Thank You For An Amazing 2010!

As 2010 comes to a close, we wanted to take a few moments to say thank you for all your love and support this year. Three years ago, we never had any idea that our humble little bar meetups would evolve into this thriving, vibrant community. We've got over 600 folks on this mailing list, over 450 Facebook friends, and, well, we still could use some more Twitter followers!

Here are just a few of our favorite memories of the year...

• Riding a school bus to see the MAK exhibition How Many Billboards?
• Gawking at the stunning Fat Fringe installation at The Fix
• Taking a bike tour to Chinatown galleries and studios
• Opening a de LaB pop-up store during the Downtown Art Walk
• Raising an incredible $5000 at City Listening II, an evening of stories about LA read by the city's brightest design voices
• Walking, biking and riding to the alt-transit event Moving Beyond Cars
• Eating tacos and making vertical gardens at Homegirl Cafe
• Sitting in our Sunset Boulevard park outside Local for Park[ing] Day LA
• Serving as the supporting sponsors for the first-ever Design Week LA
• Chatting about doing design work that matters at the California Design Biennial
• Drinking in the impeccable branding at Intelligentsia Pasadena
• Hearing from the amazing Michael Maltzan at Inner-City Arts (and yes, we promise to hold this extremely popular event again in 2011)
• Filing for nonprofit status (pending!) to bring you bigger and better events
  

We'd love to make 2011 even better, so we put together this very short survey. If you can take a few minutes to let us know about your favorite events of this year and give us your ideas for what we should do next year, we'd certainly appreciate it. So much so, we're giving away one membership to the Gamble House to one lucky person who fills out the survey.

Now let's get excited for 2011! We've got some brand-new buildings eager to show us inside, lots of new neighborhoods to visit, a very special walking tour, and the first official de LaB Field Trip... hint: we're heading very east of La Brea!

Again, we can't thank you enough for being a part of de LaB. Happy 2011 to you and yours, and here's to another year of urban adventures!

Love,
Haily, Marissa & Alissa

Skid Row's Socially Conscious Architect: Talk and Tour With Michael Maltzan > Some Housekeeping

 We're very excited for this Saturday's event with Michael Maltzan at ICA! Below are some of the details on the event, for registered attendees only. The response to this event has been overwhelming and we're so happy so many Angelenos want to tour the school with Michael. Given the space constraints at Inner City Arts, we've had to limit the number of attendees and have a fairly long wait list, so we apologize to those who haven't been able to get in. We are working on another event with Michael for 2011, so be sure to sign up for our emails and join our facebook group!

For those who have a confirmed RSVP, here are some housekeeping details. First, we're very pleased to announce that Molly Rysman from Skid Row Housing Trust will be joining us to answer questions about Michael's work on the Rainbow and New Carver apartments.

Please meet at the library at 11am, with the lecture to begin promptly at 11:30am. Michael will be discussing his work at Inner City Arts as well as his projects with Skid Row Housing Trust. At noon, we will go on a tour of the campus with project architects from Michael Maltzan Architecture.

WHERE: Inner City Arts is located at 720 Kohler St, Los Angeles CA 90021. Please enter at the Merchant Street gate, NOT Kohler.

PARKING/TRANSIT: There is no on-site parking, just street parking. ICA cannot accommodate bikes on its campus so if you plan on riding, please know you will have to lock your bike on the street. The closest bus routes are the 60 and 720.

COST: Please remember, we are not charging for the event, but do ask that you bring a donation of art supplies for Inner City Arts. Not sure what to bring? A list of needed supplies is here.

MORE HOUSEKEEPING: The campus is in use that day and will be quite full, so please be a great guest! That means we're also on a tight schedule to see the library and theater before the kids need them. Also, only photography of the architecture is allowed (that means skip the photos of the kids).

Again, please DO NOT call ICA with questions. Email us at hello [at] designeastoflabrea [dot] org with your questions.

Thanks!

[image of ICA courtesy Iwan Baan and The Architect's Newspaper]

October Recap: Pro Bono Panel at PMCA!

Back, way back in October, we hosted a night of responsible design in partnership with the Pasadena Museum of California Art and Intelligentsia Pasadena. We were thrilled to make our way to Pasadena for the first time, and ended up having two enthusiastic conversations about two very different aspects of the design world.

