Egoreview 04 Winter

LOS ANGELES

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WINTER 2018 FRANK GEHRY × NYESHA ARRINGTON × MARCIANO FOUNDATION × DANNY TREJO EGOREVIEW.COM

a word from the editors

X MARKS THE SPOT What if we talked about us at egoreview: los angeles? Actually, let's talk about the people born between 1965 and 1979, Generation X. A generation between the two realms of the baby boomers in their 60s and 70s who changed the world, and the 30-somethings and 40-somethings, who in their own way are reinventing our world, changing our social behaviors and giving some serious headaches to sociologists and employers.

X means the unknown. We are a lost target in a multibilliondollar market; we are the dominant generation and yet we are nonmarketable.

We decided to bring the focus on us, our inspirations, our hopes, and our annoyances. We celebrate those between ages 39 and 53 that have the spirit to change lives and jobs and pursue lost dreams. Gen X doesn’t clash with Gen Y, we support them in their struggles and battles. We try to help them find balance in their professional and personal lives. And let us not forget, like in any math equation, the answer to Y always passes by X.

SOPHIE MAAREK & ELOÏSE GIRAULT egoreview.com

HOME

1134 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403 (310) 587-2222 www.exirhome.com

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contents

WINTER 2018 ego’s choices desire list

ego design

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luminary 72

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FRANK GEHRY

exposé 28

DANNY TREJO

interior design

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ego fashion

everlasting love

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design focus

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ACME5 HIGH DESERT THE POLA

eternally beautiful

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L.A. story

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MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

NEW FORM PERSPECTIVE’S FLEX FASHION

CASE STUDY HOUSES

ego culture

ego voyage beautiful escape

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near us

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not so near us

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SHALOM, ISRAEL

CULVER CITY, SLICKER LYON, BRIDGE TO ANOTHER ERA

art and about

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reader’s comments

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MARCIANO ART FOUNDATION THE WENDE MUSEUM: COME IN FOR THE COLD FREDERICK R. WEISMAN ART FOUNDATION WALLIS ANNENBERG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS HOT CLUB OF LOS ANGELES: DJANGO UNCHAINED SON OF SEMELE THEATER NOVEL SUGGESTIONS FROM SKYLIGHT BOOKS

ego gourmand a chef at the table

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oeno options

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piece of cake

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high holidays

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monsieur marcel

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NATIVE RESTAURANT’S NYESHA ARRINGTON LAUREN CARO’S FAVES

FRENCH MARKET’S GÂTEAU ARDÉCHOIS CHRIS YANG’S POPCULTIVATE THE HERBAL CHEF: CHRISTOPHER SAYEGH GRACIAS MADRE’S HIGH VIBES LA VIE EST BELLE

9624 Brighton Way BEVERLY HILLS 90210 | located between Bedford and Camden egoreview los angeles 04

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mephistobeverlyhills.com | 310 734 7181

ego’s choices

ego’s choices

ego’s choices

Air Food’s Service

MY BISTRO BY THE SEA

In a sunny space just steps from the Santa Monica Pier, Air Food bistro offers classic French fare with a modern California vibe and an eco-friendly sensibility. The restaurant is the brainchild of two friends who met at a shoe sale in Paris and share the same passion for food, even though they come from widely different backgrounds. (Marc was a logistics contractor; Thierry a chef in London and Paris.) They opened pop-up eateries several years ago before eventually settling down in Santa Monica. Air Food sources its mostly organic products from local sellers, and creates all dishes, sauces, and desserts on site with inspiration and respect for the four seasons, using a low-temperature cooking method (the French onion soup alone takes six hours to make) and nary a deep-fat fryer.

Try their takes on sole meuniere and escargot, and schmear a thick piece of homemade fois gras on bread from La Boulangerie de Paris bakery. C’est magnifique! 

WRITERS WHITNEY ESHLEMAN, BRADLEY LINCOLN, LARISSA LOVE, CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

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AIR FOOD 109 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90401 Ph. 310.319.6262 air-food.com

MY BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY MY GIFTING GURU

Rose of Sharing

Snake Charmer Name a household object or sporting good and chances are Elisabeth Weinstock has considered wreathing it in snakeskin. She’s covered footballs, flasks, and flashlights; board games, guitars, and boxing gloves; with a reptilian rainbow of dyed and glazed whipsnake, boa, and elaphe as well as globally sourced leather since launching her label in 2011. Weinstock, a native Bev Hiller with a background in interior and fashion design, also crafts handbags and apparel coveted by styleforward celebs like SJP, the Kardashian clan, and Justins Bieber and Timberlake. Pick up these oneoffs at her cheeky boutique in West Hollywood—a former 1930s bungalow—at high-end vendors such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman-Marcus, or online. The friendly fashionista is also a giver who mentors and collaborates with artistically inclined former gang members and people in recovery who are trying to turn around their lives.  BL

Since 1979 the Rose Café has blossomed into an iconic eatery in the heart of Venice. Thirty-nine years later (about a gazillion in restaurant years), Chef Jason Neroni is keeping the joint’s earthy roots while at the same time introducing globally influenced cuisine. With an impressive résumé (Chez Panisse, Spago, Le Cirque, El Bulli, et al.), Neroni’s produce-driven menu features local ingredients and lotsa pasta, and the onsite bakery offers American classics and some original favorites reimagined. The expansive space includes indoor and outdoor dining with a beer garden, a grocery market, a Verve coffee bar, and a 40-foot cocktail counter. Always arty, the Rose commissioned printmaker and skateboard legend Craig Stecyk to cover a wall with trippy posters and imagery from the neighborhood, and it has enough macramé plant hangers to stock several Etsy stores. From the food to the interior design to the art, the Rose Café keeps it local and celebrates Venice’s history.

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ROSE CAFÉ 220 Rose Avenue Venice, CA 90291 Ph. 310.399.0711 rosecafevenice.com

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ELISABETH WEINSTOCK 8159 West 3rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90048 Ph. 323.655.3000 elisabethweinstock.com

ego’s choices

ego’s choices

Cleo Patois

SPIRITED SOULMATES

MY MEDITERRANEAN MARVEL The Disruptive Group, a rapidly growing subsidiary of the SBE hospitality company, has rolled out the carpet at its third Los Angeles Cleo restaurant, inside the Orlando Hotel. Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh crafted a menu celebrating eastern and southern Mediterranean ingredients, flavored by his Israeli-Japanese heritage, that complements the room’s rich, earth toned design by DesignAgency and murals by L.A. street artist Cryptik. Quench your thirst with an Eye of RA or another signature cocktail while you snack on crispy artichoke hummus on laffa bread, meatball tagine with poached eggs and piquillo peppers, and duck matzo ball soup. Family style dishes include charcoal-grilled branzino with tomatoes and niçoise olives, seared snapper with Calabrian chiles and barberries, and a robust Wagyu flat iron steak. Cleo is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, and has a popular social hour with discounted prices. 

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CLEO THIRD STREET 8384 West 3rd Street West Hollywood, CA 90048 Ph. 323.579.1600 cleothirdstreet.com

IN VINO VERITAS © DR

For almost 40 years—longer than West Hollywood’s officially been “West Hollywood”—René Averseng has proffered wine from a charming petite bungalow off San Vicente and Melrose, in the shadow of the PDC’s Blue Whale and around the corner from egoreview’s hang, Zinque. Du Vin & Spirits can be tricky to find, but follow the French and American flags to the cobblestone courtyard under the ivied arch and de-can’t miss it. The convivial Averseng was born in France, worked as a consultant for top restaurants, and is eager to share his knowledgeable nose whether you’re looking for a reasonable Netflix-night-in rosé or a momentous magnum. You’re in good hands, whoever’s working the room. Du Vin specializes in French wines, especially from the Bordeaux region, but also stocks a heady mix from other countries, exotic beers, laudable liquors, and oeno-accessories ranging in price from double to quintuple digits. 

MY DOWNTOWN DRINKERY The backstory of DTLA’s Greenbar Distillery plays out like a rom-com with the twists of an Aggie Christie novel and the art direction of a Nancy Meyers film. Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew met cute in 1992 on their first day of grad school at USC. Mathew was less than fond of the grain alcohol and fruity brandy knocked back at Khosrovian’s Armenian family suppers, so he began experimenting with vodka infusions to better please her palate. The concoctions were a smash, and the couple decided to turn their hobby into a bona fide business in 2004. They overcame litigious red tape to become the first distillery in Los Angeles since the repeal of Prohibition, and expanded from vodkas to a collection of small-batch organic spirits like whiskeys, gins, amari, and offbeat herbal bitters. All are crafted in gleaming copper stills and enormous wooden barrels at Greenbar’s handsome distillery in the Arts District, which offers cocktail classes, tours, and private parties.

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DU VIN WINE & SPIRITS 540 North San Vicente Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90048 Ph. 310.855.1161 du-vin.net

GREENBAR DISTILLERY 2459 East 8th Street Los Angeles, CA 90021 Ph. 213.375.3668 greenbardistillery.com

MY SPIRITED WINE SHOP egoreview los angeles 04

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ego’s choices

French Twist

MY MAR VISTA MENU

The Atmosphere Café on Venice Boulevard has a new owner, a new look, a new attitude, and a new name, Atmosphere Mar Vista. Proprietor Tropez Aubour was born in Paris and raised in the South of France, where he got his start in hospitality at the family hotel and restaurant in Saint-Tropez. He spent time as the director of operations at Heritage Fine Wines in Beverly Hills, and his knowledge of wine sparkles with Atmosphere’s new menu. Aubour renovated the patio and the open-air room, which is the true centerpiece of the restaurant and a pretty place to have le petit déjeuner, a pile of poutine, or a mug of Lavazza coffee. It’s a charming place where people linger (WiFi password is "frenchkiss") with books and friends. The updated menu was designed by globetrotting Chef Claudine Marshall and features locally sourced ingredients in homestyle family dishes from around the world. Try the ratatouille goat cheese flatbread or the merguez toast, both served on rustic wooden paddles. The welcoming staff, communal tables, and open kitchen create the perfect atmosphere to make you feel right at ease. 

Fresh Prince of Pasta

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MY ROYAL ROLLER

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ATMOSPHERE MAR VISTA 12034 Venice Boulevard Los Angeles, CA, 90066 Ph. 310.437.0144 atmospheremarvista.com

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Not for nothing is Prince of Venice food truck called that—it’s owned by a bona fide prince.

Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia is the grandson of Umberto II, the last reigning king of Italy. His passion for pasta and love of L.A. inspired him to launch a traveling trattoria with a built-in machine that rolls out 30 pounds of royal rigatoni, titled tortellini, and aristocratic orecchiette every day.

Staples like flour and olive oil are imported from Italy; other ingredients come from organic and free-range SoCal farms. The rotating daily menu features 10 different dishes prepared to order, as well as salads and homemade cannoli, panna cotta, and other desserts. “I wanted to create a gourmet, fresh-pasta Italian food truck with authentic recipes matched by equally high-quality ingredients,” says Filiberto, whose title is Prince of Piedmont and Venice. Pastaholics can also pick up packaged noodles and sauces to cook at home.

The truck roams from Santa Monica to Burbank to Orange Country and beyond. Find out where at princeofvenicefoodtruck.com, and order anything with fresh black truffles if it’s on the menu. 

ego’s choices

BRENTWOOD BOÎTE

MY HIDDEN BISTRO FIND

Belle Vie Food & Wine is home away from home for Los Angeles’s French expats, not the clichéd bistro of a Woody Allen movie. No Edith Piaf here, but you will find red leather booths, a gallery wall of kitschy art, and an old Citroen fourgonnette parked outside.

