After a teary goodbye to our precious Kita the Akita, we had to do the Huntington’s Holiday Market the very next day! Actually, that was a good thing as it got our minds to a busy place! The Market is such a joy because I get to hug so many dear friends! Awesome Curtis and Yi Lin helped so much that I can’t even begin to describe it!

Wondrous Carol Soucek King is always so supportive, and I’m beyond grateful!

It was great fun seeing Pam from the Huntington Brush painting class. She’s Chief Welder on the La Canada float for the Rose Parade!

And of course dear Barbara Motin.

I’m in awe of Robert Hori, Curator of the Japanese Garden and all things Japanese at the Huntington.

Adorable artist and sculptor extraordinaire Patricia Ferber is always a delight! I was so honored to have her purchase ‘The Ch’i of the Brush‘!

Awesome Brenda Cooper, Emmy Award-Winning stylist for ‘The Nanny.’ Brenda’s book, ‘The Silhouette Solution‘ is fabulous and every fashionista needs it!!! I have my copy!

Fascinating ‘Gal About Town’ Anna O’Brien!

Emmy Award-Winning writer Dave Hanson, author of ‘FuzZzy Tale‘.

I so love my precious new neighbors, Maria and Val with their more than adorable Emilia and David!

Neighbor Aram stopped by for boxes of greeting cards for lovely wife Marine!

This new customer said my book ‘What If…‘ changed his life. Talk about a humbling experience!

You remember darling intern Sophie…well there’s something amazing that happened when she and her parents stopped by. The reveal later!

This was absolutely the best Holiday Market ever so off to celebrate at ‘Via Selfie’ to celebrate with dear Curtis and Yi-Lin who helped so very much!

Sooooo good!

O.K., back to Intern Sophie and her parents. When they stopped by at the Huntington Market, Veronica told them about saying goodbye to Kita. Well, they immediately informed her that a breeder of Goldendoodles who’s a friend of theirs has puppies and they’re the best in the world and have fantastic breeding lines. What could we do….clearly it was off to Monrovia to meet the puppies!

We were smitten, so we went home with the adorable fluffer!

Goldendoodle Somi is so smart, she learned her name the first day along with sit and down knows her bed and always uses a pee pad! Precious Emilia and David wrote the sweetest notes for Kita, bringing them over with wind chimes to commemorate her and a yummy pumpkin pie!

Boy were they ever surprised to meet Somi!

I absolutely love, love, love Thanksgiving! I love the preparations, the cooking, and especially the gathering together of dear friends. Shopping for ingredients is so much fun, and my fave is picking out unusual cheeses and olives at Whole Foods! Usually, I start 3 or 4 days ahead and make the cranberries, and the next day, I make the bread, onions, and celery for the stuffing, followed by a wonderful spiced fruit. The day before, I also put the stuffing ingredients together and baked. Yummy sweet potatoes are made the day of. Please let me know if you want any recipes…I’ve used the same ones for years, and some years even include an old-fashioned three-layered jello mold! With expecting 17, I cooked the largest turkey ever….23 lbs. from Whole Foods!

Dear Izabela and Wayne brought an exquisite floral arrangement that became the centerpiece on the larger table.

15 weeks of adorableness!!!

Somi was a complete surprise for everyone, including Curtis!

Yi-Lin and Chef Erica!

Darling Sam meets the fluffier!

Her sister Maddie is in love!

Lovely Carol Soucek King arrives with her fabulous Cheese Enchiladas!

Maddie and Sam sign the turkey feathers and spin to win tickets for the prizes.

It’s time!!! Sweet Patricia and Nino!

Lovely Marguerite and son Dr. Chris.

And Dave with his appetizer yummies!

Dear Tania, Designer for Walt Disney and creator of the ‘Purple Wallpaper!’

Birthday Boy Luca with parents Nora and Ryan.

Uncle Yi-Lin with the birthday boy!

Nom nom!

Chef Erica brought her amazing carving knife and professionally carved the turkey!

I did say there was a birthday boy!

There were also balloons, a stuffed Somi dog, and Legoland puzzles! So much fun!!!

Impossible to get everyone in one shot!

After a couple of games of Thanksgiving Bingo and our Thanksgiving quiz (with prizes), it was time for dessert! Gelato thanks to Curtis!

And Pies galore with Cheese Rolls from Porto’s! The Pecan Pies shipped from Collin Street Bakery arrived slightly disshelved!

Time for the lights countdown to trim the tree!

After all 17 of us had hung an ornament, it was time for…Karaoke!!!

Dave bravely went first.

Sam and Maddie are hands down the best!!!

Pick something Curtis…

And of course I had to have a little BTS!

Midnight and the best Thanksgiving comes to a close.

So much fun having Curtis bring his darling nieces over next day before they left town.

Then Saturday… time for class!

And for Somi to meet the Brush painters!

And K-Dramas…

Meet the wonderful Cheung family. Adorable Sophie was an Intern in the studio, and her parents, Dr. Wai Yee Li and Henry, have been friends and collectors of my work for 18 years! This precious family led us to Somi’s breeders and insisted we meet her. Of course it was love at first sight and you know the rest of the story!

Lovely Dr. Marguerite Marsh invited me to the lighting of the Christmas tree at the Valley Hunt Club…

Because I was so good, Santa said he’d bring me a new car!

Lovely Marguerite, me, sculptor extraordinaire Patricia Ferber, Designer and Head of the Docents at the Huntington, Nino Wong, and the Wondrous Carol Soucek King!

Sooooo adorable!

And carolers of course!

It was six o’clock, and I had to leave for dinner with brilliant Tom Backer in Studio City, missing the grand Christmas dinner at the club.

Special thanks to Ricardo who did such a fabulous job hanging artwork.

Of course Mailman Michael had to meet Somi.

This blog will close on a bittersweet note as Precious Kita’s ashes were hand-carried to us. It was all so beautifully respectful and touching, and I’m beyond grateful to Gemcore Veterinary for giving us such a moving, memorable experience from start to finish.

And now it’s on to Christmas and seeing who’s been naughty or nice!