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C A N V A S
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 5
JULY + AUGUST 2013
publisher
DANTE COLOMBATTI
creative director + fashion ed itor ERIN DENNISON
ar t director
RACHEL MANY
online ed itor
VI NGUYEN
photo editor
GRANT YOSHINO
photography
JASON LEE PARRY RICKETT & SONES HEATHER GILDROY CHRISTOPHER CAPTAIN ERIC A. REID
contributors
ROSS GARDINER REBECA ARANGO MEAGAN JUDKINS ASHTON STRONKS
online contributors
FAITH-ANN YOUNG AARON RAMEY JULIE ROTH
account managers
MATT OLSON JANESSA MOLINA
event directors MAX EHRLICH TK NGUYEN
accountant
COLE WESTERHOLM
v ideo content
MITCHEL DUMLAO
design assistant
CHRISTINA CEDENO
social med ia
KRISTA SANTIAGO NAKTA ALAGHEBANDAN MAYA BROWN LAUREN MCQUADE
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RONALD PRE MARK WALES RENEE MYTAR DANIELLE ALCARAZ LYNN CHU OLIVER
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MUSIC artist POOLSIDE playlist BATH JAMS q&a BONNIE MCKEE
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ART EVENTS museum A + D MUSEUM artist MATTHEW BRANDT book SO THE ECHO
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STYLE spotlight STREET HEARTS trend THE TREND MATRIX designer MINIMALE ANIMALE store NUDIE JEANS
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50 56
FOOD chef MILES THOMPSON restaurant FISHING WITH DYNAMITE
ART LA STREET ART
editorial NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN editorial SUMMER SLUMP
food scoops LICK IT UP drink SUNSET MARTINI bar 55 DEGREE WINE
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& NOTED photo essay INFATUATION essay PROS & CONNOTATIONS events SCENE & HEARD calendar JULY calendar AUGUST last look JASON LEE PARRY
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DOT COM LA’S BEST ART, STYLE, MUSIC, FOOD AND EVENTS SOURCE >> PARTY ON WAYNE:
>> CALLING ALL ARTISTS!
>> THE WEEKLY:
From a series of kickbacks at the Roosevelt Hotel
LA CANVAS and the Tappan Collective are joining forces to find the city’s
Summertime is synonymous with time to get off
Pool to exclusive dinners with LA's best chefs,
best undiscovered talent. If you live in Los Angeles, are a current art
your couch, and if you’re having trouble planning
LAC has more than enough debauchery and
school student, recent art school graduate, or working emerging artist,
accordingly, LAC has just the agenda. Every week
small plates to keep your summer interesting.
we want to see what you've got. The top artist will win a mention and a
our editors round-up LA’s best concerts, parties,
We’ll also be giving away even more swag this
photo in the September/October issue of LA CANVAS Magazine, a feature
art openings, sales, and generally excellent
issue thanks to the homies at Supra and Creative
in the E-ISSUE, and have the opportunity to exhibit their artwork for sale
happenings. Subscribe to the Weekly to get
Rec. Stick with us this season to cop some gear
on Tappan Collective. To apply, submit a bio, artist statement, and up to
them in your inbox every Thursday, along with
and gift bags. @lacanvas // #lacanvas
five images of work to LAartcontest@tappancollective.com.
exclusive invites to LA CANVAS parties.
ON LACANVAS.COM >> THE SCOOP: OUTDOOR MUSIC IN LA Los Angeles summers would be incomplete without an abundance of free outdoor concert series. We gather the deets in one convenient list. >> Q&A: ROBERT DELONG The one-man dance party performs with up to 20 instruments on stage, including a hacked Wii controller and a Flight Simulator joystick. >> LAC TV Acoustic sets with our fave new artists, behind the scenes with featured duo Poolside, plus exclusive recaps of LA's best and brightest getting all turnt up at our summer events. Blackmail, anyone? >> SMALL BLACK We catch up with the Brooklyn-based, atmospheric electro-pop group.
IN THE E-ISSUE >> ESSAY: PROS & CONNOTATIONS Model Kacy Emmett copes with her industry isms. >> SUMMER STYLE Photographer Derek Wood goes grocery shopping with Natalia Zofia. >> PHOTO STORY Documentary photographer Edward Cushenberry shows and tells with his cinematic lifestyle portraits. >> AND THEN Extended editorials for Brandon Boyd, Minimale Animale and Nudie Jeans.
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NOTED SUPER FOOD With a Weezy-like output and celebrated cosigners like Odd Future and Roc Nation, it looks as though this Twitter thug is making himself a comfortable home on the hiphop scene. Casey Veggies (government name, Jones) hails from the Fairfax district and at just 19, Veggies has already released his fifth solo project, Life Changes. Head over to DatPiff.com and eat your vegetables. CASEYVEGGIES.COM // PEASNCARROTSINTL.COM
DYE JOB High-performance swimwear and athletic seperates meets kaleidoscope patterns with our new favorite hybrid of functional whimsy, Jolyn. Choosing objectives like fit and philanthropy over mass advertising, you might not be hip to these guys. But they’re more than worth an online browse, especially if you’ve been missing the unique dyes of LA brand LAEKEN (the brands share Creative Director, Mallyce Miller).
URBAN RENEWAL If we hear the word “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” one more time, we might just throw our Carl’s Jr. wrapper out the window as we drive right by the Recycling Center on Alameda. Offense intended. Ok, sorry, but for real for real, when it comes to sustainability in LA, we’re not talking about your fixie bike made of cardboard or your biodegradable, repurposed condoms. We are, however totally nerding out about the urban planning initiatives that have sprung up over this past year. From new developments on the LA River Revitalization project, enhancements to our god-forsaken public transit system, and an entire exhibit dedicated to architectural public work projects opening at the A+D Museum this month, Los Angeles finally seems to be gettin’ with the times. Don’t fail us now; we can’t afford these gas prices and have already discovered all of Sim City’s money codes (ROSEBUD!;!;!;). LARIVERCORP.ORG // APLUSD.ORG
CONCEPTUAL HYDRATION We’re grateful for the complimentary Hollywood tap and all, but sometimes we want to prove to our friends that we have it together. That said, ever try to gracefully fill your guest’s glass with a Brita? Fail. Meet Soma, the water filter so visually stimulating, you’ll look as progressive as a Sci-Arc grad. DRINKSOMA.COM
RAW FILES There are few things that scratch our minimalist itch more than utilitarian luxury and point-and-shoot cameras. This summer, G-Star is slated to launch a pretty revolutionary crossover: RAW Leica. Together with the German camera company, the forward-thinking denim brand presents a special edition of the Leica D-Lux 6 series. Inspired by the G-Star RAW crossovers for Vitra and Cannondale, RAW Leica celebrates the photographic innovation of the iconic camera company. Get your hands on your very own at Leica’s new flagship store in West Hollywood. G-STAR.COM // US.LEICA-CAMERA.COM
GR8 LENGTHS Crazy to think that in a world of donut heads (Google it), HTML5, and PRISM data collection facilities, archaic printers and eight-hour salon trips still exist. While the former may continue to plague us, compartmentalized salon experiences like Dry Bar and Blushington have begun to revolutionize the industry. Most impressive to date is La Brea’s innovative beauty destination, Just Extensions. Approximately two hours later and hundreds of dollars cheaper, you’ll be stunting on those CW actresses. JUSTEXTENSIONSHAIR.COM
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH Get ready to unleash your inner 5th grader ‘cause this summer is all about the popsicle. While we still hold a soft spot for the rocket-shaped Americana pops that dyed our tongue a brilliant shade of indigo and those Flinstones push-pops from the local liquor store, we’re trying to convince our parents that we actually are contributing members of society. So let’s get fancy and throw a nod to the craft popsicle, the Big Stick’s more daring, successful, side-part-rocking, older brother. Whether it be the Michelada pop from Diablo Taco (meant to be dipped into a beer of your choice), Sweet Avocado suckers from Octopop, or an icy Horchata treat from Popshop, these inventive frozen flavors will make you look as legit as your bogus Economist subscription. If Avant-garde popsicles aren’t your thing, it’s cool—there’s still a baseballglove-shaped ice cream pop with that bubble gum ball in the palm with your name on it. Just follow the “La Cucaracha” jingle around MacArthur Park. DIABLOTACO.COM // OCTOPOPS.COM // THEPOPSHOPONLINE.COM
L O U N G I N G
POOLSIDE MELLOW DISCO BEATS ANTHEM OUR SUMMER RELAXATION
Summer is officially in full swing. The sky is clear,
While the album lingers, the discotheque duo
a simmering forecast assured and the girls are letting down
has kept busy on the road. From Coachella to SXSW and
their sun-kissed, beach-tousled locks. Though, as we dip our
the Primavera festival in Barcelona, Poolside has been
toes into glistening turquoise waters, more than a few of us
continuously blasting summer anthems for more than a few
are wondering: what’s summer without Poolside? Within only a
barbecue blowouts. So fine, more time will have to pass. But what
year, the LA-based duo has left an impressionable ripple on the summer day, in particular, the summer pool parties.
can we expect from Poolside?
