Autobiographies

About the time I started one of my first acting classes as an adult, I happened to be rummaging through some memorabilia I had brought back to California after my dad died in Ohio many years ago. That was one of the most emotional weeks of my life, clearing out my childhood home with all the memories of years past with my brother, mom and dad. Anyway, this one particular day, I came upon a letter (one of the few my mom had kept for me) from Miss Parsons, my fourth grade teacher, at the end of the year. It stated that my reading was mostly biographical. I was amazed to learn (remember?) that way back then I still preferred bios to fiction.
She also mentioned that I "excelled in acting." Isn't that nice to know.

Some of my favorite books (particularly autobiographies) up to now that you may want to check out if you haven't already are:

Desi Arnaz - A Book - This was such an interesting story in that Desi goes into detail about some of the groundbreaking techniques they were able to discover in filming the "I Love Lucy" TV series. Many are used to this day. I read it a long time ago, but it has stuck with me. And of course any thing you can learn about Lucille Ball is a fascinating read.

Ingrid Bergman - My Story - I particularly like to hear the facts (as the actress tells it) about her life, rather than just rely on all the press reports that were written, particularly about the scandal back then when she became pregnant by her director lover, Roberto Rosselini, while still being married to another. They eventually married, but in that day and time, they withstood much gossip. You realize how much times have changed. Today, if that happens, the stars only make more money, get offered more projects, etc. She led such an interesting life, and her movies stood the test of time. Casablanca is a favorite for sure.

Elia Kazan - A Life - Cameron, my acting coach at the time, recommended this epitome (anything over 800 pages!) Kazan (or Gadg as he is called by friends) is brutally honest about his personal life, his flaws, his affairs (of which there were many...including Marilyn Monroe). I'm not much for seeing movies over again or rereading books, but this is one for which I might make an exception someday. As an actor, I was interested in the on and off set stories of the other actors, how he directed certain movies and actors, such as Marlon Brando whom he cast in the broadway production of Streetcar Named Desire. "The best and most human parts of you are those that you have inhibited and hidden from the world," Elia writes. Cameron used to say something similar..."What you try to hide from us is what makes you interesting to us." This one is worth reading from a history standpoint as well.

Quincy Jones - Q, The Autobiography of Quincy Jones - I've always been fascinated by Quincy Jones.
Being a singer, every time I saw a show, an artist, a project that I felt was outstanding, it had Quincy Jones' print on it. He either wrote it, produced it, directed it, or all three. There are too many superstars to even begin to name the ones he has walked beside in five decades of the entertainment business. He's an inspiration for his vision and accomplishments, considering he came from a poor family, and had a mother who "descented into madness." Quincy has had many triumphs, and it's nice to know among his honors is the selection as a 2001 Kennedy Center Honoree for his lifetime contribution to American culture through the performing arts. You learn much about the "business of show."

dream lovers - The magnificent shattered lives of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee by their son, Dodd Darin.
I thought Kevin Spacey did a magnificent (if I may use the word again) job of portraying Bobby Darin in the movie of the same name. The thing I find most interesting when I think of Bobby Darin, is I always heard, "Mack the Knife," or "Splish, Splash, I was taking a bath," over and over again and yet, those are only two of the vast recorded songs that Bobby put out in his short 36 years. It's funny but for a long time, every time I heard a guy singing on one of the few "standards from the Great American Songbook radio stations," I would wonder who that good singer was, not realizing it was Bobby. He had such a sense of swing and his phrasing was excellent, right up there with Sinatra, dare I say. I was always disappointed Bobby and Sandra didn't stay married. I think that was a tragedy, since she never really found happiness again, it seems, at least from the stories that are told in this interesting book. What came through for me is that the love that these two parents had for their son is a wonderful legacy for both of them beyond their achievements in their respective successful careers.

Out of all these biographies, one thing stands out... the fact that these people led fulfilling lives, made mistakes along the way and learned from them. How grateful we can be that they help teach us life lessons by sharing their journeys.

People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves, they have the first secret of success. Norman Vincent Peale

Friendship

When I go away, it's nice to have a book to read, so it was with perfect timing when my cousin, Sandy, gave me "Getting Along Famously, A Celebration of Friendship" as an early Christmas gift just as we were leaving for Palm Springs. As it turned out, I had lots of time to read since P.S. had the worst storm they've had in 70 years!

This interesting book by Melissa Hellstern, author of "How to Be Lovely - The Audrey Hepburn Way of Life," told of many great friendships by famous women, such as Coco Chanel & Misia Sert; Julie Andrews & Carol Burnett; Audrey Hepburn & Sophia Loren, and Lauren Bacall & Katherine Hepburn. Much research went into telling these stories. It made me reflect on the wonderful friendships I've had in my lifetime up to now.

My neighbor, Lin, as it turns out, was indeed one of my best friends as I look back. Lin, who never smoked a day in her life, and had the most healthy lifestyle of anyone I know, died of lung cancer. Before we took our walks in the morning, she beckoned me to breakfast at her home. Creamy oatmeal, made with real cream and a robust cup of coffee with cream, just the way I like it. That was only one of the ways Lin spoiled me. If she knew we were entertaining, she would bring over orchids from her garden that day. She had a green thumb like no one I had known before. When I hosted a sales meeting at my home, she offered, no, insisted, she come over and cook for my sales group, consisting of 10 people. Lin made the best chicken stir fry I've ever had. She did her Chinese ancestry proud.

Once when we came back from a two-week trip, for which she always volunteered to take care of our mail and newspapers, I noticed our lawn looked exceptionally good. I said, "Lin, did you see anyone lingering around our home?" She looked at me aghast, as if I would think she hadn't guarded our property well enough.
I said, "There seems to have been a fairy gardener. Everything looks so trimmed and neat." She smiled sheepishly. I knew it was another one of her thoughtful deeds.

It was a sad day, but I was touched that her husband, Ed, wanted me to deliver the eulogy at her service. How lucky I was that this wonderful woman became my neighbor and dear friend by chance. Once when Ed was coming over for dinner recently, I instinctively set out four glasses for cocktails. I started to correct myself, but knew Ed would appreciate the fact that I still feel Lin's spirit with us to this day, seven years later.

The book is filled with wonderful quotes, "What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" George Eliot

"The holy passion of friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money." Mark Twain

Southern California Peril

Sometimes we like to joke about California's four seasons: fire, flood, mud, and drought, but there was nothing funny about the fact that last week the fire came within one block of our home. A shift in the wind and I wouldn't be sitting in my home office right now. Within a five-mile radius of our home, over 25,000 acres were burned. It took 3,700 firefighters to deal with this disaster. Over 250 homes were destroyed or damaged. Miraculously, there were only seven injuries, no deaths reported. We don't take for granted the people who keep us safe. God bless the firefighters, police force and highway patrol, and others who put their lives on the line to save our property and more importantly, our lives.

There's nothing like a peril such as this to put our priorities in order. When you're planning an evacuation, and say you only have 20 minutes, you go for the mementos and important papers, birth certificates, deeds, etc. (unless you already have those in your safety deposit box at the bank). Material things really don't matter. We know that, but this really brings it home. This has really made my job
of decluttering much easier. As a self-professed pack rat (I inherited the gene from my dad), I put too much emotional attachment into things. When I try to analyze it (and why would I take the time to do that unless I really thought it would help cure me), I rationalize that it's because I lost my family early in life. Now, I tell myself that the clothes I'm giving away will help a family who lost everything in the fire. It may be a coincidence that we received two give-away bags for charity drives within one week after the fire.

Although we all are busy with our everyday lives, this does bring us closer to our neightbors. We're all breathing a sigh of relief. It's stressful just being on alert for two days. After a time-out, I've reactivated posting in my gratitude journal. We feel blessed. Excuse me while I write a check to one of the many local charities who will help victims of this tragedy. If you want to help, the Red Cross is a good place to start.

"The smallest deed is better than the grandest intention."

Mystery Party

My friend, Peggy, organizes mystery parties both here and in Ohio once a year.
It's a leap of faith to sign up for one of these things, because you never know who will show up, where you're going, what to wear (although she usually gives you a hint), and exactly what you'll be doing for the next several hours.

Last year, we ended up decorating the Burbank Rose Parade float. It was November... in the early stages of the preparation. It was quite interesting to see the wire mesh work and the internal machinations of the float. We cut dry flowers for a few hours. Doesn't sound too exciting, but it was fun to chat and realize that the flowers would end up somewhere on the float January 1 in the parade.