We started by gathering in the museum's gallery to see the exhibition Action/Reaction: 2010 California Design Biennial and participate in a panel on the pros and cons of pro bono design. Our host, Alissa Walker, who curated the product design category, picked two design teams working with different nonprofits in LA who were featured in the show. First, Stefan Bucher of 344 Design entertained us with his witty work for 826LA's Echo Park Time Travel Mart, where an almost-believable retail store works as a front for a children's tutoring center. Then Jenny Liang and Kim Karlsrud gave a behind-the-scenes look at the work of Project H, who has done work like the design enterprise initiative Abject Object with the Downtown Women's Center.



The conversation was incredibly candid, and it was amazing to hear about such different models that are used in the nonprofit world. From the extreme challenges of working with budgets and finding ways to fund and finance various projects, to the joys of creative freedom (which can sometimes become a burden), to the fulfilling work of co-creating with stakeholders, the designers thoughtfully discussed their experiences with the audience, resulting in a very meaningful evening for everyone in attendance.



Afterwards, we walked a few blocks to Colorado Boulevard to see the newest outpost of Chicago coffee empire Intelligentsia. As we ordered up lattes and glasses of the new Eagle Rock Brewery beer Stimulus (made with Intelligentsia coffee!) we checked out the beautiful space, which uses reclaimed materials, including locally-sourced church pews. Architect Ana Henton of MASS gave us a debriefing on the challenges and triumphs of designing Intelligentsia's first cafe that serves alcohol, from how it was designed to look like an alley, to making a space that could morph into more of a bar-like vibe, to creating two code-mandated separate serving areas, one for coffee, one for beer.



But that wasn't all! After surprising us with a full spread of complimentary nibbles, including the amazing lasagna cupcakes made by Heirloom LA, Intelligentsia's director of innovation Kyle Glanville gave an inspired and fascinating presentation on the philosophy behind the brand. He covered everything from their dedication to design and architecture, down to custom cups designed by Rios Clementi Hale Studios, to why they don't have outlets (we promise, it's for your own good!). It was a full night of engaged discussions, valuable insight, and fantastic food and drink...the perfect de LaB. Thanks to PMCA and Intelligentsia for hosting us, and for all our wonderful speakers!

Thanks to Christine Goo for the PMCA photos, more de LaB photos here!

What To Do In November > Some Amazing Events

If the fact that we're taking the month of November off is leaving a giant, gaping hole in your architecture and design calendar, have no fear. There are some great events coming up this month organized and hosted by Friends of de LaB we'd like to alert you to:

• Our October de LaB hosts at Intelligentsia are planning a very special night at their Pasadena location on Friday, November 19th. The good people at our favorite coffee bar are hosting an 8-course tasting menu dinner paired with coffee from progressive farm Finca Santuario. The food will be prepared by Heirloom LA’s Matthew Poley with wine by Matthew Kaner of Bar Covel. More details over here. 
• Another previous de LaB host, our friends at Neutra's VDL Research House II are planning a site-specific installation by Mexico City-based artist Santiago Borja. The artist, with a team of expert weavers from Chiapas, Mexico will stage an architectural intervention, turning the house into a temporary functional textile loom. The exhibition opens Nov 17th and runs until Dec 22nd. More info on Borja and the project here.
• Have we mentioned we love pie? And the good people at Machine Project? Two great tastes that taste great together! Hammer designer Julia Luke and baker/For Your Art wonder woman Sarah Williams are hosting a pop-up pie shop at Machine Project on Nov 18th from 7-10pm. The two are hosting a complementary tasting and are selling DIY "pie kits" featuring featuring a jar of home made filling in one of 3 seasonal filling flavors. Even better, all proceeds will be donated to the LA Food Bank.

Skid Row's Socially Conscious Architect: Talk and Tour With Michael Maltzan > Dec 4th > ICA Campus, Downtown*

*UPDATE: We are now at capacity but accepting RSVPs for our wait list. If you'd like to be added please email us at hello[at]designeastoflabrea[dot]org. Thanks!

Yes, we're taking a short break in November for turkey and travel but are pleased to announce our December event: a very special lecture and tour with architect Michael Maltzan on how he is working to transform some of downtown's most distressed areas.  According to the NY Times:

...Mr. Maltzan may be the only American architect of his stature with significant experience in a far less glamorous field: providing shelter and other accommodations for his city’s poor. Over the past 16 years he has worked on several housing projects for the homeless and an arts complex for underprivileged children that are remarkable for their architectural sophistication and their spirit of public service.

On Dec 4th, join us for a talk with Michael about his projects on Skid Row, including the Rainbow and Carver apartments commissioned by Skid Row Housing Trust and the Inner City Arts campus. We'll be meeting at ICA and following Michael's lecture in the library, we'll be going on a tour of campus.