It’s got to be enough to
Poolside’s 2012 debut album Pacific Standard
knock off our Chelsea boots. Enough to propel us into
Time has held on unflinchingly steadfast. Lucky for us, or
the intergalactic headspace we like to travel on during
maybe lucky for them, PST has more than enough staying
those long summer days. “We are using the same kind of
power to keep us grooving on through summer 2013. To
production techniques so the overall vibe should be the
quench our thirst, Poolside released a single in early June. “If
same, but we are also messing with some faster tempos and
We Make It” is a sexy, lounging lullaby and proves the boys
even more live instruments. Hopefully, these new things are
can still whip up those quality beats that have the girls doing
gonna blow some socks off here and there.” “If We Make It” will be featured on the “Scion
a breezy bunny hop and screaming out, That's my jam!” But just like a popsicle melts, so does the
10 Series Music Release,” a celebratory compilation for the
euphoria of a new single. “Feels like we are at least halfway
California label’s tenth year of life. A full Poolside album is
done, but stuff always changes—we still don't have a name
due out this fall.
or release date for the album, but we want it out ASAP Let's hope for an Indian summer, guys.
without rushing it too much.”
text MEAGAN JUDKINS photo RICKETT AND SONES POOLSIDEMUSIC.COM
BATH JAMS Not all of us are blessed with AC units, rooftop pools or ocean-adjacent addresses, but there’s no need to stew in your own sweat this summer when an old-fashioned dip in the tub is an option. This issue’s aquatically oriented playlist takes you through all the phases of recreational bathing: introspection, relaxation, and reinvigoration. So crank these tunes while you prune, let the sun set, and ride out the heat wave.
“Balance” Future Islands
“Golden Hour” Poolside
“Love Like a River” Girls
“Hotel Pool” The Ross Sea Party
“Like the Morning Dew” Laura Mvula
“Dye the Water Green” Bibio
“Sea Salt” Quadron
“Dead in the Water” Ellie Goulding
“Deep Sea” Cayucas
“Moon in the Water” Dawes
“Rain Delay” Tanlines
“So Fresh, So Clean” Outkast
STREAM THE FULL PLAYLIST ON LA CANVAS’ SPOTIFY
WILL YOU CONTINUE TO WRITE FOR OTHER ARTISTS AS WELL? DO YOU SEE YOURSELF ACTING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE? Her delectable hooks have set up camp in your brain since 2010,
There are certain artists I will always say yes to. I just finished
scoring the soundtrack to your outfit selection processes, cardio
working with Katy Perry on her 3rd album, and if something really
sessions and PCH drives… and all without even knowing her name.
inspires me I will do it. But for the most part I am in Bonnie Mckee
With eight #1 singles under her belt, it’s a little peculiar that the
mode. As far as acting- Yes! I LOVE to act! It's a really great outlet
sherbert-haired songbird has managed to stay behind the scenes
for me. I love playing pretend.
with such substantial commercial success. But years of authoring iconic anthems for artists like Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Carly Rae
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT POPULAR MUSIC?
Jepsen, Christina Aguilera, Kesha, Kylie Minogue, Avril Lavigne,
I love that it’s universal. It appeals to your grandma and your little
Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, and Adam Lambert, have given Bonnie
sister and your biker uncle.
McKee extensive industry insight to match her impressive lyrical
WHAT WAS THE LAST SPOTIFY/ ITUNES TRACK YOU PLAYED?
repertoire. No stranger to a I-III-IV chord progression, McKee is
"Mechanical" By OLIVER
armed and ready to strike; no Memphis Bleek Syndrome here. LAC had a chance to catch up to pop music’s poet laureate, and here’s
DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND IN THREE ADJECTIVES?
what she had to say:
Bold. Bright. Colorful.
YOU BEGAN YOUR MUSIC CAREER AT AN INCREDIBLY YOUNG AGE,
WHICH FIVE PEOPLE (LIVING OR DEAD) WOULD YOU INVITE TO YOUR
TOURING WITH THE SEATTLE GIRLS CHOICE AT 12 AND SIGNING YOUR
FANTASY DINNER PARTY?
FIRST RECORDING CONTRACT AT 15. WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU HAD A
Dolly Parton, Bill Clinton, Cher, Conan O'Brien, Michael Jackson…
KNACK FOR WRITING? AT THE TIME, DID YOU PREFER IT TO PERFORMING?
just like a few underground people.
I started writing songs from early on. I was always writing my own lyrics to songs I heard on the radio or that I saw on MTV. I was really
PICK YOUR POISON… SNICK VS. TGIF?
into writing poetry and went to poetry slams-- all kinds of geeky shit
SNICK all the way.
like that, haha! But I was really shy about my songwriting for some reason. It wasn't till I was 12 years old and played a demo of covers
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE NAMED YOU “BEST SECRET WEAPON”
I recorded (Fiona Apple, Bette Midler, Carol King) for a guy named
IN 2011, WHAT WAS IT LIKE ACHIEVING SUCH LEGITIMATE BEHIND
Johnathan Poneman from Sub Pop Records, that I was encouraged
THE SCENES SUCCESS? DO YOU PREFER PEOPLE KNOW YOUR NAME
to really dive in and go for it. I played him recordings of my best
BEFORE YOUR FACE?
Fiona croon, and he said to me "That's great, you can sing. But lots
It's been really awesome actually! It's a fun conversation starter.
of people can sing. Can you write?" So I went home and threw myself
"What do you do?" "Oh, I'm a songwriter... Maybe you've heard some
into it. The goal was always to be a performer, writing songs for other
of my work?" Haha! I feel like it's a great way to break as an unknown
people was honestly something I stumbled into.
artist because I have a bit more credibility. And people listen to my music with different ears if they know the work I've done prior. It's an
YOU’VE CO-WRITTEN A BATTERY OF BILLBOARD HITS, CAN YOU WALK
honor. I'm extremely grateful for my behind the scenes experience.
US THROUGH THAT COLLABORATIVE PROCESS? It's different with every artist. With people like Katy Perry and
ARE YOU READY FOR THAT TO CHANGE?
Kesha, they are incredible songwriters in their own right, so it’s a
Absolutely. I was born ready.
true collaboration. Then with other artists, when I never even get to meet some of them, it's kind of a fun exercise to step into their shoes and imagine what they would want to say- and what their audience would want to hear. It's exciting to send something over and then get it back with an awesome famous person's voice on it! “AMERICAN GIRL” MIGHT ACTUALLY BE THE PERFECT POP SONG, WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO REINTRODUCE YOURSELF AS A PERFORMER? CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR TIMING? It has been my secret plan all along to come back as an artist, but it was important for me to come back guns-a-blazin'…so I had to build up some ammunition first. I knew that people were responding to my songwriting and that if I followed the opportunities the universe was sending me that they would lead me to my goal, like proverbial breadcrumbs. The viral lip synch video I made of all my famous friends is pretty much all those little breadcrumbs snowballing into a perfectly baked All American pie.