This year we were told to wear something black. About 26 people showed up at the designated location to carpool to our final destination. But first, you have to guess where you'll be going. If you have no idea, you can just put down something you'd like to do in the future. That's how Peggy gets her ideas. No one guessed our mystery venue.

I must have passed Hollywood Forever Cemetery a zillion times on my way to Paramount Studios. Well, actually, I was just passing there too. This vastly immaculately landscaped cemetery, boasting mausoleums, exhibitions, monuments and gardens was the venue for the 9th annual celebration of Dia de Los Muertos MMVIII. Don't ask me to translate. I only know that muertos means death or some derivation of it.

This annual celebration held on the religious "All Saints Day" allows one to partake of various sacred ceremonial tributes and memorable altar creations on the ground.
Actually, the altars were unbelievably elaborate and colorful. The place was packed with people in masks, skeletal costumes, etc. At this year's celebration they danced and sung in memory of Julian Trace Posada, known as "Happy Feet," 2006 - 2008.

To make things even more interesting at this final resting place for many Hollywood stars, Peggy organized us into two teams and sent us on a scavenger hunt. This is one great way to cover the grounds in a short period of time (well, actually, we had an hour to do it, and we needed every bit of it). Some headstones dated as far back as the Civil War. Rudolph Valentino is buried there, as well. It was quite interesting walking among the many imposing tall old headstones and towering monuments. Many had large pictures of the deceased imposed on the stone.

Johnny Ramones' cool grave site (guitar in hand) was on our list, as was Mel Blanc's ("That's All Folks!") We never did find Estelle Getty's resting place nor were we able to enter the mausoleum where Bugsy Siegal is entombed. I guess it was only fitting that the beautiful weather we had been having took a hiatus while it sprinkled and was overall a bit dreary while we were there.

If you're at all interested in finding out who's who in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, located next to Paramount Studios, check out Tony Scott's book, "The Stars of Hollywood Forever."

Does Peggy know how to throw a party or what! I'm in for next year.

"If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner."
Tallulah Bankhead

Tidbits from the Internet

All of these email helpful hints...I had to start a "reference folder" in case I decided I wanted to use one of them. One of the best that I've tried and it works is adding baking soda to the water you use to boil eggs. It makes peeling them a cinch. Try it! I'm not going to put a hole in the top and blow on it to have the egg peel itself as demonstrated in the video. It just doesn't seem sanitary.

Have you tried any of the honey and cinnamon cures? Anything from pimples to cancer. Honey it claims can be used without any side effects for any kind of disease. The combination is quite good, but to achieve longevity with tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, you'd have to use four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.
If you try it, let me know how it works out.

What about all the things you can do with Bounce? Who knew?

The other really good one is the five things you never knew your cell phone could do.
I keep it in my car. The Worldwide Emergency Number for Mobile, even if you're out of the network area, is 112. It will even work if your keypad is locked.

All for now. I have to check my email.

P. S. If your ship hasn't come in, swim out to it.

Comedy with a Flair

Rita Rudner recently recorded her first television special in over a decade. Rita Rudner, Live From Las Vegas premiered on PBS in June, 2008, in conjunction with a DVD release. I missed that one, but since I've been a huge fan for years, I decided to see her live show recently. She came out in a beautiful blue gown and delighted the audience with her low-key hilarious act for over an hour. She is so relatable! The time just flew by (you know, when you're having fun).

Rita started out as a dancer on broadway. She has maintained her great figure through the years. Her first big break as a comedienne came in 1988 when she appeared on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. She did two HBO shows, Born to be Mild and Rita Rudner: Married Without Children. She can no longer claim the latter as she is mom to a six-year-old daughter.

Rita is also an author: Naked Beneath My Clothes: Tales of a Revealing Nature; and the 2008 I Still Have It...I Just Can't Remember Where I Put it: Confessions of a Fiftysomething. Rudner wrote, produced, and starred in the award-winning romantic comedy Peter's Friends, featuring Kenneth Branagh and Hugh Laurie! Why hadn't I heard of this before!

Since becoming a mom, she has settled in Las Vegas, where she has been named that city's "Best Comedian" for the last five years in a row. I can see why.

Opening for Rita was a fantastic jazz vocalist, Kitty Margolis, who lives in the Bay area and has had a successful international touring career. Just so happens I had taken a vocal workshop with Kitty locally about four years ago. She is a wonderful clinician (Harvard trained) as well as an "exhilarating and imaginative jazz singer of the highest order."

I loved the way Kitty came out singing her intro...high energy, great range, and commanding stage presence. She has many award-winning cd's out. I have Heart & Soul: Live in San Francisco, and Evolution, both winners.

A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Oktoberfest

The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 in honor of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's (later King Ludwig I) marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Oktoberfest in America is now an excuse to celebrate German culture and drink beer. I attended my first celebration a few years ago with my KSU Alum group, which coincides with Ohio's homecoming weekend. It's been a tradition of ours for the last three years. This year was no exception.

In Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held each year during late September (moved up a few weeks for better weather). It is the world's largest fair, with some six million people attending every year.

Oktoberfestbiers are the beers that have been served at the event in Munich since 1818, and are supplied by six breweries, known as the Big Six. Originally, Oktoberfestbiers were the lagers brewed in March and allowed to ferment slowly during the summer months, but from 1872 a strong March brewed version of an amber-red became the favorite Oktoberfestbier.

Since the 1970s the type of beer served at the festival has been a pale lager. These lagers may range from pale gold to deep amber, with the darker colors more common in the USA. In addition to the 6,940,600 litres of beer consumed, visitors also eat huge quantities of food, most of it traditional hearty fare such as Hendl (chicken), Schweinsbraten (roast pork), Haxn (knuckle of pork), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Wurstel (sausages), along with Brezel (pretzel), Knodeln (potato or bread dumplings), Kasespatzle (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut, or Blaukraut (red cabbage), oxen, etc.

At our Oktoberfest at The Phoenix Club, we enjoyed potato pancakes, schnitzel (breaded veal), brautwurst (sausages), sauerkraut, and funnel cake (with strawberries, whipped cream, and powdered sugar), the latter accounting for my increased weight the next day, I'm sure. Well, okay, maybe the large stein of Britmeister I had might have contributed too. There was a terrific band direct from Germany, and many cute couples performing for us. But, the crowd really gets into it, getting on our feet and out on the dance floor for the "chicken," flapping our wings, etc. and sundry other fun dances where we can exercise our geekiness without standing out.

Inspector Clouseau even visited Oktoberfest in the 1976 movie, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again." This event is celebrated all over the globe

If you get a chance to attend one of these events throughout the U.S. next year, do so, even if you don't drink beer. Bring some friends, and you'll make new ones too. It's that kind of atmosphere.

Acoustic Guitar Stylings

A good friend of mine with whom I co-hosted and co-produced a tv talk show several years ago gave me one of the most treasured gifts I own. Casey surprised me a few years ago by taking a cassette tape we had converted from reel-to-reel and made a cd for us of my dad's guitar mastery.

Boy, oh boy, we take technology for granted today, but back in the 60's, all we had was reel-to-reel for quality home recordings. My dad had driven down from Santa Barbara one evening, arriving at our apartment in Anaheim around midnight. My hubby had built a stereo system, of which he was very proud and asked Dad if he would sit down and play. So, off the top of his head, after driving for three hours, he sat down and from memory recorded song after song for over an hour on an inexpensive acoustic guitar, which he gave to Dave.

Well, we relished that recording, but little did we know it would be the only such one of my dad's talent that we would have. Well, I take that back, we did recover some records dad had of a few gigs, but nothing where he was solo, and the quality left a lot to be desired. My dad died six years later in Ohio one day before his 54th birthday.

It's just been recently now that we have all the equipment to make our own cd's that we decided we better get busy and make sure our close relatives, many of whom used to go to Dad's gigs both here and in Ohio to see him, had a copy of this.

When it was on reel-to-reel, we seldom played it because the tape was subject to breaking. Then we had it on cassette and played it for some friends one evening. To my surprise, several years later, our friends, Jim and Ruth, said they hadn't enjoyed a night of music as much as that since. With the holidays approaching, I think it would make a touching gift.

