New York Times, The Insider, Alison Van Pelt

New York Times

The Insider | Alison Van Pelt

By ALEX HAWGOOD

Van Pelt in front of one of her paintings at her studio. (Maggie Kayne)

The Insider is a recurring profile of tastemakers in the fields of fashion, design, food, travel and the arts. Here the Los Angeles-based painter Alison Van Pelt shares a few of her style essentials. A new exhibition of her latest body of work, “If I Were Ed Ruscha,” will show at the Museum of Contemporary Art China in Hong Kong in November. (The museum officially opens this fall.)

Name: Alison Van Pelt
Age: Old enough to know better
Occupation: Artist (painter)
Home base: Santa Monica Canyon
Retail standby: Madison, Ron Herman, Fred Segal, Planet Blue
Music venue: The Green Door
Favorite concert: Jack Bambi
Music: Whatever my friend Maggie put on my iPod
Provisions: Farmer's market
For gifts: Hermès
Restaurant: Patrick’s Roadhouse and Axe for breakfast; Vito for the caesar salad; penne vodka at Laconda Portofino; truffle ravioli at Giorgio; jalapeño yellowtail at Nobu; sea bass at Chaya; truffle macaroni at the Beachcomber; coffee at Cafe Luxxe
Drink: Champagne or tequila
Party central: My bed
Momentary style obsessions: Jenni Kayne, Tom Binns, Lanvin
Reading material: “Loving Frank,” by Nancy Horan; ridiculous numbers of magazines; The New York Times
Art pick: Kaz Oshiro
Museums: Museum of Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
Movie: “Roman Holiday”
Vacation destination: My friend’s boat
Something you are looking forward to this summer: The beach with my dogs

Alison’s Santa Monica Canyon Neighborhood

Here are some of Van Pelt’s favorite haunts in L.A. that she visits regularly. The map below is interactive; click on the blue markers to learn more about Alison’s spots.

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• Patrick’s Roadhouse — great fresh smoothies. And so close to home!
• Axe — Best (and biggest) pancakes. Everything’s organic.
• Vito — Old school! They make the caesar at the table. (amazing wine list.)
• The Beachcomber Cafe —  Right there on the pier, The Tiki room is great.
• Nobu — Yum.
• Caffe Luxxe—  addictive cappuccino
• Jenni Kayne (e-mail) — everything is gorgeous.
• The Green Door — Jason Scoppa does an awesome jazz night on Tuesdays.
• PC Greens —  the juice bar!
• Ron Herman (Malibu) — They let my dogs run around the store.

Paintings from Alison Van Pelt’s “If I Were Ed Ruscha” exhibition.