Over the Weekend: Bettie Page Tribute, World Tea Expo, Pablove Foundation Benefit, Exotic Cars & Lolitas at the D1 Grand Prix

While April was a great month for events in Los Angeles (see our April '09 Month in Photos slideshow for proof), we have to admit we're pretty exhausted. After Coachella, exploring Michael Jackson's Neverland, two non-stop days at the L.A. Weekly L.A. Weekend festival and more, we decided to take it easy this weekend and skip the party circuit. Instead we hit up the World Tea Expo in Vegas, The Pablove Foundation children's cancer benefit at the Echoplex, the “Bettie Page: Heaven Bound” art show at World of Wonder Gallery, and the D1 Grand Prix at Angel Stadium.

Shirley Manson joined Silversun Pickups and Eulogies for a children's cancer benefit at the Echoplex on April 30. Proceeds went to The Pablove Foundation, named after Pablo Castelaz, the five-year-old son of Dangerbird Records co-founder Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill. Pablo was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. View photos from the benefit in the Pablove Foundation slideshow.

Bettie Page lookalike working the door; Credit: Rita Neyter

“Bettie Page: Heaven Bound” opened May 2 at World of Wonder Storefront Gallery. Curated by Lenora Claire, the Bettie Page tribute featured work by artists Olivia, Bunny Yeager, Colin Christian, Glen Hanson, Marla Rutherford, Steve Diet Goedde, Ed Mironiuk, Spencer Davis and Jim Silke. Guests included Dita Von Teese, Kim Fowley and Perez Hilton. View more photos from the opening in the “Bettie Page: Heaven Bound” slideshow.

Credit: Gendy Alimurung

Gendy Alimurung attended “tea playwright” Laurie Nienhaus's Chocolate & Tea workshop at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. Read up on what she learned in her Squid Ink report, “World Tea Expo Report: Like Tea for Chocolate — Laurie Nienhaus's Chocolate-and-Tea Workshop Makes Your Tongue Work Harder.”

Custom truck; Credit: Shannon Cottrell

On the surface, it may not seem like the custom car crowd and extreme fashionistas have much in common, but they do. Just as you may not want to use your airbrushed, alligator upholstered car to move furniture, so do deco nails make it near-impossible to do ordinary tasks like text messaging. We saw professional drifters, exotic cars and the latest in Tokyo street fashion at the D1 Grand Prix at Angel Stadium on May 2. Read more in Liz Ohanesian's Style Council report, “Customize It,” and view more photos in the D1 Grand Prix slideshow.

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