I'm so glad Eddie Teener played Misty for me.

Laughter is good for the soul

This is all I have to show for attending the taping of According to Jim. You cannot take any electrical devices into the show. You are advised to leave your cell in your car, or it may be confiscated. They have their rules.

Actually, I also have a very nice program with this great casts' credits on it as well.

I can't remember a time when I have laughed so hard for so long. My friend, Peggy, organized a group of people who attended this taping as a fundraiser (Cota for Zac) for her friend's son, who is awaiting an organ transplant. When I mentioned to my hair stylist, Rosy, that I was attending the sitcom, she told me it was her husband's favorite show.

On this particular night, we got a treat by seeing an episode that hadn't been shown before. It featured a little girl, playing a spoiled brat pop star. Turns out, Jim's daughter played the little girl. She sang two songs during the episode, and when Jim brought her out (so sorry I can't remember the cutie's name!) to introduce her to the audience, he mentioned that she had never sung before doing that role. Well, she did a very credible job. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of this talented young lady in the future. Just look for the "Belushi" name.

While we were waiting for the show to begin, the warm up comedian came out to greet the audience. Well, it was non-stop laughter after that. Jim Belushi and Larry Joe Campbell, who plays Andy, play off of each other so well. This particular episode, "The Ego Boost," provided much laughter. It was written by Warren Bell and Christopher J. Nowak and directed by Jim Belushi.

Jim came out to warmly greet the audience before the show started. Scenes with Courtney Thorne-Smith,who plays Jim's wife, were taped prior to this evening since Courtney was still tending to her new baby. Jim anwered a few questions from the audience before the taping got underway. If you've never been to a taping of a show, there are many stops and starts. They reshoot each scene at least twice. The role of the warm-up comedian extends beyond the initial greeting.

I had never heard of Ron Pearson before. How anyone can get up and continually make an audience laugh so hard and cover an endless myriad of subjects amazes me. Ron was well traveled as evidenced by the number of audience members from various countries, Sweden, Finland, Australia, Holland, and France, with whom he could somewhat converse and relate experiences. But the most amazing thing this world-renowned juggler did (yes, he has that on his resume as well) is balance a ladder on his chin while juggling. Awesome.

The According to Jim set is really nice. At one point, Ron mentioned that this sitcom costs between $750,000 to $2m per episode! It's our civic duty to watch, don't you think?

Now, would I rather be guest-starring on the show instead of watching from the audience. You bet. Especially since in this episode the guest star had a very funny punch line near the end of the show. But those gigs are a little harder to come by. After watching this taping, I will be tuning in each week. By the way, According to Jim is shown all over the world. Our foreign visitors confirmed that. It's on ABC. Check your local listing. And if you want to attend a taping, this one would be a good one to experience.

Struggling with Weight Issues

A few weeks ago I attended the premiere of the movie, disFIGURED, at the Silver Screen Theater in West Hollywood. My friend, Staci Lawrence, was one of the female leads. In the olden days, I would have said "leading ladies."

Staci plays struggling anorexic, Darcy, who sees herself as hugely overweight. She was shocked when she's rejected by the members of the Fat Awareness Group, who refuse to believe they can have anything in common with the scrawny girl. But Lydia, gloriously played by Deidra Edwards, the self-help group's founder, realizes they're both wrestling the same demon--weight.

This film takes a thought-provoking look at America's body image issues. Everyone can identify even if weight isn't one's biggest problem. Ryan C. Benson also stars in this film, wonderfully directed by the writer, Glenn Gers (Fracture, Mad Money). All of the actors did a fabulous job of telling this story, which I would recommend to anyone you know who could benefit by the positive messages it conveys. Rex Reed calls it "warm, funny, and touching."

It was particularly interesting during the question and answer session with the writer/director and cast after the film to hear about the challenges Glenn had in getting the movie made. Deidra's patience in waiting one year before she could audition until they exhausted all "names" in order to attract financial backing should be a lesson to us actors. Isn't that the way of the business! Staci had it a little easier, as a friend who had read the script recommended her to the director. Of course, she had to deliver on the audition! And that she did.
I was so proud of her...particularly in the emotional scenes near the end. By the way, Staci isn't anorexic, and I could swear that Deidra looked a whole lot thinner at the premiere. I do believe they also had to be quite patient as post production took almost two years.

The film has won awards in various film festivals around the country, i. e., Grand Jury prize in Oklahoma City, Santa Barbara International, Cinequest San Jose, AFI Dallas International and Florida Film Festivals. Glenn was so anxious for the majority of the population to see this as soon as possible that he made the decision to go straight to dvd, rather than show it in the theaters. I believe the latter option is still open to them, but if you want to see disFIGURED, you can rent or buy it now.

Living in the Present

"Great athletes win in it. Great performers work in this state. Great teachers teach in it. The charisma emanating from a famous actor is tangible." They all live in the present, according to Patsy Rodenburg. And she should know.

Patsy is recognized as one of the world's leading voice and acting coaches and has coached such luminaries as Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Holly Hunter, and Ralph Fiennes, among many others. She was voice coach at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London for nine years and Head of Voice at the Royal National Theatre for sixteen years. She also does much work with corporations,
all talking about "The Second Circle," ...How to Use Positive Energy for Success in Every Situation, a book which was just released in America in 2008.

So, when a friend of mine suggested I meet this incredible woman and sign up for a two-day workshop, I have to admit I was a bit intimidated. I needn't have been. For someone who has every right to have an ego, she appeared to have none. She was clearly there to help us achieve our greatest potential, not only in our profession, but our everyday life. At this particular seminar, there were 30 people, most of us actors. She spent the first day working on breath, voice, and body movements. The second day, Patsy generously critiqued each of us as we spouted off our memorized Shakespearean sonnets.

What impressed me so much about Patsy is how individualized her critique really was. A beautiful young girl stepped up, whom I thought had a really interesting voice, but Patsy was concerned for her. Apparently, the raspy quality that I found intriguing could be quite harmful for her long term. Because our class was so big, and because Patsy would not cut anyone short, we ran over an hour.

Many of the exercises we did in this class are found in The Second Circle, available at many of the online book outlets. Taking this workshop reminded me of that psych course my first year in college, where I came home and analyzed my family and friends ad nauseam. I could clearly see where the people currently in my life fall into either the first circle (those whose attention is turned inward and come across as shy and ineffective) or third circle, the people who turn you off by their overbearing speech, talking at you rather than with you.

Hopefully, my following up with the lessons learned here will help me connect with people in an ideal state, "The Second Circle." Check it out.

Pageant of the Masters

Mark your calendar for next July and August. It makes such a nice outing to go to The Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. It's true. You can't find a more beautiful place to be on a summer day. The Festival of Arts is an outdoor gallery in Orange County, nestled in the canyon and only a few blocks from the ocean in Laguna Beach, one of the most picturesque places in the world.

Feeling the effects of the Great Depression and hoping to attract the attention of visitors attending the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, a group of Laguna Beach artists came together to host the first Festival of Arts. They turned Laguna into one enormous art gallery, selling their artwork along the main street. The inaugural Festival was a huge success.

Over 75 years later, the Festival of Arts has grown into a world-renowned cultural institution famous for its fine art show and the Pageant of the Masters, which draws visitors from around the world. It had been years since I had seen the "living pictures," the Pageant of the Masters, where works of art are portrayed on a large stage with painted backdrops, live music and narration. It takes many wonderful volunteers to maintain that stillness in recreating these remarkable works of art. It's a tradition that they end the program with The Last Supper. Tickets to the Pageant should be purchased about a year in advance. It's always a sellout.

This year's theme, All the World's a Stage, paid homage to the works of William Shakespheare. The artwork of Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Joshua Reynolds were presented, as well as Everett Shinn's painting, "Footlight Flirtation." Also incorporated into the evening was the Italian commedia dell'arte troupe .

Since I had recently attended a two-day workshop with Patsy Rodenburg, one of the world's leading voice and acting coaches, who was voice coach at the Royal Shakespeare Company in London for a number of years, I found the chosen masterpieces particularly interesting. More on Patsy in my next post.

The Irvine Bowl on the Festival grounds holds 2,600, and it was sold-out as usual the evening I attended. The Festival runs through the end of August. If you get there early, you can walk the shops on Pacific Coast Highway and the surrounding streets. There are lots of great restaurants along the way to enjoy as well.