The lecture is free, but in the spirit of the season and event, we ask that attendees bring a donation of art supplies. What to bring? You can check ICA's list of needed items here.

11am Meet in the library
11:30 am Lecture begins promptly
12n Tour of the campus with project architects from Michael Maltzan Architecture


Inner City Arts
720 Kohler St, Los Angeles, CA 90021-1518 () ‎

inner-cityarts.org

We'll likely head over to Yxta Cocina Mexicana afterwards for lunch/drinks.

Given the space constraints of the campus, we have to limit the number of attendees. RSVP's are on a first come, first served basis. You must email us to confirm your spot at hello[at]designeastoflabrea.org. (Sorry, Facebook rsvp's won't count for this one).

Please DO NOT call Inner-City Arts directly.

And don't forget this Thursday's event at the Pasadena Museum of California Art and Intelligentsia. See you there!

October 9-17 > Design Week LA

de LaB is thrilled to be a supporting sponsor of the inaugural Design Week Los Angeles, a week-long, city-wide celebration of design with events being held by organizations across LA from October 9-17. Check out the lineup of over 50 events from a celebration of Julius Shulman's birthday to Forty Years of Sesame Street Illustration: Selections from the Publishing Archive of Sesame Workshop. During that week you can even get free admission to the California Design Biennial at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. (And then you can come back to the exhibition on October 28 for our October de LaB event!)


One event taking place during Design Week LA we'd particularly like to turn your attention to is CicLAvia, which we hosted at our Moving Beyond Cars event and advertised during Park[ing] Day. CicLAvia will turn 7.5 miles of LA roads into car-free routes on Sunday, October 10 (that's 10/10/10). So grab your bike, tell your friends, and hit the streets to prove to local leaders that CicLAvia should be a regular LA event! Then we'll see you at our October event at the California Design Biennial on Thursday, October 28.

October 28 > California Design Biennial Panel: Pro Bono Design > Pasadena

Giving It All Away: The Pros and Cons of Pro Bono Design

Designers want to use their creative skills to help a cause they believe in. But how to know where to donate your time in a way that's meaningful for you and the cause you want to aid? In discussing their work featured in the 2010 California Design Biennial, the designers behind 826's Time Travel Mart and the utilitarian urban living products Abject Object will discuss the importance of choosing a local nonprofit and working closely with its constituents over a long period of time. The designers will show how co-creating with the groups they're serving, whether its elementary kids who need after school tutoring or women living at a downtown shelter, helped them to design intelligent, engaging products that have gained widespread attention, enriched the lives of the nonprofit's stakeholders, and changed the course of their design careers.

Speakers:
Stefan Bucher, 344 Design
Kim Karlsrud & Jenny Liang, Project H Design
Moderated by Alissa Walker, curator of product design for the 2010 California Design Biennial

Thursday, October 28
5:00-5:30pm Viewing of California Design Biennial in main gallery (you can also arrive earlier during museum hours to see the show)
5:30-7:00pm Panel discussion in rooftop gallery

Free with admission to the museum
$7 for Adults
$5 Seniors and Students
Free for PMCA Members
Pay the fee at the museum

RSVP to hello@designeastoflabrea.org

Pasadena Museum of California Art
490 East Union Street
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-568-3665

Afterwards, we'll lead a walk to Intelligentsia Pasadena for refreshments and a tour of the space by its architects, Ana Henton and Gregory Williams, MASS.

7:30pm Gather at Intelligentsia, coffee and snacks
8:00pm Tour and talk by MASS, more coffee and snacks

Intelligentsia Pasadena
55 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105

No need to RSVP if you're just coming to Intelligentsia. We'll have the space in the back. They close at 10pm.


See you there!

September Recap: Park[ing] Day at LOCAL!

There's nothing quite like lounging along Sunset Boulevard for the day! On this year's Park[ing] Day we once again took over a parking space in front of our favorite neighborhood restaurant LOCAL, converting it into a public park for a day.

Our original plans for a performance space were thwarted by an architect stuck in jury duty but our friends at Ball-Nogues pulled through by supplying tables from their recent Table Cloth installation that just came down at UCLA. Rounded out with some greenery, the space was a perfect place for those who wanted to take their lunch or latte in a temporary park.

Tons of de Labbers stopped by to sample LOCAL's delish (and local) cuisine, bringing their dogs, children and bikes to help us populate the space. Everyone at LOCAL was so gracious and helpful and offered free water to anyone (human or canine) who came by—a godsend for all the bikers out there hopping from park to park. Also, we loved the free wifi!

