe CREDITS: Page 21

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This Issue has been dedicated to all those we have lost throughout the year. Our

love goes out to you all!

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all been there: the fancy gallery opening with the avant-garde works of art, the well-heeled crowd, the cocktail sipping and nods of appreciation toward pieces we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford but like to pretend to. All of those have their place in our social lives, but straddling the edge of Koreatown in Los Angeles, we found a hidden diamond of a

gallery that strips away those superficial layers. Not lost, of course, are the even better heeled men and collections that are unique in both depth and range. Elated, we sat down with Pop tArt Galley owner Phyllis Navidad to discuss the inner workings and success of the showroom that has everyone talking.

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A pop tart that seeks the truth By: Reilly T. Bates

ICON: What was the inspiration and driving force that made the gallery come to life and make it what it is today? Phyllis Navidad: The gallery was originally conceived as a place to highlight pop culture-based work by local Angeleno artists. The original work that was displayed by the now-closed World of Wonder Gallery on Hollywood boulevard used to be my favorite gallery. When they closed, I had the opportunity to use the space where Pop tArt is now. I had to bring back the energy of what I had seen at the World of Wonder. I originally asked one of the curators, Lenora Claire, to help open the gallery with me. She agreed, and we decided that the most obvious way to get the most attention was for us to be as fabulous as possible in the conception of the gallery, which is mostly the reason why I am the drag queen persona of the gallery—sort of like “Drag queen and real-life Jessica Rabbit open fabulous art gallery. Read all about it!” ICON: Speaking of, you’ve become quite the wellknown drag queen. How do you reconcile your nightlife persona with your gallery one? How has it been to meld them together or keep them separate? PN: It is really tough at times since I work in nightlife four or even five nights a week! Luckily, I have some really great interns that help me out during gallery hours. I can’t really afford to hire a staff yet. I am literally a staff of one and it is really hard—but the focus is the gallery. In my opinion, nightlife and art have always had a relationship. On any given night at Studio 54 you would see

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Jean-Michel Basquiat or Andy Warhol, or even Keith Haring at the Paradise Garage. So, working directly in nightlife production gives me the opportunity to PR the gallery to some really cool and fun people, which the clubs are obviously full of! ICON: How do you choose and curate exhibits in the gallery? PN: Lately, I curate shows based on friendships with all the artists I feature. It takes me a while before I can come up with the concept of a show. It always has to have something that will make heads turn. Nowadays, things move faster than ever before and people expect it to, so I have to think about how I am going to make people want to come out and, most of all, buy a piece of history. That’s what art is to me—a phrase or personification of a moment in time. My shows have to give the audience a sort of “This will never happen again feeling,” which is why they should participate. ICON: How does sexuality play a role in what the Pop tART does? PN: It really doesn’t that much, because I don’t really believe that much in gender roles to begin with. Probably the most obvious answer is because I opened the gallery as a man in a dress. But I think sexuality is a very enticing sensibility in order to tap into promoting and conceiving a show. People love sex and gender bending, so in that sense, I use it as a tool to hopefully people through the door. ICON: The gallery is so much more than simply a Los Angeles gallery and you incorporate artists from all over—do you think that what the Pop tArt accomplishes caters to a truly national, if not international, audience?

able to curate shows that gets everyone involved and can really tap into every market somehow. So yes, absolutely. I hope that even if I don’t end up owning the gallery for the rest of my life I can turn around and say that that was iconic. ICON: What is your favorite part about being a gallery owner? PN: Getting to meet all the people that follow the artists. The original idea for me was to attempt to create a community that believes in truth. To me art is truth—good art anyway—and I wanted to be around people that believe in this somehow. So, that is my favorite part: being around people that believe in truth. ICON: And your least favorite part? PN: Actually, group shows are really, really tough. The last group show we had was 40 different artists from all over the world and the handling of shipping, insurance, hanging the show to their specifications really took it out of me! ICON: When you were, say 5 or 6 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? PN: I wanted to be just like my mother actually— strong, confident and beautiful. The kind of person that walks in the room and everyone asks about. ICON: And finally, what could you see yourself doing if you hadn’t opened the gallery? PN: Working in the fashion industry somehow. My degree is in pattern making, so I would probably be assisting a designer at a label or something.

PN: I hope so. I constantly work with online companies to extend the show to a broader audience. I love being

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There’s nothing sexier than a beautiful woman who is funny. Furthermore, nothing is more intriguing than a woman who encompasses all those things and makes a path for herself. Thus began our infatuation with Happy Endings star Eliza Coupe. On the show, Coupe has played Jane for three seasons and her hilarity doesn’t stop there. Off the television set, Coupe has a string of highly viral ‘Funny or Die’ skits, where she obsesses with a paper cutout of Michael Fassbender in “Why Won’t You Talk To Me,” and highly hysterical Mean Girls-esque “Frenemies.”

