Awards-Watching Party + Fundraiser
The Cinefamily – Los Angeles, CA
3/7/10

The annual onslaught of film awards telecasts is like a multi-car pileup on the 405 — impossible to ignore, and teeming with celebrity carnage. And, of course, the biggest awards show of them all, the Super Bowl of moviedom, can be a blast in spite of its girth, given the right social setting. →

Delicious Vinyl Workshop featuring Cut Chemist & Arabian Prince
Freak City – Hollywood, CA
2/20/10

Starting this month, Delicious Vinyl will be hosting a free monthly workshop and demonstration event for aspiring DJs, producers and moguls. The workshop will feature: Cut Chemist, Arabian Prince (NWA), DJ M Walk and Tony G. Located at Freak City, a collective storefront on 6613 Sunset Blvd. in the heart of Hollywood. The All Star Workshop will be a forum for DJs, musicians and engineers to come together and share new techniques and ideas. Participants will be encouraged to showcase techniques, secrets, tweaks and collaborate whenever possible. →

The Bloggomist: Why I Love D.C.
Fashion Opinion

Has the stigma about DC’s bland sense of style gone away since Michelle Obama moved to the White House or Robin Givhan’s return to Washington give rise to a focus on DC fashion?

I’ve always felt that style has existed in Washington for decades but there were moments that had the entire country and world keeping a close watch on DC style.   →

There is nothing as great as a strong father-son relationship; and when there is a common interest that can be shared between the two, it brings them even closer together. Artist and son,Jim Holyoak and poet and father, Kieth Holyoak explores the dualities and borders between life and death, reason and passion, reality and dream through a collaborative project. The father-son duo, Keith and Jim Holyoak both make use of their passion for the arts and have decided to collaborate their artistic talents in their recently published book by Dos Madres Press, My Minotaur, which combines formal poetry with art and edgy subject matter, and present it in their own unique and engaging way. Keith’s poetic voice is juxtaposed with the real and imaginary creations of Jim Holyoak,complementing each other’s work. →

Photo courtesy of Todd Duym

Inspired by the Minutemen song, Evil Monito’s “Tour Spiel” highlights the musician’s life on the road. Each week, we’ll check in with some of our favorite artists touring stateside or abroad. We’ll provide an intimate look into what it’s like to be packed in a van or waiting for a flight with the same people for hours on end. It takes a certain state of mind to survive any lengthy tour. Yet it’s the memorable experiences that make life on the road ultimately rewarding, if not interesting. This week we highlight Derek Adam, guitarist of You Say Party! We Say Die!. The New-Wave dance punk quartet hails from Vancouver and has toured the world with the likes of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio. Here, Derek talks about eating terrible food at Canadian diners, saving someone’s life in Italy and reading Robert Louis Stevenson on his iTouch. →

Alexander McQueen has made his mark in the world of fashion with his controversial and anarchic collections, known for pushing the boundaries. Alexander’s designs have caught the eyes of a range of stylish celebs including the lovable Sarah Jessica Parker and the one and only Madonna. Celebs aren’t the only ones who’ve grown fond of McQueen’s work. MissLawn, creator of one of my favorite brands out there, Hellz Bellz, has been greatly influenced and inspired by his work. To pay homage to the recent loss of McQueen, a one-of-a-kind limited edition t-shirt will be sold on the Hellz online shop, in honor of McQueen. →

Mel Kadel

We’ve mentioned Hurley Art before, but they just keep coming up with more for us to talk about. The Hurley Art editorial brand and gallery shows now have two features and interviews from Philly artist, Jim Houser and pen and ink master, Mel Kadel. Let’s first start with Houser. Houser is an artist that leads a pretty hectic and busy life. Just last year, he moved out and back into his house, built a new kitchen, got married, had hip surgery, got his wife pregnant and on top of all that, did three shows. His artwork consists of paintings, sculptures and installations which all convey a peaceful and purposeful atmosphere, giving some balance to his own →

Downtown Los Angeles is a place that has been left desolate and abandoned. It is a place where the nature of human beings are put fully to the the test, both from those who permit certain people to remain in pain, and for those who are left on the wayside of poverty. This is Los Angeles at it’s worst, and in some strange way, at its best.

The Bloggomist: Design in the Blood
Design Opinion

We live in a branded world. It’s a phenomenon that is both glaringly obvious yet completely unnoticeable at the same time. A good brand experience can command lifetime loyalty, whereas a bad experience can do quite the opposite. If a company puts all its weight behind their brand image and something goes wrong, however trivial, they have much further to fall in the court of public opinion than a low-key competitor.
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Carlos Niño and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson reinterpreted the late J Dilla’s music in the chamber music style, the final results of which were performed last year by a group of celebrated Dilla friends and collaborators. Suite for Ma Dukes uses strings, bass and reeds →