Ma
rc
h/
AP
RI
L
Arts Fashion
Tech food + Drinks www.lacanvas.com LACANVAS.COM 1
2 LACANVAS.COM
LACANVAS.COM 3
4 LACANVAS.COM
LACANVAS.COM 5
6 LACANVAS.COM
10. MUSIC MAP
12. BAND: Kitten
15. VENUE: On The Rox
21. ART WALK MAP
22. IMAGE GALLERY:
24. ACTOR: Jena Malone
32. STORE: E.P.I.C.
34. FASHION: Street Scene
36. SHOES
26. FILM: DVD’s
to Check Out
38. ACCESSORIES: Go Green
44. FOOD SPOTS: Mexican 46. COCKTAIL: St. Tropez
48. BAR: Wellsbourne
18. GALLERY: Corey Helford
30. DESIGNERS: Penny Stock
40. CHEF: Marcel Vigneron
50. TECH: Spy Tech Illustrations by Justin Fitzwater
42. RESTAURANT: Mas Malo
LA Street Art
16. ARTIST: Timothy Williams
52. GAME: Dragon Age 2
54. INTERVIEW: Totally Rad Show
60. COMMUNITY: Eco Green
62. ADVICE: Ask JD
66. LAST LOOK: Augustine Kofie
LACANVAS.COM 7
JOSH AZZARELLA WORK: 2004 - 2011
Volume 1, Issue no. 3 March/April 2011 Publisher Dante Colombatti Editors Kevin Hidalgo Justin Fitzwater Copy Editor Reno D. Picconi Arts Editor Shana Nys Dambrot FASHION EDITOR Vivianne Lapointe Food + Drink Editor Kat odell Music Editor Ashley Eliot Tech Editor Curt Hutson Account Managers Amy Dobbins, Jesse furman, Matt olson DISTRIBUTION Jeffrey Hogeboom Marketing Assistant Will Wallner Writers Marilyn Chiu, Ashley Eliot, Max Hurwitz, RAEgan Payne, Todd Mazer Photographers Emily Bradley, Sergio Estevez, Luke Lovell Interns Dana Eitches, Dustin Hedrick Our info 1734 N. Main St, Studio 1B Los Angeles, CA 90031 P:(323) 352-3250 E:PR@LACANVAS.com LACANVAS.COM
friends with Benefits
OPENING RECPTION : APRIL 9TH ON VIEW : APRIL 9TH - MAY 14TH www.MARKMOOREGALLERY.com
8 LACANVAS.COM
Copyright 2011, by LA CANVAS. All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission in writing from LA CANVAS. LA Canvas makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but is not responsible for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. LA Canvas is not held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions.
LACANVAS.COM 9
S “O tan ne din W gS ay h Je Ri ado “W nn de w ell y O (G s O -d K ub Ho ne Re y” m ix )
”
F “D itz ea and rM t r. he Pr Ta es nt RO id ru en m “O BO t” s n/ T O AN ff Th IST eL S ed Se ge ” “W a W ic o ke lf d Bl oo d” W “S alt ta er rlig M ht ee ” go
Evan Voytas “I Took A Trip On A Plane”
Saint Motel “Do Everything Now”
EZ TIGER “Any Other Day”
... to get you through your work week The New Limb “Birds And Stuff”
The Belle Brigade “Sweet Louise”
st e “H r Th el e en Pe a o Be pl O lin at e ” A “T nd er T rib he le M To oo w n “P n” ac ke d O Jo ur e Pa G st il ”
Dum Dum Girls “Jail La La”
B “I est W Co an as tT t o”
G “N RO ak UP ed LO Ki VE ds ”
Francisco The Man “Do You Remeber?” Warpaint “Shadows”
Local Natives “Who Knows Who Cares”
Li “K ght ee FM p O nL oo kin g
ur T es “W he H or en kin ry g Cl Pa ay rt P Ti eo m p e” le
ig
“S de m d al P l T ap al er k” F
Fa
H “C e’s oa M tt y B ai r ls” ot
he
r,
Sh
e’
s
M
y
Si
st
er
Kitten “Johnny, Johnny, Johnny”
O nT Sh he a “S d Br ay ow igh Ye S tS s” ha ide do ” w Sh ad e
Le Switch “Hurky Jurky”
Fo
“S The w S im m m ile in s g”
White Sea “Overdrawn”
WHITE ARROWS “City Boy”
Eastern Conference Champions “Single Sedative (Acoustic)”
Dante Vs Zombies “Branded By Nuns”
Voxhaul Broadcast “Fact Or Fiction”
N
Twilight Sleep “Run In Reverse”
E
W
S 10 LACANVAS.COM
For more music, check out LACANVAS.COM
Walking Sleep “Let It Go On”`
SLAM DUNK MID CIRCA 1982
ar·chive –noun
1. a collection containing materials of historical interest: “PONY ARCHIVE” is a footwear collection of timeless Pony styles selected for permanent preservation.
EST 1972 WWW.PONY.COM LACANVAS.COM 11
Musician Focus
12 LACANVAS.COM
KITTEN TEEN ROCK BAND SHAKING UP THE MUSIC SCENE
L
ed by 16-year-old Chloe Chaidez, the indie pop meets garage rock band Kitten might be young but their catchy choruses and electric beats will have you questioning the time spent during your teen years. With comparisons to Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley), the fierce Chaidez delivers a song with authority and emotion that leaves a lasting impression. At 11 years old, she shared the stage with Conor Oberst and Band of Horses, and up until she was 13, performed in a cover band called Wild Youth. A couple years later, Kitten was launched with Chaidez (vocals, guitar), Andy Miller (guitar), Max Kuehn (drums) and Zach Carper (bass). Also, Chaidez works with co-writer Chad Anderson on the song writing. The alluring sting of “Kitten With A Whip,” inspired by the 1960s film, spurts lyrics like “She’s out for kicks. She’s a kitten with a whip. She takes the littlest steps from the prettiest lips. She’s a kitten with a whip.” This is just one example of the aggressive persona that Chaidez and the band’s sound gives off in their recordings and on stage. “The song writing is just one aspect of the music,” says the home-schooled teen. “I would say my personality comes out more on stage.” And Chaidez isn’t shy on stage. With her Madonna-esque attitude, she isn’t afraid to get lost in the music, which is proven by singing and rolling around on stage at the same time then jumping out into the crowd to shake things up. A year ago, Kitten signed to Atlantic Records. This past fall, the band released their debut EP Sunday School independently and the plan is to release a full-length album this summer. Though already an exciting first year for Kitten, it’s only the beginning of their take-off. Thank goodness they have that young, unstoppable energy to keep them on track. Check out more music features at LACANVAS.COM. Story by Ashley Eliot.
