Yep, Thanksgiving is upon us and I’m not ready…Help! I’ve got the skinny on several Holiday Markets happening in November. Giving to LA Food Bank gives hope. Style Stories will inspire, and this week’s Sonnet is a hoot. Get your tickets now for the magical “Cocktails in Historic Places at the Biltmore” and “Holidays at Greystone Mansion”. Two fab exhibits to peruse. Patti Smith’s Songs & Stories will enlighten. There’s a special offer for Tomatoes in time for the holidays. I will be giving thanks for all The Three Tomato LA Newsletter Subscribers. Yay You and Happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday Shopping in November & Beyond

If you are a Tomato dreading the massive deluge of shoppers at the malls and department stores this shopping crazed weekend, a Holiday Market might be a little more enjoyable especially since they are outdoors in the crisp fall air.  I’ve compiled 7 cool shopping alternatives across LA this month, Tomatoes that you simply must check out. One such place is a Marine Aquarium! How’s that for a unique shopping experience?!

• November 19 & 20 Renegade Market LA returns for a festive wintertime marketplace at the sunny and green Los Angeles State Historic Park! You’ll find the best of the best with over 275 top notch local and national artisans, food trucks, a beer garden and a bar.  Enjoy this one-of-a-kind shopping experience, Tomatoes!
• November 19 & 20 Jackalope Pasadena Artisan Fair Celebrate handmade goods and shopping with the Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair in Old Pasadena’s Central Park. Shoppers can expect to find indie goods from over 200 makers, including original fashion & jewelry design, paper goods, ceramics, baskets, candles, innovative home décor, housewares, art, photography, and food. Wow! A shopping mecca, Tomatoes!
• November 19 Huntington Holiday Market Treat everyone on your list to gifts from the Huntington Store and a special Huntington Holiday Market featuring unique, handmade, and distinctive gifts from local artisans along with quality brands. Free entry with general admission. Proceeds from the evening support The Huntington’s education programs and collections.
• November 26 & every Saturday The Artists and Fleas Market is where independent artists, designers, stylists, vintage collectors and food makers meet their market & Tomatoes can discover new talent.
• November 27 & December 4 & 11. Holiday Market and SmorgasMART at Smorgasburg LA will double the number of vendors they usually include in the Smorgasburg Sunday Markets with tasty food, locally made clothing and jewelry in a magical holiday atmosphere.
• November 27. Topanga Vintage Market is considered one of LA’s best sources of vintage items, this market has over 180 vintage & antiques vendors, artisans, top food trucks & live music that make it a fun shopping experience.
• November 27. Cabrillo Aquarium Outdoor Holiday Market  Enjoy yummy refreshments while browsing hundreds of collectible ornaments, books and specially curated ocean-themed gifts and all your purchases will goto support the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. I love gifts with meaning gals!

A Special Offer for LA Tomatoes

Celebrity photographer Craig X Sotres  and acclaimed artist Sharon Marantz Walsh have joined creative forces for an amazing offer for LA Tomatoes. For $975 you will have a professional photo session with Craig X Sotres and the photo of your choice will then be turned into a beautiful work of art by Sharon Marantz Walsh to be cherished for a lifetime. For additional information and booking, please contact Craig’s studio at 310-990-9225 or email craig@sotres.com

Giving Food and Hope

A great way to give thanks and give hope this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season is by donating to “Los Angeles Food Bank.”  1 in 5 people in LA experience food insecurity.  And for every $25 100 healthy meals can be provided to feed hungry children, seniors and families. Bravo LA Food Bank!

Thanksgiving is a good time to remember that the LA Regional Food Bank always needs help, not just during the holidays. They have one vision and mission…that no one goes hungry in Los Angeles County. Since 1973, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank has distributed more than 1.7 billion pounds of food. The Food Bank collects food from hundreds of resources.  With the help of 30,000 volunteers annually and an agency network of more than 700 partner agencies, they serve more than 900,000 people on a monthly basis. 97% of their revenues go directly to programs. Wow!

