Highland Gallery Hop > September 25 > Hollywood

Photo by Joshua White, Courtesy of Perry Rubenstein 

The intersection of Highland Ave and Santa Monica Blvd is better known for post-production studios and prostitutes than as the next nexus of contemporary art in LA. Yet with three major galleries recently opened there (and rumored moves by Tom Solomon and Michael Kohn), this shabby street is poised to become the next Culver City.

Join de LaB on Tuesday, Sept 25th for a very special tour of two of these galleries: Chinatown transfer Redling Fine Art and New York transplant Perry Rubenstein.

Liz Glynn's GREATER LA, Hammer Museum

Open after hours only to de LaBbers, we'll start at Redling Fine Art for a tour with Erica Redling of Liz Glynn's HOARD, Glynn's work was recently seen in the Hammer's Made in L.A. biennial, for which she was a finalist for the Mohn Award. She will also be included in Lost Line: Selectio from the Permanent Collection at LACMA this November, as well as upcoming projects with LACMA, Los Angeles Sculpture Center, New York in 2013.  Situated in a mini-mall on Santa Monica Boulevard, this exhibition marks the gallery's second season of remarkable programming in Hollywood.  

From there, we'll walk over to Perry Rubenstein, for a walkthrough with architect Kulapat Yantrasast, partner at wHYArchitecture.  Yantrasast and co have renovated a former film supply warehouse, creating an airy 8,500 square foot gallery with a strong indoor/outdoor flow. Yantrasast will talk about the renovation project and we'll hear why Highland is an up-and-coming hotspot for art. We'll also have a chance to check out artist Zoe Crosher's inaugural exhibit at the gallery (yes, the same Zoe Crosher whose studio we visited on our design-n-dim sum tour in June).

Afterwards, please join us for drinks at the cash bar at Next Door Lounge, a 1920's inspired-speakeasy just a short walk from the galleries on Highland.

Tuesday, September 25th
6:00 pm Meet at Redling Fine Art, 6757 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90038
6:30 pm Tour of the gallery with director Lucy Campana
7:15 pm Tour of Perry Rubenstein with architect Kulapat Yantrasast of wHY Architecture, 1215 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles CA 90038
8:00 pm Drinks at Next Door Lounge, 1154 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles CA 90038 (Psst. Password is "WRIGHT").

Space is limited, so please RSVP here.




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September 21 > Park(ing) Day LA @ LOCAL

Park(ing) Day LA is back! And not only does it represent our favorite excuse to hang out - literally - on the streets of Los Angeles, but it takes place mere weeks after the City of LA's recent announcement to develop three permanent parklets as part of a new pilot program to add green space in unlikely areas of the city. Read more on that here. 

Join us on Friday, September 21st as we head back to our favorite Silver Lake spot just outside of LOCAL. This year we're thrilled to be working with new design firm The Rare Studio, run by recent Art Center College of Design grads Mike Manalo, Ricardo R. Bojorquez and Salvador Orara. Their design takes it cue from the very essence of Park(ing) Day and ties into the themes of the movement, including lack of dedicated green spaces and accessibility to parks, while adding a focus on locally sourced organic ingredients and fresh eating. 

Through a series of terraced structures made out of industrial ceiling panels, The Rare Studio's neon-colored Soft Publics mobile partition system will be layered into a series of rippling pockets to look like a temporary construction site. Upon closer inspection, however, it will reveal itself to be a pop-up green museum with plants - everything from lemon balm, basil and organic hierloom wormwood - overflowing from each individual pocket. Yum!

Fabricated felt pockets will be attached to the openings. Each pocket will contain one variety of organic herbs or plants. 

So, come out and join us for a fun-filled afternoon of civic engagement, vertical gardens, locally sourced food

at LOCAL, and sun. Honestly, we can't think of a better reason to play hookie!

For a full map of all the pop-up parks, click here.

What: Soft Publics Park by The Rare Studio for Park(ing) Day LA
Where: LOCAL Restaurant, 2943 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
When: Friday, September 21st, 11am-ish to 4pm-ish

August Recap > EaCa Alley and Greenbar Collective

Last month we had two fantastic events that showed how designers can turn forgotten spaces into smart, sustainable, economically viable real estate in very different corners of the city. First we visited East Cahuenga Alley, a reclaimed alleyway that runs behind several restaurants and businesses in Hollywood.