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Eliza Coupe on Frenemies, Johnny Depp, and making it By: Reilly T. Bates To be comical in this business is one thing, but to continue to capture our (and everyone else’s) attention is quite another. As funny as she may be, Ms. Coupe is excelling and nowhere near the top of her game yet. To compare her to a product

ICON: How’s everything going? Eliza Coupe: Great! I’m driving right now. ICON: Oh, be careful! I’d feel awful if you got into an accident. EC: I know, wouldn’t that be terrible? ICON: Well, congratulations on the start of the third season of Happy Endings, how are you feeling? EC: It has been so fun—the writing this season is amazing! Everyone is totally on their a-game. It’s kind of insane that we’ve been doing it for a while now. It’s been really exciting, though.

ICON: What’s been your favorite part of doing the show? EC: Probably how much I’ve been learning. It’s really been like comedy camp. You get so comfortable and fearless, and now I can take that to any other job I do now. And to be working every day and exercising that muscle is really great. And Damon is one of the best parts of the job. He’s brilliant—so kind and gentle. I’m happy he’s my fake husband! ICON: Tell us what your first audition was like? EC: Um, it was so funny. My first audition was right out of college. I had moved from New Hampshire to go to school at Cal Arts. I hated L.A. and left every second I could. So, in my hometown in New Hamp-

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of some SNL or stand up comedy machine is near offensive. She’s smart and driven, and what’s sexy is she knows it’s not just by luck.

shire, they were filming a show, The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire, with Rand Quaid, and they were actually filming it at my parents’ house. So my dad went ahead and got a hold of the casting director or whoever, and he submitted to them the most shitty headshot of me ever. I didn’t end up getting the part and the feedback was that I was too “California.” ICON: To us, it seems like the success of your career has been driven by hard work, careful planning, and calculation and rather little to do with luck, which is kind of rare in your industry—would you agree? EC: It’s funny because there are people that know me and say, “Oh, wow, you got lucky.” And I say, “Okay, back it up!” When you want something you’re more aware.

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When I was in New York and I had no money and no job, I went to the improv theatres like The Groundlings and UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade), and I’d buy a ticket never leave. I’d buy a ticket for the first show and stay the whole way through. That’s been my education in comedy. At one of the shows I saw a flier for a workshop at the PIT (People’s Improv Theatre) with Kirsten Ames, so my dad gave me the $100 to do it, and now she’s my manager. But before that, I had no life. I saw that flier, and [when you want something] you just can’t say no. Just like in improv, you can’t just put up barriers.

Night Live. Is this still a goal now or have you moved past it?

ICON: Wow, and here we are! Your ‘Funny or Die’ skits are hilarious—we especially love “Frenemies.” How do you come up with such hilarity?

EC: So, we were both at the comedy awards and it was so amazing—I met him! I saw him and I didn’t know what to do. I was a weird kid—my brother told me that my life changed after watching Ace Ventura Pet Detective. But I’d also work with Michael Fassbender.

EC: Thank you! I collaborate with Lauryn Kahn on the “Frenemies” skits. She wrote a movie and we met up to talk about it. She had the same bag as me, so we started talking in this joking voice back and forth and that’s how we started them. We have some of the lines down but improv most of it. ICON: You’ve said in the past that one of your career goals is to land on Saturday

EC: I kind of feel like the universe says that’s not what I was supposed to do. Every time I was asked to submit a tape I’d land some other gig. It was my life goal, it was all I wanted. My parents would put me to bed and I’d pretend to be asleep and then sneak down to watch it. I was obsessed. I was also really obsessed with Jim Carrey. ICON: Would he be your dream guy to work with?

ICON: We’ve heard a lot about your celebrity obsession with him and seen your “Funny or Die” skits about your crush on him. Would your husband give you a free pass if the opportunity came up?

ICON: You’ve definitely been quoted saying that you only started dating your husband because he looks like Johnny Depp—how does he take that? EC: Oh, he’s fully aware. He looks so much like him! They have the same style with tattoos and the rings and the weird hats. If I had my way, I’d dress like Helena Bonham Carter and then he’d have to do the accent. But if I ever met Johnny Depp in real life we’d have to have sex. ICON: We’re into that! So what can we expect next from you? EC: I’ve been doing a lot of writing right now. And we’re going to make another “Frenemies” in about a month. ICON: Don’t you think that’d make a good show? EC: I totally think so, like Adult Swim’s Children’s Hospital with Rob Corddry. If I were me as a kid now, Rob would be like my Jim Carrey. He’s amazing.

EC: No, but probably Johnny Depp.

