It's reeeeeally cold in the Bay Area tonight. But I was brave and kept the heat off all day so as to cheat PG&E of their pound of flesh. Meanwhile, I've been thinking about the fantastic people I'm getting to know on AT and AT-LA. Truly awesome. And helpful (this means you Enrique--I lurve the suggestions you gave me on color). The art contest has got me thinking about color and emotion and placement. I've also taken a page from Alec and have been avidly pursuing art on Ebay: I have a dollar limit so that I don't go overboard. But this passion is something I wouldn't have thought of without AT (although I've used Ebay for other stuff--go figure.)
I've got two TJ's pot pies in the oven, a raspberry and mago galette on the tablea, and ten very cold toes. All's well with the world.

it certainly *is* cold out there today! Deceptively clear, but damn cold.

This may sound like a shamless plug but i swear it isn't! If you are in SF and looking for art, Local Patron is the mission is a nice place to look. They are all local artists and craftspeople in this tiny little space, and the prices are really reasonable. And the shopkeeps are very nice!

It would be hard for me to buy art on eBay, I think. There is some visceral reaction that I think you can only really get when you see a piece in the flesh. I've bought art from on-line sellers, of course, but only from people that I have seen other examples of their work in person so I already have a feeling for what I'll be getting. Let us know if you find anything great!

So I just went on Shawn Savage's web site www.savageart.net and he has some really nice new paintings listed on his site.
The paintings that were posted on AT LA are not my favorites.
But check out Gallery 1 - "Bag of Rocks" and "Blue Blobs Blunder" the teal colors are just beautiful.
I also dig his abstact art "Canyon Sacrifice" and "Colors of the Earth".

And since January is ART month on AT, Ghettogloss in Silverlake is having a party for the opening of their store which is on:

JANUARY 28
SATURDAY 8:00PM
@GHETTOGLOSS 323 912 0008
FASHION SHOW FOLLOWED BY PARTY
"CYRUS & SONNY"
OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF GHETTOGLOSS STORE
LIVE PERFORMANCES BY:
BLONDE ON BLONDE, NIC NAC AND JILLIAN BANKS
www.ghettogloss.com

I also found this other amazing artist in LA - he works with KWID and his work can be found at The Viceroy in Santa Monica.

http://www.joshuaelias.com

I will be in the LA area for a week in March on business. I would like to see some museums, restaruants and do a little shopping? What is the "must see" for a design freak like me? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

PS Any (reasonable) hotel rec's would be fantastic, its my first time in LA!

Kimberly: Here are my thoughts on hotels around town that might be fun for you to check out if you're looking for something with interesting design.

The best chain of boutique hotels with L.A. properties is the KOR Hotel Group: www.korhotelgroup.com . If you're a fan of Kelly Wearstler's work or just looking for nicely-designed, L.A.-flavored hotels, check out their properties. An updated mid-c modern motel-style lodging, the Avalon in Beverly Hills is my favorite: gorgeous and luxe, but not too much of a "scene" poolside or at the restaurant/bar Blue. The Hollywood Regency-styled Viceroy in Santa Monica has more of nightclub vibe, but I've only been there for drinks and haven't seen the rooms; but I'm sure they're also drop-dead since Ms. Wearstler never disappoints. (Turquoise, this is more in your neck of the woods... any additional feedback?). The Chamberlain in West Hollywood is their newest property. Because of their location in a residential block just north of the "boy's town" section of Weho, a good percentage of their clientele is gay, though not exclusively. The property's last incarnation was a Summerfield Suites hotel that was completely gut-renovated and turned into a spa hotel. Really beautiful.

Another option is the recently-renovated Hollywood Roosevelt. Dodd Mitchell (who's primarily done bars and restaurants around town) was involved in the redesign. But because of its Hollywood Blvd, it could get kind of loud. Another word of warning, the Roosevelt also houses the Tropicana, the much-hyped poolside nightclub with the ridiculously over-the-top velvet-rope-on-steroids entry policy. So, at some point in the late afternoon, guest access to the pool is discontinued as the pool area switches over to nightclub mode.

If you want to stay on the strip, Andre Balazs's 2 properties are worth considering. The Chateau Marmont is great if you want to experience an old Hollywood vibe. Their accomodations are more home-like as opposed to having high-gloss boutique hotel vibe. The Standard-Sunset Blvd is very young and very clubby with a trendier, younger "Look at me I'm in The Strokes" vibe. Very L.A. A retirement home in its last incarnation, the accomodations are basically "motel luxe." You might recognize the hotel from the Los Angeles-set episodes of Sex and the City; it's where Carrie and the gals stayed. If you want to stay downtown, The Standard-Downtown is very cool. Previously an office building, this hotel boasts great common areas: lobby lounge, lobby restaurant, mezzanine landing, and (still) the best rooftop bar in L.A. The rooms are considerably better appointed than those found at the Sunset location. Clean, minimal, white... very "Logan's Run."