We were welcomed to the beautiful back lounge at Saint Felix by Hollywood BID's Sarah MacPherson, property owner Jose Malagon, and Saint Felix owner Johnny Arakaki, who told us about the alley's transformation.



Sarah showed some pretty amazing "before" photos!



Then we headed out for a tour of the alley, including a peek at the brand new landscaping by Troy Silva of Urban Nature.

   

It was a great night and a pretty inspiring example of how businesses and the city can work together to create a brand new public space in the most surprising of places.



Check out more awesome photos of the evening from Andy Hurvitz. Thanks to everyone who made it out and a big thanks to Saint Felix for hosting us!



Our next event headed to the new downtown headquarters of Greenbar Collective, the maker of organic, craft spirits, and the first distillery in the city since Prohibition!



We got a great tour of the space with founder Melkon Khosrovian and architect Sanjiv Bajaj, learning not only about the green design of the space, but the green methods that Greenbar uses to produce their exceptional vodkas, gins, rums and more.



And of course we also got to taste the fruits of their labor, including a "bitters bar" where we could add a bit of herbal and floral seasonings to our drinks. But you don't have to take our word for it: Read this awesome recap by Sandi Hemmerlein of the event. Thanks Sandi!

Greenbar Collective Tour & Tasting > August 23 > CleanTech Corridor

Since 2004 Greenbar Collective, the L.A.-based maker of organic, artisanal spirits, has been infusing and distilling their concoctions like TRU Lemon Vodka and FruitLab Jasmine Liqueur from citrus and herbs sourced from local farmers. But recently, Greenbar has managed to make their business even more L.A.-centric: Earlier this year, Greenbar relocated from their Monrovia headquarters to a new, 14,000-square-foot facility downtown—making them the city of L.A.'s first distillery since Prohibition.

Besides reviving a traditional craft, Greenbar's also a leader in cutting-edge sustainable business: They're the first resident of the CleanTech Corridor, a new district created by the city to entice high-tech and green entrepreneurs. Working closely with architects at Archithetics, Greenbar has transformed a former paint company warehouse into their gleaming new spirits-producing factory and a beautiful new headquarters for the company, with colorful, thoughtful design that epitomizes their all-natural, responsible ethos.

After a tour of the space with husband-and-wife founders Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew and architect Sanjiv Bajaj, we'll retire to the R&D bar on the second floor for a preview of Greenbar's new BAR KEEP bitters (in Fennel and Chinese Five-Spice flavors!) and a sampling of their other organic spirits—all proudly made a few feet from your bar stool.

Thursday, August 23

6:00 p.m. Meet at Greenbar Collective, 2358 E. 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021
6:30 p.m. Tour of the space with Greenbar founders and architect Sanjiv Bajaj
7:30 p.m. Tastings, including new BAR KEEP bitters
9:00 p.m. Event ends

Tickets are $15 and include cocktails and light snacks during the tasting.

Buy tickets here

Space is limited to 40 attendees and no tickets will be sold at the door. Absolutely no one under the age of 21 will be admitted. Also, please note that the tour and tasting is not accessible for wheelchairs. We apologize for the inconvenience.

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East Cahuenga Alley Tour > August 14 > Hollywood

We admit it: Alleys aren't normally places that we go out of our ways to visit. Yet one of the most exciting public space projects to hit L.A. is an alley in Hollywood that's been transformed into a vibrant place for eating, drinking and strolling. The first alley conversion in the city of L.A., East Cahuenga Alley (or EaCa Alley) was completed earlier this year, thanks to $800,000 and the hard work of the (now-dissolved) CRA, LADOT engineers, Eric Garcetti's office, the Hollywood Improvement District and several local business owners. Plus, it's part of a larger concept for a Walkable Alley network, soon to be found throughout Hollywood.

We'll get a tour of this triumphant new thoroughfare from two of the people who made it happen: Sarah MacPherson, director of the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance, and Johnny Arakaki, managing partner of the Libertine Group, which owns the restaurant that anchors the alley on Selma, Saint Felix. After a tour of the alley, a summary of the improvements, and a preview of some of the just-announced changes which are coming to the space, we'll head back to Saint Felix to enjoy buy-your-own drinks and snacks from the excellent happy hour menu, and watch the alley come alive at night.