ElizaCoupe Photography by

SebastianSmith

Make up by: Toby Fleischman for the Wall Group Hair by: Casey Geren using Redken for ArtistByTimothyPriano.com Styling by: Vanessa Geldbach for Exclusive Artists

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Get Your Winter Sexy Time On! By: Lexa James Some people believe that the hottest and most spontaneous sex occurs in the summer months due to ample skin and sunny weather. I beg to differ. ‘Tis the season to be playful! What part of cozy pajamas, fireplaces and naughty elf costumes don’t make you want to make hot toddies and jump into a warm bed? There’s nothing like some body-on-body friction to keep you company when it’s cold outside. The winter season can be stressful—shopping, family functions, dinners and of course our never ending busy careers. Just remember that sex is a stress reliever, so get naked and relieve some of that stress you’ve built up during the holidays near the fireplace! Ladies, take these next couple of months to really spruce up your lingerie drawers. As we know, winter brings us cute shaped sugar cookies, dinner dates and excess baked goods that everyone is kind enough to share. All the holiday events and cocktail dresses we bought last summer cannot continue to hang in our closets with the tags still attached, so

I recommend adding some sexy shapewear to your lingerie collections. Yes, I know, the word “shapewear” reminds s of our grandma’s old nude colored girdles or some laced up corset that digs into our ribs causing anxiety. I’m talking more about the spicy kind that smoothes everything out and still looks sexy when it’s being stripped off. My favorite new shapewear items come from Maidenform (www.maidenform.com), which is celebrating its 90th anniversary. My two favorite sexy pieces from the shapewear collection are the Full Slip which comes in a sultry, smoky gray color with lace. It’s perfect for the holidays! And the Lace Half Slip (with garters, of course) makes all the right parts look sucked in on any woman. After the cocktail dress comes off, you are guaranteed to make any man drool wearing these sexy undergarments. If you are looking for other sexy pieces to add to your closet, get sexy and silly for the holidays. Get creative this winter

and embrace your naughty side. You’ve been good all year, and lets face it being good all the time can be a bit boring. Let your inner sex goddess come out. Cook him his favorite meal wearing nothing but his t-shirt or if dare, cook in the buff. Not only will the stove be heating up, I guarantee he will as well. Other ways to embrace your naughty side can be as simple as lighting the perfect candle and sharing a sultry massage between the two of you. Who doesn’t like a full body massage? And finally, the third way to ensure your winter sex life is extra special is to give your bedroom a steamy makeover. You can do everything from softening the lighting in your love cave to buying some fancy 1000-thread-count sheets to roll around in. Even switching up the scent of a candle in the bedroom can provide a sexy and new feel to something so familiar. Leave him an alluring note on the mirror, play some sultry music in the background and start your winter off right!

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For four seasons now, Glee has been programmed into our DVRs so that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss a beat. More specifically, we look forward to the adorable and omnipresent Chris Colfer. Oozing with talent and clad in dapper dandy bow ties,

Colfer belts out our favorite hits week after week as Kurt Hummel alongside his fellow glee club members, which we have no hesitation singing along with.

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ChrisColfer Photography by SteveErle www.steveerle.com

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Grooming by: Ashley Streicher for Solo Artists using Dior Homme Styling by: Jeff K. Kim at Margaret Maldonado Agency Styling Assistant: Kate Keegan Cook

this spread: H&M Icon collections blazer and shirt

table of content wardrobe credits: Vivienne Westwood Shirt and Tuxedo Aldo shoes

page 20 and 24: Etro Button houndstooth button down shirt Etro Velvet blazer Etro Pocket square H&M Tie Rolex Oyster Day Just Watch

page 26: Brunello Cucinelli shirt and sweater H&M Trousers with suspenders Brooks Brothers leather gloves

page 28: Vivienne Westwood shirt and Tux Jacket

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The Guy With The Magic Touch By: Reilly T. Bates It isn’t just us who has taken notice of his role as an extremely relatable teenager figuring things out in this complicated world. Colfer has kept himself busy, ranking among the one hundred most influential people in the world by TIME magazine, scoring a Golden Globe win, and has been heralded as a strong voice for the LGBT community. But that is just Colfer’s day job. A New York Times best-selling author, his children’s book The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, which was released last summer, was so well received that he is in the works for a follow-up. His latest starring role is in Struck By Lightning, a widely acclaimed film, which Colfer both wrote and produced. His new book, based on the movie, is also achieving high praise from critics.

Take a step back from his sweeping whirlwind success, and you’ll see that there is literally no one else in Hollywood like Chris Colfer. And this is why he is exceptional. Colfer is an openly gay actor, which is still somewhat of a rarity in an industry that is known for having trouble balancing homosexuality—it seems more common for a straight actor to play a gay character than the other way around. And although gay rights and marriage equality continue to make small strides, when someone brave decides to step out of the closet a press conference followed by a tabloid circuit seems to follow. When Colfer rose to stardom with the megasuccess of Glee’s first season, there was no need to make an exclamation of a coming out on the cover of a tabloid weekly. It was as if Colfer arrived with an unspoken demeanor of “this is me and I

have no qualms about it.” In essence, it was a breath of fresh air, regardless of sexual orientation. With gay rights as one of the most pressing civil rights frontiers of our time, one would think that being a poster child of sorts for the movement would be a stressful responsibility, especially because the Kurt we see on Glee and the Colfer we see in public achieve both. Colfer sees a difference in what he needs to do. Being an actor is a job, a career. It is what he has always dreamed of doing. Being a role model and a genuinely good person is, at least to Colfer, just what any of us should do if we are presented with the opportunity.

