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F ront Runners A chorus divine: In a 1965 photo, Los Angeles Master Chorale Music Director Roger Wagner leads what Time magazine called “a chorus that puts Los Angeles on the musical map of the world.”
Gold Standard THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE CELEBRATES ITS GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY WITH AN A-LIST HOMAGE TO BACH IN B MINOR AT THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION. BY SCOTT HUVER
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n January 27, 1964, Music Director Roger Wagner led the voices on the stage of the Los Angeles Music Center in Bach’s Mass in B Minor, marking the public debut of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The French-born Wagner—a former MGM chorus-boy-turned-Grammy-winning-recording-artist—handpicked the singers in a bid to create what Time magazine called “a chorus that puts the city of Los Angeles on the musical map of the world.” “He was a force to be reckoned with,” says current LAMC Music Director Grant Gershon, whose 13-year tenure is closing in on Wagner’s 22-year reign. He credits the chorale’s leader and early organizers for their determination to place LAMC among the Pavilion’s resident companies. “It’s impossible to overstate the importance of that, because when you look at other major art centers that were opening in the ’60s—Lincoln Center in New York and the Kennedy Center in DC— it was only in LA that we had the vision to establish a major chorus at the Music Center,” Gershon adds. “And that initial founding vision has been rewarded: We’ve built one of the great choral ensembles in the world right here in Los Angeles.” This month, LAMC marks its 50th anniversary with a season that reflects the chorale’s longevity. Says Gershon, “The first half is looking back and celebrating the history of the chorale through the music that has been most closely associated with the group over the years,” including Mass in B Minor, which will be presented on January 25 and 26, and on March 16 the music of Morten Lauridsen—the Chorale’s Composer-in-Residence from 1995–2001. The LA locale offers some sparkling advantages, adds LAMC’s president and CEO Terry Knowles, including 10 years of residency at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and a talent pool comprised of “very sought-after, experienced studio singers.” Gershon calls LAMC’s patrons “very adventurous. They’ve come to trust that even if it’s a program of music they don’t know, they’ll [still] have a really exciting musical experience.” Looking to the future, he adds, the world-class chorale will be recording more live concerts to be released as digital downloads, commissioning more works, expanding the season, and giving more performances of each program to really “maximize the impact that the ensemble is making.” Going for gold. 135 N. Grand Ave., 213-972-7211; musiccenter.org LAC
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F ront Runners Queen Mary: Silent film star Mary Pickford rocked the house at the United Artists Building (now the Ace Hotel), which screened her first talkie, the Oscar-winning Coquette, in 1929.
The Ace of Arts THE NEW ACE HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES RECHARGES AN ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARK. BY MICHAEL HERREN
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE ACE HOTEL
I
s 929 South Broadway—home to a historic high-rise that has helped to form the concrete canyons of Downtown LA for more than 80 years—actually an inspirational spring and watering hole for mavericks? Not those unbranded quadrupeds of lore, but rather those untamed independent individuals who ride to their own rhythm regardless of the herd’s groupthink? First came silent-era film legends Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Douglas Fairbanks. Founders of United Artists— the original “rogue” independent studio formed by these three actors along with D.W. Griffith in response to the ever-tightening hold of a nascent studio system—the trio proved literal groundbreakers with 929. Designed by architects Albert Walker and Percy Eisen in 1927, the United Artists Building cost $3.5 million and climbed 243 feet toward the stars. Its 13 stories made it LA’s tallest privately owned structure until 1956. In addition to 74,000 square feet of office space, it boasted the UA flagship theater. With its spires, pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, pinnacles, tracery, and murals by Anthony Heinsbergen depicting UA principals, actors, and board members, the building’s architectural and decorative style is decidedly Hollywood-ized neo-Gothic, a choice said to reflect Pickford’s love of fairy-tale European castles and cathedrals. The next maverick to pony up was the late protestant pastor Gene Scott. A pioneer in live-broadcast religious services, the Stanford-educated Scott relocated his Los Angeles University Cathedral to the site in 1989, rented for 13 years, and bought the building in 2003. From 1990 until his death in 2005, he conducted Sunday sermons in the former theater and housed the world’s largest private collection of bibles in another part of the building. Then came the current owners, the Ace Hotel Group. Bucking the boutique-hotel trend by emphasizing up-front hospitality and amenities over attitude, the hoteliers arrived full gallop in 2011, purchasing the property for a reported $11 million. Over the next two years, aided by its longtime aesthetic collaborators, the LA-based coolster design firm Commune, Ace set about restoring the now 1,600-seat theater and reimagining the high-rise into a 182-room hotel. Work took two years, and when the hotel opens on January 15 it will include a full fitness center and the Downtown de rigueur rooftop pool and bar. Some rooms will even have guitars. Wild as a maverick. LAC
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Winter 2014
48 Century Citizen
Mayor John Mirisch toasts the 100-year anniversary of the city of Beverly Hills.
12 Front Runners 30 From the Editor-in-Chief 32 From the Publisher 34 …Without Whom This Issue Would Not Have Been Possible 37 Invited 46 The List
People 48 Century Citizen Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch reflects on the centennial of his star-studded hometown.
52 Gals About Tinseltown Italian-American director Francesca Gregorini and her star actress, Kaya Scodelario, discuss their Sundance standout, The Truth About Emanuel.
54 Om-azing Grace Venice’s hottest yogi, Guru Jagat, celebrates the opening of her buzzy new Ra Ma Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology.
56 King for a Year Grammy-winning artist and philanthropist extraordinaire Carole King is honored as the 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year.
Culture Spearheaded by Sonny Bono 25 years ago, the Palm Springs International Film Festival still beckons Hollywood’s power players to the desert.
64 Hotel Hollywood The legendary Chateau Marmont hits a milestone 85th birthday—but isn’t a day past its prime.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAMONA ROSALES
62 Palm Springs Eternal
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Winter 2014
Taste 68 Orient Excess Celebrities and foodies alike are flocking to Beverly Hills for a taste of Hakkasan’s chic Chinese cuisine.
74 Dim Sum Laude California chefs are reimagining the traditional dumpling—with surprising results.
76 The Joy Puck Club Culinary renegade Wolfgang Puck—a pioneer of Chinese-meets-Californian fare—continues to make his own rules.
Style 80 Wrap Star Diane von Furstenberg celebrates four decades of her signature wrap dress with an LA exhibition.
82 Ladies Who Lacquer
84 Green Is the New Black Luxury brands and independent designers agree that eco-chic is the look to love.
86 Quantum Leap Jump-hour watches are traditional timepieces… with a dramatic flair.
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74 Dim Sum Laude
Local Chinese eateries serve up new twists on classic dumplings.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SAMPLE
Jaime Boreanaz and Melissa Ravo, founders of the recently launched Chrome Girl nail polish, talk green beauty.
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Winter 2014
Features 88 Hey, Hey, Hey! A 2014 Grammy nominee, Robin Thicke talks candidly about the insta-success of “Blurred Lines”—and the controversy that came with it.
94 Grammyrama! As LA prepares for the 56th annual Grammy Awards, music’s boldface names—including T-Bone Burnett, Sara Bareilles, Jennifer Hudson, and more—share their favorite memories of the big night.
104 Puttin’ on the Glitz Channel your inner pop star with a treasure trove of dazzling accessories.
110 The Hills Are Alive… For musically inclined LA dwellers, no house is complete without an in-home studio.
112 Rock It! At these glam party houses, it’s all about no-expense-spared entertaining.
88 Hey, Hey, Hey!
Singer/songwriter Robin Thicke adds Grammy nominee to his résumé.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAINER HOSCH
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Winter 2014 115 Lux Deluxe
Los Angeles tastemakers look to Whyrhymer’s Brandon Morrison for stylish lighting options.
Abode and Beyond 115 Lux Deluxe Whyrhymer’s Brandon Morrison is making sure the city’s chic set is always bathed in good lighting.
116 The Illuminati From subtle sconces to outrageous chandeliers, it’s always glow time at LA’s top lighting boutiques.
118 Past, Presents, Perfect Rodeo Drive’s David Orgell is a gifter’s paradise.
And Finally… 120 Play It Again, Gram! As LA mobilizes for the Grammys, make sure to plug in… and tune up.
ON THE COVER: Robin Thicke Photography by Rainer Hosch Styling by Paris Libby Grooming by Robert Steinken for Cloutier Remix Cocktail jacket ($4,390), waistcoat ($1,390), and evening pant ($1,290), Tom Ford. 346 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-270-9440; tomford.com. Basic slim-fit dress shirt ($335), Lanvin. Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-2764400; barneys.com. Exotic stone signet ring in black onyx, David Yurman ($495). 371 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8618; davidyurman.com. Aviators ($290), Dolce & Gabbana. 314 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8701; dolce gabbana.com. Watch, Rolex, Thicke’s own. Shoes, Mezlan ($1,100). 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara, 408-912-1580; mezlan.com
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SPENCER BECK Editor-in-Chief Deputy Editor ERIN MAGNER Senior Managing Editor JILL SIERACKI Associate Managing Editor/Beauty Coordinator KAITLIN CLARK Senior Art Director FRYDA LIDOR Photo Editor REBECCA SAHN Entertainment and Bookings Editor JULIET IZON Senior Fashion Editor LAUREN FINNEY Manager, Copy and Research WENDIE PECHARSKY Research Editor LESLIE ALEXANDER
ALISON MILLER Group Publisher Associate Publisher VALERIE ROBLES Account Directors TIFFANY CAREY, ELIZABETH MOORE Account Executives ALICIA DRY, SHAMBRY MCGEE Director, Event Marketing MELINDA JAGGER Office Manager CAROLYN SCARBROUGH Sales Assistant KELSEY MARRUJO
NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC Editorial Director MANDI NORWOOD Creative Director NICOLE A. WOLFSON NADBOY Executive Fashion Director SAMANTHA YANKS
ART AND PHOTO
Associate Art Directors TIFFANI BARTON, ANASTASIA TSIOUTAS CASALIGGI, ADRIANA GARCIA, JUAN PARRA, JESSICA SARRO Senior Designer JENNIFER LEDBURY Designers ELISSA ALSTER, GIL FONTIMAYOR Photo Director LISA ROSENTHAL BADER Photo Editors JODIE LOVE, SETH OLENICK, JENNIFER PAGAN Associate Photo Editor KATHERINE HAUSENBAUER-KOSTER Photo Producer KIMBERLY RIORDAN Senior Staff Photographer JEFFREY CRAWFORD Senior Digital Imaging Specialist JEFFREY SPITERY Digital Imaging Specialist JEREMY DEVERATURDA Digital Imaging Assistant HTET SAN Fashion Editor FAYE POWER
FASHION
Associate Fashion Editor ALEXANDRIA GEISLER Fashion Assistants CONNOR CHILDERS, LISA FERRANDINO
COPY AND RESEARCH
Copy Editors DAVID FAIRHURST, NICOLE LANCTOT, DALENE ROVENSTINE, JULIA STEINER Research Editors JUDY DEYOUNG, MURAT OZTASKIN, AVA WILLIAMS
EDITORIAL OPERATIONS
Director, Editorial Operations DEBORAH L. MARTIN Director, Editorial Finance and Digital Operations ERIK NETCHER Editorial Relations Manager MATTHEW STEWART Online Managing Editor CAITLIN ROHAN Online Editor APRIL WALLOGA Social Media and E-Newsletter Editor ANNA BEN YEHUDA Digital Media Developer MICHAEL KWAN Digital Media Specialist ANTHONY PEARSON Senior Managing Editors DANINE ALATI, KEN RIVADENEIRA
Managing Editors JENNIFER DEMERITT, KAREN ROSE, JOHN VILANOVA
Fashion Editor-at-Large LAURIE BROOKINS Shelter and Design Editor SUE HOSTETLER Timepiece Editor ROBERTA NAAS
ADVERTISING SALES
Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing NORMAN M. MILLER Account Directors SUSAN ABRAMS, MICHELE ADDISON, CLAIRE CARLIN, KATHLEEN FLEMING, KAREN LEVINE, MEREDITH MERRILL, GRACE NAPOLITANO, DEBORAH O’BRIEN, SHANNON PASTUSZAK, RAYLENE SALTHOUSE Account Executives SUSANA ARAGON, LYNN CHAFFIER, MICHELLE CHALA, THOMAS CHILLEMI, MORGAN CLIFFORD, AMY DESILVA, JANELLE DRISCOLL, VINCE DUROCHER, DINA FRIEDMAN, SARAH HECKLER, VICTORIA HENRY, CAROLYN LANDES, MARY RUEGG, LAUREN SHAPIRO, JIM SMITH, CAROLINE SNECKENBERG, KACIE TURPENEN, TERA WASHBURN, JESSICA ZIVKOVITCH, GABRIELLA ZURROW National Sales Coordinator HOWARD COSTA Sales Support and Development EMMA BEHRINGER, ANA BLAGOJEVIC, DANA BROCKWAY, EMILY BURDETT, CRISTINA CABIELLES, BRITTANY CORBETT, OLIVIA DAVIS, JAMIE HILDEBRANDT, DARA HIRSH, MICHELLE MASS, NICHOLE MAURER, RUE MCBRIDE, STEPHEN OSTROWSKI, MARISA RANDALL
MARKETING, PROMOTIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations LANA BERNSTEIN Vice President, Integrated Marketing EMILY MCLINTOCK Integrated Marketing Director ROBIN KEARSE Integrated Marketing Manager JIMMY KONTOMANOLIS Creative Services Director SCOTT ROBSON Promotions Art Designers CHRISTOPHER HARDGROVE, DANIELLE MORRIS Event Marketing Directors AMY FISCHER, HALEE HARCZYNSKI, JOANNA TUCKER Event Marketing Managers CHRISTIAMILDA CORREA, LAURA MULLEN, LAUREN OLSON, CRISTINA PARRA Event Marketing Coordinator ANI GAFKA Event Marketing Assistant SHANA KAUFMAN
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION
Vice President, Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX Positioning and Planning Director SALLY LYON Assistant Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Managers BARBARA SHALE, BLUE UYEDA Production Artists MARISSA MAHERAS, TARA MCCRILLIS Distribution Manager MATT HEMMERLING Fulfillment Manager DORIS HOLLIFIELD Traffic Supervisor ESTEE WRIGHT Traffic Coordinators JEANNE GLEESON, MALLORIE SOMMERS Circulation Research Specialist CHAD HARWOOD
ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, AND OPERATIONS
Director, Executive Operations MICHAEL CAPACE Executive Assistant ARLENE GONZALEZ Human Resources Director STEPHANIE MITCHELL Controller DANIELLE BIXLER Advertising Business Manager RICHARD YONG Financial Analyst AUDREY CADY Credit and Collections Manager CHRISTOPHER BEST Senior Credit and Collections Analyst MYRNA ROSADO Senior Accountant LILY WU Junior Accountant NATASHA WARREN Senior Billing Coordinator CHARLES CAGLE Desktop Administrator ZACHARY CUMMO Infrastructure Administrator MOHAMMED HANNAN Facilities Coordinator JOUBERT GUILLAUME
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
J.P. ANDERSON (Michigan Avenue), ANDREA BENNETT (Vegas), KRISTIN DETTERLINE (Philadelphia Style), ERIN LENTZ (Aspen Peak), LISA PIERPONT (Boston Common), CATHERINE SABINO (Gotham), JARED SHAPIRO (Ocean Drive), ELIZABETH THORP (Capitol File), SAMANTHA YANKS (Hamptons)
PUBLISHERS
JOHN M. COLABELLI (Philadelphia Style), LOUIS DELONE (Capitol File), SUZANNE RUFFA DOLEN (Gotham), ALEXANDRA HALPERIN (Aspen Peak), DEBRA HALPERT (Hamptons), GLEN KELLEY (Boston Common), COURTLAND LANTAFF (Ocean Drive), DAN USLAN (Michigan Avenue), JOSEF VANN (Vegas)
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer JOHN P. KUSHNIR Chief Technology Officer JESSE TAYLOR President and Chief Operating Officer KATHERINE NICHOLLS Chairman and Director of Photography JEFF GALE Copyright 2014 by Niche Media Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved. Los Angeles Confidential magazine is published eight times per year. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material, and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Los Angeles Confidential magazine’s right to edit. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs, and drawings. To order a subscription, please call 866.891.3144. For customer service, please inquire at losangelesconfidential@pubservice.com. To distribute Los Angeles Confidential at your business, please e-mail magazinerequest@nichemediallc.com. Los Angeles Confidential magazine is published by Niche Media Holdings, LLC (Founder, Jason Binn), a company of The Greenspun Corporation. LOS ANGELES CONFIDENTIAL: 8530 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90211 T: 310.289.7300 F: 310.289.0444 NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS: 100 Church Street, Seventh Floor, New York, NY 10007 T: 646-835-5200 F: 212-780-0003 THE GREENSPUN CORPORATION: 2275 Corporate Circle, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074 T: 702-259-4023 F: 702-383-1089
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Beverly Hills is back. With a vengeance. It never really went away, of course, but in recent years, LA’s little incorporated town with the famous name was overshadowed somewhat by the buzzy goings-on in Hollywood (cleaned up), Silver Lake (cooled up), and Downtown (cleaned up and cooled up!). This month marks the 100th anniversary of that city named incongruously after Beverly, Massachusetts, and laid out in 1914 with great precision and fanfare amidst bean fields and rolling hills to accommodate the movie folks who weren’t welcome (such were the times) in the WASP-y, sanctified precincts of Pasadena and Hancock Park. Anchored by the Beverly Hills Hotel to the north and an ornate, imposing city hall to the south—with broad, arboreally significant boulevards running betwixt and studded with a quintessentially Californian panoply of “fairy-tale” houses—Beverly Hills was, indeed, the ideal of the perfect American small town. As only a movie mogul could have imagined it. And what a town. Not so long ago, every street—from Roxbury to Doheny—was dotted with the digs of show people: Swanson, Dietrich, Hayworth, and Turner. The most celebrated of them all was “Pickfair,” the original movie star palace, perched above the town and presided over by Mary and Douglas Fairbanks, who hosted not just fellow movie folks but entertained British royalty and captains of industry as well— such was the global appeal of “Hollywood,” even back in the day. Today, the movie stars are long gone (mostly)—opting instead for “safer” outposts such as Malibu and, well, New York. In the past several decades, Rodeo Drive has morphed from celebrity Main Street USA to a glitzy tourist destination. Now, the Stay up to date with all that’s international shopping hub is havgoing on in LA at ing a renaissance of sorts as retailers la-confidential-magazine.com. such as Vera Wang and Tory Burch are moving in amid much hoopla. And thanks to the prescience of philanthropist nonpareil Wallis Annenberg and Beverly Hills’s charismatic new mayor, fourth-generation Beverly Hillsian John Mirisch (see “Century Citizen,” page 48), BH is getting some serious culture. (We’re not just talking movies.) Back in 1969, as a star-struck kid living in a lovely, leafy, if decidedly celeb-negative suburb of Philadelphia, I wrote the then-mayor of Beverly Hills asking for information about his legendary little city. (I was an odd child.) When a packet arrived laden with glittering BH trivia, including an original map of movie star homes (which I still possess), I thought I had died and gone to heaven—Hollywood heaven. Almost half a century later, it’s all come full circle. From my office above Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, I today survey that town that so caught the interest of an overly imaginative 8-year-old. Cheers to wishful thinking and fantasy come true. Happy Birthday, Beverly Hills.
Lights, Camera, Hamilton! With Hamilton International CEO Sylvain Dolla and Zoë Saldana (ABOVE) and publisher Alison Miller and Joe Manganiello at the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
Celebrating our cover star, Sir Ben Kingsley, at the Men’s Issue party at the Viceroy Santa Monica. SPENCER BECK
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY IMEH AKPANUDOSEN
FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Celebrating spring fashion with Sanctuary founders Deb and Ken Polanco at Duplex on Third.
Burgess Yacht Art Basel kicks off with Courtland Lantaff, Georgina Menheneott, Tim Wiltshire, Summer Osterman, Alison Miller, Matt Emerson, and Katherine Nicholls.
