October Festive, Falling Leaves and a Bowl of Saki

I love seasonal decorating and fall is no different. I am not so into the scary decorations but a little spookiness is OK and I love crows! My friend Evelyn had one on her porch and I have been on a hunt for one ever since. Even my neighbor got one last year! 

I bought this twig wreath and added a couple of fall touches including pretty wire ribbon. I love ribbon and have since I was a little girl. I freaked out when I walked into a store in LA that has a WALL of ribbon. I was beside myself! Anyway, I digress ...

Ahhhh ribbon ...

I couldn't resist the Martha Stewart crow silhouettes! 

My neighbor and I sort of coordinate but like to keep it simple. Or at least I'd call it simple. I guess that is up for debate.

I finally found a crow! A three dimensional one, that is. He's small but very cute on his fairy tale pumpkin. :)

My neighbor's crow. By the way, he has his place for sale and I can't imagine anyone else living here now! Will my next neighbor decorate with me and have pasta nights and watch Dancing With the Stars with me? Hmm...

Out our beautiful window. The building was built in 1940, in case anyone is curious. ;)

My Japanese tea saucer is perfect for a fall candle, no?

My new fall "back to school" shoes! OK, not really "back to school" but aren't they fun? I love leopard print and in my opinion, it goes with everything ... except maybe zebra.

I took a million pictures last weekend, hanging out with my nephew (who is 7 and has me making a scary movie with him on my dad's video camera - more on that later) picking out pumpkins at the pumpkin patch, and going to a ceremony for his new taekwondo belt. I also managed to go on the Ojai Artists' Studio tour Saturday and hit up 9 artist studios! 

Many posts on the way ... finally!

Love this youtube video of Yves Montand! Enjoy!

Every day I get a "bowl of Saki." 

Do you? 

It's an actually an email with a beautiful Sufi teaching, 

that you can subscribe to by email.

This is an edited version of what what is in my inbox yesterday...

Love itself is the healing power and the remedy for all pain.
                        Bowl of Saki, October 15, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
There is no greater power than love. All strength comes with the awakening of love in the heart. ... If there is any protecting influence in the world, it is no other than love. In all aspects of life, wherever we find protection, its motive is always love, and no one can have trust in any protection, however great, except the protection that love offers. If a giant were to frighten a child, the child would say, 'I will tell my mother.' The strength and power of any man is too small in comparison with love's protection which the mother affords her child. Love can heal better than anything in the world.   from  http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/V/V_19.htm


Behind all this world of various names and forms there is one life, there is one spirit. This spirit which is the soul of all beings is attracted towards unity, and it is the absence of this spirit which keeps the world unhappy. To a person who has just had some unpleasantness with his brother or sister, his food is tasteless, the night without sleep, the heart restless, the soul under a cloud. This shows that we do not necessarily live on food; our soul lives on love, the love that we receive and the love that we give. The absence of this is our unhappiness, and the presence of it is all we need.   from  http://wahiduddin.net/mv2/X/X_5_7.htm

If you want a bowl of Saki too, just click this link here, scroll down and type in your email. :)

Blessings and light!

The Early Fall Mix

Club Secretary: I say, Lawrence. You are a clown!
T.E. Lawrence: Ah, well, we can't all be lion tamers. 

~Lawrence of Arabia

I have been making "to do" lists and trying to get things in order. September will always feel like the the beginning of the year to me, time to start projects and get things going and all in order. As I have said, I'm sure this is a left-over from childhood and always starting school in September.

I took these rose photos this morning, before finally getting rid of them ... something still so beautiful about them, no?

Anyway, among other things on my "to do" list ... making dentist and dermatology appointments, as well as going my check up at Cedars Sinai. (Went fine, by the way!) The one good thing about going to Cedars, is that afterward I treat myself to lunch at Lemonade on Beverly Blvd. Mmmmm.

They have all of these amazing salads and you can order the 2 salad combo, but have them split it, to get four items. The photo isn't great but the food is! From the left, arugula with feta and figs, avocado and tomato salad, rice nicoise salad with salmon, and then a chicken salad with mango. YUM! OK, I know this was information overkill but if you are ever in the neighborhood, you should give it a try!