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ICON: As an openly gay actor, do you think you carry more of a responsibility as a role model than if you were heterosexual? Chris Colfer: I don’t know if I feel it’s more of a responsibility. It’s one thing to be an actor but it’s quite another thing to be a role model. I think that I have been put on a role model pedestal, and with that, of course, I feel a lot of responsibility. But as an actor, not so much. As an actor, I don’t open up a script if I’m playing a serial killer and wonder what my teen fans are going to think—I don’t think like that. But if I am doing an interview like right now, I will think about what answers I give and how people who look up to me are going to think about it. At times that can be very overwhelming. One thing that is surprising, is that when you get into that kind of position, you realize just what kind of people actually look up to you. People ask me how it feels to be an LGBT role model, and honestly, I don’t even know if I really know what that feels like, because 99.9% of my demographic and fans—the people who write me letters and contact me on twitter—are young girls. They are the ones that feel different and see me and see Kurt on TV, and they are the ones that relate to him. ICON: With Glee in its fourth season, how do you feel when you look back on it and the success? CC: I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to take a step

back until it’s over, honestly, because it’s been such a whirlwind and it’s been constant. Like last night we were filming until about one o’clock in the morning. In the last four years we haven’t really been able to take a step back and look at it, because we’ve always been in the eye of the storm and the storm has always been going. But when I do think about the last four years, it feels like a decade because we’ve done so many things. We’ve won awards. We’ve met presidents and people like Oprah. It’s been a crazy, crazy roller coaster ride. ICON: Is it ever a worry that you could be typecast as Kurt? CC: Sometimes, but I feel like if I have that worry, then I’m doing something right. It is interesting how many people really think that I am my character and that Glee is actually a documentary. But I don’t really see that as my problem. I’ve always known what I wanted to do, and what I’m capable of so I’m not worried about it. I think it’s more of the world’s problem than mine. ICON: Who has been your favorite person that you’ve gotten to meet so far? CC: I got to meet one of my heroes, Jennifer Saunders, when we were on tour in England. She was incredible. She’s always been a major influence of me. She was absolutely not disappointing.

ICON: What has been most difficult, if anything, with your success and fame? CC: I think the biggest difficulty has been the incapability of being able to control what is out there of you. You get broken up into all these pieces that are scattered all over the world, and you don’t get to have control over every interview and every image. You don’t get to have control over yourself, so I think that is the hard part— living in the public and being so public, if you will. That’s the biggest struggle. Like if someone says something about you on the internet, or if someone makes a joke about you on a late-night show, and you’re not able to defend yourself. That’s been the hardest part. ICON: We are hearing a lot about your side projects outside of Glee, tell us about those. CC: Struck By Lighting is a film and book that I star in and that I wrote. It’s about an overachieving high school student, but he’s is very under-appreciated for it. It’s very much loosely based on experiences that I had in high school. In the film, he is the president of a writer’s club, and when I went to high school I was president of a writer’s club. So this project was a way for me to vent my frustrations from high school. I think it’s very different. It’s aimed at a teenage audience but it’s not about sex and drugs, which are what the majority of teenage films are about. It’s more about the lengths of which you will go to make

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your dreams happen. The smart teenager is a dying breed and it’s one that doesn’t get very much credit or light in the mainstream world. ICON: And you write children’s books, right? CC: Yes, The Land of Stories is a children’s fantasy book that I wrote and it came out last year and was well-received. It was something that I had wanted to do since I was ten years old, and so with Glee, I was presented with a lot of opportunities and being able to do this was one I definitely jumped on. ICON: What motivated you when you were ten to want to do that? CC: When I was ten years old, I got really into telling stories and entertaining people, and that’s when I chose my profession. I always hated reading and being told stories because I always wanted to change what I was hearing. It was the first story that I came up with and it kind of morphed over the years.” ICON: It’s clear that your show and the projects you work on have had a huge

impact on pop culture. When you think about tha,t how does it make you feel? CC: It’s really an honor to be apart of it and that maybe my presence has made people better. But it’s all a very, very vicious thing. It’s really weird how badly people want [fame], and how people want to be a Kardashian. It’s all smoke and mirrors—fame is really nothing to lust after. As a kid, I was constantly being disrespected by adults and by other kids, so I always have wanted to earn respect. I always wanted it to come from something that I’ve done and not something that I am. It’s really frustrating to see people who purposefully do nothing and just want to be famous. Why do you want it? If there’s no purpose, why do you want it? ICON: So far you’ve kept taking roles that are of some significance and inspiration. Are these the kinds of roles that you want to keep taking in the future?

to go down or that I’m on my way on. But I think I will always want to pursue and do roles that I can do. It’s whatever that inspires me. That’s what I’ll try to do—that’s my path. ICON: So then, who inspires you? CC: I find inspiration in everyone I meet. I don’t think there’s ever been a person who I have met who hasn’t inspired me in some way. But my fans have inspired me the most. They are the ones that I don’t ever want to let down. ICON: What’s the most important message you’d ever want to get across to your fans? CC: As cheesy as it sounds, if you dream it, it’ll happen. As long as you’re trying, you’re succeeding. You only stop succeeding once you give up. And I’ve met so many people who have just given up and it’s so sad. But I think as long as you’re trying to accomplish what you want, then that’s succeeding.

