LA LIFE: Wildflowers, Arts & Crafts, Victorian Tea and Fashion
The bees in my garden are busy buzzing about Tomatoes. And there’s lots to keep you busy this week too. The only nature preserve in the City of Los Angeles will be open to the public and celebrating Earth Day early Tomatoes. It’s an all-day “Wildflower Show and Symposium” at the Sepulveda Garden Center and speaking of wild flowers tis the time of year ladies to make use of the “Wild Flower Hotline”. “The Barnsdall Art and Craft Fair” is a wonderful way to enjoy art with family and friends. And all fashion loving Tomatoes need to book their seats to the Heritage Square Museums “Annual Victorian Tea and Fashion Show”. Methinks there’s lots to do and it will be hard to choose ladies.
April 7. Wildflower Show & Symposium
The Santa Monica Mountains chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and the Theodore Payne Foundation are presenting “The Wildflower Show and Symposium” in conjunction with the Native Plant Celebration & Symposium Plant and Book sale. It will be chock full of amazing speakers, plant sales, displays and presentations. Spring is the season to ready your gardens Tomatoes.
Scott Logan discusses “The Gottlieb Native Garden,” Carol Armour Aronson discusses “How to Design Your Own Native Garden,” and Michael Wilken-Robertson discusses “Kumeyaay Ethnobotany: Shared Heritage of the Californias,” You’ll get quite a SoCal garden education gals.
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Wild Flower Hotline 
If you have a hankerin’ to see CA Wildflowers in bloom I highly recommend the “Theodore Payne Wild Flower Hotline” for the best locations for viewing spring wild flowers in Southern and Central California. There’ll be a new update today as there are every Friday Tomatoes. Best to check this out first before making a trip.
April 8. Barnsdall Art and Craft Fair
The “Barnsdall Art and Craft Fair” is free Tomatoes! Yeah! Thought I’d get that happy fact out front and center. Also front and center is the diverse artistic work showcased from local emerging talent, Arts Center students and faculty with a wide range of mediums, tastes and budgets. Lots of reasons to shop and have fun Tomatoes.
The fair is located in the beautiful Barnsdall Park next to world renowned Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hollyhock House, and a stone’s throw from the prestigious Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Arts Center is home to a variety of fabulous artisans and craftspeople. The fair will also feature a fundraising raffle. Proceeds will support arts programming and education for Los Angeles children, young people, and adults at Barnsdall Arts Center. Remember, Tomatoes, this is a City Park, Gallery and Art Center.
April 14. Victorian Tea
“First Ladies of Fashion” is this years’ theme at the “Heritage Square Museums Annual Vintage Fashion Show and Tea.” First Lady trend setters will be represented covering 300 years of fashion history with a delish Tea Buffet and the historic collection of Victorian Homes as the backdrop. Oh my! How Loverly Tomatoes!
The First Ladies of Fashion, from Martha Washington to the most iconic and fashionable First Lady, Jackie Kennedy to First Ladies of the fashion design world, Jeanne-Marie Lanvin and Coco Channel, to the First Ladies of the stage and screen such as Lillian Russell, Sarah Bernhardt, Audrey Hepburn and Helen Hayes, are also First Lady Fashion Icons. Advanced reservations are required so get your tickets for seats pronto Tomatoes. Tomatoes who love fashion history, tea, sandwiches, tarts and cakes don’t want to miss this. Get tickets.
April 7. Nature Preserve Open House
It’s a big day for Chatsworth Nature Preserve (the one and only nature preserve in the city of Los Angeles), the Southwestern Herpetologists Society, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as they celebrate Earth Day with the public on the only day the Nature Preserve is open. It is a rare opportunity for Tomatoes to experience a major open preserve teeming flora, fauna and wildlife. Wow!
There will be a morning celebration Tomatoes and guided interpretive nature walks around the ecology ponds throughout the day by group leaders and a ceremonial Wishtoyo/Chumash blessing, animal exhibits and opportunities to learn about current issues effecting the nature preserve and its wildlife. The Chatsworth Nature Preserve is the largest remaining natural area in the northwestern San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, with an Ecology Pond, seasonal wetlands and vernal pools, grasslands, oak woodlands and savanna, and riparian areas. The CNPC, Chatsworth Nature Preserve Coalition, have pledged to protect this beautiful area and are working together to preserve all wildlife, and cultural and archaeological assets. Thank goodness.
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.
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