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Monday, July 31, 2017

LACMA debuts: Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage - Metropolitan Opera Costumes, July 31 - Jan.7 2018

Photos by Karen Ostlund

Today, July 31, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art opened a new exhibit Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage. The first U.S. exhibition to spotlight the principal role that music and dance played in Marc Chagall’s artistic career. 
The Lion costume 1967 from The Magic Flute


Concentrating on four theatrical productions created over a quarter century (Aleko, The Firebird, Daphnis and Chloe, and The Magic Flute), the exhibition comprises 145 objects, including 41 vibrant costumes; nearly 100 preparatory sketches; rare 1942 film footage of the original performance of Aleko; musical accompaniments for each section; and a selection of paintings depicting musicians and theatrical scenes.
Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage is adapted from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts exhibition Chagall: Colour and Music (January 29–June 7, 2017), initiated by the Cité de la musique - Philharmonie de Paris (October 13, 2015–January 31, 2016), and La Piscine – Musée d’art et d’industrie André Diligent, Roubaix (October 24, 2015–January 31, 2016), with the invaluable support of the Chagall estate.
Chagall exhibit curators at LACMA, 10AM
 LACMA’s presentation is organized by Stephanie Barron, senior curator of modern art, together with the museum’s costume and textiles curators. Opera designer Yuval Sharon and projection designer Jason H. Thompson have created the exhibition design.

Artists have long been inspired to expand their practices by engaging in compelling collaborations with the ballet, theater, and opera, and Chagall was at the forefront of such interdisciplinary efforts among modern artists in creating inventive visual environments for the stage. Working with theatrical companies and opera houses in Russia, Mexico, New York, and Paris, Chagall created fantastical and cutting-edge designs. He collaborated on sets for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes as early as
1911, and his deep and far-reaching engagement with music and dance continued throughout his long career.

“In bringing together Chagall’s well-known paintings and his innovative theatrical designs, Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage will enhance our understanding of the artist’s expansive body of work,” said LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan. “By engaging both the visual and the performing arts, it also fosters a dialogue that reaches across the disciplines of art, music, theater, dance, and even fashion design.”
“By focusing on these four productions created during and after his wartime exile in New York, this exhibition brings to the public's awareness a lesser known but riveting aspect of Chagall's career, which began in pre-Revolutionary Russia and traversed the breadth of the 20th century,” said Barron. “Chagall's work for the stage is an important early chapter in the history of visual artists who have engaged in similar interdisciplinary collaborations that have immeasurably enriched the history of modern art.”
Costumes from The Magic Flute

Organized chronologically, Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage features the artist’s four theatrical productions: the ballets Aleko (1942), The Firebird (1945), and Daphnis and Chloe (1959), and the opera The Magic Flute (1967). In each, Chagall achieved a remarkable fusion between the boldly colorful scenography and original costumes he created.
LACMA’s exhibition highlights this important and under-examined aspect of the artist’s extraordinary oeuvre through five main sections.
Costumes from The Firebird
The exhibition opens with 11 costumes and 18 preparatory studies from Chagall’s production of , from 1942. Chagall and his family, who were Jewish, emigrated to New York in 1941 fleeing persecution from Nazi-occupied France. The following year, the Ballet Theatre of New York (now the American Ballet Theatre) commissioned him to design the scenery and costumes for Aleko, a new ballet based on an 1824 poem by Alexander Pushkin and set to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Trio in A Minor. The ballet was choreographed by Léonide Massine, a fellow émigré and former member of the Ballets Russes, with famed dancers Alicia Markova and George Skibine dancing the lead roles. Chagall’s work premiered at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City on September 8, 1942, before opening at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York a month later. Chagall came to Los Angeles in the summer of 1943, when the ballet was performed at the Hollywood Bowl.
Costumes from Aleko
Aleko was meant to debut in New York, but union rules would have prevented Chagall from painting the backdrops himself, so he and the Ballet Theatre completed work on the production in Mexico. Chagall hand-painted the Aleko costumes and backdrops and they have retained their vivid colors more than 70 years later. The costumes for the characters Zemphira, the Fortune Teller, and a Candle Bearer show that Chagall drew inspiration from Mexican styles of dress and traditional textile motifs, as well as from the music, folklore, and poetry of his native Russia. His use of abstract shapes and patterns also testifies to the modernist influence of artists such as Henri Matisse, whose work Chagall had encountered in New York.