CC: Well, there’s no person’s career that I’ve tried to emulate because there has been no one who has gone down the exact path that I’m trying

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this page: *Etro Button houndstooth button down shirt *Etro Velvet blazer *Etro Pocket square *H&M Tie

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this page: *Anthony Franco Button down shirt *Brunello Cucinelli Vest *Joseph Abboud Suit *Brooks Brothers camel coat *Brooks Brothers leather gloves *Burberry Prorsum umbrella *H&M Shoes

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PastriesandPours No matter how you celebrate the holidays, some traditions are worth revisiting year after year. This holiday season, we’re taking tradition one step further by pairing popular seasonal sweets with adult beverages. Double-threat, Mikki Kristola, who’s both a cocktail maven and the bubbly bakestress behind decadent mikkiBites goodies, shares her favorite couplings. Bite

Sip

Mikki’s Tips “ An Old-Fashioned whiskey cocktail is easy to make, and goes perfectly with the cookie’s bittersweet dark chocolate, nutty walnut and light sea salt sprinkle.”

Dark chocolate and walnut cookie with sea salt sprinkle

• Whiskey • Bourbon

She shares with us her favorite tried-and-true recipe: Mikki’s Old Fashioned • In an old fashioned glass, muddle 1 sugar cube with 2 dashes of angostura bitters and a splash of soda • Add 2 ounces of Redbreast whiskey and a large block of ice • Garnish with an orange peel

Apple and gouda pie

• Lager beer

Mikki’s take on apple pie? She adds gouda cheese to the filling, then tops it all off with a lacy, buttery crust. “A clean, crisp lager cuts through the richness of the gouda and the crust, while also complementing the sweetness of the apple.”

Red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting

• Porter beer

“With a dark beer, you bring out the cacao notes of the cake and offset the sweetness of the buttercream.” “Cinnamon rolls and Irish coffee are great for a leisurely Sunday brunch!”

Glazed cinnamon rolls

• Coffee and Irish cream

She recommends spiking your joe with Carolans Irish Cream, which is sweet and not too heavy.

Roses can bloom in the winter as a refreshin g way to finish a heavy winter meal. Lemon-raspberry tart

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• Chilled rose wine

“I was obsessed with this during the summer, but the light, fruity combination is great year-round.”

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Seasonallyhaute When temps drop, nothing beats the chill like the warm, hearty, spicy tastes of the season. But comfort food shouldn’t be limited to the casseroled, creamed, calorie-laden cliches served at tailgates and basement potlucks. Classic seasonal ingredients and flavors can be elevated to inventive and elegant bites that complement a chic winter cocktail party. Personal chef and aspiring caterer, Joseph Martinus, a California Culinary Academy – Le Cordon Bleu alumnus, shows us how.

Menu Inspirations Appetizers

Ingredient

How to Use it

Sweet potatoes Kabocha squash

Puree or mash, then use as a filling for a fried wonton crisp

Kale

Swap basil for kale in your go-to pesto recipe and serve as a dip with crostini

Leeks

Sautee, add mushrooms and/or cheese, and stuff inside a phyllo parcel

Cocktails

How to Use it

Cinnamon Nutmeg

Sprinkle atop rich, heavier cocktails such as chocolate martinis

Cayenne

Mix with sugar and put on the rim of a margarita

Jalapeno

Infuse vodka or gin to make a savory cocktail

Dessert Bites

Ingredient

How to Use it

Brown Rice

Serve brown rice pudding in individual serving cups

Persimmons

Make a compote or jam filling for mini cupcakes, crepes or tartlet shells

»» Tips and Tricks

Visit the farmer’s market

»» • It’s a privilege to have access to fresh, local and seasonal produce — go whenever you can. »» • Ask for samples if you’re curious about what something tastes like. »» • Don’t be afraid to keep experimenting with new ingredients — if it doesn’t work the first time, keep trying. »»

Keep it simple

»» • As a host, your guests — not your food —should be the main focus »» • Try to stick with recipes that require no more than ten ingredients »» • Timing hot dishes can be tricky, so consider alternatives that be served chilled or at room temperature »»

Remember the basics

»» • Appetizers should be easy to pick up and polish off, leaving guests free to shake hands and hold cocktails »» • Make enough for each guest to be able to try everything on the menu www.theiconmag.com

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By: Christine Solomon Whether it’s on canvas, from an instrument or from someone’s vocal chords, expression is exciting. It’s important to constantly seek out new ways to see it in others. A good friend of mine told me about a specific spoken word artist that goes by the moniker IN-Q that “spits” in a way that will change your life, so off I went to the “Anti-Cool” 3-day, sold-out event at the Greenway Theatre in Los Angeles. IN-Q hit the stage and it was everything promised—

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undeniable charisma, a true gift for joining words, and a blessed ability to connect to the minds and hearts of every single person in the audience. People laughed, nodded in agreement and yes, even cried. He had this unique ability to make every person in the audience feel connected. On a dreary Santa Monica evening not long after the thrilling performance, I was thrilled to sit down and talk with IN-Q in person at a coffee shop.