LA Style Stories

I am positively blown away this week by Felicia Arlin’s dramatic LA Style Stories, “Kimono Dressing” and “Opera Coat Dressing”! Both are such stunning looks with a focus on versatility that will give you Tomatoes lots of ideas. Remember, I only highlight a snippet of Felicia’s amazing and inspirational cur8edme posts so be sure to follow her on Instagram, Ladies. GET THE DETAILS.

 Sonnets from Suburbia

Lady Penelope is having trouble with her Yoga practice. Could it be her attitude or her arthritis? What’s a lady to do?  Read on.

Dec 3 & 4. Holidays at Greystone Mansion

Book your tickets pronto for “Holidays at Greystone Mansion,” a fab event hosted by Friends of Doheny Mansion. Simply a splendid way to celebrate the holidays Hollywood style. You name it and they have it that day Tomatoes. Besides the tours, music and décor there’s treats and beverages, book signings, sumptuous holiday décor, appetizer and desert demonstrations and shopping, parking is complimentary and there’s even a shuttle service Gals.  Simply Maaaahvelous!

December 4. Cocktails at the Biltmore

It’s all about location, location, location Ladies.  So, I highly recommend sipping cocktails that sparkle in the light of the Biltmore’s lavish Holiday décor! “Cocktails in Historic Places,” at the bar of the iconic & historic Biltmore Hotel, in the heart of DTLA, is a wonderful and magical holiday tradition. Book it now, Tomatoes.

It’s presented by The Art Deco Society, and they know it doesn’t get more historic or classy than The Biltmore, Tomatoes. The Christmas Tree in The Biltmore Hotel Lobby is a must see.   So, relax and imbibe Tomatoes with Holiday Cocktails at…you know where…The Biltmore. And you gotta love The Art Deco Society that helps to celebrate and preserve the architecture, arts, music, dance, fashion, and elegance of Art Deco Era.

Through February 19 2023. Joan Didion Exhibit

Joan Didion…what a force she was in her life, Tomatoes.  Now you can explore the evolution of Joan Didion’s voice as a writer and pioneer of “New Journalism.” “Joan Didion: What She Means” is an exhibition as portrait, a narration of the life of one artist by another featuring more than 200 works by approximately 50 artists. Tracy Daugherty, in a recent NY Times article on the exhibition stated, “Didion clearly had a complex relationship with California, but she never lost the belief that it, or its myths, had shaped her absolutely.”

Through March 12, ’23. American Quilt Stories

“Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories” just opened yesterday and this landmark and I mean…Landmark… exhibition tells a rich story of American history and identity through more than 40 quilts from the past 50 years.  Wow! The exhibition explores how quilts have evolved alongside the nation. As the country has changed, so too has the purpose and meaning of quilts. Early on, quilts, as well as woven blankets, were appreciated for their warmth and artistry as decorative bedcovers. By the mid-nineteenth century, quilts were displayed in fairs and other public places, and some makers began to see themselves as textile artists. Today, quilters have expanded the medium to encompass a wide range of techniques, materials, and imagery. Some contemporary artists have used the quilt form to bring attention to social justice issues and to address difficult moments from the nation’s past and present. The works in this exhibition capture the unique capacity quilts have to tell stories and convey a sense of humanity.

 December 5. Songs & Stories: Patti Smith

Book your reservations ASAP for an incredible and exclusive evening with Patti Smith at the Saban Theatre brought to you by The Library Foundation of Los Angeles (lfla). Patti Smith discusses her new book, A Book of Days, chronicling her life through her Instagram posts, Tomatoes. Smith will take the stage alone to discuss the book, her photographs, play several songs, and talk with the audience about her career. 2018, Patti Smith posted her first photo on Instagram: her hand with the simple message “Hello Everybody!” Known for shooting with her beloved Land Camera 250, Smith started posting images from her phone which included portraits of her kids, her radiator, her boots, and her Abyssinian cat. Over time, a story of a life devoted to art took shape with more than a million followers responding to her unique and imaginative aesthetic. It is an intimate look at Patti Smith’s world, Tomatoes.