Design-n-Dim Sum Ride> Links and Learn

There's been a few articles/posts recently about some of the sites we'll be visiting this Saturday on our Design-n-Dim Sum Ride:

• Check out Fung + Blatt's Mount Washington residence, now front page on Dwell.com.
• So timely...check out this little ditty by David Keeps on Fifth Floor's new "Looking for Work" exhibit, opening this Saturday night. Come on the design-n-dim-sum ride for a sneak peek and maybe stick around for the opening night party! (Note that Ali Jevanjee, whose Chung King Alley loft we'll also be seeing on Saturday, will be debuting his new line of laminated plywood furniture as part of the exhibit.)
• Yet another cool post about one of the design labs we'll be visiting this Saturday!

Take Our de LaB Survey and You Might Be Headed to Dwell on Design!

We're busy planning more parties, more events and more tours but in order to make de LaB the best it can be, we want to hear from you! We've put together a de LaB survey to find out what you'd like to see in the next few months, years, decades.

And because we know you're busy, we're sweetening the deal. At the end of the survey, simply enter your email and be entered into our drawing. One winner will be headed to Dwell on Design here in LA June 26-28 with a three-day Dwell Conference Plus ticket valued at $149!

Your ticket will get you in to a one-day conference curated by the editors of Dwell, including a keynote by Daniel Pink, plus two days of trade show access, and lots more panels including an entire Sunday devoted to design and food. Thanks to our friends at Dwell!

Please take a few minutes to fill out our de LaB survey by Monday, June 15 at noon. If you don't win, we also have special Dwell on Design discount codes especially for our de LaB friends:

Exhibition Plus (Weekend Pass) only $10 with this special code: DWELL49A
Conference Plus (3 Day Pass) from $49 with this special code: DWELL942L
Register at dwellondesign.com

Thanks, as always, for your support!

June de LaB > Design-n-Dim Sum Ride

Bring your bikes and join de LaB as we hit the streets for the first-ever design-n-dim sum ride!  Check out the details below and please be sure to RSVP so that we have an accurate head count for the restaurant.

RENDEZ-VOUS

We're meeting at Flying Pigeon LA at 10am on JUNE 20th and taking off by 10:30am. Adam and Josef are offering a special de LaB discount of 10% off ALL PRODUCTS in the store (except drinks) so come a bit early if you want to check out the wares. Who knows, you might walk away with a new bike!

For those of you without your own bikes, Flying Pigeon is offering FIVE rentals. The first five people to RSVP will get to ride a 'pidge' for the day. For everyone else, feel free to use our Facebook page and your own resources to borrow a bike for the day.

Location: 3714 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90065

Time: 10 to 10.30am, June 20th

FIRST STOP: Fung + Blatt

We'll pop up the street for a peek inside this innovative studio and a tasting of chilled and refreshing crudites, straight from the Fung + Blatt garden (perfect for a hot summer day!)

Location: 3927 N. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90065

Time: 11 - 11.30am

SCENIC RIDE: Flying Pigeon

Next, the guys from FP are taking us through a bit of LA history, through Lincoln Heights, past the old Department of Water and Power storefront, the old Chinese funeral home at Five Points, Young Nak Church, and down across the train yard on the Pasadena bridge into Chinatown. It's not a tough ride, but be sure to bring water!

Location: Highland Park to Chinatown, via Lincoln Heights

Time: 11.30am to 12.30pm

CHUNG KING LOFT TOUR: Fifth Floor + LOC

Once we roll into Chung King Court, we'll head to Fifth Floor to catch our breath and check out Robert's awesome upstairs loft. He's also offering a special 10% de LaB discount for all products in the gallery.

Walk three minutes down the alley to check out LOC's modern live/work space. Ali Jeevanjee and Poonam Sharma take simple plywood to a whole new level of cool in their groovy indoor/outdoor pad, which was recently featured in the Los Angeles Times. You'll see what we mean.

Location: Chung King Court + Road

Time: 12.30pm to 1.30pm

THEN, DIM SUM: Ocean Seafood

By this point, we'll have worked up a crazy appetite and we'll head over to Ocean Seafood for some delicious dim sum. Only word of caution: avoid the fried baby octopus! We're going dutch on this so don't forget to bring cash.

RETURN TRIP:

Fearless riders can head back the way we came or take the Gold Line

back up to Highland Park. Hop off at Heritage Square. (Or better yet, head to the Mountain Bar to hydrate on beer as we wait for the afternoon to cool off...)

Since this is one of our more complicated events, here's the gist:

- Don't forget to RSVP.

- Let us know if you want to rent a bike. We only have FIVE.

- Bring lots of water.

- Bring cash for dim sum.

RSVP required. E-mail us at hello[at] designeastoflabrea [dot] org.