Owner Vincent Samarco is the son and grandson of French chefs, and he trained in Paris before moving to California. Cédric Nicolas, a Gordon Ramsay–schooled chef who helmed a Michelin-starred restaurant in Versailles, completes the team. They use ancestral techniques on farmers market produce, adapting classics to make beef bourguignon tacos, truffle coquillettes gratin (mac and cheese–y), and Bangkok-inspired mussels mariniere. The F.F.F. (fresh french fries) come with beef tallow and porcini. Specials are handwritten on a traveling chalkboard, à la française. At daily happy hour, five-dollar wine and beer go well with plates of Sonoma cheeses. Vincent has a passion for small vintners, and Belle Vie has a nice selection of Franco-finds at reasonable prices. Like the best bistros, it’s a discreet hidden gem. 

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BELLE VIE 11916 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA Ph. 424.832.7375 bellevierestaurant.com

Kiff & Kin

MY GRECIAN FORMULA

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The word “kiff” is French slang for a potent pleasure, and at Kiff Kafe you’ll find those in spades. Co-owner Eric Cuenin has more than 30 years of experience as a chef in Europe, Africa, and Tahiti, and his business partner, Franko Nakic, is a Croatian-born Greek pro b-baller who transitioned to nutrition and hospitality. Together they present a Mediterranean-inspired menu of sandwiches, salads, and tartines using farmers market fare, top-shelf olive oil they import from the Peloponnese region of Greece, baked goods from Gjusta bakery, and hand-roasted coffee creations.

Order a Dakos salad (Cuenin’s riposte to a Greek salad, with Cretan rusks, capers, and fleur de sel) or an Emmental-fontina grilled cheese, and settle in on the peaceful back patio. You can also purchase olive oil and a small selection of other imported goods at this low-key gem. 

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KIFF KAFE 12229 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90064 Ph. 424.293.2885 kiffkafe.com

ego’s choices

ego’s choices shop local

Great White’s Way

ENDA KING

MY BEACHY BISTRO

Owners Sam and Sam (Trude and Cooper), Executive Chef Alex Thomopolous, and chef and kitchen manager Cassy Pugh make up the team behind Great White, a café in the heart of Venice.

The Sams both grew up on the beaches of Sydney, Australia, so Venice seemed a natural place to open a restaurant (“sandy feet are always encouraged”). Thomopolous and Pugh are Angelenos whipping up coastal fare with a Euro-Aussie flair that focuses on local ingredients. It’s not fast food, nor upscale dining, but rather an approachable neighborhood place for flat whites and breakfast burritos in the morning, a quick harvest bowl or fish taco weekday lunch, beetroot-topped burgers for supper, and lazy weekend brunches. Take it to go or grab a number and a seat at the bar or on the patio. Designed and built by Trude and Cooper, the décor and menu are influenced by global travels.

Great White serves great food to everyone who comes through its convivial doors. 

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GREAT WHITE 1604 Pacific Avenue Venice, CA 90291 Ph. 424.744.8403 greatwhitevenice.com

MY ENDA THE LINE

MY YOGA PAD

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Namaste Local

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Proudly designed in a boutique studio in Los Angeles, OMGI CORKPro yoga mats allow California yogis to support independent businesses in their own backyard. Down your dog and make your baby happy in hot yoga poses with the confidence that these durable mats will provide a firm grip as you sweat like a warrior. The fully sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly mats are made of natural cork and recycled rubber tires, and they dry quickly after class so you can get on with your to-do list. CORKPro mats unroll perfectly flat, have thick padding, and feature chakra-inspiring designs from local artists. With their super durability and their ability to keep you and your skin healthy, these are the yoga mats for your best practice, lovingly crafted right here in L.A. 

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Enda King an Irishman from Dublin with a keen sense of fashion, brought his stylish duds to Abbot Kinney Boulevard when he opened his flagship Enda King Men in 2005. The boutique became an instant success, frequented by celebrities, locals, and travelers, so King expanded with an eponymous new boutique last summer on Santa Monica’s happening Montana Avenue. Enda King is an inviting space bathed in natural light, with a maximalist approach to everything a guy could need. Think beautiful shirts, jeans, jackets, shorts, T-shirts, swimwear, and a kicky array of socks and boxers. You’ll also find home goods and accessories, and books spanning topics from music to travel and film. Manly bars of charcoal soap, lotion, cologne, candles, and wallets make for great gifts, and there are coats, scarves, gloves, and beanies for chilly days on the Coast. This is a one-stop shop for men, with casual yet attentively spot-on service. 

ENDA KING MEN 1419 Abbot Kinney Boulevard Venice, CA 90291 Ph. 310.396.1242 ENDA KING 1030 Montana Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90403 Ph. 310.396.1242

OMGIYOGA.COM

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ego’s choices shop local

ego’s choices shop local

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A favorite of creatives and a place of healing for mind and body, Larissa Love cosmetics is acclaimed for selling organic and vegan bath, body, and home fragrance products made in the United States. An established brand for 20 years, the boutique is now expanding into the tea industry, and it’s a logical next step for this trusted authority on beauty and wellness. Love herself chooses the collection of more than 60 different types of teas, ranging from herbal Ayurvedic to Japanese matcha. She has fashioned an authentic tea house, offering a crème-de-la-crème selection of herb and flower mixtures. Love believes that teas are a fantastic, flavorful natural medicine, and cites their detoxifying and calming attributes.

She swears by her expert curation of product. It all began with her passion for cooking. After struggling with food allergies most of her adult life, and seeing others recognize sensitivities to common things like gluten and dairy, Love prides herself in using only the best organic components for both her personal cooking and her teas. She understands the need for a healthy balance in the body and she chooses ingredients to promote it, as well as a blissful state of relaxation and harmony. Cool weather makes us don favorite sweaters and cozy up with loved ones, and the perfect accompanying cherry on top is a cup of warm, soothing tea. 

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No Leaves Unturned

MY BLISSFUL BREWER © DR

LARISSA LOVE TEA 1129 Montana Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90403 Ph. 310.729.0156 larissalovetea.com

MY CHAKRA SHIFTER

MEDIUM AT LARGE

Comfortable Kicks

Known for innovative comfort technology and stylish design, Mephisto has been making footwear for more than 50 years.

Its shoes are handmade by master shoemakers in France, from the finest quality leathers, and clients call them “the RollsRoyce of shoes.” Lydia Demirjian moved to Santa Monica in 1975 from Beirut, to work in fashion. In just a few weeks she was promoted to manager of Incognito, the legendary 1980s Wilshire clothier, where she worked with showbiz icons like Bette Midler and Mick Jagger. She and her family opened a 744-square-foot Mephisto storefront in Encino in 2003. After surviving the global recession, updates in shoe design, and corporate transitions, that modest investment opportunity has evolved into a modern new Beverly Hills boutique. Owner Lydia Demirjian recognized the need for upscale, comfortable walking shoes in town. “There were a lot of beautiful shoes, but none people could actually walk in,” she says. And now here they are, at their third location, continuing to provide the exclusive services clients have been receiving for more than 15 years. The Demirjians are the owners, the buyers, and the sellers. “We are curating,” says Teveen Demirjian, creative designer and Mephisto’s VP of communications. She recently spent a summer learning from leather masters in Florence, Italy. “We have access to amazing French shoemakers, and we invest in shoes no other account would consider,” she says.

“When we introduce designs to the Los Angeles scene, they fly off the shelves. We forecast trends in fit.”

Natural born clairvoyant Dorothy-Ann has been a psychic in Los Angeles for more than 20 years. She realized at age 7 that she had the gift, and made her purpose and mission in life to help others find theirs. She provides chakra cleansing and balancing, energy alignment, house and business cleansing and blessing, and tea leaf, soulmate, soul purpose, and tarot card readings. She often serves clients from the tranquil garden at Larissa Love’s tea room, where visitors relax in a lovely, private setting while she illuminates the clarity they seek. Loyal customers turn to Dorothy-Ann for her abilities to make them feel uplifted, hopeful, and most importantly, inspired. 

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BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Ph. 310.729.0156

MEPHISTO 9624 Brighton Way Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Ph. 310.278.0989 mephistobeverlyhills.com

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MY CHIC SHOEMAKERS

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The new shop offers classic models as well as these exclusives, with one commonality: an indescribable fit. Try a pair of Mephistos on and you’ll be a convert too. 

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ego’s choices shop local

ego’s choices shop local

CARRYING THE TORCH

Phenomenal Femelle MY FLIRTY FASHION

Father-daughter duo Ron and Brooke Feder, the savvy proprietors behind Montana Avenue’s new Femelle boutique, understand the subtle nuance of the stylish L.A. woman. Their intimate 1,500-square-foot space carries both Los Angeles–based and international brands, with a collection of ready-to-wear pieces as well as staple items like premium denim and T-shirts.

It’s a concept store inspired by strong women and soft silhouettes, because one does not have to preclude the other. The minimalist, feminine design showcases a special mix of casual chic alongside the classic and sophisticated, because let’s be honest, every woman is a little bit of both. Brooke sums up the boutique’s essence nicely when she says, “Our walls are lined with chic, feminine, and wearable pieces. We want all women to feel unique, timeless, and beautiful.” 

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a FEMELLE 1627 Montana Avenue, Suite B Santa Monica, CA 90403 Ph. 424.268.7260 shopfemelle.com

MY SOURCE FOR SWEETS

In a city perpetually fascinated by the next big trend, it’s difficult to find authenticity in L.A. food culture.

Back to basics. Classic, well presented, delicious. We’ve long had a flirtation with sweets, from the original pink-boxed donuts to twists of churros, massive ice cream cookie sandwiches, froyo, cronuts, and cupcakes, cupcakes everywhere. Not to mention that ubiquitous wildcard the pastry, which frequently and unexpectedly disappoints. Bakeries entice the eye with beautiful and edible offerings, but it’s hit or miss: The flavor and texture don’t always live up to the appearance, and nobody likes to waste calories on crummy desserts. Enter Oro Caffé, opened this year by Florestano Caracciolo and Alberto Ferrari in Beverly Hills. It’s an authentic Italian patisserie and a breath of fresh air. Pastry chef Daniele Chiandussi lovingly handmakes a number of different confections daily, creating a tailored selection for local patrons.

His exceptional crostatine alla frutta, apple strudels, cannoli, et al. will satisfy anyone from an Italian traveler looking for a taste of home, to the foodie wanting to expand her culinary palate, to your neighbor Jim who’s always going on about the Dodgers. Pair them with one of Oro’s handmade sandwiches and a rich espresso—now that’s a great meal. 

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GOLD STANDARD

MY ABBOT KINNEY LIFESTYLE A destination for the creative and compassionate alike, the Burning Torch boutique champions upcycled clothing, eco-conscious values, and global inspiration. Owner Karyn Craven welcomes visitors with her distinctively organic Californian lifestyle and design sensibilities (and a glass of champagne). The flagship shop presents a thoughtful blend of Burning Torch–branded sportswear, vintage collectibles, home décor, her own line of Craven Iteri fine jewelry, Henry Beguelin leather goods, and accessories for men, women, and children. Craven encourages clients to transform the ordinary to the extraordinary by creating eclectic, comfortable home environments. She advocates individuality and positivity, traits embodied by the brand’s winged logo of a handheld torch, the symbol of transformation and freedom.

With earthy colors and patterns drawn from the archives of global culture, Burning Torch’s collections connect us to the imaginarium of a better world. It’s easy to fall in love with Craven’s sustainably focused vision, which merges her love of nature, travel, art, and vintage.

The designer pioneered the idea of upcycling, creatively transforming old clothing into new fashion, something that was unheard of when she founded the store in 1999. Burning Torch’s merchandise is always exceptional in quality, timeless in style, and effortlessly special. 

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ORO CAFFÉ 9559 South Santa Monica Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Ph. 310.888.8714

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BURNING TORCH 1227 Abbot Kinney Boulevard Venice, CA 90291 Ph. 310.399.1920 burningtorchinc.com

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ego’s choices shop local

RISING TO THE OCCASION

ego’s choices shop local

Gifting Sweet

MY HOLIDAY HOSTS

One of our favorite home stores on Montana Avenue, EXIR, has amassed an eclectic collection of gift options for this holiday season. Outgoing owners Reza and Maryam Torab are longtime Santa Monica residents who travel the world to select merchandise and commission craftsmen and artists for one-off creations. Carved wooden serving pieces, mother-of-pearl champagne saucers, European linens, elegant glassware, fragrant candles and diffusers, and handmade Christmas ornaments are beautifully displayed on tables and shelves. With its chic abundance of simple, modern design, EXIR should be your go-to place to find unique presents for those people who seem to already have everything. 

