FIDM

Every second Thursday of the month, Downtown LA becomes a hotspot for tourists and creative enthusiasts when it holds the popular Art Walk event.

Art Walk is a “free, self-guided, public art phenomenon” in which visitors may visit galleries, scope out boutiques, discover local entertainment spots, and essentially enjoy the arts and creative Downtown Los Angeles culture. The Art Walk Lounge, located on 634 S. Spring Street, serves as the Art Walk headquarters, making it the natural first stop and meeting point. It is there that you can find maps, get freebies, and even enjoy some music!

I visited this month’s Art Walk with a few members of FIDM’s newest student organization: The Red Dot, a student AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) group. We first met at the Lounge, where we took maps, grabbed some free juice and other promotional items, and then headed out to see the galleries.

In between galleries, we stopped by the ART SQuare, an event space on Spring and Broadway that allows vendors to sell their products. Delicious $1 cupcakes, recycled lamps, handcrafted jewelry and apparel, and even handmade paper — we found all these and much more. It was also here that we chanced upon Hello Cavities, a brand created by FIDM Graphic Design alumna Sharon Lee and current FIDM Merchandise Marketing student Jason Shon. Their line consists of cool-cute illustrated tees and stickers that are reminiscent of Sanrio and Tokidoki; they also offer adorable puffy hairclips and bowties to complete the look. After just one look at their booth, I fell in love with their products and wanted to buy everything; however, I limited myself to just one bow tie and a promise to stop by next month and buy more.

If you’re in the mood to explore the night scene in Downtown LA, it’s worth your while to tour Art Walk every second Thursday of the month. Food, entertainment, shopping, and art — it all starts here. Explore the nighttime downtown Los Angeles culture!

Last weekend, Amanda and I spent the day on Melrose Avenue to celebrate our other roommate’s birthday. On our trip, we stumbled upon American Vintage — a vintage retailer with a grunge-thrift store vibe.

At first glance, the boutique seems to be a tad run-down and dusty — akin to something that has been sitting in someone’s basement for too long. However, as we ventured inside, we discovered that American Vintage actually held a treasure trove of authentic vintage apparel and accessories for men, women, and children that dates back as far as the 1940’s. Old combat boots, floppy hats, marching band jackets, wedding dresses, skirts made from ties, parachute jumpsuits — this retailer sells it all.

Being inside the store was like being in a well-stocked Dramatic Arts department’s costume collection. For those who enjoy thrift shopping for clothes to revamp and innovate, this retailer is perfect for you! The items are cheap and fairly-priced; I found cute lace blouses from the 60’s for only $8 a piece. High-waisted denim shorts were around $15 — with a few cuts, distressing, and studs, you will have a cute pair of shorts that could have been double the price at another popular boutique.

American Vintage has 4 locations in the Los Angeles county — Melrose Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and in Pasadena. If you’re in the mood for some treasure-hunting, re-creating, and innovating, pay a visit to this boutique!

One of the many perks of being a student at FIDM is access to events — like the one pictured above — which allows you to meet other students, enjoy good food, and hang out at the park.

FIDM’s Cinco de Mayo Fiesta event took place on May 3 from 11am - 1pm and featured a DJ, freshly-grilled taco plates, nachos, a volleyball game, a raffle, free Jarritos drinks, and free moustaches! Many students stopped by for a plate, socialized, and took pictures with the head-in-hole photo booth set up. Personally, the moustaches were the highlight of my day and made for a great fashion statement.

While at the Fiesta, I met some 2nd quarter students who came down during lunch to be a part of the event. Kadeem Noralez, a 2nd quarter Visual Communications student, enthuses about it, saying “I think it’s amazing! It’s like a little piece of Mexico. I love Mexican food, so that’s a plus.” Loren Dejesus, another 2nd quarter Visual Communications student adds, “I love this Cinco de Mayo Fiesta because Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite holidays. It’s so fun that they’re celebrating like this. The photo booth is awesome, I love it!”

Thanks to FIDM Student Activities for organizing this successful event! For those of you who did not get a chance to stop by, check the FIDM Portal and newsletter often to learn about these fantastic social events and attend. Take advantage of these celebrations and meet students who are in other majors!

Meet The Grove — one of LA’s most popular malls.

Nestled between Downtown and Beverly Hills, this West Hollywood attraction has a lovely mix of high-end and popular retailers such as Coach, Michael Kors, Forever 21, and Zara, as well as delicious restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory and La Piazza Ristorante Italiano. To add to the medley, it also features a movie theatre and a beautiful central fountain that can be seen when you enter from the parking structure. On certain days, you might even be lucky to catch a celebrity; I was able to see Ellen Degeneres a few months ago on my last visit. Otherwise, there is always a live musical performance by the fountain, setting the mood for the duration of your stay here.

Past a small tunnel a few ways away from the main road of retailers lies a Farmer’s Market and a few other eateries. Here, you can find beautiful and lush organic goods and stands that sell seafood dishes, pasta, pastries, and much more. After perusing the goods and buying a few fruits and vegetables, we decided to eat at Johnny Rocket’s, where they had excellent customer service; we didn’t even have to ask the server to split our order — he came with the plate split at no extra charge.

What I love most about The Grove is its balance of luxury and affordable stores and its dedication to making sure that the visitors are treated well and feel important. A chandelier hangs above a beautiful flower arrangement in the parking structure lobby; there are even individually rolled hand towels in the restrooms to wipe your hands instead of paper towels — the small details such as these prove the management’s dedication to customer satisfaction. Experience the luxury; make a visit to The Grove!