ABOVE: Enjoying the new Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) with Niche Media President Katherine Nicholls. LEFT: Toasting the Tudor Watch US launch with Russell Kelly at Beso Hollywood.
issue’s multitalented cover star, singer/songwriter Robin Thicke, will no doubt be celebrating 2014 with his first Grammy nominations (and hopefully wins) for Record of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Pop Duo / Group Performance, with a song that hit No. 1 in more than 100 countries and has sparked a seemingly equal number of controversies, accolades, and pop-culture-defining moments since its release. “Blurred Lines” has been a true phenomenon, inspiring cultural contradictions and endless buzz while enveloping everybody from Marvin Gaye to Miley Cyrus. We look forward to celebrating with Robin at our annual pre-Grammy event later this month, along with sponsors Y-Jet and Cîroc. “Blurred Lines” collaborator and four-time Grammy winner Pharrell Williams has had an equally exciting year. As I write this, Pharrell is only the 12th artist in history to hold both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously (“Blurred Lines” and “Get Lucky”), and he has just released the world’s first 24-hour interactive video (see it at 24hoursofhappy.com), garnering more than five million views in the first week alone. Beyond making music history and providing the most ambitious music video release since Michael Jackson’s 1983 “Thriller,” Pharrell has been a trailblazer in blurring the lines that previously defined musicians as a one-note entity. Pharrell’s multimedia, YouTube–based creative collective, i am OTHER, resides at the intersection of music, fashion, and culture, Stay up to date with all that’s refusing to be defined by a single going on in LA at category or genre. His manifesto of la-confidential-magazine.com. valuing individuality has set off a cultural movement dedicated to thinkers, innovators, and outcasts. Equal parts musician, artist, and fashion designer, Pharrell’s optimistic, culture-advancing philosophy is attracting luxury brands by the boatload. He’s collaborated with Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton on a jewelry and sunglass line, designed furniture for Domeau & Pérès, and exhibited a collaborative sculpture with artist Takashi Murakami at Art Basel. Pharrell is exactly the kind of creative wunderkind who pushes boundaries, and we can’t get enough of him! Congratulations to both Robin and Pharrell on their Grammy nominations, and “hey, hey, hey,” please keep it coming in 2014!
ALISON MILLER
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS WEEKS/GETTY IMAGES (TUDOR); REZA ALLAH-BAKHSKI (SANCTUARY)
Welcome to a new year filled with things that have never been before! This
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...WITHOUT WHOM THIS ISSUE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WINTER 2014
David Hochman Westsider David Hochman writes about Los Angeles and its celebrated citizenry for The New York Times, Esquire, and Details, among many others. He lives near the beach with his wife, a chocolatier, and son, who often has chocolate on his face. In this issue, Hochman interviews cover star Robin Thicke (page 88). What subjects do you cover? I write about the famous and the infamous. What stood out to you most about Robin? His vulnerability. The song of the year had so much swagger, but the guy’s a husband and dad to a toddler, and he has feelings. What rhymes with hug me? Depends on who’s asking.
Molly Creeden
Jasmin Rosemberg The author of How the Other Half Hamptons, Jasmin Rosemberg’s articles have been featured in BlackBook and the NY Post. In this issue, the writer explores the history and recent star-studded surge of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (page 62), which marks its silver anniversary this month. Which movie has been your favorite festival find? I really enjoyed speaking
with first-time Canadian director Craig Goodwill about his dark, Disney-esque fantasy film Patch Town—rooted in the Russian legend of babies hatched from cabbages. Robert Redford recently criticized the evolution of Sundance. Do you think the “politics” of film festivals should be an issue? At least as far as
Palm Springs, the rapidly growing attendance, press, studio, and star power seemed to help bolster and establish an event that continues to create opportunities for independent and international cinema.
After a five-year stint in New York as an editor at Vogue, Molly Creeden now calls LA home. She continues to contribute to Vogue, as well as Interview, Self, and Fodor’s. For this issue, she profiles LA’s hottest yogi, Guru Jagat (page 54). What’s your beat? I love covering subjects who are on the cusp—whether it’s an athlete making a name for herself, an author who’s got people talking, or a young actor about to be introduced to the world. What was Guru Jagat’s aura like? She’s a portrait of cool approachability: confident, open, and easy to talk to—sort of like if your friend from college became a spiritual leader with a turban and an ardent following!
Rainer Hosch A Los Angeles transplant by way of Vienna, Austria, photojournalist Rainer Hosch developed an interest in photography at a young age. With his work featured in international publications such as Men’s Vogue, Wired, and Interview, as well as in advertising campaigns for Microsoft, Nike, and more, Hosch shot our cover star, pop hot shot Robin Thicke (page 88). What was your inspiration for the shoot?
[The Sheats-Goldstein Residence] in the hills of Hollywood was a perfect backdrop for Robin to be himself: an entertainer bigger than life. Did you listen to any Miley Cyrus music on set? We listened to upbeat house music. Miley called, but couldn’t make it.
34 LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM
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Invit ed
THE MONTH’S PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS AND SMARTEST PARTIES
Britannia Awards BAFTA LOS ANGELES HONORS ENTERTAINMENT LUMINARIES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES
A
George Clooney and Julia Roberts
congregation of Hollywood’s most iconic faces graced The Beverly Hilton for The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards, presented by BBC America. Comedian Rob Brydon hosted the ceremony, which celebrated industry leaders who have committed their careers to advancing the entertainment arts. A stellar roster of presenters, including Judd Apatow and Julia Roberts, honored Kathryn Bigelow with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing; George Clooney with the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in continued on page 38
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INVITED
Sir Ben Kingsley
Dominic Cooper and Karen Gillan
Kathryn Bigelow and Lupita Nyong’o
Sean Penn
Benedict Cumberbatch
continued from page 37 Film; Sacha Baron Cohen with the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy; Benedict Cumberbatch with the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year presented by the Great Britain Campaign; Idris Elba with the Britannia Humanitarian Award; and Sir Ben Kingsley with the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment. Proceeds from the gala, which also featured special guests like Dominic Cooper, Lee Daniels, Kelly Rowland, and Suki Waterhouse, will support BAFTA LA’s many projects in the fields of education, scholarship, and community outreach.
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Idris Elba
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES
Salma Hayek
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher
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INVITED Ann Bleisnick and Melissa Abbott
Siobhan Schanda and John Walsh
Jonathan Gil, Christopher Daaboul, Korosh Soltani, and Maurice Daaboul Guests mingled in The Mondrian Los Angeles’s impressive penthouse lounge.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY IMEH AKPANUDOSEN
Jonas Bell Pasht, Lyndsey Miller, and Peter Huyck
Donald Haber and Brian Malarkey
Delta Airlines “List” Celebration Los Angeles Confidential teamed with Delta Airlines to honor the best of “The List” in 2013. Paramount Pictures’ Justin Wagman and Chelsea Lately talent producer Siobhan Schanda were among the influencers who filled the Mondrian Los Angeles penthouse. The crowd sampled exquisite culinary creations by Herringbone executive chef Brian Malarkey, including fried chicken oysters and bay scallop ceviche. Swiss watchmaker Dubey & Schaldenbrand—carried at David Orgell at Two Rodeo—unveiled its latest timepieces to the cultivated crowd as Absolut Elyx refreshed guests with custom cocktails. Fiona Canning and Susie Kimball Michelle Lee, Carolyn Haber and Robin Kaplan
Justin Wagman and Jessica Almonte
Desiree Ides and Lauren Freeman
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Christopher Daaboul and Julia Parker
12/20/13 12:00 PM
INVITED Will Arnett
Luca Facinelli and Jennie Garth
Gerard Butler
Ali Fedotowsky
Guests flocked to the grand Beverly Wilshire hotel in support of Cedars-Sinai.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINCE BUCCI (WOMEN’S); KAWAII MATTHEWS (KOBE)
LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian
Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai Annual Gala
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel echoed with the sound of music for the annual Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai Gala. Emceed by Will Arnett, the program included a joyful showcase of The Nutcracker by the Los Angeles Ballet, followed by a performance by Grammy-winning singer LeAnn Rimes. Additional celebrity guests included Jennie Garth, who announced the lucky raffle winners, and Gerard Butler, who presented the Hollywood Icon award to Lauren Shuler Donner and Richard Donner. Proceeds from the gala benefit projects at Cedars-Sinai.
Lori and Jeff Hyland
Kobe Bryant and Greg Simonian
Larry Colvin and David Rothblum
Hublot Watch Celebration
Michael Israfil and Peggy Jagerman
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Lauren Shuler Donner and Richard Donner
Michael Warner and Stan Shuster Mr. and Mrs. José Louis Padilla
Luxury Swiss watchmaker Hublot aligned with 15-time NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant for the second time to release the newest edition of its King Power Black Mamba, an artfully designed timepiece inspired by the basketball star’s unparalleled career and exuberant personality. The celebration included a formal presentation of the watch by Greg Simonian, president of Hublot’s boutique in Beverly Hills, to Bryant at RivaBella Ristorante in West Hollywood. The unique design features a King Gold case surrounded by a black ceramic bezel, red gold indexes, a silver snake around the counter at 9:00, and Bryant’s jersey number, 24, at 6:00. LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM 41
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INVITED
Sue Hostetler
Liz Craft, Dan Finsel, Kathryn Andrews, Erlea Maneros Zabala, and Karl Haendel
Guests gathered inside The London West Hollywood to honor the acclaimed artists.
Gillian Wynn and Alexander Yulish Erin Falls, Hannah Hoffman, and Lauri Firstenberg
PHOTOGRAPHY BY IMEH AKPANUDOSEN/EMMA ROSENBLATT
Nancy Davis and Lynn Palmer
Fairfax Dorn
Prominent and Emerging Artists’ Luncheon
David Phillips and Peter Lodato
Distinguished artists assembled alongside curators and collectors for an exclusive luncheon hosted by Los Angeles Confidential Publisher Alison Miller, Art Basel magazine Editor Sue Hostetler, and Ballroom Marfa cofounder and Executive Director Fairfax Dorn. The afternoon, presented by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, recognized both well-known and breakthrough artists for their unique visions and contributions to the ever-evolving LA contemporary art scene. Honorees included Kathryn Andrews, Liz Craft, Aaron Curry, Dan Finsel, Karl Haendel, and Erlea Maneros Zabala. Frey Wille and Marc Jacobs Eyewear also treated guests to a preview of their latest designs.
Janie Haddad Tompkins and Deborah Marcus
Trish Bakst, Nancy Markoff, Marie Steinman, and Mitzi Maltz
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Jeffrey Soros, Amber Sakai, Cameron Silver, and Jennifer Tilly
12/20/13 12:00 PM
INVITED
Drew Barrymore
Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein
Jessica Alba and Cash Warren
Joel Madden and Nicole Richie
Malin Akerman
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN SHEARER, TODD WILLIAMSON, AND ALEXANDRA WYMAN (BABY); CHELSEA LAUREN (RUSSIAN)
ROSENBLATT
Baby2Baby Gala
Joel McHale, Molly Sims, Scott Stuber, and Sarah Williams
Danielle Kremer
Hollywood’s hardest-working mothers came together at The BookBindery in Culver City to support Baby2Baby—a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides needy families with necessary supplies and gear for their children. Among the advocates were host Joel McHale, board members Jessica Alba and Nicole Richie, and Baby2Baby Co-Presidents Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein. The evening, which featured a menu designed by LA’s top chefs, paid gratitude to supporter Drew Barrymore with the Baby2Baby Giving Tree Award.
Vanessa Kromer
Alyssa Bushey
Amanda Hunt and Rasheda Cox
Lori Thomas Guests enjoyed the Russian Standard Vodka cocktail menu as they mingled and received spa treatments.
At the evening’s conclusion, guests received gift bags of beauty samples and sweet treats.
Julia Parker and Elise Gispan
Russian Standard Incredibles
Los Angeles Confidential treated VIPs to a relaxing afternoon with LA><ART curator Amanda Hunt at Burke Williams Spa. In addition to complimentary facials and massages, guests enjoyed gourmet snacks such as caprese skewers and pumpkin pie bars courtesy of LA Spice, and Standard Rockette and Moscow Mule cocktails by Russian Standard Vodka. Gift bags came stocked with goodies courtesy of Van Thomas LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM 43 Concepts, Yogitoes, Mrs. Beasley’s, and Burke Williams Spa.
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INVITED
Jonas Bell Pasht, Waraire Boswell, Jonathan Ward, and Adam Stotsky
Octavio Olivas and Brandon Day
Daniel K. Nelson
The exclusive dinner was held in the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
Gentlemen’s Supper
VIPs enjoyed a candlelight dinner at Beso in Hollywood in honor of Tudor Watch.
Tom Blumenthal and John Kores
Joseph Atiba and Daniel Chen
Paul Feig
Michael Paradise
Russell Kelly of Tudor Watch toasted to the evening’s special guests.
PHOTOGRAPHY BYSTEFFANIE WALK (GENTLEMEN’S); CHRIS WEEKS (TUDOR)
An intimate crowd of influencers and eccentrics from the entertainment, sports, and fashion industries gathered at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel to fête the premiere of film and TV producer Jonas Bell Pasht’s new Esquire Network series, How I Rock It. Esteemed pop-up chef Octavio Olivas provided the menu, while Pasht and shoe designer Brandon Day shared hosting duties. After dinner, guests such as film director Paul Feig, Esquire Network President Adam Stotsky, and Icon car designer Jonathan Ward were offered a ride in Daniel K. Nelson’s vintage Cadillac hearse.
Ian Firestone, Kyle Grimes, and Jordan Lemmons
Jin Yu and Jake Saady
Tudor Watch Dinner
Andia Rahimi, Marie Caner, and Gilda Rahmanou 44
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A select handful of LA tastemakers gathered for a night of style at Los Angeles Confidential and Tudor Watch’s exclusive dinner at Beso in Hollywood. Guests dined on a blend of classic steakhouse and authentic Latin dishes such as chili-rubbed skirt steak and jidori chicken, as well as a selection of California wine, beer, and cocktails while celebrating the launch of Tudor Watch in the States.
12/20/13 12:21 PM
INVITED Kevin Goodman
Supporters looked on as Feldmar Vice President Scott Meller performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Annie and Paul Kamber
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM DONNELLY/JIM DONNELLY PHOTO (FELDMAR); JOHN WATKINS (SEGERSTROM)
Guests admired Feldmar’s revamped flagship store on Pico Boulevard.
Sol Meller and Frank Sinatra Jr.
Feldmar Store Opening
Archie Hashmi, Scott Meller, and Frank Furlan
Bishop Brown and Debra Gunn Downing
Henry and Elizabeth Segerstrom
Peter Blake and Stephanie Bachiero
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More than 300 clients, brand partners, and colleagues flocked to Feldmar Watch Company’s newly remodeled and expanded flagship store in Los Angeles to celebrate the luxury timepiece purveyor’s 100-year anniversary. The brand’s faithful supporters toasted to Feldmar’s first-rate service and product savvy as they enjoyed a ribbon-cutting ceremony, watchmaking demonstrations by Blancpain, and a screening of a video detailing Feldmar’s rich history.
Pat and Dick Allen
Darin and Mel Gilchriese
Forrest and Telicia Grant
Segerstrom Book Launch
Luxury book publisher Assouline celebrated the release of Henry T. Segerstrom in Jewel Court at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. Publishers, local dignitaries, and colleagues viewed a video tribute to Segerstrom’s life, spotlighting his huge influence and charitable contributions to Southern California. AnQi By Crustacean treated guests to gourmet fare, along with Hamamori and Monrose Catering of Malibu, while Purity Vodka concocted a specialty cocktail, The Henry, with which celebrants toasted the guest of honor.
Scott Keifer, Dennis Sweeney, and Vince McGuinness
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T he List winter 2014
Lucian Grainge
Jonathan Adashek
Eric Garcetti
Karney Chang
Bernard Brucha
Victoria Buesing
Ian Firestone
Russell Schwartz
Bobby Hundreds
Chris Pass
Nicole Pollard
Stephanie Davis
Irving Azoff
Zora Huculak
Carmelo Pirrone
Lepa Roskopp
Tim Fleming
Tanya Aguiñiga
Patrick Hickey
Gale Ann Hurd
Eddie Kaye Thomas
Jim Dreesen
CJ Jacobson
Cuffe Owens
Michael Weaver
Evelyn Ungari
Alex Prager
Eli Azran
Austin O’Malia
Ben Hundreds
Michele Anthony
Jon Alagem
David Rimokh
Caley Lawson-Rinker
Bree Goldwater
Annie Tevelin
Carlos Sapene
Lorena Sarbu
Cristiana Vigano
Marcela Hernandez
Scott Morey
Derek Mattison
Sarah Hanner
Andy Puddicombe
Pam Suhr
Kerri Lee Ross
Sage Machado
Alan F. Horn
46 la-confidential-magazine.com
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Superlatives PEOPLE, CULTURE, TASTE, STYLE
VIEW FROM THE TOP
Century Citizen ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BEVERLY HILLS THIS MONTH, HOLLYWOOD SCION AND MAYOR JOHN MIRISCH TALKS CULTURE, CONTROVERSY, AND THE PRESERVATION OF THE MOST FAMOUS SMALL TOWN IN AMERICA. BY MICHAEL VENTRE
OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAMONA ROSALES
J
ohn Mirisch was a Beverly Hills kid. The fourth-generation resident Hills, started The Mirisch Company in 1957, which produced such grew up there, went to Hawthorne School, and later attended Beverly Hollywood classics as Some Like It Hot and West Side Story—he’d also like to Hills High. He’s immensely proud of his roots. But the magna cum underline and boldface the close-knit nature of the place. “It does have a cosmopolitan feel,” he explains. “There’s glamour, great laude graduate of Yale does recall a time when he might have hemmed and shopping, and all that. But in many ways it’s a community, like a small town hawed after being asked about his swanky ’hood. “It’s funny,” he says while sitting within the palatial confines of City or village, which made it very special growing up.” Beverly Hills doesn’t directly elect its mayor. Hall. “When you grow up and meet people from out Rather, the city council is elected and then the mayor of town and they ask you where you’re from, someis chosen on a rotating basis. In the past, Mirisch had times—at that time, at least—people were a little been a member of the council and had served as vice self-conscious or embarrassed about saying they mayor after spending years working in film distribuwere from Beverly Hills. I’m not the only one who tion in Sweden and Austria. He holds the distinction has experienced that. People would ask you where of being both a Swedish and American citizen, and is you’re from. ‘LA’ ‘What part of LA?’ ‘West LA’ And the first Swedish national to serve as mayor of Beverly then, finally, if they pushed, you would grumblingly Hills (of course). say, ‘Oh, Beverly Hills.’ His passions are easy to decipher. He adores the “Today I don’t do that,” he adds. “I’m very proud of new Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing being from Beverly Hills.” Arts, housed in the old post office building former Today, in fact, Mirisch, 50, wants to broadcast it far honorary “Mayor” Will Rogers once urged the city to and wide, because he happens to be the mayor of that build. Mirisch is also a champion of the city’s nascent tony burg—and in 2014, no less, LEFT: Mayor when Beverly Hills is set to observe John Mirisch —JOHN MIRISCH Cultural Heritage Commission, which is committed gazes upon to saving historic properties. Says Mirisch: “The joke its centennial. And while he’d love his celebin architectural circles used to be that preservation in to display that city’s shinier baucelebrated hometown bles and boast of the glittery names among its citizenry Beverly Hills meant taking a photo of a building before they tore it down. from Beverly past and present—his grandfather, Harold, and great- We’re a lot more respectful now. I’m very, very proud of our Cultural Hills’s landmark City Hall. continued on page 50 uncles, Walter and Marvin, all residents of Beverly
“The joke in architectural circles used to be that preservation in Beverly Hills meant taking a photo of a building before they tore it down.”
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VIEW FROM THE TOP Mayor Mirisch’s “hometown” pride extends beyond the rarefied boundaries of BH in his City Hall office.
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HIS HONOR ON A ROLL Mayor Mirisch: Live and uncensored. *political pet peeve: “Crony capitalism, the role of money in politics, and the influence of so-called ‘special interests.’ Policy should be decided by those with the best ideas, not by those who can shout the loudest.”
*piece of writing he’s most proud of: “I have to smile when I think of a piece I wrote for the Yale Daily News back in the day in which I urged Yale President Bart Giamatti to zay a mensch and make Yiddish language courses part of the curriculum.”
*past BH resident he’d have liked to meet: “Will Rogers is just one of many!”