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EXIR 1134 Montana Avenue Santa Monica, CA 90403 Ph. 310.597.2222 exirhome.com

MY INTERIOR DESIGN FIND

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Nicky Rising approaches the world with vibrancy and wide-eyed wanderlust, and her eponymous interior design showroom, stocked with bespoke textiles and wallpapers, reflects her enthusiasm. The unassuming storefront sits in the heart of the West Hollywood design district, and Rising often repaints the façade and changes up the interior to celebrate a new designer, or a new mood. She finds inspiration everywhere, from annual pilgrimages to Marrakesh and Oaxaca, or wherever else the breeze takes her. Rising grew up in Libya, Nigeria, and France. She’s a traveler in spirit and in practice, and her globally influenced inventory is fabulous yet cozy; elaborate yet approachable. She carries hand-painted and color-blocked textiles from such designers as Kathryn Ireland, John Robshaw, Australia’s Walter G, and L.A.’s own rising star, Brook Perdigon. Designs skew colorful and eye catching, with patterns that range from intricately geometric to nature inspired. For wallpapers, Rising showcases Adam Jones’s watercolor landscapes from Sydney-based Quercus & Co., as well as the crown jewel of wallpaper, de Gournay. De Gournay offers silk wallpapers with feather-light florals and botanical and animal tableaux.

If they read like murals, it’s because they are, and the company’s designs can be spotted on billboards, in fashion spreads, and in celebrity Instagrams. Taken all together, Rising’s collection represents vitality and fun, because the places we live should feel alive and inspirational. 

Wristed Development

Created by the husband and wife team of Courtney Ormond and Leszek Garwacki, LaCalifornienne, a new line of timepieces, draws inspiration from the myriad colors of California sunsets. Garwacki is an avid vintage watch enthusiast and Ormond worked as a wardrobe stylist until the couple founded LaCalifornienne. After discovering they could modify the faces and bands of heritage watches from brands such as Cartier and Rolex, the couple began customizing them with their own spirited designs.

The authentic iconic dials and hands are refurbished and hand-painted, as are the tanned leather straps, creating classic watches with fresh, modern appeal.

These attention-grabbing accessories are versatile enough to go from yoga class to picking up the kids to the red carpet. LaCalifornienne often collaborates with artists, and its newest venture is with New York artist JayDee, who made five designs with a California vibe. With their colorful timepieces, Ormond and Garwacki breathe new life into vintage watches with West Coast spirit. 

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NICKY RISING 8625 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, CA 90069 Ph. 310.289.1385 nickyrising.com

MY VINTAGE VENDORS

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LACALIFORNIENNE Ph. 323.601.8545 lacalifornienne.com

ego’s choices

ego’s choices

My desires

My desires

SOPHIE MAAREK

Fendi Cowboy-inspired boots netaporter.com

Handcrafted silver-tone metal Wilson sunglasses Garrett Leight, 1522 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291 garrettleight.com

Diptyque Constellation Carousel candle Diptyque, 202 North Larchmont Boulevard, CA 90004

Dolce & Gabbana White sneakers nordstrom.com

Elizabeth and James Nirvana unisex eau de parfum with rollerball application elizabethandjames.us

Louis Vuitton Blossom rings Louis Vuitton, 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401 us.louisvuitton.com

Tiffany & Co. Hoop bracelet in gold and diamond, by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. At select Tiffany stores

Repetto Camille pumps in red suede with silver glitter lightning bolt barneys.com

Modern Toss Double Ender Rainbow Shit Scribbler pencils maxfieldla.com

Jonathan Adler Porcelain teapot splattered with real gold jonathanadler.com

La Perla Luxurious La Perla Maison collection, silk with embroidered motifs La Perla, 433 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Maison Kitsuné Green nylon wallet matchesfashion.com

Gucci Miniature shoulder bag Gucci, 347 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Ligne Blanche Limoge porcelain Jean-Michel Basquiat King Alphonso mug gagosianshop.com

HP Portable pocket photo printer bestbuy.com

Missoni Socrate throw blanket nordstrom.com

Roger Vivier Viv Rangers two-tone satin bootie with crystal pilgrim buckles barneys.com

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flat6

OH DANNY BOY exposé

From Echo Park and prison to the silver screen and a restaurant empire, this native son shines.

DANNY TREJO has one of the most distinctive mugs (and chest tattoos) in Hollywood. With more than 350 IMDB credits, you know him from blade-wielding blockbusters like Grind House, Machete, and Predators; shows such as Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, and King of the Hill; and a memorable Marcia from The Brady Bunch for a Snickers commercial. He’s also a savvy, philanthropic restaurateur with a swelling portfolio of eateries and a traveling food truck. His life hasn’t always rolled smoothly, however, and this 74-year-old “ex-con turned icon” overcame a lot to get where he is today. Trejo was born in Echo Park to Mexican parents, and grew up on the Eastside with a doting mother who dreamed of opening a restaurant and a father who pooh-poohed her culinary aspirations. Danny drifted into drugs, alcohol, and crime, and spent most of the 1960s in prison, including a stint in San Quentin where he became a champion boxer and joined a 12-step that saved his life. He’s been sober for almost 50 years. Trejo worked construction jobs and the program after getting out. He became a youth drug counselor, which led to a serendipitous, only–in–L.A. moment.

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN PICTURES VÍCTOR AYALA

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One of his sponsees, who worked as a production assistant, was concerned about cocaine use on the set of Runaway Train and called Trejo for support. Trejo snagged a job as an extra, and soon became a boxing coach after he bumped into a screenwriter who knew his sparring skills from when they were in jail together. He graduated to meatier parts and hasn’t stopped working since.

An overnight success at the age of 41.

In 2016 he opened his first restaurant, Trejo’s Tacos, which snowballed into multiple Trejo’s Cantinas and Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts. All are emblazoned with the actor’s mustachioed face, and the fare tips a hat to his heritage by offering fresh takes on traditional carnitas, asadas, and churros, while also dunking into other cultures and catering to health-conscious Angelenos with vegan and gluten-free options. Tacos and burritos may come stuffed with chicken tikka masala; jackfruit and avocado cream; or Mexi-falafel with kale, tahini, and pickled onions. Sweet and savory donut flavors often run out, and the rotating repertoire includes a nacho donut with cheddar cheese and hot sauce; a café con leche spin; and the kid-friendly quinceañera, topped with strawberry glaze and Fruity Pebbles cereal. Anthony Bourdain was a fan of the food and has featured tastes of Trejo on his Parts Unknown television show. You can also pick up branded bounty like hot sauce and wholebean coffee, and merch such as beanies, beer cozies, and hoodies.

The genial renaissance rebel makes it a priority to give back to the community. He frequently speaks to at-risk groups and continues to mentor teenagers, and surplus food from his restaurants is donated to local homeless shelters. Trejo’s life has been a wild ride, and he’s appreciative and enjoying every new project he tackles. Mama would be proud of how things turned out.

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BEAUTIFUL

CÉCILE sweats and denim Dsquared2, jacket Barbara Bui, sneakers and beanie Dolce & Gabbana JADE dress Equipment, jacket RE/DONE, sneakers Isabel Marant

PHOTOGRAPHERS DIDIER MICHALET & KAREN FIRDMANN, DMKF PHOTO ASSISTANT BENJAMIN RABETTE MODELS CÉCILE AND JADE SIMÉONE; VIRGINIE AND ROSALIE COLOMBAT STYLIST PAULINE SALTARELLI SPECIAL THANKS TO RBC DESIGN

TO CELEBR ATE THE ETERNAL CYCLE OF WINTER, WE ASKED T WO GENER ATIONS OF ST YLISH FRENCH MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS TO MODEL FOR US. WHETHER IN A FIT TED BL A ZER, KNOCK-AROUND-TOWN LEISUREWEAR, A CRISP WHITE SHIRT, OR A LONG PAT TERNED SKIRT, THE RESULTS ARE EFFORTLESSLY CHIC, CONFIDENT, AND YES, ETERNALLY BEAUTIFUL.

JADE (daughter) top Margaux Lomberg, skirt Laurence Bras, boots Roseanna CÉCILE (mother) jacket and boots Barbara Bui, skirt Philosophy

ROSALIE (daughter) top Holiday, skirt APC, boots Roseanna VIRGINIE (mother) jacket Barbara Bui, overalls Dolce & Gabbana, sneakers Hogan

LEFT PAGE VIRGINIE dress Anne Delaigle CÉCILE top and pants Anne Delaigle ROSALIE sweats Isabel Marant, skirt Mes Demoiselles, sneakers Jérôme Dreyfuss RIGHT PAGE ROSALIE blouse Mes Demoiselles, denim Current/Elliott, sneakers Isabel Marant JADE top Ulla Johnson, skirt See by Chloé, sneakers Jérôme Dreyfuss

ROSALIE dress OUD, sneakers Bons Baisers de Paname, necklace Thomas Sabo JADE top OUD, denim Current/Elliott

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FLEXIBLE

FASHION

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beautiful escape 42 SHALOM, ISRAEL

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NFP: LOS ANGELES 8234 West 3rd Street West Hollywood, CA 90048 Ph. 323.782.1709 nfpstudio.com

New York designer Gail Travis expanded New Form Perspective (NFP to those in the know), her iconoclastic label, to Los Angeles with a boutique on Third Street in WeHo, one of the most heavily trafficked shopping districts in the City of Angels. The store showcases her luxurious convertible sweaters, gowns, jersey dresses, and tops. Inspired by architecture, sculpture, and movement, Travis’s designs are cleverly constructed of complex geometric shapes in all-natural fibers. The sophisticated wearable art pieces can link, layer, fold, snap, or shift, creating a versatile wardrobe for forward-thinking personal expression in monochromatic colorways. NFP discourages the disposable fashion mindset while encouraging awareness of fashion’s ability to enhance our environment and ourselves, bridging the gap between designer and consumer.

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Shalom, Israel

© JOSH DR APPEL

BY CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

The Western Wall, Old City of Jerusalem.

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Israel—the nation, the people, the landscape—is hallowed, ancient, significant. It’s also an odd juxtaposition of things, from civil culture clashes over religion, to the re-energizing of cities, to a present-day bustling economy and flourishing tourism industry. This small Mediterranean nation contains a wide range of attractions. Mountainous landscapes, pristine waters, and archeological excavations offer unique excursions, ideal for day trips from cultural hubs. In urban areas fine dining, trendy boutiques, and a thriving art scene are ripe for the picking. Here are our top choices for must-see destinations in this richly historical nation.

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beautiful escape

The Old City also houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the most holy sites in Islam, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, held sacred

by Christians. In a region often divided by conflict, here these major religious traditions share a solemn devotion and peace. Jerusalem is also home to many significant archaeological sites, such as Solomon’s Stable and the City of David. Visitors can drive to the Mount of Olives, named for the verdant olive groves that once covered the gently rolling slopes that are now home to a Jewish cemetery. A visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, is a sobering remembrance of the millions of people killed, and the Jerusalem Museum showcases an expansive art and artifacts collection from antiquity to the present day.

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© JOSH APPEL

The Jewish Jerusalem.

© BLAKE CAMPBELL

beautiful escape

Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In the center of Israel lies Jerusalem, the most important and most populous city of this ancient land, where each stone has a story to tell. Named the capital of Israel by King David 3,000 years ago, this eternal city now holds immense significance to faithful Jews, Christians, and Muslims the world over, and impresses all with its paved alleys and numerous holy sanctuaries.

© JOSH APPEL

Traditional Israeli dishware.

