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SHORT BUT WONDERFUL

February, being the shortest month, has to cram a lot of joyful happenings..I can't think of a better way to begin the month than by celebrating Susie Kat's birthday at the Jonathan Beach Club! Yours truly, Maggie, Susie's cousin, Carol Soucek King, our amazing...

JANUARY, AND THE NEW YEAR BEGINS…

I'm not too sure what to make of January. Perhaps it's because December is such an amazing high with Christmas and New Years that it's hard to re-focus on business as usual. Well, maybe not as usual but certainly not at the extreme! It took Veronica and me two days to...

THE MOST WONDERFUL NEW YEAR’S …

began with guests getting their bling on. Here Alexis decides on hers. Also, signing the guest book and indicating what yummy treat they brought. Here's Jan making her entry. And with her bling on. Then it was time for amazing Magician Tom to mesmerize all of us,...

CHRISTMAS AND SO MUCH MORE!

Valerie Foster Hoffman is truly the Hostess With the Mostest, a real-life Auntie Mame! And to be at her Christmas party is to partake of an unforgettable experience. Cookies anyone? With Sherry in the garden. With Santa and our Lovely Hostess! Photographer Karl....

MOVING ON TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

The partying began at the California Club for the CTG Affiliates' Annual Christmas Luncheon. There are beautiful mystery boxes that everyone bids on....here's the one I got. Delightful Mary Kay with her treasure box. Sweet Diane chats with Artistic Director Snehal...

BEST THANKSGIVING EVER!

It's impossible to express how much I love Thanksgiving! Shopping for all of my traditional recipes starts about a week before, and this time it only took five trips! I begin with making the cranberries the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and the next day, the stuffing....

NOVEMBER’S JOY

Sandie girl came to the studio to work on her Christmas card. It's so lovely, but I can't show it to you just yet! This is where it all began on November 6th. Backup from the water drainage area. It's the 25th and work continues... On to lighter moments. Dinner at...

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY AND SO MUCH MORE

It was time to celebrate delightful Patricia Faber and sooo much fun was had by all! Architrect Miller Yee Fong had to leave early so he wasn't in the group photo. Happiest of birthdays dear Patricia! Make a wish!!! Soooo cute! I was so thrilled to see the recent...

OCTOBER MEANS SAYING GOODBYE TO SUMMER

Each year I'm determined to really enjoy summer and then find it's October and I wonder what happened. The upside to that is beginning the month with the Huntington Botanical Garden's Mid Autumn Moon Festival where we have a booth and get to see many of my wonderful...

CONTINUING SEPTEMBER

For a short month, September had a lot going on, continuing with the Center Theatre Group Affiliates New Member Orientation Meeting. "Giving the Gift of Theatre to the Next Generation." Afterwards, Christine Hart, VP Programs for the Affiliates, and Sweet Diane visit...

CALIFORNIA SUSTAINABLE plus MEDITERRANEAN…

…is how our server described the cuisine at ‘PALATE’ the most amazing Glendale restaurant (on Brand) we stumbled upon.  (Octavio Becerra is the chef/owner and you might remember him from Splichal’s Patina Group.) We suspected we were in for a real treat upon...

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HOW I WISHED I HAD A CAMERA…

…because you really had to see this one. Mom and I were  going to see ‘Monty Python’s SPAMALOT’ at the Ahmanson Theatre and I was surprised and delighted to find a wonderful parking spot right next to the 3rd level escalator.  Well, the surprise was on me as...

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PICNIC TIME AT THE HUNTINGTON….

…It was a perfect day to eat outside during our Brush painting class.  Everyone agreed it was just like going on a picnic!  The Ikebana House where we paint is nestled amidst a huge Bamboo grove along with a vista of various flowering trees and the inspiring...

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LUNCH,WITH TWO FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS?

LUNCH,WITH TWO FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS?

Hey, why not! I already told you I stayed with two brainiacs, Hannah and James Dean while in Eugene. Mason Williams introduced me to the incomprable Dottie Chase who took me to lunch which just turned out to be with Jerry Williams and professor Alexandra Bonds. Both...

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DID YOU KNOW…

…that besides being an amazing composer/arranger (think break out ‘Classical Gas’…the most famous instrumental guitar piece of all time), Mason Williams is quite the universal renaissance man and here’s the short list… Comedy writer, eclectic poet and a brilliant...

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HOW AMAZING TO FIND…

…that some of the most talented and wonderful Brush painters in the world are in Eugene/Springfield Oregon!  There was a short hop from Portland to Eugene. Emerald Art Center My week long workshop at the Emerald Art Center was an unmitigated joy from beginning to...

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SWEET X2

I always thought Rosanna Schmidgall was just about the sweetest person one could know until I met her mother.  What’s the saying…’The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’? Rosanna’s hubby Ken has a twin and being with them is to quote Casey Stengel, ‘deja vu’...

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PERGOLINA is a charming…

…gift shop and gallery in Toluca Lake. Thru August 30th you can see the amazing masks and paintings of Sergio Boldrin, an artist from Venice Italy. The opening reception was crammed with collectors buying the masks faster than the sales staff could wrap them up....

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CAROL SOUCEK KING KNOWS EVERYONE…

…and has the most amazing, talented friends. One in particular, Judith Keller is the Curator of Photography at the Getty. Carol sent forth the word that Judith would be giving a special tour and talk for Carol and whomever she would choose. It was wonderful, starting...

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A PERFECT DAY AT THE BEACH…

…is what you’ll remember looking at Molly Siple’s charming and evocative oil painting.  You can see it on exhibit at the California Art Club Gallery at The Old Mill…1120 Old Mill Road in San Marino. Victor Watson, Molly’s brilliant world traveled hubby, gifted...

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WELCOME…

to my personal blog where I’ll be sharing adventures and how I determine each day to live joyfully as an Artist, Teacher, and Author. My latest book “What If… We Have the Power to Change Our Lives” an inspirational book that hopefully will empower you to live your best life! You can find me and my work at nanraestudio.com My hope is that this blog will inspire you to find joy everywhere and in everything and that is what I wish for you!

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