March, and on the actual date of the centennial—January 28—there will be a sing-along for residents at the Saban Theatre that will include songs written by some of the famous composers who called Beverly Hills home over the years. “It’s an impressive list,” Mirisch says. “We’re going to have difficulty culling it down. Everyone is on it, from Cole Porter to the Sherman brothers [Richard and the late Robert] to the Gershwins to Albert Von Tilzer, who [cowrote] ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame,’ to Elton John and Lionel Ritchie.” It’s a good bet Mayor Mirisch will be singing the loudest. LAC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAMONA ROSALES (MIRISCH); THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY PHOTO COLLECTION (HISTORIC BEVERLY HILLS)
continued from page 49 Heritage Commission and the work it has done and I hope it continues.” He’s also beaming over Rodeo Drive—the actual posh lane itself, as well as what it represents to businesses beyond it. “It continues to be the de rigueur location for a flagship store of any brand representing luxury, quality, and exclusivity,” he explains of the thoroughfare, which is experiencing a resurgence of late with several high-profile new stores moving in. “And I do think we’re seeing the notion of quality extend to some of our other streets, like Beverly Drive, Brighton Way, and Camden Drive—and we’ve seen Canon Drive become another Restaurant Row.” “I’m hoping,” he adds, “that we can extend this notion of unique quality—I’ll call it ‘Beverly Hills-ness’—to the southeastern part of town as well, in the areas around Olympic, Robertson, and east Wilshire. I’ve chaired the Southeast Task Force and our goal—and an absolute opportunity—is to create a unique Beverly Hills vibe in that area, including creating an Arts and Theater District with the historic Saban Theatre as a fulcrum.” BELOW: John Clearly he has a serious crush on the city, which is why he was willing to add Mirisch’s now 6-year-old son, this rather prestigious part-time job to his high-powered career as a film distriVin, joined him bution executive at Paramount. And in doing so, he endured a mud storm. for his swearing in as mayor last Because of Mirisch’s stated desire for more transparency in city governMarch; a view of ment and because he wanted to put the people ahead of special interests, his Beverly Hills in 1924, with the candidacy for city council in 2009 was attacked. The race became so heated Beverly Hills that at one point he wrote a piece for the Huffington Post mentioning the Hotel in the foreground. existence of an anonymous e-mail that accused him of being both anti-Persian and anti-Semitic. Mirisch’s response: “Go tell it to my mohel.” “There were clearly financial motives [behind the developers’ push] to go bigger and higher and more dense,” explains Mirisch, who shares custody of his 6-year-old son, Vin—like his dad, a huge fan of Australian rules football—with his ex-wife. “To me that would change the heart and soul of this community, which is a low-rise, essentially residential, but very human-scaled community. “And so the development issues were the main thing that led me to get involved,” he adds. “But beyond that, I didn’t feel like there was a lot of transparency in City Hall. I did feel, in a way, that it was being run and controlled by special interests. My goal was—as sort of a normal guy—to get involved and open it up to the people.” Lili Bosse, who is currently the vice mayor and has worked with Mirisch for the past three years on the city council, is a vocal fan. “He is a residents-first guy,” she says. “He ran on that vision and has kept his promise that he will always [do] what he feels is best for our community first and foremost. He values our history—what made Beverly Hills special and unique—and he led the way to create our historic preservation commission and ordinance.” One of his primary tasks—and joys—these days is overseeing the centennial, which figures to be an extended gala designed to put other galas to shame. Included in the festivities will be an art exhibit, the planting of a centennial tree, a massive block party in
LA-CONFIDENTIAL-MAGAZINE.COM
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POWER DUO
Gals About Tinseltown HOLLYWOOD INSIDER/OUTSIDER DIRECTOR FRANCESCA GREGORINI AND ACTRESS/ACCOMPLICE KAYA SCODELARIO BRING THEIR SUNDANCE HIT TO THE BIG SCREEN THIS MONTH. BY CARITA RIZZO
“When I realized I couldn’t work with Rooney [Mara] I was devastated. You just feel like all is lost, and then, enter stage left: Kaya.”
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELISSA VALLADARES (GREGORINI); FRED DUVAL/FILMMAGIC (SCODELARIO)
T
here is something incredibly sisterlike about The Truth About Emanuel director Francesca Gregorini ( LEFT) and actress Kaya Scodelario (RIGHT). Sure, superficially they could easily be mistaken for siblings, with their long, curly, dark hair and eyes that appear to house equally complex and compelling recollections, but that feeling of connectivity goes beyond mere physicality. There is an essence that the British 21-year-old actress displays as Emanuel that is mirrored in the 45-year-old Italian-American auteur who initially put her character on paper. The psychological thriller that gained critical acclaim for its strong performances and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013 tells the story of a teenage girl whose mother died at childbirth. Scodelario’s character tries to fill her emotional void by getting close to a new neighbor ( Jessica Biel) who bears a striking resemblance to her mother. But their relationship becomes increasingly complicated as Emanuel discovers the secret that the neighbor harbors. “I think the character is like me in many ways because I had an absent mother. Growing up in a challenged household, you carry the secrets of the adults that are caring for you. You become the protector,” says Gregorini, the daughter of former Bond girl Barbara Bach, who struggled with addiction in Gregorini’s youth. (Her stepfather is Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.) “I guess the character of Emanuel represents the exorcising of my youthful demons.” Though Emanuel is a loose projection of the film’s creator, Gregorini admits she wasn’t looking for someone to play her. “I think that is an extreme compliment,” she says, when told Scodelario is reminiscent of her. “I wasn’t trying for that. Most of the girls that were on the short list look nothing like me.” The main character of the movie was a role initially written for Gregorini’s friend Rooney Mara. But —FRANCESCA GREGORINI once the financing of the film finally came together, Mara was already 27 years old. “When I realized I couldn’t work with Rooney, I was devastated,” says Gregorini. “You just feel like all is lost, and then, enter stage left: Kaya. This is who was meant to play this part, and I really feel strongly about that.” Scodelario says she had never felt so passionately about a script and immediately had a connection to Gregorini when the two met in London. “We just started to talk and got to know each other,” says Scodelario, whose father passed away in 2010. “The themes of parenthood and that sort of loss—we really related to each other.” A grueling filming process and the Sundance experience have cemented their friendship. “We stuck together like glue,” recalls Scodelario of Sundance. “I started to panic, and she was holding on to me during the press line just to keep me steady.” Scodelario is already preparing for the kind of madness that next fall’s blockbuster, The Maze Runner, will bring, but as Emanuel transitions from the festival circuit into theaters on January 10, Gregorini already predicts the two will join forces again. “I love her so much,” she says. “So yes, I would strongly predict that that will happen in the future.” LAC
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IT GIRL Senior Kundalini yoga teacher Guru Jagat is leaving Venice breathless with her new Ra Ma Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology.
flock to her practice (including many from Hollywood—Demi Moore follows one of the institute’s teachers) find this refreshing and real. “Every time you go to one of Guru Jagat’s classes, she always pinpoints whatever it is that you’re feeling. She makes you understand the whole spirituality aspect of everything,” says jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche, who found Kundalini by accident when Guru Jagat stepped in for her regular teacher four The gong at the years ago. “She subbed the whole week, and I went—every Ra Ma Institute: single day,” she says. “...was actually made for Van Jagat—one of the youngest senior Kundalini teachers in Halen. It was at the the world—is also fashionable, tied in to LA’s tastemakers, Guitar Center in and devoid of the squishy, self-serious tone so often West Hollywood.” threaded through yoga. In January 2014, she branched Favorite Venice into the music business with Ra Ma Records, releasing restaurant: Axe albums that combine electronic, rock, and rap beats with Best-kept LA “conscious lyrics.” It’s part of why she currently finds hersecret: “‘The Pain self at the intersection of her own charisma and Hunter,’ aka Shane Snow—he’s Kundalini’s growing popularity. the most amazing “She’s such an amazing soul and friend and advenbodyworker.” turer,” says Amanda Chantal Bacon, a student of Jagat’s Favorite non-yoga and the founder of Moon Juice, a popular cold-pressed apparel: “Vintage drink shop in Venice and Silver Lake. “We’ve done 12 Kenzo. My hours a day of yoga for four days, and then gotten in the collection is sick!” car and driven three hours to a nude mineral hot springs.” Mystical as it may sound, the Kamali- and Kenzowearing Jagat describes Kundalini as “technology” that “creates a velocity in the brain,” essentially turning on lights in some of the capacities that might be dormant. Meditation, breath practices that stimulate the brain and endocrine system, and postural movements associated with the body’s meridians are all part of the method. “You start to see clearer; you feel less reactive to stressors. You sleep better; your metabolism changes,” says Jagat of its benefits. In addition to what Jagat says are marked effects with anxiety, WHEN MASTER KUNDALINI YOGINI GURU JAGAT depression, and fertility issues, she attributes much of the fanfare OPENED SHOP IN VENICE, LA’S A-LIST DIED AND around Kundalini to its efficiency. “You come to your first class, and WENT TO NIRVANA. BY MOLLY CREEDEN within three minutes, you can have a total powerful overhaul of your whole system,” she says. Such was the way she first experienced the form of yoga in her early 20s while living in New York: one class and she was hooked. She went to an ashram in New Mexico to learn from hen you meet with Guru Jagat—Venice’s most buzzed-about yoga instructor—at 7:30 AM, you might as well be convening for lunch. Yogi Bhajan, the man credited with bringing Kundalini from India to the The 34-year-old master has been up since 4 AM, undergoing a West. “I’m not easily impressed,” says Jagat, who grew up in West Virginia daily morning ritual to clear her subconscious while the sun sits at a particu- with a mother whose work as a dance movement therapist was steeped in lar angle to the earth. It starts with a mantra and then physical practice for an New Age. “When I got to the ashram and saw everyone dressed the same hour. The routine ends in a long meditation. “I can’t serve my students in the way, I really resisted the whole thing,” she says of the white turban and clothway that I want to if I’m not clear,” explains Jagat, who lives in the beachside ing that she now wears herself. “I have to have a firsthand experience of neighborhood with her boyfriend and two dogs. “I have a great personality, something or else I won’t do it. But when you wrap your head in cotton, it stimulates reflex points and does something to the crown chakra, holding but I’m not selling my personality. I’m giving clarity to my students.” Jagat does have a personality worth sweating for. The senior Kundalini the energy that’s moving through your system. You feel energized—it works.” teacher and founder of Venice’s new Ra Ma Institute for Applied Yogic Science To accessorize the turban, Jagat is also wearing two vintage Casio watches— and Technology is wry, intuitive, and funny. In class, she is known to drop the an apt, if surface, example of her versatility. “It’s my kickback to—what’s that occasional curse word as easily as she does a mantra, and the hundreds who girl group? It’s my TLC moment,” she says. LAC
INSIGHT
Om-azing Grace
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANA CRUDER
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SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY
THIS MONTH IN LA, GRAMMY ROYALTY/PHILANTHROPIST CAROLE KING TAKES HER PLACE AMONG THE PANTHEON OF PAST HONOREES AS THE MUSICARES FOUNDATION NAMES HER ITS PERSON OF THE YEAR. BY EMERSON PATRICK
“M
usic touches people in a way few things do,” says Grammy-winning folk singer and chart-topping songwriter Carole King. “There’s a truth in music… and that’s one of the things I love about it.” It’s not only through her music that King has touched the world—she’s also an accomplished environmental activist and crusader for animal rights. So for MusiCares and The Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow, the decision to make King the 2014 Person of the Year—and celebrate her with a collaborative tribute concert two nights before the 56th annual Grammy Awards—was a no-brainer. “Every year we look at the landscape of iconic artists—artists who have made an impact on music and culture but also for whom the artist community has great respect,” Portnow says. King, 71, certainly fits that bill—she penned her first hit at the age of 17 (“Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” recorded by The Shirelles), has seen more than 100 of her songs become hits recorded by acts like The Righteous Brothers and Celine Dion, and continued on page 58
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Folk allure: King in 1971, the year she released her multipleGrammy-winning album Tapestry.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAULL MAROTTA/GETTY IMAGES (KING AND TAYLOR); JIM MCCRAY (THE LEGENDARY DEMOS)
King for a Year
Carole King and James Taylor performed at Boston Strong, a concert to benefit victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
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SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY
LEFT AND BELOW: President Obama honors Carole King as the recipient of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
“[The Person of the Year must be] somebody who has exhibited an interest in philanthropy, giving back, and who has a great heart. When you look at those criteria, it would be hard to think of anyone more deserving than Carole.” continued from page 56 created one of the best-selling albums of all time (1971’s Tapestry, which won four Grammys). Last year, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy and became the first woman ever to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, awarded by President Obama in an event at the White House. But also, says Portnow, the Person of the Year must be “somebody who in their own way has exhibited that they have an interest in philanthropy, giving back, and [who] has a great heart. When you look at those criteria, it would be hard to think of anyone more deserving than Carole.” To wit: In the late ’80s, the songstress became involved with the Alliance for the Wild Rockies (wildrockiesalliance.org), a grassroots consortium of groups seeking to protect the Northern Rocky Mountains, and began visiting members of Congress about the protection bill. “I realized that because people knew my music, they were willing to open their doors to me,” says King, who has lived in rural Idaho since the 1980s. “I’ve been working on it for 23 years… but I’m nothing if not persistent. I will keep working on it until we get that legislation [the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act to preserve permanent wilderness in the Rockies] passed.” King is also passionate about protecting wild horses (returntofreedom.org). “People may not know, but within herds there are family bands of wild horses. There are ways to control their population, but instead they round
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them up, separate the families, and truck them away for long-term holding,” says King. “As of this day there are approximately 50,000 horses waiting to be adopted, which is just not happening, so I’ve become an activist for that cause as well.” King’s passion doesn’t just lie in the great outdoors. Last year, the fourtimes-married mother of four performed at Alicia Keys’s Black Ball to benefit Keep A Child Alive, and following the Boston Marathon bombings, played a benefit concert with James Taylor. “I love Boston,” says King, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York. “It was important to me to go there and show the love. When we found out we were both going to be there, James said, ‘Why don’t we just blend our set like we did on tour?’ It was great fun.” The pair goes way back to 1971, when Taylor hit No. 1 with King’s “You’ve Got a Friend.” It is fitting, then, that Taylor is one of the tribute chairs for the upcoming MusiCares benefit, as well as part of a lineup including Lady Gaga, Dixie Chicks, Steven Tyler, Bette Midler, and Jason Mraz. “I’m following in the continued on page 60
PHOTOGRAPHY BY YURI GRIPAS-POOL/GETTY IMAGES
—NEIL PORTNOW
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SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY
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OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE.
THE ART OF ELYSIUM’S HEAVEN GALA
King and Taylor take the stage at the Boston Strong benefit concert held in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.
What: The Art of Elysium’s seventh annual, black-tie Heaven Gala will be full of sublime happenings: a musical performance by Linda Perry, a fashion show, a dinner, and an auction. The nonprofit organization encourages working artists—like this year’s Spirit of Elysium Award recipients Ali Larter and Hayes MacArthur—to dedicate their time and talent to ill children by providing workshops in art, comedy, acting, and more. When: January 11 Where: Undisclosed location Website: theartofelysium.org
“I love Boston. It was important to me to go there and show the love. James [Taylor] said, ‘Why don’t we just blend our set like we did on tour?’ It was great fun.”
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CYCLE FOR SURVIVAL What: Cycle for Survival is a high-energy indoor team cycling event that raises funds for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. One hundred percent of the donations to the ride—held at Equinox gyms nationwide—fund critical research to fight rare cancers. When: February 8 Where: Equinox West LA, 1835 Sepulveda Blvd., LA Website: cycleforsurvival.org
GLOBAL GREEN USA PRE-OSCAR PARTY What: Now in its 11th year, this Oscar week eco-fest consistently draws a crowd of Hollywood’s most environmentally conscious—last year’s attendees included Helen Hunt, Emmy Rossum, and Orlando Bloom—who are dedicated to helping Global Green USA fight for clean energy solutions. Although this year’s headline performers are yet to be announced, Willie Nelson played a set at the 2013 event. When: February 26 Where: Avalon Hollywood, 1735 Vine St., LA Website: globalgreen.org
PHOTOGRAPHY BY YOON S. BYUN/THE BOSTON GLOBE VIA GETTY IMAGES (CONCERT); JOHN MOTTERN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES (BOMB SITE); ART OF ELYSIUM, CYCLE FOR SURVIVAL, GLOBAL GREEN
continued from page 58 footsteps of many, many great people who have been honored, like Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and my friend James Taylor in 2006—I performed at his event,” says King. “It’s pretty good company. It’s hard to describe, [but the honor] made me feel great, obviously.” While the actual rundown of the tribute show is a closely guarded secret, King lets slip that Lady Gaga “jumped in almost immediately and claimed ‘You’ve Got a Friend,’ which left James and me like, Ohh, what are we going to do? We figured it out [though] and it will be great.” Whoever sings what, one thing is for sure: It will be a memorable night. To King, the most exciting part is “the idea of all these artists coming together for the wonderful cause of MusiCares.” Portnow —CAROLE KING expects “many millions” will be raised for the nonprofit health and human service organization that helps down-on-their-luck music industry people. A one-of-a-kind, surprise-filled, star-studded extravaganza and a windfall for this critical music industry cause—no wonder King is enthusiastic. “I’ve been a very, very lucky musician, so I’m thrilled to be part of helping them raise that money.” LAC
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Palm Springs Eternal SUNDANCE CAN WAIT. THIS NEW YEAR, HOLLYWOOD DECAMPS TO THE DESERT TO RING IN THE 25TH ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. BY JASMIN ROSEMBERG
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ong before the Palm Springs International Film Festival became a preeminent A-list event and one of the most attended US film fêtes, veteran festival Director Darryl Macdonald recalls a time in the late 1980s when it was merely “a gleam in the eye of Sonny Bono.” While now serving as a precursor to the Oscars, consistently predicting a good number of winners and screening the bulk of the Best Foreign Language Film category, the prestigious 25-year-old festival’s timing as a prelude to awards season was actually quite fortuitous. “[Mayor Bono] was looking for a way to jumpstart Palm Springs in the January season. The
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town emptied out after New Year’s, and there was hardly any tourism traffic to speak of,” says Macdonald, who, in 1988, was directing the Seattle International Film Festival he had cofounded, as well as the one in his native Vancouver, Canada. “It occurred to him to pursue the idea of a film festival.” With its “proximity to LA’s avid film industry and the second-biggest media market in the US,” 70-degree winter, and allure as an Old Hollywood retreat (favored by the Rat Pack, the Hopes, and the Douglases), the event “was a smash success from day one,” Macdonald says. In 1989, a whopping 17,000 people came to see 62 films—which, amid
festival skepticism from major studios, focused on the emerging American independent genre, documentaries, and primarily the international cinema they aspired to introduce. Today, the festival boasts more than 135,000 attendees and nearly 200 films, debuting important new talents (like M. Night Shyamalan, who later made The Sixth Sense, or Love in the Time of Hysteria-turned-Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón), and celebrating the best of Hollywood filmmaking with an unrivaled blacktie awards gala. “When you pull down that street, you think you’re at the Oscars,” says Harold Matzner, the chairman of the Palm Springs International Film
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LEFT:
Ben Affleck signing autographs for fans at the 24th annual Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala.
OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON MERRITT/GETTY IMAGES FOR PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL (AFFLECK). THIS PAGE: PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL (AWARDS GALA); ANNE MARIE FOX/FOCUS FEATURES (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB)
“When you pull down that street, you think you’re at the Oscars.... [It’s a] glamorous, glittering night.” —HAROLD MATZNER Society, of the “glamorous, glittering night” that honored Lucille Ball and Frank Sinatra in its early days and now routinely acknowledges heavyweights like Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Sean Penn, and Nicole Kidman—while raising more than $2 million toward festival education programs. Says 2010 Career Achievement recipient Morgan Freeman, “I’m proud to have been associated with the festival and to witness its growth firsthand.” Scarlett Johansson, 2004 Rising Star, notes, “It’s such a boost for any young actor to be highlighted at an event that will put him or her on the industry radar.” That concentration of contemporary talent on one stage has been the norm, says Macdonald. “A few years back, we had George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Gary Oldman, Michel Hazanavicius, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Close, and Howard Shore. And each of them won an Oscar nomination.” The 2012 Breakout Performance recipient, Octavia Spencer, remembers that year as “surreal.” She adds, “I had been working for at least 15 years and had never received such praise.” Glenn Close, 2012 Career Achievement honoree, was “extremely moved by the extraordinary support of the Palm Springs community and their obvious enthusiasm for all things film.” On January 4, Gravity star Sandra Bullock and Dallas Buyers Club’s Matthew McConaughey (Desert Palm Achievement acting honorees) will join 12 Years a Slave’s Steve McQueen (Director of the Year), Bruce Dern (Career Achievement recipient), and others at the 25th annual awards gala, presented by Cartier and hosted by 11-time emcee Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight. An anniversary video series will honor past galas; Hart’s favorite moments are the playful ones, like when she handed off her microphone to Amy Adams to conduct interviews or led an onstage birthday serenade to 2013 honoree Bradley Cooper of Silver Linings Playbook. She jokes, “I got to give him a glorious birthday gift of a black trash bag.” Robert Zemeckis, 2013 Director of the Year, confirms the night’s carefree tone. “The festival is serious about honoring the entertainment industry,” he says,
“but the event is always casual and enjoyable.” Macdonald is jazzed about this year’s 10-day lineup of “emotionally, intellectually, and viscerally” stimulating films that explore relationships, societal changes, genre lines, and new technology. Among his picks is Palo Alto—Gia Coppola’s directing debut based on James Franco’s stories of high school and privilege, starring Franco, Emma Roberts, Val Kilmer, and son Jack Kilmer. “I’d kind of liken it to Fast Times at Ridgemont High meets Short Cuts. It’s incredibly smart and insightful. I just think it’s a terrific first film.” Another highlight is Patch Town, a Disney-esque live-action film about a doll’s search for his mother, which gained momentum at the Palm Springs International Shortfest. Inspired by Russian fables of babies hatched in cabbage patches, first-time Canadian director Craig Goodwill employs musical numbers to broach deeper topics of love and abandonment. Bristel Goodman, exploring the dangers of the Internet, also breaks new ground with what first-time New York director Dan Harnden coins “transmedia cinema.” When the viral murder-mystery video he made with Richard Ramsdell was perceived as an alternate-reality game, the pair created the feature film and related online storytelling devices. Macdonald also champions Ralph Fiennes’s The Invisible Woman, starring Fiennes as a Victorian-era Charles Dickens opposite a paramour played by Felicity Jones—who “may just have a shot at the Best Actress category this year.” He calls Le Week-End, the new film by Roger Michell of Notting Hill, “a dream.” Among the international offerings, Omar, by Hany Abu-Assad in the Palestinian territories, offers “a direct insight into that troubled part of the world.” The Past, from Oscar-winner Asghar Farhadi and starring The Artist’s Bérénice Bejo, reflects the European trend of focusing on character much more than plot. And Wadjda by Haifaa Al-Mansour, a groundbreaking female filmmaker from Saudi Arabia, tells of repression through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl. “I would not be surprised if it ends up in the eventual five nominees,” he predicts. Macdonald’s vision for the next quarter century is for the festival to encourage even more “adventuresome” filmgoing. “The world is just a much richer place when you open your eyes to what people are experiencing in other places.” The 25th Palm Springs Film Festival runs from January 3–13. The Awards Gala will take place on Saturday, January 4, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, 760-322-2930; psfilmfest.org LAC
FROM TOP:
Sandra Bullock (Gravity) and Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) are set to descend upon Palm Springs this year; other buzzed-about films include Omar, Le Week-End, The Invisible Woman, and Wadjda.