In 1945, Chagall received his second commission from the Ballet Theatre when the performing arts impresario Sol Hurok decided to restage Igor Stravinsky’s iconic ballet , which had premiered in Paris in 1910 at the Ballets Russes. Chagall re-envisioned the stage curtain, sets, and costumes for the ballet, which debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York on October 24, 1945. Chagall’s designs were met with great critical acclaim, and his production of The Firebird is still performed today, appearing as recently as the 2016 season of the New York City Ballet. This section of the exhibition presents eight costumes and 32 works on paper.
Chagall’s beloved wife Bella had died the year before Hurok approached the artist to design the ballet. In a profound state of grief, Chagall had ceased making art. His work on The Firebird marked both his reengagement with the art world and the beginning of a new phase in his scenography. The more than 80 costumes Chagall made for the ballet were his most experimental and avant-garde to date, particularly those for the fantastical animals and monsters that abound in the ballet’s narrative. Working with his daughter, Ida, Chagall employed new materials and fabrication techniques, including a combination of diaphanous and heavy, richly colored fabrics, collage-like appliqués, and intricate embroidery that resulted in voluminous, sculptural forms.
Chagall’s production of Daphnis and Chloe costumes
 Eight years after Chagall returned to Paris in 1948, the Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris commissioned him to design new sets and costumes for Maurice Ravel’s ballet , which was based on a story attributed to the second-century Greek poet Longus. The motifs and color palette of blues and earthy ochers of Chagall’s stage designs were inspired by two trips he took to Greece, which is the setting for the ballet’s narrative. Chagall’s production of Daphnis and Chloe was choreographed by George Skibine (who also danced the role of Daphnis) and premiered at the Paris Opera in May 1959. The artist’s work on this ballet is represented by eight costumes and 28 drawings.
Chagall worked closely with Skibine and the other Ballet de l’Opéra de Paris dancers to harmonize his costumes with their movements and gestures. His designs incorporated shimmering layered appliqués on sheer fabric, and he painted bold swaths of color onto the costumes while the dancers were wearing them in order to emphasize the fluid lines and dynamism of the dance. Chagall envisioned the dancers as mobile elements of his paintings, mirroring the figures he depicted in flight across his backdrops.

Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage features 14 costumes and 16 sketches from Chagall’s production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s , commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera House for its inaugural season at Lincoln Center in New York in February 1967. Widely praised, this was Chagall’s only work for opera, and he spent three years designing the 14 sets and dozens of costumes. Challenged by the complexity of the opera’s numerous scene changes, stage machinery, and the large number of singers, Chagall conceived aesthetic solutions that emphasized strong color contrasts and striking geometric forms to construct scenic space and communicate The Magic Flute’s dramatic narrative. Whimsical and highly imaginative animals similar to those Chagall created for Aleko and The Firebird—and that populate paintings throughout his oeuvre—played an important role in the artist’s production of The Magic Flute. He sculpted each costume by layering richly dyed textiles with colorful fabrics and embroidered lines to emphasize movement.

In addition to Chagall’s stage designs, the exhibition includes a small selection of iconic paintings, many of which are on loan from museums around the world. The works on view include Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers (1912) from the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Green Violinist (1923–24) from the Guggenheim Museum, New York; The Violinist (1911–14) from the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf; and Violinist on a Bench (1920) from LACMA’s permanent collection.
Augmenting the exhibition will be a series of video interviews featuring contemporary artists, costume designers, and opera professionals, selected reviews of Chagall’s productions, and a reading room.

Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Russia (present-day Belarus) in 1887, and his career,  lasted for more than seven decades and spanned Russia, France, the United States, and Mexico.
He showed aspects of Fauvism, Russian Avant-garde, Cubism, Symbolism, and Surrealism but remained committed to figurative and narrative art, portraying imagery rooted in personal history, Eastern European folklore, and Jewish and Russian musical traditions. He saw the stage as a platform for artistic experimentation.