STREET
ART
photos provided by ERIN MITCHELL // LOSTANGELESSTREETART.TUMBLR.COM LA STREET ART GALLERY // LASTREETARTGALLERY.COM
GALLERY OPENINGS JOSHUA PODOLL Christopher Grimes Gallery July 5 - September 7, 2013 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 5th, 7 - 10 pm Joshua Podoll presents a new body of abstract paintings, utilizing his trademark gestural brushstrokes along with a greater emphasis on drawing. Blurry airbrush lines, transparent washy brushstrokes and heavy impasto piles all interweave to create a tapestry of markmaking. Within this densely layered space, Podoll overlays painted, floating objects that serve to create tension between themselves and the layers of marks. cgrimes.com COMMON GROUND: NEW AMERICAN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY drkrm July 6 – July 27, 2013 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 6th, 7-10 pm American street photographers Jack Simon, Bryan Formahls, Chuck Patch, Blake Andrews and Richard Bram feature work from across the streets of the United States. The group show portrays a wide range of styles and camera formats and how street photography remains an integral force in American photographic culture. drkrm.com DAIDO MORIYAMA PRISM July 12 - August 12, 2013 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 12th, 6 - 9 pm PRISM presents a stunning collection of Moriyama’s work, encompassing images from post-war to modern-day Japan. His gritty and often out-of-focus depictions of urban life are highly personal and explore the transformative process of photography and the experimentation on the printed page. prismla.com
ROGUE WAVE 2013 L.A. Louver July 18 - Aug 24, 2013 Opening Reception: Thursday, July 18th, 6 - 9 pm Rogue Wave 2013 is the fifth in L.A. Louver’s Rogue Wave exhibition series. The exhibition will include the work of 15 LA-based emerging artists, including Eric Yahnker, Kim Schoenstadt, Christopher Miles, and Farrah Karapetian, whose work celebrates new art in the metropolis. Media includes painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video, and site-specific pieces. lalouver.com KATRINA UMBER: AND Charlie James Gallery July 27 - August 24, 2013 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 27th, 7 - 10PM And brings together two recent, ongoing photographic series by Los Angeles artist Katrina Umber in her first solo show at Charlie James Gallery. As the title suggests, the space of the photograph is continually proposed in these series of combined images and diptychs. Images are layered on top of one another, questioning the relationship and assumed connections of each pairing, while also exploring our understanding of space and time. cjamesgallery.com KITASONO KATUE: SURREALIST POET LACMA August 3, 2013–December 1, 2013 LACMA presents Kitasono Katue’s collection of Visual Poetry and text poems. Active from the mid-1920s as a pioneering, progressive spirit, Katue is a leader in avant-garde and surrealist poetry. His Plastic Poems, categorized as visual poetry, were inspired by photography and served as covers for novels, trade journals, and commercial magazines. lacma.org
THE READER Anat Egbi Gallery August 3 – August 24, 2013 Opening Reception: Saturday, August 3rd, 7 - 10 pm The Reader displays a selection of graphic paintings, incorporating elements of spot color and socio-political axioms in the style of Barbara Kruger, with added grit. The skillful use of silkscreen, stencils, spray paint, collage, stickers, letterpress, stamps, and even shiny cigarette packages are materials sourced from and for the street, and transformed into works of art for the gallery. thecompanyart.com BIA GAYOTTO: SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN: LOS ANGELES Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA) August 11, 2013 - January 5, 2014 Los Angeles artist Bia Gayotto investigates what it feels like to navigate and inhabit two or more places and cultures. Residents are invited to participate in a video shoot that relates to twentyone neighborhoods along Route 66. The two-screen installation will juxtapose cityscapes, architecture, and domestic settings with portraits of the participants performing everyday actions, revealing their sense of self and place in the world. pmcaonline.org
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SPECIAL PROMOTION LAC X PARK STUDIOS
IN THE CUT CREATIVE PRODUCTION WITH PARK STUDIOS HWOOD Recently opening its doors, the highly anticipated Park Studios Hwood is the new hub for Hollywood’s creative talent. Bridging the worlds of photography, fashion, fine art, music, and cinema, their mission is to provide affordable access for creative talent in order to produce, display, design and distribute all forms of innovative art and media in an intimate setting. The centrally located gallery and event space will play host to interactive experiences such as live music, video projection, and performance art. Catch new photographer features beginning on the second Friday of each month.
DEFOE JUNE DANIELLE 6-14 7-11 O
JULY CAMRAFACE 7-12 8-8 O
AUGUST
TED EMMONS 8-9 9-12 O
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ANOTHER CITY IS POSSIBLE THE BEST-LAID SCHEMES OF MICE AND MEN AT THE A + D MUSEUM
text ERIN DENNISON Disoriented by the jarring juxtaposition of Frank Lloyd Wright
into a dense metropolis, but would our collective perceptions be different
masterpieces alongside disparaging strip malls? Confused by the lack
as well? How much of our identity derives from our daily routines? Queue
of a nucleolus in the second largest US city? Us too, but it’s the range
Crash intro montage…
that makes Los Angeles one of the most fascinatingly contradictory urban
Never Built includes dozens of axed narratives by a hesitant city, many
hubs. Long before the neon, glowing pillars surrounding LAX were erected,
of which exist as potentially relevant urban plans for our current infrastructure.
visionaries like Richard Meier, Renzo Piano and Rudolph Schindler had all
One of the most fascinating unrealized schemes is that of a sprawling park
taken on LA as their muse. But what could have been if bureaucracy and
center surrounding all of Los Angeles County. The series of linked greenery
budget restraints had not gotten in the way? This summer, the Museum of
was the brainchild of Olmsted and Bartholomew and would have doubled LA’s
Architecture and Design explores the city’s most intriguing coulda/woulda/
recreational space many times over. The proposal met its fate at the public
shouldas with their new exhibit, Never Built.
vote in 1930, ultimately 86-ing the interconnected structure. Low-to-moderate-
Through
enchanting
photos,
drawings,
videos
and
other
engaging evidence, co-curator Sam Lubell, Greg Godlin and Clive Wilkinson
income housing project plans and blueprints for over 100 miles of subway will also be on display, painting a picture of a very different urban experience.
Architects will explore what Los Angeles might have been, had some of the
“Every city has its issues, but the ratio of talent to population (in
world’s most renowned architects had gotten their way. These untold stories
Los Angeles) is incredibly high,” explains exhibit co-curator Sam Lubell. “I
give both physical and psychological insight into the alternative reality—
believe that there can and will be a change in the culture that benefits the
one with cohesive transportation systems and innovative infrastructure.
public realm.” And we have to say, after considerable time spent spelunking
Sure, an Angeleno’s life might have been transformed had the city evolved
through these blueprint PDFs, another city is, indeed, possible.
6032 WILSHIRE BLVD LOS ANGELES, CA 90036 APLUSD.ORG
The fashion of youth culture revealed this summer.
August 19-21, 2013
Mandalay Bay Convention Center, 2nd Floor Las Vegas
Register today at www.projectshow.com Follow us @projectmvmnt on Instagram & Twitter #PROJECTMVMNT
beauty in the break down
text ROSS GARDINER photo RACHEL MANY
As you peer over the labyrinth of silicon circuit boards through the LCD display at the pixelated representations of the world, you might wonder if landscape photography has lost some of its connection between man and nature since it went digital. While it has always been about capturing those tranquil moments of wonder with a little memory machine, digital development has reduced man’s role in the proceedings, and, in a sense, has demoted the eventual image to being something that can be easily manipulated, and ultimately more disposable. Since the photography world grew weary of the irksome burden of the dark room and snuggled into the warm embrace of Lightroom, most of the images we see of the natural world have been snapped, processed, and are communicated via digital mediums, and are rarely tangible beyond their corresponding ‘Like’ button. LA-based artist Matthew Brandt’s hands are intimately involved in every stage of his photographic production. Take his much lauded Lakes and Reservoirs series: Brandt hikes to a large body of isolated water, takes his shot, collects a pale of water from the lake, and returns to his Hollywood studio to start processing. Using an ever changing mixture of unfiltered lake water and stop-bath processing chemicals, he develops the photographs in his makeshift dark room.