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12/20/13 12:39 PM
MILESTONE
Hotel Hollywood AS THE INN-FAMOUS CHATEAU MARMONT CELEBRATES ITS 85TH BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH, WRITER SAM WASSON EXPLAINS WHY THE SUNSET NEVER SETS ON LA’S COOLEST LANDMARK.
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enuine cool is always accidental. You can’t aim for it; you can only stay true to your weirdness and hope for the best. LA attorney Fred Horowitz, who opened the Chateau Marmont 85 years ago this month, was a regular guy with a weird idea. Around the time sound came to the movies, a stampede of a new sort came to Hollywood—“real” writers and intellectuals and high-toned literary types, many of them from the East Coast—to help the pictures talk. “These people,” Horowitz said, “are arriving in droves every day, and they’ll be looking for a touch of home.” As in not a hotel, but an apartmentlike atmosphere where they might feel, well, like they were not living in Los Angeles, and might even enjoy their Hollywood fling guilt-free. Hence weirdness number one: He built a gothic, seven-story castle inspired by one he saw when traveling in
France’s Loire countryside. And he built it in no-man’s-land—weirdness number two—off an undeveloped chunk of Sunset Boulevard piled with dirt and tumbleweeds. That hillside was basically Chinatown, secluded, private, and (though it’s hard to believe) a distance from anywhere. Beverly Hills was literally another city, Downtown LA basically another state. The Sunset Strip was pioneer town. It had a general store. Chateau Marmont was closer to the studios than the Beverly Hills Hotel, and by the 1930s, had a lot more charm. Adjusting to the Great Depression, new owner Albert E. Smith changed the Chateau from an extended-stay facility to a hotel, and as a cost-saving measure, started haunting estate sales and secondhand furniture stores for mongrel antiques and Victorian continued on page 66
The Chateau seemed to be both above Hollywood and smackdab in the middle of it. No wonder it’s aged so beautifully.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK MCMULLAN.COM (MCMULLAN); NIKOLAS KOENIG (CHATEAU)
Fort Fabulous: Since its debut in 1929, Chateau Marmont has been a bastion for LA’s natty-meets-noir set.
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In a town of neverending trends, the notion of classic status seems ridiculous; all the more reason to marvel at the Chateau.
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continued from page 66 treasures. He’d dress up each of the hotel’s 60-some rooms with an eclectic but warm variety of lived-in décor, lending the place a personal touch a mogul’s hotel like the Beverly Hills couldn’t pull off and wouldn’t want to. How refreshing, how real, to see an oasis of old in the newest town in the world. (“The shower knob came off in my hand,” David Mamet said of an early stay, “and the shower bar fell down.”) And pretty much every room was built differently. The only constant seemed to be variation—that and mystery. Said one golden-era guest, “The place had more doors than the fun house at Ocean Park pier. There were rooms, cubbyholes, and little niches at almost every turn. You never knew who you would find where, or with whom.” So the Chateau Marmont was a getaway you could get away in. Or, if you were Columbia boss Harry Cohn, and your actors’ every kiss and drink were being scrutinized by the Catholic Legion of Decency (not to mention America)—contracts had morality clauses then— you would charter the Marmont’s penthouse and lock Glenn Ford and William Holden away for as long as their bender lasted. “If you must get into trouble,” Cohn had said, “go to the Marmont.” Translate that into Latin and call it a motto. All these decades and generations later—from Garbo to James Dean, Belushi to Lohan—the Marmont has managed to retain its reputation for louche sophistication, for that touch of the unhinged that owner André Balazs ascribes to
“a sense of safety combined with a lack of familiarity, which has the effect of freeing you from those limitations that normally restrict you.” In a town of never-ending trends, one subsisting on the flash and quick fixes of youth culture, the notion of classic status seems ridiculous; all the more reason to marvel at the Chateau. It’s still its old self: authentically weird. Weird that until 1947 the hotel had no pool, a clear (and accidental) message to tourists and passers-through that the Chateau Marmont was not your picture-postcard vision of Hollywood life (for pink and palm trees, go back to Beverly Hills); weird that the bar and restaurant were both later additions. Originally, that lobby— which looks today pretty much as it did then, like the drawing room of a vampire-intellectual— served as kind of living room space for the hotel’s residents. Strangers introduced themselves. The hang was unending. “If you were living there, you sort of got to know the other people who were living there,” says writer/director Paul Schrader. “If you went out to the courtyard at night, you’d join whatever was going on.” The lobby area was tranquil, modest, and dark. It didn’t look like a movie set. It was New York’s LA. “Sardi’s with beds,” they called it. What they meant was the Chateau seemed to be both above Hollywood fluff and smack-dab in the middle of it. No wonder it’s aged so beautifully. If Hollywood is the coolest place on earth, then the Chateau, which is too cool for Hollywood, is that much cooler. LAC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAY THOMSON/GLOBE PHOTOS (LED ZEPPELIN); AMANDA EDWARDS/GETRTY IMAGES (LE BON); NIKOLAS KOENIG (LOBBY LOUNGE)
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Led Zeppelin at the Chateau in 1969; a 2003 photo of Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon (FAR LEFT) and John Taylor (FAR RIGHT) with No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani and Bush’s Gavin Rossdale chez Marmont; the hotel’s storied lobby lounge as viewed from the courtyard.
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THIS ISSUE: CHINESE NEW YEAR!
Fant-Asia: Hakkasan is reinventing Cantonese cuisine—like the crispy duck salad shown here—in a space that blends tradition and Tinseltown-worthy glamour.
Orient Excess CHOW, HOLLYWOOD! IN TIME FOR THE NEW YEAR, HAKKASAN AND A SPATE OF OVER-THE-TOP CHINESE RESTAURANTS ARE TASTING THE TOWN RED.
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t’s not every day that Buddhist monks and supersize Chinese lions descend on Beverly Hills, but then again, Hakkasan isn’t your everyday restaurant. The 10,000-square-foot hub of Cantonese cuisine debuted with a bang last fall with a festive daytime fête paying tribute to its Asian origins (this on the heels of a pre-launch preview party that attracted stars like Charlize Theron, Ellen Pompeo, and Julianne Hough). “We wanted to create a ‘soul’ in Hakkasan, so we did a three-hour ceremony with Buddhist monks blessing the restaurant,” says general manager Albert Charbonneau. “During our grand-opening brunch, we also had a giant Chinese dragon come through the front entrance, because it’s good
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luck to enter from where the guests come in.” Not that the restaurant is likely to need the luck—Hakkasan’s arrival in Beverly Hills marks the 11th location for the brand, with a 12th set to open in Shanghai; it’s also the latest in a local wave of brand-new, flashy successors to Wolfgang Puck’s Chinois (think Chi Lin). In its opening months, the restaurant has already “vastly exceeded” expectations, according to Hakkasan COO Nick McCabe, with the 132-seat dining room in high demand by diners ranging from Kim and Kanye to Oscar-winning producer Lawrence Bender. continued on page 70
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK
BY JEN JONES DONATELLI PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SAMPLE
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TASTE
WHAT TO ORDER FROM LEFT: Seared New Zealand lamb
chops are cooked the traditional Cantonese way in osmanthus sauce; a bartender uses a smoking gun to add the flavor of hickory wood chips to the restaurant’s signature Smoky Negroni.
continued from page 68 According to Michelin-starred chef Ho Chee Boon, the restaurant’s instant popularity points to an emergent trend. “The United States, and specifically Los Angeles, is seeing a rise of Cantonese cuisine, so we’re able to offer a unique, authentic experience in Beverly Hills like never before,” Boon says. Adds Charbonneau, “The only thing you [typically] see in Beverly Hills are steak and Italian restaurants; it’s always been a bit more old-school. Something different has been needed here for a long time—we’re adding more sexiness.” Sexy? Indeed. The scent of burning jasmine incense (a Hakkasan staple) greets diners upon entry, after which they traverse a sleek “catwalk” toward the cobalt-blue bar or one of six “cages,” —ALBERT CHARBONNEAU intimate dining areas separated by carved Chinese screens to provide a heightened sense of privacy. “When you walk in the front door, you depart the real world and enter the Hakkasan world,” says McCabe. That “world” is designed to appeal to all five senses, amped up with resident live DJs and thoughtfully choreographed lighting motifs. “Every component is meant to satisfy,” McCabe explains. “Even if you sit in Hakkasan and don’t eat a single dish, you’ve still had an experience.” Adding to the lounge-y ambience is a heavy focus on mixology, illuminated by the neon-blue, backlit 66-foot bar. “We take our mixology just as seriously as we take the kitchen cuisine,” says McCabe. “The challenging thing with Cantonese cuisine is a very bold set of flavors—often very spicy and/or sweet—which, from a wine- and cocktail-pairing perspective, can continued on page 72
Three words: Crispy. Duck. Salad. (Trust us.) The addictive dish (ABOVE) features local microgreens from the Central Coast paired with succulent strips of wok-fried duck, pine nuts, pomegranate, and shallots. Other favorites include roasted silver cod with Champagne, grilled sea bass with Chinese honey, and the ever-popular dim sum platter. Chef Ho Chee Boon favors the seared New Zealand lamb chops, cooked in a traditional Cantonese way in osmanthus sauce. Half of the menu’s 100-plus selections consist of signature dishes, with the rest being location-specific and seasonally based. The common denominator? “A focus on traditional Cantonese cuisine but with a modern approach,” Boon says.
“Something different has been needed [in Beverly Hills] for a long time—we’re adding more sexiness.”
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BEST TABLE IN THE HOUSE Pick your preference: voyeur inside the Phoenix cage (perched at the corner of the bar and the catwalk for prime people-watching) or center of the action in the Ling Ling Lounge (which has its own dedicated bar). “The Ling Ling Lounge is one of the more energetic parts of Hakkasan— more beverage-driven, more lively,” explains Hakkasan COO Nick McCabe. “It’s the beating heart of the restaurant.”
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Hakkasan’s 66-foot neon bar is Beverly Hills’s newest hot spot.
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Cin, cin! CHINESE FOOD AND… CHAMPAGNE?! THREE CUISINE ARTISTS TOAST THE YEAR OF THE HORSE IN STYLE. BY MATTHEW STEWART
A
s Angelenos embrace a renewed interest in Chinese food, they are often left to ponder what wine to order with it. This can be perplexing to both veteran lovers of Eastern cuisine and venerable oenophiles. But at FROM ABOVE: The Champagne three of LA’s top Chinese restaurants, in-house trolley at Mr. vino virtuosos will answer the question Confucius Chow, where Laurent Perrier forgot to ask: “Red or white”? rosé Champagne “We serve our food in the traditional way is a staple; Vouvray Chenin found in Chinese restaurants: You share with Blanc is a Chi Lin your table, giving everyone bits and pieces of diffavorite. ferent flavors and tastes,” says Maximillian Chow of the legendary Mr. Chow (344 N. Camden Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-9911, mrchow.com). The restaurant has been serving authentic Beijing cuisine since patriarch Michael Chow opened his first LA restaurant in Beverly Hills in 1974, expanding to a second Malibu location in 2012. “We pair a lot of dishes with Champagne because it is dry and just a little bit sweet, so it goes well with a variety of different flavors. It is so popular that we have a Champagne trolley. Personally, I like the rosés because of their sweet, yet dry taste. The LaurentPerrier rosé is a special favorite.” “Our food is a fusion [of California and Chinese cuisines], which adds another level to wine pairings,” says assistant manager Natalie Habif of Chinois (2709 Main St., Santa Monica, 310-392-9025; wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants), who agrees that you can’t go wrong pairing Chinese food with sparkling wine or Champagne. When it comes to whites, she says, “We love German Rieslings like Heitlinger 2010 and Sauvignon Blancs like the Araujo and the Eisele Vineyards because of their fragrance and juicy lightness. You can do reds [too], specifically Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and even Chateauneuf-du-Papes and reds from the Rhône area, because they hold up without overwhelming.” One dish that pairs particularly well with a Pinot Noir: the Cantonese duck, which is served with a house-made plum sauce. Chi Lin (9201 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-278-2068; innovativedining.com/restaurants/chi-lin) embraces a modern take on traditional Chinese fare, describing it as Hong Kong cuisine. Bar manager Aaron Alvarez carries this blend of current and classic to the glass. “I still think some of the traditional favorites like Cabernet or Riesling are great because of their balance of sweet and dry, but I also like other whites like Vouvray Chenin Blanc [because of their minerality],” says Alvarez, who suggests pairing the Vouvray with dim sum or Chilean sea bass. His red of choice is a right-bank Bordeaux called Château de Pez. “It is fantastic with our tangerine beef and our three pepper chicken,” he says. “It has a clean, velvety texture that can go with either red meat or a chicken dish.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SAMPLE (HAKKASAN BAR)
continued from page 70 be very challenging. It’s by no means a subtle cuisine.” The solution? An exhaustive list of equally dynamic cocktails, like the signature fruity vodkaand sake-based Hakka. There’s also the theatrically prepared Smoky Negroni, which employs a smoking gun to add the potent flavor of hickory wood chips infused with Grand Marnier. For drinks like the chamomile-infused Piscolito or white-teainfused Iron Rose, the bar houses an “infusion station,” where fresh teas are brewed daily. The restaurant employs four sommeliers on staff, all of whom convene every week for a tasting. Each new wine under consideration is blind-tested with four different menu dishes and must pair well with all to make the cut. Currently, the list is at about 150 selections, but is constantly evolving. “Being in Beverly Hills, the selection for our guests requires a bit more than we’d [originally] thought— fresher vintages from —NICK MCCABE Burgundy and Bordeaux,” explains Charbonneau, whose résumé encompasses properties like the Hollywood Roosevelt and L’Orangerie. Other plans for 2014 include introducing a high tea and a pre-theater menu capitalizing on the proximity of the new Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Also under discussion is the use of the sizable but as-of-yet-unused space next door, which Charbonneau says is a promise of “more to come.” 233 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8661; hakkasan.com LAC
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THE DISH
The right stuffed! LA’s most inventive Chinese kitchens are crafting fresh-flavored dumplings tailored to the city’s palate—including Chi Lin’s pea leaf and water chestnut variety.
Dim Sum Laude T
here is something inherently mysterious about the dumpling. Biting into one of these luscious little balls of dough is like unwrapping a surprise present—you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Maybe that’s why dumplings are one of the universal elements of global cuisine. Just about every culinary culture has its own version—whether it’s a Russian pierogi, a Jewish kreplach, an Argentine empanada, an Indian samosa, or even a Nepalese momo. However, it’s the Chinese cooking tradition that has truly perfected this extraordinary edible, and right now, restaurants around LA are churning them out in fascinating flavors. The Chinese kitchen anchoring Sunset’s new restaurant row is Chi Lin, (9201 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, 310-278-2068; innovativedining.com/restaurants/chi-lin), a sleek Asian eatery that is equal parts Shanghai cocktail lounge and Hollywood hot spot. Chef Tyson Wong handcrafts the seasonally inspired dim sum on his menu each night to create “the clean and fresh flavors LA diners prefer.” For instance, he stuffs one variety with crispy pea leaves and water chestnuts, then serves them with gingered soy sauce. Wong first learned to make dumplings at home with his mother when he was 14 and says, “Dim sum in Asian cuisine means a little thing from your heart to share with friends and family—it’s a very special dish.” Angelenos agree, since the dumplings are among the most popular dishes on Chi Lin’s menu—especially those with shrimp har gow delicately steamed in bamboo and presented in a traditional wooden basket. Also on Sunset, the new Church Key (8730 W. Sunset Blvd., LA, 424-2493700; thechurchkeyla.com) is a more casual dim sum diner. Most evenings, it’s swarming with hungry young industry insiders clustered around communal
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BY ERIC ROSEN
tables or perched on leather chaises longues. You’ll find most folks sipping negronis (a house specialty) and flagging down the passing dim sum carts— harkening back to the hurried-but-fun “see it, grab it” service in traditional dim sum restaurants. Here, the fillings might range from juicy Thai snapper to savory-sweet Peking-style quail, with a few specials thrown into the mix. One of the world’s best-known dumpling houses, the 40-year-old Taiwanbased Din Tai Fung (it even has a Michelin star), has opened a new location at The Americana at Brand in Glendale (177 Caruso Ave., Glendale, 818-5515561; dintaifungusa.com). Of course, you have to try the signature Shanghai-style soup dumplings called xiao long bao (just be sure you puncture them first to let some of the steam out or you’ll scald your tongue on the savory pork broth inside), but this location is also the exclusive purveyor of a decadent new menu item: truffle dumplings that are at once earthy and light. Beverly Hills’s Hakkasan (233 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8661; hakkasan.com) also offers a truly high-end take on the dish. Don’t be too distracted by the restaurant’s splashy design—the real attraction here is the dim sum menu that includes steamed, baked, and grilled varieties stuffed with diverse delicacies, including taro and crab, poached Beijing pork, truffled bean curd, and Chilean sea bass with daikon. And at Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 at the Ritz-Carlton at LA Live (900 W. Olympic Blvd., LA, 213-743-8824; wolfgangpuck.com), the Chinese chive crystal dumplings with succulent Alaskan king crab, shrimp, and melt-in-your-mouth Kurobuta pork are a crowd pleaser. So, too, are the spicy “tiny” dumplings filled with pork belly and sprinkled with black vinegar, chili oil, ginger, and a sprig of cilantro—proof that some of the best surprise gifts do come in small packages. LAC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOLLY CRANNA
IN LA THESE DAYS, THE SWEET LITTLE DUMPLING IS ANYTHING BUT SIMPLE.
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ON THE TOWN
ASIA MAJOR When: A chilly preChristmas December evening
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: West meets East— Wolfgang Puck has taken to Chinese food like a Peking duck to water; the dining room at WP24 has floor-toceiling windows that provide spectacular views of Downtown; at the chef’s insistence, steamed baby bao buns are served in traditional steamers.