 The exhibition concentrates on Chagall’s four productions for the stage—the ballets Aleko, set to music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1942), The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky (1945), Daphnis and Chloé by Maurice Ravel (1958), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute (1967)

Hours of LACMA.org

Regular Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 11 am–5 pm
Friday: 11 am–8 pm
Saturday, Sunday: 10 am–7 pm
Location: 5900 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Closed Wednesdays, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Friday, July 28, 2017

Media Day at THE FLATS - Beverly Hills New Restaurant

Story & food photos by Karen Ostlund   #EatAtTheFlats
Celebrity photo credit: William A. Kidston
The Flats team are CELEBRITY CHEF KYLE SCHUTTE, LISA LONG, AND PETE CAPELLA, THE BAR GURU


 (Beverly Hills) MONDAY JULY 24TH 2017 WAS THE MEDIA DAY AT THE FLATS RESTAURANT LOCATED AT 8400 WILSHIRE BLVD IN BEVERLY HILLS.
                                                                                                            
(left) Kate Linder with Roger Neal and wife Lynn


The Flats is a small plate restaurant with an emphasis on flatbread.   

The executive chef Kyle Schutte plates his food with intention and artistry.  The Flats is fun yet sophisticated and everything is made in house from the flatbreads, salads and charcuterie of cured meats and cheeses; using humane and sustainable sources.  www.theflatsrestaurant.com 


( left) Carolyn Hennesy, Judy Tenuta, Erin Murphy



Guests attending media day were: RACHEL O’BRIEN STAR OF VANDERPUMP RULES, ETHAN PECK (GRANDSON OF GREGORY PECK)  AND THE FACE OF FERRAGAMO, STEVEN MCQUEEN (GRANDSON OF STEVE MCQUEEN) , ROBERT DAVID HALL, ERIN MURPHY, TERESA GANZEL, JUDY TENUTA, CHRISTY GIBLE, KIRA LORSCH, LEE PURCELL, RUTA LEE,  AUSTIN ANDERSON & CAROLYN HENNESY.
Since opening April 2017 Chef Kyle Schutte has a growing list of fans, including stars who like the ambiance and service.  General Hospital & Gilmore Girls star Carolyn Hennesy and Josh Henderson among others love to eat at The Flats on a regular basis.  
The wild mushroom flatbread is The Flats trademark
  Chef Kyle’s trademark flatbread has been re- imagined in a new way.   The fried chicken flat bread will make your taste buds explode.  The menu includes a variety of dishes for meat lovers and vegetarians.   Must have starters include the fresh homemade CARAMELIZED BAGUETTE (emulsified marrow, cola salt) and the MEATBALLS (soubise, baby herbs, bread crumbs); which will satisfy any pallet.
In The Flats kitchen
 Kyle Schutte is the Executive Chef and partner of The Flats.  He won the Food Network show CUT THROAT KITCHEN a few years ago.  In fact, he is the first chef in the shows history to win the $25k. 

Chef Kyle says, “When people come here to eat I want them to have an experience; I’m all about giving you something you’re not expecting.  Our bread program is the best, everyone makes fresh bread, The Flats happens to be the most imaginative and best in town.

The Flats bar has become the place to be seen in Beverly Hills.  Bar Guru and Partner Pete Capella has created unique drinks which has a story behind them.  In addition, the liquors, wines and Champagne’s all have stories, which is why the brands are chosen.  
Fried mozzarella w.peanuts, grape and cilantro flower

  Drink menu included:  WILSHIRE BOULEVARDIER (bourbon, port, aperol, orange peel)

ABRES LOS OJOS (tequila, orgeat, orange bitters, groundworks cold brew coffee, chocolate covered espresso beans), THEY CALL ME MR. BITTERNESS (great king scotch whiskey, sweet vermouth, cynar, toasted maraschino cherry) and MY OSCAR PLEASE (absolut, pineapple, kimchi) 

Octopus, squid ink, chimichurro, green grape/apple at The Flats

  Pete said, “Chef Kyle wants everyone’s meal to be an experience, I want the drinks to be something you will always remember making your total experience at THE FLATS, unforgettable.”

Lisa Long (Managing Partner), a longtime successful restaurateur in Los Angeles, says “I love Chef Kyle’s style and the creativity that goes behind each dish that THE FLATS serves.”  Chef Kyle says, “I am always excited to see my peers enjoying and having a great time, across the restaurant showbiz deals are being made; ‘THE FLATS is a place to meet up have conversation, drinks and a great meal experience!”                           