Photo COURTESY OF KITTEN
LACANVAS.COM 13
* Pollstar’s Nightclub of the Year - 2 Years in a row * 2008 Pollstar’s Best New Major Concert Venue * 2009 Zagat’s Best Live Music Club LA Canvas readers get 25% off Private Rentals and VIP Packages. Call or e-mail for more information and to check availability. 213.765.7000 ext 6 WWW.CLUBNOKIA.COM/SPECIALEVENTS.PHP 14 LACANVAS.COM
Venue Focus
I
or unsigned, to get to know their fans and friends a little bit better. The cozy venue, above The Roxy, brings in touring acts and local indie artists sporadically throughout the month. Recently, LA-based Internet station HoundstoothRadio.com, which showcases lots of local talent, presented a show with Dante Vs. Zombies and Chasing Kings. As well as offering a more exclusive feel, On The Rox also features a full-bar, DJ booth, incredible sound system and a stage area for bands. Within the venue, along the walls, are historical photos documenting its legacy of past performers. The Roxy is still rockin’ with even more momentum and providing up-and-comers with an outlet that is branded as a historic imprint of the music industry. You never know what celeb socialite or industry exec might be stopping by to hang. More music reviews at LACANVAS.COM. Story by Ashley Eliot. Location: 9009 W. Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ON THE ROX
t’s been almost four decades since legendary music venue The Roxy launched with bigtime artists like Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen performing first on the stage. Over the years, rock star acts, such as Guns N’ Roses, Miles Davis and Pearl Jam to name a few, have stopped through the Sunset Strip club and today it still serves as a hub for musicians, big and small. Founded in 1973, The Roxy is owned by Lou Adler and his son Nic, who currently operates the venue. Though The Roxy may be a spot well known by the masses, there is something about it that a lot of people tend to overlook, yet many are reminded of it being the place where John Belushi was hanging out before OD’ing, which reinstates its reputation for major partying. Upstairs, what has been termed as an “after-hours facility,” is an intimate lounge that is noted for its Hollywood parties. But there’s something else most people wouldn’t have a clue about and that’s this party setting also serves as a place for music acts, whether signed
LACANVAS.COM 15
Artist Focus
16 LACANVAS.COM
S
urfing and art are the two hottest counterculture things right now; the Europeans are going nuts for it!” says artist Timothy Williams. “All over Spain and France, they love Goth, and they’re discovering surf culture and LA art at the same time.” What they’re encountering is a powerful, eclectic, quasi-underground strain of California indie culture. “This isn’t happy art. Surf is a ritualistic, fiercely environmentalist, competitive sport, rife with drugs, sex, and crime.” And Williams has had a front row seat, hailing from Ventura, where hard-core punks played in Camarillo and Oxnard, and surfed at County Line. He studied art at Pepperdine, where “Sophia Loren’s son and I were the only people with long hair. We’d drive to Venice, troll alleys for found junk, drag it back to school, and make art out of it.” See, his dad restored classic cars, and his mom was a choir director, so he grew up in “a perpetual studio of fucked up things being made beautiful.” Williams art remains expressive and inventive, deploying collage, painting, photography, performance actions, minor arson, sculpture, video, and installation as needed. Intensely tactile, arresting works like surfboards riddled with buckshot and collaged and/or painted; video projected onto animal skeletons; and burned violins, painted doors, and naval portholes framing painted personal altars and abstractly evocative ocean views -- all of it made from reclaimed trash. Surfer Noir is what Williams calls it for convenience, kicking around his in-studio digs at Black Cat Gallery
in Culver City. Besides his own work, over the past eleven years he’s presented artists like Sandow Birk, Ray Pettibon, Norton Wisdom, Jay Mark Johnson, and both Ed and Andy Moses -- along with musicians and DJs that share the aesthetic of post-punk romance that permeates all of Williams’ projects. And as art books like Surf Story (Tim appears in the forthcoming Volume II) and high-profile shows like 2010’s Tim Nye-curated SWELL in NYC demonstrate, the darker aspects of the surf-art continuum have massive appeal. In fact, SWELL grew directly out of the wildly popular Black Cat Gallery exhibition, Darkwave. It was a group show that beautifully articulated the diversity of approaches to art-making across this motley school, and exploded the paradigm of surf art to include the abstract, elegant, raw, poetic, and political. USC picked it up right away, and it became Darkwave: Eight Artist-Surfers Explore Surfing and the Violence of the City, an expanded and recontextualized installation keyed off the previous exhibition that came to involve more artists, as well as an engagement with the experiences of the student body and larger community. And by the end of last year, the SWELL tide had risen all the way to the galleries of New York City. “SWELL really gave us our voices as a group. We’d all been working on this stuff alone and together for years, and that show made it solid. But true Surf Goths are still rare. It’s hard to stay pale!” For more information on the artist visit LACANVAS.COM, timothywilliams.org or blackcatart.com. Story by Shana Nys Dambrot.
Photo by Luke Lovell
LACANVAS.COM 17
Gallery Focus
A
“We have actors, rock stars, producers, writers, lawyers, CEOs, and a slew of hip working class kids. It’s a wonderful mix and they all share the same passion for collecting. Some are quite ravenous, God love ‘em.” - Jan Corey Helford
18 LACANVAS.COM
Photo by SERGIO LUIS ESTEVEZ
rtists, philanthropists, savvy corporations, students, and scrappy hipsters open art galleries all the time. But some of the best, like Culver City’s Corey Helford Gallery, are operated by dedicated independent collectors. Owners Jan Corey Helford and Bruce Helford started with a fierce and prescient belief in the cross-pollinated, genre-defying work being made by a global generation of post-street artists, and CHG has become one of the most popular galleries in town, based entirely on what Jan calls, “being a knowwhat-I-like kind of girl.” That, and occupying a gorgeously appointed space not totally typical of their anti-establishment genre, and presenting a rigorous and critically acclaimed program of artists from the virtually unknown to veritable rock stars like Shag, Gary Baseman, and Buff Monster. A lot about the LA art world has changed in the five years since they opened, and, at least aesthetically, Jan feels “it’s moving away from art that makes you feel [like] you don’t get it, towards more relatable art, driven by popular demand as much as museum validation. I’m not saying this is good or bad, I’m just saying it’s happening.” So who’s buying this edgier, but more accessible kind of art? “We have actors, rock stars, producers, writers, lawyers, CEOs, and a slew of hip working class kids. It’s a wonderful mix and they all share the same passion for collecting. Some are quite ravenous, God love ‘em.” And as for museum nods, they’ve got that covered, too, recently curating a landmark exhibition of American urban contemporary at the progressive Bristol Museum in the UK. Back here at home, the gallery celebrates five years with upcoming shows from Ron English, Ray Caesar, UK street artist D*Face’s first LA solo show, and a “very cool historically-based graffiti exhibit coming up this Spring, but I can say no more at this time. How’s that for sneaky!” Story by Shana Nys Dambrot.