On a Sunday Afternoon

There really aren't enough superlatives to describe the talented pianist, Tamir Hendelman, to do him justice. You just have to hear him to experience something wonderful. I would encourage you to go and hear him live at one of the many venues locally, when he's not traveling the world, accompanying Natalie Cole, or performing with other great vocalists. But, until you have the opportunity to do that, you can now buy his debut cd, Playground.

On this particular Sunday afternoon, the concert was held at The Atelier of David Andersen Pianos, which was a beautiful garden setting, featuring wonderful scultures by Tanya Ragir. Tanya has her studio here and it was a treat to get a sneak peak at it when we took a break for food, drink and conversation after the first set. The garden displayed many pieces of her extraordinary work.

I first met Tamir at a Cathy Segal-Garcia workshop I attended over ten years ago.
What impressed me from the start was his ability to fine-tune the key to any song to fit each of the singers attending the workshop. Now, because my musician father had that ability, I thought all musicians could do that. I found out it takes a special talent. Tamir didn't need to see the music. He had all that in his memory bank. And he was (and still is) young!
Since then, Tamir has done many arrangements for me, which when other musicians see the charts are always impressed!

I must also tell you that I was very interested to see the pianos on display there that day. All exceptional...worthy of a world-class pianist such as Tamir. If you know of anyone looking for a concert grand or other fine piano, I'd check them out. David Andersen Pianos has just announced a new alliance with a fifth-generation Bavarian hand-built piano maker. If theirs are anything like the wonderful sound on Sunday's piano, I'm sure it will be a delight to hear.

What a special musical experience. Tamir's playing always touches my heart.

WINTER

Just saying the word WINTER cools one off in this really hot weather we're having, doesn't it?
I find it so inspiring to go see theatre, especially if one of my friends is associate producing and directing, as in the case of WINTER and Janne Halleskov Kindberg.

This play, by internationally acclaimed Norwegian playwright, Jon Fosse, seemed to be dialogue challenged, as the same phrases were used over and over, eventually with different meanings. It made one listen and watch more intently. It was quite the opposite of David Mamet's works with his clever, terse dialogue, using arcane stylized phrasing.

A lot of talent went into this show besides the Norwegian lead actors, Terje Skonseng Naudeer and Lene Pedersen. Show design by Ray Woodbury (Backstreet Boys, Gwen Stefani, Kelly Clarkson), Lighting Programmer Andy Figueroa (Neil Young, Stevie Wonder), featuring music composed by Gabrial McNair (Green Day, No Doubt) all added to the interesting, innovative elements, which made me happy I came to see this play, even if the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics were going on simultaneously. Janne had a nice crowd despite the competition.

And the locale, The Culver Studios, has such a great history, it makes one feel invigorated just walking through it...or on late nights, golf-carting through it. Gone With The Wind (my favorite movie of all time) was filmed there when it was the David O. Selznick Studios. Throughout the years, sets have been used and reused, from the days of Cecil B. DeMille's enormous stages for King of Kings, later used in King Kong, before they were burned down for the Atlanta sequence in GWTW.

RKO controlled it for 30 years bringing stardom to Bette Davis, Robert Mitchum, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and those wonderful hoofers, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Desilu Productions took over in 1956, where television emerged as the primary business at the studio, where Andy Griffith, the Nelson boys, David and Ricky, with their parents, Ozzie & Harriet, and Lassie all could be seen on the lot.

Thanks to the $26 million renovation in the mid-80's by Grant Tinker and Gannett, much of the original luster and beauty was restored. So successful was the restoration that it has served as a model for other studio projects.

In 1991 Sony Corporation bought the studio and sold it in 2004 to PCCP Studio City Los Angeles. Numerous feature films (Rush Hour 3, State of Play) and television projects, such as Deal or No Deal, America's Next Top Model, and The Bonnie Hunt Show are all home to the studio.

Ghostly sightings, i.e., Gloria Swanson roaming the halls of the mansion as she did years earlier, have been unsubstantiated, but eerily similar reports occur year after year

Free Stuff

Don't cha just luv getting free stuff? I do. I mean, nothing's really free, is it? Example, I went to the Smart & Final...extra store opening a few days ago. Ask me why! Wall to wall, people. I even found out I could still have gotten the same savings throughout the coming week.

But, maybe they would have run out of free cups. Cups? With Smart and Final extra on them. So, now, I'm drinking my morning Starbucks coffee out of a white Smart & Final extra cup, instead of my glass Starbucks cup that I'm sure I paid for, since they don't give those away. Oh well, it was free, and it's sturdy. Even if it did cost me over $40 to shop there. They now have smaller quantities, but I'm not convinced the savings are as good as WalMart on some of those items. Yes, I shop at WalMart. I can get Starbucks Breakfast Blend for $7.

I'm sad...I just heard that Bernie Mac died...and I just wrote a post about him. As one of his many show biz friends said, "Heaven's a whole lot funnier now." I wonder if they give out free stuff.

Need a laugh?

If you missed the comedy, Guess Who, when it was released in 2005, and you could use a little laughter, I think you'll enjoy this movie. This modern take on the classic, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, has a great cast: Bernie Mac and Judith Scott as Zoe Saldana's parents, who meet Ashton Kutcher, who plays her fiance. I thought the direction by Kevin Rodney Sullivan was spot on.

I'm not really a fan of remakes, especially when they're a classic, but the script was quite different. It's interesting, however, that I had rented the former movie recently, with the stellar cast of Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, to prepare for a scene in my acting workshop. While I wouldn't dare compare the acting, I thought this recent movie was far more entertaining.

While we're on the subject of Sidney Pointier, my actress friend, Barbara, who knew I loved autobios, loaned me Sidney's The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography. I loved it!

Earthquake Preparedness

Several years ago when I was producing and co-hosting a tv talk show, we had a lady on demonstrating a survival kit in case of an earthquake. I ended up buying one. Then, not long ago, it dawned on me that the food and water meant to last for years had surely expired by now. Since we were preparing for a long road trip, we decided to update our kits, which we did a month ago.

The Red Cross has great information on what to do, where to go, what should be in your kit. Check it out.
Now's the time. Today was a wakeup call. We're about five miles from the epicenter of this 5.4 quake today.
I was in the car in Pasadena, so I didn't feel it at all. Not even an aftershock. But, it's a little disconcerting when you get home and see all the pictures on the wall askew, the photo frames on shelves fallen, opening the kitchen cabinets carefully, because glasses are leaning on the door, ready to fall out.

Funny thing...as I washed my favorite champagne glasses last Saturday after our company left, I remember thinking as I put them way up on that open glass shelf above the bar, "Gee, I hope these don't get broken in an earthquake." It's one of the few shelves that not a single thing moved. We shouldn't be so attached to material things, I know.

Text Messaging Etiquette

I read an article today from a mom who just got into text messaging so she could communicate with her teenage/adult children. It was humorously written saying how she liked it because it eliminated "the attitude and rolled eyes" from her kids.

This reminded me of one of my plays I did where a girl in the front row text messaged through the whole first act. I wasn't aware of it because usually you can only see the first couple of rows because it's so dark, and I don't look so I won't be distracted. However, I did notice when I was attending the theatre recently that it was distracting to me as an audience member to see someone texting near me during the production.

It's gotten so bad that apparently when the announcers give their welcoming speech now, they not only tell you to turn off your cell phones, but ask that you refrain from texting during the show. Next, we'll probably have to check them upon arrival.

I'm just now getting into texting because it's how my agent notifies me that I have an audition.
It will be a while I'm sure before I get so addicted.

Past Lives

My friend, Mary, who lost her mom at age ten, asked me recently if I had read, "Many Lives, Many Masters" by Brian L. Weiss, M.D. I had certainly heard about this New York Times Bestseller. It was probably on my list to read.

Since Borders sent me a coupon for my birthday (isn't that nice), I decided to forego any further procrastination and buy it. I was surprised to see that this was the 20th Anniversary Edition.

What a good book! It's the true story of a prominent psychiatrist, his young patient, and the past-life therapy that changed both their lives. I read it in one sitting...well almost, I read the epilogue this morning. I'm more prone to liking books that may give me some insight as to why my brother died two weeks before his 16th birthday or why my beautiful mom's life was cut short at age 46.

