Hasta La Ideas

The DJ’s DJ, behind the scenes of Studio 54 and more from an online destination for global nightlife and culture

Unlike gimmicky social clubs, entrance into
Société Perrier requires little more than being “the best in nightlife, art, music, fashion, travel, mixology and cocktail culture.” To learn more about a few of the fashion designers, DJs and drinks that have what it takes, check out our favorite picks from the site below.

1. Nervo

Australian twin sisters and former models Liv and Mim Nervo have already cut their teeth in the music industry writing pop hits for Ke$ha and Kylie Minogue, but their newest endeavor includes tag-teaming as DJs, while also producing a record of their own. Their single “We’re All No One,” featuring Steve Aoki and Afrojack debuts 6 September 2011. Having opened for Britney Spears on her Femme Fatale tour, the two are already well on their way to being a double threat.

2. Recalling Studio 54

Those of us that never got the chance to experience New York’s Studio 54 in the glamorous, hedonistic glory of its disco days can hear vivid recollections from two former staff members on SiriusXM. The Marc and Myra show recounts first-hand tales of the legendary club and its famous patrons, including Andy Warhol and both Jaggers.

3. Captains of Industry

All kidding aside, Stonerokk and Graham Funke, aka the Captains of Industry, are seriously legit DJs, as exemplified by their strict, records-only policy. Here, they recall a few celebrity encounters and the one song they refuse to play.

4. Catherine Malandrino

A world traveler and bon vivant, fashion designer Catherine Malandrino is an enthusiastic advocate of new media and its facilitation of the globalization of fashion. Adding to her roster of collaborations with fashionable pop stars such as Madonna and Beyonce, Malandrino hints at a unpcoming project with Lady Gaga.

5. Morning-After Mixology at the Standard Spa in Miami Beach

An impressive demonstration of morning-after caregiving, the Standard Spa in Miami offers hangover-plagued guests a menu of restorative elixirs containing ingredients like coconut water, honey, ginger—some with booze, some without. Those suffering from at home will benefit from this quick video course in morning-after mixology.

6. Grand Opening New York: LES Runway

In its latest incarnation, the ever-morphing downtown gallery space Grand Opening offers up fashion two-ways: after dark, the space hosts runway shows by emerging and independent designers such as New Form Perspective, Pip-Squeak Chapeau and Gemma Redux, while daytime hours reveal a pop-up shop selling the previously-showcased wares.

Seven new spots to shop in Hollywood’s up-and-coming retail district

From Japanese selvage denim to modern bohemian tunics, La Brea is quickly becoming one of the most creative shopping destinations in Los Angeles. The neighborhood redevelopment project has helped inspire several new stores to open their doors on the extra-large boulevard, revitalizing the blocks between Beverly Boulevard and 2nd Street. Now with Feal Mor, Don Ville shoes, Black Scale, General Quarters and the brand new Post 42, this retail capital of well-put-together stores is filled with independent designs, vintage finds and handmade accessories.

In an area where And Still, Undefeated, Stussy and Union sit side by side near the wacky giant Hollywood signs, and the kitschy pop culture collections of Nick Metropolis are on the same street as American Rag and phenomenal art exhibits at Merry Karnowsky Gallery, we found seven new favorites.

Self Edge

Self Edge is the go-to outfitter for the best selvage denim including Real Japan Blues, Iron Heart and Strike Gold, as well as plaid shirts and jackets. Current stock at the Los Angeles store includes hand dyed Kawatako belts, wallets and bags.

Next up they are launching a line called Stevenson Overall Company made in Japan. It’s an updated classic American style so, according to owner Kiya Babzani, “You don’t look like a railroad worker.”

Don Ville Shoes

With a brand-new retail space connected to a full-service shoe workshop, the cobblers at Don Ville craft bespoke, made-to-measure and ready-to-wear footwear onsite.

Peek into the workroom to see projects in various states of development and lust after the perfect leather for bespoke loafers; drool-worthy examples include turquoise patent oxfords and pearl grey ankle boots.