(left) Karen Ostlund and Keira Claiborn enjoyed The Flats cocktails
The Flats is available for home delivery thru:  GRUBHUB, EAT24 , ChowNow and DOORDASH
THE FLATS Chef Kyle Schutte's meatballs made debut at The Concern Foundation Block party 2017

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Illusionist Criss Angel honored with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

By Karen Ostlund
Photo credit: Clinton H.Wallace@Photomundo

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that illusionist Criss Angel (born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos) was honored with the 2,615th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last Thursday, July 20, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. PDT.
Criss star is located at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard next to the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and across the street from the star of Houdini!  
Angel began his career in New York City, before moving his base of operations to the Las Vegas Valley. He is known for starring in the television and stage show Criss Angel Mindfreak and his previous live performance illusion show Criss Angel Believe in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas. The show generated $150 million in tourist revenue to Las Vegas in 2010, but has since been replaced by Mindfreak LIVE on 11 May 2016. 
He also starred in the television series Criss Angel BeLIEve on Spike TV, the reality-competition television show Phenomenon on NBC, and the 2014 stage show Criss Angel Magicjam.
 Criss Angel recently created and directed a music video for Latin pop princess Belinda and world-renowned DJ/Producer Steve Aoki which will be released this summer 2017.
(left) Actor Gary Oldman, Criss Angel and magician Lance Burton


“Hollywood is a magical place, and when we honor Criss Angel with his own star, the magic will continue to spread! We are very proud to include him on our famous Walk of Fame,” stated Walk of Fame Producer Ana Martinez.

Hollywood Chamber President/CEO Leron Gubler,was the emcee of the event to unveil the star with guest speakers Lance Burton, Randy Couture and Gary Oldman. Watch the speeches at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAUKTtyUFvY&feature=youtu.be

For more than a decade, Criss Angel has dominated the world of magic as the biggest name on the planet. From his role as star, creator, executive producer and director of the most successful magic television series of all time, Criss Angel MINDFREAK on A&E Network, to his No. 1 best-selling Las Vegas stage shows Criss Angel BeLIEve and Criss Angel MINDFREAK LIVE! (in partnership with Cirque du Soleil® and MGM Resorts), to countless critically-acclaimed television specials and series, best-selling books, top-grossing retail products, music CDs.

Illusionist Criss Angel infront of his Hollywood Walk of Fame Star infront of Roosevelt Hotel
Chris Angel 2017 YouTube Videos:https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=criss+angel+2017+magic

Angel’s book, Criss Angel MINDFREAK: Secret Revelations (Harper Collins) was a national bestseller and is now in multiple printings. Angel is also an accomplished musician, having produced and performed on five self-titled CDs, which accompany all his live performances and TV appearances.

Angel has received numerous awards throughout his career: “Magician of the Year” an unprecedented six times, including from The Magic Castle—far more than any other magician. He was the youngest magician inducted into the International Magicians Society Hall of Fame. Angel was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, The World Magic Legacy Award “A Living Legend,” at The World of Magic Seminar in Las Vegas.
Additionally, Angel was recently named the first recipient of “Magician of the Decade,” as well as “Magician of the Century” and “Innovator of the Decade.” Angel received an International Magic Lifetime Achievement Award and was unanimously selected as the recipient of the 22nd Louie Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Art of Magic.

Angel is tireless in his ongoing efforts to help children through his charitable works. His Johnny Crisstopher Children’s Charitable Foundation, a JDS Foundation (formerly Believe Anything Is Possible), was renamed last year after his then two-year old son Johnny was diagnosed with leukemia. Angel has also received the Male Wish Granter of the Year Award and the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award for his work and dedication to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, having just granted his 50th wish.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. #hollywoodwalkoffame  

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Marvel Comics, Stan Lee put his hand & footprints at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX

Photos by Karen Ostlund.
 The Ceremony was presented by Legion M, ICON: Celebrating Stan Lee, the first ever handprint-footprints ceremony in TCL history to be organized and hosted by the fans.
(Center) Stan Lee sitting among speakers in attendance to start ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX,
 (Hollywood,CA) July 18, two days before San Diego Comic-Con Convention, the iconic creator and force behind Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, put his handprints and footprints in cement in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood, CA.
Sran Lee put his handprint at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood

“Stan Lee gave us the heroes that fueled our imagination and aspirations” said Kevin Smith, Filmmaker, Actor, Writer, Comedian and Stan Lee Fan.

