LA Life: Pink, Artist, Theatre, Style, Tastes, Sonnets and More
Spring has sprung and it’s all about color so, of course, Plaza in Pink, from LA Life Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke, is the perfect cover photo. The supremely talented Annie Wood, our guest artist for our new Guest Artist Corner, speaks to Women’s History Month this week so beautifully. We’ve also got super-duper columns from our other beloved contributors, Theatre Maven Laura Foti Cohen, Fashion Stylist Felicia Arlin, Tasting Tomato Molly Cheek and Poetess Lady Penelope. Yahoo for LA Life women! And there’s plenty of fab events ahead that might tickle your fancy, Tomatoes.
Plaza in Pink: Cover Photo and Story
Lorraine Devon Wilke, our LA Life Photographer, impeccably captures the vibrant colors of the iconic Chinatown. The historic details revealed in her story behind the photo are filled with the intriguing complexities and uniqueness of LA’s special neighborhoods that make LA such a great city. Chinatown is a standout. Be sure to check out Lorraine Devon Wilke’s marvelous photos on her webpage and browse her entire website as it reveals the vast tapestry of Lorraine’s amazing talents.
Every great city has its neighborhoods. Its enclaves. Its special sections. And in cities that revel in colorful, creative diversity, certainly the case in Los Angeles, many of those neighborhoods are built around a specific ethnicity. Some of LA’s most vibrant “ethnic enclaves” include Little Ethiopia, Little Tokyo; Cambodia Town, Little Bangladesh. Koreatown; Olvera Street, and, of course, Chinatown. Yes, that Chinatown. The one made famous by Jack Nicholson’s cut nostril, the water wars of the 1930s; a stunning Faye Dunaway, and the notorious line, “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” That dark, fictional legacy was set in a location originally called “New Chinatown,” which was established in the mid-1800s in an area south of where it exists today. The current Chinatown, as defined by TripSavvy, now “encompasses less than a square mile bordered by Main Street to the East, Yale Street to the west, Cesar Chavez to the south, and Bernard Street to the north,” and that square mile buzzes with the contemporary urban vibrance of art galleries, unique shops, restaurants of amazing variety, and colorful Asian flair, from the architecture to the artfulness of a simple plaza… as captured by this photograph titled, “Plaza in Pink.”
Guest Artist Corner: Art by Annie Wood
As we wrap up Women’s History Month, guest artist Annie Wood’s jaw droppingly stunning work of art pays homage to Madam C.J. Walker, in the newly established LA Life Guest Artist’s Corner. I have long admired Annie Wood, for the many multi-faceted expressions of her enormous talent and thrilled she is sharing one of her art pieces with us this week. She’s an internationally exhibited mixed-media artist living in her hometown of Hollywood, California so as an LA native she is Super LA. Annie Wood is interested in reexperiencing her dreams by painting them, daydreaming new ones, finding order in chaos and chaos in order, seeing familiar things in new ways, and creating visual stories that make people feel peaceful, make them wonder, remember, and pause. You can see all her creations at Annie’s online art gallery and you can also subscribe to her free newsletter How to Love the World.
Madam C.J. Walker was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist and was considered the wealthiest African-American businesswoman and wealthiest self-made woman in America at the time of her death in 1919. “I had to make my living and my opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.” This full-sized mannequin from is 5’8″ high and stands on a metal stand.
Sonnets from Suburbia
LA Life Poetess Lady Penelope, aka Penny Peyser, is have trouble with her Yoga practice in “Yoga Practice”. I mean, don’t we all? And guess who has a brand spanking new book out? Penny Peyser (Lady Penelope) and she has outdone herself with “Sonnets from Suburbia: Romance Dance”. It’s masterful, brilliant and an easy and deliciously entertaining ride that you will adore, Tomatoes. Remember if you haven’t already, don’t forget to order a copy of Penny Peyser’s first brilliant book, “Sonnets from Suburbia: More Candles Than Cake” to add to your collection. And you can always find out more about Lady Penelope on her website Tomatoes. WATCH THE VIDEO.
Theatre Buzz
Laura Foti Cohen’s, our LA Life Theatre Maven, has a simply fantastic column this week. Her statistics will shock but at the same time she brings us hope about the state of women in the LA theatre scene by singing the praises of 4…let me say it again…4… remarkable theatre productions with women at the forefront. I am so grateful for Laura’s Theatre Buzz column always highlighting the talented women in LA theatre. READ MORE.
Tastes of LA
You will definitely want to read what LA Life Tasting Tomato, Molly Cheek, has to say about the very special restaurant experience at Found Oyster. It’s a small neighborhood joint where the menu and wine selection are top notch, Tomatoes. How she finds these gems I’ll never know. GET THE DETAILS.
LA Style Stories
I love vintage shopping, so I was certainly drawn to LA Life Fashion Stylist Felicia Arlin’s LA Style Stories, Vintage Shopping Part 1 & 2. LA is one of the best cities for vintage shopping so there is no shortage of possibilities. Felicia’s expertise shines in this area as you can see from incredible looks. She also reminds us of an important lesson: When you shop vintage, you support local small business, extend the life of wonderful garments and keep them from a landfill. Remember I only highlight a snippet of Felicia’s amazing cur8edme posts so be sure to follow her on Instagram. And she is the most amazingly insightful guide for helping you to find the right and most flattering style for you. Just sayin’, Tomatoes. GET THE DETAILS.
