Greg Escalante

Another day, another concept store -- except that 225 Forest, a new Laguna Beach youth lifestyle boutique carrying Hurley, Nike ID and Converse wares, feels more like a street artist's workshop than a retail space. The muted facade, devoid of any obvious signage, barely hints at what the space might be that houses this collaboration by the three brands. Step inside and, yes, there's merchandise, but it plays second fiddle to art and the making of art.

Another day, another concept store -- except that 225 Forest, a new Laguna Beach youth lifestyle boutique carrying Hurley, Nike ID and Converse wares, feels more like a street artist's workshop than a retail space. The muted facade, devoid of any obvious signage, barely hints at what the space might be that houses this collaboration by the three brands. Step inside and, yes, there's merchandise, but it plays second fiddle to art and the making of art.

Nearly every day as a teen-ager, Greg Escalante would hit the beach the moment the sun came up, surf for an hour or two before school, then head back for more the minute classes let out. In pursuit of the perfect wave in his well-worn wet suit, he eventually became the National Scholastic Surfing Assn.'s No. 1 surfer. He is even married to a "surf team stat girl," says wife Kristin, now a law student. Escalante, now 36, still surfs often, despite a full-time job as a Treasury bond trader.

Nearly every day as a teen-ager, Greg Escalante would hit the beach the moment the sun came up, surf for an hour or two before school, then head back for more the minute classes let out. In pursuit of the perfect wave in his well-worn wet suit, he eventually became the National Scholastic Surfing Assn.'s No. 1 surfer. He is even married to a "surf team stat girl," says wife Kristin, now a law student. Escalante, now 36, still surfs often, despite a full-time job as a Treasury bond trader.

Two women have filed separate lawsuits accusing an Orange County securities firm of sexual harassment, citing a stream of incidents that allegedly included groping, kissing and attempts at sexual relations. The women contend that Foresight Capital Management Inc. in Irvine and its president, Robert Lechman, fostered a hostile environment for the firm's few female workers. One suit also names as defendants brokers Rene Molina, Greg Escalante and Nader Mokri.

Excitement has long been a touchy subject for fine artists. After all, conventional wisdom suggests that art should be contemplative and nuanced rather than overtly emotional and manipulative. But that seems to be changing, at least according to Juxtapoz magazine, the 15-year-old arbiter of all that's marginal, maximal and licentious in the art world. As co-founder Greg Escalante says, "people are bored" with theory-laden artworks.

The Camaro Club at the Viper Room continues to rock. On Monday, veteran rocker Meat Loaf surprised everyone by jumping on stage with Metal Shop and belting out Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name." Hot dog! Squawked by the Copro Nason Gallery in Culver City on Saturday for the closing of its colorful Paul Frank exhibit. Among the art lovers in the house were Copro owner Greg Escalante, L.A.'s patron saint of underground art....

What's up with this? Interviews with Debbie Harry, the Offspring, Primus and L7. A cover shot of Doritos spokesmodel Ali Landry in skimpy dress. Alternative art from the likes of Anthony Ausgang and Frank Kozik. Playboy playmates. Mixed drinks. No, it's not another silly men's lifestyle magazine. It's Schwing!, a golf magazine for punk rockers. The brainchild of San Francisco's High Speed Productions, No Doubt's Adrian Young and the Vandals' Greg Escalante, Schwing!

The Robert Williams exhibit, opening Sunday at the Huntington Beach Art Center, is perhaps the first evidence of the influence a new board of trustees might have in taking the institution to the next level. "We want to expand our regional and national profile," said center director Naida Osline, who assembled the 12-member panel that met for the first time this month.

A proposal to reorganize the deficit-ridden Huntington Beach Art Center no longer calls for more "traditional" programming. But the city official who wrote the original draft stood by that recommendation when the plan got its first public airing this week. "I'd encourage more traditional art forms, maybe more painting and sculpture," city cultural services manager Michael Mudd told about 20 center supporters at a meeting there Tuesday night.

Eighty? No way. Singer Frankie Laine took the stage at the Balboa Bay Club last week during a monthly meeting of Round Table West and proved he could still make 'em swoon. In fact, the hundreds who turned out to hear the singer tout his autobiography, "Lucky Old Son," (Pathfinder) began to applaud at the mention he might sing. (Laine's 21 gold records include "That's My Desire," "I Believe," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," "Shine," "Mule Train" "High Noon," "Jezebel" and "Rawhide."