LACANVAS.COM 19
20 LACANVAS.COM
LACANVAS.COM 21
22 LACANVAS.COM
o Town Filipin
o Park e. in Ech Sunset Av
1st Ave . and A lameda
Photos by
EMILY BRA
DLEY
LACANVAS.COM 23
iz
La Brea
Park in Echo . e v A t e Suns
Fel Los
in
Wash
2nd
ty r Ci
lve n Cu i . Blvd gton
Rowena St. in Silverlake
in China Town
. i n t he Art s D ist ric t
Ave
Broadway
Actor Focus
Indie Bad Girl Turns Big Budget Badass in Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch
I
was jumped in New York a week before Christmas. I stumbled into this altercation with a very angry, violent, Puerto Rican fat man. He was having none of whatever I was doing -- which was nothing -- and he basically picked me up and threw me headfirst into the concrete. And then he drove away.” Jesus, I gasp, are you okay? “Oh yeah,” she chirps. “I’m fine.” Thus began my sit-down with Jena Malone. You know Jena. She’s that girl in that indie movie you like. Maybe it was Donnie Darko. Maybe Saved!. Maybe Into the Wild. Or maybe you’ve just heard her band, Jena Malone and her Bloodstains. Or her new band, The Shoe. Or maybe you’ve just seen her in music videos, like those for Denko Jones, Harper Simon, Sky White Tiger, or Dirty Vegas. Or maybe you’ve seen her kicking ass and taking names in the promos for Zack Snyder’s girl-power shoot ‘em up, Sucker Punch. A quick glance through Malone’s credits is all it takes to identify her most recent gig as a career outlier. This excitable, Lake Tahoe-born actress has been starring in films since she was twelve years old, but she’s never had a role like this. “It was probably the most amazing experience of making a film I’ve ever had,” Jena gushes, over a bowl of vegetarian ramen at a Silverlake eatery. “No one looks at me and goes, ‘Oh, look at Jena, she can go beat up forty men and actually win.’ No one’s ever had that belief in me.” No one but Sucker Punch director Zack Snyder. After nearly quitting acting, (“It was so dismal, the projects that were out there. There are so many other things I want to do in the world”) Malone landed the role of Rocket after an initial rejection. She was only offered the part when Snyder himself caught a glance of her audition
24 LACANVAS.COM
tape and called her back in. Malone joined Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Vanessa Hudgens, and Jamie Chung in what became the most physically demanding shoot of her life. “We trained with these Navy SEALS for three months before we even started filming. We came in for our first physical assessment and I almost died -- red faced, crying.” But progress came fast. “It changed my entire body -- my entire outlook. I thought I was this strong,” she says, hands hovering four inches apart above her noodle bowl. “Actually, I’m this strong” -- arms spread like an albatross -- “It’s amazing what your body can do.” Also amazing? No cat fights. “You put five young actresses in a film together, and instantly you think there’s going to be all these temper tantrums and flares. But because we all started in our workout clothes -sweaty, dripping, crying, celebrating -- we bonded. I love every single one of those girls so much. I would take a bullet for them right now.” But just because Malone’s knee-deep in shell casings doesn’t mean she’s abandoned her indie roots. She stars next in The Wait with Chloe Sevigny, a film about two sisters who decide to keep their dead mother in their house after being informed she will come back to life. “It’s the exact opposite of Sucker Punch,” she admits. “It was the most emotionally strenuous, strange, crazy experience… I don’t even remember the shoot.” Jena’s also starting to forget her SEAL training, based on the “altercation” in New York. No self-respecting, machine-gun wielding heroine would let herself get KOed so fast. “It wasn’t even a fight!” Malone protests. “He just picks me up and drops me, I didn’t even have a chance to do anything. Super cheap shot!” Yeah, I agree. Basically a sucker punch. Story by Max Hurwitz.
LACANVAS.COM 25
Photos by Luke Lovell
Film Focus You’d never know it by the Golden Globes, but 2010 turned out to be a great year in film. Fortunately the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences felt a responsibility to pick up the slack left behind by the star-fucking sell-outs of the Hollywood Foreign Press, and the 83rd Oscars proved to be a showcase of this generation’s best filmmaking talent in its prime. But what if you wanted to see them before their prime? Thanks to the magic of Netflix, these directors’ earlier works can be in your mailbox in two days. So boot up your MacBook and dust off that queue, because these lesser-known films from this year’s Oscar favorites are not to be missed. By Max Hurwitz.
Sunshine (director: Danny Boyle, 2007)
Raising Arizona (director: Joel and Ethan Coen, 1987)
Pi (director: Darren Aronofsky, 1998)
Three Kings (director: David O. Russell, 1999)
Memento (director: Christopher Nolan, 2000)
Danny Boyle is all over the map. His films span all genres, tones, demographics, and geographic locations. Even space, which is where Boyle takes us in this sci-fi psychological thriller about a group of astronauts sent on a mission to reignite the dying sun with a bomb the size of Manhattan. Sunshine stars Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, and Chris Evans, and asks larger questions about God, human nature, and the true make-up of dust particles (hint: they’re skin). More Solaris than Armageddon, this claustrophobic space adventure starts out slow, but gradually builds to a satisfying thriller, with crew members turning on each other as the air supply dwindles. While it doesn’t pack the emotional wallop of Boyle’s next two films, Sunshine should thoroughly satisfy fans of thoughtful science fiction.
A classic Coen brothers comedy, Raising Arizona stars Nic Cage and Holly Hunter as newlyweds (she’s an ex cop, he’s an ex con) who find they are unable to conceive a child, so they decide the best course of action is to steal a newborn quintuplet from furniture tycoon Nathan Arizona. But things get more complicated when Arizona’s baby turns into a hot commodity, and the mismatched newlyweds find themselves trying to protect the kid from a gaggle of people who want it for nefarious purposes. The Coen brothers’ comedy credentials need not be listed, and Raising Arizona showcases them in their infancy. The mad-cap comedy has it all -brilliant, bizarre performances, huge laughs, and even heart. If you need some Coen and can’t bring yourself to watch The Big Lebowski for the third time this week, look no further.
Aronofsky’s first feature film, Pi stars no one you’ve ever heard of in a black-and-white, 16 mm mind scramble about Maximillian Cohen, a migrainesuffering mathematician who unlocks the secret pattern to the stock market in a number pattern that has something to do with (obviously) pi. But a few others have vested interest in knowing this pattern, and Max soon finds himself running from both a malicious Wall Street company and a Jewish cabal, all while battling his increasingly severe headaches and descent into madness. Slow, ugly, and unapologetically hard to watch, Aronofsky sets the tone for the rest of the career. If you’re in the mood for some raw, unadulterated crazymaking, look no further.
Taking place at the end of America’s first foray into Iraq, Three Kings stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Ice Cube as three soldiers who find a map (stuck in a prisoner’s ass) detailing the location of a secret stash of stolen Kuwati gold. They embark on a mission to “retrieve” (read: steal) said gold, but inadvertently involve themselves in the affairs of the native Iraqis, who desperately need their help when the United States decides to give up the hunt for Saddam. One decade and another Middle East-based war later, Three Kings still holds up as biting commentary on the press, the military, and what it means to “keep the peace” in foreign lands. Clooney, Wahlberg, and Ice Cube have never been better, and director Spike Jonze even has a small role as a dumb-as-rocks private who makes a strong case for Jonze getting back into acting.
Memento stars Guy Pearce (who also appeared in awards season favorite The King’s Speech) as Leonard, a braindamaged amateur detective on the hunt for the men who murdered his wife and left him with “short-term memory loss,” a sort of reverse amnesia that leaves Leonard unable to form new memories. Oh, and the movie plays backwards. The first of many time-shattering filmmaking tricks employed throughout his career, Nolan replicates Leonard’s memory troubles by showing film’s scenes in reverse order, so the audience (like the protagonist) never knows exactly how he got there or what he’s supposed to be doing. The perfect marriage of form and function in Nolan’s storytelling makes for a nail-biting thriller of unusually elaborate proportions.