Where: The alwaysfestive WP24 Downtown Time: Pre-theater, post-holiday shopping
The Joy Puck Club O
ne look out the window of WP24 (perched high atop Downtown’s Ritz-Carlton), and the glittering cityscape looks like it belongs in a metropolis halfway around the world. “When you’re here, you could think you are in Hong Kong or at the Marina Bay Sands looking at downtown Singapore,” says WP24 owner Wolfgang Puck. “No one would guess it’s LA.” But indeed, it most certainly is Los Angeles, the town where Puck built his food empire—and grew to love Chinese food. That passion is on full display here at Puck’s WP24, where an oversized Chinese zodiac tree is adorned with ornaments representing the full zodiac cycle and a brand-new Chinese New Year menu offers everything from crispy daikon cake to whole-roasted Peking duck. Puck himself is also on display—the minute the original celebrity chef ventures into the dining room, it’s a free-for-all with diners requesting
photos and autographs. If his continued popularity is any indication, the Year of the Horse will be another good one for the two-time James Beard Award winner. He plans to overhaul Chinois on Main, and open a new restaurant in Dubai in March. We sat down with the busy mogul to hear about his passion for all things Asian. As an Austrian, how did you grow to love Chinese food? Growing up in Austria, I was always interested in things I didn’t know about. When I was 17, I left Austria for France; I didn’t know anything about French cooking and learned that, then came to America. Once I arrived in Los Angeles [in the mid-’70s], I started visiting Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and places like Ocean Star Seafood in Monterey Park, and said, “Wow, that’s so interesting.” One of the very first Chinese dishes I remember enjoying was at a restaurant in
Chinatown. I was dining with Donald Sutherland, and we ate Dungeness crab with black beans and garlic; it was the best preparation of crab I’d ever eaten. [Down the line], we ended up putting that dish on the menu at Chinois on Main. What was the Chinese food scene like in LA back then? Chinatown had all these big restaurants—very bright inside, but no real flair. It wasn’t fun. It was so traditional, with big round tables and families eating. The food was interesting, but I wanted to open a Chinese restaurant that had it all: great food, but also a great wine list and great ambience. Hence Chinois on Main. How did the opportunity arise? After I opened Spago in 1982, someone came up with a property in Santa Monica and said, “Would you like to open another Spago?” and I said, “No, I want to do a Chinese continued on page 78
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SAMPLE
FROM WP24 TO CHINOIS ON MAIN, WOLFGANG PUCK IS DETERMINED TO DO CHINESE HIS WAY. AND DINERS REJOICE. BY JEN JONES DONATELLI
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ON THE TOWN CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: The master discusses the ins and outs of Chinese cooking; the Ginger Crisp cocktail is made with sake, Chambord, vodka, lime, and ginger sugar; there is a lively bar and lounge scene at WP24, where diners can also choose from a menu of small plates and sushi.
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What’s your personal Chinese food craving? Peking duck. I think it’s a masterpiece; the preparation is so amazing. Duck is one of my favorite things to eat—when I first opened Chinois, I had an all-duck menu with duck soup, duck ravioli, foie gras, and Peking duck served in two courses. I also like many of the seafood dishes; in Cantonese cooking, a lot of them are steamed, which gives them a really delicate flavor. Chinois just celebrated its 30-year anniversary. How do you see the restaurant evolving? We are now thinking about the next 30 years. The plan is to remodel Chinois and rethink the whole concept—maybe a lighter version, one that will appeal to younger people, with small plates and a more fun environment. It sounds similar to the venture you undertook with Spago in 2012 and that you’re really trying to up the ante for Chinese food in LA. Los Angeles is so well known for having great Chinese and Japanese restaurants. We should lead the way for a new style, new ways of presenting Chinese food because we have all these great fresh ingredients [in California] that are just as good—if not better—than food in, say, Beijing. For instance, there is a guy up north who raises the most beautiful quail at Wolfe Ranch; it’s the juiciest, best quail out there. My thoughts are, What can we do next with Asian food? How we can excel without imitating or doing a really traditional Chinese restaurant—because there are already a thousand of them here… and a million in China! WP24, 900 W. Olympic Blvd., LA.,213-7438824; wolfgangpuck.com LAC
GO EAST! Just east of Downtown (and Puck’s swanky WP24) is the San Gabriel Valley, which USA Today christened a “new mecca for Chinese food” in 2013. Our top picks for your chopsticks: Duck House (501 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park; 626-284-3227) SGV visitors frequent Duck House for its take on traditional Peking duck (although the filet mignon cubes are another must-try). Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant (3939 Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead; 626-288-3939) Brave the lines to sample the fabled dim sum selection at this SGV mainstay. Shen Yang (639 W. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park; 626-576-9088) No relation to the vaunted Shen Yang in San Gabriel, this newer restaurant specializes in Dongbei cuisine but is also known for its Korean-style noodles. Tasty Noodle House (827 W. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel; 626-284-8898) This intimate space has just a few tables, but it’s worth snagging one for this restaurant’s noodle offerings and addictive hot and sour soup.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SAMPLE
continued from page 76 restaurant.” So we opened Chinois in 1983, but I didn’t want it to be another traditional Chinese restaurant. Rather, I wanted it to reflect the way I think about Chinese food. It was hard at the beginning because I had to learn how to make everything, even fried rice—but I figured it out slowly and it became hugely successful. What were some of your learning curve moments in those early years? I did a lot of things that weren’t practical, like building a woodburning oven to cook Peking ducks. The rotisserie I built burned up inside; it was too complicated, so I had to take it out and cook in a regular convection oven. A lot of things I learned as I went along. For instance, the first night we opened Chinois, we did not have rice. Have you ever been to a Chinese restaurant with no rice? I don’t think so. Today you’re widely regarded as the pioneer of Asian fusion. How do you define the term? In many places, fusion has become not a good word. People use [the term] for something that doesn’t taste very good. When fusion isn’t done well, it’s because chefs don’t have the foundation. With me, I have a good foundation in French cooking, so I was able to make some sort of Chinese food even though I didn’t know how [at the beginning]. To me, fusion is a welding of two things, and the East and West melding is a perfect thing. Politically, it would be perfect—so why not do it with food? Food should be, just like in old times, an ambassador to bridge cultures and beliefs. We think about French cuisine as being the great cuisine—and it is, but so is Chinese. Chinese is even more varied than French cuisine, and that’s why I thought of mixing the two. Are there other types of Chinese cuisine reflected in your menus other than Cantonese? A little Peking style, a little bit of the northern part. I try to experiment with all kinds of cuisine, whether it’s Huaiyang, Cantonese, or Hakka. However, I do my own version. If you’re a singer or painter, you don’t want to paint like Cézanne; he was one of the greatest, but you have to find your own voice. That’s what I’ve always tried to do: find my own voice in the food. How would you describe “your” version of Chinese cuisine? Tasty! Call it whatever you want, but if it doesn’t taste good, people won’t come back. To me, taste is first and foremost. The visual aspect is also important because we eat with our eyes first. I don’t like when the presentation is too convoluted or complicated; I like when the food looks good by itself.
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Wrap Star DIANE VON FURSTENBERG CELEBRATES FOUR DECADES OF HER MOST ICONIC DESIGN WITH A MAGICAL NEW EXHIBIT ON THE MIRACLE MILE. BY LAURIE BROOKINS
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iane von Furstenberg’s much-ballyhooed design—the wrap dress— undeniably boasts a storied, Hollywood-worthy past. Cybill Shepherd wore it in 1976’s Taxi Driver; Michelle Obama wore it for the 2009 White House Christmas card. Sartorially, it’s the ideal combination of feminism and femininity, and four decades after its debut, women from 17 to 70 continue to clamor for it as a foundation of a stylish wardrobe. So it’s fitting that, this month, she kicks off a yearlong 40th-anniversary celebration of that renowned design with “Journey of a Dress,” which opens January 11 in the historic May Company building on Wilshire Boulevard (notable as the future home of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures when it opens in 2017), adjacent to the campus of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Von Furstenberg says she loves the symbolism of the location: “That it’s in the old May Company store, next to LACMA, in the building that will become the Museum of the Academy—that combination of glamour, art, and commerce is so wonderful to me because it’s everything the dress is about.” Von Furstenberg’s own backstory has always seemed nothing less than cinematic: from her Belgian childhood to her short-lived marriage to a German prince, from her high-wattage, Studio 54–era fame to a now-legendary ’90s comeback that launched a global empire—fold in the second
Pattern player: Diane von Furstenberg in her New York City office.
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“I remember the 1976 Democratic Convention when Jerry Brown was a nominee—I had more dresses [in the audience] than he had delegates.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID NEEDLEMAN (VON FURSTERNBERG). THIS PAGE: NEW JULIAN TWO WRAP DRESS, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG ($365), AVAILABLE AT DVF.COM
—DIANE VON FURSTENBERG marriage to a media mogul, and it’s a tale that rivals any script that gets green-lighted these days. And to what does she credit such a life? “Really, I owe everything to that dress,” von Furstenberg says. It was in 1974 that DVF debuted her wrap dress, a sophisticated swish of graphic-print jersey that was equal parts modern, elegant, and powerful, and in doing so spawned a fashion revolution, gifting women who were storming the gates of the male-dominated workplace with a sartorial choice that made them feel both sexy and confident. “It all happened so fast,” von Furstenberg says of the explosive success of her design, which landed her on the cover of Newsweek in 1976; she was just 29. “I remember watching the 1976 Democratic Convention when Jerry Brown was a nominee—I was counting the dresses in the audience; I had more dresses than he had delegates.” The current governor has likewise enjoyed his own comeback, while the frenzy for von Furstenberg’s famous wrap has never waned. So why is LA the first stop of the retrospective? “The truth is I have all my family in LA—my children, my grandchildren, all the people I love; this is home to me,” says von Furstenberg, who indeed splits her time between New York and LA with husband Barry Diller; both, she says, especially enjoy the awards season. “Barry and I always do a lunch for [Vanity Fair’s] Graydon Carter the Saturday before the Oscars. It’s the most exciting affair.” As its name implies, “Journey of a Dress” explores the arc of the design, from von Furstenberg’s decision to launch her career at almost the same moment she married Prince Egon von Furstenberg—“because I wanted independence, I didn’t want to just be thought of as Egon’s wife,” she says—to her apprenticeship in the Milan textiles factory of Angelo Ferretti, whom she believes was key to her education. “I was 21 and an intern for this man who used to yell at everybody, but he was a genius,” she says. “He taught me about printing, about pattern and color. I learned so much from him.” In 1972, armed with a suitcase of designs, von Furstenberg arrived in New York, though it would be another two years before the wrap’s debut would truly catapult her career. “It was based on the idea of what I saw ballerinas wearing, little wrap tops with a matching skirt, though the shape was hardly revolutionary,” she says. “The shape had existed for years, but no one had done it in a printed jersey. The fabric molded to the body, and the print gave it so much movement. Everyone went crazy for it.” Previous iterations of “Journey of a Dress” have appeared in Moscow, Sao Paulo, and Beijing, but this is a new production, von Furstenberg says, a 9,000-square-foot retrospective that features a wide variety of wrap dresses designed over a 40-year period. Designer and architect Bill Katz, who has worked with von Furstenberg on both work and home projects, curated the exhibit. “I opened my archives and let him loose,” she says. “It was better to
FROM ABOVE: Jerry Hall struts down the runway in a 1975 DVF fashion show at The Pierre hotel in NYC wearing an early version of the wrap dress; DVF’s timeless design was inspired by ballerinas’ wrap tops and matching skirts.
have someone do it from the outside, rather than someone from our own team. There’s a freshness about it, and seeing it all together, it really impressed me. It’s an army of wrap dresses.” Seven iconic prints were reproduced in oversized proportions to become floor and wall coverings throughout the exhibit, which also explores the dress’s influence in pop culture as well as von Furstenberg’s more personal impact, reflected with the inclusion of her portraits by Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Helmut Newton, and others. Producing the exhibit, von Furstenberg notes, has after all these years allowed her to step back and examine what the wrap dress has truly meant, both for herself and for the legions of women who have loved it. “It sounds incredible, but I was never really that impressed by what happened with the dress; I think I took it for granted,” she says. “And 40 years later I’m looking back and realizing how special it was and how unique the dress remains. Now I’m fully embracing it.” “Journey of a Dress” runs from January 11—April 1 at 6067 Wilshire Blvd., LA; visit journeyofadress.dvf.com for information. LAC
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LA STYLE
Va va vegan! Chrome Girl founders Melissa Ravo (LEFT) and Jaime Boreanaz are getting raves for their nontoxic, vegan nail varnishes.
Ladies Who Lacquer “O
ur young daughters were having a play date,” says Jaime Boreanaz, “and they wanted us to paint their nails.” Knowing that what is on a toddler’s fingers will most likely end up in her mouth, Boreanaz and buddy Melissa Ravo hesitated. After conducting a Google search for kidfriendly nail varnish options, the women realized their fears were justified. “We were floored when we discovered the harmful chemicals in nail polish—they can cause early puberty and respiratory issues,” Boreanaz continues. “We wanted to create a polish that was not only safe enough for our girls, but also safe for all ages.” The result is Chrome Girl, a collection of vibrant varnishes classified as “5-free,” meaning they are produced without the most toxic offenders: two types of formaldehyde, DBP, toluene, and camphor. The silky formulation is vegan, and only one coat of polish, as opposed to the customary (and time-consuming) two, is enough to give nails a dazzling shine. Joining Boreanaz and Ravo in their quest for safe manicures are their husbands, David—yes, that David Boreanaz—and Aaron, an advertising executive, respectively. Melissa and Jaime oversee the company’s day-to-day operations, including every detail from sales to shipping, while their spouses chime in for the big-picture directives.
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“Our husbands are very hands-on with the company decisions and the creative process,” says Boreanaz. “When we are sampling colors, David will swipe a color on his own nail to give his honest opinion, and Aaron is an expert in the advertising business, so it’s been extremely helpful to receive his help and ideas for marketing.”
“We were floored when we discovered the harmful chemicals in nail polish…. We wanted to create a polish that was safe for all ages.”—JAIME BOREANAZ
One burgeoning aspect of the business in which both men have taken a keen interest is the collaboration between Chrome Girl and the National Hockey League, exemplified by the recent launch of nail varnish duos in traditional NHL team colors. “We have chosen true Pantone nail polish colors to represent the hockey teams, like the Los Angeles Kings, and David and Aaron are more involved with that side of the company,” says Boreanaz. With deep roots in California—Ravo is an LA native while Boreanaz moved from Salt Lake City in the late ’90s to pursue an acting career and never looked back—the decision to name Los Angeles as the company’s headquarters was an “effortless” one, according to Ravo, thanks to the wealth of inspiration the city offers. When brainstorming color ideas, Ravo takes her cues from the vibe, energy, and evolving fashion of LA, as well as the music scene. (Actress Jennifer Hudson debuted the newly launched polish on the red carpet at the 2013 Academy Awards, donning the deep charcoal hue Hard to Get.) “The best part about this business is that I get to do what I love every day, and that I get to do it with my best friend,” says Ravo. Chrome Girl nail varnish ($10) is available at Fred Segal, 500 Broadway, Santa Monica, 310394-7535; fredsegal.com LAC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT SAYLES
A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH SPURRED AN AHA MOMENT FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL BEST FRIENDS JAIME BOREANAZ AND MELISSA RAVO. BY KAITLIN CLARK
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STYLE NICHE
TO-DO
List
Look and feel like young royalty with British heiress Petra Ecclestone’s new luxury handbag line, Stark. Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211; saks.com Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Ralph Lauren’s Year of the Horse collection, which features an Easternthemed coat ($1,000) signed by the designer himself. ralphlauren.com Stop by Etro’s new Two Rodeo location and rock out with its collection of guitar cases inspired by traditional saddlery and featuring the brand’s classic paisley motifs (price on request). 9501 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-2482855; etro.com Freeze 24-7 is granting you 10 minutes to treat yourself to a signature “glam glow” mini facial, massage, and photos on January 30. Bloomingdale’s, Beverly Center, 8500 Beverly Blvd., LA, 310-360-2700; glamglowmud.com
Freeze 24-7 pop-up at Bloomingdale’s.
Green Is the New Black SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO ECO-COOL.
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s eco-friendly fabrics and sustainable production processes advance, many LA-based labels are taking a greener approach. For instance, Sanctuary Clothing’s (sanctuaryclothing.com) philosophy of laid-back luxury is carried through with a conscience, says Creative Director Deb Polanco. “It’s the way our company operates,” she continues, citing recycled fabrics, undyed cottons, and grown fiber crops wherever possible as some of the ways the company thinks about sustainability. Model/actress/humanitarian Amber Valletta recently unveiled her Santa Monicabased online boutique Master & Muse (masterandmuse.com), a “one-stop shop” for conscious consumption. For spring 2014, the store will feature LA-based designers who produce their lines locally, including Vitamin A by Amahlia Stevens, Sydney Brown, Clare Vivier, and SVILU. Says Valletta, whose commitment to responsible buying derives not only from her fashion-insider status, but also as a consumer and mother: “Fashion thrives on creative evolution, and we have a real opportunity to grow into a more thoughtful industry if we start seeking out solutions that are based on more than just the bottom line. “It’s our responsibility to people and planet to buy better.” International fashion stars are also leaning towards green. Designer Stella McCartney (8823 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood 310-273-7051; stellamccartney.com), a longtime champion of sustainable materials and practices, is debuting an expanded 100 percent organic cotton denim line for 2014. And she will launch the Beckett, a eco fauxnappa bag made from renewable resources instead of petroleum-based ones. But it’s not just big brands that are upping their eco-cred. Emerging lines such as Joshua Katcher’s Brave GentleMan (bravegentleman.com) are 100 percent sustainable, using Italian “future leathers” and fair labor methods. Says Katcher, “The most exciting thing about working with future fabrics is that technology continues to advance and there are very few limits when we look into the future.” LAC
FROM TOP: The Stella McCartney Beckett clutch ($770); Master & Muse founder Amber Valetta wears 100% NY, a collection dedicated to zero waste and sold on her site; Brave GentleMan’s visionary “future leather” boot ($304).
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TIME KEEPER
Caption will go here tk.
uantum Leap JUMP-HOUR WATCHES OFFER LA MEN A TRADITIONAL TIMEPIECE… WITH A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE. BY ROBERTA NAAS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF CRAWFORD
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n the outside, the jump hour looks very simple, but inside it is really complicated,” says Gaeton Guillosson, North American president of German watch brand A. Lange & Söhne. Deriving its name from its distinctive design, the jump-hour watch is one of the most classically elegant watchmaking complexities on the market. In a jump-hour watch (also referred to as jumping hour) the hour indication is in a digital format that is displayed via an aperture, most often at 12:00, which automatically changes on the hour. Today’s jump-hour watches are based on a concept that was developed and patented in 1882 by Austrian engineer Josef Pallweber, who created a digital display for pocket watches that used numbers on rotating disks in addition to classic pointers. It became a popular complication for pocket watches throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and interest in them has sparked over the past few years. Because of their complexity, jump-hour timepieces are offered by only about a dozen top watchmaking brands as part of their ongoing collections. Generally, the indication works via a complex rotating disk system within a more complex movement consisting of several hundred components. An elaborate feat to build, jump hours require more time to assemble than standard timepieces—with some requiring several days’ worth of a watchmaker’s attention. But watch enthusiasts consider the end result well worth the effort, as the overall look of the jump hour makes the watch a much-coveted item. A. Lange & Söhne’s intricate Zeitwerk, which holds two patents, features a combination of jump-hour and jump-minute indications on the dial via two harmoniously balanced apertures. A great deal of research and development went into creating the From Jaquet Droz, this Twelve Cities watch ($31,200) is crafted in 18k rose gold and offers elegant jump-hour indication at 12:00. Created in a limited edition of 88 pieces, the timepiece houses a self-winding mechanical movement with 12 time zones indicated by city names via an aperture at 6:00 on the enamel dial. Tourbillon Boutique, 329 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-860-9990; jaquet-droz.com This A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk watch ($68,900) is crafted in 18k pink gold and houses an in-house mechanical movement, the Lange Caliber L043, powered by a constant-force escapement. It features a patented barrel design and offers jump-hour indication via an aperture on the left and jump-minute indications via a harmoniously balanced aperture on the right of the dial. Seconds are indicated via a subdial at 6:00 and power reserve is indicated at 12:00. Chong Hing Jewelers, 140 West Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, 626-280-9195; alange-soehne.com Cartier’s Rotonde de Cartier jumping-hours watch ($38,600) is crafted in 18k gold and houses the 217-part Calibre 9905MC with jumping hours and trailing minutes with disc mechanism. It offers 65 hours of power reserve, and each movement is individually numbered. 370 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-2754272; cartier.com
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STYLING BY TERRY LEWIS
FROM TOP:
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movement, so that the jump hour and the jump minutes change with precise synchronization each hour. According to Guillosson, the watch is so unusual that there is a waiting list for it wherever in the world it is sold. Other high-end companies offering classic jump-hour watches generally display only the hour as a jumping digit, and indicate the minutes via a long central minutes hand that rotates around the dial in typical pointer fashion. In the Harry Winston Ocean Tourbillon jumping-hour watch with a house-made caliber, the pointer-style minute hand has been specifically designed so that the hour window is never blocked. The concept took the brand’s research and development team more than 1,500 hours to devise and bring to fruition. Additionally, some brands opt to combine the jump hour with other alluring watch complications—including the melodious minute repeater or the always-in-motion retrograde. In fact, in its Octo Bi-Retro jump-hour watch, Bulgari combines the jump-hour complication with retrograde minutes (wherein the minute hand travels along an arc, and when it reaches the end of its indication, it returns back to the beginning of the arc). No matter which jump-hour rendition a watch brand offers, those who covet a purist approach to horological accomplishments can’t help but be drawn to their complexity and the sheer beauty and simplicity of the look. “The jump-hour watch offers a very unusual way of reading time,” says Guillosson. “So even if you are not a watch collector, this look can really appeal to you because it is something completely different.” For more watch features and expanded coverage, go to la-confidential-magazine.com/watches. LAC Harry Winston’s 45.6mm Ocean Tourbillon jumpinghour watch ($217,300) is crafted in 18k white gold and houses a 330-part mechanical manual-wind movement with jump-hour indication at 12:00 and tourbillon escapement at 6:00. With twin barrels, the watch offers 110 hours of power reserve. The dial portion is made from black sapphire. 310 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-8554; harrywinston.com
FROM TOP:
From Bulgari, this 43mm Octo Bi-Retro watch ($18,200) is crafted in a stainless steel case with a black ceramic bezel. The automatic movement offers jump hours at 12:00, with a retrograde minutes indication and a retrograde date indication at 6:00. 401 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-858-9216; bulgari.com This David Yurman Classic® jumping-hours limited-edition watch ($8,900) houses a self-winding automatic Dubois Depraz movement with ETA base, and offers a jump-hour indication at 12:00. The 43.5mm black PVD case with gray galvanic dial and smoked sapphire crystal make a chic presentation. The watch—made in a limited edition of 100 numbered pieces—features a center minutes hand, sub-seconds dial, and is water-resistant to 30 meters. South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, 714-444-1080; davidyurman.com Authentic watchmaking tools courtesy of Audemars Piguet, audemarspiguet.com
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HEY, HEY, HEY!