© TOA HEFTIBA

The Old City, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a squaremile walled refuge containing the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock, and the former sites of the First and Second Temples, long since destroyed in conflict. The Western Wall of the Temple Mount still stands as a beacon, now referred to as the Wailing Wall as an homage to the tears of visiting mourners.

Street in the old city of Jerusalem.

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© Itamar Grinberg

beautiful escape

View of the Sea of Galilee from the Roman Catholic Chapel on the Mount of Beatitudes.

In addition to its religious history, Galilee is blessed with an awe-inspiring landscape of olive groves and fertile farmland. Dozens of kibbutzim (communal farming settlements) inspire a sense of unity and togetherness. Family vineyards with centuries of expertise take advantage of the terroir to craft award-winning wines tourists can savor in between meandering the countryside. 

A typical Galilean vegetarian brunch.

© Edgar Castrejon

A vast landscape of rolling hills and pastoral beauty, Galilee is the northernmost region of Israel, a swath of land spanning west to the Mediterranean Sea and east to the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Boundaries are rough, but the destinations are plentiful. The area contains volumes of biblical history—visitors can drive from Mount Gilboa, the site of King Saul’s bloody battle against the Philistines, to Mount Meron, the burial place of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, revered as a Kabbalist leader. The Galilee is home to the ancient city of Tiberias, in which much of the Talmud was written, and the Sea of Galilee is where Jesus is said to have walked on water and performed other miracles. Many of his disciples called the region home.

TM

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Israel’s Dead Sea.

Shores of salt, sculpted by tides and time.

Versace, Dior, Bulgari, and Rolex, along with charming cafés and upscale restaurants. Tel Aviv is a conflation of the old and the new and of Middle Eastern and Western cultures, making it a vibrant and intriguing vacation spot.

The Dead Sea exudes an otherworldly beauty. Peaceful turquoise waters gently lap white crystalline shores, pillows of salt sculpted by tides and time. The Dead Sea is one of the most saline bodies of water on the planet, with a salt concentration nearly nine times that of the ocean. It’s like a bowl with no outlet, and the powerful desert sun evaporates the water and increases the salinity bit by bit.

Bathers experience a buoyancy impossible in most other places, and easily float on the surface, relaxing and enjoying the calm. The sea has long been a destination for those seeking natural healing.

The gentle sunlight improves mood, floating eases muscle strain and soothes joints, and the mineral-rich mud treats skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. The word is out: Health and beauty products containing Dead Sea minerals are now available around the world.

At the heart of the city, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art has a rich collection of masterpieces by Chagall, Giacometti, Pollock, and Picasso. To the south sits Neve Tzedek, the oldest district in town.

Its narrow streets and colorful houses are bathed in bougainvillea; after revitalization the neighborhood emerged chic and arty, full of young designers’ boutiques, luxe vintage furniture stores, and galleries of all kinds. Deep-pocketed shoppers frequent Kikar Hamedina, the city’s largest alfresco plaza, where boutiques include

© KARINA CASTRO

Rising from the Mediterranean coast, Tel Aviv is nicknamed “the city that never sleeps.” A lively metropolis, it has become a hotspot that marries the relaxed, effortless beauty of the California coast with the round-the-clock energy of New York City. Its towering skyscrapers rise gracefully from low-slung gardens of bleached concrete Bauhaus buildings designed in the 1930s. Classified by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site, this collection of structures—the White City—showcases sober lines, asymmetry, and striking geometric forms. Rounded balconies, rectangular windows, flat roofs, and high columns exemplify the distinctive architecture.

© Itamar Grinberg

beautiful escape

© ROB BYE

beautiful escape

Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

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@ City of Eilat

beautiful escape

View of the bay and mountains.

Israel has many beautiful beaches along the Red Sea, chief among them at Eilat, a large seaside resort at the southern border of the country. Flanked by the purple mountains of the desert, this tourist destination has blossomed in recent years.

It’s tucked away yet accessible, a mere one-hour flight from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Restaurants and shops line a lovely promenade, but the best attractions are hidden from view: Underneath the water lies a spectacular coral reef, home to a plethora of colorful exotic creatures. Divers and snorkelers can explore the underwater world up close and personal, or the Eilat Underwater Observatory offers a dry alternative. 

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near us

near us

Culver City, Slicker

a EDWARD CELLA ART + ARCHITECTURE 2754 South La Cienega Boulevard 323.525.0053 edwardcella.com BLUM & POE GALLERY 2727 South La Cienega Boulevard 310.836.2062 blumandpoe.com

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN

HONOR FRASER GALLERY 2622 South La Cienega Boulevard 310.837.0191 honorfraser.com

Dozens of art spaces dot La Cienega and Washington’s gallery rows, earning national accolades and designation as the Culver City Arts District. Hit the right Saturday and you can gallery hop and drink free wine out of tiny plastic cups with like-minded Angelenos for hours. Edward Cella specializes in work by established architects and mid-career contemporary artists, and frequently hosts music performances and talks at his airy storefront space; Blum & Poe handles such heavyweights as Schnabel and Murakami, and former fashion model and Scottish royal Honor Fraser traffics in works by Warhol, Motherwell, Sol LeWitt, and others at her eponymous gallery.

H.D. BUTTERCUP 3225 Helms Avenue 310.558.8900 hdbuttercup.com CULVER FURNITURE 4408 Sepulveda Boulevard 310.936.4480 culverfurnitureonline.com TITO’S TACOS 11222 Washington Place 310.391.5780 titostacos.com S&W COUNTRY DINER 9748 Washington Boulevard 310.204.5136 swdiner.com HUMBLE POTATO 12608 Washington Boulevard 310.881.9498 humblepotato.com

© DR

Shopping is better than ever in Culver City, thanks partly to Platform, an indooroutdoor compound in a refurbished industrial building. It sits just north of the train stop in the artsy Hayden Tract area and houses lifestyle concept boutiques, upscale home- and foodstuffs, eclectic pop-ups, offices for creatives, and cafés and restos. The historic Helms Bakery Building is now a high-end furniture mecca where you can wander miles of aisles at H.D. Buttercup, and the family-owned Culver Furniture has been crafting custom wood heirloom-level tables, chairs, and shelves—finished or DIY—since the 1950s.

PLATFORM 8850 Washington Boulevard platformla.com

Honor Fraser installation.

The days when Culver City was dismissed as “the New Jersey of Los Angeles” by caste-conscious L.A. residents are gone with the wind. The area incorporated in 1917 and became a moviemaking hub, producing thousands of films from the days of talkies through the 1950s and beyond, including The Wizard of Oz, The Thin Man, and Rebecca. Its speakeasies were a playground for guys and dolls during Prohibition, and Howard Hughes’s aircraft company helped spruce up the economy. As studios and factories were razed in the coming decades, it took on a bland mini-mall vibe, however, and it wasn’t until revitalization efforts in the 1990s that things started to turn around.

© J MORAN

Today Culver is hot-hot-hot and a lively destination for art, theater, shopping, and dining. It’s also one of those special L.A. snowflakes where you can park and explore the neighborhood on foot.

Kirk Douglas Theatre.

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near us

Culver Hotel.

a COOLHAUS 8588 Washington Boulevard 310.838.5559 cool.haus LUKSHON 3239 Helms Avenue 310.202.6808 lukshon.com VESPERTINE 3599 Hayden Avenue 323.320.4023 vespertine.la

Oldfield’s bar.

Lukshon (Chef Sang Yoon’s take on lokshen, the Yiddish word for noodles) sizzles with Southeast Asian flavors in a stylishly minimal dining room that consistently hits top-restaurant lists. Feeling flush and adventurous? Book a couple of the 22 seats at immersive, imaginative Vespertine, the twisting waffled Eric Owen Moss tower where Chef Jordan Kahn serves marathon-course suppers on space-age tableware that run $250 a pop and take several surreal hours.

The coming season includes Block Party, encore presentations of three plays by outstanding local theaters. Or pick a seat at the Actors’ Gang, Tim Robbins’s scrappy theater company that mounts meaty new plays and thinky reinterpretations.

It has an active outreach program that produces touring shows and programs for local kids, community members, and the incarcerated.

When the night has come, and the land is dark, Culver City has tons of taprooms to stand by you. The modern-rustic Bigfoot West has live music, nightly happy hour whiskey specials, and a woodsy cabin interior. Oldfield’s Liquor Room, its sister bar down the road a spell, has weekly trivia and rhythm-and-soul nights, crafty cocktails, and a chill hipster vibe. And there’s no excuse not to check out Alibi Room for a rendezvous—it’s a dimly lit hideaway with an intimate patio, a beer for any palate, and Roy Choi’s Korexican Kogi BBQ tacos, quesadillas, and bowls to order at a cheeky little takeout window. End your evening the way Judy Garland, Buster Keaton, and John Wayne used to with a nightcap at the newly restored, history-soaked Culver Hotel. 

Fancy some live theater? No problem. There’s always something going on at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, a revamped Streamline Moderne cinema from the 1940s.

It’s helmed by the Center Theatre Group, the same thespians that run DTLA’s Ahmanson and Mark Taper theaters, and since they took the wheel in 2004 three Douglas productions have shuffled off to the Great White Way.

KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE 9820 Washington Boulevard 213.628.2772 centertheatregroup.org

Lukshon fish.

© DR

© DR

Vespertine kitchen.

© WILLIAM BRADFORD

Food options range from down-and-dirty delicious to the sublime. Tito’s Tacos has been slinging the old-school crispy version since 1959 and the line has never let up. Locals pack S&W Country Diner, a greasy spoon with zero attitude, damn fine coffee, and solid breakfast and lunch offerings. Visit Humble Potato for comfort food with a Japanese flair (hambagas with Spam, tots with pork belly), craft beers on tap, and a lovely backyard patio. Sweet teeth head to the first brick-and-mortar Coolhaus for ice-cream sandwiches that churned up attention from a beat-up delivery truck at Coachella in 2009 and went on to be featured at more than 6,000 stockists across the country.

© DR

© DR

Humble Potato Battle Royale Burger.

near us

THE ACTORS’ GANG 9070 Venice Boulevard 310.838.4264 theactorsgang.com BIGFOOT WEST 10939 Venice Boulevard 310.287.2200 bigfootwest.com OLDFIELD’S LIQUOR ROOM 10899 Venice Boulevard 310.842.8066 oldfieldsliquorroom.com ALIBI ROOM 12236 West Washington Boulevard 310.390.9300 alibiroomla.com CULVER HOTEL 9400 Culver Boulevard 310.558.9400 culverhotel.com

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not so near us

Lyon, Bridge to Another Era

© L. BERTHIER

not so near us

Atelier Municipal de Passementerie.

La Confluence.

Ancient Theatre of Fourvière.

ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCE

With its rich architectural history and world-class gastronomy, the French city of Lyon seduces visitors near and far. Located at the junction of the Rhône and Saône rivers, the Lyonnais landscape is dominated both by the rivers and by two impressive, gently sloping hills—Fourvière (“the hill that prays”) and La Croix-Rousse (“the hill that works”). The city originally arose as a Roman refugee settlement two millennia ago, after Caesar’s assassination launched a brutal civil war. The city’s strategic riverside location made it a crucial communications and trade hub, and the inhabitants thrived for centuries, eventually coming under French rule in the 14th century.

Lyon’s architecture echoes the tale of its history, a sort of mise-en-scène for the story of its past.

Dotting the landscape are tidy rows of red-roofed buildings, houses of worship, ancient Roman ruins, and the occasional contemporary development, like the newly completed Orange Cube, a playful geometric beacon on the banks of the river, a reminder that this ancient city is a modern city, too.

Visitors cannot miss the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. Built on the site of an ancient Roman forum, the immaculate church is a symbol of the Lyonnais people as it overlooks the city from its prominent perch on Fourvière Hill. Inside, the basilica features an elaborate ceiling etched in gold and jade, intricate mosaics of stained glass, and a crypt of Saint Joseph.

Fourvière Hotel.

