Malibu Creek State Park is sparkling with beauty in the fall so it’s the perfect time for a guided walk, Tomatoes.  The spooky season is upon us with Halloween celebrations galore. Our LA Fashion Stylist is saying “Cut! Print!” and Lady Penelope is at it again.  Catch “The Art of Costume Design” exhibit before it closes. The amazing Eileen Barnet will be singing her heart out at Vitello’s. Lots of women centric plays to choose from this month.  Culver City’s “Art Walk and Roll Festival” rocks and so would an afternoon with Jean Harlow.

Oct 16.  Malibu State Park Bird and Nature Walk

If you’re looking for a lovely way to get your steps in for the day, why not join a free docent led leisurely walk at Malibu Creek State Park?  With its 8,000 acres of rolling tall grass plains, oak savannahs, and dramatic peaks, it’s no wonder many call it the Yosemite of Southern California, Tomatoes.

Seasoned Tomato birders and beginners alike will love this beautiful and easy hike. You’ll learn about the park’s history, plants and animals as well as its birds. You’ll also learn how effectively nature is recovering here after the Woolsey Fire. Malibu Creek State Park is considered the recreational crown jewel of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Through October 31. Carved

Descanso Gardens is gorgeous this time of year but what is making it super fun is “Carved, “the pumpkin-filled extravaganza  I attended last year, Tomatoes, and it blew my mind…in a good way.

For three weeks in October, hundreds of carved pumpkins will line a 1-mile walk through the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove. Along with pumpkins, there will be exciting new oversized sculptures made of sticks and other natural materials. The popular Pumpkin House, a hay maze, and themed food and beverage will all help to create a fun harvest festival ambiance. Fab fun for all ages!

Through November 30.  All Things Wicked and Wonderful

South Coast Botanic Garden is going to the dark side, literally and figuratively, with the opening of “All Things Wicked & Wonderful” and the Garden’s brand-new Spider Pavilion, new plantings in a Diabolical and Misunderstood Garden Graveyard and a Witch Hunt. It’s spooky but also quite wonderful, Tomatoes!

And a simply marvelous way to celebrate the Halloween season with something for everyone. The Garden’s new Spider Pavilion will be open through November 30 and will feature a Widow Window for guests to learn the differences between black and brown widows, at least 200 live spiders inside the pavilion, a number of tarantula terrariums, live guides inside the pavilion providing fun facts and a printed guide as well. To get guests into the Halloween spirit, the Witch Hunt will lead guests through the Garden’s 87 acres in search of a wicked witch who has been spotted haunting the Garden.

Style Stories: Shades of Pale

 Felicia Arlin, our LA Life Fashion Stylist, extolls the beauty of a good print mix in in “Cut! Print!”.  And I believe everyone will relate and benefit from her specific style tip in “Shades of Pale.” I only highlight a snippet of Felicia’s amazing and inspirational Cur8edme posts here so be sure to follow her on Instagram, Ladies. GET THE DETAILS.

Through November 5.  Art of Costume Design in Television

Just as FIDM celebrates the artistry of costume designers and their teams for their unwavering dedication to their ever-evolving craft in film yearly so too they celebrate the incredible artistry in television with “The Art of Costume Design in Television.” FIDM’s Museum is really something you should see, especially if you love fashion. I’m a big fan!

This year’s exhibition celebrates the inventiveness of the contemporary television landscape, highlighting a variety of 2021-2022 Emmy Award-nominated and noteworthy shows. Remember that the first glimpse of an actor in character reveals precious information about them; a uniform may signal authority or conformity, but a bustled silk gown conveys entirely different messages about an era, the wearer’s status, gender, and more. That is just one reason costume design and fashion design are very important and creative art forms, Gals.

Sonnets from Suburbia

Lady Penelope and I agree on so many things it’s hard to know where to begin.  This week Lady Penelope bemoans bad waitresses and their habits in “Waitress Woes”. GET THE DETAILS.

October 13. You Must Believe In Spring

But in October?! Yep! Make a date with the genuinely brilliant singer/performer Eileen Barnet at Feinstein’s at Vitello’s to see her one woman show “You Must Believe In Spring (in October).” Gotta love the title.  It will be a fab and uplifting evening of wonderful songs.  And perhaps a glass of wine or two, Ladies?

Eileen has garnered so many incredible reviews along the way and she deserves all those kudos and more. Here’s just a couple if you need further convincing to get a seat for her show, “You Must Believe in Spring (in October)”. I know, first hand, that she is a mesmerizing performer and singer, Tomatoes.

“…Eileen Barnett is a revelation…” KCRW (NPR in Los Angeles)

“Superb Eileen Barnett performs …with such feeling and wistfulness that we are moved to tears. ” -LA TIMES

“…consummate singer, Eileen Barnett…is down-to-earth, warm and very funny….Eileen is a class act and whether on a theatre or night club stage, she holds the audience entranced…in the palm of her hand…with two standing ovations!” -Broadway World.com (Don Grigware)

October 8. Art Walk and Roll Festival

Culver City Arts District and Arts District Residents Association proudly present this year’s rockin’ “Art Walk and Roll Festival” where the streets will open to celebrate the Culver City Creative Arts Community with live music, eclectic food, children’s activities and more! The open street format will also feature a designated test track that allows visitors to try out the latest electric bikes and scooters. Woo Hoo!

Women Centric Plays Opening in October

These three plays, “Desert Stories for Lost Girls,” “To the Bone”  and “Mother Sisters” are having their world premiere debut this month. These are wonderful selections are all women centric and will provide you with a wonderful afternoon or evening at the theatre, lovely Ladies.

“Desert Stories for Lost Girls” by Lily Rushing opened Sept 30 and runs till October 16. Latino Theater Company partners with Native Voices at the Autry to present a haunting and lyrical rumination on identity, family and colonialism over generations. “To the Bone,” written and directed by Catherine Butterfield and presented by Open Fist Theatre Company runs through November 5. Sometimes you get thrown a curveball. And this dark comedy is about family, baseball, genetics — and the unexpected vagaries of life. Last but not least is “Mother Sisters” is a docu-play created and curated by Makaela Vogel from the Echo Theatre Company. Looking back over their varied and fascinating lives, Makaela’s eight aunts affirm the strength and transformative power of their bond as sisters and female travelers of the late 20th century. Wonderful choices for a wonderful night at the theatre.

October 16. Harlow in Hollywood

Wow, Jean Harlow! Definitely a defining figure in cinema. The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles teams with Hollywood Heritage for the presentation and book signing “Harlow In Hollywood.” Geez Louise she was something Tomatoes!

Darrell Rooney, co-author with Mark A. Vierira of the new expanded version of “Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital, 1928-1037” will appear with Harlow artifacts and Special Guest, Cora Sue Collins who will reminisce about Harlow.