26 LACANVAS.COM
y r a i d n e c n i two
s e c r fo
e d i l col
of h s u r g n i in a blind ge
a t l o v h g hi
n o i s s pa
March 23 – May 1 213.628.2772 CenterTheatreGroup.org/BurnThis Groups 213.972.7231
LACANVAS.COM 27
28 LACANVAS.COM
LACANVAS.COM 29
Designer Focus
Photos by Sergio Luis Estevez
30 LACANVAS.COM
P
enny Stock’s humble origins began in the mind of John Moore, the man who basically invented Hollister for Abercrombie & Fitch. Right. Not so humble. Moore had long since left A&F, and Modern Amusement, where he worked as Creative Director for some years after A&F, to go out on his own, when the overwhelming demand for his talent inspired him to launch POP (Pencil on Paper) studio. Moore launched in 2008, just a few weeks before the economy went to you-know-where in a hand basket. That should have been the end of their story, but, as it turned out, the recession worked to their advantage. While consumers stopped spending, companies took a little timeout to brainstorm. Before long, he and his band of merry creatives joined forces with some guys in suits (also known as Brand Sense Partners, or BSP) to better enable the whole fashion worlddomination thing they had cooking. Meanwhile, the recession continued, and Moore, bummed about the effect it was having on the creative process at large, wondered if there was anything interesting or inspired to be done in menswear. Then, while watching a documentary on The Great Depression during which a man interviewed stated, “If I had 7 pennies, I could buy a loaf a bread,” Moore found his ‘ah hah’ moment. He wanted to bring meaning back to the penny. So, he and partner/designer Michael Abbey (Joie, Juicy Couture, Modern Amusement) set out to design a contemporary mens line at an affordable price point, set apart from the rest through their use of a pocket detail meant to hold a penny. Gimicky? Could be, but in this case it’s all
part of the story-telling process. The designs, as Moore best phrased it, are ‘democratic,’ even as the majority of menswear has gone hipster. Hence their use of the phrase ‘Coast to Coast’ in some of Penny Stock’s branding materials and designs. These clothes aren’t meant to appease the fashion elite, though that’s not to say the fashion elite won’t feel compelled to snatch them up regardless. The intent, however, is inclusive. This is aided by the fact that price points are in the $58-$80 range, which does not, as one would assume, mean that the quality is shoddy. As Moore explained it, Penny Stock is able to keep the calibur of their clothing up and prices down through the use of strategic partnerships. In case you’re wondering, and by now you most definitely should be, you can pick up Penny Stock locally at Urban Outfitters and American Rag. Moore’s collective also plans to launch a second, higherend mens line called Copper Stock. The details are still under wraps, but I did manage to pull the word ‘denim’ from Moore’s sealed lips. I also spotted mood boards for what Moore deemed a ‘top secret’ project, details for which I was have not (yet) been able to glean. However, pinned to the board were snippets of frilly, feminine vintage fabrics. POP studio also houses an art gallery in addition to everything else the 17 employees are somehow miraculously managing to achieve. 100% of proceeds from the gallery go to the artists themselves, with the only stipulation being that they must pay the goodwill forward by donating some of their earnings to charity. For more on Penny Stock visit LACANVAS.COM or pennystocktrademark.com.
LACANVAS.COM 31
STORE Focus
T
32 LACANVAS.COM
Luxury Jones, and Roark as some of their favorites. They’re also currently excited about Ai for Ai, Skingraft, Smoke and Mirrors, Le Sang Des Betes, Ashton Michael, and Dark + Dawn. Jones and Scott chose Echo Park because they believe it’s the center of the artistic community in Los Angeles, a phenomenon due in large part to its thriving music scene. Some of their favorite local haunts of various stripes include Satellite, The Echo, Mohawk General Store, Tavin, Flounce, The Warehouse, International Playground, Confederacy, Cha Cha Lounge, Gold Room, El Prado, Elf, Flore, The Park, and the Allston Yacht Club. On what specifically sets Los Angeles’ fashion scene apart, E.P.I.C.‘s owners say, “Since the Los Angeles fashion scene is less established than the NYC fashion world, it is freer from the constraints of expectations and traditional influences.” They think that is a good thing. Judging by their inventory, we tend to agree. For more fashion and style tips, check out LACANVAS.COM.
Photos by SERGIO ESTEVEZ
he Echo Park Independent Co-Op (E.P.I.C.) is not just a boutique; it’s the ambitious realization of the ideals of two very, well, ambitious and idealistic people. Owners Rhianon Jones and Tristan Scott (could they have cooler names?!), one formerly a writer/ shopper (“researcher”), and the other formerly a stylist, think the “LA fashion scene is really misrepresented by the mainstream brands that people normally associate with Los Angeles” and that “there are tons of talented designers living and working in this city, and we want the world to know it!” Working exclusively with local designers enables the duo to apply eco-friendly standards to their inventory. In fact, they are actively teaching their designers about sustainable materials and ethical production practices, an effort which led to the creation of a recycled leather jacket capsule collection by Skingraft (sold exclusively at E.P.I.C.). Among the many lines they consider to epitomize all that is uniquely LA, the pair lists Howl,
LACANVAS.COM 33
STREET FASHION
For this edition, we asked (Justin Daykin and Paul Lee) of thestreetsarecalling.com to lurk the streets of L.A. and find the most fascinating styles for you to peep.
Name: Steven Shackelford Shoes: Black Chuck Taylor Tops: Custom Made Vest (Hand Painted) Pants: Skinny Jeans
Name: Jason Savvy Shoes: Vegeterian Shoes Tops: Army Surplus Jacket, Swans T-Shirt Pants: Dickies
Name: Derek Brown Shoes: Ann Demeulemeester Combat Boots Tops: Cassette Playa Pants: Ksubi
34 LACANVAS.COM
Shoes: Etnies Jameson 2 Eco Jeans : Levi’s Jacket: H&M Scarf: Urban Outfitters Shirt: H&M
Name: Jasmin Perez Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell Tops: Forever 21 Pants: 7 for All Mankind
Name: Faith Smith Shoes: Black Heels Tops: BeBe Stripped Shirt Pants: Black mini by BeBe
Name: Natasha Shoes: Aldo Tops: Thift/Skingraft Pants: Clothing Swap, Leggins
Name: Rodellee Marie Shoes: Black Heels Tops: Vintage 1900 vest with black top Pants: Shelli Segal
LACANVAS.COM 35
SHOE Focus
Considering nobody walks in this town, L.A. stylish birds still find a way to rock pretty sick shoes. Take a peek at some of our favorites, as spotted on Melrose.
Mens Multi-Color Vans
Spiked Zebra by Rodney P. Hunt
Nike Black and Blue Sneakers
Supra Black Sneakers Sneaker Heel by Ash
Beaded Owl Sandals by Giuseppe Zanotti Design Tall Black Lace Up Boots
36 LACANVAS.COM
Vintage Gold Egyptian Flats Paradox by Zalo
LACANVAS.COM 37
accessory Guide
Springtime is all about coming out of old habits and showing off a fresh new vibe in time for summer. Add some color to your wardrobe with this green hued accessories roundup featuring some of our favorite L.A. designers!
(3)
(1)
(2)
(5) (6)
(4)
38 LACANVAS.COM
(1) The Valkyrie Vest $278.00 www.fleetjewelry.com; (2) KR3W Green Filthy Freshman Watch $39.95 from www. factory413.com; (3) Green Silk Scarf, AJI by Amanda Christine www.costellaanddonola.com; (4) COMME DES GARCONS Large Number Wallet, $281.00 shop. tenover6.com; (5) Shake Junt Green Room Sunglasses $4.00 www.shakejunt.com; (6) Costella Handbags Clutch $275.00 www.costellaanddonola.com
LACANVAS.COM 39
Chef Focus
40 LACANVAS.COM
From behind kitchen doors to behind the camera lens, Marcel Vigneron stars in SyFy’s first reality cooking series, meanwhile planing out his next move. Story By Kat Odell. LAC: First off, congrats on your new SyFy show, Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen. How did the show come to be and what do you want viewers to take away from it? VIGNERON: The show was originally conceived four years ago when I met my producers in Rehab, the pool party at the Hard Rock. We popped some Dom in a cabana and discussed the treatment and the rest is history. I want the viewers to not only be highly entertained but also able to take away knowledge about avant garde gastronomy. I want the show to open up people’s minds and change their food paradigms. LAC: How would you describe the term “molecular gastronomy” and would you use that word to characterize your style of cooking? VIGNERON: I would describe my style of cooking as MODERN GLOBAL CUISINE. In regards to molecular gastronomy, that’s a tricky question, it’s a term that has been adopted by the public to describe chefs researching the science behind cooking and utilizing technology as a means of developing new techniques. If you think about the term literally it doesn’t really make sense considering that all ingredients have molecules and all cooking involves chemistry. But that having been said, it does kind of have a nice ring to it. LAC: Who, in the culinary world, would you consider your mentor? VIGNERON: I have a few; Ferran Adria for his techno emotional cooking; Thomas Keller for his finesse, technique, and restraint; Joel Robuchon for his pursuit of perfection; Michael Mina for his ability to build brand and expand while retaining quality and control. He’s a great business chef! LAC: Three ingredients always in your fridge? VIGNERON: Edamame, Butter and Eggs.
