CLARA'S BEAUTIFUL NEW HOME

 I was so happy when Clara told me she had found the perfect home not only for herself but also for her parents when they visit from China.  It was exciting to go to Santa Monica and be in her beautiful new nest.

Is this the face of joy or what!!! We had great fun sampling different kinds of tea and a lovely  cake with whipped cream and fresh fruit Clara got just for me from ‘Sweet Lady Jane Bakery’ on Montana in Santa Monica.

The colors Clara used in her home are so exquisite I’m going to have to go back and photograph them.  They just send you to a place of serenity.

Time to eat…..Clara treated me to 'Sushi King' which is worth the drive to Santa Monica.

Seems Nikka and I have found the perfect spot to ‘chill out’ with Tina Marie!  The Beverly Hills Hotel.

 Amazing things always seem to happen and none more so than when Tina received this complimentary champagne from a ‘secret admirer’.  No joke!

 Back to planet earth and lunch with Molly before she and Victor are off again to their condo in Mexico.  Meeting at Bar Verde (the patio area) is a good half way point.

 I forgot the wonderful salad we had but did take a photo of this.  Molly’s idea…..not mine!

 Next stop 'Din Tai Fung’ to get some take out pork dumplings and their amazing garlic green beans.

 O.K., let’s talk Easter.  Seems like the butcher’s at Whole Foods had no idea what I was talking about when I said I wanted a ‘Spring Lamb’.  I finally connected and got a leg of lamb from Australia, had it boned and lightly tied.  I’m going to spare you the details but will say it was more grizzle than anything.  Major disappointment as is the remodeled store.  More like a Ralph’s now. Also, they no longer sell pate by the block but have awful pre-packaged stuff.

 Back to lovelier thoughts.  Sweet Diana always goes to Farmer’s Market to get me a posy before class.  This Lavendar was exquisite.

 Sandie Girl wanted to paint Sunflowers and everyone enjoyed it.

 On to Easter Sunday.  We had the most beautiful table EVER thanks to dear Amy at Le Jardin Privé.  New name, same exquisite flowers!

Waiting for guests Tina Marie, Mary and Keith.  Can you believe I didn’t take photo’s of everyone or the food……I’m shocked!

 Thank you for the wonderful Easter Basket Tina Marie.  Special thanks for the Rubber Ducky to add to my collection!

 Mary you were so sweet to bring this and good thing you brought the chicken as Whole Foods let me down with that lamb.

 Kita got a great shank bone for Easter and has not let it out of her sight carting it about and staring at it.

 I love the special perks….LA Opera’s Founder’s Luncheon for the Bella Voce Society followed by a performance by students of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program.

 I had an extra ticket and asked Carol if she’d like to go but her attorney beat me to it. She’s sharing a laugh with Sally Beaudet.

 This was amazing to me.  A photo of yours truly out of the hundreds of people who attend Carol’s ‘Salon through the past 22 years in the current issue of ‘ARROYO’ a Pasadena monthly magazine.  I’ve been honored to speak at the Salon twice….Once on the amazing book ‘SUMA the ELEPHANT’.

 I don’t know….Kita never pays this kind of attention to me.  Just saying…...

 Wonderful Tom……Wonderful Calligraphy class……Hi Violet!

 Calligraphy here & then I had an appointment.  In between we had a phone call. “Are you a card store?” ' No says I but we do have cards'.  Short story, she had been at a wedding & needed a card for the reception at 6:00.  I told her to come over and we’d do a custom card for her.  Of course she could have been an ax murderer (as could we) or a home invasion scheme.  I was told that she thought O.K., if I don’t get ‘bad vibes’ I’ll go in.  We had the grandest time, Nikka did a lovely card that we gifted her with. Here’s Bridget, our new friend!

On Sunday I had gotten home from that amazing day I just blogged about….

…..changed my clothes and to my great delight….Martin stopped by  to say hello with girlfriend Nicole and Lab Jasper in tow.  Just here for 3 days from Boston and hours away from catching a plane back.