My favorite thing on my to do list, was that I took my grandfather's watch, that had been sitting in a box for decades, and had it had it serviced and oiled (and whatever else they do), and got a new watchband for it. I have hardly taken it off ! I love feeling my grandpa is with me, in such an immediate way. (It's on my wrist right now!)

 

Yes, more Chinatown pics. I couldn't resist. I came out of the picture framer's and there was this gorgeous sunset!

I was famished because I had driven straight over after work. Although it's Chinatown, there are a lot of Vietnamese Pho places and one is right next door to my framing place. I use a little soy sauce and a whole lot of the hot chili sauce! I am a big fan of condiments. 

They brought fresh Thai basil to throw in. Mmmmm.

Another thing that happened in September, was that I finally heard that my non profit (theatre company) I started back in 1999 is officially dissolved. It took almost a year and a half of dealing with three government agencies to get it done. It was a royal pain in the neck! What a huge relief though, to have it  finished up!! 

We had a good little sum of money in the bank, that needed to be donated to another charity, and we chose Art of Elysium.

Art of Elysium is a non profit that works with kids and brings art programs to kids that are in the hospital and having health challenges.

I brought them the check on a Monday and it turned out they were having one of their yearly fundraisers, Genesis, with art by some of the kids, musicians, artists' demos, food and cocktails, as well as little "swag" bags. (Apparently, this happens a lot here in Hollywood - the gift bag thing.)

Anyway, the tickets weren't cheap but since I'd donated those funds they invited me to come and bring a friend, which was nice, because the previous Friday night I was home eating carbs and watching Miss Austen Regets. ;)

Artist Gregory Siff

The art wall ...

Here I am with my swag bag, in my sister's embroidered silk dress (that I could not believe that I actually fit into right now!) in front of some t-shirts that the kids had designed.

 

fun little take home goodies ...

Here is an interview with the founder Jennifer Howell at a previous event, 

explaining what the organization does.

Last week was the 50th Anniversary of Lawrence of Arabia and they screened the movie -newly restored- last Friday night, all around the country. I know it's crazy but I had never seen the movie in its entirety, so I thought seeing it on the big screen was an opportunity that I could not pass up!

My other motivation was this guy. Oh my word. I heart Omar Sharif! They also played documentaries about the making of the film before it started. There was also a doc about the restoration, an interview with Marin Scorsese and an little intro by Omar Sharif, now 80 years old. Everyone in the audience sighed and let out an "awe." Anyway, I thought I'd leave you with some Lawrence of Arabia eye candy. :)

I mean, seriously? Good gravy. 

For more on the film and its restoration, check out this New York Times article.

With all the things I am doing, I am trying to remember to be in the moment, to pray and to meditate. Sometime it's easier said than done but I like this quote that I posted on my Inspiration ~ Spirit  Pinterist board and I think it says it all.

You should sit in meditation

for twenty minutes every day-

Unless you're too busy;

then you should sit for an hour.

~Old Zen adage

Hope you are enjoying the beginnings of fall! 

Can't wait to come around and see what y'all are up to!

Aubergines (and making things complicated)

I can't believe it was a year ago, I was already a month into my watercolor class! Our first homework assignment was to draw a piece a fruit or a vegetable, with light and shadow and a sense of three dimensionality.  I happened to have two eggplant that my dad had picked from their garden, so I went with those.

Once I got started, I realized I was making things more complicated than I really needed to. An apple would have been much simpler! Eggplant are shiny and reflective and I was doing not one but two of them! Why? To show off my "mad skills" at portraying the shiny skin? Prove something to myself? I don't know but I am glad I took the more challenging route. It was more interesting and I love going completely macro on details. That sort of says a lot about me. 

Yes, sometimes I do make things more complicated and challenging than they really need to be ... but often it's just more fun and interesting that way! At 43, why not embrace it? We all have quirks and perhaps we're just designed that way. So, right now, I am just going with it! I am, however, going simplify my life in certain areas, in places that will free me up, to really go for it in the places where I choose to challenge myself, and just revel in those places I like to make things complicated.

Not sure if any of that made sense outside of my own head, but there you have it!