Black Scale

Founded by Mega and Alfred de Tagle, urban art collective Black Scale fills their minimalist space with graphic black-and-white t-shirts, apparel and accessories with pops of red, along with skulls, pyramids and crucifixes.

Added into the mix, look for grey jackets, vests with multiple layers of fabric and long charcoal sweaters with metal buttons, sleek black high-tops and collaborative projects.

Feal Mor

As a collector of military uniforms, owner JP Plunier designs striped military-inspired sweaters and stocks his store with wetsuits from Amsterdam, as well as short-sleeved button-down oxfords made from super-fine Japanese cotton.

Accessories new and vintage line the shop, which also houses surfboards, bicycles, turntables and other treasures. Based on the French ’56 Jump Jacket, look for the noir black or cognac tan Feal Mor Battle Jacket in the La Brea store and online.

What Goes Around Comes Around

A wonder emporium of classic glamour and style, What Goes Around Comes Around peddles vintage Chanel, Levi’s LVC, The West is Dead, custom Converse high-tops, vintage Louis Vuitton luggage and vintage eyewear. Their own WGACA Collection of ’60s-inspired pieces feature retro prints, embroidered details and fur outerwear.

Stylist Paige Yingst has the back room set up with special merchandise and is ready to help customers find the perfect look for any special occasion.

General Quarters

General Quarters owner Blair Lucio fills his men’s lifestyle store with Americana heritage styles that focus on casual California-inspired designs. Inside you’ll find plaid shirts, soft tees and relaxed denim sitting beside pocket knives, motorcycles, and vintage American bandanas.

Lucio’s favorite lines include Gant Rugger, Life After Denim, Kelty Pack, Pail Car Denim, Groceries and CXXVi. New finds include bracelets made from World War II-era camo parachute para-cord with a old good luck fishing lure recast in bronze.

Post 42

Matt Winter erected two Quonset huts in a parking lot at the corner of 1st and La Brea and quietly opened up shop at Post 42. Officially opening in mid-September, reclaimed furniture and objects, along with new and vintage apparel and accessories, will sell from inside the World War II structures.

See more images from the shops in the gallery below.

Our interview with the reigning world champ of women’s surfing

Earlier this year in Los Angeles, I had the chance to sit down with surfer Carissa Moore, 18, fresh on the heels of her win at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast in Australia. Since going on to also claim her first ASP World Champion title—the youngest to ever do so—at the Roxy Pro Biarritz last month, there’s perhaps no surfer who’s done more to advance the cause of women’s surfing than this Hawaii native.

Her dedication and skills (she’s been at it since age four and started competing professionally at six) have attracted unprecedented attention to the sport, including Nike sponsorship. The brand also backed the film “Leave a Message,” in which Moore totally dominates.

As the rising star gears up to compete this year’s Quicksilver Pro next month, read on to learn more about what it was like to be in the movie, snow surfing and keeping it all balanced.

Cool Hunting: Do you remember the first time you went surfing?

Carissa Moore: I was about four or five when my dad pushed me into my first wave at Hawaii Beach, where I was born and raised and still live.

CH: Does your dad surf?

CM: My dad is actually a competitive swimmer. He won a lot of big open water swims and was an Ironman for a while. So he wasn’t a super serious surfer, but I think what’s awesome is that he applied a lot of the skills he’s learned from swimming to coaching me.

We’re best friends, we’re travel partners, he’s my coach. It’s neat! Sometimes it can get complicated because he’s both my dad and my coach. Coaches are always trying to push you to do better and sometimes I hear my dad and I think he’s not satisfied with me. But he’s always wanted the best for me and I think that’s made our relationship so sweet. It’s cool ’cause at the end when we accomplish something, there’s no person I’d rather share that with than my dad.

CH: What about your mom? Does she come too?

CM: My mom and I have an interesting relationship. I’m really thankful for everything that she’s done for me. I think that I definitely wouldn’t be here or be who I am today without the struggles and the relationship that I have with her. My parents divorced when I was 12 and when I was with her she didn’t really want me to go to the beach. She wanted me to go to school, she wanted me to go shopping, and she wanted me to be a girl. At the time I was always struggling with that because I was like, “I just love this. Why would you want to keep me from something that I love?”

