Victoria & Albert: Style & Design in Santa Monica
(Victoria & Albert) The Victoria & Albert Museum, named after Queen Victoria & Prince Albert, has always been my favorite museum. The V&A houses an unparalleled collection of decorative arts & design objects & textiles, from ancient times to present. (Marlene Dietrich welcoming the V&A to Hotel Shangrila) The V&A’s upcoming autumn exhibition ‘Hollywood Costume’...
Appropriation in the Arts
Madame de Pompadour & her celebrated salon, Étiolles, have always interested me. Her concept of bringing together intellectuals, writers, artists & other eminent people for conversation over social dining is my inspiration for the salons I host at Hotel Shangrila. (BritWeek banner stepping up to the Dining Room at Hotel Shangrila) My most recent salon...
Coachella 2012: Anglomania
Anglomania took Coachella by storm this year, quite literally on the Friday… (Tamie Adaya in Coachella Garb) Perhaps my favorite anecdote was Pulp frontman, Jarvis Cocker, quipping “of course you’re going to get rain when you have 2 bands from Sheffield playing back-to-back sets (Arctic Monkeys & Pulp) on the main stage!” (Arctic Monkeys) The...
Frank Farian: Daddy Cool
(Frank Farian & Boney M.) Frank Farian started Boney M. in 1975 with his remake of Prince Buster’s 1960′s single “Al Capone” (Boney – Do You Wanna….) By 1976 Farian had written the acclaimed album, “Take The Heat Off Me,” with the single “Daddy Cool” holding steady at #6 on the UK chart for 13...
A Cause for Carousing
For me, birthdays are a hodgepodge of mirth & laughter, exuberance & vitality, inspiration & aspiration, fun & games & of course gifts… (My son Tarik gave me a paisley, regal & macrame themed scarf by DJASHBA) (My lovely Amr gave me a Stephen Webster rock!) (Victorian themed jackets given to me by Paul &...
Jeremy Scott x Adidas Originals
(Jeremy Scott, Tamie Adaya, Justin Barco) An army of the smart-set, eye-catching, prismatically decorated LA fashionistas filled the Melrose Adidas Originals store last Saturday as Jeremy Scott unveiled his 2012-2013 collab… (I had to buy a pair of Jeremy’s Gold Wing Adidas…) (Tamie Adaya & KESH, who dj’d the event) It was so refreshing to...
The Unerring Eye Of Richard Young
(Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton – the iconic photo that launched Richard Young’s career) Richard Young has photographed a distinguished & staggering range of famed celebrities, capturing genuinely unique moments, with an exceptional eye & unique approach as both a portraitist & photo journalist. (Richard Youngs keen eye was able to encapsulate the clean, crisp...
Santa Monica’s Sunset Cam
EXPLORE, led by founder & philanthropist, Charles Annenberg Weingarten, is an organization that demystifies foreign people & places through archiving a range of topics including health & human services, animal rights, the environment, education, & spirituality. Rooted in cinéma vérité EXPLORE now has 12 live cams, anchored all over the world, constantly streaming content with...
#AVERAGEJOE
(Tamie Adaya, Josef Valentino & Paul Nugent, overlooking the pacific from the rooftop bar, Suite 700 at Hotel Shangrila) Josef Valentino, is a rebel, a free spirit, an artist, & he has travelled the world on behalf of the #AVERAGEJOE to complete the Damian Hirst ‘Spot Challenge’… (Josef’s fun video describing the #AVERAGEJOE project) Shangrila...
Happy Feb. 15th!
Valentines day serves as a reminder that love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired…not just Feb 14 but year-round… (A romantic sunset, shot from the beach, with my toes in the sand) Hotel Shangrila always nurtures passion & amore, but once a year the red carpet is rolled out for romance…yesterday’s auspicious evening...
Glamorous Mundanity
I had the pleasure of doing a photoshoot with Kristin Vicari during her recent stay at Hotel Shangrila. Kristin is a seasoned & respected London photographer who’s many projects include Diesel’s critically acclaimed ‘Be Stupid’ campaign. I love the colors & tones in this photograph & having the chance to be shot wearing my favorite...
Some Of My Favorite Words
Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure believed that language is arbitrary, that there is no organic reason that any particular word be affixed to any particular concept. (one of Saussure’s examples of the arbitrary nature of language) Not sure if I agree with him, but arbitrariness can be what gives language its vitality! Here are ten...
