Our exciting cover photo this week, from LA Life Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke, takes your breath away. LA Life Theatre Maven, Laura Foti Cohen, has knocked it out of the park in Theatre Buzz. Lady Penelope, LA Life Poetess, has another witty sonnet in Sonnets from Suburbia.  The magnificent LA Life Tasting Tomato Molly Cheek has the skinny on a fab restaurant with a view in Tastes of LA.  It’s Fleet Week, Nicholas Kristoff is speaking, CAAM is back, there’s dancing at Heritage Square, a ball at the zoo and more enticing events. Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Tomatoes.

Cover Photo and Story: UCLA Women

Being a graduate of the UCLA MFA program, I have a fondness for the blue and gold colors on the court that shine bright and clear in LA Life Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke’s cover photo… UCLA Women.  And her story reflects just how far women sports have progressed though there is still plenty of room to grow.  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.

“UCLA Women” — There was a time back in the olden days when schools throughout the country didn’t know what to do with their athletically inclined female students. There were PE classes, sure; there was cheerleading; swimming and marching band. There were even softer, less organized, versions of the sports in which the boys competed, but competitive team sports for young women in educational settings was just not on the table. Then Title IX happened, a follow-up to the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, which “prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government.” Though it took until 1972 for that part of the law to become effective, when it did, schools got on board and the number of female students participating in organized sport exploded. In the many and ensuing years since, right up to the moment when University of Iowa’s Caitlan Clark electrified college women’s basketball to record-breaking heights (elevating her to the WNBA’s first draft pick), the competitive level and excitement of women’s sports in every category have now become essential parts of the American zeitgeist… now we’ve just got to get their pay and perks in line with what men get in the same jobs! In honor of that worthy goal, today’s photo, “UCLA Women,” captures the UCLA Bruins’ Women’s Basketball team warming up before a game with the Colorado Buffaloes. Go, Bruins!  

 Theatre Buzz: Happy Days for Beckett Lovers and Monica Horan

Timothy Durkin and Monica Horan in Happy Days. Photo by Grettel Cortes.

Theatre Maven Laura Foti Cohen did a remarkable interview with actress Monica Horan who stars in “Happy Days”, by Samuel Beckett, delving into why this play and Beckett’s work resonates with audiences today and how theatre can have a broader role in helping others.  It’s an eye-opening article, Tomatoes, even if you aren’t a Beckett fan. GET THE DETAILS.

Sonnets from Suburbia

LA Life Poetess Lady Penelope lives with contrary cats and she has a lot to say about them in her sonnet, “Tough Kitty”. And guess who has a brand spanking new book? Penny Peyser (Lady P) 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. READ ON.

Tastes of LA: Geoffrey’s in Malibu

I’m a total sucker for a restaurant with loads of ambiance and/or a view even if the food ain’t that great.  However, I’m reminded by our connoisseur of food, Tasting Tomato Molly Cheek, that you can have both. And Geoffrey’s in Malibu is the ultimate in giving you spectacular views and food.  READ ON.

May 22-27. LA Fleet Week

“LA Fleet Week” is a celebration of our U.S. armed forces at our nation’s #1 port, the Port of Los Angeles. Active military ships are heading to our shores along the LA Waterfront and will open their doors for public ship tours, military equipment demos, airshows, live entertainment and educational activities to help the public gain a greater appreciation of the men and women serving our country.  What’s not to like Tomatoes?!

It’s also a great chance to enjoy America’s Port and our beautiful waterfront. The festival, with live music, entertainment, and food trucks, is free and so are the tickets for the ship tours. Besides the Port of Los Angeles hosting LA Fleet Week, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Navy League, U.S. Marines, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army, USO, Downtown San Pedro Business Improvement District, San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, and Battleship IOWA are partners in this festival as well. Geez that’s a mouthful but darn impressive gals.

May 29. Nicolas Kristoff at the Skirball

The Skirball and Writers Bloc present Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and columnist Nicholas Kristof discussing his new book, Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life, with Rabbi Sharon Brous, one of the most influential Jewish leaders in the country.  Wow! What an incredible evening that will be, Tomatoes.

 This is rare opportunity to hear one of the most revered journalists on the planet speak.

 In his new book, “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life,” Nicolas Kristof not only recounts some of his more harrowing encounters, but he also gives us a real sense of optimism as we meet the individuals who have shown their heroism and their commitment to standing up to injustice.