The results are striking. The serenity of the lakes is destroyed in a variety of ways, from gentle burns and opaque veils of transparent color, to vibrantly mangled abstract images that offer little clues as to what they once were. The whole production stands as an unlikely merging of science, art, synthetics, nature, technology and organics. It’s recklessly experimental, like a heretic mother drinking gin whilst pregnant in the hope that her offspring develops synesthesia. “There are a lot of mistakes,” he professes, as we stand over an enormous, beautiful Oregon lake, slowly being molested by the mixture he’d crafted in the bucket below. “You learn from them, but there is always going to be an element of unpredictability to this whole thing.” Born and raised in Los Angeles, Brandt was raised on an eclectic mixture of art, spirituality and culture. His father is a successful commercial photographer, and his mother, originally from Hong Kong, is a strong proponent of Buddhist values and how they manifest themselves in the modern world. He graduated from the esteemed Cooper Union art school in New York, before gaining his MFA from UCLA in 2008. Along the way he has been building a reputation for creating some of the most conceptually challenging and visually arresting works in the country.
MATTHEWBRANDT.COM MBART.COM
there is always going to be an element of unpredictability to this whole thing.
�
A quick glance at his website reveals his
Highly
conceptual,
and
undeniably
extensive collection of gallery works, ranging from
technically gifted, Matthew Brandt is a hugely exciting
screen-printed, electrically charged copper images of
young talent in the world of abstract photography.
Mao’s birthplace, to an assortment of dead honey bees
His thematic battles between nature and technology,
dissected and reformed on canvas. In his studio you
expansion and retraction, as well as his earnest
can see works that may or may not ever see the white
fascination with the torch of power being passed
of the gallery walls. Decomposing burgers in glass
between China and America, are the lifeblood of
boxes, compressed masks of prominent politicians,
his work. Beyond the immediate aesthetic pull, his
and photographic/painting replicas of the invisible
photography maintains a depth and cultural relevance
men of cinema. The list, honestly, goes on and on.
that time will surely only serve to strengthen.
And given that he is but thirty years old, it will surely
Matthew Brandt’s work can be seen in the Rogue Wave
continue to do so at this rapid rate.
’13 collective show at LA Louver Gallery in Venice, from July 18th to August 24th.
ILLUSTRATED
MAN
BRANDON BOYD GETS BACK TO BASICS WITH THE LAUNCH OF HIS THIRD BOOK, SO THE ECHO photo GRANT YOSHINO production + text MEAGAN JUDKINS styling TODD PEARCE grooming JEFFREY BAUM assistant photo STEVE LUCERO / RON PRE
Bruce the pup warmly welcomes us at the wooden gate surrounding a modestly dapper Venice Beach home. Bruce is among a small number of Boyd’s tight-knit circle
put into something. What you call out into the world, whether
to merit an appearance in his new book: So The Echo. The
consciously or unconsciously, the thing that you most need,
appropriately mellow French bulldog leads us to Brandon
want or desire, you are going to get that back.”
who, before entering his home, stops to call attention to
While thumbing through So The Echo one feels
the towering tree in the front yard–a brilliantly blooming
almost voyeuristic; “white sand sticking to my toes like sugar on
Jacaranda, freshly planted that very morning.
a mouth-moistened finger” and other eloquent introspections
With regular visits to the ocean (“The sea is our
make each page entertainingly piquant. Thoughts, ideals and
mother,” states Boyd) and daily meditation as his spiritual
blatant concerns for a blind and fear-fed nation tastefully
refuge, Brandon is surprisingly down to earth. Even with, or
splash personal photographs like a professionally, refined
perhaps despite, his colorful career that spans the greater
scrapbook of a person you would like to know.
part of 20 years. His brand of unpretentious confidence is
thankfully, it is presented without the patronizing air that so
refreshing, and Boyd appears to be a man at his creative apex.
often accompanies discussions of magnitude.
Though,
“What a blessed experience it is to be an artist–
Yet despite his valid concern, Brandon, along
to be at peace with your creativity, and be allowed to do it,”
with his narrative are pleasantly optimistic, “[There are] a
Brandon remarks reflectively. With straightforward repose,
wonderfully alarming number of human beings alive today
his motto is simple: “You are only ever going to get what you
who are having what we could call ‘enlightening experiences’ in little bursts–all beautiful, all deadly, all infinite, all at once.” Boyd teeters on a kind of clear-eyed transcendence in a desperately modern world. (continued on next page)
The art within So The Echo is a “more refined, less scatter-brained” display of what we have come to hope for from Boyd; a style we’d like to coin, shrewd psychedelia. His sketches bring to mind a charmingly hallucinatory Egon Schiele, while the more abstract pieces are a kind of re-imagined Rorschach test. Watercolor vividly dances off the seemingly intimate pages of a happened upon sketchbook, illuminating the imagination and giving the viewer a disarmingly raw glimpse into the mind of the artist. It should also be mentioned that Brandon’s ninth album is soon set to release. Loyal fans can expect to kickback with the son of the sea, just like old times, but prepare for a reintroduction to Boyd. The new album “is a sort of reflection of who I am now, why I am here and where I think I am going.” You wont be disappointed. Within a blink of a few short hours, the interview is through. As we pack up, and blithely give thanks for the hospitality, it occurs to me, if the old saying “you are what you eat” is true, then Boyd and his honey-dipped lady are chai-spiced chocolate & organic strawberries. Yum. The book and album are both set to release late summer/early fall. I’m in, are you in?
BRANDONBOYDBOOKS.COM
4 SPECIAL PROMOTION LAC X PROJECT MVMT
T H E m o v em en t A WOMAN’S WORK IS NEVER DONE
Project MVMNT’s latest addition Street Hearts is the most anticipated designer platform on the trade show scene. The female-centric showcase displays the most progressive brands in streetwear this season. Capsule collection goddesses Love+Made, accessory wizard Melody Ehsani, and the architect of enlightened highstreet grit HELLZ BELLZ/BOTB are giving the notoriously patriarchal club a run for their money. #STREETHEARTS // PROJECTSHOW.COM photo GRANT YOSHINO
LANIE ALABANZA-BARCENA HELLZ BELLZ Since 2005, HELLZ BELLZ has been an innovative voice in women’s streetwear. Indigenous to downtown Los Angeles, the brainchild of Lanie Alabanza-Barcena caters to the burgeoning class of rebellious youth influenced by all things subversive, from the gritty streets of New York to sexploitation flicks of the 1960s and 1970s. Stemming from the original trailblazing entity of HELLZ comes the matured sub-brand, BOTB. The evolution of the HELLZ label has given Barcena the opportunity to present her growth as a designer as she enters into the contemporary side of fashion. WHATTHEHELLZ.COM // HOUSEOFBOTB.COM
LINDA NGUYEN AND TAMMY LE LOVE + MADE Love+Made was founded on the notion of taking action from the heart and ultimately pursuing what you love. Founders Tammy Le and Linda Nguyen combine forces to create Love+Made, a female alliance with a breadth of experience in the design, music, and art industries. With collaborations with powerhouse brands like Stussy, WeSC, Royal Elastics, Vans and DJ Tamara Sky these ingĂŠnues have been featured everywhere from Foam to Nylon and Elle Japan. The fashion-forward lifestyle brand and events company has been making waves since 2007 with their innovative approach to design and marketing. LOVE-MADE.COM
MELODY EHSANI MELODY EHSANI DESIGN Raised in a traditional Persian family, native Angeleno Melody Ehsani had lofty LSAT ambitions post graduation. After grappling with her cultural expectations, she decided to break with tradition and go with her gut. Melody found that fashion design scratched more itches for her than litigation ever would, and these days it looks as though her rebellion has paid off. Artists like Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Rihanna, Keri Hilson, Cassie, LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, Diggy Simmons, Amber Rose, Ciara, BeyoncĂŠ, Estelle, and Mariah Carey might just agree. MELODYEHSANI.COM
TREND MATRIX EXORBITANT LISA MARIE FERNANDEZ ELISA MAILLOT, $385