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© A. CHILDERIC

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY

During the Renaissance, the silk trade propelled the city’s growth. La Croix-Rousse became an important manufacturing hub, with canuts (silk workers) laboring to exhaustion in poor working conditions inside the district’s many weaving houses. These workers organized three major uprisings in the mid-19th century (the Canut Revolts), with little gain; the pull of the Industrial Revolution and the demands of the Silk Road showed little mercy to the working classes. Modern-day Lyon retains its rich cultural and architectural history, with a massive appreciation for art, culture, and food. The city now is a top destination for devotees of food and architecture, drawing visitors from around the world.

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© LAURENT BERTHIER

© LAURENT BERTHIER

BY CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

Another prominent architectural feature, the city’s famous traboules, function as secret passageways between buildings in La Croix-Rousse. This network of concrete stairs and tunnels originally helped the canuts transport new silk from the looms atop the hill down to the merchants waiting at the river, keeping the silk dry and allowing for an efficient descent down the hill. The traboules also played an important role in World War II when they enabled the Lyonnais to survive Gestapo raids, traveling through the secret passageways to freedom. In present-day Lyon, locals take pride in navigating the traboules as shortcuts, the sign of a “true Lyonnais”.

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chef at the table 60 NATIVE RESTAURANT'S NYESHA ARRINGTON

© BOCUSE

Paul Bocuse.

THE CAPITAL OF GASTRONOMY Like its architecture, Lyon’s culinary history owes largely to the influence of the silk trade. The city is famous worldwide for its bouchons Lyonnais: cozy, casual eateries where silk workers would gather for hearty meals to fuel their long days.

Dishes are simple, heavy, fatty, and traditionally based on inexpensive cuts of meat; visitors can now enjoy a breakfast of pork sausage and tripe washed down with swigs of Beaujolais wine, as the workers did way back when.

But Lyon is also the undisputed mecca of contemporary gastronomy and fine dining. In 2016, the city boasted a whopping 25 Michelin stars between 20 storied chefs. The most beloved was Paul Bocuse, the city’s favorite son, who was affectionately known as Monsieur Paul. Before he died in January, he had been driving the culinary vision in Lyon for half a century; his eponymous restaurant in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or quietly announces its three Michelin stars with every understated, meticulously plated dish.

oeno option 63 WINE OF THE TIMES

Salade de homard.

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edible chefs 66 HIGH HOLIDAYS

One of Bocuse’s contemporaries, Christian Tetedoie, has established himself as another essential culinary voice. Tetedoie’s restaurant atop Fourvière Hill offers sleek simplicity and breathtaking views as it marries French tradition with a modern curiosity and playfulness. The Michelin guide fervently insists that diners try his hallmark dish, casseroled lobster and calf’s head cromesquis. From the casual, convivial bouchon to the Michelin-starred restaurant, Lyon’s culinary heritage offers something for everyone, the true heart of French gastronomic excellence. 

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chef at the table

NATIVE’S Tongue

CHRISTIE MCCULLOM Native is the second res-

taurant after Leona where you’ve been at the helm. How has your vision evolved in the kitchen?

NYESHA ARRINGTON After being in the restaurant business for 16 years, I opened Native to provide something new. My style is California-French in technique, but in flavor it’s globally inspired. I thought, “Where am I from? Who am I?” And that’s an Angeleno. So I call it Native Angeleno cuisine. I draw inspiration from the city’s ethnic enclaves—it’s a little Ethiopian, a little Japanese, a little Korean—all driven through the lens of the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Instead of saying progressive California cuisine it’s specifically more Los Angeles– based. More funky, if you will, with more grit. Native celebrates different cultures and what I’m passionate about, bringing people together at the dinner table.

What is it like to be a woman in the male-dominated field of cooking, and how does your background as a part Korean, part black Angeleno shape your philosophy?

CHEF N YESH A AR R INGTON BOASTS A N IMPR ESSIVE R ÉSUMÉ — AFTER GR A DUATING FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CA LIFOR NI A’S CULINA RY SCHOOL AT 17, SHE HONED HER CR A FT W ITH MICHELINSTAR R ED CHEFS. SHE R A N THE KITCHEN AT W ILSHIR E, APPEAR ED ON TOP CHEF A ND CHEF HUNTER, WON ACCOLA DES FROM ZAGAT, ANGELENO, AND LA WEEKLY, AND SHOWCASED CA LIFOR NIA CUISINE AT HER FIRST R ESTAUR ANT, LEONA, IN VENICE. NOW SHE’S DEBUTED NATIVE, A COZY SANTA MONICA BISTRO INSPIR ED BY THE DIV ERSIT Y OF L.A. FOOD CULTUR E. FOR A R R INGTON—PA RT KOR EA N, PA RT BLACK, A ND A LIFETIME A NGELENO—NATIVE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF W H AT EXCITES HER: LOCA L FOOD PR EPAR ED LOVINGLY. SHE’S HUSTLING IN THE KITCHEN EVERY DAY, PR EPAR ING FOOD FOR FA MILIES W HO WA IT PATIENTLY FOR THE R ESTAUR A NT TO OPEN. W E SPOK E W ITH HER IN ONE OF HER R A R E MOMENTS OFF, A ND SHE’S SH A R P AS A K NIFE, UPBEAT, A ND ENDLESSLY CH A R MING.

prejudices and try to find bigger, better skill sets in order for me to navigate to where I want to be. I’ve always been a hard worker, and when I graduated from culinary school I set goals that I’m attaining. It’s empowering to surround myself with business-minded people.

Describe your style of cooking.

I’m a steward of the land. I celebrate growers. And I cook through a global lens.

Which dishes are you most proud of?

How do you keep everybody inspired and motivated?

Native features a small menu focused on seasonal ingredients. Which dishes will be staples throughout the year?

Who inspires you? Are there any chefs you’d like to collaborate with?

At Native it’s the rolled dumplings.

They’re so good! At Leona a dumpling dish was my number one seller, so I had to pay someone to stand in the corner and make them all day. I thought, “How can I have dumplings on the menu and be smarter about it?” That’s why I decided to do rolled dumplings, using an Italian technique with a pasta machine. You pipe in the filling, and we tripled our efficiency.

You’ve had incredible training, working with Michelin-starred chefs Josiah Citrin at Mélisse and Joël Robuchon at L'Atelier and the Mansion.

What were those experiences like?

Some of the best cooking memories of my life. I’m a chef, but also a cook. I will never stop being the cook, wanting to have the sharpest knife in the kitchen and move with the most elegance and speed. When I was with Citrin we’d go to the farmers market twice a week. I was a line cook at that time but we had so much power; we were creating a tasting menu. Each station created its own dish, so we’d go to the market and pick out vegetables, and all of them had to be the same exact size. We’d go through cases and cases and pick out the most beautiful vegetables, and that develops an eye for excellence. Same thing with Robuchon, where I was cooking next to kids from Japan or Africa or Korea.

We were such different people. It was a multimillion-dollar three-star kitchen with the most pristine products. We were importing aluminum foil from Italy.

It was ridiculous, this whole new world of professionalism.

The black cod, because I’ve done that dish before and it’s always popular.

Also the lentil crackers—I developed the recipe using blended lentils and a flaxseed puree to give it texture—and the leeks. They’re called melting leeks and they’re so, so delicious. Those are probably going to be the staples.

The business is famously difficult— Leona closed its doors not long after you left. What makes a successful restaurant?

It did and that was sad. But I learned a lot about partnerships and business, which have to be healthy. That’s what’s going to make staying power. Because yes, we’re a restaurant, but first we’re a business and everyone has to be focused on that.

That’s a level of detail you don’t see often.

No, it was insane! You take little bits of that from here, from there, and you build your own repertoire.

team behind me that supports my ideas and gives 110%.

How do you create that mindset at Native?

Every day we have meetings to talk about our successes and opportunities, and that keeps things transparent. If my sous chef is excited about meiwa kumquats, maybe I’ll create a dessert that ends up on the menu, and then I’m running around shoving kumquats in people’s mouths and they’re stoked! That’s sharing love and life. Putting together the group that makes that happen is crucial to the process. It’s not a dictatorship.

Dominique Crenn. She has a similar outlook on chefdom, and she’s super cool. I love her style. Her menus are written like poetry.

It’s a beautiful morning and you have the day off. What do you do?

The whole day off?! Well, I’m going to get my bike and put my two-year-old French bulldog Blue Ginger in the basket. She loves it and thinks it’s her car. We’ll ride to the beach, I’ll listen to reggae, and we’ll cruise the Venice boardwalk until sunset. That’s my favorite thing to do.

Where do you like to grab a bite in the neighborhood?

Hillstone is my favorite because it’s consistent, it’s delicious, and it’s around the corner from my restaurant. I go there probably two or three times a week and I always see someone I know. 

Good partners. I have an impeccable © DR

That’s a deep question. I grew up in Michelin-starred kitchens where not only was I the only female but I was the only black female. There still aren’t many of us around. People walk right by me and ask, “Where’s the chef?” and my cooks are like, “She’s right there.”

It’s funny, and it continues to happen a lot. Chefs have traditionally been depicted as Caucasian males, but in the last maybe three years, it’s starting to change. You see more females, and Asians, and Hispanics, and other types of faces emerging, and that’s been exciting. I have chosen to ignore

BY CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

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Pastrami Duck Breast

Wine of the Times

with Cabbage & Marble Rye Tuiles

BY LAUREN CARO

Lauren Caro is a French-certified sommelier, a freaky epicurean, and the owner of Girls Gone Wine, a Los Angeles wine tasting, event planning, and catering company. The lady knows her grapes, so we asked her to share some favorite local lounges, labels, and insider info.

When I think of Belle Vie, four words come to mind: Paris, femininity, freedom, and genuineness. This casual French bistro in Brentwood is home to many a great wine. My first bottle is Vin de France’s Cuvée Rouge aux Lèvres, an organic wine made with red Grolleau Noir grapes, grown only in the Loire Valley on vines that range from 85 to 100 years old. This structured wine releases berry aromas, soft tannins, and a juicy goodness. Carbon dioxide replace sulphates, so there’s a bit of a fizz that reminds me of that Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot song, “Comic Strip.” Escape into the lushness of this bubbly, sensual glass ofdivinity. Serve chilled, s’il vous plaît.

I was honored when egoreview: los angeles invited me to share my love and knowledge of wine with its readers—I want you to enjoy your glass and your life to the fullest. Tasting wines and sharing stories and experiences has given me a fresh perspective on the California wine scene. It’s full of passionate people devoting their lives to the glory and art of winemaking. Let’s explore three uniquely L.A. wine establishments and get my picks for your next bottle(s). Cheers!

© DR

Next is Vin de France La Roche Bézigon, 2015. This Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley portrays sophistication, blending pear and quince aromas. It was created with the strictest and most disciplined respect for nature, resulting in a mature taste that overjoys and intensely stimulates the palate.

Pastrami rub

– 6 T. black peppercorns – 15 T. coriander seeds – 10 T. juniper berries – 2 T. allspice berries – 3 T. cloves – 6 T. salt – 2 T. Korean red chili flakes – 8 T. sugar

Duck

– 3 skin-on, boneless duck breasts – 1 T. olive oil

Cabbage

• Trim duck breasts and score fat in crosshatch pattern.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and top with generous sprinkling of pastrami rub and duck breasts, skin side up. Cover duck with double layer of cheesecloth, sprinkle salt on top of the cloth, and cure in refrigerator for 6 hours.

• Heat oil to medium in a Rondeau pan and sweat the cabbage. Stir in caraway seeds and butter, top with a cartouche (parchment paper to cover surface, with a small hole cut in center), and cook until tender. Let cool. Excess water is fine, and cabbage can be stored for 3 days.

• Slice frozen bread very thin and cut out circles with a small ring mold, saving trim for breadcrumbs.

– 1 head of cabbage, cored and julienned – 1 ½ T. olive oil – 1 T. toasted caraway seeds – 1 T. unsalted butter Salt to taste

Tuiles

– 1 loaf marble rye bread, frozen – ½ cup clarified butter, melted

Method

• To make the rub, toast first 5 ingredients in skillet, grind them in spice mill, and stir in chili flakes and sugar.

