L.A.’s Art Scene Goes Hollywood
In the week leading up to the Oscars, when lavish parties are as common as movie pitches, some of this year’s most coveted invitations are being extended not by film studios but L.A.’s museums and galleries. In fact, one could skip the industry shindigs altogether and still hang with some of Hollywood’s biggest power players.... More
Honoring Photographer Douglas Kirkland
This week, photographer Douglas Kirkland will receive the American Society of Cinematographers’ highest honor, the Presidents Award. In the 25 years that the ASC has been honoring outstanding contributions to the art form at its annual ceremony, it’s the first time the award is being given to a still photographer. “I still haven’t quite recovered... More
Closet Visit gives readers a peek inside
For women, one of the fastest ways to get to know a new friend is to look through her closet. Sifting through the layers of silk, sequins, cotton and wool, we can learn about our new acquaintance’s past, her obsessions, her quirks and the things we have in common.Los Angeles artist, photographer and fashion lover... More
Janelle Brown on the Pursuit of the California Dream
There are infinite variations on the California Dream, but most Angelenos would probably agree that fame, fortune, sunny skies, golden statuettes and prime real estate are key ingredients. They’d also likely agree that the dream’s shadow side only makes it that much more alluring. With her second novel, “This Is Where We Live” (Spiegel &... More
Yves Saint Laurent at the Petit Palais
To wander through the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the Petit Palais in Paris is not just to receive an infusion of fashion history and a privileged peek into the wardrobes of some of the world’s most chic women, although it definitely offers that. It even features a salon set up as the “dressing room”... More
Zainab’s Multicultural Chic
Just a stone’s throw from Pink’s hot dogs and set off by a bright orange awning, Zainab is an oasis of eclectic glamour on a gritty stretch of Melrose Avenue. In the six months since boutique owner Zainab Sumu moved her operation from a private, appointment-only salon in Hollywood to a 1,300-square-foot ground floor retail... More
Keeping “The Runaways” Raw and Real
In the opening scenes of “The Runaways,” Floria Sigismondi’s ode to the all-girl hard rock band, the characters played by Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning could be almost any teenage girls living in the Valley circa 1975. Fanning is sitcom-cute in a plaid shirt, miniskirt and knee socks; Stewart sports a T-shirt and jeans. But... More
All in the “Family”
Devendra Banhart and Lauren Dukoff were walking around the Space 15Twenty gallery in Hollywood, giggling. Friends since they met at Malibu High School 10 years ago, the pair, who call each other Obi (Banhart’s middle name) and Lo, are also artistic collaborators: Dukoff has been photographing the indie folkie-turned-major label star since he spent his... More
Restoring Sharon Tate
Her closet may have been full of designer dresses, but Sharon Tate was a flower child all the way down to her toes. Most comfortable barefoot, she used to skirt the “shoes required” laws in snooty late ’60s Beverly Hills by looping leather string around her toes and across the tops of her feet, and... More
NaNa: L.A. Punk to its Roots
No doubt you’ve noticed the high-fashion takes on Dr. Martens by designers Yohji Yamamoto and Raf Simons, or the classic eight-hole boots that Cory Kennedy, Tennessee Thomas and other L.A. It girls are sporting in lieu of heels these days. Apparently, the grunge revival is right on schedule. But what most fashion followers don’t realize... More
Girl, Interrupted
Lindsay Lohan is sneaking a cigarette at a banquette by the pool of the Beverly Hills Hotel, flicking her ashes under the table. It’s the worst thing anyone is going to catch the 21-year-old actress doing these days, aside from the previous night’s 4AM binge – on cake, that is, a Duncan Hines Angel Food... More
Reading, Writing and Robots
At the grand opening of the Echo Park Time Travel Mart on Dec. 15, the Robot Emotions were going like hot cakes (happiness and schadenfreude were the top sellers). The mystery product Chubble, on the other hand, available in more than 50 different varieties, wasn’t really moving. A worker dressed like a cowboy shrugged. “It’s... More