CHIYOME LIGHT GREY SLIM BAG, $345
JAMBONE BIG JAMBOX, $250 WINCER & PLANT IPAD SLIP CASE, $220 LAUREL HILL TALISMAN EARINGS, $169 RAG & BONE DENIM OVERSIZED PULLOVER, $225
WARBY PARKER BEGLEY, $95
MAKITO LILO LOAFER $125
GANT FLOY SUNGLASSES, $125
MARC BY MARC DEMPSEY SWIM SHORT, $148
WANT
NEED
NIKE NIKE FLYNET LUNAR ONE SNEAKERS, $200
THE 2 BANDITZ PEAKIN CUFF, $98
HAVAIANAS FREEDOM SANDAL, $32
SIDECAR LIFT SERVICE, DONATION-BASED
80’S PURPLE CHARLES MIXED METAL WAYFARER SUNGLASSES, $12
INCASE DSLR SLING PACK, $90
ELIN KLING x MARCIANO BERYL SANDALS, approx. $200
HARPER’S MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION, $17
AVEENO CONTINUOUS SUNBLOCK LOTION FOR FACE, $10
CISTHENE FLASK, $55
BABYLON CARTEL OSTRICH LEATHER CAP, $55 PHILOSOPHY JUST RELEASE ME EYE MAKEUP REMOVER, $18
TAPATIO SALSA PICANTE, $3 EAST 2 EDEN REUSABLE PARTY ICE CUBES, $3
ECONOMICAL
ESSIE NAIL POLISH, $8
we t d r e a m MINIMALE ANIMALE GIVES US WHAT WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR
photo GRANT YOSHINO production MEAGAN JUDKINS styling TODD PEARCE hair + makeup VERONICA VALDIVIA models MARGAUX BROOKE @ WILHELMINA / MARION SEALY @ PHOTOGENICS text ERIN DENNISON
It
seems everyone wants a piece of Cassandra Kellogg these days, and with good reason. From Elle to Sports Illustrated editorials, the former stylist and design savant is fulfilling
a revolutionary niche in women’s swimwear. Up until she changed the game, there were limited options to elegantly standout poolside. We could get zany with a print or neon hue, but thanks to Minimale Animale, we no longer have to pray to the H+M capsule collection goddess for a unique shape at a reasonable price point. To define anyone by their job description can be reductive, however Cassandra’s expert combination of functional fits and curvecelebrating silhouettes anthropomorphized the Venice native’s beachbum persona. Mesh and strategic cut outs showcase a woman’s body and allow for a versatile yet sartorially inclined aesthetic. And at just three seasons in, MA is quickly becoming the most innovative perspective in swimwear right now. (continued on next page)
YOUR MULTI-HYPHENATE RESUME IS SOMETHING SERIOUS. HOW DID YOUR SWIMWEAR LINE EVOLVE FROM STYLING AND INTERIOR DESIGN? CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR CREATIVE TRAJECTORY? I spent four years in design school, and have a degree in Fashion Design. I stumbled upon styling by accident and fell in love with it. After much needed time away from the regimented process that is taught in design school, I slowly found myself creating pieces again for myself and shoots. YOUR SUITS CAN BE WORN IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, FROM UTILITARIAN TOMBOY WITH A PAIR OF TROUSERS TO UBER SEXY WHITE MESH ON A CURVY MODEL. HOW IS THIS CONSIDERABLE AESTHETIC CHASM RECONCILED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF YOUR PERSONAL STYLE? The collection is a reflection of my personal style, which I don’t categorize into one thing. I can personally bounce from beach bum during the day, to cleaned up and sleek at night. Minimale Animale’s suits are made for the fashion chameleon. DO YOU SEE MINIMALE ANIMALE BRANCHING INTO MEN’S SWIMWEAR? POTENTIALLY EVEN READY-TO-WEAR? We are including clothing such as dresses, jumpsuits, crop tops, and vintage varsity tee’s in our two upcoming collections.
YOUR CAMPAIGNS ARE STUNNING, IMPACTFUL AND EXPERTLY BRANDED; HOW CLOSELY ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE ART DIRECTION? HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND IN STYLING HELPED YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND DIRECT A CREATIVE TEAM? I have done all the creative and art direction for Minimale Animale from day one. I always had a very clear vision of what I wanted and I enjoy doing all aspects of it. With my years of set experience and working closely with creative directors I have been able to see and partake in various areas and aspects such as prop styling to makeup and hair. I always had a passion for creative direction, and now I am able to implement it into my own brand. WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO EMBRACE A NEUTRAL PALETTE? WILL THAT BE CONSISTENT THROUGH FUTURE COLLECTIONS? I just create what I enjoy at the present moment. I wouldn’t say the line has been exclusively neutral, and there will be more color in the upcoming collections. DOES THE OCEAN PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN YOUR PERSONAL ETHOS? I will always need to live within a short distance of the water.
LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP: DENIM CULT FAVORITE NUDIE JEANS IS IN IT FOREVER EVER
photo GRANT YOSHINO production MEAGAN JUDKINS styling TODD PEARCE / hair GEMA SILVA makeup JEFFREY BAUM
model JESSE @ PHOTOGENICS / DJ JAMES @ LA MODELS / NINA DANIELE @ LA MODELS / ERIKA LINDER @ NEXT / LEILA G. @ NEXT
Writing about denim can be a little . . . zzz. How many times can we rave about the benefits of Japanese cotton before running out of clever adjectives? However, after considerable time spent internet thugging and sipping complimentary showroom wine, our real life crush on the Nudie Jeans ethos has blossomed into a genuine love affair. Not the I-like-their-tattoos-through-the-optimal-insta-filterchoice serotonin rush, but the I-Googled-their-horoscope sort of romance—a sustainable sort of intimacy. Since
their
conception
twelve
years
ago,
Swedish brand Nudie Jeans has maintained the objective of sustainability, but in 2006 they announced a public commitment to go entirely organic. In order to establish a company-wide ethical monopoly, they became extremely exclusive with their suppliers. By refusing to redirect their conscientious focus, Nudie ultimately reached their goal of being 100% chemical-free early this year.
This
particular round of the good fight was won by a healthy degree of moral perseverance, which was also employed to realize several of the brand’s other responsible victories. Membership to the Fair Wear Foundation, ongoing Amnesty International initiatives and securement of minimum wage for all its manufacturers make Nudie’s customers equal parts ethically committed and sartorially savvy. Jeans live the same life we do; they see what we see, experience what we experience, scar where we scar. Romanticizing? Perhaps, but the narrative is also quite literal. The practical argument for organic denim is that it molds to you, and evolves with you, becoming your favorite pair and consequently a second skin. The quality of holistic material lends itself to sustainability provided by a higher quality, longer staple cotton. And for those of us who maintain an acutely adventurous lifestyle, Nudie repairs all denim at their Melrose location, for free.
text ERIN DENNISON NUDIE JEANS HOUSE 710 N. EDINBURGH AVE. LOS ANGELES, CA 90046 NUDIEJEANS.COM
AVAILABLE AT
5455 W PICO BLVD LA CA 90019 323.930.0347 WWW.CLAE.COM
photography LOTUS JOSEPHINE styling JAMES THE BELOVED makeup JOSIAH hair LINDSEY MARTINS model FRANKI H @ NEXT MODEL MGMT franki wears DRESS BY J. LOREN
franki wears ARA NERO BLOUSE BY ADOLFO SANCHEZ DESCONI SEQUIN SKIRT BY ADOLFO SANCHEZ shoes STYLIST'S OWN hat STYLIST'S OWN opposite page BLAZER BY DOLCE & GABBANA PANTS BY J. LOREN
franki wears CARA METALLIC SUIT BY ADOLFO SANCHEZ glovess STYLIST'S OWN
opposite page COPPER DRESS BY ADOLFO SANCHEZ LATEX ACCESSORIES BY THE TOCKROOM
S UMMER
LUMP
photography DEREK WOOD styling + model NATALIA ZOFIA @ WILHELMINA
shirt VINTAGE / shorts LEVI'S opposite page shirt VINTAGE
shirt VINTAGE / shorts AMERICAN APPAREL / socks TOPSHOP / boots AMERICAN RAG opposite page shirt VINTAGE
crop top PLANET BLUE / shorts AMERICAN APPAREL
LIGHT THE MATCH CHEF MILES THOMPSON OF ALLUMETTE ON LAUNCHING AN EXCITING NEW DINING EXPERIENCE text REBECA ARANGO photo HEATHER GILDROY
AS SOON AS OUR KNIVES CRACKED THE SHELLS OF CHEF MILES THOMPSON’S POTATO-MASCARPONE BUTTER-BALLS, THE AROMA WAFTING UP OVER THE DELICATELY GRILLED BREAD, WE KNEW WE WERE IN FOR A GOOD MEAL. BUT WHAT WE ENDED UP HAVING WAS MORE LIKE A GOOD TRIP, AS EACH DISH THAT FOLLOWED THE PLAYFUL AMUSEBOUCHE FELT MORE WHIMSICAL AND INTOXICATING THAN THE LAST. THOMPSON’S OUTLANDISH CONCOCTIONS, LIKE HIS CAVATELLI WITH UNI RAGU, FROMAGE NOIR AND FRESH SPRING PEAS, REQUIRE AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT BUT NOT NECESSARILY A SOPHISTICATED PALATE. AT ALLUMETTE, FLAVOR IS HIGH-IMPACT AND ANYONE WITH A TONGUE
hard to explain sometimes, we have a dumpling dish that’s
CAN FIND IT. LAC CAUGHT UP WITH THE CULINARY WUNDERKIND TO
just three dumplings. I’ve eaten 16 dumplings at a Chinese
LEARN MORE ABOUT PIONEERING A NOVEL RESTAURANT CONCEPT
restaurant as a snack, but that’s because I’m kind of gross.