 Martin started working for me packing cards when he was 15.  I was his very first employer and he says the best!  I’m so proud of him and the amazing work he’s doing on the job in Boston.

Just time enough for Nicole to visit the studio….

 I’ll close with new neighbor Tulip, a sweet rescue senior Pit Bull.  I already love her dearly and delight when she wags her tail to greet me.  Tulip is the recipient of many treats which concerns Kita greatly.

May we continually find ourselves ‘rescued' and receiving many treats!

A PERFECT DAY

 I’ll catch up with everything later but I wanted to write about yesterday while it’s still fresh in my minds eye. (I had to take a picture of this Art Center College directional sign as that’s where Charles and I met.  Awwwwww……)

It began with meeting Carol at her house so she could drive to the ‘Neutra Institute Museum and Gallery' in Silverlake. I parked my car there and off we went.

Architectural designer and artist Seda Saar’s exhibit was opening and also Carol had suggested I talk to Dion Neutra, son of famed architect Richard Neutra and legendary in his own right, about possibly holding an exhibit of my work there.  I felt the space was too industrial for myself or for an exhibit of students work but it was interesting none the less.

Seda Saar, Roy Oldenkamp, Curator with myself and Carol Soucek King

Dion Neutra and Seda Saar discussing the uses of sustainable materials in architecture.

Awesome Marsha Ramos had given me two tickets to the Theodore Payne Foundation’s 2016 Native Plant Garden Tour.  

We had such a short amount of time left so I suggested to Carol that we go to one of the locations of the some 9 in her area.  We selected the 'Pasadena Casting Club' on the South Arroyo in Pasadena. I can’t begin to describe what a hidden gem this is.  There’s a wildflower meadow that completely dazzles this time of year with perennials year-round. I noted several people with bows and arrows so Carol told me there’s also an archery range as well as stables where you can ride English or Western.

With two Engelmann oaks and a wonderful casting pool it’s a little bit of heaven in Pasadena.  I’m embarrassed to say I had no clue what a casting pool was.  Do you?

People take their fishing poles and practice their casting!  Should I add duh??? ( I thought it had something to do with ‘Casting for Hollywood’.  Sooooo embarrassing!

This ‘rescue’ Italian Mastiff was having the time of his life playing ‘retrieve the stick’ and I was so charmed by it I wanted to talk to his owners.

Here’s his ‘parents’ Paula and Ben with their three month old little one.  They had just recently moved to the area and it was absolutely delightful talking with them.

I have to say this quiet time in the park did something wonderful deep inside me and so I’m going to suggest you go adventuring to beautiful places in nature where you will be able to reflect and have that quiet moment we all so need.

FINDING JOY IN OUR PURPOSE

Absolutely everyone has a purpose! Painting is my ‘work’ but I’ve found that my purpose in life is teaching and it’s in teaching that I find my greatest joy.  Here are a few moments in the past two weeks that I have loved. I used to teach a Landscape class at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino in addition to the regular Floral series that I teach but it became too much to go there twice a month.  There were so many requests for the Landscape class that I decided to hold it in the Studio on the second Wednesday of each month.

 This month’s Landscape subject was ‘Mists’.

 It happened to fall on Nancy Weeks birthday so she baked a cake for everyone….imagine that!  Nancy is also a student in Shantien ‘Tom’ Chow’s Calligraphy class held in the Studio on the first Saturday of each month.

 The Wisteria bloomed on the walkway and it was so wonderful I had to have it as the Floral subject in the Studio.

 Lynne Tucker was in class from Palm Springs and had requested a Bamboo review as well.

 You may remember ’SUMA the ELEPHANT’  the little book I illustrated that went on to win a Benjamin Franklin Award in N.Y. for the illustrations.  Dear Carol Soucek King had the topic for her Sunday Salon be on ‘Possibility’ which was the third chapter of her book ’UNDER THE BRIDGES at ARROYO DEL REY’. That chapter was based in large part on a talk I gave at the Salon on ‘Suma’ a few years ago so it was a joy to be present and add my few thoughts to the discussion.

