BUTTERFLY WISHES MAKING A GRAND SEND OFF

 Well you saw the preparation for the celebration of my mom’s life so here’s the wonderful event starting with grand flowers from Amy at Le Jardin Privé!! Mom’s favorite color was yellow!!!

 Valerie, our beautiful ‘Hostess With the Mostess’ helps Amy place all the arrangements.

My dear and precious Lisa Bowman sang at our wedding.  No surprise there as she was one of the stars of ‘A Chorus Line’!  Lisa not only got the musicians for our celebration, she supervised their setting up! Watch for a photo of Patricia, our amazing singer, later in this blog…..
Amy you’re beautiful and wonderful, talented and creative beyond description….
 Here’s Valerie with her incredibly amazing staff, getting ready to provide delicious yummies for all the guests…..

 The tables in the garden were so lovely, each having it’s own elegant china pattern and crystal goblets…..All the tables and chairs belong to Valerie….no rentals here.  That sort of tells you how used she is to pulling off an event such as this!

This table’s china even had butterflies on it!Dear Josie, the best chef in the world (along with being the sweetest) ……..



I don’t know why Andrew didn’t get photos of the tables laden with deliciousness…...


Let the celebration begin!

 Nikka was at the entrance to the garden with the basket filled with 100 butterflies waiting to be released with wishes…..Dear Clara is about to receive hers!

Everyone received a butterfly still encased in it’s little box along with instructions to release the butterfly upon entering the garden.  This was crucial as they had to be set free before sundown in order for there to be enough warmth to fill up their wings to fly.

Dan Brumer gets proper instructions!
 Nikka made sure she released one too!

 I do believe Beautiful Susi actually had a conversation with hers….

 It was such a joy to have dear Danielle, Jim Folsom’s #1 at the Huntington join us.  Danielle has been my angel there since 1994….imagine!

Precious Bridget with her beautiful long flowing locks and fairytale pink dress is in the view to the seating area from the gardens extension which is home to delightful chickens and bees!  If you ask for some honey or eggs you just might get lucky.
Mary and Dr. Keith take it all in….

 Bill Guy chats it up with Laurie Pie and handsome hubby Dan…...

 Love this shot of Amy taking a photo of Lisa and her butterfly before it sails off….

This photo of Precious Carol is so dear for me because of the memorable picture of her making a wish to her butterfly at Charles and my wedding….In the background you can see Olga and George talking with Farnaz.  Andrew….We needed pictures of everyone!!!
 And here she is.  Multi-talented Patricia who brilliantly entertained us throughout the evening.  Thank you Patricia!

 Dr. Stan and wife Helene, long time friends of mom…..Helene said she wore that same outfit to mom’s 100th….I think there was something different for the 90th!

 How can I even begin to thank these two.  Dr’s David and Eileen who did yeoman’s duty helping me at mom’s and always being there for countless other things….they are amazing, kind and loving!

 These two cuties, Sue and Steve, are from mom’s building where they all formed a love connection.

 I’m not even going to try to express how I love Marine and Aram my new heaven sent neighbors. They and their family are the loveliest souls one could ever hope to know.  When mom left us, Aram came to my house and asked if there was anything he could do….You just don’t forget things like that!  I just wish Marine’s adorable sister Eliza and Tyler her great guy had been in town!

 Dr. Farnaz and I have shared many a meaningful evening and how wonderful to introduce her to Precious Patricia the sweetest of the sweet.  I so love them both!
Haaaaa……Long time student Ralph and somewhat new but already dear to my heart bestie Maggie sit it out for a bit with Prince, all fluffed and puffed for the evening….

 If you’ve seen my studio it’s time you see my brilliant architect Monique Schenk with wonderful hubby Ron Vock.  We’ve remained friends and I love to remember how pregnant Monique was when the project was nearing completion and she had to climb the stairs…….I just wrote a letter to Gabby, Monique’s lovely mother, living in Switzerland, who remembers lunches with mom.

 Kind and brilliant Michael and Hildegard,long time friends who also knew mom…….

 Now this is something really special.  Grandmaster Don Baird, world famous owner of the American School of Martial Arts kungfukarate.com and also the Academy of Kung Fu in Palmdale, shares a moment with me.  I can’t begin to describe the high esteem he is held in by countless people…..

 The three Amigos!  Lovely Bridget, Amy and Maria on the right.  Maria is also a Grandmaster, Don’s wife and partner in every endeavor!  How I love them all!

 After this blog finishes I’m going to start one on Debbie Korbel, ‘Artist Extraordinaire’! Debbie says on her website, www.debbiekorbel.com ,

"Or maybe making art is a bit of a compulsion, channeled into a healthier behavior than excessive hand-washing or collecting a giant ball of string. Or perhaps it is like an instinctual drive. Food. Sex. Art. 

Anyway, luckily I became a sculptor, and not a drug addict or a career criminal."

And just think, this awesome sculptor began her journey with my Brush painting class but more on that coming soon….Here’s Debbie with Ed, her ever so supportive husband and all around great guy!

Time to look at another lovely table….
 Do I have to even mention how much I adore and respect Lovely Lissi, creator of the most exquisite hand painted china (remember my photo’s taken during tea times at The Peninsula?) with beautiful Valerie and ever stylish Angel.