In fact, our park was so popular, we were also featured in stories about Park[ing] Day on GOOD and LAist. Thanks to Lindsay William-Ross at LAist for coming by and snapping some awesome shots, including this one above!

We also used our park to help raise awareness for CicLAvia, which will convert 7.5 miles of LA streets into car-free routes for biking, skating, walking and strolling on October 10 (10/10/10). CicLAvia is part of LA's Design Week, and de LaB is honored to be a supporting partner for this exciting new event for LA. More on that soon!

August Recap: Moving Beyond Cars and Vertical Veggies

August was packed with two, yes, two de LaB events! Our first event, Moving Beyond Cars, was held in partnership with GOOD, railLA, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, the Coalition for Clean Air. We took over the LA Beyond Cars exhibition in the Jewel Box at City National Plaza for a night of conversations about alternative transit in LA. As people compared stories on how they got there, and drew their routes and forms of transit on a large map of LA, the incredible James Rojas lead several of his urban planning workshops, asking people to build their ideal "beyond car" LA using found objects. Metro even gave us some awesome public transit temporary tattoos, which guests applied at the door.

We also would like to acknowledge three people who came to the event in unique ways. The grand prize went to Justin Bensan, who not only documented his multi-modal trip from Long Beach on Twitter, he also made a stop on the Blue Line to enjoy Watts Towers on the way up to LA. We love that! Our second award went to the most creative form of transit, a Pon-e Tribred, designed by Charlie Becker of the Silver Lake LA Trikke Shop. And third place went to a woman who left before we could get her name, but she very enthusiastically told us that she walked five blocks, took the 475 bus, then the Gold Line, Red Line and then went up Angels Flight! Talk about dedication!

Special thanks to Carren Jao, who wrote a beautiful recap of the night for the LA Downtown News. These photos were shot by the lovely Carla Choy, and you can see more of them on our Facebook page. And don't forget to go to CicLAvia on 10/10/10 when ten miles of LA streets will be closed to cars!

Then, the next week we gathered at the amazing Homegirl Cafe in Chinatown for Vertical Veggies! We started out with Homegirl's tasty all-you-can-eat mini tacos and delicious fresh sangria while Fandango Sin Fronteras serenaded us with live music. Then we broke into three workshops: container gardening, vertical gardening, and cooking with fresh, homegrown produce. Guests spread out into Homegirl's various gardens, including a massive vegetable garden by Woolly Pockets where they grow many of the ingredients for their restaurant.

Depending on which skill they learned, guests took home planters of pea shoots made from plastic containers, seeds tucked into folded newspaper containers, or yummy heirloom tomato salsa. Thanks to our workshop leaders, master gardener Milli Macen-Moore, Meg Glasser from Urban Farming and chef Patricia Zarate, who each donated their time and knowledge for the evening. And a big thanks to Trekking LA for partnering with us on such a fun night!

There are more photos from the Vertical Veggies event over at our Facebook page. And be sure to check out LA Commons, Trekking LA and Homegirl Cafe for more fun events!

See you on September 17 for Park[ing] Day!

Park[ing] Day LA > September 17th!

It's baaaack! We're pleased once again to join our friends at Park[ing] Day LA as we transform a lowly concrete parking space into an eco-friendly pocket park on Friday, September 17th from 10am to 4pm. We will once again be in front of neighborhood fave, LOCAL restaurant, at 2943 Sunset Blvd. Come by, order lunch, have a lemonade, and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

This year, we plan to build a public performance space, with the help of talented architect Christian Chaudhari. Got a band? A guitar? Some bongos? Let us know! We're looking for musicians to play in our park all day.

Can't make it to our park during the day? Head to the Echo Park Film Center at 6pm where they'll be showing the movie Breaking Away in their ride-in theater park!

View Larger Map

Not familiar with Park[ing] Day? Here's more:
Too often, when people think of Los Angeles they envision a maze of asphalt, smog and traffic congestion. The automobile reigns supreme and as a result one’s ability to navigate through the City becomes compromised with the burden of too many vehicles clogging the road. Sidewalks have been narrowed and opportunities for open space, parks, civic plazas and public places have been sequestered into the hills, which unfortunately are often inaccessible to anyone without an automobile. Despite being home to one of the largest urban parks in North America (Griffith Park), Los Angeles significantly lacks adequate & accessible open space, urban parks, plazas and civic centers.

