1 Day For the Earth
Where did the summer go? As Labor Day weekend arrived — bringing with it an unbearable heat wave — I wondered how fast time flies. Although I can’t say it wasn’t a good summer as mine came with some fantastic life-changing moments, including a trip to Berlin where I got inspired by the cool street fashions, the booming art scene, found the history of my family, and was moved tears by the long, dark shadow of the Holocaust. Read more of my trip here.
I’ll start out by saying a big R.I.P to Hilly Kristal, founder of CBGB’s who passed away on August 28th after a long battle with lung cancer and an even harder battle trying to keep his club open last year. While he may have originally wanted CBGBs to feature country music when he first opened it in 1973, he’ll be remembered as a lover of ALL music, especially the underground scene that spawned the punk movement and bands such as the Ramones, Television, the Patti Smith Group and Blondie. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for that music! And I can say I was lucky enough to have had one great night at CBGBs seeing some good ol’ local New York rawk a few years back, so thank you Hilly, you leave behind a hell of a legacy!
Earth Day may have been back in April but to me, every day should be Earth Day. I spent my official celebration down at Santa Monica Promenade who had a big showing of Green-friendly vendors from organizations such as NRDC to green housing developers and green clothing designers including one I found called Recyclicious who make headbands and jewelry from groovy material scraps and found objects. You can buy ‘em here.
I also picked up a Green guide from Greenopia, the listing of all things green in LA from dry cleaners to restaurants to clothing. They make it easy to go green. Check out their listings online or buy their guidebook here: greenopia.com
I month later I rocked through the day for Live Earth and caught performances by Wolfmother, Foo Fighters, Chris Cornell, Madonna and the impressive gesture of making giant Wembley Stadium go dark for one minute to make a point on what one action can do to save a lot of energy. Despite those who balked at the wastefulness that a massive concert like this kind can produce – give me a break! – rock concerts will never go away (I hope) so if anything, Live Earth shows how it can be done using the fewest carbons. If you missed it live, watch it on demand at the Live Earth site: liveearth.org
It’s been said “once a punk, always a punk” so when clubland’s young rockers grow up and start doing creative work that makes them some dollars, it’s a pretty cool thing. A big kudos goes to Share Ross who turned a hobby of knitting into a book deal and celebrated the release of “Punk Knits” at The Stitch Café, in a quiet shopping mall strip in the Valley. For a few hours, Share, her band Bubble, and a slew of models from the book wearing her finest needlework, strutted down the runway entertaining guests and press in the store’s back parking lot. The neighborhood may never be the same! I’m honored to have a photo in the book (see photo shoot report in a previous LA@Nite installment below) and I spent my pre-show prep time getting glammed-up with a leopard print manicure courtesy of Nail Art by Luca (myspace.com/cookienails) who teamed with ultra cool hair stylist Cazzie of Gorgeous Hair Salon (gorgeoushollywood.com) to give rock ‘n’ roll makeovers in the makeshift salon cabin adjacent to the store. The book has been receiving rave reviews in such publications as Spin Magazine and on Amazon where it out-cred’s its competitors for using “real rocker” models. So it is my honor to be in such company!
Get “Punk Knits” for yourself at Amazon.com.
I attended another celebration of the printed word at the 12th annual LA Times Festival of Books, which broke records for attendance with over 130,000 people showing up on UCLA’s park-like campus to browse books on all topics and see appearances by such luminaries in the book world as Ray Bradbury, Gore Vidal and Arianna Huffington. Every year I go to this festival and I always find a book I want and attend panels that inspire or entertain. This year’s outstanding event was an appearance by T.C. Boyle who proved to be funny, smart, and little bit off his rocker in presenting an excerpt from his upcoming book that explores what it might have been like to hang with the Beat Generation. But it was opener Jerry Stahl that really knocked me out. His book “Permanent Midnight” is one of my all-time favorites. This is one TV writer who’s been through the hell of junkie-dom and back, and proved to be as funny on stage as on the page as he summed up writing as the only job that allows you to do your best work “naked, high and up at 3 a.m.!”
I learned about some true girl power when the MOCA downtown brought the Feminist Revolution back for a revisit with the Wack! Exhibit, examining the foundations and legacy of feminist art produced from 1965–1980. Visitors knew exactly what they were in for when greeted at the entrance by a giant 20-foot replica of a vagina made of red fabric hanging from the ceiling. The extensive exhibit featuring a broad range of media including painting, sculpture, room installations, photography, film, and video, brought the viewer into the volatile world of women fighting oppression in the social, political, business and art worlds that should be credited for opening the doors in the society we now enjoy freely (but not yet completely as there is still a ways to go!)
Taking a good two hours to go through, I came away remembering some standout exhibits such as a curious series of photos reflecting how we view our bodies in showing the daily change of a woman gaining 10 pounds; a display of ‘70s era porno mags – questioning is it sexy or female objectification?; and a film of Yoko Ono’s famous exhibit of vulnerability – sitting still and allowing people to come take a pair of sissors and make a cut in her clothes – including the one guy who thought it was funny to overstay his welcome and cut off her bra straps (there’s always one guy like that, ugh!) If anything, this exhibit proved the sisters are doin’ for themselves!
One grrrl making her own way in the world of fashion is H.P. Lovecraft, whose rockin’ shoes I stumbled upon while getting my magazine fix. Taking a plain set of Vans or Converse Chuck Tailors, she transforms them into artistic masterpieces featuring pop art and band album covers. I simply must get a pair of those Clash shoes! I hit her up for a little Q&A to find out how she got started and how to order a custom pair. Check it out here: kastleview/hpLovecraft
And I have to say a bit congrats to my pal Yana Chupenko who recently launched her new glittering makeup line Shiny Mama in Los Angeles with a kickoff party at the Peeler store on Western and Santa Monica. With years of experience with Tony & Tina, Yana knows what the girls want – and it’s all that glitters! Loads of shiny glitter to wear on eyes, lips and body. Check it out at shinymamabeauty.com and be the bright star you are!
Shine on,
K.
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