Tuesday, August 14
6:30 p.m. Meet at Saint Felix, 1602 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
7:00 p.m. Tour with Sarah MacPherson and Johnny Arakaki
8:00 p.m. Buy your own drinks and snacks at Saint Felix

RSVP here

And just to show what an incredible transformation took place, look what EaCa Alley looked like before!

Photo courtesy Hollywood Improvement District

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Los Angeles River Iconathon > July 21 > Arts District

The Los Angeles River is one of those hidden-in-plain-sight features of LA. It runs 51 miles through the city but it's largely ignored by most of LA's residents. So how do we get more people to notice, understand, and appreciate this incredible resource? Our friends at the The Noun Project have a great idea for highlighting the river, and one that cuts across social and cultural boundaries—and that's why we're a proud partner for their Iconathon focusing on the LA River on Saturday, July 21.

An icon for "beekeeper" created at the last Iconathon. Photo by Carren Jao

What is an Iconathon, you might ask? It's a design workshop where creatives of all stripes work to create symbols and icons around a theme. (And we do mean creatives of all stripes—no design skills needed!) The idea is that the new symbols can easily communicate often complicated concepts—like "electric car" or "sustainable energy"—and make them understandable across any language barrier. The symbols are then released into the public domain where they can be used to create change. You can read more about the last LA Iconathon focusing on food and nutrition, and see recaps of all the Iconathons held across the country.

Symbols created for an energy efficiency Iconathon

To kick off the day, Edward Boatman of The Noun Project will speak on the importance of symbol design, and Omar Brownson of the LA River Revitalization Corporation will talk about the plan to revitalize the river. Afterwards, the Arts District festival Bloomfest LA will be happening all around us, giving us multiple options for eating, drinking, and dancing post-Iconathon.

LA River Iconathon
Saturday, July 21
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

LALA Gallery
1335 Willow Street, 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013

RSVP here (space is limited)

Remember, no design skills needed! Anyone who loves the river is welcome!

LA Forum's Unfinished Business Opening > July 14 > Hollywood

Credit: LA Forum

The only thing we like better than throwing our own de LaB events is supporting our partners around town when they throw really important ones. Join us on Saturday, July 14, when we party with the venerable Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design who will be rolling out the red carpet to celebrate its 25th anniversary with the retrospective exhibition Unfinished Business: 25 Years of Discourse in Los Angeles.

Credit: Neil Donnelly

Throughout its 25 years of existence, the LA Forum has brought together young designers, seasoned professionals, critics, urban theorists, artists, students and others interested in their physical environment through a diverse series of activities. Built around material pulled from the LA Forum's 25-year-old archive of newsletters, books, pamphlets, photo-series, multi-media soundbites, video projections, and other memorabilia, Unfinished Business: 25 Years of Discourse in Los Angeles seeks to find within the LA Forum's history, the architectural questions, urban design conversation starters and critical loose ends that are just as relevant now as they were over the past quarter century.

The exhibition even features one of de LaB's projects: John Chase's West Hollywood, the map honoring the legendary urban designer we created in collaboration with Frances Anderton, Siobhan Burke, Jennifer Davis, John Kaliski, John Keho, Christopher Hawthorne, Deborah Murphy and Alissa Walker, with design and illustration by Keith Scharwath.

Now, this is one party we can get behind!

LA Forum's Unfinished Business Opening

Saturday, July 14

6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

WUHO Gallery

6518 Hollywood Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90028 

More information about the opening and exhibition.
Download the official invitation here. 

Can't make the party? Join the LA Forum for two great panel discussions that Saturday. Publishing as Practice at 2:00 p.m. features Aaron Betsky, Joe Day, John Dutton and John Southern, among others; Unfinished Business at 4:00 p.m. features Barbara Bestor, Craig Hodgetts, Kimberli Meyer, and Mimi Zeiger, among others. 

And be sure to take a spin back in history and read from the LA Forum's extensive archives. Here is one of our favorites by one of our favorites: "Unfinished Business: John Chase, Shopping for Architecture #2."

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