 There were more than fifty people at the Salon and all with thoughtful ideas to share with the group.

 Following that it was time to go to LACMA with Amy to deliver this exquisite bouquet to Reza.  It was to be presented to Mamak Khadem, the beautiful star of the Nowruz celebratory concert.

 See………….

 The new name for Amy’s business is 'LE JARDIN PRIVE’ thanks to Reza who we knew to ask for an amazing French name!  New name, same exquisite creations!!! Amy of course is another example of finding your joy through your purpose.

 Afterwards we shared a shortrib sandwich and kale salad at Ray’s.  Just a thought…It’s better to eat in the LACMA cafe on the weekends as Ray’s has a shortened menu.

 Class at the Huntington Botanical Gardens is always pure joy and especially so when old students drop by to say hello.  Jody was so cute in bringing me a belated Christmas treat!

 This has got to be one of the most delightful Goldfish I have ever seen and the joy it gave me is inexpressible.  Eleven year old Franciska was my prize student!

 Actually everyone did quite well.  Ralph had requested Shrimp which we did along with Lobsters and Crabs before happy Goldfish!

 Special thanks to Colleen who collected these beauties from the chickens on her ranch!  Sooooo  exciting & delicious too! Glad I had this little stand for them as I’m told not to refrigerate or rinse until using.

 O.K., lets put beautiful friendships right up at the top of the list in living joyfully.  This photo says it all.  Delightful tea time with Bridget and Maria at  the ‘Tea Rose Garden’ on Raymond in Pasadena.

 May your walk in your purpose and may your joy be full…...

SERENDIPITY LEADS TO JOYFUL ADVENTURES!

Yes, I do tend to wander off if something catches my eye but that’s how all of my amazing adventures have happened as I told Jane Verrill, here on business for Harvard University, as we shared tea and reminisced at the Peninsula Hotel.  Tea time is made especially pleasurable when it’s on Lissi Kaplan’s exquisite china pieces she hand paints for the hotel.

Back to serendipity and a grand adventure.  I had been staying in Cannes years ago and took the train to Monte Carlo meeting two new ‘friends’ on the train.  As you know, Monte Carlo is a beautiful, perfect, postage sized city and being in the town square you’ve just about seen it.  As we were standing there I spied a ponytail that I recognized as it disappeared into the building ahead of us and I told the two to follow me.  Well, they completely chickened out so off I went. Recognize where I am? It’s the Casino at Monte Carlo!

Into the building dashed the ponytail disappearing into a nondescript back door.  Of course I scurried off, hot on the trail and followed up some rather dark stairs.  I thought I might be going to some secret gambling section of the Casino.  At the top of the stairs I was halted by an imperious gentlemen in formal black tie who informed me I could go no further without a ticket.  Now you know at this point that I was determined so back down I went to the caged booth to get a ‘ticket’.  As you have to pay an entrance fee to gamble in the casino I thought this was just a pricier ‘back room’ place.  The woman in the ‘cage’ told me my Swiss Francs were NO GOOD & I had to go outside and exchange them for French francs at the moneychangers.  (Still with me?)  Outside, s’il vous plait !  Mind you I do not speak French but can get by pretty well….at least so far.

French Francs in hand I’m back to get my ‘ticket’ and return up those dark stairs where I was given a gilt chair and told to wait.  Are you ready?

When the door opened I was ushered to my seat in the most beautiful jewel like opera hall I have ever seen and when I sat down, I turned around and waved at that ponytail attached to….

 

.wait for it…

.wait…

wait….

……Karl was seated in Princess Grace’s box!

Well, there’s quite a bit more to the adventure but I’ll stop with telling you the charming group that I met who sat behind me took me back stage after the performance to meet all the principals!

 

So curiosity with a dollop of bravery will take you on the most fantastic journeys .  After all, isn’t that how I became best friends with The Cookie Monster?

Wishing you grand adventures!