Julie and Julia

Julia Child inspired me to make boeuf bourguignonne for my family when my children were young.

They will forever call it "Mother's Black Stew." The instructions in her famous "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," left out one critical fact...do not cook it in a black cast iron dutch oven!

Julia would say that all cooks have their mishaps, saying, "never apologize...who knows what goes on in the kitchen." Seeing this movie, starring the great Meryl Streep as Julia, made me want to try the dish again.

America's Favorite Dancer

More than 21 million viewers called in to cast votes to name Jeanine Mason of Florida America's Favorite Dancer!

Waiting for the results and watching the contestants of the Fox television network's show called, "So You Think You Can Dance"?, abundantly, clears up the question. They can.

The Golddiggers

The art noveau El Portal Theater was the site of the fabulous premiere of a stage show featuring six dancers from the original Golddiggers. The celebrity-studded premiere kicked off what promises to be a great romp echoing their illustrious past.

I attended with my friends, Sally and Joan, life-long dancers, themselves. We stopped when walking the red carpet to take this shot. As girls, at Hollywood High School, they had gone to the movies at the El Portal. Joan said, "the boys were cutest there."

Valentino

I often wondered why my fashion-savvy Italian friend would get so excited when referring to Valentino. After seeing the documentary about the legendary designer, entitled "Valentino The Last Emperor," I now understand. His designs are indescribably beautiful and opulent. So beautiful, indeed, that even he didn't understand why everyone didn't consider him godlike. When wanting the film crew to turn off their cameras during a private moment, he wondered why they weren't "all on their knees"? Is it possible for an artist to create masterpieces without that kind of arrogance? Not in this case.

55th Class Reunion

My Downey High School class of, "yikes," '54, held a four-day reunion aboard Carnival's Paradise. Almost 50 of us including family and spouses had a great time catching up and being together again.

Close friends (some from grammar school and from the same Camp Fire Girl group) barrelled around the island on a golf cart.

Our Camp Fire Group had spent weeks on Catalina Island during summers in our high school years. Seeing these swimmers gave us memories of our swimming in the bay, even sneaking out and doing it at night. There we were again; remembering dancing at the casino every night, diving for coins when the ferry boat came in, swimming all day (and some nights), and having tea with the caretakers at the Wrigley mansion. A wonderful reunion!

Salsa Dancing

Hurray for Oxnard! Is there anything more wonderful than having the dancing begin with the music?

Rogue Wave '09

Artist, Tia Pulitzer, has achieved that which has eluded sculptors for years. Using fired clay covered with automotive paint she has created an elegant sensual surface using the additive method. Michaelangelo had to carve away that "which didn't exist," a much more unforgiving technique. And, how enchanting that the subject of this sculpture, entitled "Bust, 2009," doesn't see us and we can look at her all we want. Aren't art lovers all voyeurs?

Openings at Venice Beach's L.A. Louver gallery are always glamorous and fun. The gallerist, Peter Goulds, has added immeasurably to the appreciation and collection of art in Los Angeles. For the fourth time the space has been given over to a group of emerging and early career artists. The only consistency was a clear and concise vision. As always, the exhibition was beautifully presented with much respect for what the artists do.

Enrique's Journey

I just finished reading Sonia Nazario's "Enrique's Journey," and I am changed! Once again, a Los Angeles Times columnist (refer to a earlier posting re Steve Lopez's "The Soloist"), has brought reality to heart-rending human conditions. It is no wonder the newspaper series on which this book was predicated won two Pulitzer Prizes.

Memories

The Snowball

How does someone in Omaha, Nebraska, become one of the the richest men on earth? Warren Buffett authorized "The Snowball," making it as true to life as a biography can be... and it is not at all simple. As fascinating as his documented successes are, much of details of his personal life had been unknown. These revelations made for a totally absorbing one thousand pages. Or, as he speaks into the microphone to begin speeches, "testing, one million, two million, three million."

Thank You Linda and Paula

Busby Berkeley

These vintage tap shoes came from the Warner Brothers lot and were worn by dancers in Busby Berkeley movies. My friend treated me to a solo after finding these in her treasures. Imagine...Ruby Keeler..."42nd Street"!

Plate

All conversation came to a halt when breakfast was served this morning. My friend and I were dining at the new restaurant in Malibu called Plate.

We normally have so much to say to each other...barely being polite enough to let the other finish sentences. But, once we began eating the Eggs Florentine and Buckwheat Pancakes the only sounds coming from us were, "mmmm...so delicious...numie sauce." It was probably the quietist moments in our long relationship.

VASA

A book about the artist Vasa (Velizar) Mihich has just been published and I am the lucky recipient of an autographed copy. Click here to learn even more about the artist.

The abstract expressionistic movement lured him to the United States, but being open to the new technologies led him to working in a minimalist way. After having experienced the chaos of the World War II in his native Yugoslavia he felt "like a fish in water when coming to Los Angeles."

Passionately desiring order, Vasa creates paintings and scultpure based on a grid. Originally his work was gestural, but at the turn of the century he turned to the newly-introduced computers to generate his images.

In America, Vasa found himself and also his expression of beauty. His images and sculptures are basic shapes, the surfaces are sharp and smooth...seducing the viewer with luxury.