In 2005, the Rebar group, a small group out of San Francisco, opened eyes worldwide by transforming a metered parking spot into a park-for-a-day in an effort to make a public comment on the lack of quality open space in American cities. Their goal was to reprogram the urban surface by reclaiming streets for people to rest, relax and play and to:

• Promote a critical dialogue among artists, designers, activists, citizens, corporations, and government regarding the need for urban open space and they way in which streets are currently used.
• Energize civic life by questioning basic assumptions about urban space while offering provocative and meaningful alternatives.
• Connect artists, designers, and activists with ways to permanently reclaim the street for people.
  

Vertical Veggies > Thursday, August 26 > Homegirl Cafe, Chinatown

Summer is here! Join de LaB and LA Commons for an evening of urban farming, cooking and—most importantly—eating at Homegirl Cafe. Choose from several gardening and cooking workshops led by experts at Urban Farming and Homegirl Cafe that specialize in the art of growing (and preparing) edibles in small and surprising city spaces:

• Cooking Workshop: Join the chefs from Homegirl Cafe for a workshop that shows how to put all that homegrown produce to good use. We'll be making a roasted beet salad with poblano pepper dressing and a roasted heirloom tomato salsa….all from the garden!
  
  
• Container Gardening: With autumn fast approaching, let us help you plan your cool weather container garden! Master Gardener Milli Macen-Moore will teach you how to plan your autumn and winter container garden, speak about companion planting and growing food in small urban settings. Help us prep the beds at Homegirl Cafe + all participants go home with seedlings for their own garden.
  
  
• Vertical Gardening: Join Urban Farming's Meg Glasser for an introduction to the do's and dont's of vertical farming. We will discuss some of the systems that are currently in use around Los Angeles such at Woolly Pockets and Green Living Technology + create DIY hanging containers for all participants to take home.
  
  
• A brief tour and overview of Chinatown's "crack gardens" where produce is literally growing out of cracks in the pavement
  

In addition to the workshop, your $15 ticket also gets you an all-inclusive dinner from Homegirl Cafe made with produce from their on-site vertical garden (and including their homemade sangria!). Plus, live music by Fandango Sin Fronteras all night long! Proceeds benefit Homegirl Cafe and LA Common's Trekking LA program. See you in the garden!

Bring gardening gloves if you have them and don't want your hands to get dirty!

6:00pm Dinner and drinks (dinner service will continue throughout the night)
7:30pm Workshops begin
8:15pm Drinks and live music

RSVP in advance by emailing us at hello AT designeastoflabrea.org but you can pay when you get there.

Vertical Veggies: Urban Gardening and Cooking at Homegirl Cafe
Thursday, August 26
6 to 9 pm
Homegirl Cafe
130 Bruno Street, Chinatown
Metro Gold Line is right across the street, plan your trip at Metro.net
$15 includes dinner plus gardening or cooking workshop

Moving Beyond Cars > Wednesday, August 18 > Downtown LA

We suspect Los Angeles might have a car-crazed reputation but we also know this city has a vibrant community that likes to take bikes, buses and sidewalks, too. So we're teaming up with GOOD, railLA, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, and the Coalition for Clean Air for an event that shows how L.A. can move beyond cars. We're holding it at the exhibition LA Beyond Cars: A Global Perspective on Rail and Space which envisions the future of high speed rail in Los Angeles. And we're challenging everyone who attends to use alternative transportation. That's right—our goal is to make this a completely car-free party.

Board a bus, take the train, ride a bike, map out a walk, jump on your scooter, hire a horse and buggy, break out your hoverboard...just get here in a way that illustrates an L.A. that's not auto-dependent. Connect with friends and travel together. Document your trip on Twitter, Flickr or Facebook using the tag #LAbeyondcars. When you get to the event, we'll have an opportunity for everyone to record how they got there, where they came from, and what happened during their journey. James Rojas will be holding his extremely fun interactive city planning workshops focusing on walking and biking. The folks from CicLAvia will be on-hand to talk about how they're planning a car-free street celebration this fall. Plus: There will be prizes awarded for the people who arrive in the most unique, alternative, or "beyond car" ways. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Moving Beyond Cars
L.A.'s Alternative Transportation Celebration
Wednesday, August 18
7 to 10 p.m.
The Jewel Box / City National Plaza
525 S. Flower Street, Downtown Los Angeles
Free, cash bar
RSVP and share the event information on Facebook

Update: Entrance to the building is on Figueroa. We will also have a bike valet thanks to the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition!

Tips for safe biking and links to routes from the LACBC

Tips on how to ride and plan your trip from Metro

Tips on car-free commuting from the Coalition for Clean Air

Sponsored by GOOD, railLA, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Coalition for Clean Air and de LaB

Graphic by Will Etling

Crimson Collective's City Listening Artwork Now On Sale!

