ROD'S TABLE: 2013

ROD’S TABLE #2

An Insider’s Guide To Los Angeles

Ratings are on a scale of five:

***** Must Visit **** Excellent *** Very Good ** Good * Not so good

IL PICCOLINO

*****

350 N. Robertson Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90048

310 659 2220

Photography by Norman Moore and Rod Dyer

What can I say? This is some of the finest cuisine in L.A. I have known Eddie Kerkofs since he opened Le Dome with Michel Yhuelo on Sunset. I created their logo, menu designs, dinner plate designs, and more. Le Dome was the ultimate celebrity and Hollywood-style restaurant with diners like Elton John, Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger, Pink Floyd, and movie stars one after another. Eddie now owns Il Piccolino with Silvio DeMori, whom I’ve known for years and is an extraordinary restaurateur. Their menu is extensive and first class. I give it a 5+. My design partner, Norman Moore, and I did their new website, including the photography. It’s one of our favorite restaurants. They never miss a beat.

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MAKE MINE A RICKEY (From mixologist Josh Curtis)

Although it’s been awhile since 1894 when “Colonel Joe” Rickey first asked a bartender at Shoemaker’s Bar in Washington, D.C. to make this thirst-quenching cocktail, it’s as timely as ever. Originally made with rye, the most popular version is made with gin. The version below is made with vodka to bring the fruit flavors forward.

Photo: Rod Dyer

CHERRY LIME RICKEY

aka: sparkling cherry limeade

1.5 oz Broken Shed Vodka

2 regular maraschino cherries

or Luxardo maraschino cherries

2 lime wedges

.5 oz simple syrup

3/4 oz fresh lime juice

Fill with club soda

Muddle two lime wedges and two Maraschino (mer-uh-skee-no) cherries. Pour the simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and vodka over the citrus and cherries. Shake it up and pour all the contents into your desired glass. A highball works well. Top with club soda and swizzle with a barspoon to mix the ingredients. Drink it.

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GOOD VIBES

Ndugu Chancler is an old friend from the roundtable on the patio at Pane. He’s had an amazing career as a jazz drummer that includes sessions with Miles Davis, one of my musical heroes, Thelonius Monk, Herbie Hancock, John Lee Hooker, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson (“Thriller” and “Bad,” including “Billie Jean.”). He also put together a jazz band for Bill Cosby at the Playboy Jazz Festival that I photographed for Venice Magazine.

I designed an album cover for a set that featured him on vibes, creating an image of him that represented his movement on mallets, then I turned the image into a giclee print. I also created a postcard and business card for him with his drum set displayed in his head—and on his mind. He is one of the most talented and loveable people I know. If you like jazz, you’ll love Ndugu.

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CATCH A FIRE

Speaking of album covers, I’m a big reggae fan and created the album graphics for Bob Marley’s “Catch A Fire” album using a Zippo lighter. It was chosen by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the best album covers of all time. One problem: the grommet used to fasten the top of the lighter to the bottom tended to damage the edge of the album. Sorry about that.

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FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS

For the last four semesters I’ve been teaching at The Academy of Art in San Francisco with colleagues Roland Young, Craig Butler, Tommy Steele, Jay Vigon and Tom Pope. Tom and I created an Entertainment Advertising course, which we teach together. The students learn from us, and we learn from them.

_________________________________________________________Aliona Sazonova Art Director

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A NEW BOOK

My friend and fellow teacher at AAU, Tom Pope, has written a novel for which I designed the cover. Originally based on one of his screenplays, it’s the story of an L.A. anchorman whose plane goes down in the Pacific Northwest, and he begins a journey into consciousness that forever alters his perception of the world and his place in it...

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ANOTHER NEW BOOK

I’ve also designed The Cork Game, written by Tom Pope, with illustrations by Andy Engel, about a bar game played by the Gambino Family wiseguys while waiting for a call to go whack somebody. It was introduced to the regulars at Pane by writer/director Harvey Keith, who used to shine Gambino’s shoes at age 10 on the streets of Bath Beach. We played it often at the round table on the patio. All you need is the cork from a wine bottle. Uncork the bottle, pour a glass, and let the game begin. The Cork Game is the ultimate Bar Book—how to kill time while waiting for your party to arrive. We’re hoping a publisher will step up to the bar.

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IS COOL

Several months ago I designed a logo for a website called “The History Of Cool,” containing objects and ideas people think are cool. So, be cool—check it out.

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The TEAK Fellowship

Created by Justine Stamen Arrillaga Founder & Co-Chair fifteen years ago in memory of Teak Dyer and DeWitt White. Mission: The Teak Fellowship helps talented New York City students from low-income families gain admission to and succeed at top high schools and colleges. Along with academic support, TEAK provides leadership training, exposure to the arts and outdoors, mentoring, career experience, and assistance with the high school and college application processes. All contributions are tax-deductible as provided by law. 16 West 22nd Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10010 Telephone: (212) 288-6678

Fax: (212) 288-5058 www.teakfellowship.org

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THE TOFF

I’m originally from South Africa where sharp-dressed men are called Toffs. My friend Billy Dee Williams and I are both Toffs. I’ve designed neckties, suits and accessories, while Billy has created his own line of colognes and clothing. Recently I came across a men’s fashion designer I really like, Aitor Throup. He considers himself a product designer rather than a fashion designer and has an art exhibit at H. Lorenzo at Sunset Plaza. He is brilliant and always carries the most extraordinary fashion lines for men and women.

