Out of a recession come some innovative ideas, namely the Design Loves Art program at the Pacific Design Center. Its public centerpiece is a monthly Thursday evening event showcasing the art gallery community within the Center's LA design community hub.

I checked out the scene at last night's Third Thursdays event, which was particularly happening on the second floor as art galleries opened their doors so locals could partake of wine, art and conversation.

Apparently, as I discovered asking around, the PDC has suffered from a lack of design firm tenants during these hard times. That means a lot of empty usable spaces. So they have allowed some art galleries to come in and rent them under short-term (six-month) leases as a sort of hybrid art-design experiment and a "win win" situation.

The Design Loves Art program is curated by Helen Varola, an independent New York curator. Some of the cool galleries participating--whose work I particularly enjoyed were: d.e.n. Contemporary Art (which used to have a space in Culver City), Sam Lee Gallery (also and still in Chinatown as well) and Carl Berg Projects.

Artists to look out for are Pipo Nguyen-Duy (photographs) and Kent Anderson Butler (amazing 'prison yard style' portraits on rugs).

Dropped by the launch party for designer Kelly Wearstler's new book Hue last night at hubby Brad Korzen's Avalon Beverly Hills (which she of course re-designed).

When I first heard "book party" I imagined a low-key affair but as one stylish male patron pointed out with panache, "It's a Kelly Wearstler book party!" That means that all of designy, fashiony, stylish LA came out for the celebration which featured lovely hors d'oeuvres from the new hotel restaurant Oliverio.

There was a whole lot of black attire going on, much of it accented by unique pieces of jewelry. Large retro eyeglasses abounded as well. The celebrated lady of the night, Wearstler was clad in a chic black dress as was star guest Gwen Stefani (plus violet peak-a-boo bra). Her No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal also made an appearance with his significant other Erin Lokitz.

Photo: Avalon Beverly Hills

This just in...It's the end of an era at 89.9 KCRW. Ruth Seymour (you may recognize her distinct voice from the fund drives and "The Politics of Culture") has been at the radio station at Santa Monica College (SMC) since 1977. She was most recently general manager and program director. She has just announced that she will be retiring in the end of February.

Online, KCRW boasts one of the largest audiences of any American radio station. SMC will search for a replacement for Seymour which they expect will take several months. She is quoted as saying: "It's been an extraordinary privilege to serve as KCRW's General Manager - a joy and source of great pride. That's a pretty good note on which to say goodbye."

Photo Courtesy of KCRW

The holiday shopping season has officially begun in LA. There is of course a potpourri of options for female shoppers, but let's not forget the many stylish So.Cal gents on the hunt for great gifts and fashion.

Through January, Alpha Gear for Gents in West Hollywood will be home to a pop-up shop brought to you by Social Primer.com, the style and etiquette handbook for men.

Alpha--now five years old--will continue to offer holiday shoppers its usual wares--in the arena of "men's lifestyle": candles, cashmere, wallets, grooming products, gadgets and toys, water bottles, apparel and underwear. Added to the for-sale roster are Social Primer's signature monogrammed stationary sets, playing cards, napkins, drink coasters, soaps, and belts.

And let me tell you, these folks are all about the monograms and po-mo dandyism. What city swell could resist their reversible bow ties? It's all about options, fellas.

Photo Courtesy of Alpha/Darren Gold