Those of you who attended City Listening will remember the panoramic black and white mural of the 6th Street Bridge that set the stage for a night celebrating LA design. This urban frieze featured 13 laser-etched panels screened with creatures from koi to giraffes exploring the cityscape. The piece was designed by the geniuses at Crimson Collective, the same artists and designers who built the amazing Crane installation at this year's Coachella.

These panels are now being sold as 13 original artworks, your very own City Listening memento. Learn more about the incredible process to create these, then start picking out your favorite piece! Email Crimson with the name/number of the panel you'd like to buy, and remember, friends of de LaB get an additional 10% off! Click to view a larger image.

panel a:
title: ruff necks
price: $250


panel b:
title: p-nut-butter-n-jelly fish
price: $250


panel c:
title: wooo cares
price: $250


panel d:
title: just follow me
price: $300


panel e:
title: nature inspired
price: $300


panel f:
title: national security
price: $650


panel g:
title: blue cold feet
price: $400


panel h:
title: four steps ahead
price: $550


panel i:
title: in the valley of koi
price: $400


panel j:
title: out of the silent sky
price: $650


panel k:
title: from the heights two city lights
price: $450


panel l:
title: lifelong habits
price: $300


panel m:
title: next day air
price: $450

The panels can also be shipped with a section of the mural behind it for an additional cost. Email Crimson with the name/number of the panel you'd like to buy. Hurry, this deal for friends of de LaB won't last long!

A Big City Listening Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who came out last Saturday for City Listening II—it was such an amazing event! We had over 300 people fill the grand former bank space at the Spring Arts Tower in downtown for a memorable night of loving and learning about LA. As one reviewer over at Architizer wrote: "City Listening II proves its value once again to Los Angeles."

Check out the photos of the event by demonica photo, and photos of the after party at the Crocker Club.

And now, we've got some thanking to do...

Thank you to our presenting sponsors!

• Woodbury University
• FORM
• The Architect's Newspaper

Thank you to the designers and producers of our event!

• Crimson Collective designed our event, including the beautiful laser-etched mural of the 6th Street Bridge that graced our stage. These panels will be sold at a 10% discount to friends of de LaB for a limited time only, all details here. All proceeds go directly to the artists.
  
• Derrick Schultz of BustBright designed our lovely website and graphics
  
• Xeriscape Records expertly handled our sound and music
• Jason King of Somewhere Something designed our "barchitecture"
  
• Commonstudio/Project H designed our seed bomb giftbags for de LaB Groupie ticketholders, complete with slingshot!
• Oleg Korchinski provided general awesomeness
  
• demonica photo took our amazing event photos
  
• Modernica supplied our comfy modern seating

Thank you to our amazing readers!

• Frances Anderton
• Chris Nichols
• John Chase
  
• Joe Linton
  
• Ken Bernstein
• Nick Adams
  
• Tom Marble
• Tibby Rothman
  
• Adrian Glick Kudler
• Brooke Hodge
  
• Christopher Hawthorne
  
• Sam Lubell
  
• Rico Gagliano
  
• Student authors from 826LA

Thank you to our generous silent auction donors!

• toHOLD
• Crimson Collective
• Knock Knock
• Ball-Nogues Studio
• Heartbeet Gardening
• Frances Anderton
  
• Damon Loble
• Cartoules Letterpress
• Bendow
• Rachel Allen Architecture
  
• 826LA
• John Chase
  
• Fifth Floor Gallery
• See Line Gallery and Eamon O'Kane
• Didier Hess & M&A

Thank you to our door prize donors (did you win? check here)!

• LA Conservancy
• Hammer Museum
• KCRW
• AIA Home Tours
• MAK Center
• Hollyhock House
• Balcony Press
• Gamble House
• Sam Lubell/Random House
  

Thank you to our awesome volunteers!

• Vanessa Teng
• Sarah Lunsky
• D'anna Olsen
• Ashley Atkinson
• Freya Bardell
• Elizabeth Chang
• Maggie Taurick
• Gretchen Zalkind
• John Hoffmann
• Chi-yoon Chung
• Stephanie Robbins
• Melissa Holmes

Thank you to our east-of-La Brea eats and drinks!

• Flying Pig
• Coolhaus
• Nicobella
• Yeekai Lim's pop-up espresso
  
• Pama
• Hpnotiq

Thank you to our media partners!

• Dwell on Design
• Architizer

Thank you to our after party hosts!

