TMobile, Tony Hawk and Mr. Brainwash throw a dam good party.........

The stars of skateboarding were out last night as Tmobile launched their Tony Hawk sidekick.    Haven't seen a party like this in a while.  PS- Did I mention that skateboarders are the coolest nicest athletes in the world.
  Christian Hasoi, Tony Hawk and Tony Alva all under the same roof was a treat.    The ginormous ramp was the main attraction as skaters strutted their stuff all night.  
  The supreme crew was in the house, Stone Temple Pilots performed forEVA (can we discuss the "droogs" like Clockwork Orange  styling?).  
Also in attendance were musicians Incubus's Brandon Boyd and foxy Brett  Anderson from the Donna's.     


check out the Donna's site.  Not only have they been making hard rockin head bangin tracks  for the last ten years, they are hotter than ever.   Brett loves art and we love her for that.

The Donna's site

Anyone there knows there were a few ce-webrities and publicity hounding reality stars from the Hills (that were friend-less) that really aren't even worth mentioning.


The history of skateboarding rooms were so fun, all the vintage boards a treat to oogle..The fashion statement for the evening was captured best by Cory and Abraham with their  overly large Stash facial hair.    Cory even has a comb for his.


Mr. Brainwash did a great job designing the space with his Banksy like-pop art.     My favorite piece was the Fahrenheit 451 like installation at the opening of the event.   25 feet high and over thousands of books piled up with a small laptop on top. 
Made an important statement about the web generation.


Needless to say it was a cool shindig.   .

The Boneyards launch party was Friday night in LA.   The clothing and stores collaboration launched June 21.   Punk rock music, smoke machines, hot dog stands and carnival prizes accompanied the launch to showcase the sneakers.     The exhibition-installation upped the ante for product launch parties.    Much of the inspiration for the installation came from 80's NYC art legend and underground conceptual sculpturer Cady Noland.   (more about Cady later)    In New York, Kids were waiting in line overnight to see the new line.   A mixture of biker, flannel, motorcycle high and low art, tattoos and San Pedro chic .    I am proud to say I worked on some of the images in the Boneyards newspaper launch.    Location images were shot by art director Rob Abeyta, then converted to analog slides that I projected over the models like tattoo artist, John Hall.    Pretty cool.   Here are some pics.    Official Boneyards site

Danielle Decker and Undefeated's Jupiter, FUCT's Erik Brunetti and myself, Rob and Christina Abeyta with daughter Engracia, a carnival worker from the launch and Skate photographer and Tokyo pal Rip Zinger.

My mother in law was in town so I spent the day showing her around.   We ended the day at Hollywood forever cemetary.   One of my favorite locations to shoot and a great tourist spot.   It's beautiful, full of history and is located in the center of Hollywood.
Hollywood Cemetary website


This cemetary is the final resting place for VALENTINO, CECIL B. DEMILLE, DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, AND JOHNNY RAMONE.

Johnny's grave is signed by Vincent Gallo and John Frusciante, (maybe they paid for it?)    Hollywood was established in 1900 with 60 acres developed including 5 mausoleums to maintain.   The Cassity brothers took over the cemetary in 1998 and upped the ante for what to expect from a cemetary.    Believe it or not, many many industry events take place at this beautiful setting.  
  Years ago, Rick Rubin held a funeral procession for his record labels "def" when he changed the name from Def American records to American records.   The Black Crows played and tons of glitterati attended.    It was surreal.     Usually around Halloween some rock band does a record release party.   Last year it was nu metal band KORN.        Although it is a slightly sinister idea, the cemetary is so regal and beautiful you feel like you are in a gorgeous park somehwere with Swans and the famous peacocks walking by
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Cool New Yorkers already know this, but if you want to dance your ass off, you go to a gay club.  This rings true for any city in the world pretty much.   And guess what, no one will hit on you. I have been clubbing since the eighties,  some of those years were spent working in clubs so I've always been interested in the history of nightclubs and the subculture that comes out of them.