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ROD'S RANT
Q. Why do the majority of bartenders slam an empty bottle into trash & scare the shit out of customers in the vicinity?
A.?
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Legendary LosAngeles designer/restaurateur Rod Dyer discusses whatever’s on his plate – art and design, dining and drinking, style and fashion, branding and marketing. Often guest stars will join him at the table.

ROD’S TABLE #1

An Insider’s Guide To Los Angeles

Owning Pane e Vino Trattoria for over 23 years, I met some of the most extraordinary and talented people in L.A.

It was a privilege. I was extremely
fortunate to have made so many friends.

I even know a lot of people I’ve never met.

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Ratings are on a scale of five:

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***** Must Visit **** Excellent *** Very Good ** Good * Not so good

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The bar at Cecconi's.

CECCONI’S (****)

8764 Melrose Ave

(310)

432-2000

Cecconi’s is a beautifully designed Italian restaurant from London, located on Melrose
at Robertson.

The crowd is sophisticated and stylish. The long bar is made of white marble and is a good hang.

The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable, and they all know how to make my favorite drink. The ‘Aperol’ cocktail was introduced at Pane e Vino 22 years ago. Back then, Aperol was impossible to get; we luckily had access others did not.

I’ll Have an Aperol!

4 oz Italian Pinot Grigio

1.5 oz Prosecco

¾ oz Aperol

A lemon twist.

photo Rod Dyer

Aperol is an Italian liqueur made from ginseng, bitter orange, rhubarb and cinchona. It was introduced in Padua in 1919 by the Barberi Company and is now produced by Campari.

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OSTERIA DRAGO (*****)

8741 W. Sunset Blvd

(310) 657-1182

Celestino Drago’s new place is an excellent Italian restaurant and great addition to Sunset Strip. I have known Celestino since he opened Scalora on Rodeo Drive, and have been designing logos and graphics for him ever since. Since his first restaurant we have done many designs including La’Anancino, the original Celestino’s on Beverly Drive, and Drago in Santa Monica. Most recently my design partner, Norman Moore, and myself have rebranded Drago Enterprises.

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A NEW FILM IN PRODUCTION

I’ve just designed a logo for a great friend, writer/director Harvey Keith, who’s shooting a feature film, Mobbed Up. It is based on his childhood experiences in Bath Beach, Brooklyn with the capo di tutti capi, Carlo Gambino. He used to shine Gambino’s shoes at age 8.

The film stars Robert Loggia and Costas Mandalor. Introducing Corbin Chambers who plays the boy.

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A NEW BOOK

I’m photographing and designing a new book with friend and mixologist from Pane e Vino, Josh Curtis. Called Somewhere It’s Five O’Clock, Let’s Have A Cocktail, there are over 50 new cocktail recipes and many features on local LA craft bartenders. Coming soon to a bar
near you.

Here is a delicious and simple mango daiquiri.

Let the Mango Through

½ fresh mango muddled

1 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz simple syrup

1.5 oz Cana Brava rum by the 86Co.

photo Rod Dyer

Cheers to you in 50 languages!

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The first and only official release of “Little Child” appears on the Capitol album “Meet The Beatles!,” released on January 20th, 1964. Despite the surprising occurrence of a segment of the song on the track “Beatle Medley” on the documentary double-album “The Beatles’ Story,” released on November 23rd, 1964, no compilation album throughout the years thought to include the song.

When Rod Dyer came to visit us in Maui on December of 2010, while showing him the progress of The Beatles project, he looked at this design and asked: "This looks really familiar, where did you get the art for this?" After seeing that it came from this particular album coverthat was in the Beatles Source Guide, he said: "I designed that when I worked for Capitol Records in 1964!"

WWW.ACMESTUDIO.COM

For Beatles fans, I’ve worked with Acme Pens, who’ve released a series of writing instruments dedicated to the Beatles: a pen for every year they were together and a series of designs based on every album released by the Fab Four in England. The 'Union Jack' Beatles album cover I designed at Capitol Records became the pen I designed. Many have already sold out, but some are still available. The Alphabet pen and Metro pen designs are on the website.

ROD DYER has been honored by many of the top awards presented in the fields of advertising and design, including the Art Director’s clubs of New York and Los Angeles, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the International Annual of Letterhead design, the Society of Publication Designers, the ONE Show in New York, Communications Arts Magazine, and the Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards. Rod is also responsible for some of the most recognizable logos and symbols, such as the Disney Channel, Entertainment Tonight, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Heaven, MCA, Gramercy Pictures, Surround Sound, and graphics for Guess Jeans, just to name a few.