Having said all that, there is a simplicity to this little drawing, don't you think?  ;)

Two Eggplant, graphite on paper 2011

Above all, challenge yourself.

You may well surprise yourself at what strengths you have,

what you can accomplish.

~Cecile Springer

I have been trying to get myself in the fall mood. Difficult when it's still in the 90s here, so I have been making a pin board on Pinterest of my favorite fall images and paintings ... trying to will the weather to cool off!! 

Music almost always helps me get into a season. It creates such a strong sense memory! 

I can't remember if I've shared this before but twenty-some years ago, living in San Diego, my dad came to visit me one fall. We went to Horton Plaza, where I worked (at The Gap), and we went into the Nature Company (remember those stores?) and they were playing this beautiful piano music by John Boswell. We each got cassette and I listened to it all that fall (in between listening to Pink Floyd, Cat Stevens and the Grateful Dead with my roommates.)

Anyway, it still sounds and feels like fall to me. Here is a song from that album, "The Painter." Hope you enjoy it.

Blessings and  light!

Have a beautiful week!

Oh! And I still get eggplant from my dad so any recipe ideas are welcome! :)

Klimt at the Getty Center

All art is erotic.

~Gustav Klimt

Yay! I made it! The Klimt exhibition at The Getty Center ends this weekend but my friend Malaika and I made it under the wire! It was especially great because not only do we both love his drawings (which was whey were exhibiting) but I hadn't gone an done anything with her outside of a group in ... a year? Two? Honestly, I can't remember. Her parents run the Wizard of Art where I teach, so once in a blue moon we all go to happy hour but even that is rare, so this was extra special.

Yay!!! I love his drawings!!! Sorry, I couldn't take pictures!

Here is a film that was shown in the exhibit which includes many of the pieces in the show. Enjoy! If it doesn't work, click HERE to see it on the website.

As you can see, it was a gorgeous day! Last time I was there the garden was closed ... not this time! 

I love museum gift shops but they are quite dangerous. I managed not to go nuts this time and just picked up postcards, from the exhibit, to send to my nieces at school in New York, and a little birthday gift for my sis. Fortunately, I already have Klimt books, including a rather extensive one of his drawings, so it was easy to not get tempted by the catalog, this time. Phew!

My favorite iPhone photo of the day. :)

Whoever wants to know something about me - 

as an artist which alone is significant - they should look attentively at my pictures

and there seek to recognize what I am and what I want.

~Gustav Klimt

Have an amazing weekend everyone!

Blessings and light!

Movie Props and a Vintage Vibe

As I have mentioned before, certain places in town make me feel like I've gone on on a little trip. (Can you tell I miss traveling?!) That's one of the reasons I always love going to China Town. I went down there a couple of weeks ago with my parents, to go to my framers, and my mom and I had sent my dad across the street to get a broom and some almond cookies. Turns out that they were doing a reshoot for the Sean Penn/Ryan Gosling movie "Gangster Squad" and they were using the courtyard area in China town. Of course, being that the movie takes place in the 1940s, we had to check it out.

What was amazing was what their art director and props department had done. There were vintage cars and all sorts of wonderful antiques and vintage goods that might have been sold in 1940s Chinatown. I was so bummed my camera was at home! Fortunately, I had my camera phone and was able to get a few shots before the battery died!

Anyway, I found a couple of the props people and I said "This looks amazing! You guys are doing a great job! Where did you find all this great stuff?" One young woman beamed, "Thank you! Every prop house in the city!"

Sometimes I just love L.A.

I love this car!!!!

If you want to check out cutie-pie Ryan Gosling in his 1940s garb click here.

Here is the Trailer ...

Though Gangster Squad has some great actors and looks like a good film ... I am not sure I can handle that kind of violence. Maybe home where I can mute the sound!

Here are two films I can't wait to see!!!
(just put in the new Lincoln trailer that was just posted a couple hours ago!!!)

Hyde Park is based on a visit that the King and Queen of England made to the United States in 1939, so in the spirit of that, and to get you into the vintage vibe with me, here is a sweet little ditty...

Hope you are all doing great!!
Blessings and light!