Of course, it doesn't hold all the answers, but it certainly gives one something to ponder about our own mortality, or in this case, immortality. This may be something to check out if you have lost someone close to you. I think it might bring comfort to someone who has a terminal illness. I know it's a difficult subject to write about...truthfully, it is for me, but I'm mentioning it for the same reason Dr. Weiss decided he had to write the book. It may help someone.
And it did.

Songs of the Heart

(Be sure to read my post on Taos below if you read these in sequence.)
Since I have been telling you about the parks we've visited over the years, it brought to mind an experience I had at The Ahwahnee Hotel at Yosemite National Park a few years ago.
Reservations at the resort are made a year in advance at this popular resort. An evening dress code is observed here.

We were enjoying appetizers and champagne before ordering dinner in this grand hotel's huge dining room, with a giant vaulted ceiling, massive peeled-log trusses and 24-foot plate glass windows. A beautiful haunting melody was being played on the piano at the far end of the room. It went straight to my heart. I can't remember ever having that exact experience before. I asked our waiter to please ask the pianist the name of the song he just played. I had to know. It was Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton and Will Jennings.

Upon further investigation, I learned that this is the song Eric wrote the lyrics to in memory of his son, Conor, who tragically fell out of a New York City apartment window in 1991. Conor was only four years old.

If you have a chance, download on iTunes or listen to it on You Tube - Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven. We all have our own way of dealing with pain, don't we.

Taos, NM

If you see a guy over 50 who doesn't have a long grey ponytail, then it's a sure bet he doesn't live in Taos. All the great artistes from this place sport one. I love this town!

There's historic Ledoux Street (where arts and style come to live). In the winter, Taos Ski Valley offers lots of activity. Some extol it as "the Soul of the Southwest."

We stayed at The Historic Taos Inn. Every room is decorated differently. All with so much charm. It was such a welcome relief after the usual motor inn chains at which we had been staying the past two weeks. Although we were only there one afternoon and evening, we made good use of our time. Visited quite a few shops with wonderful art and gifts. But, clearly, with 600 businesses and lots of sites we didn't see in Taos, we need to schedule more time and come back.

In the lobby of the Inn, for the cocktail hour, there was a terrific trio, playing western music: a lady bass player who also sang, and two fellows who played guitar, one also playing the mandolin. I wish I gotten their names. They were from another part of the state but drop by for an occasional gig here. Usually I like to hear recognizable songs...but there was probably one one song out of the hour-plus set that I knew. It didn't matter...they were thoroughly entertaining.

Since we had gotten up and wanted to leave early before the dining room was open, we asked some locals for breakfast recommendations. Michael's Kitchen provided a great morning walk. Oh my, if we hadn't been eating cinnamon rolls almost every day at the breakfast buffets provided at all of our stays, we could have partaken of the wonderful bakery items they had on display. Couldn't even apply them directly to the hips. There was no room. They have over 250 menu items to choose from for breakfast and lunch.

If you love Santa Fe, you should check out this enchanted town too.

Cowboys and Indians

I had never heard of Cowboys and Indians, The Premiere Magazine of the West, until my friend, who lives in Big Horn, WY, called to say there was an article about the polo field near their home in the current issue. They had built this beautiful home there several years ago, and we were fortunate to finally visit them when we flew our small plane there a few years ago.

So, I promptly picked up a copy with Tom Selleck At Home on His Ranch on the cover and much to my surprise found the entire issue thoroughly entertaining and interesting.

The teasers on the cover of this Special 15th Anniversary issue are:

-Cowboys: Men Who Made the West
-Boots: Envy-Worthy Kickers
-National Parks: The West's Best.

How apropros since we just returned from visiting two National Parks: Mesa Verde in Colorado and Canyon de Chelly (pronounced Shay) in Arizona, where we had taken tours to learn how the Indians lived 300 AD. It was interesting to note that we had actually visited over the years nine of the 15 listed as the best . We had stayed in two of the four "Lodge Envy" resorts listed in the parks: The Ahwahnee at Yosemite Nat'l Park (where two deer walked right past me as I was headed to my cabin from the main lodge). We actually never stayed at Old Faithful Inn, but we watched the rain come down and ate lunch there once. El Tovar, at the Grand Canyon, which hosted Zane Grey, Albert Einstein, and Teddy Roosevelt, among others, underwent a $4.5 million facelift shortly after their centennial.

In 1995, Sharon Stone called and cowgirled her way onto the first celebrity cover of C&I to promote her movie, The Quick and the Dead, about a female gunslinger. That changed everything for the Western-lifestyle magazine. Movie-star covers became a staple for C&I, allowing them to find a niche where celebrities and the West melded into Americana. Consider John Wayne, Robert Duvall, Sam Shepherd, Sam Elliott, Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Harrison Ford and Tom Selleck (again) and Tommy Lee Jones as appealing cover cowboys.

I, who have never really been in to cowboy/cowgirl gear, was even fascinated to see the selection of great boots. Check it out: Star Boots Jolly Roger, inspired by the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Cool features: Skull-and-crossbones inlay on toe and heel.
Best worn with: A leather motorcycle jacket, big loop earrings, and lots of chunky bracelets that jingle.
Why cowgirls like them: They're Nancy Sinatra-tough.
Sheryl Crow wears a pair of the Old Gringo Cowgirl boots with pink inlay breast-cancer-awareness ribbons on the toe, shaft and heel of the boot.

The story about best-selling author, Robert B. Parker, provided more education. Fans of Parker's 2005 Western novel, Appaloosa, are eagerly awaiting the film adaptation, starring Viggo Mortensen as Everett Hitch and Ed Harris (who also directed the movie) as Virgil Cole. Appaloosa--which costars Renee Zellweger and Jeremy Irons--is slated for a fall release.

I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this July, 2008, issue (try Border's), while it's still on the newstands.

Beware of Ethanol

Proponents of ethanol tell us that it can significantly reduce our dependence on oil for transportation fuel. Truthfully, I never gave it much thought one way or the other.

Since our experience with it on our recent road trip, I have paid more attention to what I read, and in a recent "Parade" magazine article, it states: Since 2005, U.S. energy policy has mandated that billions of gallons of corn-based ethanol be mixed into gas every year. Last year, more than $3 billion of taxpayer money was spent on subsidies to achieve that goal, and 20% of the corn crop went into making the biofuel. Now, a new U.N. report cites our emphasis on ethanol as a contributor to high food prices. Scientists also believe than an expanding "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, which is killing aquatic life, is caused by increased fertilizer runoff from Corn Belt states."

Now...my only purpose here is to warn you that it's important to know if you are getting ethanol in your gasoline and/or how much. We had been averaging about 28-29mpg in my new Honda CRV. Not great, but we can live with that. One time, 32 mpg, another 34. Not bad. So, on one long stretch through Northwestern Oklahoma, off the interstate highways, we had 340 miles to cover that day before reaching our destination. No problem. However, this just happened to be an area where there were few tiny towns and NO gas stops, and no cell phone reception. We were becoming increasingly concerned as the gas gauge headed for empty. We made it to our destination with about one-half gallon to spare (22.5mpg).

When we later mentioned to people we met along the way, they quickly added, "Oh yeah, you get 30% less mileage." This effectively adds $1.25/gallon for the mileage traveled.

While I'm a rather adventurous person, that's one scenario I'm glad we didn't have to play out.

Tombstone, AZ

Remember the scene in High Noon when the streets are empty, waiting for the gunfight at twelve o'clock sharp?

Well, we started our trip early on in Tombstone. What an interesting and fun town, which was established in 1877. Billed as "The Town Too Tough to Die," it is truly a Historical American Landmark. Tombstone is America's best example of our early western heritage. It is well preserved in Tombstone's original 1880's buildings (not a stage-prop town) and artifacts featured in numerous museums.

We were there the end of May, before the kids get out of school, so there was hardly a soul on the street, except the usual suspects: stagecoach driver, dance hall girls at the Bird Cage Theatre, roaming the streets, looking for customers, etc. It reminded me of the scene portenting doom.

We took the Tombstone Trolley tour around the city to hear all the interesting facts. In its heyday, this mining town brought in $22 million a day! Home of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Bat Masterson, it was famous for the Gunfight at the OK Corral. At the trolley site, we met a gentleman, in his 80's, who retired here after traveling the country, playing Abe Lincoln in a one-man show. He did resemble the President.