LAC: When creating a menu, where do you look for inspiration? VIGNERON: I draw inspiration from everything! First, I look to my guests and try to cater to their palates, then I look to the market and wait for the ingredients to dictate my menu, then I look to nature and landscapes to help me with plating, lastly I look inside myself to allow my emotions and personality to come through my food. LAC: Most recently you cooked at bar210 but left not long ago. Why did you decide to leave and where can diners find you next? VIGNERON: I left 210 to allow for other opportunities to present themselves and also so that my food and clientele would not be confined by the atmosphere at 210. I am currently in the process of scouting locations in L.A. to open up a restaurant and am also working on starting up my own catering company. LAC: When you’re not cooking or shooting Top Chef or Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen, where do you like to eat around LA? VIGNERON: I love how LA has become a gastronomic city to be reckoned with and there are several restaurants that I like to frequent. If I’m feeling carnivorous I like to head to Animal, I enjoy to Itzaka-ya for sushi. I also really enjoy the farm fresh approach of Fraiche in Culver City and Tasting Kitchen in Venice. Lastly, if I’m in the mood for a burger I like to go to Umami. LAC: Do you have a favorite kitchen tool or technique? VIGNERON: I feel that all ingredients have the same gastronomic worth and in regards to equipment I think one should never underestimate the power of a good peeler.
Photo by Luke Lovell LACANVAS.COM 41
Restaurant Focus
What to Order...
House-made salsas and par-cooked chewy tortilla chips
Enchiladas and carne asada, grilled served alongside two house-made corn tortillas stuffed with jack cheese.
M
itchell Frank and Jeff Ellermeyer, driving forces behind Malo in Silver Lake, have a new child on their hands and thanks to interior designer Tracy Beckmann of Tracy Beckmann Design, she’s an absolute stunner. Welcome to Mas Malo, an updated, greatly expanded version of its east side sibling, simply put, there’s more Malo. Enter on 7th Street downtown through an intricately designed wrought iron antique gate, does it feel out of place? The building dates back to the 1920s at which point the venue served as a jewelry store. Original design elements manifest
42 LACANVAS.COM
themselves throughout the three-floor restaurant from Mas Malo’s grand vaulted ceilings to its private tequila tasting room that claimed the jewelry store’s back vault. Mas Malo’s ground floor serves as the main dining room with a long bar boldly displaying Malo’s signature zigzag pattern from backsplash to bar bottom. Toward the back sits that small private tequila tasting room, then a mezzanine level up above offers a second smaller bar plus a balcony view of the diners below. From the ground floor follow a set of stairs to a sexy subterranean lounge boasting colorful oriental
rugs, modern furniture, two chairs suspended from the ceiling, a nonfunctioning fireplace, and, of course, one last bar. Start with a bevy of house-made salsas and par-cooked chewy tortilla chips, an early favorite was the chile negro y chocolate, a savory moleesque salsa with a hint of spice smoothed out by the presence of chocolate. You’ll want to order a cocktail, go with the Pinata Smash, a muddled situation involving Serrano chiles, cilantro, pineapple, tequila and house-made sour mix. Don’t miss the ground beef and pickle tacos, a staple that carried over
from Malo. About 75% of this menu is new and 25% diner mainstays. Anyone looking for cheese should try the enchiladas and carne asada, grilled carne asada pounded nearly paper thin with a slight char from the grill served alongside two housemade corn tortillas stuffed with jack. Take in the surroundings. A gorgeous space with gorgeous people, it’s okay, pig out. More Dining reviews at LACANVAS.COM Story by Kat Odell. LOCATION: Mas Malo, 515 W 7th St Downtown LA, CA 90014
Photos by Luke Lovell
Ground beef and pickle tacos
LACANVAS.COM 43
Photos by Sergio Luis Estevez
Food Focus
1) La Cevicheria
chewy Mexican mollusks, gushing a redish-
Mexican cooking, so you’ll want to try the
a handful of gray faux-leather booths
La Cevichera embodies the true definition
purple jus, taste succulent and salty, Crack
chicken tacos. Plan accordingly because
plus a smattering of four-tops, beneath
of a dive. Its small, dingy teal green façade
a tortilla in half, spoon the colorful ceviche
they’re small, chopped chunks of white and
flat screen tvs and some fish netting for
is clad with prison-like metal bars which
atop, close your eyes and feel that ocean
dark chicken served on two layered corn
decoration. Check the list of ever-changing
protect the restaurant’s precious glass
breeze. LOCATION: 3809 W Pico Blvd
tortillas with a sprinkling of punchy diced
daily seafood specials that won’t break
windows. Inside the blue aquatic theme
Los Angeles, CA 90019
onion, cilantro and lime wedge on the side.
the bank, but don’t miss permanent menu
Use that wedge. The chicken is so perfectly
staples, the shrimp with butter and cracked
continues from wall to wall. Don’t mind that fish motif. Simple Formica tables and
2) Frank’s
seasoned it doesn’t need additional
pepper, and the shrimp with tequila.
mismatched metal and wooden chairs
While The Original Farmers Market
adornments. To kick up the heat factor, that
Once plated, both dishes look almost
provide the furniture. However don’t let
offers a zillion dining options, just across
tomatillo salsa you ordered will more than
identical, the shrimp, heads on, bathed in
the modest decor deceive you. At La
the street lies an untapped, dirt cheap
suffice. LOCATION: 363 S Fairfax Ave
an orangey sauce served with a mound
Cevicheria one can indulge in incredible
Mexican gem of a restaurant--another
Los Angeles, CA 90036
of white rice and cucumber slices. The
inexpensive raw seafood served alongside
hole in the wall with oversized tables and
crispy full sized corn tortillas. The house
rickety worn wooden chairs. Plop down,
3) Mariscos Chente
butter bear a slight bite from the pepper,
special, quite a unique and rare find, falls
try the warm tortilla chips fresh out of the
An outdoor mural across Mariscos Chente’s
meanwhile the shrimp with tequila offer
to the Bloody Clams. Fear not, no real blood
fryer accompanied by a spicy red salsa
exterior depicting a Mexican beach
a deeper earthiness and just the slightest
here. Instead expect an oversized cocktail
(regulars know to ask for the hot green
scene (palm trees, dolphin, crab, ocean)
memory of tequila. Not enough to remind
glass filled with diced purple clams,
tomatillo salsa too), and go for the tacos.
indicates what to expect within. Perhaps
you of tequila shots from the night before.
tomatoes, onions, avocado, a touch of mint,
Don’t get swayed by the burger and fries.
the most “upscale” out of the three eateries
LOCATION: 4532 S Centinela Ave
and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. The
The specialty at Frank’s is home-style
mentioned here, Mariscos Chente boasts
Los Angeles, CA 90066. Story by Kat Odell.