• The Crocker Club
• Los Angeles Magazine's LA Circles Club

And that's probably enough thanking for one day, so we'd like to thank all of YOU for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

We're taking July off (as you should be, too) but we'll be back in August with a very special event where we'll be helping to install a vertical garden at Homegirl Cafe in Chinatown. Sign up for our newsletter for details, and we'll see you then! Enjoy summer!

Did You Win One of Our City Listening Door Prizes?

Thank you, thank you, to all of you who made this year's City Listening a success! We're still cleaning up, crunching numbers and uploading photos so we'll have a full report soon, including how to purchase one of those amazing laser-cut panels that graced the back of the City Listening stage. But one thing we're already certain of: We were absolutely floored by your attendance, love and support! Thank you!

In all our rush to thank our speakers, say goodbye to our guests and get our de LaB Groupies into the after party downstairs, we neglected to post the eight winning raffle ticket numbers for amazing door prizes from The LA Conservancy, Hammer Museum, KCRW, AIA Home Tours, MAK Center, The Hollyhock House, Balcony Press, The Gamble House and Sam Lubell.

We know that the chances you're still holding onto that red ticket are slim, but we decided we needed to try finding our eight lucky winners. So here are the winning tickets:

• 847656
• 847628
• 847650
• 847588
• 847637
• 847661
• 847620
• 847658

If you have any of these raffle tickets in your possession, please email us at hello AT designeastoflabrea DOT org so we can get your door prize to you!

If we don't hear from all eight people by Friday, we'll choose some de LaB Groupie ticketholders at random to round out the spots.

Again we're so sorry we screwed up and we promise it won't happen next time!

Go Home with Piece of City Listening

The creative minds behind the Crane from Coachella are back again with something equally experimental and just as evocative for de LaB City Listening II. Only this time, you can take a piece of it home with you.


Based on an iconic image of the Sixth Street Bridge taken from the LA River, the Crimson Collective is building a 40-foot one-of-a-kind modular art installation that is comprised of 2-d and 3-d laser etched cityscapes on dense expanded foam sheets. They literally let the city and the universe decide how their installation would take shape, blending science and art to divine the exact form of the 13 different clustered structures. The design took traffic patterns between La Brea and downtown and the actual geographic locations of all past de LaBs to draw a constellation of LA and applied I Ching, the ancient Chinese art of divination, to translate this data into actual shapes.

Designer Behn Samareh (the master of 3-d) engraves the surface of the panels with grooves that are filled with pigment while Ando Pndlian (the ace of 2-d) superimposes the panels with his laser-cut, precision-laid images. The result is a dense multi-dimensional urban frieze.



Besides being the backdrop for City Listening, this yet-to-be-named work of modular art is available for purchase. These panels are now being sold as 13 original artworks, your very own City Listening memento. Check out the panel descriptions and purchasing information to find out the name/number of the panel you'd like to buy, and remember, friends of de LaB get an additional 10% off!

What Would You "Ask Chris"?

We're big fans—as you should be, too—of writer, preservationist, historian and man-about-town Chris Nichols and his "Ask Chris" column in Los Angeles Magazine. Every month, Chris answers questions on LA ranging from "Are there any orange groves left in LA?" to "Silverlake or Silver Lake?" to "What's up with those abandoned streets west of LAX?"

At this weekend's event City Listening II (have you bought your tickets yet?), Chris will bring the column to life for one night only! But to do this, we need your questions!

What are your burning queries about LA's urban landscape, architecture, history? Send us an email or drop 'em in the comments—and no fair answering other people's questions! Come to City Listening II on Saturday, June 26 to see if your questions get picked!

Also! Be sure to check out Chris' picks for the best modern restaurants, midcentury diners and Googie eateries (complete with map!) over at Dwell.

One Week Until City Listening II!

Only one week left until our first-ever fundraiser, City Listening II!

We hope you'll join us for an evening of free expression and generous libation in celebration of LA's design culture at large.

Featuring stories about LA read by the city's leading writers on design and urbanism:

• KCRW's Frances Anderton on "Living with Gehry"
• A live "Ask Chris" session with Chris Nichols from Los Angeles Magazine
• John Chase with "No fun-size Twix bars EVER!"
  