”Now, WE, the fans, are coming together to give this permanent monument and tribute to the man that gave us so much.”

Stan Lee, the chief creative force behind the rise of Marvel Comics, brought to life some of the world’s most famous heroes and infamous villains, including Spider-Man, The Hulk, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, The Avengers, Loki, and Dr. Doom. His stories featured heroes and villains that were more psychologically complex than had ever been seen previously, inspiring legions of fans.

According to his autobiography, Excelsior, “Lee put the human in the superhuman.” Lee’s connection to fans immediately led him to Legion M’s unique model of being the first fan-owned entertainment company, and he has been supportive of Legion M since its launch in 2016. Legion M embodies the fan culture that Lee’s work launched, perpetuating a legacy that has impacted generations.
By organizing and rallying the fans, celebrities, companies and anyone who has been positively impacted by Lee’s work, Legion M is paying a heartfelt, historic and overdue tribute to one of the greatest storytellers of our time.
(left) Comic book artist Todd McFarlane, Marvel chief Kevin Feige, Stan Lee, writer/director Kevin Smith, ‘Black Panther’ film star Chadwick Boseman, and Clark Gregg

Stan Lee's hand & foot print with signature in cement, July 18

“On behalf of Stan Lee and Stan Lee Collectibles, we’re deeply moved and appreciative of the groundswell of fan support Stan has always enjoyed, and we’re grateful that his fans have united together with Legion M to give him this great honor,” said Stan Lee Collectibles CEO Max Anderson.
Stan Lee signs his name in cement at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX
 As a producer, writer, editor, publisher, actor, host and executive, and idol to many, Stan ‘the Man’ Lee has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry having created or co-created 90% of Marvel’s most recognized characters. These creations have spawned books, films, television series, video games, web series, Broadway shows and more offering a steady stream of box office.
In 2017, Stan will celebrate his 95th birthday and 70th wedding anniversary, along with the 78th anniversary of the day he first started as an assistant filling inkwells at Timely Comics – now Marvel Comics – which over a lifetime of work he helped turn into one of the biggest media brands in the world.
Group photos of Stan Lee, friends and speakers attending July 18 
Stan Lee with ‘Star Trek’ star Nichelle Nichols after ceremony was over
Myself inside SPIDER MAN photo booth for new movie HomeComing
Fans were invited to get involved, attend the event,and pay tribute to Stan, take home a piece of history and more by visiting https://thelegionm.com/celebrating-stan-lee

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

25-foot Wilmer Valderrama puppet revealed at Hollywood & Highland

Photos & story by Karen Ostlund


 Giant puppet revealed yesterday! In celebration of the today, July 11 premiere of the new original TV series, "The Hollywood Puppet Sh!tshow," Fuse TV and Wilmer Valderrama [Creator, Executive Producer, Host]  revealed a 25-foot Wilmer Valderrama puppet activation in the courtyard of Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, CA. He said: " I am the only cast, but I use well-known performers on stage as my puppets in the show as: Lil Jon, Amber Rose, Terry Crews, Gina Rodriquez and Steve Aoki.


Big stars. Small puppets. Crazy stories. It's a comedy puppet show.
You can watch them all recount their true, untold wildest adventures reenacted by their very own doppelgänger marionette puppets, created exclusively for the FUSE TV series, premiering today Tuesday, July 11, 10:30PM.
http://www.fuse.tv/shows/the-hollywood-puppet-shitshow
Sneak preview:
https://youtu.be/ADzlKWpezM4
                              
Noon, July 10th at Hollywood & Highland, Wilmer Valderrama
                                    
Wilmer Valderrama revealed a 25-foot Wilmer Valderrama puppet

Monday, July 10, 2017

#ConcernFoundation 42nd Annual Block Party in Hollywood raised $ 1.8 milllion

Photos & story by Karen Ostlund (Hollywood, CA)
Entrance of "Kingdom of Concern" at Paramount

 Last Saturday, July 8th, The Concern Foundation for cancer research hosted its 42nd signature Block Party on the back lot of Paramount Pictures Studios in Hollywood.
July 8, The Concern Foundation Block Party at Paramount Back Lot

 The Block Party is the organization’s largest fundraiser and this year’s theme was “Kingdom of Concern; An Evening of Feasting, Revelry and Dance.” The food and entertainment focused event attracted close to 4,000 guests with a goal to raise funds in research, focused on immunology based methods to treat cancer.


