I was pretty much in shock over the realization that summer is officially over. Fortunately Center Theatre Group had a delightful brunch on the first of October to soften the blow. Check in please…

It’s always fun to see Peggy Collins. I told her I want to live in her closet which she said is being remodeled! Does that mean I can’t?

But first…feed us please.

This station was the most crowded!

If memory serves me…I went back for seconds.

It’s always so interesting to hear all about the coming seasons productions.

Veronica & I wanted to be sure we didn’t miss seeing Sweet Lynne Sims work in “The Plein Aires” exhibit at the Crain Art Gallery in the Crowell Public Library, so off we dashed to San Marino! I have such fond memories of curating two exhibits there…one for the studio class and the other for my students at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.

Bravo dear Lynne!

Next we went to Americana for dinner at Din Tai Fung but there was a 90 minute waiting time so we did a little retail therapy and then decided to just have dinner delivered! However, there was time to catch this adorable pup.

Did I say summer was over? Perhaps not because Valerie Foster Hoffman invited us to spend the day at the Beach Club, frolicking in the sand!

I was so happy she included Terri Childs as I’m a huge fan!

We had the best burgers ever….or was I just famished? You know, the beach air does give you an appetite!

So much fun!

As usual I snapped a lot of dogs but I’ll spare you. However…was this an Akita?

Veronica had the right idea and just chilled the whole time!

It wouldn’t be a day at the beach without great photos of the magnificent seagulls!

In case you’re needing an update on Farmer Nan…Here’s one of the celery grown from just a 2″ base.

And the zucchini continues to amaze…I will just caution you to be judicious in planting tomatoes as you’ll have so many you’ll be opening up an Italian restaurant!

I had to get another stacking bookcase for Amazon’s deliveries this year. Help!

Speaking of books…guess what arrived!

Wondrous Carol Soucek King’s long time friends Mary Jo and Marc have an open house every month where all friends are welcome. It’s an amazing bash and Carol thought it would be the perfect time and place to have a surprise birthday for our dear Curtis!

And here we are with our hosts…

I’ve never seen so much food…it’s sort of a pot luck with people bringing different dishes.

Actually Mary Jo, a true force of nature, prepares most of the dishes as you can see from this menu she created.

I know, pretty amazing! Not that there’s room but it’s time to cut the cake…

Love this photo of Lenore ‘Nino’ Wong. Head docent in the Chinese Garden at the Huntington.

And here we all are, fully sated…Sweet Patricia, Nino, birthday boy Curtis, Lovely Carol and yours truly!

I really love how Maryam and Kert have landscaped and lit the outside of their house.

They had a lovely dinner for Founder and Artistic Director of Camerata Pacifica and delightful Kate…

With amazing composer and musician Farzin Farhadi and his lovely wife Heady. Farzin’s jazz album, “The Cure” is up for several Grammy nominations! Bravo!!!

My favorite time…the second Sunday of the month when host Wondrous Carol Soucek King presents, as she has for the past 26 years, her ‘Salon on the Spiritually Creative Life’ which begin with 30 minutes of Healing Arts Practitioner Janet Martorello and her soothing Himalayan Singing Bowls.

Dean LeGrand Carlston,DDS, performed the opening song, ”Love One Another” which was most appropriate as the theme for this month’s Salon was “Love.”

The main presentation was “This Old House: A Love Affair With a Residential Treasure.” The ninety-four year old Thornton Gardens designed by architect Myron Hunt has been bequeathed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation by its owners Chuck and Geneva Thornton. They, along with architect Jan Furey Muntz told us of their decades-long odyssey restoring the estate. The video was created by award winning filmmaker/photographer Curtis McElhinney who led this month’s Salon on Love.

Musician Douglas Decker sang “I Cross My Heart”.

Russell Brown, Founder of FORT:LA shared his thoughts.

Raymond Neutra, MD offered an update on the Neutra Institute.

Thank you Susie Katharine Shaw for singing your composition “I Love You Salon Stars!”

Special thanks Dr. Eileen for the treat at Olive and Thyme and for the delightful time catching up! Time is rushing by… Note to self… Be sure to keep in touch with everyone!

Does this even begin to express my joy at seeing Lovely Marine???

And then to be able to say hi to her whole posse! Too much fun!!!

Coming home I got to watch part of the shoot in the studio for “Fuzzzy Tales,” the delightful children’s book written by Emmy Award-winner Dave Hanson and chamingly Illustrated by Story Artist and Filmmaker Isabella Spadone. The book is a joint production of Laughing Elephant Books and the Nan Rae Studio. It’s also set to release on November 1st! Watch for more to follow!

Well I see I’ve gone on quite a bit so I’ll close out the middle of October with the Calligraphy class held in the studio the third Saturday of each month. We’re honored to have Artist in Residence at the Huntington, Master Calligrapher Qingnian Tang as our teacher!

The class was small but mighty this month with many students on vacation.

Lenore ‘Nino’ Wong, Head Docent for the Chinese Garden at the Huntington told us about some of the features in the upcoming exhibit.

After class Sweet Violet gifted me with the two children’s books on Chinese idioms that she created with illustrations based on what she learned in our Brush painting classes…. So proud!

For now, I send you all my love from the Pumpkin Patch!