44 LACANVAS.COM
perfectly cooked velvety shrimp with
LACANVAS.COM 45
CocKtail Focus
M
ST. TROPEZ RECIPE Ingredients: 2 fl.oz. Hendrick’s Gin 1/2 fl.oz. Simple Syrup 3/4 fl.oz. Lime Juice 4 Dashes lavender bitters 1 Ice cube made of cucumber juice
ixologist Kiowa Bryan started bartending in New Jersey when she was 19 in a busy local sports bar making Long Islands and Red Headed Sluts. Fast forward years later, she helped to open Soho House West Hollywood which is when she began to appreciate the art of cocktail-making. After training under Chris Ojeda of the Varnish she became fascinated with the world of hand-crafted cocktails using clean, simple flavors and complex layers. Fast forward again and Bryan lands at Culver City’s Fraiche. Because the restaurant has garnered such a positive reputation for its food, Fraiche’s bar has fallen by the wayside, not in terms of cocktail quality, rather guests entranced by the food forget that European fare sometimes pairs just as well with a seasonal boozy elixir as it does with wine. So, Bryan signed on to revamp the restaurant’s bar program. Bryan cites seasonal fruits and veggies at local farmers market as inspiration in playful, whimsical creations like the Turkey Dinner which contains cranberry juice, Cynar, candied orange peel, and clove-infused Wild Turkey served in a beautiful gilded coupe glass. So great. But, that’s not what we’re here to discuss. Simple, delicious, and pretty, try the St. Tropez. Inspired by the French Riviera, the St. Tropez calls for a brilliant green cucumber ice cube doused in a mixture of gin, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and lavender bitters. As the cucumber cube melts, the drink continually changes from a floral sour creation to a bright, fresh, well-balanced potion. Not only does it go down easy, it’s incredibly easy to organize and looks gorgeous with that neon green block suspended mid-cocktail. Story by Kat Odell.
Photo by Luke Lovell
Steps: * Pour gin, simple syrup, lime, and bitters in cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously. Place ice cube in rocks glass and pour contents from shaker over.
46 LACANVAS.COM
LACANVAS.COM 47
Bar Focus
W
48 LACANVAS.COM
create a sense of elegant comfort. Hop overontotothe and Moving thecenter centerspace space, you snag onedeep of thebrown four deep brown wood find four lacquered lacquered wood booths which are with booths, lined from floor to ceiling encompassed, books. You canfrom now floor enjoytoa ceiling, drink inby books. You’ve now the library. the cozy comfort of entered the library. The final nook serves as the gaming space in which shuffleboard and foosball, aswell wellas asaafew fewlounge loungetables tables foosball as for lingering, areavailable. available.And Andlinger linger lingering are you will over well-crafted cocktails shaken up with fresh citrus. Additional standouts include the Planter’s Punch, a tropical mixed fruit concoction boozed up with rum, or the elegant Kir Royale, a Champagne flute filled with bubbly and brightened with a splash of crème de cassis. Rather than trekking all the way out to Hollywood, you just might find Hollywood trekking here. here By Kat Odell. LOCATION: 10929 W. Pico Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064
Photo by Luke Lovell
est LA isn’t necessarily known for its nightlife, but thanks to The Wellesbourne, a new watering hole designed by Spacecraft and modeled after an English manor house, Westsiders literally have a new place to call home. The Wellesbourne allows you to pick your poison. The venue itself, named after a small village in England, is divided into three separate rooms, each boasting elements of English style. The three rooms are joined together at the rear by a 30foot mahogany bar, behind which bartenders wearing tuxedo shirts and bowties mix and muddle away. To the far left you might choose to lounge on a brown or black tufted sofa, to savor a classic cocktail, perhaps a Grasshopper or Tom Collins, while gazing into the roaring fire. Oriental rugs, a hanging chandelier, and paintings of the English countryside
LACANVAS.COM 49
Tech Focus
As an international spy of mystery, you’re required to tackle the hard missions for the betterment of the world. Whether its surveillance or espionage, here is the essential gear to make those impossible missions possible. - Curt Hutson
(3)
(1) Spy Camera Video Watch Incognito, your mission is to capture video of your target entering a business front for money laundering. It’s getting dark and your video recording sunglasses are rendered useless. After all, only losers wear sunglasses at night. Up steps the Spy Camera Video Watch, which records up to 8GB worth of video and audio. It also doubles as an 8GB USB flash drive for holding cool spy stuff. $59.99 (http:// www.thinkgeek.com)
(2) LOREXvue LSC001 Video Sunglasses Alone at a café in Paris you pretend to read Le Monde, hoping to catch your target reveal some evil plot over afternoon tea. You’ve waited patiently for two hours, but thankfully your sunglasses will capture it all with up to five hours of full motion video recording with stereo sound. Hearing all you needed to hear, you quietly make your exit and accidentally record a kid crashing his bike into the parked car in front of you. You immediately upload the video to YouTube. Mission accomplished. $99.99 (http://lorexstore. lorextechnology.com)
(2) (1)
(3) Micro Spy Remote Even spy’s need downtime and you decide to spend yours relaxing with fellow agents watching TV in the break room. Glee comes on and a heated debate erupts over why it’s won so many awards. You use this opportunity to try out a new gadget, the Micro Spy Remote. After finding the televisions signal, you start by lowering the volume and eventually changing the channels to more quality shows, saving your cohorts and perhaps the world from the evils of an auto-tuning disaster. $8.99 (http://www. thinkgeek.com)
50 LACANVAS.COM
(5) (4)
(4) Cell Phone Spy
(5) Hollow Spy Coins
(6) iPhone Spy Stick
No information is truly safe in this digital age, especially when you’re equipped with the Cell Phone Spy. Your mission: break into the home of your target to retrieve messages exchanged between an unknown contact. Good thing you brought this trusty device as you slip in through the vents and into his office. Remove the SIM card from almost any phone, place it in the Cell Phone Spy and then plug it in to a computer’s USB drive to download text messages, deleted messages and contacts. Just don’t forget your laptop… $99.95 (http://www.brickhousesecurity.com)
Being a savvy spy, you know how to hide classified information and one of your favorite places is in plain site. With these Hollow Spy Coins, anyone can hide their teeny tiny secrets, such as SIM cards, micro SD cards or very small notes. When closed, it’s hard to tell that these quarters are actually spy quarters. Just try to remember when scrounging for change on laundry day. $20.99 - $24.99 (http://www.thinkgeek.com)
You should have known! Your target doesn’t have just any old phone…they have an iPhone! Luckily you planned ahead and brought the iPhone Spy Stick. It does everything the Cell Phone Spy does but also gives you access to map history and location searches, notes, voice memos and deleted contacts and calendar items. The target bought a phone that holds more information with greater security, only to have more taken from them in the end. The irony is not lost on you. $199 (http://www.brickhousesecurity.com)
tHe Perfect student starter camera
89999
$
Call for details
(8)
canon eos rebel t2i Kit • 18 Megapixel (APS-C) CMOS Sensor • 1920 x 1280 Full HD:30p Video • ISO 100-6400 • EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Included • Compatible With All Canon EF & EF-S Lenses (9)
(7)
How we Provide a better service for you • Student Support & Discount Program • Low Prices Every Day • Customer Service From Real
Photographers
(6)
• Latest Photo Gear From Top Name
Manufacturers
• Rental & Repair Services (7) Stealth iBot Computer Spy
(8) Spy Video TRAKR
You notice the target’s computer is left on with no password to protect it. Grinning, you plug in the Stealth iBot and install a hidden program. You’ll be back tomorrow night for all the information it covertly records, such as keystrokes, passwords and up to 10,000 screenshots. More than enough intel to plan your next move. $129.95 (http://www. brickhousesecurity.com)