Place a Silpat liner on a baking sheet and arrange bread slices, and drizzle with melted butter. Cover with another Silpat and bake in preheated 350 F oven for 8 minutes. Remove and let cool.

• For the duck, raise oven temperature to 400 F, and season breasts with additional pastrami rub. On stovetop, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium, and when the oil is hot, add duck breasts, skin side down, and sear for 8 to 10 minutes.

• Put pan in oven and roast 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare; about 12 minutes for medium. Remove and let rest 2 or 3 minutes before slicing.

• To assemble, spoon cabbage on plates, scatter with toiles, and top with duck slices. © DR

SERVES 6

Tabula Rasa Bar.

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The Tabula Rasa Bar evokes abundance and intimacy, and there’s a wonderful wine experience to be had at this gem in Los Feliz. You must try Patrick Sullivan Jumpin’ Juice Half Full Rosé. “Have fun drinking” is the message here. His popular mystery blend is made with red and white grapes, produced with minimal intervention.

Sullivan’s philosophy is simple: wine should satisfy your soul as much as your palate. That statement rings true in this Australian wine. The magical potion is aromatic and juicy, boasting flowers and starbursts with acidity and brightness. Come on, blow your mind!

Piece of Cake AGNES’S RECIPE

© DR

© AMY L AI

Moving on, I highly recommend Claire Naudin's 2013 Viola Odorata Côte de Nuits-Villages Rouge, a voluptuous pinot noir. It hails from Burgundy, one of the most renowned regions on the planet. Master winemaker Naudin works from old vines on a beautiful terroir to create an elegant pour. The whole-grapes harvest brings notes of red cherries and black plums, a floral touch, and a hint of cilantro and licorice. With roasted delicacy, it possesses soft tannins and moderate acidity with a long oak finish. Delicious!

Vinovore wine shop.

There’s a global girl-power vibe at the playful Vinovore wine shop in Silver Lake. It’s run by female winemakers and represents the best of women’s wine creations tout le monde. First up is Anna deLaski’s Solminer Blaufränkisch from Los Olivos, California. Anna’s Austrian roots play a huge part in this remarkable creation. She is the first to grow blaufränkisch (one of Austria's most noble red grape varietals) in the Santa Ynez Valley, and I’m sure glad she did.

This low alcohol wine has the feminine elegance of a pinot noir as well as the tightly knitted tannic structure and fruitiness of a gamay.

With floral notes and an earthy mouthfeel, it’s like walking through a spice market with a basket of berries, smoking a cherry tobacco pipe. Savor your sips; it’s such a treat for the palate.

© DR

Belle Vie restaurant.

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TABULA RASA BAR 5125 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027 Ph. 213.290.6309 tabularasabar.com

VINOVORE 616 North Hoover Street Los Angeles, CA 90004 Ph. 323.522.6713 vino-vore.com

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GIRLS GONE WINE Ph. 310.945.8805 lauren@girlsgonewine.life girlsgonewine.life

© AGNES

Austrian winemaking sisters Birgit and Katrin Pfneiszl started their own label by working with organically farmed ancestral vines and wild-yeast fermentation. Their passion and expertise have resulted in Blaufäanker, a blaufränkisch from Burgenland, Austria. It’s a little blue fruited, a little spice accented, and a lot of exciting. This wine is loosey-goosey, vivacious, and easy drinking, and it should be a staple on any table and at every celebration. 

a BELLE VIE 11916 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90025 Ph. 424.832.7375 bellevierestaurant.com

French Market Café is a bistro and market serving the Venice neighborhood since 1993. Owner Agnes Martinez, a native of the French Riviera, welcomes guests with Gallic grace and a laid-back Provençal charm. We asked for a favorite holiday recipe, and voila! Here’s how to make her easy-pleasy marron cake, a tradition in the chestnut-churning Ardéche region of France. (All ingredients are available at French Market Café). Bon appétit.

GÂTEAU ARDÉCHOIS – 2 eggs – 1 scant cup sugar – 1 scant cup flour – 1 T. levure alsacienne (baking powder) – 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature – 1 1/2 cups Clement Faugier vanilla chestnut spread Powdered sugar

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FRENCH MARKET CAFÉ 2321 Abbot Kinney Boulevard Venice, CA 90291 Ph. 310.577.9775 frenchmarket-cafe.com

Method

• Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and line an 8-inch round cake pan.

• In a separate bowl, mix butter with chestnut spread until thoroughly combined, then stir into batter and pour into prepared tin.

• A llow to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

• Whisk eggs with sugar, then beat in flour and baking powder until mixture is smooth.

• Smooth the top and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serves 6

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edible chefs

HOL ID AY S

© THE HERBAL CHEF

The Herbal Chef communal dessert table.

Scientist-turned-chef Chris Yang has been featured on the Food Network, built a culinary incubator, and hosted more than 50 pop-up restaurants. He’s currently using the mad skills he honed in the lab to operate ongoing cannabis dinner parties, which he typically holds on the last Saturday of the month in the Arts District. Five or six courses will run you $150, plus a small ticketing charge per person. If you mari-wanna smoke up to enhance your dinner, you can blaze away in the outdoor lounge. Every other course is pot infused and seasonally themed, and the target dosage of cannabis for the entire meal is 50 milligrams. BYOB (bring your own bud and booze), an ID, and medical marijuana card. Score tickets on the PopCultivate website, where you’ll also find information about upcoming events. The locations are provided when you cough up the dough for a ticket.

POPCULTIVATE

BY CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

popcultivate.com

From the 1960s hippie scene, to Snoop Dogg, to the present, California is the undeniable trendsetter when it comes to cannabis culture. Now that weed enjoys legal status, great local minds are blazing new trails, exploring the magical qualities of this beloved plant. Three of our favorite artisans are pairing cannabis with food and beverage, and as anyone with the munchies will tell you, that’s a beautiful combo.

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For an elevated experience, look to Christopher Sayegh, the Herbal Chef. Sayegh caters private cannabis-infused dinners, customized to the tastes of the client. The meals are artful but precise: “We control the experience of each course,” Sayegh explains.

“We gently transport [guests] into a state of euphoria and we keep them there. Desserts are CBD only, to level everything out.” Sayegh studied biology at UC Santa Cruz and trained in the kitchens of Mélisse and Providence. He knows the medicinal properties of cannabis firsthand, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the history and players behind its prohibition. He’s determined to change things. In addition to the catered dinners, Sayegh is rolling out a number of other projects. He's publishing a book, Perspective: A Guide to Cannabis Cookery, appearing in upcoming TV shows, and opening Herb restaurant in West Hollywood later this year. Herb will be the first licensed cannabis restaurant in the world, offering an aquarium, massage, a yogi, kombucha, fresh juices, and other ways to find your bliss. In addition, of course, to the food.

THE HERBAL CHEF theherbalchef.com

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© DR

© ARIEL MIN

© MATTHEW WYMAN

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edible chefs

Gracias Madre is known for vegan food that even meat eaters enthusiastically devour. Combine tasty Mexican fare with the romantic, candlelit brick patio and a trendsetting cocktail program, and you have an instant L.A. staple. The plant-based eatery leads the charge on local CBD cocktails with its High Vibes menu, the brainchild of beverage director Maxwell Reis. He loves to combine buzzy booze and mellow CBD in a rotating menu of kitschy cocktails, such as the Rolled Fashioned and the Stoney Negroni. They're made with high-end ingredients, and a dash of CBD provides the twist. Nothing too heady, just a feel-good, mellowed-out wave of relaxation—the perfect pairing at this WeHo hotspot.

GRACIAS MADRE 8905 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, CA 90069 Ph. 323.978.2170 graciasmadreweho.com

ego gourmand

ego gourmand

A FRENCH-INSPIRED MARKET AND BRASSERIE IN THE ORIGINAL FARMERS MARKET CELEBRATES 25 YEARS IN LOS ANGELES.

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN

LA VIE EST BELLE In the spirited spirits department, award-winning Bordeaux, pinots, Sancerres, rosés, and other wines are on offer. The aisles are filled with an artfully presented collection of premium olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, uncommon condiments, specialty giftware items, and hand-selected tablecloths from Provence. You’ll find handmade small-batch jams, crackers, cookies, and snacks, or French buckwheat flour for authentic crepes, and if you enjoyed your salad in the brasserie, you can find the dressing, Lucile’s Dijon vinaigrette, at the shop. It’s named for Strouk’s mother and based on her original recipe. Monsieur Marcel also stocks one of the best collections of chocolates in town. It’s got you covered, soup to nuts.

They also proffer lobsters, crabs, shrimp, oysters, and caviar—a sea of selection. Catering services including shellfish platters, oyster bars, and off-site grilling for backyards and beaches are available. It wouldn’t be a classic French experience without cheese, and Monsieur Marcel knows its fromage.

Curate your charcuterie from scores of international cheeses, savory meats, foie gras, patés, fresh truffles, tapenades, roasted rosemary almonds, and tasty quince and pear accoutrements. The

© Monsieur Marcel Farmers Market

"We’re on a continuous, almost obsessive mission to discover foods from around the world that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else in L.A.," says Katy Strouk,

the other half of the mama-and-papa operation and the market’s head buyer. It’s an obsession that shows.

At the seafood market, guests can select a wildcaught Scottish salmon or sea bass fillet to take home or have prepared to order at the restaurant.

Locally sourced seafood arrives every day, and skilled fishmongers prep and display it beautifully on ice.

Step inside Monsieur Marcel and you’ll be greeted by employees wearing black shirts and aprons with the phrase, “La vie est belle chez Monsieur Marcel,” a motto the popular gourmet market and eatery has lived by for 25 years. A destination for European transplants, neighborhood locals, famous chefs, and tourists, this “Disneyland for foodies,” as it’s been called, can be found (or heard, by the sound of live accordion music on some nights) on the southeast corner of the Farmers Market at Fairfax and Third. “It’s named after my papa,” says owner Stephane Strouk, who first tested L.A.’s hospitality waters with a modest crepe stand in 1993. “Through the years, we’ve added to the overall guest experience. We now have a world-class gourmet market, a wine shop, a traditional European café, and a Mediterranean-inspired seafood market,” he says, referring to the latest addition to the still-growing operation.

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a MONSIEUR MARCEL 6333 West Third Street, #150 Los Angeles, CA 90036 Ph. 323.939.7792 mrmarcel.com

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house-made fig-apricot-walnut chutney and the caviar cream cheese are local favorites. Pick up a knockout platter for your next meet and greet, with some of MM’s crusty freshly baked baguettes for a foundation. Grab-and-go meal options like fresh salads and hot or cold sandwiches are also on the menu.

There’s a long-held belief by the Monsieur Marcel team that nothing creates a lasting memory better than the gift of food. Customized gift baskets are available any day of the year, but the market really shines with its holiday offerings of traditional Italian panettone and pandoro, French pain d’épices spice cakes and bûches de Noël, British mincemeat pies and puddings, German stollen, mulled wines, and holiday jams. And you won’t want to miss one of the sweetest and swankiest collections of edible stocking stuffers in town. 

Olivia Fougeirol, Francesca Gabbiani, Marie Peter-Toltz, Joséphine Wister Faure

Les Amoureuses March - April 2019

If you took love out of the equation, I wouldn’t know what else to write about.

Nick Cave

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s everlasting love 82 THE POLA

SHOW Gallery

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1515 N Gardner St, Los Angeles, CA info@show.gallery | www.showgallery.com 71

g design focus 84 CASE STUDY HOUSES

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BY CHRISTIE MCCOLLUM

Los Angeles resident Frank Gehry is a hometown hero—he may have his detractors, but he certainly knows how to keep people talking. The Canadian-born master architect is approaching his 90th year, but he remains as prolific as ever. In L.A. alone he has plans in the works for a Los Angeles River revitalization project, as well as a mixed-use space of sculpted towers bookending a plaza at the edge of the Sunset Strip. His style favors the whimsical interplay of deconstructed materials and open volumes, with geometric forms of glass and steel. Projects range from sleek and elegant, like Walt Disney Concert Hall, to inventive and preposterous, like his own Santa Monica residence with its mixed-material façade partially enrobing an early 20th-century bungalow, resembling something of a post-apocalyptic farmhouse. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao elevated Gehry to starchitect status in 1997, and since then he continues to envision large-scale structures that channel sculpture as much as they do architecture.

