More Chocolate and Tar

Last month, I wrote about my day with chocolate and tar. Tonight, after meeting the designer Valerj Pobega and her artist-husband, Mattia Biagi, at a party feting Raven Kauffman's exquisite handbag collection at Des Kohan, I learned that my glib headline about chocolate and tar holds deeper meaning. Biagi's childhood culinary adventures led to his working with the toxic material as an artist. "When I was a kid, I liked to dip things in chocolate," he explained. After moving to Southern California from Italy five years ago, he also became intrigued with the La Brea Tar Pits, which serve as tangible reminders that Los Angeles wasn't always Tinseltown. "I like the texture" of tar, said Biagi in a lilting Italian accent that belied his intimidating portfolio of tattoo art, including a black star stretched across his throat. If only he stuck with dipping shirts and hats in chocolate, we'd have edible art!

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