We asked where the locals ate and ended up at the Depot Restaurant, four blocks from the tourist area. We can vouch for the beer on tap, the chili and the patti melt and onion rings. Remember, this is the start of our three-week vacation. So, we ate whatever we wanted. Met another couple who was on the trolley and overheard us asking the driver about a good restaurant. The first question this Florida couple asked us was, "What's the price of gasoline in California." At that time, it was under $4 here, over $4 there. More on gasoline in my next post.

Vacations

Oh my...been back a week from a three-week road trip. Almost forgot how to blog. But I must get back to it, because I have so much I want to say about our trip. I would not call this a relaxing vacation by any stretch of the imagination, but it was interesting.

Seeing aging family members was the main reason we planned this trip to the Midwest, and now that we're home, we realize how important it was that we did spend the time with family.

We knew that this time of year is not the best weatherwise, since there were tornado warnings all over the place. Early on in our trip to White Sands, NM, as it looked threatening, I said, "I don't mind if it rains, but I don't want it to hail on my car." Of course, the words had no sooner left my tongue than nickel-sized hail fell with a large clunk. I couldn't imagine that there would be no damage to the car, but for some reason, not a mark on it when we arrived at our destination.

Three weeks is a long time to be away, but I doubt that we could have done it in less time since we spent several long days in the car. Covering barren landscapes, particularly in Texas, with no cell reception made me particularly uncomfortable. Unbelievable how we could have lived without that convenient communication just a few short years ago. XM Satellite was a godsend, although we were gone so long, I swear they repeated the same songs over and over.

More tomorrow...just needed to keep in touch!

Lars and the Real Girl

I don't imagine I would have gotten around to seeing Lars and the Real Girl had I not been given a scene to do in my acting workshop. Anytime I get to watch Patricia Clarkson, I consider it time well spent. She's such a good actor. No acting...that's why she's so interesting to watch.

I loved the movie. I thought it started out slowly, and I wasn't sure about it. About half way thru, I started really getting into it. You can tell it was written by a female. Boy, do we need more female screenwriters. This is such a sweet story. I can't imagine a town being so taken in (without giving away the plot), nevertheless, you want to believe it. I hope you get a chance to see it.

By the way, I had the rare opportunity to get to pick my scene partner. We usually just show up and rehearse briefly before we film it. Ky Evans is such a strong actor that I knew it would be fun to do. And I love playing a therapist. Oh, and did I mention that I thought Ryan Gosling gave an award-winning performance.

Nobody does parties like PartyCharlie

As I recall, one of the rules, if you will, to being an optimist, is to be as happy about others' success as you are about your own.

That certainly is the case with my friend, Charlie Scola. Charlie is a renowned party planning authority, columnist, author, as well as an actor. We met in an acting workshop about eleven years ago. After the class was over, I wasn't sure I'd ever see or talk to Charlie again, even though I thought he was very nice. He called me a few months later to tell me about a class on the "business of acting" that he thought I would like. I was pleased to hear from him...and as it turns out, he has been a friend of the family ever since. One we've flown to Catalina for lunch, one who has come to support me at my cabaret performances, plays, etc. I've always cherished our friendship.

This past week we were privileged to attend Charlie's book signing at Borders in Century City. His book, the culimination of one of his dreams, Party Planning Secrets, is full of great ideas for creating an outrageously exciting party! It was no small feat to get a Borders book store to turn over their whole store for his party! But, this he accomplished, and party we did.

There was a tarot card reader, numerologist, astrologist and magician at the party, as well as entertainment by Franki Love, Jason Farnham, and David Williams.
Free flowing champagne, vodka martini's (the pear was especially good!), and a fabulous buffet of delicious food. Asian salad served in mini-take-out cartons, sandwiches on delicious buns with turkey or veggies (yum...peppers, zucchini), a wonderful array of cheese (I loved the goat cheese covered in herbs), slices of great-looking fruit, cookies, and brownies. All top notch!

Charlie generously donated all net proceeds from the book sales to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. Charlie was told by Borders a few days later that his event was the most exciting they've had and had the most people attending since Martha Stewart's book signing.

I always loved hearing about all the wonderful parties Charlie was planning for celebrities. We actually attended one in Malibu a few years ago that was nothing short of fantastic. It was a benefit. We tennis enthusiasts were excited to see Pete Sampras there with his then fiancee, soon-to-be wife...an actress whose name escapes me now. Bob Sagat was there with his small children. Charlie catered a thanksgiving bbq one year for Jen and Brad, when they were married.

My friend, Denise, and I were pleased to see Barbara Rush, who looked great. Denise went up to say, "Hello." She was very gracious. Thirty years in the business has given Charlie a long list of satisfied customers.

I would recommend that you get his book, even if you have small gatherings once in a while.
He walks you through every detail of planning a successful party from ambiance to vendors, including how to create the perfect invitation, menu and theme, plus expert advice on budgeting, entertaining, safety and more.

In addition, I recommend you get on his email list for his newsletter, where he shares great recipes, and gives away tickets to some of his fabulous parties. Check it out at http://www.partycharlie.com/.

What especially made the evening fun was to meet Charlie's mom, who happened to be celebrating her birthday that day, and his brother and sister who all flew out from back East to be with Charlie. I'm proud to call this eternal optimist, Charlie, my friend.

The Huntington

If you've never been to The Huntington, in San Marino, CA, you really should go. The Huntington is a private nonprofit collections-based institution, founded in 1919 by Henry E. Huntington. This site is one of the finest research libraries in the world. It also houses a fabulous art collection, including The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough, circa 1770, and Pinkie by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1794.

There is also an array of more than a dozen botanical gardens with plants from a geographic range spanning the globe, which covers 120 acres of the 207-acre grounds. There were several roses named after famous ladies. Unfortunately, the picture I took of the Princess Diana rose didn't do it justice. You can't possibly see it all in one day, which is why several in our group had already been there a few times.

You can make arrangements for a guided tour, which I would recommend. Our guide had a myriad of tales and had worked at The Huntington over 50 years ago. She was very interesting.

The Library's collection of rare books and manuscripts in the fields of British and American history and literature is extraordinary. It has on display some of the finest rare books and manuscripts of Anglo-American civilization. Altogether, there are about 6 million items! Again...not all in one day.

We had a lovely tea buffet luncheon with finger sandwiches (I know it sounds very girlie, but the guys enjoyed it too), with many different kinds of wonderful cheese, and the desserts were scrumptious, pecan tarts, lemon bars, and of course something chocolate. Fortunately, we were able to walk off a calorie or two after lunch. The unfortunate thing about the day was the temperature. If it wasn't 100 degrees, it was very close.
Heed the warning to wear comfortable shoes.

They had a nice gift shop too. Of course, I never met a gift shop I didn't like, but the little "rose" items, such as soap and stationery, make nice presents. And it was air conditioned! A big bonus for the day.

We were all speculating on how much this land would cost today, as our guide mentioned that when Henry bought it in 1902 for $600,000, everyone thought he was a little crazy, because there was nothing much there. Such is a visionary.

Listen to My Heart

I can remember the first time I heard the song, "Listen to My Heart." I was driving on the freeway, and I decided to finally listen to the Nancy LaMott tape my cousin, Sandy, had given me a long time ago.

When that song came on, it took my breath away. I thought I was going to have to maneuver three lanes over and stop on the side of the road and just listen. I thought it was the most beautiful melody I had ever heard. And to this day, I still do. I'm sure the orchestration with the strings had a lot to do with it, as well as Nancy's beautiful voice.

Several years after hearing that song for the first time, I had the opportunity to meet the composer of that piece, David Friedman. I am so glad he decided to do a vocal workshop in Southern California last weekend. And I'm most happy that he turned out to be such a wonderful, inspirational person. After all, his songs are all about inspiration, love and hope.

My wanting to meet him goes beyond that one great song. I also had the good fortune to sing another of his fun songs, "My Simple Christmas Wish," when I played Glinda, the Good Witch of the North in "Noses are Red." This was an original musical my acting coach, Alice Carter, wrote and directed two years in a row. This was a dream come true that I would get to perform this song in front of an audience that included many actors. The lyrics are so clever.