PS - If you're RSVP'd via Facebook, you're cool.  Just be sure to e-mail us directly if you need to rent a bike!

Save the Date - June de LaB

We're kicking the summer off with a few of our favorite things...bikes, design, and some dim sum! Join us Saturday, June 20th as we hit the streets for the first-ever de LaB Design-n-Dim-Sum Ride.

We'll rendez-vous in Highland Park with our friends at Flying Pigeon and Fung + Blatt before making our way to Chinatown to visit Fifth Floor and LOC on Chung King Road. Then, dim sum and Tsingtao! We're working out the details and will soon post more information on how/when to RSVP.

In the meantime, here's some info on our awesome hosts:

Flying Pigeon via LA Weekly. Simply put: one great idea, two brothers, and a bunch of rad bikes. http://www.laweekly.com/2009-04-23/la-vida/la-people-2009-bicycle-oven-39-s-josef-and-adam-bray-ali-spokesmen/

Formed in 1990 by Alice Fung and Michael Rosner Blatt, Fung + Blatt Architects works in the areas of residential, commercial, and community-based design. Fung + Blatt have also crossed over into fashion and product design with their wearable and livable collections.

Opened in January of 2008, Fifth Floor is a hybrid art/design gallery in the heart of LA’s Chinatown. Owner, Robert Apodaca’s background in architecture sees that the space delights in a mixture of contemporary art and design. Work by varying artists, designers, and architects rotate through the exhibition areas every month to two months; all the while, a steady base of unique accessories, jewelry, furniture and design objects remain on display. Many of these hand-made objects are available nowhere else besides Fifth Floor.

LOC was recently featured in the LA Times. Ali Jevanjee and Poonam Sharma have masterfully transformed their second story double apartment into an airy, modern, light-filled workspace without changing the exterior shell or affecting the charm of their Chung King Alley abode.

Thanks For Coming To In The Fold!

Thanks to everyone who came to our collaborative origami event this month, In The Fold.

Our deep appreciation to everyone at Studio 1060, including our friends Bo and Hisako at Bunch Design, Catherine Garrison Architect, Debi Van Zyl and Design Garage Inc. Not only did they provide us with a great space in Boyle Heights, and a fantastic Butter Bar (seriously, did you try the jalapeno?), but they also kindly taught everyone how to construct paper modules for our three-dimensional origami wall, now gracing Studio 1060. Around 50 design-minded Angelenos crossed the bridge into Boyle Heights to enjoy wine, beer, micheladas and the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. More photos from the event are available here and on our facebook page. We're close to announcing our June event (which will require an RSVP), so make sure you stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter (over there to the right) for all the details.

May de LaB > In The Fold

In the Fold

Origami Night at Studio 1060
Join us as we use the ancient art of Japanese paper folding to create a three-dimensional wall.

Our friends at Bunch Design, Catherine Garrison Architect, Debi Van Zyl, and Design Garage Inc. in Boyle Heights - all located at Studio 1060 - will teach us how to make a simple module and we'll assemble the wall as the night progresses over drinks, snacks and conversation.

About Bunch: Bunch Design was created in 2008 as a multi-disciplinary design office based in Los Angeles and New York City.

The firm's main objective is to bring together a universe of ideas, people, and objects and to organize them into something meaningful.

Bunch Design practices contemporary design, art and cultural analysis.

Got a question? Email us at hello [at] designeastoflabrea [dot] org.

Date: Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Time: 7:00-10:00pm
Location: 1060 E. Cesar Chavez Ave, LA CA 90033

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There is limited parking in the office lot and the surrounding area is somewhat industrial. Please carpool/bike/use public transit if you can!

Thanks For Coming to Our Garden Party!

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Garden Party this month (and apologies for anyone we were not able to accommodate, space was tight!). About 60 extremely well-dressed design fans—seriously, you guys look good in daylight—gathered on the Flat Building rooftop as Alexis Rochas schooled us on the challenges of urban agriculture on a brilliantly sunny day. Afterwards we filed downstairs into the swanktastic Blue Velvet and sipped Champagne and lemon-spiked Hefeweizens while a brunch with produce snipped from that very rooftop was brought out in three beautifully-plated courses. Thanks to everyone at ForYourArt, LA Art Weekend, Blue Velvet, and of course Alexis for such a perfect day high above LA.

You can read more about the event over at Curbed, and thanks again to Jessica Ritz for including us in the LA Weekly's new Squid Ink blog (even though we're sorry you hurt your foot on the door—yikes! Don't sue us.). And you can also check out lots of photos on Facebook. If you have more coverage, please point us towards it so we can link you up, or upload your photos to our Flickr group. We've got May's event almost ready to announce, so stay tuned by subscribing to our newsletter (over there to the right) for all the details. And have a great weekend!