by Nima Zarrabi / @NZbeFree
Amber Rose shooting jumpers in shades, crazy wedges and the strongest black stretch pants in the Universe.
That’s the first thing that demanded my attention as I stepped inside the Sportie LA tent off Melrose Ave. last night in L.A. The historic L.A. sneaker shop teamed up with SLAM and the UnitedNations organization ‘Nothing But Nets’ for a dope party last night.
Organizers constructed a tent on the parking lot next to the original Sportie LA shop across the street from Fairfax high school, transforming the space into a chill lounge with smooth beats
coming courtesy of DJ Reflex. There was a barber station where cats were getting fresh cuts and SLAM 146 was stacked on tables throughout, looking fierce.
Rose and Rick Fox hosted the event, which included a few free-throw shooting contests on the portable hoop inside the venue. Amber’s form wasn’t Jimmer but she knocked down some buckets which was definitely quite the sight. SLAM’s Maurice Bobb has the video footage and I suspect he will guard it like the Zapruder film.
Bai Ling also rolled through as did Quinton Aaron, star of The Blindside. I had a chance to talk to Quinton about his career and how he’s enjoying living in Marina Del Rey. Really cool cat.
Isack Fadlon—who founded Sportie LA in 1985 with his sister Orna, fresh out of high school—was cruising around in a Sportcoat and Kangol mingling with the crowd. He told me that he was really proud to partner with SLAM for the event. It was good to hear from a guy that has been into sneaker and hoop culture for decades.
Isack, Benny Herman and the Sportie LA team did a great job inviting some of the city’s freshest peeps. The party was stacked with sneakerheads and some gorgeous women with some really hot style. After hours of deliberation, me and Maurice decided that the prettiest girl in all of Los Angeles attended. She wasn’t a celeb—just a naturally beautiful girl with a lovely smile. Her name was Maya Galvan and even though we still have a few more nights of All-Star events to attend, we are both content on giving her the crown.
As we left the party a little after midnight, my cousin Sasha peered through the glass at the locked-up Sportie LA store—rows of sneaks stacked on top of each other. It was his first visit to Melrose.
“Dude, we need to come back here when this store is open.”
The Sportie LA/SLAM block party continues on Melrose Ave. on Friday and Saturday.