A leak has given your identity to your targets. The agency has prepared for this, however, and gives you the TRAKR, a sophisticated spy device that can see in the dark, memorize and retrace routes, as well as take photos and video. It’s fitted with an SD card slot, USB ports and 2.5 GHz radio for audio. The video remote control allows you to watch your targets live through TRAKR’s built-in camera. They’ll never see it coming. $129.95 (http://www.shopwildplanet.com)
(9) Mini Bug Detector Arriving home you get a strange sense you’re being monitored. Out comes the Mini Bug Detector. It has an LED signal display and audio tone that will help find those pesky bugs. It can be made silent when you need to be extra stealthy. Wireless microphones and transmitters are discovered and your spy sense tells you trouble is coming. $79.99 (http://www.thinkgeek.com)
• 35% off your first-time rental
1135 N. Highland Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038 PH 323.466.1238 M-F 9 AM to 6 PM SAT 9 AM to 5:30 PM
1430 S. Village Way Santa Ana, CA 92705 PH 714.285.0143 M-F 9 AM to 6 PM SAT 9 AM to 5:30 PM
LACANVAS.COM 51 calumetphotographic.com
Game Focus
I
t’s just a lifelong passion for games,” summarizes Mike Laidlaw on his involvement into the game industry. His love and admiration for games is palpable as he fondly remembers his childhood using a level creator in Lode Runner for the Commodore 64, his head swimming with possibilities, “I thought that was the coolest thing I’d ever seen.” Mike played a myriad of influential games growing up. “The one’s I would call formative, the ones that kind of left a dent: The Ultima Series… huge, absolutely huge, especially Ultima IV, which introduced the concept of morality”, a fundamental mechanic used in BioWare’s storytelling. Mike joyfully describes a case at home where those games are now proudly displayed. Mike eventually found his way as a writer for BioWare, working on games such as Jade Empire, Mass Effect and the first Dragon Age. Now, as Lead Designer, Mike reveals some of the incredible changes coming to BioWare’s finest RPG series. The story is set in a separate part of the world from Dragon Age: Origins, and tells the story of Hawke, a voiced main character, as opposed to the silent protagonist in Origins, which limited your ability to really speak out at key moments. Character customization and choices are still ample, but they are now weaved into an already replete character at the crossroads of destiny. Mike adds, “It’s about a real person stuck in an almost unreal situation.” This time, your companions make a more personal impact to your hero’s story. Two notable members are your younger siblings. “The point we’re trying to hammer home is that heroes are made, they’re not born. This isn’t a child of prophecy; it’s not some amnesia kid that washed up on a beach. He’s got family, he’s got friends and actually having your brother and sister adventure with you adds such a color to the overall story.” Dragon Age II looks to be packed with amazing characters and a rich, boundless story with infinite possibilities. It’s hard to imagine topping the acclaimed original, but Mike Laidlaw’s track record proves that making stellar games is just another day at the office. Check out Dragon Age II on March 8, 2011. Read this preview in its entirety and stay tuned for our upcoming review of Dragon Age II on LACANVAS.COM. Story by Curt Hutson. Hutson
illustration courtesy ofBIOWARE
52 LACANVAS.COM
o r e .. . d much m n a s y o t , t o ols , Gadget s
STUFF
MART FOR S
t hin kgee
SANTEE VILLAGE LO F TS
MASSE
S
k.c o m
aspecialthing LIMITED RELEASE
puRChASE iNCENTivE
18 uniTS
$4,000 BoSCh
$199K
$5,000 appliance upgrade
priCed from
WWW.SANTEEVILLAGELOFTS.COM DOWNTOWN LA LOS ANGELES ST @ 7Th
SALES CENTER:
716 S. LOS ANGELES ST IN SANTEE COURTYARD
LA, CA 90014
213. 867. 2131
The Seller reserves the right to change prices without prior notice or obligation. All units are subject to prior sale or reservation. Kennedy Wilson, A California Real Estate Broker. License #00746768
LACANVAS.COM 53
illustration by Justin Fitzwater
Tech Profile
W
e’re just interested in having a conversation and in welcoming [everyone] into that conversation with us. That was always the goal; recreate the experience of hanging out, having fun, and give it to people.” The guys behind The Totally Rad Show, TRS, have been “hanging out” with their viewers to discuss movies, video games, TV, comics and more every week since launching on March 27, 2007. Since then, this review/variety show podcast has garnered its hosts a Webby Award, their own panels at ComicCon and the Penny Arcade Expo and between 500,000 and a million viewers a month. Alex Albrecht, Jeff Cannata, Dan Trachtenberg and Mike Gaines film TRS right here in LA every Friday out of Alex’s garage resembling a mini green screen set, though most sets don’t come with a Harley. They confess there really couldn’t be a better place to film TRS where they’d have the
54 LACANVAS.COM
access to movie screenings, videogame companies, events and other things they need to make the show. Having all been part of the entertainment industry for a while, they knew from the start they’d need to create something different if they wanted to get anyone’s attention. “There are plenty of podcasts that cover similar topics,” begins Dan as Jeff explains further, “We were conscious of making it look different and trying to push podcasts forward a little bit.” TRS was one of the first to use green screen, HD and multiple camera angles. Add to that special effects (like their signature exploding fist-pound), an ever changing format with a new intro every week and even reimaginings of scenes from their favorite movies. The show’s content is just as important as it’s look. Reveling in the things and experiences they enjoyed growing up, with reviews that are more personal than those found in traditional journalism.
Jeff explains, “It is as much about us as any of the stuff we cover,” and it’s exactly that approach that makes viewers feel more like they’re spending time with friends as they watch each episode. TRS has been a great platform for spreading the word in support of some of their favorite charities. Extra Life’s 24-hour Gaming Marathon is one; requiring them to spend 24 hours playing games to raise money for charities like the LA Children’s Hospital. They also teamed with Comfort Zone Camp, a weekend-long camp for kids that have lost a family member. TRS is a labor of love that’s become one of the most popular shows online. With many more ideas and hopes for where they plan to take the show, it should be exciting to see what they come up with next. For all things Rad, find new episodes daily at http://revision3.com/trs or you can subscribe through iTunes. Story by Justin Fitzwater.
LACANVAS.COM 55
56 LACANVAS.COM
rising sun www.asahibeerusa.com www.facebook.com/asahirisingsun Get Free Ringtones Please Enjoy Asahi Beer Responsibly Imported by Asahi Beer U.S.A., Inc., Torrance, CA. LACANVAS.COM 57
CONCERT The Dears @ The Troubadour ART Downtown L.A. Art Walk
10 CONCERT Starf*cker @ The Detroit Bar
CONCERT Tapes N’ Tapes w/ Dale Earnhardt Jr. @ The Troubadour
12 ART James Jean: Rebus @ The Martha Otero Gallery
CONCERT Noah and the Whale @ The Troubadour
13 15
ART Camille Rose Garcia: Snow White and the Black Lagoon Opens @ Michael Kohn Gallery
CONCERT State Radio @ The Glass House
16 19
CONCERT Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular @ Fred Kavli Theatre
21
CONCERT Girl Talk @ Hollywood Palladium
22
CONCERT Wakey!Wakey! @ The Hotel Café
CONCERT Radars to the Sky @ LaBrie’s in Glendale
DRINK Opening of Angel City Brewing
CONCERT The Strange Boys @ The Echo
23
25
26
CONCERT Men @ Echoplex
CONCERT Lady Gaga @ Staples Center
58 LACANVAS.COM
29
30
31
CONCERT Travis McCoy @ The El Rey Theatre
CONCERT Toro Y Moi @ The Troubadour
CONCERT Say Hi @ The Echo
28
CONCERT Lady Gaga @ Staples Center
CONCERT Royksopp @ The Wiltern
SPORTS Dodgers Opening day
CONCERT Uh Huh Her @ El Rey Theatre
FOOD Truckit Food Festival @ Union Station
CONCERT Peter Yorn w/ Ben Kweller @ The Wiltern ART Month of Photography kicks off. www.monthofphotography.com
CONCERT John Mellencamp @ Nokia Theatre
CONCERT Neil Finn with Matt Costa @ El Rey Theatre
CONCERT Chris Tomlin @ Gibson Amphitheatre
1
2
3
5
CONCERT 30 Seconds to Mars @ The Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City Walk
6
8
9
12
13 ART Downtown L.A. Art Walk
ART Brewery Art Walk
14 15
CONCERT Janet Jackson @ The Gibson Amphitheatre
22 CONCERT Rob Stewart & Stevie Nicks @ The Hollywood Bowl
CONCERT Bright Eyes @ Pomona Fox Theater
FESTIVAL Coachella @ Empire Polo Club (Begins)
16 17
ART Art in the Streets @ MOCA (Opens)
FASHION LA FASHION WEEK begins. Check out LACANVAS.COM for more information.