Through April 13. Parks After Dark
Yay! Spring is officially here! Parks After Dark from LA County Parks and Recreation is a super duper way to jump start the spring season. 34 Parks all across LA County will be offering a variety of free activities to enjoy.
Bring yourself, your family and friends to explore all the free art and cultural activities our beautiful LA County parks have to offer all ages. Check out the schedule and how LA County has you covered when it comes to free entertainment this spring, Tomatoes.
Easter
For those Tomatoes that celebrate Easter, Spring Fling Big Bunny at the LA Zoo and The Underwood Farms Easter Festival caught my eye. Both will be filled with a plethora of family and kiddo fun and it’s a great way to enjoy our beautiful spring weather outdoors.
This weekend, March 29th – March 31st, The LA Zoo is celebrating Easter with Spring Fling Big Bunny with egg hunts, honey tastings, photo ops with Big Bunny, education stations and so much more. And The Underwood Farms Easter Festival is celebrating the season in a big way in Moorpark through April 7th. I love Underwood Farms and it also makes a lovely daytrip to the country, Gals.
April 2 – July 21. Camille Claudel Retrospective
The Getty Center is celebrating the brilliance of the French female sculptor Camille Claudel in a much-anticipated major retrospective, the first of its kind in North America in 30 years. She is finally getting the attention she deserves, Tomatoes.
Women sculptors were rare, but Camille Claudel was considered one of the most daring and visionary artists of the late 19th and early 20th century. Little is known of her art outside of France, and this is a marvelous opportunity to get to know this artistic pioneer. Organized chronologically and thematically, the exhibition seeks to reevaluate Claudel’s work and affirm her legacy and invites visitors to experience a diverse array of sculptures Claudel and many of the masterpieces that earned her much success.
April 5 – November 2. Rooftop Movies at The Montalban
The historic Hollywood venue, The Montalbán, presents its annual Rooftop Movies offering guests fantastic cinematic experiences under the stars. The first weekend kicks off with Tim Burton’s 1989 version of “Batman” and that is just the beginning of the fab curated programming, Ladies!
Other highlights from the next couple of months of curated programming include, “The Breakfast Club”, “Rocky”, “Selena”, “Blade Runner” and many other classics and fan favorites to be enjoyed under the stars. There’s just something about watching film classics and fan favorites under a LA night sky, especially at this beautiful venue. And we can’t forget that the Montalban’s rooftop has a bar and a concession stand where guests and dine and drink as well. What’s not to like about the Rooftop Movies at The Montalban series?!
Through August 25. The Butterfly Pavilion
It might be hard to fathom with all the rain we’ve had but hundreds of butterflies are just a wing flap away at The Natural History Museums Butterfly Pavilion. Tomatoes can once again get intimate with these precious and magical creatures in this springtime exhibition along with 30 different species of colorful native plants!
The Butterfly Pavilion is a fan favorite experience and the exhibit also showcases a unique ecosystem that gives you a better understanding of the environment needed for butterflies to thrive and survive. There is just so much to delight and tickle your senses, Tomatoes, you might want to reserve your spot to visit, soon.
April 7. Masters of Taste
Masters of Taste, the luxury food and beverage festival, returns to the Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and, once again, 100% of the proceeds go to Union Station Homeless Services. Guests will enjoy an amazing array of LA’s top culinary, beverage and sweets masters, Tomatoes.
And while enjoying all the delectable tastes you will be helping Union Station Homeless Services combat homelessness and rebuild the lives of families and individuals that are experiencing homelessness. Just as they have for the past 50 + years.
Vroman’s Bookstore Presents
Vroman’s Bookstore will be presenting 2 terrific celebrity authors in person at All Saints Church in Pasadena. You might want to book ASAP. Who are they? Valerie Bertinelli and Anne Lamott! Wow!
NY Times Best Selling author, Valerie Bertinelli, will be discussing her new book “Indulge” on April 15. “Indulge” is her most indulgent cookbook yet; a collection of 100 recipes to nourish the body and the soul. Anne Lamott In Conversation with Mike Kinman on April 16th will focus on her new book, “Somehow: Thoughts on Love” where she explores the transformative power that love has in our lives. Both promise to be interesting and satisfying evenings.
The Three Tomatoes LA Life editor, Debbie Zipp is your friendly guide to the best of everything in LA with a tomato style perspective. Debbie is an actor, producer, and writer. She is best known for her recurring role as Donna on the CBS series "Murder She Wrote" starring Angela Lansbury. She has had many other TV and stage roles and has starred in over 300 national TV commercials. As head of In The Trenches Productions, Debbie produced, directed, acted in many short films for her company. Her book, The Aspiring Actor's Handbook: What Seasoned Actors Wish They Had Known was recently published.
Buy her book: The Aspiring Actor's Handbook: What Seasoned Actors Wish They Had Known