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CS: What creative medium would you love to pursue that you have not already? IN-Q: Surfing. I’ve always been drawn to the ocean, cliche but true. Sports are just as creative as poetry, acting, painting or anything else. Riding a wave and being that connected to something else that’s alive would be beautiful. CS: Who would you mark as your greatest influences musically? IN-Q: Musically it would probably be NAS on Illmatic, which was his first record. When I was a kid I took shrooms. I was shrooming and I was listening to that record and I had my face literally right into the stereo and I thought NAS was God. Like I was fully, fully convinced he was God. CS: Do you still think NAS is God? IN-Q: Sure! I think we’re all God. But at the moment I was like, “OH, I GET IT! I understand, NAS is God and now the rest of my life will make sense.” I felt that was partly because I was on shrooms, and partly because I think lyrically on that record he describes what it’s like to be human. I mean it’s from his particular situation but I just really related to the emotion and the thoughts behind it. CS: Tell me about Da Poetry Lounge. IN-Q: It was started around 14-years ago by Dante Basco, who’s a close friend of mine. All of them are at this point, Shihan, Poetri and Brutha Gimel. They just wanted to create a space where people come together and share. They started it in Dante’s living room and then moved it to a spot on Cahuenga, which is where I came in with Omari Hardwick and others, then moved to the Greenway Court Theatre on Fairfax. We’ve been there for maybe 13 years every Tuesday night at 9:00pm.

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IN-Q is an established writer, poet, actor and songwriter. IN-Q has solo show performances planned in 2013 and ICON got the exclusive to be the first to break the news. It will be called “Age Against The Machine”, be sure to look out for the date announcement. Connect with IN-Q at: www.in-q.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/IN-Q https://twitter.com/INQLIFE http://www.youtube.com/inqonline

Photography by ChristineSolomon

CS: You started as a rapper/musician, I know you started with that platform and you can tell during your spoken word performances that you have that background. Do you plan on recording again, can we expect an album? IN-Q: I don’t know yet. I’m definitely open to it but I’m trying to ride that wave. I would like to do another record. It’s just all timing like anything else and waiting for life to tell me when the right time is. Sometimes you have to tell life to be [the right time for you], but I’m not there yet.

IN-Q: I really like Aloe Black, who I work with and who I’m also friends with. He’s an artist that I fully respect separate from anything else. His last album was amazing, his first album on Stones Throw was amazing, and the new record that he’s going to put out—I’ve had a chance to check out—is unbelievable. CS: And what’s playing in your car right now? IN-Q: Right now, in my car I’m listening to Frank Ocean Nostalgia, Ultra and I think he’s awesome. He’s dope, period.

CS: Tell me how you started working with Rock Mafia.

CS: Do you carry a book for writing with you?

IN-Q: My friend and mentor Ross Hogarth ended up connecting me with Tim James and Antonina Armato and it was an immediate fit for me. I mean I love working with them. Everyone in the studio is genius, period. And they constantly push me to go outside of the boundaries of what feels normal for me, and that makes me a better writer.

IN-Q: Sometimes I record finished products into my phone or newly finished products just to see what they sound like back, and then I can make some changes based on that, but I write on my iPhone now. I do that because it’s really easy to edit. It’s kind of changed my writing process because for years, I mean, I have stacks and stacks and stacks of paper, and napkins, and books. I mean it’s really remarkable. I looked in my closet the other day and I was like, holy shit this is just a lifetime of random thoughts.

CS: Speaking of those boundaries, you co-wrote Selena Gomez’s “Love You Like A Love Song” and Miley Cyrus’s “Forgiveness and Love”. When you first started writing that type of music, did it take you awhile to get into it or did you slide into it easily because it was still creative? IN-Q: I was open to the opportunity because I was still creating. The only thing that took me a while to slide into was that it’s definitely a different art form. I had to learn how to say something in a simple way and use rounder syllables, because most of my stuff is really rhythmic. So, I kind of cut up whatever it is I’m doing, and when I’m songwriting, learning how to do that in a different way is a process to me. It’s still something that I’m constantly growing at each and every day.

CS: Did you read any of them? IN-Q: I went back and read some of them, and some of it was worth it and some of it not worth it. My phone is pretty much always with me, which is a sad state of modern society and technology, but it’s also the truth. I can always take it out. If I have a thought, I can just write down the first line and don’t necessarily need to write anymore, and can then put it away. Whereas before, it was a different ritual.

CS: Educate us on an artist or two that are flying under the radar.

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icontravel Being a young and adventurous couple, we wanted to travel to a place that would totally put us out of our element, to see Mother Nature like we have never seen her before. The world is so fascinating, and we were ready to embark on our journey of a lifetime.