But, it was almost a blessing because she kept me balanced. I graduated from high school last year and it was one of the best accomplishments I’ve had in life because it’s not just surfing. It also got me to appreciate my time in the water too because I didn’t have as much time as everybody else. So I was like, “Ah! I’ve got to be just as good and work even harder with the time that I have.”

CH: What are your long-term goals with surfing?

CM: Ever since I was little, I’ve had a dream of traveling the world and surfing, being on the world tour and hopefully competing to be a world champ. It’s pretty cool ’cause I can say now that I’m living my dream. And I’m really stoked that my results this year have been pretty good.

CH: Do you have insane wetsuits for the really cold water?

CM: This is the coldest place I’ve been ever! But I did recently get my first hooded sweatsuit and it’s super thick. But I don’t know when I’m going to use that. My dream though (secretly) is to surf in the snow. Well, to trudge through the snow and go surfing for at least 10 minutes. People do it in New York and I think it would be a neat experience.

CH: What are your other top spots?

CM: Surf-wise, my favorite place is mainland Mexico, really down south. I love the type of wave there and the food too! The waves are mostly right-point breaks and it’s sand-bottomed so you don’t have to worry about reef. Surfing there is just super playful. Fiji is absolutely breathtaking and beautiful and I want to go back there. And then my dream place to go is Greece.

CH: What was it like being in “Leave a Message?”

CM: This is the first surf movie that I’ve been a part of. There’s actually a lot of surfing porn films that are made. “Porn” meaning that they’re straight surf, straight action and not much lifestyle. There’ve been a few women’s surf films but nothing like this. This film is hardcore innovation stuff, which is closer to what the men are doing. I think that’s why this movie is so monumental in our sport.

I’m so stoked to be a part of it and stoked to be a part of the Nike team. I’m excited to see what the guys have to think about it too! But I think what’s cool about women’s surfing at the moment is that each girl has a lot of personality, which makes it have a different flavor than what the men’s tour has.

Our video with snowboarder Travis Rice on his epic new film

Travis Rice’s use of the word epic to describe his new snowboarding film “The Art of Flight” barely does the powder-crushing tour de force credit. The Herculean adventure, captured by the same type of Cineflex cameras used to film Planet Earth, shows Rice and his handpicked crew as they snowboard some of the wildest terrain around the globe.

The Art of Flight is Rice’s follow up to the award-winning film “That’s It, That’s All”—both shot by Curt Morgan, a snowboarder who turned to filmmaking after a serious back injury. A self-dubbed “tech geek,” Morgan and his boutique production house Brain Farm test the limits of aerial cinematography, shooting for outlets like National Geographic, ESPN, the U.S. Marine Corps and Red Bull Media House.

Primarily filmed in Alaska, Chile, Colorado, Argentina, Romania and Rice’s hometown of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, we caught up with the trailblazer in NYC where he explained some of the details of the two-year filming process. The insanely crisp high-def shots, combined with dramatic birds-eye views, create an almost first-person effect—an astounding portrayal of what it’s like to step into Rice’s boots as he and the team shred in often untouched territory.

The Art of Flight premieres 7 September 2011 in NYC, before touring the U.S. Tickets sell online or at a variety of snowboard shops for $20 each.

Reporting by Karen Day

Tweet to win a book and iPhone case in our giveaway

Spanning indie zines to extensive cookbooks, the plethora of books sourced for our holiday pop-up with the Gap last year are all penned by NYC-based authors. Our city’s literary bounty can now be yours—we’re giving away the backstock to a handful of lucky CH readers along with our special-edition Cool Hunting iPhone cases.

To win, tweet @coolhunting with the link to your favorite Cool Hunting book review before Wednesday, 17 August 2011, 11:59pm EST. We’ll pick winners, who we’ll award a grab-bag of one book and iPhone case.