Shanghai at The Asian Museum

The Shanghai exhibit at The Asian Museum in San Francisco closes September 5, 2010. It is definitely worth seeing, being so educational, exciting and fulfilling. Examples of art from the city's tumultuous times, making history come alive. This exhibit is presented in conjunction with the recent World Exposition in Shanghai.

62nd Primetime Emmy Awards

Preparing for a wonderfully shallow day of watching the red carpet and the Emmy Awards! Thanks, again, Heather for letting me practice my "acceptance speech" with one of your awards. Oops, guess I am supposed to be nominated first?

Eat Pray Love

Julia Roberts stars in the film based on the book WHINE...oops... EAT PRAY LOVE .

Sea Glass

Romantic souls are always collecting sea glass. Fashionistas are coveting it for jewelry. This bowl of sea glass, geodes and crystals can be found in my neighbor's home.

Haven't we all, like the book's heroine, been enchanted when collecting sea glass? Having the setting be a dilapidated beach-side mansion was the stuff of novels...especially, during the Great Depression. Hard times were emotionally expressed through all of the character's disparate social and economic classes. Anita Shreve's novel, "Sea Glass" will tug at your heart strings while giving insights into the times. Reading it was a great way to celebrate summer.

A Lovely Luncheon

We were the guest of a best-selling author and an undisputed Malibu goddess. Having meals at her home always feels as though she prepared everything with great love.

So many new tastes...this was our first experience with Israeli couscous laced with figs..., and, shrimp with curry...and, yes, that is steam rising...

...it is nori (seaweed) you are seeing in the upper right hand corner...Dick loved the tandoori naan bread...

...the salmon had been smoked in Alaska... her brother sent it and it arrived just in time for this party...the cucumbers were home grown ...

The sea was rolling in...there was a bowl of sea glass...the candles were lit...truly memorable. The conversation, as always, was spirited.

Best Steam Bath Art

The embellished surface of this amazing steam bath has just been completed using found ceramic shards. It is in the private home of a true artist. Morris Sands, seems incapable of living without creating beauty from that which he finds.

"Young Frankenstein" the musical

Opening night of Mel Brook's musical at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood was a red carpet affair. The zany, vaudevillian, and naughty show (prepare for fifth grade level humor) was brilliantly performed. "Young Frankenstein" opened to mixed critical reviews on Broadway. This is not high art...or, is it when being done at this level of perfection?

National Dance Day

The newly-created National Dance Day is this coming Saturday, July 31, 2010. If you are in the Los Angeles area and want to participate, learn this dance. There are many sites, locally. Two that might be of interest are The Music Center on Grand from 10 until 12 noon, or the boardwalk between Venice and Santa Monica Beach from 1 until 3 pm. Hope to see you there, dancers!

This great dance was choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon D'uomo, just for this event.

Great Summer Read

I just finished reading Isabel Allende's, "Daughter of Fortune." Another coming to America story, told from a different perspective, I was constantly reminded of other stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Lisa See. It is a great tale of young love, obsession, and freedom of spirit, as the young heroine travels from Chile to California in the midst of the gold rush.

Beach Fun

Lots of beach fun today...warmer waters...triple digit temperatures inland...but, be careful of the riptides!

Harbor Cruise

After many soupy days in a row, Wednesday turned out to be a perfect day for our cruise around the harbor at Marina Del Rey. We were the guest of our colleague in the Malibu Woman's Club and had lunch at the yacht club. I got a turn at being skipper of "Cheers," but, only for a quick photo op.

Luncheon at the House of Lords

Our friend shared memories of a recent luncheon with her family at the House of Lords. We were all so interested to hear that the delicious food was matched by the setting. During the lunch, they wandered out to the terraces to see the water traffic on the Thames. Later in the day, some went via the underground to Nottinghill for a picnic in a park.

Drai's Hollywood

Oh, to be young again! Swim, dance, eat, drink..., all at the same glamorous place. The new Drai's Hollywood, located around and near the pool at the W HOLLYWOOD hotel, has it all.

W HOLLYWOOD Hotel

Being at the brand-new W HOLLYWOOD hotel for drinks and dinner before theater was like being in New York City. No, better! It is located across the street from the Pantages Theater and over a metro station. It was fabulous...the ambiance, the food, the celebrities (yes, I spotted a few), the adventurous taste, were all exciting. I even avoided a fist fight on the street...very exciting!