On Grammy eve, sexy singer/ songwriter-of-the-moment Robin Thicke reflects on the blurred lines between insta-success and controversy. BY DAVID HOCHMAN
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAINER HOSCH
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The Boy Wonder: Enrobed in Dsquared2, Grammy nominee Robin Thicke (Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album) counts down to party time.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK
Shawl-collar coat ($3,690), Dsquared2. Neiman Marcus, 9700 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly, Hills, 310-550-5900; dsquared2.com. Shirt ($155), Boss by Hugo Boss. 414 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-859-2888; hugoboss.com. Trousers ($495), Ermenegildo Zegna. 337 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-8827; zegna.com. Phantom sunglasses ($595), box chain in sterling silver ($525), exotic stone signet ring in black onyx ($495), signet ring ($450), and Petrvs scarab ring ($595), David Yurman. 371 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8618; david yurman.com. Shoes, Mezlan ($1,100). 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, 408-9121580; mezlan.com
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Embroidered velvet blazer ($8,345), Dolce & Gabbana. 314 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-888-8701; dolcegabbana.com. Shirt ($325), Giorgio Armani. 436 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-5555; armani.com. Watch, Rolex, Thicke’s own. Trousers ($195), Boss by Hugo Boss. 414 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-8592888; hugoboss.com. Phantom sunglasses ($595), David Yurman. 371 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-8888618; davidyurman.com. Shoes, Giorgio Armani ($595). 436 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-271-5555; armani.com
See previous page for fashion credits.
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et us not kid ourselves— Los Angeles looks way better from the top of the mountain. Robin Thicke is standing alone on a corner perch inside the concrete and steel dream space above Bel-Air known as the SheatsGoldstein Residence. It’s one of those 1960s John Lautner –designed aeries where glass walls slide open to dizzying panoramas at the touch of a button. With a good running leap, Thicke, here for our photo shoot, could probably cannonball into a swimming pool down off Sunset if he so desired. Instead, he’s just taking it all in: the view, the moment, the giddy insanity of the world at his feet. A year ago—say around the time of the last Grammys— Thicke, who’s 36, was just another blue-eyed R&B crooner, almost famous for the songs he wrote for others (Michael Jackson, Usher, Christina Aguilera) and for being Growing Pains star Alan Thicke’s equally dashing son. Then the madness happened. Last spring, with an assist from collaborators and guest vocalists Pharrell and T.I., Thicke released a song called “Blurred Lines” on an album of the same name. The single took roughly one hour to write but contained hooks so playfully seductive—“Hey, hey, hey/ What rhymes with hug me?”—that the planet had no choice but to dance along. “Blurred Lines” hit number one in more than 100 countries, including the US, where it was helped along by a live performance by Thicke and Pharrell on The Voice. The real kick came from the video, featuring European supermodel Emily Ratajkowski wearing nearly nothing (in the safe-for-work version) and actually nothing (in the unrated one—which also had balloon letters that spelled out ROBIN THICKE HAS A BIG DICK). If you think the song got more radio play than any in music history, you’re correct. It set a one-week record with 228.9 million radio impressions. And now he’s standing tall with three Grammy nominations. Yet, somehow, this was only the beginning. The “Song of the Summer” became the controversy of the year after critics blasted its content—particularly the refrain “you know you want it”—as misogynist, even “rape-y.” The biggest outcry came after the MTV Video Music Awards when Miley Cyrus twerked Thicke’s crotch. At this point, if you don’t know what twerk means, we can’t explain it. Suffice it to say, the moment became the most tweetedabout event in Twitter history, surpassing even the reelection of President Obama. Robin Alan Thicke was born in Los Angeles on March 10, 1977. His mother is the actress Gloria Loring, who
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“It drives me crazy when I hear [‘Blurred Lines’], to be honest.
When it comes on the radio, I’ll say, ‘Can you turn that down for a minute, please?’”
appeared on Days of Our Lives and had a 1980s hit record called “Friends and Lovers” with Carl Anderson. Alan Thicke was the quintessential sitcom dad as psychiatrist Jason Seaver on Growing Pains. Loring and Thicke divorced, and young Robin hung out in Dad’s bachelor pads—he now lives in one he bought with his actress wife, Paula Patton, whom he’s known since high school, and their 3-year-old, Julian—and smoked a lot of pot. Thicke also made music. Signed as a teenager to Interscope Records, he wrote songs for artists like Brandy and Brian McKnight, and released five albums, several of which were supposed to make Thicke, who went by one name for a while, the next big thing. They didn’t. Even when a sexy ballad, “Lost Without U,” spent a couple of weeks atop the R&B charts in 2007, things sort of fizzled afterward. All of which made this year’s ride to craycray stardom that much sweeter. Finishing off a cigarette (“I know, I know,” he says), the singer-songwriter, in black rockstar jeans and a leather jacket, sits down for what turns out to be a rollicking, candid conversation. Even as he looks back on the madness of the last few months, Thicke can’t take his eyes off the horizon.
But you’re living it now. What’s the wildest thing that’s happened?
So how’s your year going?
Meeting Molly Ringwald rocked. I think I was around 9 or 10, and I was a huge fan of The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, all that stuff. We were at a Dodgers game, and my dad heard Molly was there. [He asked me,] “Do you want to go meet her?” Next thing I know, [it was] “Oh my God, Molly Ringwald.” It was everything I could do not to pass out.
Exciting. Crazy. Fun. Unbelievable.
Twenty years in the biz, and you’re an overnight sensation. Yeah, it’s been a long, f---ing night. A lot happened on the way to 2013. I was like Rocky hitting the meat for a couple of decades and then suddenly getting my shot at the title. I feel like I should run around inside the ring with my arms up.
Ro-cky! Ro-cky! Ro-cky! Of course, what’s great about popular culture is that you can only indulge in your success for so long before you have to go back to being a real artist again and putting in the hours. You have to get back to hitting the meat.
Do you feel pressure to outdo the success of “Blurred Lines”?
You think you’ve seen it all, but then you get teenage girls recognizing you and getting screamy. That was rare before. And guys are much more responsive than ever. It had always been women telling me that “The Sweetest Love” was their wedding song. Now men are, like, “Go, bro!” The “Blurred Lines” parodies were pretty entertaining. Someone cut together speeches by Bill Clinton so it looks like he’s singing the song. I’m a big fan of Bill Clinton.
Hugh Hefner dressed as you for Halloween. Life is surreal. But it’s always been that way for me.
What’s one standout memory about growing up with famous parents?
You weren’t too much older when you met the person who would become your wife. How’s she handling this explosion of attention?
No more pressure than I’ve always felt, which is a lot. Actually, the pressure was much more intense before “Blurred Lines.” There were some tough times, lots of near misses. But this success has gone beyond everything.
When did you realize this album was going galactic?
Obviously, she’s very excited. She’s supported me from day one. Sometimes she rolls her eyes. Things [I say] get misconstrued in interviews and then debated. So some of it’s pretty weird.
When it started shooting to number one all through Europe. It hit faster there than it did here, and we said, “Uh-oh, looks like we caught one.”
You mean the quotes that made you sound like a womanizer?
What made the difference this time around?
Yeah. But I call these good problems because it means you’re being talked about. The rest of it you just try to manage day by day. My number-one priority is being a good person. I try to teach my little kid that every day. But, yeah, I have a big mouth. The only difference is, if I said something stupid at a dinner party before this year,
The grooves and lyrics and vocals weren’t much different from the music I’d made before, so who knows? It’s almost dangerous to think about. If I take responsibility and say, “Well, my old music wasn’t good enough,” that ends up driving me into deep depression. So you just have to say, “Life moves in mysterious ways.” Put it this way: I’m happy it happened. Part of me was starting to think I wasn’t going to get to live out certain aspects of the dream.
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nobody would read my quotes back to me the next day out of context.
By the way, was making that video as much fun as it looked? It was definitely an amazing time. You can tell by my energy, I wasn’t overly impressed by the whole thing. I wanted to keep it rolling so I could get home. I honestly had no idea it would be seen by so many millions of people. At first, I thought the topless version went too far, but then I showed it to my lady and all her girlfriends and they couldn’t take their eyes off it. Everybody was chuckling, turned on, angry, provoked. I thought, Yep, that feels right. Let’s roll the dice.
What’s your takeaway lesson from Twerkergate? Listen, we had a great time. It’s entertainment. I was actually afraid Miley’s routine wasn’t going to be racy enough. But people reacted.
The guy who invented the foam finger was outraged. I heard that. Is there a better use for it?
This is the Grammys issue. What’s fun about attending the show? Everybody’s there. I performed with Lil Wayne years ago on the Grammys, and as I finished my sound check and was walking down the hallway, there was Sir Paul McCartney and Robert Plant having a conversation. I thought, I’m not going to get in the way of that chitchat. But then I decided I’ve got to say hi to these legends. I walked up and started babbling about what an honor it is to meet you both, and Sir Paul just looks at me and goes, “You’ve got a great voice.” I thought, I can go home now.
Do you ever feel like the rest of us and say, “I can’t get that ‘Blurred Lines’ song out of my head”? It drives me crazy when I hear it, to be honest. When it comes on the radio, I’ll say, “Can you turn that down for a minute, please?” But it’s pretty incredible where it’s taken me, so I can’t complain.
Hey, hey, hey! You might be on to something there. LAC
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A little more touring and finally getting back into the studio. It’s been so strange not writing music all the time, especially with everything going on in my head and heart right now. Since I was 11 or 12, I’ve been writing songs every week, but this year I’ve gotten sidetracked. So I’m really excited to make new music.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK
What’s next for you?
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“WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT POPULAR CULTURE IS THAT YOU CAN ONLY
INDULGE IN YOUR SUCCESS FOR SO LONG BEFORE YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO BEING A REAL ARTIST AGAIN.”
Styling by Paris Libby Sittings Editor Joan Allen Grooming by Robert Steinken for Cloutier Remix Shot on location at the Sheats-Goldstein Residence. Black velvet blazer ($3,295) and black velvet harness and bib shirt ($1,170), Givenchy. Similar styles, Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-4400; barneys.com. Heldor tux pant, Boss by Hugo Boss ($175). 414 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-859-2888; hugoboss.com. Leather derbies, Dior ($1,050). 315 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-8003; diorhomme.com
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Going for the gold: Nineteen-time Grammy nominee Taylor Swift performs at the 2013 ceremony.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF KRAVITS/FILMMAGIC
GRAMMY
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MYRAMA! On the eve of the 56th annual Grammy Awards, Scott Huver gets down with music legends past and present who reveal how a little insider ceremony in 1958 became the mega-blowout of 2014—and how, in the process, LA became the music capital of the world.
“The Grammy is the pinnacle,” says producer/musician Ryan Lewis, who, along with his musical partner, Macklemore, recently became seven-time nominees in the quest for the gramophone-shaped trophy coveted by all corners of the music industry. “I feel like it’s the award where, as a musician, you’re like, ‘I’ll never get one of those.’ So to be nominated for anything is pretty mind-blowing.” The Grammy is a gleaming icon of artistic accomplishment metaphorically made of equal parts glitz, ambition, and acclaim—and, as one might expect, both the trophy and lavish awards ceremony could only be born in Los Angeles. Both city and ceremony have been harmonizing ever since.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK
OPENING BARS The glint of Grammy gold first sparkled in the eyes of a group of elite record executives from the five top labels in town—Columbia, Capitol, Decca, MGM, and RCA—gathered in a back room of the Brown Derby at Hollywood and Vine back in 1955. The original notion was to brainstorm a list of the top musical acts of the day that might merit honoring on the forthcoming Hollywood Walk of Fame, but the conversation spontaneously turned to establishing a gold-standard-setting academy to honor music’s best and brightest, similar to the Academy Awards. “[The labels] were talking about the state of the music industry,” explains Neil Portnow, the current president of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization that would be conceived that day. “One of the things they observed was that while, for motion pictures and films, there was a significant organization to recognize and give awards for excellence in filmmaking, but for music, that hadn’t been the case. So wouldn’t it be a great idea to have an institution that was built around the concept of recognizing excellence in recording?” “You had the Oscars launching in the late ’20s, the Emmys in the late ’40s, and the continued on page 96
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MEMORABLE GRAMMY MOMENTS...
The legendary Nat King Cole performs during a special presentation of 1959’s Grammywinning songs at the second annual awards ceremony.
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following year; though, still smarting, he snubbed the ceremony), but some shining lights were honored—among them Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Prima and Keely Smith, Count Basie, Billy May, and even The Champs’s “Tequila”—while other picks fanned more flames of controversy when a collection of local winners, including the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Hollywood String Quartet, suggested a geographical bias toward Los Angeles among the voters. After that debut ceremony with its stellar stars, sometimes questionable choices, and serious snubs, the Grammy template would expand: The 1959 ceremonies would simultaneously take place both at The Beverly Hilton and New York’s Waldorf Astoria and a post-show was nationally televised. NBC’s Burbank broadcast added an eclectic live-performance element—including Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Van Cliburn, The Kingston Trio, Duke Ellington, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir—that would become an indelible part of the ceremonies to come. continued on page 98
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
“I got to do ‘Come to My Window’ in ’94: I remember Stevie Wonder in the audience, dancing. And then, of course, the Janis Joplin tribute in 2005 was a special personal one for me. People still talk to me about it all the time.” Grammy winner, 1993 and 1995
JENNIFER HUDSON
“Whitney Houston giving me my Grammy [in 2009] overshadowed winning my first Grammy for me… Who gets to get their first Grammy from their musical idol? That’s crazy! She told me that she was extremely proud of me backstage. I probably cried on her. It’s still surreal, to this day.” Grammy winner, 2009
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NBC/NBCU PHOTO BANK VIA GETTY IMAGES
continued from page 95 Grammys were the last of the major showbiz industries to create a peer group award,” says Tom O’Neil, founder of the awards tracking/prognosticating website goldderby.com and author of the book The Grammys: The Ultimate Unofficial Guide to Music’s Highest Honor. In 1957, the Los Angeles chapter of the Recording Academy was the first to be established (with counterparts to follow in New York, Chicago, Nashville, and other cities), with 700 members culled solely from music’s creative ranks—no DJs, promo teams or publishers—to ensure the award’s integrity. Renowned recording engineer Val Valentin conceived the trophy’s gramophone design (dubbed the Grammy by a contest-winning New Orleans housewife who received 25 albums as a prize) and a ceremony was hastily assembled in 1958— too quickly for a proposed TV broadcast, but with enough pomp to lure presenters like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peggy Lee, André Previn, Jo Stafford, and Milton Berle, and a red-hot comic host, Mort Sahl. Representatives of the emerging, explosive rock ’n’ roll scene, however, were conspicuously absent and not nominated, prompting critics to question Grammy’s taste out of the gate. “The very first Grammy ceremony had 525 executives paying $15 a pop for seats at The Beverly Hilton,” says O’Neil. “To the attendees, it just seemed like an old boy’s club gathering to bestow fake-gold statuettes to each other with a pat on the back. And that night, Frank Sinatra got notoriously drunk when he lost to Alvin and the Chipmunks and Henry Mancini, so it was a colorful event, but it was very low-key and off the radar.” Topped even by Perry Como, Sinatra’s sole inaugural Grammy came for Best Album Cover (he’d gather an armful the
KENNY LOGGINS
“We were performing ‘I’m Alright’ [in 1982], and I was using Paul Simon’s band. They weren’t familiar with the song so I had to teach it to them the day before. We came up on a rising stage, and I had to sing all the parts to the players as the stage was rising so that they would start playing one at a time and remember how it goes—and we were all tugging on a bottle of tequila. By the time the stage came up to mic level, we were all pretty plowed, and I walk up to the mic, and the mic was dead. So I ran out to the audience, got everybody clapping, ran back to the mic—it was still dead. I ran back again—it seemed like five minutes went by before I actually started the song. When I got to my seat after the song was over, my shirt was wringing wet. And I was stone-cold sober.” Grammy winner, 1981
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INSIDE T BONE BURNETT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE GRANITZ/WIRE IMAGE (COEN)
The Grammy-winning producer confesses his love affair with the Coen Brothers. T Bone Burnett clearly recalls funny.’ [Laughs] I think that’s about the moment that he first suspected how the conversation went, serihis destiny might become interously. We just talked, and then we twined with sibling filmmakers the became friends.” Coen brothers. “I saw Blood Simple, “Part of what T Bone’s really and I remember thinking, Who are good at is bringing [actors and these people?” musicians] together and getting The veteran musician and Gramsomething out of those groups my-winning producer—who has that you wouldn’t think likely,” says worked on albums for the likes of Ethan Coen. Adds Joel Coen: “He Alison Krause and Robert Plant, has this encyclopedic knowledge Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison, John of American music and an interestMellencamp, and Cassandra Wiling point of view on it, and these son—would go on to become one of really interesting skills as both a the Coens’ go-to collaborators. First producer of music and someone came a stint as “music archivist” on who can work with actors who are The Big Lebowski, and then he went not necessarily musicians.” on to subsequent films, including O “He was the musical Mr. Miyagi,” Brother, Where Art Thou?—the marvels Llewyn Davis leading man Burnett-produced bluegrass soundOscar Isaac of Burnett’s Zen-like track proved both a commercial touch. “He was the invisible hand and critical sensation, including that was guiding me and never tellwinning a Grammy for the Album of ing me what to sound like, but just the Year in 2002—and their current collaborastripping away any artifice.” tion, Inside Llewyn Davis, featuring a score of Along with his work with the Coens, Burnett live-recorded, ’60s-era Greenwich Village folk provided music for the Johnny Cash biopic songs that’s a likely award-collector at this seaWalk the Line, and helped stars Joaquin son’s ceremony. Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon develop their As Burnett tells it, he knew he shared a nearvocal performances. “The Weary Kind,” a song brotherly bond with the Coens from their work he wrote with Ryan Bingham for the film Crazy alone. Enamored of the arty blend of Buñuel, Heart, collected a Golden Globe and an Oscar Kurasawa, Cocteau, and Fellini fare he watched in 2010 and a Grammy in 2011. “The fun part is while growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, at the that the work is not as technical as it is with Producer T Bone Burnett (TOP) city’s sole art house theater—“I wanted out,” he musicians,” he says. “With actors, you’re trying and with his go-to collaborators, filmmakers recalls, “and I escaped into the world of blues to get them to do anything except think about Joel and Ethan Coen. music and art films”—he recognized a shared singing. You don’t want to say to an actor, ‘Sing sensibility on the screen. “It felt like, Wow— louder,’ because that will make him start to these guys saw all the same movies I did!” says Burnett. “Then I watched think about what he’s singing. What you want him doing is acting—you Raising Arizona seven times—it has the most breakneck introduction want him channeling.” I’d ever seen for a film. It sets up a whole universe for you. And then this These days, Burnett’s unique facility for matching music and imagcrazy music: ‘Ode to Joy’ on the banjo with fiddling and whistling. I just ery comes in broadening genres—after a season producing the country understood what the two of them were doing. I felt like we spoke the music for wife Callie Khouri’s series, Nashville, he’s crafted an elecsame language.” tronic-based score for HBO’s True Detective and is itching to explore Uncharacteristically, Burnett felt compelled to share that language, the hip-hop world next. This musical dexterity has led some of his colliterally. “I called them up in what you would almost call a fan call—I’ve leagues to suggest that perhaps he hears music on a different level never called anybody just out of the blue like that!” he admits. “I said, than most humans, and Burnett won’t argue. “I probably do,” he laughs. ‘Hey, I just have to say: I love your music, your stuff’s funny, you’re “Listen, I’ve been in a 50-year intense ear-training course.”