• LA Creek Freak Joe Linton on the bridges we cross
• Ken Bernstein on hidden gems uncovered by Survey LA
• A parade of disturbing interiors from Marissa Gluck
• Nick Adams with a slightly angry, slightly tongue-in-cheek takedown of the LA subway "system"
• Architectural short fiction by Tom Marble
• Tibby Rothman's Not-for-Print Art World Story
  
• Poetic stylings of gelato urbanist Alissa Walker
• LA fiction by Curbed LA editor Adrian Glick Kudler
• Brooke Hodge reminisces about LA's first impressions
• Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne on LA's downtown
  
• Sam Lubell, California editor of The Architect's Newspaper, reads from the book of Genesis
  
• Rico Gagliano of The Dinner Party Download
  
• And letters to LA written by students from 826LA
• Hosted by de LaB's Haily Zaki, Alissa Walker and Marissa Gluck
  

Indulge in east-of-La Brea eats by Flying Pig courtesy of The Architect's Newspaper, ice cream sandwiches by Coolhaus, organic chocolate by Nicobella, cocktails by Pama and Hpnotiq, and wine courtesy of FORM

Marvel at interactive design installations by Crimson Collective, Barchitecture by Jason King of Somewhere Something sponsored by Woodbury University, seed bomb vending by Commonstudio/Project H, music by Xeriscape Records, pop-up espresso by Yeekai Lim and comfy modern seating by Modernica

Support the silent auction featuring de LaB community members:

• toHOLD
• Crimson Collective
• Knock Knock
• Ball-Nogues Studio
• Vegetable garden consultation by Heartbeet Gardening
• A private tour of KCRW's studios with Frances Anderton
  
• Damon Loble
• Cartoules Letterpress
• TOMS Shoes customized by Bendow
• Design consultation by Rachel Allen Architecture
  
• 826LA
• A walking tour of West Hollywood's urban design with John Chase
  
• Fifth Floor Gallery
• See Line Gallery and Eamon O'Kane
• Didier Hess & M&A
  

$25 Tickets includes drinks, food and admission to the show

$50 de LaB Groupie Tickets includes drinks, food, admission to the show and a guerrilla gardening kit from Green Aid, PLUS de LaB Groupie After Party at the Crocker Club sponsored by Los Angeles Magazine's LA Circles Club, AND special door prizes from the LA Conservancy, Hammer Museum, KCRW, AIA Home Tours, MAK Center, Hollyhock House, Balcony Press, Gamble House and Friends of the LA River

Anyone who arrives by walking, riding their bike or taking public transportation receives a very special walking-themed door prize!

It all happens next weekend!

Saturday June 26, 2010
7-10pm
Spring Arts Tower
453 S. Spring, Downtown LA

Buy your tickets today—only a limited amount will be available at the door! See you at City Listening II!

Special thanks to BustBright for our beautiful website, demonicaphoto for event photography, and our media partners Dwell on Design and Architizer

Also! We're still looking for a few more volunteers, so drop us a line if you can help!

Name our City Listening II Cocktails--Winners Announced!

Update: Winners announced!

Angelyne (pink), submitted by Ellen, via blog
Pama
Vodka
Pink grapefruit juice

Sweet Elysian (blue), submitted by Amy Martin, via Facebook
Hpnotiq
Vodka
Pineapple juice

Red Car (red), submitted by Ellen, via blog
Pama
Vodka
Cranberry juice

Ellen, we don't know how to contact you, so please email us so we can get you your two free tickets. Thank you to everyone who entered! Remember, Early Bird tickets are on sale until midnight tonight!

Thanks to our friends at Pama and Hpnotiq, we'll be shaking up three delightful cocktails at our City Listening II event on June 26. Help us name them and the winning name for each cocktail will get a free ticket to City Listening II, an evening of stories about LA read by the city's leading design writers!

Right now they're just named after the colors they'll be, but we want you to christen these cocktails with proper "design east of La Brea" names before we can serve them to you. How about naming them after your favorite building east of La Brea? Perhaps you can honor your favorite City Listening speaker? Or use the name to show some east of La Brea neighborhood pride? Maybe you should start drinking right now for some proper inspiration!

Pink
Pama
Vodka
Pink grapefruit juice

Blue
Hpnotiq
Vodka
Pineapple juice

Red
Pama
Vodka
Cranberry juice

Post your suggestions to Twitter and tag them #citylistening, add them in the Facebook comments here, or post them in the comments below. Be sure to reference which color cocktail you're naming. The winner for each cocktail will get a free ticket to City Listening II!

Hurry! Deadline is Wednesday night, June 9 at midnight. We'll announce the winners the next day here, on Twitter and on Facebook, so those who don't win will still have plenty of time to buy tickets at Early Bird pricing, which ends midnight, June 10! May the best drink names win!

Disclaimer: Must not be presently located east of La Brea in order to enter. We welcome submissions from those both east and west.