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© COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

GEHRY

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

HIGH

LOS ANGELES

Look at any list of the best architecture in L.A. and it’s almost guaranteed what you’ll see at the top: Walt Disney Concert Hall. Completed in 2003, the Bunker Hill beacon is composed of Gehry’s signature dreamscape of brushed steel panels, linked together in a rolling whimsical wave of impossible geometry. Light reflects off of the structure’s many angular façades, offering a unique glimmering view from any given vantage point. Inside the $274 million structure lies an intimate 2,265-seat concert hall with walls and ceilings made of elegant blond Douglas fir wood. Meticulous design by Yasuhisa Toyota of Nagata Acoustics gives the space the perfect acoustic resonance to showcase the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in its signature venue.

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Even an office building, when designed by Gehry, can be a thing of beauty. Located in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, the 10-story double-decker translucent white façade gives passersby a welcome break from all the rectangular steel monotony. Even better for those who work inside, the space is thoughtfully arranged, with open floors bathed in soft natural light and central meeting spaces on each floor. Structural supports are often arranged at odd angles, providing a constant visual intrigue, and allowing the building’s bones to be softly illuminated from within at night.

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WEISMAN ART MUSEUM

© COURTESY OF WEISMAN ART MUSEUM

Gehry is known for his juxtapositions, with buildings paradoxically whimsical yet elegant, and perhaps the best example of this stylistic marriage is the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. “The mantra is ‘keep memory alive,’” he explained.

“I’m trying to make a building that people will want to visit, remember, talk about, and enjoy, and ultimately will want to partner with us at the center to help cure brain diseases.”

The building’s exterior is a patchwork of stainless steel handkerchiefs, caving in on itself in smooth graceful waves. The steel is punctuated by 199 windows arranged in even layers but at odd angles, with a Seussian disregard for the laws of gravity. Inside it’s crisp white stucco bathed in sunlight with pristine light wood accents, a calming space that encourages vitality and healing.

IAC BUILDING

© COURTESY OF IAC

L AS VEGAS

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© COURTESY OF CLEVELAND CLINIC LOU RUVO

CLEVELAND CLINIC

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From the east, the Weisman Art Museum doesn’t look like much. Just another red brick building on a college campus, the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. But viewed from the west, across the banks of the Mississippi, the brick gives way to shimmering stainless steel panels, hammered together in a dimpled, rippled web, glowing ablaze in crimson, rose, and warm copper as the sun sets each evening.

Gehry finished the project in 1993 and revisited for a 2011 expansion to double the exhibition space.

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© COURTESY OF MARQUES DE RISCAL HOTEL

MARQUÉS DE RISCAL WINERY

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Rioja is world famous for its sumptuous, silky red wines. In accepting the commission to design the Marqués de Riscal winery and hotel, Gehry wanted to create a space that would honor the tradition of the region. His resulting design marries the past and present while looking toward the future in this region’s oldest winery. The façade weaves together dazzling ribbons of rose, topaz, silver, and gold steel that cascade around the building like vines on the trellis, mimicking the colors of the labels and grapes. From inside, visitors sip on fine wines while taking in breathtaking views of the rolling vineyard hillside and surrounding red-roofed châteaux.

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LOUIS VUITTON FOUNDATION

© COURTESY OF LOUIS VUITTON FOUNDATION

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If Millennium Park is Chicago’s front yard, Jay Pritzker Pavilion is the big bench on its porch; the social hub of a beloved shared space. The pavilion is a verdant expanse of grass, open air except for elegant arched steel boning that simultaneously gives the venue volume and makes it feel cohesive and contained. The focal point is an elevated stage inside a blooming steel flower of a bandshell, petals extending out in all directions and up into the sky. With Gehry function is just as important as form, and the steel panels that blanket the stage serve not just to reflect light but also to reflect sound, creating stellar acoustics. The boning, often referred to as a trellis, houses speakers mounted at precise intervals to create the aural sensation of an indoor concert hall. It is the treasured performance space of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

© COURTESY OF PRITZKER PAVILION

CHICAGO

PARIS

JAY PRITZKER PAVILION

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Louis Vuitton is much more than a label-heavy prestige fashion house: The Louis Vuitton Foundation is an independent nonprofit dedicated to arts and culture, and its stunning Paris home broadcasts its mission to all who pass. Nestled at the edge of the grassy, wooded Bois de Boulogne park, the building mirrors the natural beauty of its surroundings.

Sweeping panels of glass blanket the structure like a cocoon: to some it’s a fish, or a sail, or a boat, or merely a reflection of the sky. Gehry faced opposition from some preservationists for building on public park land, but since completion in 2014 it has become a popular events space, an esteemed museum, and a beloved landmark in the community and around the world.

interior design

interior design

ACME5 HIGH DESERT STYLE

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HIDDEN RANCH PROJECT The Hidden Ranch Project just completely in the High Desert Joshua Tree area, took a fully functioning Horse stable and transformed it into a luxury Bali- Cowboy inspired vacation rental. Mixing Instagram styling, with the Lonesome Dove ranch fell, and weaving some Bali touches throughout, the Acme5 lifestyle design team was able to create a cohesive fusion that is both stylish and comfortable.

1. A rtisan Bali circular carving hung in separate panels over original weathered ranch siding. Stone table created from flagstone and vintage crate.

2. L ebah metallic coffee table and "V" chair with vintage Malm fireplace on the white epoxy concrete floors. Cowhide, stoneware vase and authentic ranch tools round out the Bali-cowboy aesthetic.

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3. M acrame basket paired with native paper bag plant".

Acme5 Lifestyle is an ever-evolving experiment; a Field of Dreams build-it-and-they-will-come endeavor. Starting with the first store on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, dubbed the “Urban Oasis,” creative director and designer Anton Goss has created a unique and interesting retail experience.

He is currently a sought-after television production designer, with credits that range from Shark Tank and The Ellen DeGeneres Show to The Voice. Goss enjoys the fast-paced world of television design, but something more hands-on and tactile was calling to him. The brand has now expanded with locations in the Pacific Palisades, Yucca Valley, and San Pedro.

Each store specializes in a different part of the lifestyle

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experience, creating a full and robust approach to the design process. The original Santa Monica location is the “Boutique,” with artisanal pottery paired with unique succulents and cacti. Rare aloes in mid-century cylindrical clay pots to accent modern living rooms coexist with crystals, sage, palo santo, and Buddha fountains. The Palisades location, informally referred to as the “Farm,” specializes in giant specimen aloe trees, rare palms, large ceramic planters, stone fountains, and fire dishes. Across from Palisades High School on Temescal Canyon, the Farm is also where acclaimed landscape designer and Goss’s mother, Tessa Goss, heads up the Acme5 landscape design and consulting team. Housed in a

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former 1940s department store with 10,000 square feet of diamond-polished terrazzo floors and bow truss vaulted wood ceilings, the “Showroom” in San Pedro showcases furniture lines carried by Acme5.

Mostly imported from Indonesia and Mexico, the brand specializes in bringing high quality, bohomodern style at an affordable price. And lastly the Yucca Valley store, in the High Desert area of Joshua Tree, is the “Cultural Headquarters.” It functions as the creative hub for eco-product development and custom furniture design, and as a nexus for local desert artisans. Acme5 continues to evolve and meander through the stream of creativity and opportunity. 

everlasting love

everlasting love

Instantaneous

Combustion

©FUJIFILM INSTAX

© POLAROID ORIGINALS

BY VINCENT FEUILLET

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In the Beginning, the Pola

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ10

The first instant camera, the Polaroid Land Camera Model 95, was invented in 1947 and flashed onto the market in 1948. It was created

by Edwin Land, the American engineer, industrial director, and founder of the Polaroid Corporation. Weighing more than four pounds, this was the first camera that allowed development in ambient light, an important advancement in the process of emulsification. The idea of creating this new technology came from Land's daughter, who asked, “Why can’t we see the pictures now?” That simple question inspired global success, and more than 1.5 million of the folding viewfinder cameras were sold. The Model 95 takes pictures with autofocus in sepia tones and develops them in minutes. In the early 2000s, with the advent of digital photography, production stops dead, which was a shock for fans of instant photography. An underrated treasure, the Pola is still worth its weight in gold and history.

With its digital display and square format, the Instax Square SQ10 is the latest addition to the Fujifilm family of instant cameras. The middigital, half-silver side makes this model the first square-format instant camera in the history of Instax. It was selected as one of the best European products of the year, and simplicity is the credo of this intuitive device. Thanks to its LCD screen, you can store or print your photographs, which develop in less than two minutes. The square format is well-utilized in artistic photography, and the Instax Square provides perfect 1:1 retro framing for your party pics and landscapes.

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design focus

design focus

Case

Of 36 designs, a couple of dozen were built from 1945 to 1966 and several of those have been demolished. About 20 remain standing, and 11 are on a national registry of protected buildings to prevent the what-were-theythinking alterations that have rendered some of the originals unrecognizable.

in Point

Book baron Benedikt Taschen, who himself lives in a John Lautner aerie in the Hollywood Hills, is a fan of the Case Study Houses and has published two volumes on the subject.

The photos pictured here are from Case Study Houses and Case Study Houses: The Complete CSH Program, courtesy of Taschen Books.

© CASE STUDY HOUSES - COURTESY OF TASCHEN BOOKS

Most of the existing Case Study Houses are private residences and not usually available for walkabouts, but mid-mod enthusiasts can easily find addresses. Two standouts, the Stahl House by Pierre Koenig (#22, still owned by the Stahl family) and the Eames House by Charles and Ray Eames (#8, built as their home/studio and managed by the Eames Foundation), are accessible for tours by appointment.

The Stahl House (#22) in West Hollywood, by Pierre Koenig.

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN

The interior shot of the Entenza House (#9), by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen.

© DR

In the mid-1940s, Arts and Architecture magazine tasked architects with designing affordably efficient homes that were at the same time stylish and modern. Now-famous fathers of modernism stepped up to the challenge, and the resulting Case Study Houses shocked the world and remain influential to this day. Visionaries like Richard Neutra, Eero Saarinen, A. Quincy Jones, and the husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames contributed to the project, and with photography by Julius Shulman their space-age homes quickly became iconic. Common elements include utilitarian concrete and plywood, open floorplans with simple construction, sliding panels, built-in appliances, and as much glass as structurally possible.

Nighttime at the Stahl House.

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CSH #28 in Thousand Oaks, by Buff & Hensman.

Bailey House (#20) in the Pacific Palisades, by Richard Neutra.

a STAHL HOUSE 1635 Woods Drive Los Angeles, CA 90069 stahlhouse.com EAMES HOUSE 203 Chatauqua Boulevard Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 eamesfoundation.org TASCHEN PRESS taschen.com

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Bass House (#20B) in Altadena, by Buff, Straub & Hensman.

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OFFERINGS

© AI WEIWEI, COURTESY OF MARCIANO ART FOUNDATION

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN

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Repurposing L.A.’s empty old buildings instead of razing them and birthing starchitecture is definitely on trend. DTLA’s Main Museum and Institute of Contemporary Art were formerly a bank and a warehouse, respectively; the Hauser & Wirth gallery lovingly restored an old flour mill in the Arts District; and the Motion Picture Academy’s upcoming museum used to be a popular department store. One of the most impressive recent transformations of all is the Marciano Arts Foundation, Paul and Maurice Marciano’s expansive incubator for young artists and showcase for the family’s art collection, housed in a Scottish Rite Masonic Temple near K-town.

