Glow Fest 2008

by Ami Kealoha

by Perrin Drumm

Last month, Santa Monica's pier hosted 12 hours of performance and installation art, attracting 200,000 revelers for Glow, a public light and sound extravaganza in the style of Paris' Nuit Blanche. This video navigates through both the throngs of people (almost more notable than the art itself) and the many luminous installations dotting the beach and boardwalk.

At the far end, Infranatural unveiled "The Amazing Mental Scope," which reads the viewer's emotions and translates them into changing colors on the body of the telescope. Skyglow (Jeff Cain) offered some respite from the crowd, projecting aerial footage of Los Angeles onto the ceiling of a room, which actually required you to stop moving and lie down.

Other crowd-pleasers included Dunnage Ball (Peter Tolkin Projects), a sort of illuminated, modern moon-bounce, and Usman Haque's show-stopper "Primal Source." Yes, that's the one with the projections onto the big wall of water that everyone pointed and gasped at.

Not featured in our video, but still worth noting, is the award for the best use of glow sticks, which goes to Illumination Migration (Frank Rozasy). Nine hundred and fifty glow sticks were stuck in the sand and rearranged over the course of the night in accordance with the change in tide and migration of grunions.

Chocolates for a Cause: Compartes Chocolatier and Relief Beads for Darfur

by Ami Kealoha

While having your cake and eating it too is a rare treat, Compartes Chocolatier's "Chocolates for a Cause" means you can have your chocolate, eat it and provide much-needed assistance to Darfur. The African collection consists of African-inspired flavors (our favorites were Cardamom and Coconut and Organic Red Rooibus Tea) and each truffle is imprinted with an outline in the shape of the continent. The box of chocolates comes with a Relief Beads one-of-a-kind bracelet handmade from sand in Africa. Proceeds from the sales go to benefit Relief International, funding extensive programs including refugee camps, medical clinics, education and women's centers.

A five piece box and bracelet is $20 online from Compartes or you can visit their Brentwood, L.A. store (details below). You can also order a Relief Beads bracelet separately from the Relief Beads site.

While you're at it, you might as well sample some of the other premium chocolates infused with inventively delicious flavor combos that Jonathan Grahm, the 23-year-old chocolatier behind Compartes, offers. A best-seller and one of the first to disappear from our box, the round Peanut Butter, Honey and Sea Salt truffles (pictured below right) are a salty-sweet mouthful of dense homemade peanut butter with a hint of organic honey and a subtle crunch. We imagine it's something an artisan chocolate-maker might come up with after munchies-inspired experiments in the kitchen. (In fact, there's more than a few Compartes items that lend that impression.) A box of eight is $22 from Compartes.

Like the sweet and savory appeal of the peanut butter truffle, the Smoked Salt flavor (Jonathan's persona favorite) combines a silky dark ganache with a hit of the puckering, savory seasoning.

Other options include more traditional pairings, like coffee, vanilla, hazelnut and caramel, but there are also several other more adventurous and seasonal varieties (Pomegranate and Plum, Violet Marshmallow, Peach and Rosemary) for those who like to experiment. With chocolate-dipped fruits, nuts, toffees and other treats, Compartes offers something for pretty much any palate.

Compartes Chocolatier
912 South Barrington Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90049 map
tel. +1 310 826 3380

Hangar One Infused Raspberry Vodka

by Tim Yu

Unlike most flavored vodkas that use chemical additives to get their kicks, Hangar One Raspberry Vodka is actually distilled straight from the famous Meeker raspberry harvested in Washington State. With its red color and unique taste, its a different experience altogether. Only one batch is made yearly in June, the latest was recently made available in limited quantities.

The heady aroma belies a surprisingly refreshing drink that's great straight up or with a splash of soda. Hangar One recommends trying it with dark chocolate but consider yourself forewarned: just because it's made of raspberries doesn't mean it isn't as potent. On the upside, no additives or sugar mean less of a hangover.

Similar to red wine, raspberry makes it a photosensitive beverage necessitating a darker bottle to block out UV rays that might further alter or ferment the product. Available in extremely limited quantities, you'd be smart to stockpile a few bottles if you like it. Get it online at at K&L for $35 or try your local liquor store. In New York it's available at Thirst.

Paul Rodriguez Signature InCase Collection

by Laurice Parkin

InCase, one of our favorite companies creating clever ways to carry and protect our Macs and our Decks, has just announced their latest collaboration: a collection of high-performance skate travel bags with pro skateboarder, Paul Rodriguez.

The four-time X-Games medalist's Signature Collection will feature three pieces, each with an array of skateboard specific storage options promising to merge practical functionality, non-traditional materials and refinement. Not to mention the ability to withstand the demanding travel environments of both pro skaters and weekend road-trippers alike.

“For more than a year, our design team has worked closely with Paul to develop a collection of bags that reinvent the standards by which the travel needs of skateboarders are met,” says Damon Way, Incase Chief Brand Officer. “Between our strong design sensibility and Paul's eye for style and detail, this signature collection defines a new paradigm in the skate bag category.”

We are gonna translate "a new paradigm" as "a stylin' must-have."

Look for a special Paul Rodriguez section of the InCase Website to launch in September and the Signature Collection to debut in select retailers in October.

Pony Attack Tees and Totes

by Ami Kealoha

by Annie Dolmatch

Playful T-shirt and tote-maker Pony Attack has just launched their own e-commerce site, letting Pony boys and gals get the goods from the comfort of their own homes. Highlights of the online lot include the Technicolor Dreamcat ($40) tee and a Bad Dream ($40) tee featuring badminton racket dream catchers that is pure genius. If the ease of shopping from your studio isn't enough to draw you in, perhaps this will: Pony Attack says, "If you don't wear one, you may never meet your soul-mate." We're not taking any chances.

Read more...