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Our South African Safari Christina Loglisci and Anthony Pallitto

As the sun peaked over the horizon, we set off on our safari of Kruger National Park. With adrenaline pumping like crazy, we started guessing which animal we’d come across first. We drove deeper and deeper into the wild on a hunt to find the Big Five—elephants, lions, rhinoceros, buffalos and leopards. Now anxious and living on high expectations, we made eye contact with a giraffe eating leaves from a tree

that soared high above the jeep. This gentle giant didn’t mind being the center of attention. It even poked its head inside our vehicle as we all dodged the long, wet tongue that tried to slobber us to death. Hey, it was just being curious!

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Being a young and adventurous couple, we wanted to travel to a place that would totally put us out of our element, to see Mother Nature like we have never seen her before. The world is so fascinating, and we were ready to embark on our journey of a lifetime.

All of a sudden, a radio call came from another vehicle that was witnessing a lion trying to take down a giraffe. Immediately, we sped to the location as fast as possible and witnessed this ferocious beast trying to take down another animal that looked nearly impossible to defeat, despite its stature. It took nearly two hours before the gentle giant hit the floor like it was made of feathers. The proud lion finished his job, but did not eat its prey just yet. Instead, he laid in the shade to recuperate from exhaustion. With vultures flying above and hyenas lurking nearby, the lion knew that no creature would

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have a bite before him. If so, he would initiate another battle to defend his prize. With our eyeballs popping out of their sockets, we continued our search for any type of movement through the African brush. â&#x20AC;&#x153;STOPPP!!â&#x20AC;? We told our safari driver that there was movement to the left, possibly a cheetah or even a leopard. Leopards are one of the most rarely seen animals because their color easily camouflages into the background. Our safari guide doubted us, but moments later a lean and beautifully spotted animal climbed up a tree and stared us dead in the face. You could tell the leopard felt threatened even though we were in his territory. We just sat there awestruck and took in as much of the beauty as we could until it vanished into the distance. Later that day, we were told that

a spotted feline had not been seen in nearly a month. Our luck could not have been any better! As the humidity subsided and the sun snuck over the horizon, our trek out of the wild sadly commenced. We couldn’t believe what your eyes had captured, and didn’t want to wake up from what felt like a dream. Thinking the excitement was over, we noticed a family of elephants coming our way. We stopped the vehicle and prayed that they wouldn’t head the other direction, quickly finding out that we were trapped in the middle of a stampede! When the elephants charged toward the jeep, we worried that they might just run us over. As they passed on all sides, we felt the wind that their massive bodies stirred and heard the sounds of their trunks.

To think that we were literally trapped in the fury of this particular moment gave us a different appreciation for life. We get so busy and caught up in the chaos, but if we can stop for a moment to remember the stillness—or in our case, the calm after an elephant stampede—the hard days and nights seem just a bit more tolerable. And if you can’t travel half the world to observe massive beasts thumping by in their most raw form, don’t worry. Nature is all around us, doing its thing, just waiting for us to notice its subtle lessons.

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We love to watch USA’s Suits, and we can easily see why anyone who is tuning in is enthralled with this new season. Sharp, captivating, and thoroughly written, Suits has all the ingredients to live up to the hype. But in this critics’ darling, faux-lawyer lead Patrick J. Adams is icing on the cake in

his role as “Mike.” Strip down the dapperness and endless swagger of his character and we found an intelligent and rather thoughtful man who seemed caught in an unyielding pursuit of purpose, though we could have confused that with just downright passion.

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The Suit Does Not Always Make The Man By: Reilly T. Bates When chatting with the confident yet unpretentious Adams, it didn’t seem like we were talking to the leading man on a hit television show. It could have been his Canadian roots, but an online search of his name propagated his astonishing talent for taking photographs among other notable interests. Rarely these days do we find people in Hollywood who are as multi-faceted with genuine talent as Adams, and who also aren’t in a hurry to gloat about it all over the place.

ICON: You must be thrilled with the success of Suits. How does that feel?

ICON: What’s been the proudest moment in your life so far?

Even when asking the basic get-to-know-you questions, it felt very much as though we were catching up with an old friend. Adams was thoughtful and attentive in his answers. One could argue that these qualities stand as an obvious metaphor for his photography and even more so for his acting. There is a rich depth underneath this star’s sophisticated black suit.

PJA: It’s really been incredible. I’ve done this for long enough to know that it’s rare. So, when I got the show, I learned to reduce my expectations of any of it. So, piece by piece you go to series, then you get picked up for another season, and then that becomes well-received and so on. It’s an incredible amount of work, so it’s been really nice to be rewarded. I think, with our show specifically, [the success] has been keeping true to the spirit of the show and the process of making it and not letting it be a routine, or become some weird version of itself. It hasn’t lost the spontaneity and creativity and inability to evolve, which I don’t think we will lose because we have a great team of writers that are always trying to one up each other.