The 1961 building was designed by Millard Sheets for the Freemasons and abandoned in 1994 when they ran into some zoning issues. The Brothers Marciano, cofounders of the Guess denim empire, purchased it in 2013 for $8 million and spiffed it up. They held on to the gold drinking fountains, mysterious murals and mosaics, and massive travertine sculptures of Masonic hall of famers like George Washington and King Solomon that watch over traffic on Wilshire.

a MARCIANO ART FOUNDATION 4357 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90010 424.204.7555 marcianoartfoundation.org 1 egoreview los angeles 04

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around us

© COURTESY OF THE WENDE MUSEUM

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Berlin Wall segments.

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The top-floor ballroom was carved into a series of galleries that now showcase pieces from the eclectic collection, including Takashi Murakami, Catherine Opie, Richard Prince, and Mike Kelley, and a preexisting library contains spooky costumes, membership rosters, and ephemera the Masons left behind. The first floor (there are four above ground and one below) is dedicated to special shows, and the old theater is now a vast, raw exhibition space with 45-foot ceilings, currently home to a solo exhibit by Chinese artist and political spark plug Ai Weiwei. It’s a wild, dizzying playground of imagination, rooted in Los Angeles history, and a welcome addition to the city’s cultural landscape. Timed tickets are free but must be reserved in advance.  1. Installation view of Ai Weiwei site-specific Life Cycle solo show.

2. Ai Weiwei's Life Cycle boat. It was made using traditional Chinese kite-making techniques.

3. Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch’s tented video installation is immersive and unnerving.

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN

Justinian Jampol digs Cold War history; always has. The Californian founded the Wende Museum in 2002 to showcase the collection of artifacts, artwork, and ephemera he’d collected since he was nine. The museum operated out of a nondescript strip mall until Jampol moved into an abandoned 1949 armory in Culver City last year. Wende (pronounce that venda not wendy, please) is German for “turning point,” and it represents the period that led to and followed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Book magnate Benedikt Taschen is a major supporter who donated half a mill and published Beyond the Wall: Art and Artifacts from the GDR, a 900-page volume, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, drawn exclusively from Wende’s collection. The museum is scholarly yet far from dry. It has surveillance pens and camera suitcases right out of a James Bond movie, crazy Teutonic paintings, sock-it-to-me fashion, mod furniture, a 10-foot bronze of Lenin (along with more than 80 other sculptures of him), stacks of flags and uniforms, the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall in America, and remnants of Checkpoint Charlie, set up with facial recognition charts.

Get over there mach schnell to see an exhibit on ballet dancers during the Cold War (Baryshnikov isn’t the only one who leapt to freedom). The museum offers tours, admission is always free, and it’s open Friday through Sunday and by appointment. 

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4. Jim Shaw's pretty wigs all in a row for his first Los Angeles solo show, The Wig Museum.

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THE WENDE MUSEUM 10808 Culver Boulevard Culver City, CA 90230 Ph. 310.216.1600 wendemuseum.org

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Vandalized Lenin bust.

around us

around us

WEISMAN TROPHIES

© COURTESY OF WEISMAN ART FOUNDATION

BY BRADLEY LINCOLN

© © COURTESY OF WEISMAN ART FOUNDATION

A bold Clyfford Still painting greets visitors in the entrance hall.

Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, Duane Hanson, and Keith Haring works in the upstairs annex.

its spirit and surrounding environment rather than trotting you through a frigidly academic exhibit. Hyperrealistic Duane Hanson and John De Andrea figures hang out with Francis Bacon and Mark Rothko canvases, and towering Botero sculptures, Calders, and flocks of Segals appear unexpectedly about the environs.

It’s easy to imagine Weisman tossing his mail by the Giacometti on the hall table and having a coffee under the Larry Rivers construction in the breakfast nook, or going upstairs to watch 60 Minutes next to the Nam June Paik video installation competing for attention. There’s a playful sense of humor evident in the curation, without the restrictive barriers of a museum. Tours last about two hours but could easily go on for days. There are more than 400 works on display in the home, on the grounds, and in the annex; some are literally hanging from the ceiling, floating in the pool, sitting on bedside tables, and perching in bathrooms. Believe it or not, this spectacular experience is gratis, with some caveats. Complete an online registration form well in advance of your visit, as groups are extremely limited; show up exactly on time and leave bags and cameras in the car; and don’t park on the street. It’s Holmby Hills, darlings, what would the neighbors think? 

As a Weisman once said, “I don’t think there is anything that communicates better than art. It is quicker than language and clearer than philosophy.” Word. That wise man was Frederick, the son of Russian immigrants, who moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis at age 7 and went on to become president of Hunt Foods at 31, one of the first American distributors of Toyota, and an avid art collector with a philanthropic inclination to share his passion. He and his second wife, Billie, an art conservator and museumist, bought a sprawling 1920s Mediterranean-style estate in Beverly Hills in 1982 and packed it with now-household-name paintings, photos, sculpture, and furniture. The couple were friends with many of the artists they collected, and proponents of California creatives. In 1991 they added a building to showcase larger pieces (think Keith Haring–graffitied motorcycles, enormous Oldenburgs, and mind-bending Donald Judds). To this day Billie carries on the foundation that Fred started in the mid-1980s, celebrating the collection, honoring her late husband, facilitating institutional loans, and offering docent-led tours of the home and grounds. Everything is positioned as it was when Fred died in 1994, which provides a refreshing time-capsule experience of living with art arranged by

a FREDERICK R. WEISMAN ART FOUNDATION 275 North Carolwood Drive Los Angeles, CA 90077 Ph. 310.277.5321 weismanfoundation.org

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art and about

art and about

Beverly Hills 9021–Show

Django Unchained Toes tap and hearts race when the Hot Club of Los Angeles channels Django Reinhardt's sexy gypsy music at the honky-tonk Cinema Bar. Hot Club L.A. started in 2011 when like-minded musicians got together to celebrate the Belgian guitarist, who created the life-affirming smoothie of Romani folk music, American jazz, and fiery dashes of crazy. There are Hot Clubs (named after Reinhardt’s “Quintette du Hot Club” band) around the world, and Django’s jazz still has an influence on musicians and filmmakers. Jeff Beck, Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan are fans, and his tunes back up movies from L.A. Story to The Matrix to Sweet and Lowdown, which Woody Allen based loosely on Reinhardt’s life. Catch the fever every Monday night at nine, when our boys perform Django jazz and original compositions with no cover charge.  hotclubofla.com

© HOT CLUB LOS ANGELES

a THE CINEMA BAR

© HUBBARD STREET

3967 Sepulveda Boulevard Culver City, CA 90230 Ph. 310.390.1328 thecinemabar.com

Semele’s Seeds The Son of Semele theater company has been slapping provocative performances in our faces since 2001, at a 36-seat black box in Filipinotown. The thinky thespians have garnered dozens of kudos including Ovation, NAACP, LA Weekly, and Drama Critics’ Circle awards, and American Theatre magazine knighted it an upand-comer. Son of Semele mounts three homegrown productions and two programs of solo shows each year, and offers an annual all-access pass for $99. The 8th annual Creation Festival, when SOS presents four performance works by progressive rep ensembles, takes place from January 17 to February 11 this year (previous performance by Lisa Sanaye Dring pictured here). Semele was the mother of Dionysus, the god of wine, so you’re always guaranteed a good time with these young provocateurs.  BL

Steps away from the glossy shopping bags and glossier faces of Rodeo Drive sits one of L.A.’s most distinctive performing arts compounds, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The Italianate building went up in 1933 and was post office for the rich and famous for more than 60 years until it forwarded addresses in 1998. Facing destruction, concerned citizens ponied up to sensitively restore the historic PO (WPA murals still adorn walls, the sorting room is now a cabaret, and the box office operates from the original mail counter), and a 500-seat state-of-the-art theater was annexed to the south of the campus, along with a sculpture garden and a landscaped terrace. Artistic director Paul Crewes programs a varied roster of concerts, films, plays, and performances from the likes of Hubbard Street Dance, Chicago, shown here and on stage from January 10–12. The Wallis also has kid- and family-friendly productions and classes, including Debbie Allen’s popular Dance Sunday lessons on the patio, where the hoofer leads free classes in salsa, tap, hip-hop, and African movement. It has our stamp of approval.  BL

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© HUBBARD STREET

WALLIS ANNENBERG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 9390 North Santa Monica Boulevard Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Ph. 310.746.4000 thewallis.org

© SON OF SEMELE THEATER

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a SON OF SEMELE THEATER 3301 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90004 Ph. 213.351.3507 sonofsemele.org

reader’s comments

Skylight’s Highlights

The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi is an elusive tradition that celebrates the beauty and acceptance of imperfection in physical objects and in life. Koren’s book is a poetic and meditative experience in that same aesthetic. Wabisabi encourages the artistic process to be experimental and to shine, and reading this book inspired me to feel more confident in my own writing and creativity. It made me want to run outside immediately and sculpt a teahouse of mud and reclaimed wood.

theMystery.doc Matthew McIntosh Fifteen years after his fantastic book debut Well, published when he was 26 years old, McIntosh returns with a sophomore effort that defies expectations.

For a huge book clocking in at more than 1,600 pages, it’s a faster read than you might suppose. McIntosh uses blank spaces, unusual layouts, different fonts, and striking images to enhance a dreamlike personal story of amnesia, the meaning of death, writer’s block, and love. The result is like wandering through the haunted house of someone’s mind.

The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories Denis Johnson

The Complete Stories of Leonora Carrington Leonora Carrington

Finally, another collection of stories by a master of the genre and one of our favorite (and bestselling) writers.

Johnson died last year, but we have consolation in these five instantly classic tales that expound on his favorite themes in a precise literary prose that perfectly reflects the emotions of the characters. Johnson handles the concise language of the short story as well as the epic breadth of the novel. This collection is the crowning glory of the life of a writer’s writer.

Rumor has it that Skylight sells more of this title than any other American bookstore. We’ve sold hundreds since the complete collection of stories, many newly translated from French and Spanish, and several never before seen in print, was published in 2017.

Carrington was a masterful surrealist writer and painter, and her vision glows in these brutal and funny tales that shock and surprise.

They resemble fables, often dealing with oppressive mores and contempt for expectations and society.

© COURTESY OF RIZZOLI

© DR

© COURTESY OF RANDOM HOUSE

© COURTESY OF GRAYWOLF PRESS

Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets, and Philosophers Leonard Koren

© COURTESY OF HOUGHTON MIFFLIN HARCOURT

Skylight Books has served the hip Eastside denizens of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Echo Park for some 20 years. Formerly the home of storied 1970s bookdealer Chatterton’s—ground zero for poets, musicians, and artists—the indie shop continues to specialize in hard-to-find zines and small-press volumes as well as general interest reads, local culture and history, graphic lit, and children’s books. It hosts frequent readings, lively table discussions, and a monthly Coyote Book Club, named for the canines of nearby Griffith Park. One of Skylight’s uniquities is a full-sized tree growing in the middle of the store. We asked manager Steven Salardino what leaves he’s been turning lately.

SELECTION BY STEVEN SALARDINO FROM SKYLIGHT BOOKS

Monograph: Chris Ware Chris Ware Here it is, immense and hard to handle, just as it should be—a career-spanning monograph (up to the present) of an incredibly important artist. Ware has changed how we read and how we see. His intricate, vividly gorgeous graphic novels not only bend time thematically by borrowing from cartoonists and tropes of the past, but also by visually forcing us to move our eyes across the page in unusual ways. Ware chronicles his life through this bittersweet, liberally illustrated volume with many rough drafts, mock-ups, and surprising books within books. A must-own treasure.

SKYLIGHT BOOKS 1818 North Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027 Ph. 323.660.1175 skylightbooks.com

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Visit our showroom: 4413 W. Jefferson Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90016. Phone: + 1.310.838.3800

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masthead review

egoreview: los angeles Publisher & Editor in Chief

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Éloïse Benke Girault

WINTER 2018

Bradley Lincoln

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