alife LA opening party

The alife party was in my calendar this long Labor Day weekend which Kirstin in Amsterdam hipped me to. Thank goodness for the Internet! So, I cut my BBQ session in Brentwood short and headed back to my 'hood to check out these NYC lads come good. What was I in store for I wondered?

Here's some trivia: did you know this holiday signals the end of summer? Man, tell the heat that. I was 105F in the Valley with a cooler, but scorching 99F in my neighborhood. Yes, may be this time I should've checked out Santa Monica for the legendary cool breezes!

Cheap luxury
alife was featured in Boost Mobile's film on the so-called Retail Mafia ~ a group of movers and shakers revolutionizing retail and pop culture in LA and NYC. The ARC (alife Rivington Club) sneaker store in the LES of New York is cozy and decorated in an old boys club kinda way. So, what a surprise to see the bare, white-washed walls and the merchandise boxed in behind plastic walls: T-shirts $40, baseball hats $50, shoes $200, sweats $100, hoodies $150...

It looked cheap, like Ikea meets a garage sale. No luxury in the shopping experience, and worse than a trip to Ross, Dress for Less! Ironic style may be? But methinks the jokes over, although for some it's only just begin. You won't see me wearing this stuff, but forgive me if you see me selling it on eBay.

West Coast Hip Hop
The highlight was seeing DJ Muggs from the Soul Assassins and Cypress Hill playing old skool tunes. Paul Revere, anyone?