No, these cuties are not Peter Pan's Lost Boys. The green-haired sprite is Louis, and the one with the blonde spots holding his hand is my 8 year-old grandson, Damien. The venue is Las Vegas's First Friday event, the site is the sidewalk outside the Funkhouse, and the seating is provided by my son, Paul Sorvillo. He's not the first person to create furniture out of shopping carts, but he's the one doing it here in Las Vegas. His wife, Tabitha, makes the cushions out of t-shirts. People love them; I hope some people buy them.

Paul has been looking for work in his field (he's a geotechnical special inspector-- he tests soil for construction companies) and he lost his job when his company folded for lack of projects when the Las Vegas building boom went bust last year. Like so many many other Americans, he's been looking for work and going nuts ever since. The shopping cart chairs, aside from being a potential income-generator, have given him his enthusiasm and creativity back.

 First Friday is not unique to Las Vegas, but I'm willing to bet the Las Vegas First Friday art scene is unique to the US! Fireeaters, streetcorner preachers, steampunks, gothabillies, aging hippies, deadheads, little kids, middleaged romancers, nubile nymphettes and strutting dandies; we all enjoy the hot summer nights down on Charleston and Commerce. Ya'll come see us.

And buy a shopping cart chair or two!