Photo Credit:  I. C. Rapoport
In doing my research on NYC's meatpacking  district and West Village I came accross some amazing imagery from the 1960's-1980's.       I found this photographer I.C. Rapoport who was a photo journalist during this time .    He worked for Paris Match and the Kennedy administration.   Check him out.
 
IC Rapoport photo website

This was the home to the Ramrod, Club 82 (where many punk legends played) and many other gay bars.  Whats also interesting is the mob owned many of these clubs and spread a wave of extortion through the west village.  Aids changed it all, bars where Tom of FInland fashions were started and a style counter culture that now only exists in the underground and Taschen art books.
 
The last photograph of elegant drag queens is by Rapaport shot in Times Square area in the early 60's.    Flyers and Images from the Ramrod.

   

If you are visiting NYC  the Meatpacking district rocks.  It's not much of a secret anymore, but I thought I would mention it.    The meatpacking has become somewhat of a design district.  

Yes, it was a decrepid armpit about 10 years ago and even better when I would lurk home from Mars about 15 years ago after a night of boogie fever.   Hookers, hells angels, pimps and the west side transients would congregate after dark.     Trudging past drag queens on my way into a cab.   Ahh, the early nineties.

What has now emerged is a slick fabulous fashionista and art neighborhood that many top fashion photographers call home.    Steven Klein, Dah Len and Christian Witken all have their studios near Gaansevoort.   One of my favorite studios to shoot in, MILK studios is on 15th st where Peter Lindberg and Michel Compte create magic when they are in town. 
 

The Hotel Gaansevoort and Soho house are here.    The Maritime hotel is a 2 block walk.
meatpacking design site

The clothes are overpriced and so are the antiques, but the neighborhood still has a lot of charm, cool bars and fun hotels.  I can't wait until the high line is finished in like 20 years.  Check it out.   

One of my favorite Al Pacino movies CRUISING (1980) just came out on DVD.   The cult hit was written and directed by the amazing William Friedkin (French Connection, the Exorcist).    This movie was groundbreaking for many reasons.   It was the first time an award winning director brought a gritty sub culture to the big screen with a major movie star in the starring role.   Cruising was based on a fictional series of serial killer S&M murders that haunted the gay leather scene in New York during the 1970's.   *There is also a book out on fashions during that period, more about that later.

The incredible punk soundtrack by Jack Nietzsche  (no relation to the philosopher) enlisted GERMS frontman Darby Crash to write lyrics.   Lionshare was the Germs song.   More songs were in the can but Darby OD'd that year.    For more on Darby Crash read LEXICON DEVIL-one of the best books about LA punk culture.   by Brendan Mullen

If you are downtown in LA at an opening or party I recommend two stops.   For the best sushi in LA and an elegant atmosphere try.   (my only problem with R23 is that the artsy cardboard chairs are very uncomfortable.  

r23 restaurant and gallery
http://www.r23.com/




Afterwards head over to Broadway bar.  Its fun, cool and has a beautiful atmosphere.    There are also a number of nightspots in the area if you want to cruise around.
830 S Broadway (@ Eighth Street)
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Phone: (213) 614-9909

Los Angeles has a youth culture like any other city.      Some say better than most.   Downtown LA is probably the closest thing you will get to the NY's East Village or LES, London's Covent Garden or Tokyo's Harajuku district.   fyi: that is fellow blogger and lipstick lady, Allison and my BFF, Danielle.
 





























































 I went to Apartment 3's monthly party the other night and there were a lot of cool art students and young fashionistas doing their thing.   DJ MIa Moretti  was slammin and  it was refreshing to see young people put together their style with little or no designer items and look fierce.    YOU DONT NEED MONEY TO HAVE STYLE- PEOPLE.      Tastemakers already know this. 








































































The big accessory of the night was the giant 40 of JOLT.