"Just in Time for Christmas" is another gem of his that I sang at a private party over the holidays. If you want to check out his music, go to David's own company, MIDDER Music Records, where he wrote for and produced all of the late, great Nancy LaMott's CD's, most of which I own. In addition to the songs I've mentioned above, be sure to check out "We Can Be Kind," "Trust the Wind," and "Ill Be Here With You." The latter song was the title of a wonderful cd that features all of David's songs and was a benefit recording for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Friedman's credits include musical direction and vocal arranging for five Broadway shows and numerous Disney feature films, including "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," Pocahontas," and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

His songs have been recorded by Diana Ross, Barry Manilow, Kristen Chenoweth, Kathie Lee Gifford, Petula Clark, Lainie Kazan and many others.

Charlton Heston

When I heard about Charlton Heston's passing, I remembered the time my hubby and a friend flew down in our club's Cessna 172 to Palomar Airport, where a limo picked them up and drove them the short distance to the La Costa Resort for lunch.

In the 70's, it was the new hot spot for tennis enthusiasts, and we first discovered it when we went there on our Sunny Hills Racquet Club's weekend outing. In any event, on this particular day, Dave and Bill had to wait in the limo for some time before they could get back to the airport for the return trip home. It seems the limo was waiting for Mr. Heston to finish his tennis game (or lunch) as he showed up in his tennis gear with a uniformed airline pilot.

Mr. Heston apologized for keeping them waiting. When they got to the airport, he pointed to a twin-engine turbo jet and said, "That's Bill Cosby's." He then went over and boarded a single-engine Cessna 182 (a step up from our 172) and departed. The plane may not have been a status symbol but having your own airline pilot standing by sure was.

It's good to know that when these great actors leave this planet, we still have their wonderful movies to watch whenever we want. And it's nice to recall that Charlton Heston was a true gentleman.

Begin each day

I recently went up to Santa Barbara to see my friend, Judith Scott, in "Doubt," a thought-provoking play by John Patrick Shanley that is set in the 60's. Really enjoyed it...and the q&a session afterwards.

While having breakfast at Andersen's Danish Bakery the next day, Judith happened to mention she stayed in bed that morning just thinking of all the wonderful things she liked...almonds, flowers, etc. I said, "That must have made you feel good." What a great way to begin each day! And if you went to bed listing five things for which you were grateful, that would really set the stage for the next day. I'm going to try it, starting tonight.

We stopped to shop, of course, and found a great place on State Street, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art store. It fed our artistic souls. Bright colors, unusual jewelry, unique handcrafted art glass, educational books and creative toys for children.

Santa Barbara is a wonderful town. It seems no matter what the temperature happens to be, it's a beautiful day. The architecture is extraordinary. Lots to see and do.

Up, Up, and Away

I hope I don't wait until I'm on my deathbed (one word or two?) before I gain clarity.

Wouldn't it be awful to wait until then and think, "Oh, that's what that meant." "I should have taken advantage of that opportunity instead of worrying about whatever it was I was worrying about." How many times have we heard that before people check out, they say they only regret the things they didn't do.

Well, I'm pretty much of a risk taker. Flying in a little single-engine plane for many years...three trips back to Ohio and a couple to Oklahoma...qualifies me, I think. There was the time on one of those Ohio trips, we were over 29 Palms after flying around clouds most of the day (before my pilot was instrument rated and couldn't bore holes in clouds)...we had been climbing and wanted to level off at around 7,000 ft. That's when we discovered there was a problem. It's like stepping on the accelerator of your car and passing someone at 75 mph and then letting off the pedal, only it wouldn't let up. It's like it stuck down. Well, it could be just as serious in a car...maybe more so with traffic. Thankfully, we hardly see any planes up there except when we near an airport.

However, we were flying over mountains...and looking down, there was no place to land safely.
That's when we radioed Palm Springs and told them we had an emergency. I was sure they would give us some sage advice. Only, "How many aboard?" Excuse me...he may have said, "How many bodies aboard." That's how I read it.

In any event, my good pilot used his head and figured out that he could turn off one of the magnetos (there are two) and it would let up enough to get the reading off "red line," so the engine wouldn't overheat and quit. That was the fear. It's the opposite of what most pilots are trained to do. You're trained to handle an "engine out." Not a wide-open engine. It doesn't happen. Well, now we know it can...and did. The worst part was having to dive (literally...since we couldn't slow it down as one usually does to descend for landing). It felt like my head was coming off. When we had the runway lined up, I was told to push back my seat as far as it would go...we had to shut off the engine completely in order to slow it down enough to stop at the end of the runway, which meant if there was any wind gust, we would not be able to adjust.

Palm Springs was chosen as our landing site because we figured if the jets could land there, the runway would be long enough to handle the speed of our little Cessna. As it turned out, that was the calmest day I've ever seen in the desert.

Truthfully, the air traffic controllers at the Palm Springs airport were most gracious. After we radioed the emergency, they cleared the airways for us. Didn't that make us feel important...and there was even a fire truck to greet us.

Well, I took the liberty of saying, "we" throughout, but the credit all goes to Dave Black. Whatever you do, if you are going to fly in a little plane, pick a good pilot.
Oh yes, I think I deserve a little credit, because I found out in an emergency, I just shut up and let the pilot figure out how we were going to get out of this. I do remember thinking as my birthday was near, "Oh well, I guess turning 32 isn't any big deal." Thank God, I found out it even gets better.

Solving Life's Problems

You don't have to be an actor to get a lot of the book, the ARTIST'S WAY, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. I was reminded of that when I had lunch with a friend who said she hadn't spoken to her dad in three months due to a misunderstanding.

The first thing that came to my mind about my friend's situation was the advice about writing a letter to the person with whom you want to say things to that you know may worsen a situation and that you may later regret. You write the letter and tear it up. I've never done that...but I have used my morning pages from the ARTIST'S WAY to unleash any anger I may have toward someone.

But, this daily act, which is one of two basic tools Julia recommends in this book, has far more reaching benefits than just that. It gives you clarity. It helps clean house...(don't I wish)...of the brain that is...clear away the clutter. What is getting in our way of being our authentic selves?
Julia says, "The pages lead us out of despair and into undreamed-of solutions." She states, "When I am stuck with a painful situation or problem that I don't think I know how to handle, I will go to the pages and ask for guidance."

Three 8 1/2 x 11 pages written in long hand of whatever comes into your mind. It's called stream of consciousness writing. It works.

And now, I've got to go back to rereading this wonderful book. I have to admit I've lapsed and not done my morning pages in quite some time. Maybe that's why I haven't been able to
post more often. My creativity has been stifled. Look out. I'm coming back...it says here
in fine print.

Italian Goulash

After moving out here from Ohio after college, I landed a job in Newport Beach, which happens to be where I met my husband. Being a newlywed, I was seeking new recipes. We had a potluck one day, and a nice lady named Rita shared her recipe for Goulash. I remember she used hamburger. Over the years, I've tweaked it a bit to fit our taste. I thought of this dish as more of a family meal on weekends, because it is so good leftover too.

I made it a few times for company, and much to my delight, everyone loved it. So, I thought I would share this with you. I made this dish for the cast of one of my plays on our rehearsal night, substituting Italian turkey sausage (it was spicy!), because I knew a few didn't eat meat. It was very good.

1 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 medium onion
1/4 chopped bell pepper
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1 can black beans, drained
1 T. parsley
1 T. crushed basil
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Remove sausage from casing. Brown in deep pan with 1 T. olive oil on medium high heat. Break up sausage into pieces after browning. Turn heat down to medium low and add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for about 5 min.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and a little water. Add herbs and spices as noted above.
Cover and cook on low for about 25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes. Add macaroni and cook until macaroni is al dente (about 15 minutes). Add beans the last 10 minutes.
Serve w/parmesan cheese on top and crusty french bread.
I precede this entree with a salad.
Bon Appetit!

Diva Dish

If I hadn't gone about producing Butterflies are Free at my acting studio several years ago, I probably couldn't have told you who Eileen Heckart was. But, I researched the film role, and then learned Eileen had won an Oscar for her performance in that movie with Eddie Albert, Jr. and Goldie Hawn. She had also won Emmy's (for one...a guest starring role on Lou Grant) and
Tony's as well. In other words, one of those fabulous character actresses that you may not be able to identify by name but have enjoyed her work for years.

I ran across a book written by her son, Luke Yankee, last year. After thoroughly enjoying all the fantastic anecdotes he tells about his life with his mom and the many famous people with whom she worked and socialized, such as Marilyn Monroe, Paul Newman, Ethel Merman, Lucille Ball,
I heard about his one-man show where he tells all these great stories.