Oh my goodness, long time student and friend Kathy, another gifted artist, with great hubby David chat it up with brilliant Satinder and creatively adorable Lulu! Check out Kathy Wong Artist on Facebook!
 Repeating myself, I wish we had better photos of the delicious food.  You saw the menu in the first blog.  There isn’t even a picture of the memorable chocolate cake and other dessert goodies….


 Let’s hear if for some crowd scenes.  Can you find yourself?

Here’s Andrew, our photographer who apparently was just having too much fun chatting it up with the guests.  Can’t say I blame him as Charlie and Bonnie are about the most interesting and interested people on planet earth.  They were with the group I led to Japan and added so much to it.  I’m also proud to say one of my scrolls hangs in their Tatami room.
 Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking….'Remembering Rosella, A World of Thanks’… https://youtu.be/1jBPl_M_mCE

 Time to give thanks to everyone who made the evening so memorable….


 I bet they’re wondering when I’ll stop…….

 This is the only photo I have of Dear Dr. Jerry and his precious Alice…...

 Oh my….am I still talking?

 Nikka designed two wonderful posters.  This one shows all of the lovely people who knew mom and in the center is her favorite Emerson quote which was also included in the gift boxes of cards designed with mom’s art work that were given to all the guests as they left.


Of course we had to have a poster all about mom!
And here is my mother’s life-long favorite quote:

TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY

Finish each day and be done with it, you have done what you could.  

Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is another day, begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.  

The day is all that is good and fair.  It is too dear with its hopes and invitations to waste a moment on the yesterdays.

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

A HUNDRED BUTTERFLIES SEND LOVING WISHES

Many of you know that in July my dear mother left peacefully in her sleep, the veil of this life lifting away to leave all those who knew her somehow less and somehow more.  Perhaps that is the mystery of life.  In any event, I had been asked by so many if there would be a memorial service and nothing seemed to fit.  My mother was strong, living life on her terms but at the same time, a lover of all things tender and beautiful.  A real Yin Yang... so what was needed was a joyful celebration of her long and most interesting life. But I had no idea what or how that should be accomplished.
Don’t you love aha moments?  I certainly do and one morning in a flash of insight I knew instantly what should be done.  If you’ve followed my blog, you’ve seen many postings of parties given by 'The Hostess With The Mostest', my extraordinary friend Valerie Foster Hoffman. When I read a copy of a note mom had written Valerie rhapsodizing about the lovely party she had given for my birthday and how Valerie was such a thoughtful, loving hostess it all became clear.  I phoned Valerie telling her I’d be close by the next day and asked if I could drop by to discuss something AFTER lunch. Well….I was stunned beyond description to be greeted by the most lovely tea setting by Chef Josie, and feeling both girlie and elegant.

Thank you talented Josie!

Slightly spoiled?  No.  Greatly!
When I proposed the idea of holding the celebration in Valerie’s home she didn’t hesitate a moment and in fact mentioned ‘Butterflies’ which was what we always called my mother ….’The Butterfly’! Valerie has an amazing staff and the next thing to do was to have a meeting with Valerie, Chef Josie and Assistant Helga to discuss the menu and logistics.  Amy was to be included as her extraordinary flowers were called for.
At that meeting we decided on a color theme for the tables and Amy’s beautiful flowers.

Another member of the team wanted in on the voting.The menu was decided upon:
Appetizers to be passed about (Everyone wants the recipe for Josie’s cheese puffs!)
Grilled Salmon
Slow Cooked Beef Brisket
Honey Baket Ham & Condiments (Mustard, Mayo, Chutney)
Au Gratin Potatoes
Marinated Grilled Vegetables
Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, Butter
Mesclun Salad with Candied Pecans, Dates, Goat Cheese & Raspberry Vinaigrette
Fresh Fruit
Cheese Plate
Chocolate Layer Cake
Frosted Brownies
Lemon Crisp Cookies
Prosecco Sparkling Wine
Cranberry Juice, Sparkling Water
Coffee, Tea
I then went with Josie and Helga to decide where and how everything would be set up in the garden and determining the number of staff needed for the evening along with the valets required.

After all the suggestions, discussing and finalizing, Amy & I were treated to a lovely lunch prepared by Josie and served in another area of the garden.



When we left, it was time for Josie to walk Prince and Vanessa.So far….so good.  Time for Nikka to send out the ‘Save the Date’ announcements and then start work on designing the invitations.  The most complicated project was putting together two posters, one to be photos of friends and the second, moments in mom’s life.  No easy task getting that all together.
I then prevailed on dear Lisa Bowman who sang at our wedding, to find a singer and accompanist.  Boy, can I ever delegate!
When Charles and I were married we had our guests release butterflies and it was such a memorable event it only seemed fitting that I do the same for the celebration for my mom.  A hundred butterflies were ordered but I will caution you….If you want to have Monarchs you have to order months in advance as we were only able to get 3!
The butterflies arrive the day before the event with instructions on keeping them in their somnolent state.  In other words you’re baby sitting a box of butterflies for 24 hours, changing the ice packs in the box every 12 hours!



I then chose assorted greeting cards for party favors. Charles had made cards from mom’s original work done when she attended my classes and I also included three sketches that mom had done in high school.  I was stunned by them and will tell you honestly I could not have done this while I was in high school!!


We also included mom’s favorite quote from Emerson which I will show you in the next blog.  The boxes were wrapped with yellow ribbons and embellished with butterflies…..but of course!
To be continued…………...