WITHIN ECHO PARK’S FLEDGLING DINING SCENE.
Here, because it’s handmade every day, and everything is handsourced, to serve three is appropriate. But if you want
YOU’RE ONLY 25, BUT YOUR FOOD FEELS VERY EVOLVED. HOW
to share those three, you’re going to miss that bite that has
DID YOU GET SO GOOD SO FAST?
the grapefruit zest and tarragon, and you might never get
Thank you! I worked for a catering company as a teenager
enough roe. So I really encourage people to eat the food by
in Upstate New York for six years, working my way up from
themselves. They’ll have a much better experience.
dishwasher. Then I moved out here and I worked at Nobu for two years. I used to go into work five hours early every
DO YOU FIND IT’S BEEN A TOUGH SELL IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?
day, around 9:30 am. Really because I had no idea what I
Expense in food of this level will always be something people
was doing but I somehow got that job. That’s where I met
talk about. The other restaurants in the neighborhood have
my mentor Alex Becker. I still call him Chef, I can’t even call
lower price points and larger portions. I’ve eaten at all of
him Alex. But I think that totally insane work ethic got me to
them, I’ve had great meals. This is a strange restaurant
where I am, and having access to those ingredients inspired
because it’s a destination-neighborhood restaurant. We
me, and having a mentor helped a lot too.
have people driving from Redondo Beach to have dinner here, and we have people walking off the street to have
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DINING CONCEPT AT ALLUMETTE?
dinner here. This restaurant is entirely polarizing. If you
The concept is constantly evolving. But it’s basically for
come in and you see an $18 salmon dish which is the only
people to come to dinner and course out a tasting menu
familiar thing on the menu but it’s only two ounces of fish,
for themselves based upon the offerings. The kitchen
the server has to explain, “This is a Columbia River King
determines the order of your choices, you put yourself in
Salmon, there were literally 100 of these caught on the first
our hands and sit down to three to ten courses depending
week of the season and we got one of them and it’s an
on how hungry you are. The dishes are not huge—some of
incredibly special thing.” I think that makes it exciting, but
them get a little bigger and others are very small, so you
you’re up against a million factors. This is a make-or-break
need to have multiple courses per person. This isn’t really
point for a lot of restaurants. A lot might see the resistance
a restaurant for sharing, because there are so many unique
and think they have to change what we’re doing, instead of
little flavor bombs that you come across only if you travel
just bumping up everything—the service, the ingredients,
around the plate by yourself. You could totally miss the AHA
the preparations.
moment of a dish if you only get one bite of it. We tested a dish last night as an exercise to see how the food needs to
I WAS TALKING TO CO-OWNER CHARLES KELLY, AND HE
be eaten. It was based around wild white asparagus from
DESCRIBED YOUR APPROACH TO FOOD AS CEREBRAL. WHAT
France. We had a bunch of people all sample from one plate,
DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
and they were like,“that was cool.” And then other people
I think that’s a really nice compliment. In an ideal world,
ate it just by themselves and thought, “It was so much better
I would only make set tasting menus—you come and you
than I thought it could have been, because I was alone, I
get the offering, like an omakase. Because that allows you
could concentrate on eating it, I didn’t have to feel like ‘oh I
to fill spaces and gaps; it allows you to treat ingredients in
wish I could have another bite but I want to be courteous.”
ways that might not be obvious. Like that white asparagus
And that’s how the food really needs to be eaten.
dish—two separate people ate it, and they studied it and said “I don’t think you can call that a vegetable dish”—even
SO YOU’RE GOING AGAINST THE SHARED-PLATES CRAZE.
though it’s like, poached king trumpet mushrooms roasted in
Shared plates are the foundation of the dining scene in Los
butter, a raisin puree, pickled vegetable grabiche with rose
Angeles. Animal broke the mold—it invented the way people
geranium and lotus chips, all vegetables. But they said, “It
think about food, at least here. I was really lucky to work at
really just eats, looks, feels like a Crudo,” like a raw fish or
that restaurant and see how it’s all done. Restaurants like
reverence of product dish, rather than like a broccoli steak.
that and Ink and Red Medicine, they all have shared plates.
A lot of the food is about studying ingredients, and allowing
And so the people who eat out there and want food of that
the diner to study them as well. That’s what long-form tasting
caliber will come here, and hopefully they’ll understand
menus force people to do. It’s almost like this theatrical
what we’re doing. People are used to doing it that way, so
experience. Patience is also something that I ask of people
we have to tell them, “you should order two of those.” It’s
who eat my food. I think that’s what Charlie’s talking about.
1320 ECHO PARK AVE. LOS ANGELES, CA 90026 ALLUMETTELA.COM
WHEN YOU FISH UPON A STAR FUN WITH FISH AT CHEF DAVID LEFEVRE’S NEW MANHATTAN BEACH SPOT, FISHING WITH DYNAMITE
text REBECA ARANGO Behind us, the Pacific pokes its salty sunset-glimmer between
The playfully-named craft cocktails each come with their own
parked Toyota Prii and squat shops that sink lazily towards the sand, illuminating
quirky story, and Ashley happily tells them all. Warmed up with booze, we
Ashley Bacon’s contagious smile as she waxes lyrical about oysters. “I never
relinquish our right to free will and leave the decisions to the kitchen, on this
liked them until I spoke with a chef here, and he inspired me to appreciate
night helmed by LeFevre himself, who takes us through the best of his clever
them for what they really are.” That is, filter feeders. The way those slimy, little,
two-column menu. Why build a concept around traditional or contemporary
bivalve mollusks survive this big bad world is by kicking-back and letting it
when you’re so good at both? Raised in Wisconsin with influential summers
flow through them. Ashley enthuses: “Encapsulated in their shell is the flavor
spent at his Grandparents’ in Virginia Beach, LeFevre has since traveled the
of the sea, of their particular environment. They soak it all up and become the
world and devised many a fancy dish, even helping LA’s Water Grill get its
essence of the ocean.” Okay, yes. Bring us some oysters, Ashley.
Michelin Star. But (and M.B. Post was already an indication of this) LeFevre
The oysters have traveled from opposite ends of America to be
is no stranger to nostalgia, and he cooks up with it expertly.
with us today, and their habitual diversity is evident: each possesses his
A comprehensive but not laborious ode to the sea, the menu at
own complexion and distinctive style of dress. Here, at chef/owner David
FWD is divided into Old School and New School. Classic standouts include the
Lefevre’s latest eatery Fishing With Dynamite, the briny critters are regally
Maryland Crab Cake, appreciatively more crab than cake, with a nice meaty
presented on an elevated bed of ice, ready to work with fresh lemon,
texture and some mustard remoulade, and the Poached Half Atlantic Lobster
horseradish, mignonette, tangy ponzu and even bright pico de gallo to start
(which the menu explains is pronounced lob-stah, like chow-dah), which arrives
this feast off on the right valve.
gloriously red and juicy in its hot bath of Pernod butter and tender veggies.