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continued from page 96
Simultaneous multi-city celebrations would continue throughout the next decade-plus, with iconic locales like The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Century Plaza Hotel hosting the LA elements, but it wasn’t until 1971 that television would factor in again, this time with the first live, star-studded primetime broadcast of the awards ceremony itself (17 of the nearly 50 categories, at least). Andy Williams hosted ABC’s now-landmark—and dramatic—broadcast from the Hollywood Palladium. Though the Beatles, long Grammy ceremony no-shows, had broken up, “Paul McCartney shows up to accept an award for Let It Be, their last studio album,” recalls O’Neil of the moment when John Wayne announced the winner of the Best Original
The Carpenters at the Grammy Awards ceremony in 1971.
Score trophy at the black-tie event. “McCartney just merely walks up there in tennis shoes and a blue suit, shirt open at the collar, looking very, very casual, and says thank you—and it was watched worldwide. That Paul McCartney would be there for an award for the busted-up Beatles was very poignant. The Grammys were a huge deal [on TV] right from the beginning.” By the early ’80s, the Grammys had become a massive, highly hyped undertaking, typically alternating annual locations between New York’s Radio City Music Hall and LA’s Shrine Auditorium (currently the record holder, having hosted 16 ceremonies)—a tradition that continued until the advent of the Staples Center as the Grammys’ semiofficial home. Since 2000, it’s already seen 13 ceremonies and hosts the continued on page 100
LUDACRIS
“I won my Grammy for the best album [in 2007] during the time my father was in the hospital, and I felt like I won it for him. He died shortly thereafter, so that would definitely be my best memory, because he got to see me win for something I’ve been doing for all my life.” Grammy winner, 2005 and 2007
BLAKE SHELTON
“Trace Adkins and I got nominated for ‘Hillbilly Bone’ [in 2011], and I called him: ‘Trace, we’re up for a Grammy—this is awesome, let’s go!’ He goes, ‘Well, they never put country on TV, so I am not going!’ I was like,
SHE WRITES THE SONGS…
Bonnie McKee—Katy Perry’s go-to songwriter and 2014 Grammy nominee— gets ready to score big again… solo! shared songwriting process cemented it. “Katy and I are both meticulous about scrutinizing every word,” says McKee. “We’ll stay up all night fighting Bonnie McKee, who has penned dozens of hits that about something, and it’s worth it in the end.” have resonated deeply with that demo. “To think After writing her first album at age 16 alone, back to those moments when you first fall in love, McKee admits she initially had to wrap her head when you first get your heart broken, when you first around collaborative efforts before she became have an epiphany about what it means to be alive, I artists’ secret weapon. “There is compromise,” she try to just wrap those up into pretty little pictures.” says. “You have to be okay with someone shutting She’s now on the verge of her own solo stardom: down your idea. I’m so grateful that I did it because her first single, “American Girl,” dropped in July and I really, really enjoy it now.” became the current theme song for the talk show Music, she believes, saved her life after a series of The View, with her full, as-yet-untitled album due in youthful, but serious, indiscretions. “I was a teenage 2014. McKee, 29, has already crafted an enviable drug addict. I was a runaway. I was very unhappy, string of pop radio-ready portraits for an array of and all I had was my music and this dream. And Singer/songwriter Bonnie McKee performs artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Taio if I didn’t have that goal, I don’t know if I would in Los Angeles at the KIIS FM Jingle Ball Cruz, Ke$ha, Adam Lambert, and Kylie Minogue— be alive today, because it gave me something to last month. these along with million-sellers for her primary live for and something to strive for.” muse, Katy Perry, including “California Gurls,” Now stepping out from behind the scenes, “Teenage Dream,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” and, most recently “Roar,” McKee is working her model-esque good looks and colorfully sexy aeswhich just scored a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. “I’ve had thetic: an exuberant, playful pop persona ready-made for songs filled with songs nominated before, but never Song of the Year, where the songboth ear and eye candy. “I always had a vision of who I wanted to be. I writer is credited,” says McKee. “It’s nice to finally see my name up there!” remember watching a Tina Turner special on TV and [doing] ‘Proud Mary,’ She and Perry met at Melrose thrift shop Wasteland years ago, where and I was literally crying out of excitement. I want to be the person on both then-broke songwriters were hocking their clothes, remembers stage making somebody else cry and jump out of their seat. That’s always McKee. Their similar tastes connected them as kindred spirits and their been what I wanted to do.”
“I just like to think about what I needed to hear as a teenager,” says singer-songwriter
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL POPPER/POPPERFOTO/GETTY IMAGES (THE CARPENETERS); JASON MERRITT/GETTY IMAGES FOR CLEAR CHANNEL (MCKEE). OPPOSITE PAGE: JOHN SHEASRER/ WIRE IMAGE; FRANK MICELOTTA/IMAGE DIRECT; STEVE GRANITZ/WIRE IMAGE; JEFF KRAVITZ/FILMMAGIC; COURTESY OF LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY COLLECTION
HITTING HIGH NOTES
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Whitney Houston and Jennifer Hudson at the 2009 Grammys; Madonna performs at the 1999 awards ceremony; Ludacris with his Grammys in 2007; Blake Shelton onstage at the 2011 telecast; Cyndi Lauper and Hulk Hogan clown at the 27th annual Grammy Awards in 1985.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
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RIGHT:
Paul and Linda McCartney go casual at the 13th annual Grammy Awards in 1971. BELOW: Music producer Jeff Bhasker accepts his Song of the Year Grammy last year at the 55th annual awards telecast.
LA SINGS LEAD The Grammys’ near-permanent relocation to the Staples Center—Portnow suggests that the ceremonies will continue to flirt with non-LA locales in the future—coincides with a shoring up of the music industry in the City of Angels. Increasingly, major movers and shakers, including Capitol Records, which recently centralized its operations in its iconic “record-stack” building in Hollywood, are making beautiful music in LA, thanks to a synergistic convergence of technology and other multimedia aspects of the entertainment business. “When I grew up in New York, the Brill Building and the Hit Factory and Power Station—it was like the hub of what was happening,” says Jed Leiber, the son of songwriting legend Jerry Leiber and the owner of NightBird Recording Studios, set
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RICHIE SAMBORA
in the beloved rock-star hideaway the Sunset Marquis Hotel, where Christina Aguilera, Miley Cyrus, and Elton John have laid down tracks. “But I really feel this is the place to be right now for music.” “There was a string of hits that came out of here that I think started this out,” says Leiber. “What happens is you’ll get some kind of an amazing artist that comes out, and then usually everybody else follows. Also, everybody started gravitating [here] because they were tired of cold weather and wanted to have nice places in Los Angeles—and they all made enough money to do it!” “LA’s definitely the center of the music business—no question,” says producer Jeff Bhasker, who’s won Grammys for his collaborations with Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Fun., and was nominated again this year for his work with Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and Pink. “It’s a magical place—it’s kind of a Western frontier where anything’s possible. I’m working on Mark Ronson’s album with him right now, and he talked about how when you come here, you really feel like you can make a great record that’s going to stand the test of time—things on the order of Thriller or ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ and then you’re sitting in a studio where that record was recorded. It gives you a sense that, ‘Hey, I can make the record of my life here.’” “There is a vibe here in people,” adds Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, who
“One night I jammed with Usher, which was unbelievable, and he and I became friends. I presented with Shakira, so that was a nice memory. People have this misconception in the business that we all know each other and we all see each other all the time. Meanwhile, everybody’s on the road going in different directions.” Grammy winner (with Bon Jovi), 2007
THE FRAY
David Welsh: “Finding out on the red carpet [in 2010] that we lost—that was really fun. Some of the categories that aren’t on TV are announced prior. We hadn’t heard yet, and the interview went like this: ‘And how does it feel that you lost?’ ‘Deflating.’ [Later at an after-party] when Joe King tells stories he’s pretty animated, he uses his hands, and he’d had a little sauce, so he hit someone’s mouth behind him. He turned around, and it was Paris Hilton.” Joe King: “Yeah, that was my Grammy moment. I had a lot of gold lip gloss on my hand, and that made the four nominations worth it.”
JULIAN LENNON
“You’re sitting there for hours with a lot of anxiety and excitement at the same time, but it’s all about the people, all the creative types who are there that you hopefully get to meet.” Grammy nominee, 1985
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEYSTONE/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES (MCCARTNEY); KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAGES (BHASKER)
continued from page 98 show again on January 26. “The demand for space and all of those elements had just grown so dramatically over the years that it was time to move to a larger venue,” says Portnow. “When the Staples Center was first on the drawing board, they had the great foresight to reach out to us as consultants in the design and the building of the venue. So frankly, when it was designed and constructed, it had the specifications of what would make it a premiere venue for us. Therefore, it’s been a home for [the Grammy telecast]—and a great one—for many years.”
‘TRACE!’ He stuck by that and didn’t go that year, but I damn well went, and I was excited. He was right: I didn’t end up on TV or get the trophy. But since then, the Grammys have been really good to me.” Grammy nominee, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014
continued on page 102
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BRAVE NEW WORLD
Grammy-nominated Sara Bareilles sounds off on her latest pop anthem.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL CAULFIELD/WIREIMAGE
“I’m still pinching myself a little bit,” says singer-songwriter Sara
control freak, so it was new thing for me to try to trust someone else’s Bareilles, as she contemplates her two vision a little bit.” latest Grammy nominations—a prestiIt paid off: “Brave,” which Bareilles, gious Album of the Year nod for her 34, cowrote with Fun.’s Jack Antonoff, fourth album, The Blessed Unrest, and became one of the central pop a Best Pop Solo Performance for her anthems of the summer, a song legions smash single, “Brave.” She admits the of listeners held close to their hearts. recognition from her music biz peers “We both felt really passionately came as a shock, given the actual perabout a lot of the issues coming up sonal life unrest that formulated her around gay rights at the time when we works. were writing this song,” she says. “I’ve “It’s been a really intense and emoseen that song kind of take on a life of tionally dynamic year for me,” Bareilles its own since then. The outpouring of says, including changing coasts from bravery from people willing to share Los Angeles to New York, ending a vulnerabilities has just been outstandlong-term relationship, and bringing in ing and such an incredible gift from new band members. “Calling it The the song. I feel like a proud mama.” Blessed Unrest and having this kind of Bareilles says the embracing, acknowledgement be waiting, emboldened response—from everyunknowingly, at the end of it all, it feels one from the gay community to kids very surreal and really amazing. I’m facing cancer—was all the reward she feeling so grateful right now—I’m just hoped to reap. “I’ve never really been like beaming every day from ear to the critic’s darling, so really what fills ear.” me up is my relationship to people Born and reared in Eureka to an who are connecting to the message of insurance adjuster father and funeralthe music in a bigger way,” she says. parlor worker mother, the self-taught “That is just so pure—and it’s so pianist honed her musical chops perimmediate.” forming solo in LA singer-songwriter An off-the-beaten-path project is on Sara Bareilles onstage during The 53rd annual Grammy Awards incubators like Hotel Café before her the horizon: crafting the music for a pre-telecast held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2011. breatkthrough multiplatinum single stage version of the 2007 film Waitress. “Love Song” in 2007 launched a “Musical theater’s where I got started, career that garnered early Grammy notice. The current crop of songs and so it feels like coming home in a way,” she explains. She’s also writing from The Blessed Unrest were “as emotionally raw and vulnerable as her first book, due out this year. “It’s autobiographical. I wouldn’t call it I’ve ever really felt like I was able to be, musically speaking,” Bareilles my life story, but it’s like a collection of essays,” she explains. “Some of reveals. “I coproduced most of this record, so there was this sort of DIY them are funny; some, oddly enough, turned out a little bit darker. I’m feel about doing this project.” Yet part of the key to the album’s feel just sharing thoughts about the business and my songs.” was letting others into her sphere. “The biggest life lesson for me with With each project, no matter the format, she insists on staying true to this record was learning to open up the creative process and trust her own vision. “I feel really content with the level of my achievements amazing collaborators,” she says. “I’m really stubborn, and I’m a total so far,” she says. “I’m really not trying to chase anything bigger down.”
SARA BAREILLES’S MOST MEMORABLE GRAMMY MOMENT...
“The very first time I went to the Grammys was in 2009, and I was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for ‘Love Song.’ I was sitting with my mom, like eight rows back, behind Jason Mraz and next to Busta Rhymes. U2 opened the show, and I leapt to my feet because I’m like, ‘Oh my God!... I’m at the Grammys and it’s U2 on stage!’ I quickly realized that nobody’s standing up, and I was too stubborn to sit back down because I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know what I was doing. So I was literally the only one standing for the entirety of U2’s performance. And at the end, Bono—looking me straight in the eyes—took off his sunglasses and threw them to me. But they went over my head and ended up in the lap of people like four rows back. I was so pissed.”
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Steven Tyler performs at the 41st annual Grammy Awards in 1999.
KELLY ROWLAND
“We [Destiny’s Child] were running late [in 2001] and they were waiting for us on the carpet. We had already won, and we got there just in time for us to perform. We were jingling down the red carpet because we were so excited. We were like, ‘We won two Grammys already!’ It was incredible!” Grammy winner (with Destiny’s Child), 2001 and 2002
T.I.
“Glamorous Grammy night is about effort and energy. Sometimes you get it right. Sometimes you won’t. But this is a celebration of those of us who were able to get it right this year!” Grammy winner, 2007 and 2009
admits he’s become enamored of the LA lifestyle since relocating from Boston. “I was hanging out in Massachusetts for the last 25 years, but I came here and within a month I befriended Johnny Depp, went down to Swing House Studios and wrote a great album with the band, and hung out at the Soho House with Jim Carrey—there’s just so much here! The Hollywood Hills are ridiculous—I bought a house up in Laurel Canyon: [there are] deer running in my backyard [and there’s] the smell of Eucalyptus trees…
In LA, you never know who you’re going to bump into.” If Portnow is correct, this full-circle Los Angeles love fest won’t just be a passing trend. “LA was the place where the organization was created and hatched and has been our headquarters,” says Portnow. “It’s a place where the creative community is very inspired and the California lifestyle lends itself to imagination and creativity…. Los Angeles is home for us, and I expect that would continue to be the case.” LAC
STEVEN TYLER
“I remember doing ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ [in 1999] and my mic was out in my ears and they started it without me. I was devastated. Curtain opens up, I look down, and there’s Madonna!” Grammy winner (with Aerosmith): 1991, 1994, 1995, and 1999
THE ALCHEMIST
What’s the formula for a Top 10 hit? Grammy-winning producer Jeff Bhasker shares the secret. “[Just] because it’s
commercial doesn’t mean it’s not great,” says music producer Jeff Bhasker, who has continued to prove his thesis by garnering a trio of 2014 Grammy nominations for his work with some of the best-selling artists of the moment. A multiple Grammy winner for his work with Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Fun., Bhasker’s musical Midas touch can be heard on Bruno Mars’s Record of the Year nominee, “Locked Out of Heaven,” Pink and Nate Ruess’s Song of the Year nominee, “Just Give Me a Reason,” and Taylor Swift’s Album of the Year contender, RED. His diverse array of additional collaborators have included Beyoncé, Eminem, Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Drake, Snoop Dogg, Leona Lewis, and the Rolling Stones. “I’ve been really lucky to have people around me who are striving to not just make hits, but also to express a message and create art,” says Bhasker. “Sometimes people think commercial music [has to be] dumbed down or [has to] follow some formula. That’s not how I and the people I like to work with approach it. We approach it with as much thought as possible.”
As one of the most in-demand producers in the business, Bhasker says the key to a successful collaboration with any artist is “respecting their identity. I make it easy on myself: I try to only work with people who know exactly what they want. Helping them fulfill their inspiration is my job.” A student of super-producers across all musical genres—Quincy Jones, Phil Spector, and Pharrell Williams, among others—Bhasker says “Kanye’s the biggest role model I have. Working with him was the finishing school for what I do: his approach of working tirelessly to achieve what you want, always searching for a unique solution, and not taking the easy way out.” Bhasker’s future projects include producing an all-superstar Queen tribute album to raise funds for the battle to cure AIDS, which has fueled an increasingly philanthropic sensibility—“I really want to inspire other people to get involved and turn this Me Generation into a We Generation”— and overseeing the debut work for country artist Camaron Ochs, the first he’s signed. “That’s going to create a new chapter for me to bring a new artist from ground zero to success… and [eventually] the Grammy stage!”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK MICELOTTA/GETTY IMAGES. OPPOSTIE PAGE: COURTESY OF THE LOS ANGELES PUBLILC LIBRARY (RAP ARTISTS); KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES (JAY-Z); DAVE HOGAN/GETTY IMAGES (DESTINY’S CHILD)
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
Members of rap acts Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince gathered to boycott the Grammys in 1999, citing the Academy’s lack of respect for rap artists and their music; Jay-Z, Kanye West, M.I.A., and T.I. perform at the 51st annual Grammy Awards in 2009; Destiny’s Child takes the stage in 2001.
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Abell heel, Brian Atwood ($1,495). Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211; saks.com. Lulu square stone clutch, BCBG Max Azria ($128). 154 S. Robertson Blvd., LA, 310-860-9690; bcbg.com. Cuff, Fallon ($225). fallonjewelry.com. Gold Va Va Voom bag, Valentino Garavani ($1,775). 324 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-247-0103; valentino.com FROM LEFT:
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Get awards season-ready with these stage-worthy accessories. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTFARM
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Black suede Ramage sandal, Sergio Rossi ($1,250). Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-4400; barneys.com. Gold patent pointy heel, Giuseppe Zanotti Design ($725). 9536 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, 310-550-5760; giuseppezanottidesign.com. Gold-plated cuff with black enamel, Pierre Hardy Paris ($1,265). Barneys New York, SEE ABOVE . Black and gold clutch, Edie Parker ($1,195). Neiman Marcus, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, 949-759-1900; neimanmarcus.com
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Swarovski-embellished sandal with metal heel, Fendi ($3,450). 355 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-276-8888; fendi.com. Natalia tile flap clutch, Michael by Michael Kors ($378). South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, 714-557-5600; michaelkors.com. Silver geometric cuff, Pierre Hardy Paris ($555). Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-4400; barneys.com
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CLOCKWISE TOP: Metallic fringe heel, Gianvito Rossi ($995). York,neimanmarcus.com. 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly 310-276-4400; barneys.com. Clutch in satin pink and Felted wool meltonFROM peacoat, Michael Kors ($1,995). Neiman Marcus,Barneys Mazza New Gallerie; GrafiteHills, luxury flannel mélange jacket ($1,450), shirt ($650) shiny leather, Gucci ($1,290). Beverly Beverly Hills, 310-652-0375; gucci.com. Crystal minaudière clutch, Roberto Cavalli (priceTysons on request). 362davidyurman.com. N. Rodeo and bird’s-eye flair pants ($795), Gucci. The Center, Collection at Chevy Chase; gucci.com. Sculpted Cable earrings, David Yurman ($2,675). Galleria; Beverly 310-276-6006; robertocavalli.com AlexanderDr., the GreatHills, coin-pendant necklace
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Carme heel, Marciano ($268). The Grove, LA, 323-935-0949; marciano.com. Bondage minaudière bag, Reece Hudson at Fred Segal ($1,295). Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-4400; barneys.com; Cuff, Atelier Swarovski by Maison Martin Margiela ($2,395). Ron Robinson, 8118 Melrose Ave., LA, 323-651-1935; ronrobinson.com. Maryanne bag in hammered steel, Rafé ($495). Neiman Marcus, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, 949-759-1900; neimanmarcus.com
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Haute Property
Play station! Incubus guitarist Michael Einziger recorded music in this home studio—a key selling point for his $3.75 million Malibu home.
The Hills Are Alive… IN GRAMMY TOWN, USA, A MAN’S HOME IS HIS SOUND STUDIO.
Y
es, the hills are alive with the sound of music. The Hollywood Hills, that is, along with Silver Lake, Venice, Malibu, Calabasas’s gated The Oaks, Hancock Park, Downtown, and of course, Compton. LA’s central role in the music business means that across town, famed musicians are heavily vested in residential real estate, from the Valley— pop princesses Miley Cyrus (Toluca Lake) and Britney Spears (Hidden Hills)—to the Palisades (Rihanna), Malibu (Sting, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Silver Lake (Fitz and the Tantrums, Daniel Lanois) to Chinatown, where Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh recently paid a record price for a Chung
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King Road apartment/gallery building. On occasion, residential listings will include an in-home studio. But before a musician can lay down tracks, there must be an essential emotional reaction. “It’s all about the vibe,” explains Deasy/Penner & Partners senior partner Steve Clark (clarkliving.com), a former professional drummer who often counts musicians as clients. “They have to walk into the space and feel something,” he says. A home has to work as a residence and as a creative space where music can be imagined. “Musicians are always looking for additional square footage, whether it’s
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BRAD WISEMAN, DIRECTOR OF WESTSIDE LUXURY ESTATE SALES FOR PINNACLE ESTATE PROPERTIES, INC.