Kimberly. Re: museums. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCH) is my favorite, but the smallest of the institutional museums. Located downtown, they have an annex in nearby Little Tokyo called The Temporary Contemporary. [Spring and Summer, MOCA has a DJ spinning ambient and chillout music for after-work wine mixers on Fridays.] The Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art (LACMA) always has something worth seeing. And it's located in one of L.A. few good walking neighborhoods. [Spring and Summer, LACMA has live jazz and cocktails after work on Fridays.] But the best recommendation for a 1st-time visitor is the Getty Museum in Malibu. Plan on spending an entire day, especially if it's a beautiful day. Stroll the grounds and the gardens, take in the view, have a nice meal... and look at art. Their permanent collection isn't the best, but there's usually 1 or 2 shows up that are worth seeing. And luckily for you, the retrospective of photographer Julius Schulman will be up. Most known for his work with mid-c architectural icons, he's recently donated his entire body of work to the Getty.

I ditto the Getty. It's the most glorious building. Gazing down on the gardens is a spiritual experience. No wonder they're called succulents.

I will be in La on business for 2 weeks in Feb and March and was just about to ask the same thing.... thanks Enrique, you are the best.

I would love to know where I should go for great window shopping... Last year I tried my best, but didn't find a whole lot of stuff that I really loved. I have already decided that I should check out Orange and Room service... what else? When and where is that great big Flea Market?? I'll be staying in Down Town Beverly Hills and will be walking, taxiing and bussing.... Thanks enrique.
Oh yeah... and how about that "dock" thing......

Kimberly- Not sure if you are looking for an affordable hotel, but the Farmers Daughter is really inexepensive.
Located across from the Grove, you have walking access to stores and theaters.
You can also walk or drive to 3rd and Beverly- where there are tons of design stores to hit.

http://farmersdaughterhotel.com/

Not sure when you will be in LA but CA BOOM the design/furniture show is something you may want to visit if you are here March 23-26th.

http://www.caboomshow.com/

Kimberly- Just now saw your post...
I have never been to the dock?

Enrique have you??? Has anyone? Is it worth it?

Room Sevice just moved to bigger space on 3rd Street near La Brea. www.roomservice.com

I would hit Beverly Blvd between Doheny and La Brea.
Lots of design stores to window shop.

Let me see if I can find a website that lits all these stores...

So much info...please don’t hate me if I steal it all and put it in a post ;-)

Oh, and ebrown, FYI, the great new ebay finds are not mine... they are picked by ATLA's new contributor Molly. Her finds (and comments) are really good, right?

-Alec

Thanks for the info, Alec. Kudos to Molly - lots of great stuff.

the dock downtown? i went before christmas last year. had lots of candles and accessories that looked interesting, with a pier 1/cost plus/anthropologie vibe. stuff is heavily discounted, but not exactly bargain basement prices. if i were in the market for furniture i would definitely stop by. i believe they do custom upholstery (on the items they have), but don't quote me on that. another random thing i remember: they had a ton of buddha statues?

question, when is AT LA going to start doing more house tours?

i second seeing the getty - my god it's amazing. the ride up the mountain alone is worth it. the architecture, the view from the top, the outdoor cafe overlooking the gardens...really spectacular. i went last june 2005 and lingered for hours taking photos of the building.

also, try hard to get to hd buttercup in la. great store.

http://www.hdbuttercup.com/

~holly

I have a question that's not really related :)

I'm renting a large, beautiful house with some roommates. It's gorgeous - but the carpet and tile are both so yucky. They're in okay condition (so I know our landlord won't be into replacing them), but the pinky-nasty-beige is killing my vision of a clean minimalist pad. Are there any renter-friendly solutions I can cover it up with? FLOR tiles are awesome, but do they get expensive? Our house is about 1800 sq. feet.

And what's the current word on rugs atop carpets? My mother thought that was *just* the trashiest thing, but I'm starting to see it in magazines. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Melanie-Do you know whats under the carpet, could be hardwood floors?

FLOR tiles are a great inexpensive solution, go on line and see what the cost would be. But you will have to rip up the carpet- or at least lay it on the tile.

http://www.interfaceflor.com/service/flor/configurator.html

You may want to check out Home Depot and take a look at the carpet options and find out about installation costs.

Perhaps you can convince your roommates to chip in and have your landlord help as well.
Its an investment for him.

And rugs on top of carpets?
I dont know about that- you still see the nasty carpet anyway right?

How about outdoor flooring? It's completely portable and covers lot's of square footage. Of course, it's also not seamless. The portability and usefulness may trump the little spaces btw. each piece of wood.

www.smithandhawken.com/jhtml/site/catalog/Product.jhtml?PRODID=15908&CATID=22028&PARENTCATID=14677

Everyone you are really fantastic - I'm going to look at all of your suggestions and try my best to stay in one of those establishments. I really really love AT, great community, great suggestion and a great resiource to find like-minded people.
Enrique et al: thanks for helping my first trip to LA go so well! I'll keep you updated on plans and report back how it goes!!
Thanks again !!!

Turquoise and ebrown,

Thank you! I'll check into both options. Another reason I wanted to avoid doing anything to raise the value of the home is because I am considering making an offer to the landlord on the house myself :)

I may just hold off until then (if I can!) and do it all the right way.
Thank you!