Rabbi Brous is also the founder of IKAR, a synagogue in Los Angeles. She is a leader in social justice initiatives here and abroad, and has met with presidents and other leaders. She is the author of the recently released book, “The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Heal Our Hearts and Mend Our Broken World.”

May 29 & June 5. Music in the Chinese Garden

There are many reasons to visit and love The Huntington Museum and Botanical Gardens but their Chinese Garden, aka the Garden of Flowing Fragrance is jaw-droppingly beautiful. And Music in the Chinese Garden makes it even more exquisite, Tomatoes. It’s a magical way to spend an afternoon.

The 12-acre exquisitely beautiful “Garden of Flowing Fragrance” includes a lake, seven pavilions and five stone bridges, built by more than 60 Suzhou artisans from materials sourced, fabricated, and shipped from China. Add lovely melodies on classical instruments to this incredible landscape and you will be transported to new dimensions, Gals.

CAAM is Back

It’s a banner week, Tomatoes, because, after a very long absence, CAAM (California African American Museum) has reopened its doors to their galleries and is back with the new exhibition “Paula Wilson: Toward the Sky’s Back Door”.  This exhibition presents nearly two decades of Paula Wilson’s paintings, sculptures, prints, collages, and videos. It’s good to have this wonderful museum back.

Also, on view will be “Black California Dreamin’: Claiming Space at America’s Leisure Frontier”, “Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Speaking to Falling Seeds”, “We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California”. And the first comprehensive survey of the richly layered work of the celebrated artist, Simone Leigh, will officially open May 26, 2024, at CAAM and LACMA.

May 31-June 2 . Soliloquy

Blue13 Dance Company presents Soliloquy at the Heritage Square Museum. I just love the concept of a dance performance experience weaving throughout the historic LA Victorian manors and grounds of Heritage Square Museum.  And you get to choose your own adventure and be a part of the show. What fun, Ladies!

Each night is different, and the dance company needs YOU to tell their story. Attendees choose their own adventures, immerse themselves in the performance, follow performers while affecting the experience by being able to make choices that include selecting the music, shaping the narrative, and choosing who dances the final solo.

Blue13 Dance Company is an American dance theatre ensemble based in Los Angeles, with a mission to drive a substantive shift in the perception and practice of American dance through performance, outreach, and education. Heritage Square Museum explores the settlement and development of Southern California during its first 100 years of statehood through historic restoration and preservation. The eight historic structures located at the museum, constructed during the Victorian Era, were saved from demolition and serve as a perfect background to educate the public about the everyday lives of Southern Californians from the close of the 19th Century into the early decades of the 20th Century.

May 31. Magnolia Park Food Truck Fridays

Magnolia Park district in Burbank is an eclectic neighborhood of unique shops, eateries and services that is just adorable.  So, it is a great place for Food Truck Fridays. And it’s not just about food Gals, there will be late night shopping, live local bands and lots of fun to be had.

June 1. Beastly Ball

The Los Angeles Zoo’s “Beastly Ball” is the Zoo’s biggest and most important fundraiser of the year and it is wildly popular and fun.  With the entertaining Joel McHale returning as host, and with celebrity honorees, star studded guests and animal superstars featured, there is no doubt the 2024 “Beastly Ball” will raise tons of funds for wildlife conservation. It’s simply going to be a blast, Tomatoes.

AND it is a FREE event with special animal experiences, dazzling entertainment, culinary delights, an incredible silent auction, and more. The Beastly Ball fundraising gala will be celebrating honorees Esther S.M. Chui-Chao, longtime GLAZA trustee, and the Angela Collier Foundation, Mohammad Virani, President. Most importantly it’s a time to celebrate and support GLAZA’s efforts to fund a myriad of programs, including global wildlife conservation, innovative animal care and health, and inspiring education programs at the Los Angeles Zoo.

June 1 -June 15.  Last Remaining Seats

Last Remaining Seats , from the LA Conservancy, is not just about seeing a classic film on a big screen; it’s about enjoying that fab film in a gorgeous historic theatre or perhaps we should we say …Movie Palace. Tickets always sell out fast, Tomatoes…hint, hint

Last Remaining Seats has been described as special, magical, and unlike any other movie event in Los Angeles.  The Los Angeles Conservancy launched Last Remaining Seats in 1987 to draw attention to the spectacular yet overlooked and underused historic theatres of Los Angeles.