Deserted
If there’s one thing Angelenos know in their bones it’s that the mood must always be right. We go to great lengths to achieve the vibe necessary to get through the day, to dream, to create, to love, to live. There’s a reason we cop the incense boxes by the handful at Merkato and woo-woo it out on the celery juice, the Boy Smells candles and the mushroom-inflected matchas. We know that saging the timeline is the righteous path toward becoming our best selves. There’s a method to the madness, always: First you manifest, then you cleanse. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, we believe we’re always one vibe check away from where we’re going.
Where do you go to find yourself when you live in a city people visit to lose themselves? The birds of Los Angeles flock to the place that reminds them who they are: the desert. There’s something soothing about the visual representation of the end of the world. Sure, it’s a site of peril, of danger. But the land purifies us. The topography — the barrenness, the dryness, the extreme heat and cold, the vastness, the natural wonder — was designed for a good detox.
The desert is not so much an escape from L.A. as it is a return. We pilgrimage to Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms, Landers, Borrego Springs, the Mojave, the Great Basin and the Sonoran to bask in the feeling of renewal. Every person brings something with them to give; and the desert is full of offerings. Some are buried. Some move with the wind. All are left to be found.
Issue 8 is called “Deserted.” We love you enough to take you with us as we figure out who we are. This installment is about becoming. It’s about the magic that happens in the space of the unknown. We brought some members of the fam to teach you how to fly. Experimental filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison shows you what’s possible when you allow yourself to be led by spirit. Grammy-nominated singer Alice Smith and artist Kenturah Davis walk you through their rituals of release during a full moon and eclipse. Justin Torres remembers those visits to the clothing-optional hotels in Palm Springs. We even tapped a few poets — Christine Larusso, Sara Borjas, Elaine Kahn — to put into words what exists in the void.
It had to be this way; it’s the final issue of the year — or the first, depending on which cosmic clock or star pattern you follow. We’re excited to post up with you around the fire and take it all in.
Enjoy the trip. (Wink, wink.) Leave behind whatever you need.
Ian F. Blair
Editor in Chief
What happens when a Grammy-nominated singer goes to a sound bath after a lunar eclipse?
Hint: You’re in for one cosmic self-care retreat Read the story ?Take a weekend trip to the desert, to the gay inns, where clothing is optional
The skin wants the sun. The skin wants warmth and touch, and then water and air, shade and cool Read the story ?Get your copy
Issue 8: Deserted
Order nowWhy do so many people head to Joshua Tree to do shrooms?
The desert is where we go to lose, then find ourselves Read the story ?How exposed chest hair became the accessory of choice in the desert
The barren lands outside of town are where our rules can be bent ever so slightly Read the story ?‘Self-Portrait as Mojave Phone Booth,’ a poem by Sara Borjas
At night, I drink moonlight / — two crystal hearts glinting in a glass of water. I capture / coyotes’ howls to mark time. I have no one to confide in Read the story ?‘A WORLD THAT IS NOT REALLY A WORLD,’ a poem by Elaine Kahn
the natural lies / the living alters / what’s alive about it / is offensive Read the story ?‘WHITE GOLD,’ a poem by Christine Larusso
We pledge allegiance to land that never belonged / to you or to me. Most of us are thieves Read the story ?You’ve seen these portraits around L.A. Why are they now in the desert?
Glen Wilson’s “Desert Totem” might help you find your own answers to life’s most pressing questions — if you can track it down Read the story ?25 essential items to bring to the desert so you can luxuriate properly at the BNB
We promise your Superhost will thank you for the Boy Smells candles later Read the story ?It’s time vibrant colors held a place in your wardrobe. She can show you what’s good
Expansive fashion is all about effect. Celebrity stylist Ade Samuel knows depth and mood matter Read the story ??These 10 pop-ups, drops and events in L.A. can add some heat to your winter calendar
Want to know the best things to do in the city this winter? The Drip Index got you covered Read the story ?Issue 7
Survival
In this installment, we imagine a sustainable future for the cityExplore the issue
Issue 6
Energy
Celebrate L.A. sports culture, with styleExplore the issue
Issue 5
Reverence
An exploration of how L.A. does beauty.Explore the issue
Issue 4
Image Makers
A celebration of the L.A. luminaries of style pushing fashion culture and streetwear forwardExplore the issue
Issue 3
Parents are cool!
A toast to the myriad ways in which L.A. parents practice the craft of care.Explore the issue
Issue 2
L.A. — We See You!
How to properly remove the blinders? A starting point is sustained looking.Explore the issue
Issue 1
Remembrance
True style, after all, is time travel.Explore the issue