NEWS, STARS, AND TRENDS IN REAL ESTATE
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Cantara created an automated music system that can compete with the crashing waves at this Laguna Beach manse; Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman’s home recording studio. INSET: An outdoor speaker by Cantara.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUERGEN NOGAI (RAHMAN STUDIO); RYAN FLECKLIN, DANA INNOVATIONS (LAGUNA BEACH HOME, SPEAKER)
ABOVE, FROM LEFT:
under the house, a garage, or an extra bedroom where they can hone their craft,” Clark says. Architect Peter Grueneisen of Nonzero/ Architecture (nonzero arch.com) has more than —BRAD WISEMAN 25 years’ experience designing high-end home studios, a natural segue from building professional media facilities. “A home recording studio has become a luxury item,” says Grueneisen. There’s nothing off-the-shelf in these types of projects; everything is custom made, and the range of possibilities is practically unlimited. Grueneisen’s end result is a smooth blend of finely tuned acoustics, clean lines, and rich materials enveloped in a contemporary aesthetic. “It’s always a collaboration between owners, site, and architect, and what we need to do with acoustics and technology,” says Grueneisen. Although there’s no average construction price for an in-home studio, the architect’s cost proposals for clients have ranged from $100,000 to $200,000 for a two-car-garage-sized, 400-square-foot studio (without audio equipment) to upward of $1 million for more complex endeavors. At Oscar-winning film composer A.R. Rahman’s digs, Grueneisen transformed the dining room into a studio, adding a production room and recording booth separated by a large angled glass window and behind two sets of doors—one wood, the other a sliding metal door. According to the architect, there are two main aspects to home studio design: One is soundproofing to isolate the space from neighbors and the other areas in the house; as musicians are known for working at night, soundproofing is a major factor, and it’s a significant expense. The other aspect is acoustics. Inside the room, “how you experience what comes out of the
“It turns people on that a famous musician lived in a property making music.”
speaker has to do with the finishes, acoustic treatment, room proportions, and angles of the walls and glass,” Grueneisen explains. Soundproofing serves a dual purpose, particularly for higher-profile talent who want to fly under the radar for various reasons. “In more upscale neighborhoods, neighbors aren’t necessarily enthused if a rock star with a studio is moving in,” Clark says, nor do the musicians want the word out to fans. However, when it comes to selling a property, there’s often a cachet from past association. Brad Wiseman, director of westside luxury estate sales with the San Fernando Valley’s Pinnacle Estate Properties (pinnacleestate.com), says, “It turns people on that a famous musician lived in a property making music.” He finds that connection to celebrity and creativity is a plus when selling, even when the new buyer is not in the business. Among his current listings is Incubus guitarist Michael Einziger’s oceanview $3.75 million Malibu pleasure palace, with a two-bedroom-sized studio. Advances in technology, such as Sonos, WiFi speakers, and high-end home automation, mean that nonprofessionals can also have a home filled with music, even if they didn’t create it themselves. Jason Voorhees, president of Cantara (cantaradesign.com), brings music in, around, and outside large-scale homes. “People want music everywhere, they want it to be easy to turn on, and they want to use it every day,” Voorhees finds. His firm makes music accessible via home automation systems controlled by iPhone and iPad apps that, with a press of a button, can set the entire mood of a property (low lighting, iTunes playlist, dancing fountains in sync) and control more mundane functions like security and lighting. For one client, Cantara created a DJ-enabled party room where, in an instant, techno beats pound, lights go club-style, and a fog machine is activated. In Laguna Beach, the firm has set a speaker system underground (the subwoofers are buried and out of sight), so the tunes can compete with the crashing waves. Provided they have the budget, the beat can go on seamlessly for today’s professional musicians… or mere music-loving mortals. LAC
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PRIME REAL ESTATE
Rock It! WANT TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 2084? THESE ARE THE MOST ENTERTAINING ESTATES IN TOWN.
W
e all can agree that Los Angeles loves to party. The best events—those that attract the premier rang of the city’s chic set— often go down in the comfort of a showstopping home. Although there’s no one ideal setup for grand entertaining, space to frolic is a must-have for big bashes. While a ballroom is handy, a tennis court, an artfully terraced yard or rooftop deck are equally coveted by those on the social circuit. And just like a fabulous fête, a house designed for entertaining is all in the multitude of details. REAL ESTATE FIRM THE AGENCY IS representing owner and developer Richard Papalian’s definitive party house (asking price $36 million). Set on a promontory overlooking Beverly Hills, the fivebedroom, ultracontemporary home’s centerpiece is a 7,400-square-foot living room that opens via doubleheight glass sliders to the outdoors. “Spaces for entertaining are balanced with privacy,” says Mauricio Umansky of The Agency (theagencyre.com). The master bedroom is on its own floor, one with a bar, Jacuzzi with a view, and 2,200-square-foot terrace for intimate affairs. Multiple seating areas within the living room and outdoor glass and crystal-topped fireplaces encourage socializing. There’s definitely an element of one-upmanship. “It feels like a super-yacht,” says Umanksy of the white banquette seating surrounding a sunken fire pit and the way the house seems to float over the city. Designed by Michael Palumbo (palumbodesign.com), along with architect Marc Whipple of Whipple Russell Architects (whipplerussell.com), the house features a level of interior detail that is stunning, from the luxe finishes and state-of-the-art programmable lighting and sound system to the glass-walled garage. The reflecting moat surrounding the exterior ensures no party crashers here, ever. “When I started designing, I considered who our client is,” says Palumbo. He imagined Simon Cowell (a client), “and how he would entertain.” The indoor/outdoor lifestyle possibilities are a luxuriant take on the California dream. JAMES GOLDSTEIN, OWNER FOR THE LAST 42 YEARS of John Lautner’s Sheats-Goldstein Residence
ABOVE AND RIGHT: The iconic pool at the Sheats-Goldstein Residence; 9909 boasts a 4,000-square-foot deck for supersized LA affairs.
(jamesfgoldstein.com), set close to the top of Benedict Canyon, has taken entertaining and architecture to new heights. His just-built infinity tennis court has views of the LA basin out to Catalina Island. It’s already proving a popular party venue—Porsche used it last year for a $1 million launch event, while the MAK Center hosted a celebrity tennis fundraiser there last summer. Carved out of the hillside underneath is a Lautner-inspired addition: a concrete nightclub/rec room. While it’s still a work in progress (frameless windows and stainless steel dance floor are yet to come), Goldstein predicts that when the space is complete in six months, “everyone in LA will want to use it.” It’s hard not to agree. Goldstein is a seasoned international nightclubber who always dreamed of having and designing his own boîte. “Club James,” as he’s named the elegant bunker, has a built-in bar topped with polished concrete under an inset (into the hill!) display shelf for liquor—just for possible sponsors, explains Goldstein. Along with architect Duncan Nicholson (nicholsonarchitects.com), they’ve also designed a VIP room, a digital video wall, and a cantilevered glass staircase at the entrance, now under construction. IN LA, IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR POSH DIGS to double as event spaces and LEFT AND BELOW: serve as backdrops for high-end products. Richard Papalian’s $36M moat-fortified “From a client perspective, being welcomed party pad features into someone’s home makes the connection indoor Jacuzzis and outdoor crystalto their brand more personal,” says Stacey topped fireplaces. Ruiz, an events manager with Shiraz Events (shirazevents.com). For a recent tasting session for New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay wines, the firm utilized 9909, a steel, glass, and stone multilevel architectural home on a steep upslope close to Beverly Hills. The house is topped by a 4,000-square-foot, hotel-style rooftop deck and pool that serve as a blank canvas to dozens of events per year. The Altman Brothers (thealtmanbrothers.com) of Hilton & Hyland and Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing represent the house, which leased last summer for $70K a month. Guests’ reaction to the space is invariably “Wow!” With such glam and grand spaces, every mega-gathering is memorable—the settings guarantee it. LAC
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID M. BRANDON (SHEATS-GOLDSTEIN RESIDENCE); ARTHUR GRAY (PAPALIAN HOUSE)
BY KATHY A. MCDONALD
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Abode and Beyond LET THERE BE LIGHT!
Brandon Morrison’s dazzling custom lighting pieces, shown here in Whyrhymer’s La Brea showroom, have recently caught the attention of LA retailers.
Lux Deluxe AS WHYRHYMER’S BRANDON MORRISON KNOWS, IN HOLLYWOOD, LIGHTING IS EVERYTHING. BY KATE FORRESTER
B
randon Morrison’s story starts no differently than those of many of his fellow Angelenos who came to Los Angeles armed with charm and Hollywood ambitions to match. But his future took an unexpected—and fortuitous—turn when the handyman jobs he performed to make ends meet led him down a new career path in furniture and lighting design. “Furniture making seemed like a really good thing for me to do to be creative instead of waiting for someone else to give [me] the go-ahead to be part of a project,” he says of his decision to start his line, Whyrhymer, in 2006 in lieu of his acting pursuits. Today, the Louisiana native is literally basking in the glow of his success, thanks to the Whyrhymer showroom on La Brea, which he has run alongside his wife, Sundeep, since 2011. (The line’s name is a nod to Morrison’s late dog, Jackson, whose breed—Weimaraner—was once mispronounced as “whyrhymer,” much to Morrison’s amusement.) Retailers across LA are also starting to take notice: A number of Morrison’s custom pieces have
earned a coveted spot at the Urban Hardwoods showroom in Santa Monica. Initially, the self-taught designer turned to sources like Woodworker’s Journal when he was asked to build a card table replica during his stint as a handyman. His skill set and fascination with the process progressed, but it wasn’t until he discovered his own appreciation for lighting that he began exploring fixture design. “It’s the way you see someone’s demeanor change when he or she comes in contact with great lighting,” explains the designer, whose work is crafted from walnut, bleached maple, white oak, and cherry. And so it’s no surprise that Morrison’s carefully sculptured pieces, which range in price from $650 to $7,500, boast unusual but clean lines and throw beautiful light to match—oftentimes thanks to the use of the striking elongated aquarium bulbs he employs. “People want to buy a fixture that they can get light out of, but at the same time, it needs to be visually arresting so it’s something [they] want to be near,” he says. That’s what we call brilliant thinking. 138 N. La Brea Ave., LA, 323-964-9900; whyrhymer.com LAC
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ADOBE AND BEYOND guide
Remains Lighting is one of the brightest spots on La Cienega.
The Illuminati TAKE A SHINE TO LOS ANGELES’S TOP LIGHTING DESTINATIONS. BY KATE FORRESTER
A robust collection of midcentury designs rounds out Design Within Reach’s lighting selection, but the true finds in this boutique are out-of-the-ordinary eye-catchers, including Poul Henningsen’s Artichoke line (the name says it all) and the Superordinate Antler items, designed by Jason Miller for Roll & Hill. 8070 Beverly Blvd., LA, 323-653-3923; dwr.com
Luce della Citta Boasting a strong focus on Murano glass pieces, this Italian home décor boutique’s name translates to “light of the city”; since summer 2013, it has been a bright spot in the Malibu Country Mart. Here, hand-blown, one-of-a-kind Murano luxury glass chandeliers find their place amid a finely curated selection of lighting from the likes of Armani/Casa and Roberto Cavalli Home. Bellissima! Malibu Country Mart, 3835 Cross Creek Road, Ste. 17, Malibu, 310-745-4154; lucedellacitta.com
Modernica Space-age George Nelson bubble lamps are the real showstoppers at this gallery, which prides itself on an extensive collection of lighting and modern furniture, primarily crafted in Los Angeles. To re-create the pendants (which first appeared in 1952), Modernica turns to tried-and-true methods and materials, resulting in pieces built to last. Bonus? Everyone looks better in the warm, diffused light they produce. Trust us.
7366 Beverly Blvd., LA, 323-934-1254; modernica.net
Orange Let your midcentury fantasies run wild at this spot, where vintage lighting rules the roost. Owners Angie Zupan and Nadir Zafai have scoured the globe to build this unrivalled collection of sconces and chandeliers with a focus on European designs and pieces spanning the 1940s through 1970s. 8111 Beverly Blvd., LA, 323-782-6898; 1stdibs.com/ dealers/orange/
Twentieth Look no further than this beloved local gallery for statement-making lighting. Owner Stefan Lawrence is constantly on the search for “new and exciting” brands such as Tom Dixon and Bocci, which glow alongside pieces from smaller ateliers including Lindsey Adelman and Bec Brittain. Starting this month, the selection has a new home at Twentieth’s Neil M. Denari–designed location, just down the block. 8057 Beverly Blvd., LA, 323-904-1200; twentieth.net
Remains Lighting This New York-founded lighting showroom casts a warm glow on La Cienega with its antique collection and in-house lines, including the signature Tony Duquette for Remains collection, which pays homage to the Golden State with its reflective California sunburst chandelier. Less dramatic
but equally sophisticated are the lanterns by both Mercer and Sorenson, the latter featuring mouth-blown glass globes wrapped in handwoven wire fabric (a tasteful and unexpected nod to a safety feature in historical factory lighting). 808 N. La Cienega Blvd., LA, 310-358-9100; remains.com
LIGHTEN UP! Interior design doyen Jonathan Adler reflects on his favorite lighting tips.
Filament Lighting Is your family heirloom fixture in need of a little love? Call upon Filament Lighting, the go-to guys in town for expertlighting refurbishment. The showroom also boasts an array of vintage and modern works, ranging from a trippy, colored glass rod-bedecked Venini chandelier to a more subdued, but equally striking lotus-shaped candelabra pendant. 1100 S. La Brea Ave., LA, 323-935-7636; filamentlightingla.com
Blackman Cruz Head to Highland Avenue to comb through Blackman Cruz’s selection of luminous treasures—a tightly curated mix of off-the-wall pieces sourced by founders Adam Blackman and David Cruz. The design duo’s in-house line, BC Workshop, adds to the already robust selection of modern and throwback finds, including its pendulumlike Brass Ball–series sconce, created in collaboration with jewelry designer and artist Lika Moore. 836 N. Highland Ave., LA, 323.466.8600; blackmancruz.com LAC
“When it comes to chandeliers, always buy one bigger than you think you need and more pricey than you think you can afford.” “With lighting, there are three words to keep in mind: dimmers, dimmers, dimmers. Put everything on a dimmer, and you’ll look younger and more beautiful.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT MAYORAL (REMAINS LIGHTING)
Design Within Reach
“Use silvercapped bulbs for fixtures with exposed bulbs. They reflect light back up to the ceiling and eliminate any unflattering reflections.” “Split up your ambient light sources: A few small lamps scattered around is better than one big one.” 8125 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323-6588390; jonathanadler.com Jonathan Adler’s new Pablo brass table lamp.
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ABODE AND BEYOND gifts
Give It to Her FORGET THE BORING BOTTLE OF WINE. GET CREATIVE WITH LA HOSTESS GIFTS!
David Orgell has been a fixture on Rodeo Drive for more than half a century..
Past, Presents, Perfect RODEO DRIVE’S DAVID ORGELL RETAINS ITS TITLE AS THE KING OF GIFT GIVING. BY KATE FORRESTER
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hen looking to buy something for the person who has everything, Los Angelenos consult the experts at specialty store David Orgell. Founded on Rodeo Drive by David Orgell in 1958, the brand is overseen today by the Beverly Hills–based Soltani family, who continue strengthening the company’s reputation as the go-to gifting destination in town. Korosh Soltani was just 18 years old when his father, Rahim Soltani, originally a Persian antiques and carpet merchant, bought the store in 1989 (it moved to its current home on Two Rodeo in 2009). Twenty-four years later, Korosh has worked his way up from his original job as a company deliveryman to become managing director. “I didn’t finish university or college, but I did graduate from the university of D.O.—David Orgell,” he laughs, recalling his time spent working in the gift-wrapping department and stock room. Today, Korosh is well versed in the store’s five specialties: fine jewelry, timepieces, tabletop items, silver antiques, and corporate gifts. He also has prided himself on developing unique, extensive relationships with the brand’s customer base. “Clients buy for their corporations but also for their homes,” he explains. In fact, companies can consult with one of the five in-store salespeople, including Korosh and Rahim, who can offer advice on pieces ranging from a $15 crystal paperweight to a $5 million ring—often sourced during the father and son’s worldwide travels, combing the globe for unique finds. Korosh counts matching flawless six carat pink and blue diamonds among some of the rare objects he has hunted down for clients, and is especially pleased with a $35,000, 150-year-old standing wood Buddha statue, which currently greets customers at the store entrance. “I enjoy selling; I enjoy trying to help pick something out for the consumer, whether it’s a wedding gift or an engagement ring or his-and-hers watches,” explains Korosh. “I want to be part of that something special.” 262 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-273-6660; davidorgell.com LAC
ERIC JENNINGS, VP AND FASHION DIRECTOR of Men’s and Home at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, has a number of favorite go-to gifts for hostesses, but at the top of his list are RabLabs’ agate coasters ($68–$140). “These coasters come in intriguing colorations of natural, hand-polished agate stone that come from Brazil. They add a modern richness to any décor, and everyone can always use coasters!” 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-275-4211; saks.com Confection queen Valerie Gordon, who recently opened tea-centric Valerie Echo Park café, prefers to come bearing gifts of the edible kind, including her hot chocolate and hot matcha gift set ($50). “I like giving a selection of teas or hot chocolate as a hostess gift. The products hold up well through the whole winter season; it’s really nice to give something that lasts.” 1665 Echo Park Ave., LA, 213-250-9365; valerie confections.com Artist Karen Kimmel is a fan of homemade gifts, natch. “If you can squeeze in the time, a handmade gift is the ultimate treasure,” she explains. “At the studio, we love making colorful planters filled with herbs or succulents, but if we’re short on time, we love to give our bag bolos ($36) or one of our dream catchers (from $150).” 3268 Casitas Ave., LA, 32 3 - 66 0 - 8 8 66 ; karenkimmel.com Kathy Rose, cofounder of lifestyle gallery Roseark, enjoys giving gifts of jewelry, especially a hand-engraved Daisy pendant from her eponymous bijoux line. Another of Rose’s favorite gift ideas? Candles from Roseark’s in-house collection, featuring such uncommon scents as kiwi, and a combination of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme ($25–$48). “These candles look great in the office, bedroom or even the bathroom,” says Rose. 1111 N. Crescent Heights Blvd., West Hollywood, 323-822-3600; roseark.com RabLabs’ hand-polished agate coasters come in sets of four.
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and Finally ... Play It Again, Gram! AS LA MOBILIZES FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY’S BIG DAY, MAKE SURE TO PLUG IN… AND TUNE UP. BY NADINE SCHIFF-ROSEN
Cheers! 120
ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL O’LEARY
S
ometime after Pearl Jam accepted the Best Song Grammy rocking a cynical “Dude, whatever,” and before Lady Gaga showed up onstage curled up inside a gigantic egg, I realized I had reached an age-related cultural divide. With the glut of redcarpet Wassups?, YOLOs (You Only Live Once), and Turn ups!, the nominated musicians—all members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences—had clearly stopped speaking in full sentences. They had also been issued a membership to the “Club of Quirk”: a club so quirky that CBS sent out a memo instructing the attendees to keep all breasts, buttocks, and genital regions properly covered. Apparently JLo’s thighs and Katy Perry’s cleavage never got that memo, but hopefully, at least that year, there were fewer “nip malfunctions.” After CeeLo wore an orange bear costume and dueted with Elmo (yes, the Muppet) as Gwyneth writhed on a piano, I knew it was time to start watching the Grammys for my annual pop-culture tuneup—I needed to stay, as they say in my generation, relevant. The thing about the Grammys is that the music matters, but not nearly as much as it should. They only give away 11 gold gramophones in three and a half hours. The rest of the show is a mash-up waiting to happen—a cross between performance art and rock ’n’ roll overindulgence (check out Nicki Minaj’s six-inch false eyelashes). Sometimes the blend is pure magic: the Bob Marley homage featuring Bruno Mars, Sting, and Rihanna jamming with Damian and Ziggy Marley. But more often than not, that crossroads where genius meets reverence feels off-key. Taylor Swift surrounded by dancers dressed as white rabbits, followed by tributes to our greatest artists now missing in action, Clarence Clemons, Amy Winehouse, and Whitney Houston? Awkward. In this politically correct world—and to their credit—the Grammys have managed to offend almost everyone. So they have created categories to appease the mainstream and alternative viewers. Now there are awards for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Americana, and my personal favorite—Best Album Liner Notes, in case you’d prefer to read the lyrics rather than listen to the actual music. Still, over 35 million viewers can’t be wrong. The 2014 Grammys are in their 56th year, and I will be watching, my Blake Shelton spiked latte in hand. This year, I’m hoping for some answers to my universally important questions: Why does John Mayer dress in blue velour? Why doesn’t Drake have a last name, or is it that he doesn’t have a first one? Didn’t that adorable Justin Timberlake used to sing in a boy band? And finally, what is twerking, really? Yeezus.
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