Just a few doors down from LeFevre’s acclaimed solo-debut M.B
On the contemporary side, LeFevre plays with Asian influences,
Post, Fishing With Dynamite is like a playful kid sister, smaller and kitschier
like in the creamy Thai Shellfish and Coconut Soup or the Black Miso Cod.
with a singular fixation: seafood. Appropriately, FWD feels like a beach
Our favorite was the vaguely Italian Grilled Octopus, which was perfectly
cottage, with limited seating but a “whatever, let’s just invite all the cousins
cooked and tangy, kicking-it with creamy white beans and a date-tomato ragu
and pile in” kind of attitude. Over the course of our three-hour Wednesday
that brought an intriguing sweetness to the plate. The dessert offerings—
night sea feast, FWD’s two bars—one raw bar and one libation laboratory—
Pretzel and Chocolate Bread Pudding, Key Lime Pie—will charm the child
continuously roar with neighborly laughs shared over sips and slurps (which
inside you without offending the adult, which is really something you could
the menu assures us are okay, we’re in good company).
say about the whole experience at Fishing With Dynamite. In a word: fun. 1148 MANHATTAN AVE MANHATTAN BEACH, CA 90266 EATFWD.COM
LICK IT UP In the my-opinion-is-the-only-opinion self-publishing internet age, its nice to share a collective consciousness: nothing beats a mouthful of cool ice cream on a lower-back-sweaty summer day. Whether you’re into uncommon ingredients (curry, anyone?) or basic bitch vanilla, we’ve got something for your taste buds.
SANTA MONICA o BEACHY CREAM Organic freaks rejoice: Beachy Cream’s sweet treats are 100 percent organic. Gluten allergy? They’ve got you covered. Their yummy ice creams are mostly sold in the form of the ever-popular ice cream sandwich, but are also available by the scoop. SPECIALTY: Get your booze and dessert in one treat when you get their Bourbon Bacon or Whiskey Walnut flavors. If you prefer something a little more fruity, get the Strawberry Balsamic or the Key Lime Cowabunga for a tasty tang. If you prefer tea and pinkies up over booze and bacon, there’s also the Earl Grey. beachycream.com
“Break Bread. Share Wine. Feed the Soul.”
HOLLYWOOD o MASHTI MALONE Founded by brothers Mashti and Mehdi Shirvani, this Hollywood mini-mall hidden gem got the “Malone” part of its name when the brothers took over the original ice cream store, Mugsy Malone. Despite its modest settings, Mashti serves up some of the best Persian ice cream in the city. SPECIALTY: Aromatic ingredients like rosewater and saffron (the world’s most expensive spice) make for exceptional ice cream flavors. Try the Rosewater Saffron with Pistachios and Creamy Rosewater. Both have a heady scent of florals while delivering a smooth and refreshing finish. For some zing, try the Ginger Rosewater. mashtimalone.com
BRENTWOOD o SWEET ROSE CREAMERY This Brentwood creamery uses organic and local ingredients wherever possible, procuring seasonal produce from local spots like the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market to create a menu that changes monthly and features ice creams and sorbets that deliver a punch of flavor often missing in mediocre ice cream. SPECIALTY: Salted Caramel reigns supreme at this Brentwood creamery, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention some of their drool-worthy flavors. If you like the taco shop staple drink, Horchata, you’ll love Sweet Rose’s ice cream rendition. You should also try their fresh-fruit flavors, like nectarine and lychee. sweetrosecreamery.com
MID CITY o NEVEUX ARTISAN CREAMERY If flavors like vanilla and mint chocolate chip are too oldschool-tried-and-true, Neveux is just the spot to get your tastebuds tweaking from confusion. Neveux prides itself on sweet and savory combinations and flavor experiments that may just turn you into an ice cream snob. SPECIALTY: The Salted Caramel is most popular here, but we dare you to try some of Neveux’s more unusual flavors, like Coconut Curry Lemongrass or Pepper Peach. If you’d like to go with something relatively more familiar, try the Blueberry Chèvre or Roasted Banana. For a more fragrant spin, there’s also the Rosemary Butterscotch and Honey Lavender. neveuxartisancreamery.com
BEVERLY HILLS o ICE CREAM LAB Step into this blue-themed, science-meets-dessert shop and witness the crafty folks at Ice Cream Lab make their ice cream to order with a special process involving a mixer and liquid nitrogen. Strange as it may seem, the results are deliciously smooth, creamy, and utterly delicious. SPECIALTY: True to the store’s blue theme, the Blue Velvet Cupcake flavor is not to be missed. Get two desserts in one as they combine ice cream with real blue velvet cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting. If you want a little savory with your sugar-rush, get the Salt Lick Crunch, which is vanilla ice cream with bits of pretzel, caramel sauce and sea salt. icecreamlab.com
GET TH E SCOOP ON LA’S LATEST A N D GR EATEST EATS AT LACA N VAS.COM
600 S. Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 www.artisanhouse.net 600 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90014 213.622.6333
213.622.6333
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ABOVE IT MIXOLOGIST UNWANTED: SKYBAR’S SUNSET MARTINI
Never known for being the most humble character in the service industry, the bartender has strangely come to consider himself to be a historic noble tradesman. Rebranding himself as a “mixologist”, he shakes, muddles, flames, garnishes, and infuses, and he has absolutely no desire to muster the enthusiasm to discuss the intricacies of Haddock-flavored Ciroc with you. But for all their skill, knowledge and ability to work under pressure, the bartender of today seems to have forgotten that he is also there to serve you, the customer. And he is to do it with a smile so wide that it threatens to burst his lips, and he is required to gleefully say ‘Yes, of course! No problem!’ when you and your gaggle of shithoused friends request to split $34 across thirty-five credit cards. Too many of today’s high-end bartenders have neglected pleasantries and modesty in favor of speed, knowledge and the ability to smoothly thumb their suspenders and scratch their testicles on the pour-spouts in the well. But the truly decent bartenders know that if the customer wants a vodka Mojito without the mint, or the sugar and lime, and with cranberry juice instead of soda water, then they can have that, with a smile. On as many credit cards as they like. So, as I catch my breath and let the hot scarlett drain from my face, here is a fantastic summer cocktail recipe courtesy of the very talented folks up at the Skybar in West Hollywood. The Sunset Martini is extremely simple, and can be crafted at home, far and away from a barbershop quartet bartender fingering his cufflinks and insisting that it is actually pronounced “Hen-ay-say”.
RECIPE 2 OZ HENNESSY BLACK ¾ OZ LEMON JUICE ¾ OZ SIMPLE SYRUP 3 MUDDLED BLACKBERRIES Shaken with ice and strained into a coup glass. Enjoy the taste.
text ROSS GARDINER photo RACHEL MANY 8440 SUNSET BLVD. WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90069 MONDRIANHOTEL.COM
COOL GRAPES text ASHTON STRONKS photo RACHEL MANY
55 DEGREE WINE WALKS US THROUGH ITS MANY NUANCED PERSONALITIES As you step into 55 Degree Wine, a warm “Buongiorno!” greets you
carry them because I love introducing people to flavors and tastes they’ve
from the heavily Italian-influenced display of wines and craft beers. Wooden
never tried before. The other day, a customer came in looking for a $40
shelves and wine racks form narrow store aisles featuring hundreds of bottles
bottle of red he had tried at a restaurant. I asked him to tell me a little
from around the world, with regional placards and small maps to highlight the
about what he liked and how it tasted. He ended up walking out with four
exact place each varietal was born and bottled. An unassuming cement staircase
cases of a bottle that was $20 cheaper, and was more satisfied having
toward the back of the shop leads patrons into a candlelit tasting cellar with brick
learned something new that day.”
walls, tables made from old barrels and slightly reflective glass windows allowing opaque glimpses into the two private tasting rooms. It’s a wino’s dream.
A couple of us from LAC order red flights—the #3 Running of the Bulls (a jammy, fruity line-up) and #4 The Big O’s (the more medium-
Where Atwater Ranch Market used to operate above a bootleg
bodied collection)—because we love red wine, but mostly because we can’t
basement recording studio six years ago, now sits 55 Degree Wine, named after
resist ordering something called The Big O. For snacks, “A Taste of the
the proper temperature to store wine. Owner Andy Hasroun came to the U.S.