PJA: On a selfish and egotistical note, I think being at the SAG awards last year was a personal achievement. It was at the Shrine Auditorium across the street from USC where they used to hold all sorts of award shows like the Oscars. It made me feel how lucky I am that everything has happened and in such a short period of time. Seeing all the people across the street cheering and looking on—that used to be me. But also, when I hear something or read a tweet about people inspired by Suits or by the characters, and they go back to school or it changes the direction they take for the better, I couldn’t have expected that.

ICON: Was acting something you always wanted to get into?

ICON: You also seem to be quite the accomplished photographer, how long have you been doing that?

Patrick J. Adams: Yeah, pretty much for as long as I can remember. My dad was a journalist and was a great storyteller, and my grandmother was also an actress. After going to the movies, my family and I would talk about why people did the things they did and how people interacted. I just loved going to the theatre and seeing how people shared that kind of human experience.

PJA: I guess I’ve been doing it for most of my life, but just more seriously for the past ten years or so. It’s kind of weird for me to talk about it though. I don’t do shows or make books or anything like that. I do it mostly to give as gifts to my family and friends, and to collect moments in time. I’m not really sure what to do with it next. Right now it’s kind of like my meditation— something that’s my own.

PJA: Plenty of them! Not a specific one, I guess. You get to see a lot of the hard parts of this business. You see a lot of the hard work behind putting on a show and all the people it takes to do it. It can become exhausting after you’re working for seven months straight for 14-hour days. I can have regrets at times—if I’m ever not at my best performance, or my most prepared, or not in character.

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ICON: So, then is there a least proudest?

ICON: We spent some time on your Tumblr blog last night and we found ourselves in a vortex!

PJA: That’s how Tumblr works! That’s kind of how I fell in love with it. The detail I really love about it is that you can’t comment on something without reposting it, unlike other social media sites you can just say whatever. I haven’t been on there in a while. I haven’t quite figured it out—it’s like the photography part of my life that needs honing. I guess Tumblr is just a middle ground for that. ICON: You have a lot of television credits to your name. Do you plan to add more film to that list, or what do you plan to do next? PJA: Absolutely. I have ambitions to do everything, but that’s definitely one way to explore. Television has been so great because I’ve been on a lot of sets and been able to see how it all works. Since I didn’t grow up on one, it’s helped me learn a lot. I began acting in a theatre, so I think that film is akin to that. The idea of telling one story and being on one set and sharing that experience is great. But, you know, I’m not trying to be in a rush to get anywhere.

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Patrick J Adams Photography by GiulianoBekor

Shot on location at Lightbox Studios

Grooming by: Lina Hanson Global Face serum at Tracey Mattingly Styling by: Jeff K. Kim at Margaret Maldonado Agency Styling Assistant: Kate Keegan Cook

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Guys, let’s face it. Who doesn’t want to be a “sharp fashion is your passion gentlemen, then allow me dressed man?” This is precisely why we at ICON to introduce to you a fashion house that will truly Magazine want to feed your style sensations. If have you out of the fashion dog house.

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Throw this dog some rag

& bone

By: Mito Aviles

philosophy based upon the importance of quality, “All of our stores have their own inherent character craftsmanship and attention to detail. It’s no wonder and this one has an LA personality,” states Neville. that this award winning duo has been recognized by their industry peers as savants in Menswear. The LA rag & bone fashion haven is equipped with an art deco-style staircase and incorporating elements of With Menswear being at the helm of their business the previously existing structure (former West coast for the Los Angeles market, the LA flagship store offices for the British Academy of Film and Televiis a vast 2-floor space that encompasses more sion Arts, BAFTA), like the glass cubicle wall. The than 9,000 square feet. Housed within this stylish co-mingling of what was previously existing and fashionista’s playground is men’s and women’s traditional rag & bone elements are what evoke the brand’s trademark New York industrial aesthetic. These two British lads have a formulated core collections, denim, shoes, and accessories.

rag & bone is the fashion brainchild of creative visionaries, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville. These two are bringing their classic yet edgy designs with some NYC swag to Los Angeles as rag & bone opens their first flagship under the So. Cal sun, in the very posh LA neighborhood of West Hollywood (8533 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, California 90069).

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Exposed brick, wooden beams, raw concrete floors, antiques, industrial chandeliers and custom made tables using stone, metal, and oak reminiscent of a 19th century industrial workshop are just some of the few elements used to compliment the feel of rag & bone. Â So dapper gents, looks like wanting to be ahead of the fashion game just got a lot easier.Â We have got you geared for the upcoming icy cold winter months with our rag & bone Winter picks.

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Photography by: Michael Del Buono

Stylist: Tony Davenport for artistsbytimothypriano.com Hair/Makeup: Sara Bearss for artistsbytimothypriano.com

this page: Jacket: Bogosse Shirt: Dolce & Gabanna Pant: Gucci Bow tie: Tom Ford Scarf as belt: Gucci Hightop: Donald J. Pliner

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Vest: Michael Kors Pant: 7 for all mankind Boot: Gucci Scarf: Etro Eyewear: Rayban

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Jacket: Alexander McQueen Sweater: Alexander McQueen Lounge pants: Lanvin Scarf: Armani Collezioni Boot: Jimmy Choo