Samaire Armstrong
To us, part of the fun of throwing a big bash is recapping the night’s events with friends the day after. Getting to know what kind of trouble and fun everyone got themselves into? Entertaining, trust us. Since having expanded our footprint out West, we’ve met a lot of new friends – one most recently being Justin Gage who runs the music-centric blog Aquarium Drunkard. Fitting name, eh? With an ear for music and good-time know-how, we wanted him to tell you the tales from the closing party of Chrissie Miller's Arts & Leisure pop-up shop himself. With music DJ'd by our Midsummer performers Binki Shapiro and Adam Green, we knew Justin would have a great time taking in the tunes. Here’s what he had to say about the night. And thanks to everyone who came out to support the shop and enjoy our cocktails. We're sad it's over!
Saturday Night: As Hurricane Irene moved up the Eastern seaboard, over on the West Coast, Angelenos hit up the final night of Arts & Leisure's pop-up shop at Space 15 twenty in Hollywood. The closing party event featured an array of designers, artists and publications each with their own individual aesthetic while embodying a similar headspace in the current zeitgeist of urban cool. Choice pieces from designers including Cynthia Rowley, Alexander Olch, aNYthing (and a host of others) owned the room oscillating between leopard print jeans, cheeky tees, bold jewelry, and eleven different takes on the here and the now. The eclectic smattering of clothes, accessories, jewelry and books felt one part boutique and one part kitschy aunt's attic. Old school downtown Manhattan was represented well in black and white via the photography work of Beastie Boys friend/partner-in-crime Ricky Powell, whose print work lined the shop's walls featuring an array of characters from Keith Haring, Basquiat and Andy Warhol to Eric B & Rakim. This curated mishmash of wares perfectly exemplifies why the idea and execution of the pop-up store has gained so much traction over the past few years.
Binki Shapiro (she of Little Joy) and Adam Green manned the decks spinning a wide variety of ear candy ranging from vintage hip-hop, contemporary indie, plastic soul, latin grooves and beyond. In what may be the 21st century version of "the nod," I noted several people whip out their iPhones (on the sly) when Binki queued up Cyndi Lauper's choice cover of the purple one's "When You Were Mine." Well played.
LA's current heatwave was curbed in part by libations courtesy of Kanon Organic Vodka. Bartenders served up two signature drinks: The Midsummer, a breezy cocktail tasting like lemonade spiked with mint leaves and St. Germain Elderflower liquor and a bolder option – the (exceptionally named) Moscow Mule -- a ginger beer and bitters infused joint topped off with lime. Both flowed freely as the party gained steam. Outside, in Space 15 Twenty's courtyard, attendees swayed to the throwback rock and roll, post-punk, stylings of My, My, My – a male/female duo (Samaire Armstrong and Frankie Inglese) backed by a drum machine sounding more Crocodiles than Big Black. After a few tunes it was time to have one more Moscow Mule before Arts & Leisure closed the doors at this locale one last time.
Photos by Laura Taylor