World” sounds just as alluring, featuring a seasonally rotated spread of meats,
from Syria when he was only 14 years old to live and work with his uncle who ran
cheeses, homemade hummus, assorted garnishes and warm fluffy bread. Andy
the market. He climbed his way up from putting in 16+ hour days, napping on
also throws in a pizza covered in fresh tomatoes, basil and feta crumbles for
cardboard boxes with paper towels for pillows, and running liquor to the various
good measure—the perfect carb-coating for our wine-soaked bellies.
then-unknown musical acts rehearsing in the basement next door (such as Black Eyed Peas), to owning half the business and eventually opening 55 Degree.
“Wines are just like people. Each wine has a fingerprint, and you can never duplicate the same wine. They have personalities as you and I do,”
“Never in my life have I not gotten what I wanted. Whether it was a
explains Andy. “You know what the best wine is? The one YOU like. No one can
lifestyle, a business, a relationship . . .I truly believe you can make anything
tell you whom you should and shouldn’t date, sleep with, have a relationship
happen if you want it bad enough, you just have to work to get there.”
with, et cetera, just like no one can tell you what kind of wine you should like.”
55 Degree’s menu is impressive and carefully curated, as
Stumbling out with a buzz and a newfound swagger, I have never
Andy takes annual trips to Italy to personally handpick his inventory. We
felt more confident of my wine tasting palate. We don’t need any point
nicknamed him The Wineocologist due to his keen diagnosis of taste and
system or dollar amount to justify our tastes.
prescribing favorites we didn’t know we had.
Andy's mantra over and over in my head: “Love what you do, do what you
“I think Italian wines are the most underappreciated regions,” he explains as he swirls the dark red liquid up the sides of his glass. “I
I couldn't help but replay
love.” And perhaps more importantly, “The words ‘do’ and ‘drink’ can be completely interchangeable.”
3111 GLENDALE BLVD #2 LOS ANGELES, CA 90039 55DEGREEWINE.COM
I N FA TUA TION
EDWARDCUSHENBERRY.COM EDWARDCUSHENBERRY.TUMBLR.COM
photo KARA KOCHALKO hair & makeup JEANNIE VINCENT styling AMANDA MACIEL ANTUNES
The steam room is a weird place to start a conversation. I understand that normally two people alone in a room ought to acknowledge one another but elevators have really blazed the trail for mutual disregard. So, in a room where the temperature was trespassing into hot-as-balls territory I thought it warranted silence. My cedar bunkmate felt otherwise and after an hour of cardio, assumed we were war buddies. Despite my posthumous enthusiasm, she discussed her sciatica and turned to where she thought I was sitting in the mist: So, what do you do? The answer to her question is simple: I’m a model. Have been since high school. Now, it’s my full-time job and, consequently, my longest relationship to date. It started when a kind Boston agent, whether in earnest or inebriation, offered me a contract. Like most young girls with dreams and cable, I fancied myself a regular Doutzen or Coco, sauntering down a runway in Paris for a hefty dollop of cash per lap. The reality was that at sixteen, kitten heels were a hurdle and I’d never see Europe until I managed to fill out an A-cup and college applications. But six years and countless cutlets later, I couldn’t answer her question. My aversion didn’t sprout from any shy or shamed reason, just inexplicable self-preservation. As a career modeling is straightforward, with few secrets to success apart from Eastern European genetics and standing relatively still. It affords many the opportunity to travel and work with creative minds, but basically if the hanger ever learns how to smize, we’re all out of a job. But I couldn’t spit it out. Normally, I would have rather steered a conversation to the most tepid, stagnant waters than answer her polite inquiry outright. Someone might ask what I do for a living and I would respond vaguely, using broad terms like “fashion” or “Pinterest.” I’d mastered ambiguity to leave little room for perceptions. I would have rather had an acquaintance assume I was unemployed and concussed before dropping the model card. And then there’s the matter of shelf life. See, when the longevity of your career is relative to wrinkles, it’s easier to talk about sciatic numbness than a professional backup plan. To be fair, not all of my interactions end in conversational constipation. I also realize that in the professional arena it’s rude to be vague. Whether you’re a barista or undertaker – you say so. If you ask a chef what’s in the special he’ll never say “food’n’stuff.” A lawyer would never tell her client that they’re looking at “anywhere from community service to life.” But still, I’ve always felt uneasy explaining how I forge a living by freelancing my face and sometimes limbs. My business card has a picture of a fringe leather skirt on it. Yours has an email address. There are certain scenarios, however, where less information is always more. When I travel for work, there’s usually a clairvoyant Customs Officer demanding I disclose my intentions with his country. We both know I’m here modeling without a visa and soiling his mother tongue in the process. After a moment, I respond “For pleasure” and he reciprocates with a stamp. Neighbors, on the other hand, are a lost cause. Assuming four, waifish girls in a one bedroom are escorts is anticipated, assuming any of us are actually generating income is just generous. Geographically speaking, anywhere south of Newark is a fluke as the terms “modeling” and “MySpace” are used interchangeably. But in the day-to-day exchanges, every time I beat around the bush like some stoned landscaper, I created an unwelcome distance. I’d made a habit out of hesitance and stuck my job in the undeserved and unreserved backseat. The grownup thing to do here is stop the pattern of avoidance. To come out of the professional closet and stop saying “freelance” without offering a supporting adjective. It’s time to be a model and bring home the bacon on whatever dining set the studio lends me. Of course the real test will be in my initial interactions, when the sincerity really hits the fan. And the next time someone in a high humidity setting wants to know what’s next? I’ll allude to my background in liberal arts and hostessing right before slipping out with the next eucalyptus blast.
SCENE & HEARD This summer the LAC crew has been hard at work gifting, reveling, and bringing cool people together. We couldn't fit our entire catalog of celebratory voyeurism here, but if you've been snapped at one of our parties, head over to FACEBOOK.COM/LACANVASMAG to locate your shining face (tag at your discretion). Missed out? Make sure you're signed up for the LA CANVAS Weekly to get in on the upcoming festivities.
WE double dare YOU TO GET YOUR summer ON
photo CHRISTOPHER CAPTAIN // ERIC A. REID
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MANIFEST DESTINY A SUN-BRUISED AMERICANA: THROUGH THE LENS OF COVER ARTIST JASON LEE PARRY
text ROSS GARDINER Purring motorcycles tug at slack threads of light, glassed bearded lovers framed, kneaded silhouettes acutely
drawn to the sunshine mecca of Los Angeles, thirsty for the culture and adventure that Southern California presents.
aware of themselves, final drags of blue vapor under setting
Inspired by the iconic imagery of French fashion
suns, roadside headdresses of plucked gull and bleach,
photographer Guy Bourdin, Parry campaigns hard for the
utterances etched in lines on the road, porous dust plume
provocative nostalgia of 1970s west coast adventure and
ghosts haunting lungs, stray fibers of gold like frayed bows,
lustrous rebellion. He is enthused by, and his work depicts a
and youth so fragile it comes apart in your palms and falls
brand of youthful revolution that elicits an authentic response
through your fingers. These are the blackened shavings of
from his exponentially expanding audience.
rag and bone Americana backed up under fingernails that
In the past several years, Jason Lee Parry has scored
grub around in the gaps between the sun and the sea for a
major campaigns for lifestyle giants like Urban Outfitters, ASOS,
hope not yet bloated and belly-up.
Wrangler, and Free People, while his narrative-driven editorials
The American West is one of the most photographed
have been featured everywhere from progressive publications like
stretches of land in the world. With lush vegetation embraced
Oyster and Human Being Journal to mainstream magazines like
by the abundant desert sun and a sprawling cityscape
Vice and Elle Girl Japan. It’s his uncanny ability to mold models
bookended by the largest, bluest ocean, Southern California
into muses that has opened doors for left-of-center perspective
is a captivating place. There are few people that capture
within the notoriously strict and unforgiving fashion industry.
the aesthetic of the place quite as well as fashion editorial photographer Jason Lee Parry.
With more than a dash of the sun-bruised, Kerouacesque vagabond about him, Parry’s aura is one of a free man
Hailing from an unspecified location, Jason moved
unchained from the shackles of time, and unconcerned by the
around a lot in his youth and has maintained the notion of motion
slow bleeding of innocence. By depicting a quintessentially
as the driving theme behind his work. Starting out shooting
West Coast brand of rusted Americana that could light Joni
skateboard videos and gritty street fashion, he found himself
Mitchell’s pipe, Jason Lee Parry is a true American artist.
JASONLEEPARRY.COM