“Beaux-Arts”, our gorgeous cover photo from LA Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke, certainly evokes my curiosity. Our LA Fashion Stylist, Felicia Arlin and LA Poetess Lady Penelope, aka Penny Peyser, are back to add pizzazz to your lives. LA Theatre Maven Laura Foti Cohen has a terrific theatre scoop. There’s plenty of summer fun to be had at the Annenberg Beach House, Concerts at Warner Park and Monday Movie Nights.  Breathtaking art can be found at Gallery Weekend LA and DTLA’s ArtNight. And Women of Resilience will be celebrated at the Beyond Baroque Center.  Yay Women!

Beaux-Arts The Story Behind the Cover Photo

You can’t help but wonder where this luscious photo from LA Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke was taken. I certainly did.  The location, already elegant and timeless, is made all the more so by Lorraine’s impeccable eye.  Be sure to check out Lorraine Devon Wilke’s marvelous photos on her webpage, Gals.

Despite Los Angeles’s regretful architectural indifference during the “mini mall” era of the ‘80s, when iconic buildings like The Brown Derby, Pan Pacific Auditorium; even Tiny Naylor’s, among many others, were left neglected and ultimately destroyed, there remain countless edifices in our grand city that honor the eclectic artistry of area architects. The Los Angeles Athletic Club, built in 1912 on Seventh and Olive in downtown LA, is one of those edifices. Viewed from the outside it may seem prosaic, but a walk indoors dispels that notion. A study in elegance and timeless architectural design, it has become world famous for its Beaux-Arts beauty. This photo, “The Fine Art of Swim,” captures its gorgeous indoor pool, which, according to the Club’s site, made LAAC the “first building in Southern California to have a swimming pool (166,000 gallons weighing 1.5 million pounds) on the upper floor, which caused quite a stir.” It remains a favorite place for club members, location scouts, and wedding planners!  

Theatre Buzz: Theatre Paradise with A Grounding in Reality

Laura Foti Cohen, our fab LA Life Theatre Maven, offers a thoroughly effective, and enlightening history lesson on LA’s inspiring and beloved Theatricum Botanicum. And it is accompanied by Laura’s wonderful review of the Theatricum’s non-Shakespearean production, A Perfect Ganesh. READ THE ARTICLE.

LA Style Stories

Dressing and keeping cool in this heat is a challenge, to say the least, but our LA Life Stylist, Felicia Arlin’s very wise advice for coping is to keep it simple. Simple wins on a hot day. She reminds us that our local vintage shop, if you buy in small groupings, can be your secret weapon and will save you money. Make LA hot days easier. And make sure to follow her on Instagram @cur8edme.  GET THE DETAILS.

Sonnets from Suburbia

Our illustrious LA Life Poetess Lady Penelope, aka Penny Peyser, is at the beach this week! Sounds luverly, right? Well…not for the dear Lady.  Of course, she has a few complaints. Hard to imagine how anyone could have such a strong dislike for the beach and she certainly makes her reasons very clear in At the Beach.And don’t forget to order a copy of Penny Peyser’s (Lady Penelope) brilliant newly released book, “Sonnets from Suburbia: More Candles Than Cake”. WATCH THE VIDEO.

Through July 28 & 29. Gallery Weekend

The Gallery Association Los Angeles (GALA) presents the third annual Gallery Weekend LA featuring 80+ local galleries and art spaces drawn from GALA’s membership; as well as non-profit and alternative spaces that were invited to participate.  Wow Oh Wow! The list of galleries available to visit mind is mind boggling! Tomatoes!

Each day spotlights a different region. Tomorrow, July 29th, the DTLA and Eastside region is showcased. Established in 2020, Gallery Association Los Angeles (GALA) is a coalition of over 90 Los Angeles galleries. GALA was created during the Covid-19 pandemic to promote engagement with the local and international art audience. Together, they support GalleryPlatform.LA and are the organizers of Gallery Weekend Los Angeles.

Through August . Summer Concerts at Warner Park

Since 1975, The Valley Cultural Foundations has provided free diverse programs and events in the arts that bring together talent, community and business throughout the San Fernando Valley. One of those programs is Summer Concerts at Warner Park in Woodland Hills and they are a blast Tomatoes. Might want to hit one of these concerts soon, Tomatoes.

Concerts at Warner Park make for an easy, relaxing and entertaining summer evening. Popular food trucks and booths will be on hand to delight your taste buds and enhance your concert experience under the stars. It’s hard to believe summer is going so fast! The Valley Cultural Foundation has over 45 years of experience bringing entertainment to the people of San Fernando Valley. They love all the wonderful talent they have seen over their long exemplary history.  They are deserving of any donation you can provide so they can keep making a difference.

Through September 25. Monday Movie Nights

Produced in partnership with Skylight Books, the Ace Hotel Upstairs, in DTLA, is hosting Adaptations: Monday Movie Nights, a weekly, poolside movie screening series, featuring films adapted from books. If you are a big reader and love movies this will be your cup of tea. I absolutely adore this concept, Tomatoes.

The movie night is free and complimentary popcorn is provided to boot with drinks and candy available for purchase. Next movie up is Annihilation this Monday July 31^st and a long list of offerings to follow that.

Summer at The Annenberg Beach House

The Annenberg Beach House sits on a prime beach location in Santa Monica with a glorious view and facility. Summer is in full swing and there’s a plethora of opportunities for summer fun and entertainment at this fab beach house, Tomatoes.  A great way to beat the heat.

There’s bound to be a program that interests you. At Sunset Swim for Adults on August 11^th & 25^th    you can enjoy the 1920s heated pool at the former estate of actress Marion Davies, built for her by media mogul William Randolph Hearst. And speaking of Marion Davies,  the Santa Monica Conservancy docents regularly lead tours of the Marion Davies House  where they share the rich history of the Beach House site.  And Sunset Picnic is a free evening event on August 17 where you just grab your dinner, find a spot in the courtyard or splash pad and listen to live music. As I said, lots going on there this summer, Gals.

August 3. DTLA ArtNight

Yay! It’s a new DTLA Art Night, coming up, Tomatoes! Just a reminder that this cultural gathering and art walk in downtown LA is a wonderful event that happens the first Thursday of every month.  You will be amazed at the vast amount of artistic talent that exists in our fair city.

There’s 25+ galleries to visit, not to mention the participating bars and restaurants. The galleries debut new exhibitions from their fine arts collections and these collections encompass a wide array of mediums from artists across LA, the U.S. and the world.

Friday August 4. Celebrating Women of Resilience

Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center is a partner of the Latina Writers Conference this year and as part of the festival, they are hosting Revolutionary Women of Color’s presentation Celebrating Women of Resilience: A Photographic Tribute to the Activists. Through their art and activism, the women presented are changing the world and inspiring others to do the same. I can’t believe this remarkable event is free, Tomatoes.

The book, Women, Mujeres, Ixoq: Revolutionary Visions, showcases the creativity of women artists Claudia D. Hernández, Felicia Montes, Josie Méndez-Negrete, Leticia Hernández-Linares and Margaret Garcia committed to social justice. Through photos, videos, and oral histories, this project aims to inspire and transform communities. The book highlights the resilience of women and encourages young minds to become role models, emphasizing the importance of nurturing respectful men. It reminds us that every woman has a revolutionary story.