We had a chance to see his show tonight, and I must say it was all I expected it to be and more.
Luke sang a few heartfelt songs and included tape of some of his mom's roles on broadway and film.
But, one of the most touching moments for me was when he acted out the last scene in Butterflies are Free, which he hadn't gotten a chance to do with his mom because she had become ill. Through the magic of technology, he performed the scene with his mom's voice. It's obvious that Luke inherited a whole lot of talent.

He signed my book...and I thought, he's just as nice as I expected him to be. Try to see it if it comes anywhere near your area. You'll be glad you did.

In truth, after months of rehearsing, and one-week before we were to open, we were not able to perform Butterflies are Free. Nevertheless, I'm grateful for the opportunity to revisit that wonderful movie and discover all the interesting things about the life of Eileen Heckert.

Trust

I've never been very good at trusting. Maybe it's my Sicilian heritage, "Never sit with your back to the door."

I remember a management team exercise we had once where it turned out that having to trust was the secret to winning. Guess what...my team lost. I'm sure I was influential in the game.

Today, I finally got back to my yoga class after a three-month lay off...shame on me. Excuses like play rehearsals, the holidays, a week's vacation, etc., etc. Boy, did I miss it. However, I had a test today. (I'm getting back to the trust issue in case you're wondering.) I had just laid down on my mat as class was starting when I remembered I forgot to lock my car. Usually, I put my purse in the trunk before I leave home ever since I read an article that said baddies are on to the fact that women don't bring their purses into class, leaving them in the car. I forgot to do that this morning, so I put my purse in the trunk of my new car after I arrived. Maybe it was the fact I was admiring the Jag parked next to my Honda CRV before I went in that distracted me...but it just hit me that I didn't remember hitting the lock on the remote.

Choices...do I leave now and then be one of those people who come back in and make noise as everyone has just chilled out a little...or do I really test myself in "letting go of all worries" as Linda usually says at the beginning of class. Do I trust that the universe will send angels down to protect my car? There are usually people coming and going at the Center all the time, so I'm thinking, "Cami, relax. It will be there when you get out. It would be noticeable if someone were trying to steal your car."

Then I thought about the guy at the dealership when we bought the car who told us this car is one of the most stolen as he's trying to sell us the extra warranty and insurance.
I'm thinking...let's face it, not everyone would wait two months to get "green tea metallic." Now if it were silver, I might have to worry. In any event, I did finally relax thru class; and when I came out, there was my car safe and sound. Just as I was really getting used to it too.

Red Carpet

Well, I can't necessarily say I'm sorry I spent two hours watching the pre-show on the red carpet before the Screen Actors Guild awards, because the stars' outfits did not disappoint,
but watching the show was a little trying at times.

I never thought I'd hear myself saying, "Bring back Joan Rivers." Actually, I like Joan Rivers doing the red carpet interviews. Yes, she's a little over the top at times or a lot, but I found her patter at least entertaining. The stars may have gotten a little perturbed at her questions, but it couldn't have been worse than this year's interviews. I thought Juliana did a pretty good job, being called in at the last minute for an ailing Ryan Seacrest. She was up on all the star credits, etc, but did both women (I don't know the other woman's name) find it necessary to hug all the ladies as though they were their best friends...one even getting her body makeup on someone's white top!

At first I thought Javier Bardem was rude when he answered, "I don't want to talk about that," but a second later when I recalled the question (which I can't recall now), I realized his response was most appropriate.

Granted, it must be quite challenging having all the movie and tv info on the tip of your tongue as each nominee approaches the microphones. I'm sure they have something at their disposal (an ear teleprompter?), to assist them. Maybe the stars have been on those magazine programs and feel more comfortable with the hosts...I don't know.

I believe seeing Debra Messing in that gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress was worth the time spent watching it! The stars looked beautiful...(Sandra Oh's gown was a stand-out too!) The guys weren't bad either. The step to show off the great shoes was a nice addition.

As far as the awards go, it was a good show...I just had such a difficult time watching that movie..."No Country for Old Men" that I'm thinking with all the awards it's winning, it may encourage others to make more movies like that. But, then, maybe there aren't too many other wusses like me around.

Parlez vous francaise?

We went to see Forever Plaid this past weekend. It was a nice production...we enjoyed it, but I'm afraid seeing Jersey Boys kinda spoiled us. This was a dinner theatre production.

While we were chatting waiting for the show to start, we got on the subject of travel. Our friend said he and his wife (who was traveling on business) were considering going to Paris for their 25th wedding anniversary. I asked if they had been there before. He said, "Yes," and proceeded to give some tips that I thought would be useful if you were planning your first trip there.

He said there are only three fundamental things you should know in order to not fall into the "French people are so rude" trap. When you greet someone, whether it's in a retail store or on the street, you say, "Bonjour." Not "Hello." Not, "Hi." You say, "Bonjour." Then you can speak English all you want, but it's a polite acknowledgment that will go far.

Secondly, a common mistake is to call waiters "Garcon," which means "Boy." It's considered an insult. "Monsieur" is the proper address. They might even throw in an extra croissant.

Thirdly, don't expect waiters to hover over you or hurry you along after you've finished your
last bite like they might do here. You need to signal for them to come over to your table if you want a coffee refill or other service. The table is yours until you decide it's time to leave. (Isn't that refreshing?)

We haven't made it there yet, but several people I've talked with lately who have visited Paris loved it and are anxious to return. Maybe they talked to Tom before they went too.

The Secret to a Successful Marriage

"I found someone who could put up with me," Delta Burke said recently when asked the secret to her successful marriage to Gerald McRaney. Estelle Reiner put it another way, "Find someone who can stand you," which is a funnier line, which you might expect from the wife of Carl Reiner, mother of Rob, and who delivered that classic line in When Harry Met Sally, "I'll have what she's having." Yes, I believe it's as simple as that. You're lucky if you find it the first time around. If not, keep looking (if you are so inclined), and you'll find that special someone.

Speaking of When Harry Met Sally, I finally bought the soundtrack to the movie by Harry Connick, Jr. which has been on my list ever since I heard it at a friend's house a few years ago.
Harry was only 21 when the director, Rob Reiner, was introduced to his talent by a friend and decided he had to have him do the music for the film. Very inventive jazz pianist renditions of the standards. Nice.

A Good Read

If my friend, Laura, had not given it to me for Christmas, I might not have gotten around to reading this #1 New York Times bestseller, "eat pray love," by Elizabeth Gilbert, a 30- something journalist. (I'm so far behind on all my magazines.)

I was roaming around Costco yesterday, and I happened to see a lady looking at the book, and I said, "I'm almost finished with it...it's a good read." She said, "Well, I saw her on Oprah, and I didn't think she was my type of person." I said, "Well, she is different, but interesting." (I mean how many American women do you know who would fly to Indonesia, find a remote island there, and walk around the whole island day and night by herself?) She asked, "But did you learn anything?" "Most definitely...she takes you on her spiritual journey."

Well, I don't know whether or not the lady bought it, but I would recommend it. I found it highly entertaining. Liz, as she refers to herself, is intelligent, humorous and a great story teller. I was wondering whether or not men would like it, and then I read a quote from GQ that said "not just for the ladies, fellows!"

Cheers!

Happy New Year! I've never been one for non-alcoholic drinks...I mean, if it's a cocktail party, give me a glass of pinot grigio, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, etc. However, if you're serving guests, it's good to have one in your repertoire. I just discovered one that is served at

Blue on Blue in Beverly Hills, called "Mojito." It's pretty good.

2 tsp. mint (which grows wildly in our yard...accidentally, of course; otherwise intentionally we couldn't rely on it), splash of simple syrup (I used Karo...not knowing what "simple" means), Lime wedges, 2 oz. pomegranate juice and 4 oz. soda. You "muddle" the mint with a splash of simple syrup and three lime wedges in a glass. Fill glass with ice. Pour in pomegranate juice and soda. Garnish with lime wedge and a sprig

of mint. It's also pretty! Try it, you'll like it.

P. S. I just found out...Simple Syrup Recipe: Equal parts boiling water and sugar. Allow to cool before using. (I think Karo worked well!)

P.P.S. It must be good...my friend, Diana, to whom we served it, just emailed and asked for the recipe.