thanks to our friends at poketo, fridays in LA just got more fabulous!

beginning at 3:00 pm today, poketo and islands fold will be hosting an interactive all day art exhibit entitled “islands in LA.”  simply drop by poketo’s groovy downtown studio, grab a drink, and witness island fold's luke ramsey and los angeles artists travis millard, marco zamora, derek albeck, joel speasmaker, and james gulliver hancock create new pieces from start to finish.  these pieces will then be showcased later in the evening.

at 6:00 pm, the official party will begin with a release of a special edition poketo tee featuring a collaborative design by the artists.  original art can even be purchased right off the walls to be taken home the evening.

there will also be a photo booth with a ginormous sunset backdrop, so as always, prepare to pose, people! 

when:
today!
3 pm - 6 pm: open studio with artists
6 pm - 9 pm: official artshow/ party

where
poketo studio
510 south hewitt street, #506, los angeles

{left to right starting from the top:  peacock feather tights (29.00);  art nouveau peacock earrings (18.00);  peacock rug (48.00);  kate spade peacock pedestal plate (ebay);  paperie petting zoo peacock (198.00);  peacock pitcher(21.00);  peacock ring nest (10.00);  silk luxury clutch bag (105.00);  peacock tray (18.00);  peacock lure earrings (16.99);  peacock keyfob (65.00);  honeydew plummage panties (12.99);  peacock jubilee wallet (24.99);  margaux lite peacock headband (29.00).

happy strutting, darlings!!!

darlings, put on your cha cha heels, grab yourself a slice of cake, and take a swing at the love-filled pinata because WHORANGE turns one-year-old today!

it seems like just yesterday that i was admiring your fantastic hair, but believe it our not, 365 days have strutted by.  i've met so many fabulous friends on this playground.  how can a girl be so lucky?  it's like winning miss america, only better.

thank you for keeping me inspired, everyone!  you're the tops.  don't let anyone tell you diffs.

i'm so looking forward to sharing another year filled with fun, frolic, knitting circles, home perms, belly dancing, slumber parties, truth or dare, letterpressing, seances, catwalking, secret handshakes, cocktails, triscuit towers, spin-the-bottle, cupcake frosting, and weekly love-ins.

also, don't forget to grab a gift bag on the way out!  i've stuffed it with one of WHORANGE's all time favorite items...

yes, a life-size horse lamp you can call your own.  ride on, pretty ponies!  ride on.

mini magpies mingle amongst marvelous mid-century.

join the party at four crows art.

when little golden book characters go rogue.

experience artist andrew brandou's delightfully dark, dark art here.

{image via towelroad.}

hands down, my favorite moment from last night's oscars was when dustin lance black won for best original screenplay for MILK.  i cried throughout the entire film and i cried throughout dustin's entire acceptance speech.  mascara was everywhere -- on the couch, on my dress, on my cat.

i first learned of harvey milk in college when i saw the documentary the times of harvey milk. (be sure to move it to the top of you netflix queue if you haven't seen it yet!)  after graduation, i moved to san francisco and lived in the castro district where harvey's spirit still thrives and continues to inspire.

{above left: harvey milk and friend rick nichols, 1977;  above right: premiere of MILK at the castro theatre, 2008.}

the building that once housed harvey milk's camera shop and campaign headquarters, located at 575 castro street, is now one of the best one-of-a-kind gift shoppes in san francisco.  it's called given, and the owner, nick romero, not only possesses impeccable taste in art, accessories, and funishings, but he is also one of the friendliest neighborhood merchants around.

nick cherishes the history of the his store's location and even commissioned artist john baden to paint a mural on given's wall to memorialize the historical and beloved supervisor.  the mural depicts a beautiful array of colors, 60s-inspired flourishes, and a gun.  but instead of firing a bullet, the gun fires harvey milk's most famous quote: "If a bullet should enter my brain, let the bullet destroy every closet door."

last year, given's location was used for the principal photography for MILK.  the gift shoppe closed for six weeks and underwent a complete transformation to replicate milk's historical camera shop and campaign headquarters.

what's not to whorange?  be sure to visit nick's fabulous shoppe the next time you're in san francisco!  also, you can visitgiven online.

{image of mural via lucin da lunicy.  images of given interiors via yelp.}

on this special day, WHORANGE looks back fondly upon bette davis's glitter skull cap that she wore worked at the 1955 oscars.  oh, how i would love to see meryl revive this look tonight.

crossing my fingers for MILK, by the way.  i hope it wins.  yeah, yeah...i know.  slumdog is going to take it all.  a girl can dream, though, can't she?

while cruising apartment therapy yesterday, i spied myself some delicious mid-century inspired I-CANDY crafted from IKEA's $6.99 grono lamp.

the DIY lamp comes to us courtesy of cicada studio, who not only supplies crafty expertise on their blog, but also has an etsy shoppe filled with an array of craveable fabrics and stationery.  delish.

for the step-by-step instructions on how to turn this IKEA into I-CANDY visit cicada here.

and don't forget to visit cicada's etsy shoppe, where you will find these purty patterns, plus oodles more...

L.A.based contemporary artist, and friend of WHORANGE, alexandra grant designed this beautiful, special edition love necklace for LA><ART to help raise funds for a wonderful cause:  the Watts House Project (WHP).

The WHP is an artist-driven, neighborhood redevelopment program aimed at improving the homes and lives of residents living near the historic watts towers located in south central los angeles.  directed by artist edgar arceneaux, the ongoing project uses art and architecture as a catalyst for expanding and enhancing community.

alexandra's inspiration for the love necklace stemmed from her original WHP proposal:  to have the word “love” placed upon the roof of the Cerate family home on 107th street.

according to the WHP:

"Grant and the Cerate Family are currently working together with architect Mike Niemann on a plan which will incorporate and balance the family’s needs and wishes for their house and lifestyle with Grant’s proposal for 'love on the house.'  The Cerate Family own a roofing business and are open and excited to develop Grant’s idea further to incorporate a sculptural element on their roof."

the shape of the sculpture inspired alexandra's elegant sterling silver love necklace, which embodies both the “hand-made” and the universal aspects of love.

improving the lives of others and enhancing community through art.  what’s not to whorange?

to learn more about the Watts House Project, click here.

to purchase the special edition love necklace (125.00 for sterling silver and 500.00 for 18k gold), visit the honor fraser gallery.

and to view more of alexandra grant's fabulous art, visit her website.

{above image:  "first portal" and "second portal" by alexandra grant.}

{above image:  "my self of loss" by alexandra grant.}

mad lib courtesy of the frisky.  catwalk courtesy of marc jacobs.

and, don't forget the shoes!  coming this spring to a fantasy near you...