East Village West

Last weekend we were in LOS ANGELES to help celebrate my sister's birthday. Sadly, it was also the closing weekend of ROYAL/T CAFE - a combination cafe-slash-art gallery-slash-gift shop that was a fixture in Culver City for over 5 years. We didn't have time to visit Royal/T on this final weekend, but we did manage to visit the last time we were in L.A., which was last October for my birthday. They had an exhibit there called EAST VILLAGE WEST, curated by artists ANN MAGNUSON and KENNY SCHARF. In addition to their own art, the exhibit also featured the work of other New York City artists who thrived in the new wave 80's, including KEITH HARING and JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT. The show focused on these artists' obsession with all things Hollywood, primarily television, film, and the cult of celebrity, hence the name of the show, East Village West.

We met Missy's friend Jamie there for tea. Jamie brought a couple of her BLYTHE DOLLS for Missy to see - one of them came in this really cool PICKLE-SHAPED CARRYING CASE. TOFU BABY came for the ride too...











After tea, we took in the exhibit which consisted mostly of these little vignettes made up of pieces by different artists along with various 80's ephemera from the NYC art and club scenes...















































In the back of the gallery was this thing called the PORTA-PARTY. It looked like a PORTA-POTTY, only it didn't have a toilet in it, and the door was shaped like an iPOD. Instead, there was a DISCO BALL hanging inside it along with a WOODEN DANCE FLOOR just big enough for two people. There was also a dock for an iPod, where anyone could plug in and provide the perfect dance party soundtrack. Missy stumbled out like she had done a little too much partying...