  The Paramount Studios backlot streets were filled with over 75 food and beverage vendors under the direction of Nancy Eisenstadt, Megan Mulcahy and Whitney Carroll.
The Urban Oven Pizza

Notable restaurants were  Vibrato Grill Jazz, Ocean Prime, The Grill on the Alley, Fogo de Chao, Lawry’s The Prime Rib, The Urban Oven, The Palm and Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs among many.
Tom Nolan Band was main stage opening and closing performance
 Entertainment  included performances on multiple stages by the Tom Nolan Band, D’ City Sound featuring DJ Dwayne. The evening Master of Ceremonies was KNX1070 News radio’s Frank Mottek. A/V Masters donated all of the audio and visual components.

           
Musicians going on stage




One of the highlights of the evening was the silent and live auction under the direction of this year’s auction chairs Lynne Fox, Wendi Nogradi, Courtney Teller & Madeline Rose.  Live and silent auction items and packages include one-of-a-kind opportunities, concert and event tickets, restaurants and golf packages.
Pink's Hotdogs:  beef, turkey and vegan

Victorian Horse - theme of Kingdom of Concern
   
The night featured dancing, casino-style games, Brian Kramer Digital photography studio, Island Ink airbrush tattoos and salon and spa services.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib

For the 13th year Concern helped celebrate The Best of LA 2017® on Los Angeles magazine’s street which featured  lounges, photo booths, food stations, DJ dancing, Peerless Coffee and California wineries.
Sponsor car Infiniti QX 60 2017

2017 Concern Foundation Block Party theme – Kingdom of Concern - raised over $1.8 million.
 Bruce Singer, Kelly Stone & Sharon Stone (stage-photo by J.Barsky)

Each year, the Block Party honors individuals who are making significant impacts in our community. This year’s Spirit of Concern Humanitarians Award recipients were KELLY STONE, BRUCE SINGER and EDEN ALPERT.

Kelly Stone was born in Pennsylvania but moved to LA in the early 80’s to continue her work as a nurse. Six years later she ends up having 5 trauma surgeries and was in and out of wheel chairs for 4 years. After her downfall, she realized the most important thing to have in life is hope. She started getting involved in the homeless community and later in 1993 with the help of her sister and Sharon Stone, they founded a nonprofit organization called Plant Hope. Planet Hope provides job fairs, housing, summer camps for homeless, disabled and abused families.

Bruce Singer was born in Bronx New York and attended Long Island University and Harvard University for International Law and Foreign Service. After getting his law degree from Whitter College of Law he served as a law clerk for Criminal/Superior Courts in LA. He had many successful businesses but he really got not helping the less fortunate when he met Kelly. Together they have accomplished bigger projects to benefit the sick and homeless.

Eden Alpert has been a part of the Concern foundation since the beginning. Her and her daughter have actively participated in many fundraisings and events for the cause. She believes that being involved in this cause will make a big difference in the community. 
La Provence Cafe desserts



“Concern Foundation is proud to honor these exceptional people for their passion, commitment to philanthropy and involvement in the community,” said Derek Alpert, president of Concern Foundation. “They truly exemplify what Concern Foundation represents to the cancer community, locally and around the world. We recognize the most inspiring people in our community at our Block Party and we provide funding to only the best cancer research scientists that are making a difference in conquering cancer.”


          


Bar Hayama Sushi Rolls
Concern Foundation’s mission is to conquer cancer by providing essential funds to support the early yet critical stages of discovery. Since its inception in 1968, Concern has raised and awarded $59 million to over 750 gifted cancer scientists around the world.
For 49 years, Concern has pioneered the advancement of cancer immunology—the study of the relationship between the immune system and  cancer—a field that is now widely acknowledged to hold the most potential for discovering treatments and preventions for cancer.
With 90-95% of net proceeds going directly to research, Concern Foundation has made significant strides toward bridging a major gap in research funding by focusing its grants on young, innovative researchers with breakthrough ideas.
http://www.concernfoundation.org/block-party
Myself (Karen Ostlund) in Concern Foundation's Photo-booth 3DCheeze