ART Kim Boem: Animalia (Opens) @ REDCAT Gallery CONCERT The Airborne Toxic @ The Music Box
28
LACANVAS.COM 59
Community Page
Though it’s celebrated on April 22 every year Earth Day always seems to sneak up like a thong. Getting the jump on Earth Day, so you don’t look like an insensitive oil exec, should be a major priority. You can always find a beach cleanup (HealtheBay.org) or tree planting (TreePeople.org) to get involved with at the last minute, but here are some of the more unusual and fun ways to volunteer for the environment on Earth Day or any day. Story by Raegan Payne.
Wildlife Monitoring – Are you a biolog ist? OR… would to be a biologist you like to pretend so you can wear kh aki cargo shorts an wildlife monitoring d hiking boots? If so is your volunteer activity of choice. populations of bir Monitor endangere ds with the Nationa d l Audubon Society The joys of volun www.audubon.org teering with Audu . bo n can include natur ing of baby birds e walks and sightthat look like popc orn with legs.
Food Gleaning – Gleaning means to gather what’s left over. Picking fruit from trees that would normally go to waste, donating excess veggies from your garden, or sending unsold baked goods at the end of the day to a homeless shelter are all ways to glean. It feeds the hungry, keeps food local, and ensures that landfill space is not used up unnecessarily. Food Forward www. foodforward.org is one of the best gleaning groups in LA and they have easy online registration for events.
60 LACANVAS.COM
Earth Hour – Start the Earth Day celebration a month early and take part in Earth Hour www.earthhour.org on March 26th at 8:30 pm (local time). Earth Hour started in Sydney Australia in 2007 when over 2 million people and 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for 1 hour to take a stand against climate change. Earth Hour 2010 included 128 countries, with many shutting down the lights on their most iconic buildings and monuments. So turn the lights off at 8:30 pm on March 26th and find something… fun… to do in the dark.
Swap-O-Rama-Rama –Recycle your clothe s, get cool, custom-made new ones by taking part in Swap-O-Rama-Ra ma www.swaporamarama. org. To participate in a S.O.R.R. event in your area bring a bag of gently worn, unwanted clothes to the Swap venue . Your clothes will be taken for sorting and you will be able to choose between hundreds if not thousands of other hand me downs. Then take your new found items to the next room to have them fitted or custo mized by craftsman and seamstresses who donate their time to the Rama.
Photo: Jeff Vogeding
bule nce ” on iTun es. sing les “Wa ke Up Ca ll” and “Tur Dow nloa d Ste ve Aok i’s new
Facebook.com/ DJAoki • Twitter.com/S teveAoki
For more inform ation and free sticke rs peta2 .com. and DVDs , please visit LACANVAS.COM 61
Ask JD KAin
I
’m 28 and haven’t missed a Spring Break in a century. Don’t look at me like that. As far as I’m concerned it’s a national fucking holiday. But don’t think because you have a “job” and don’t have time for a trip to Florida that you can’t join the fun. Here are a few places close to home I’ll be checking out as March and April bring warmer weather and fewer clothes. You won’t even have to spend an arm and a leg… though you might get some tail. Forget the 7-day cruise that costs you a fortune. How about a cruise around Baja Mexico for $300? Just drive down to Long Beach hop on a 3-day Carnival Cruise (food included!) That’s 3 days to get to know your fellow cruisers, party it up and
make up some reason that hottie (or hotties) you’ve been eyeing should check out your suite. Do you love great music and wild, sex-drivenpartiers? Then maybe Coachella is for you. People come from all over to the desert for this one massive party. I went two years ago and stayed at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. If you don’t find someone to take back with you at the show, there’s always time to scope one out poolside. If you’re up for driving a bit further than Palm Springs, there’s a little known place called Vegas. After you’ve partied all night, poolside is again the place you’ll want to lounge as you sleep off your hangover. Hotels with great pools can be expensive, but the Tropicana is great on a budget
and a perfect place to meet sexy co-eds while playing a game of poolside blackjack. Spring Break is a great time for singles, but they won’t be single forever! If you see someone you like lock them down fast, even if it’s just for the weekend. If you already have a special someone, be careful that someone else doesn’t swoop in and steal ‘em. I’ve personally hooked up with countless women in relationships, even some on a “girls trip” for Spring Break. Spring is a beautiful time in Los Angeles so live it up to the fullest. Put on some fresh digs, get off your ass (and out the door) and own the moment. - JD Kain
LACANVAS.COM 63
Harman International PROFESSIONAL
FIRST CLASS FREE!!
mention this ad and your first class will be free! ($17 value)
• Fun-filled effective workouts • Yoga for Athletes® • Indoor Cycling • Free 2-hr parking and showers 64 LACANVAS.COM
831 s. hope street la, ca 213.430.9053 www.go2yas.com
LACANVAS.COM 65
LAST LOOK
A
bstract Philosopher, Renegade Mechanic, Postmodem Revitalist… these are among the many terms that fall outside of the dictionary that come to mind when attempting to stick a lid on Augustine Kofie. Describing his visual style proves even more difficult. Perhaps, if you took Memento on 3D Blu-Ray and synced it with Darkside of the Moon chopped up by EL-P on tape, you may arrive at a modest starting point. Kofie’s art is the dream you wake up from and can feel in your bones but can’t quite bring back
66 LACANVAS.COM
into focus. It’s that trance infusing raw beat whose origin is buried somewhere in the depths of your record collection. It’s the realization that a circles’ beginning is also the closest point to its end. Kofie’s cycle began in Hollywood where he was born the same year as Hip Hop, to a Choctaw/Creole/ Black Father and a German/Scottish Mother. At a young age, Kofie’s favorite toys were Legos, erector sets, notepads and pencils. One day while riding his bike to a local arcade, Kofie passed through the legendary “Motor Yard” and got his head blown when he saw the
writing on the wall. “The lines, the connections, the points of perspective, the rounded turns and the curves were all in graffiti and that’s what I gravitated toward.” Today Kofie’s work embodies the precision of Hard Edge Painting but remains personal; the detail of a master draftsman but without the singular purpose; the forward thinking and motion of Futurism but without the disdain for the past, and the freedom and lucidness of Abstract Expressionism but with a profound instinct to create balance. His textures, layers and bleeding palette of colors create soulful
pockets and analog cadences of time and space. “Subconsciously I’m telling stories and I have my storytelling style but I’m so deep and involved in the process I don’t think of the end result.” The end result is also something Kofie distances himself from when asked to define himself. “I don’t like being labeled. I make a living from my hobby; I make a living from being creative. If you want to call me an artist call me an artist, I get it but I’m just a mixed kid making mixed media…whatever that means?” Story by Todd Mazer.
LACANVAS.COM 67
DATE FARMERS ON VIEW THROUGH APRIL 2011
COLOR T.V., 2010 MIXED MEDIA ON WOOD PANEL 97½” (H) X 97½” (W) X 5½” (D) 68 LACANVAS.COM