Melanie

kimberly-
farmers daughter hotel is a fun alternative to the "uber chic" hotels and it is in a great location with lots of great walking to spots nearby, but it can get a little noisy at times, and i've heard the staff is kind of iffy- (sometimes helpful sometimes not)- the Grove is a nice causual outdoor stroll, but mainly typical chain mall stores- although the farmer's market that is connected to it has quite a few tasty treats!- there's quite a few cool shops on third, where Room Service is, Zipper, OK, Plastica, etc...
i second sparky's sentiments about the Dock Downtown- its got a ton of ethnic inspired, but not exactly super cheap- the big famous "flea market" you're referring to is probably the big Rose Bowl one in Pasadena, but you'll defninitely need a car for that one- its the first sunday of every month- LA's hard to do by just walking, since its so spread out, and taxis can be hard to get- but if you can rent a car, you'll be able to see a lot more since LA is divided into so many smaller sub-communities, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Santa Monica, west hollywood, etc...if you know a particular section you're interested in, i'm sure the AT-LA readers will have lots to recommend-

oh- and i'd recommend against the Standard Hotels-
the service is terrible and the staff is too cool for anyone- however- its great for parties and drinks- but not to stay over-

i second the Avalon- its quite lovely-
have a fun trip!

The avalon IS lovely. I was there last year on my trip.

Kimberly/Kristian: I'll try to post more retail suggestions later, though some good ones were already mentioned. (I'm out of town on business this week; so, not much AT time for me for the next few days...)

Kristian: Definitely look me up when you are in town. I'm happy to play tourguide for you.

Jon: I've never had problems with service at The Standard(s).

Re: Dock Downtown. I think it's just "eh". Not worth a special trip out. But if you're already downtown for dim sum in Chinatown or checking out the galleries, then it's worth a quick window-shopping drive-by. (This coming from someone who loves the tchotchkes.)

Alec: Another item to post on the event calendar, Palms Springs Modernism Week - 2/17-25. (including Modernism Exhibition & Sale).

Again my profound thanks for all of your suggestions!

I have booked myself (and a friend) in the Farmer's Daughter for a week in March. I wanted to stay in a hotel that I knew I couldn't stay in anywhere else - no Ramada Inn or Holiday Inn Express for me! Their rate was remarkable as well - $160/night for prime location and access to last-minute Price is Right tix. Its going to be heaven :)

I'm already planning a day to see the Getty (probably my last day in LA, a Saturday) and will try to hit as many out and about spots as possible. Naturally this dovetails into a whole second series of questions... restaurants!

Enrique - where downtown is the Dim Sum worth checking out? Any place that is interesting, affordable and not too cliche sounds about right for me.

I love both halves of AT now :)

Re: Dim Sum in downtown LA. Ocean Seafood hands-down over Empress Pavilion (though some may disagree). You won't break the bank here, either.

dim sum: the la weekly just did a write up for capitol seafood restaurant, which is supposed to have terrific dim sum. of course it's in san gabriel valley and even i haven't made the trek out there yet.

http://www.laweekly.com/index.php?option=com_lawcontent&task=view&id=12428&Itemid=9

Kimberly. Sparky brings up a good point. Many more quality dim sum options in the San Gabriel Valley because of the the large, clustered Asian communities. Not just Chinese, but several Vietnamese, Cambodian and Filipino dining options here. But it may be quite a haul if you're coming from the Fairfax district, where the Farmer's Daughter is located. If you opt for Downtown L.A.'s Chinatown, you have a good post-meal sightseeing area to explore. Be sure to check out the Central Plaza area (off of Broadway, around Chung King Road). This mid-c take on what is basically an outdoor mall with "oriental" design cues is a trip. Used for several location shoots for several decades (everything from L.A. Confidential to Freaky Friday--Lohan remake), the plaza has many pagoda-like structures and wishing wells. There also been an infusion of eastside hipsterism in this area: a contemporary home furnishings shop called Realm; a fun hipster-leaning toy store that sells collectible plastic toys, robots, streetwear apparel and original art; several small galleries; a great hipster bar called Mountain Bar; and, of course, Hop Louie--old school lounge-ish restaurant in pagoda structure with a piano bar!

If you do venture downtown and want to round out the day, here are other suggestions. Phillippe's for lunch: home of the "original" French Dip sandwich (huge sandwich counter with picnic style seating--cheap!). Olvera Street for that historic Chicano vibe. And go to Union Station to see the architecture, have a drink at Traxx Bar or a nice (pricier) sitdown meal at Traxx. These are all in the immediate area; and in the less sketchy areas for tourists. If you decide to explore the Garment District, Jewelry District, Flower Mart or even the periphery of Little Tokyo; be careful or take local who knows the lay of the land. These parts of downtown are butted up against the L.A. Mission; large clusters of homeless; and are are on the peripheries of crack neighborhoods. (Actor Brad Renfro was just busted last week in this area allegedly trying to score heroin during a police sting.)

...or just head back west on Cesar Chavez/Sunset Blvd and explore Silverlake after Chinatown. LOTS of shopping there. Hit up Alec for tips. I believe he lives on that side of town?