 Kingdom of Concern was an evening of feasting, revelry and dance on the back lot of Paramount Pictures Studios in Hollywood. The event was led by event chair Lexy Carroll and a team of volunteers and designed once again by John Ferdenzi of Town and Country Event Rentals.#concernfoundation #teamconcern #concernblockparty


 

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Recap of DWELL on Design Outdoor 2017


Photos by Karen Ostlund
(Los Angeles, CA) Recap of DWELL on Design, June 23, 25th downtown LA Convention Center. Many booth came from West Hollywood Design District to show.
DWELL OUTDOOR RETURNED WITH A PREFAB HOME, TINY HOME BY KIM LEWIS, SPECIAL AUTOCAMP GIVEAWAY & MODULAR CAMPING BRAND, HAPPIER CAMPER 
OUTDOOR LOUNGE DWELL 2017

DWELL popular pavilion showcased a full-size prefab home from Method Homes and a tiny home from Kim Lewis Tiny Home. AutoCamp  hosted a special contest, and Happier Camper featured a photo booth and hosted a bar at the Opening Night Reception, June 23rd. 
Dwell on Design was excited to showcase the best in outdoor design with the return of Dwell Outdoor at 17,000 square feet space. Dwell Outdoor highlighted contemporary outdoor furnishings, a full-size modern prefab home, a custom-built tiny home, and design forward brands for the adventurous. This year’s homes, all available to tour, included the Kim Lewis Tiny Home and the Method Homes Prefab. The camping brand, AutoCamp, had their luxurious Airstreams on-site and the modular trailer company, Happier Camper. 
Kim Lewis Design House

Dwell Outdoor welcomed Kim Lewis, the "The Little Lady with Big Ideas", best known as the Lead Designer behind ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and founder of Kim Lewis Designs in Austin, Texas. Her latest design project, Kim Lewis Tiny Home, is a series of custom built small homes each designed around a specific theme and aesthetic. Her third Tiny Home, the Joshua Tree Tiny Home made its debut at Dwell on Design, and featured white ship-lap walls, copper pipe shelving, LaCantina sliding doors, and a 24-inch colored range from Blue Star, among many  great brands. 

Method Homes returned to Dwell Outdoor and showcased its new Annata Model. The Annata is designed by Chris Pardo Design: Elemental Architecture and comes in two and three module versions. Brands featured in the Annata include Daltile, European Home, Hästens, Sugatsune, and Mohawk Industries to name a few. It is designed with a focus on indoor/outdoor living and is ideal for the wine country and coastal areas of California. 
AutoCamp
 Dwell Outdoor was also home to the Architecture and Design Film Festival (ADFF). Open Air Cinema provided screens for attendees to view a curated, highly anticipated group of short architecture and design films.
AutoCamp, the unique California Airstream lodging experience hosted their Adventure Experience Live at Dwell Outdoor. The experience  transported guests to an innovative outdoor setting which features their chic and contemporary Airstreams where camping meets modern luxury. 
Happier Camper
Happier Camper, the California-
based friendly camper brand
showcased their popular HC1
model on-site. Retro-modern at
heart, delivering affordable
adventure and ground-breaking
flexibility in an ultra-light
package, the HC1 is the result of a
lifetime of enthusiasm and years
of careful design. The AdaptivTM
modular interior features included
a huge rear hatch, wide entry
door, classic fenders, honeycomb
fiberglass floor and large panoramic windows.
 
About Dwell on Design
June 23- 25, 2017 / Los Angeles Convention Center
is a three full days of dynamic exhibitions, unparalleled educational opportunities, new home technologies, onstage panels, 40+ speakers, and more than 2,000 innovative modern furnishings and products, Dwell on Design is the largest modern design event on the west coast. In addition to featuring over 200 exhibiting brands, Dwell on Design encourages an ongoing design dialogue. dwellondesign.com
Dwell is a media and technology brand focused on design and architecture. Through an award-
winning magazine that has been published since 2000, and a sharing platform launched in 2016,
Dwell promotes an architecture that is optimistic and innovative. In December 2016 Dwell
launched a collection of products with Target called Modern by Dwell Magazine. Dwell, Dwell
Homes, Dwell Prefab, and Dwell on Design are registered trademarks of Dwell Media, LLC.
Dwell Media, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary company of Dwell Life, Inc.