With tomorrow, November 11, being Veteran’s Day, and our country just having celebrated the eightieth anniversary of the end of WWII, (on September 2nd,) the Hollywood Museum appropriately opened their “Hollywood Goes To War” exhibit with a lovely reception. As the daughter of a WWII veteran, I was particularly grateful to be a guest at their tribute to Hollywood’s contribution to the WWII effort.

Portrait of my father, Martin Salkin, painted by a prisoner-of-war of whom he was in charge. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one of the exhibit at the top of this page.

That night was my friend Diane’s first visit to the Museum, and she loved the entire experience! She was especially impressed that “all the personnel were lovely,” including the elevator guy, the bartenders, the servers, and even the woman at the check-in desk. That’s an assessment with which I wholeheartedly agree; I’m so glad she noticed that situation. Their events are always like that!

The fun began as we rode the humongous elevator up to the party and exhibit. The ride was made even more festive by having a bar right on it, to get the party started! And then, as we stepped off into the event space, the first thing we laid our hungry eyes on was a popcorn cart, offering us bags of freshly-made, specially-seasoned popcorn. And then came another bar followed by the sumptuous buffet, full of all kinds of treats, with an emphasis on snacks from the time of WWII. I sooo appreciated that creativity!

Part of the buffet, with the nice servers. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Among the choices were little quiches, pigs in blankets, chicken wings, and veggies in cups with hummus. The special ’40s fare included corn beef salad, (which we had never even heard of before!,) little bacon sandwiches, fried pickles, Jell-O with whipped cream, and my faves—the most delicious and fresh mini potato pancakes! Yu-um. And we liked all the desserts. In addition to the Jell-Os, there were zucchini muffins, tomato muffins, and delicious little crispy chocolate bites. Diane lauded the entire set-up, saying, “Everyone could find something they wanted, and that’s what a buffet should be. And it was easy to eat, too!” She is correct—it was almost all finger foods, and the couple of little cups that required a fork already had tiny ones in them!

But, of course, we were all there to celebrate how Hollywood has portrayed wars, and WWII in particular, in film and TV shows. To that end, the exhibit features costumes, props, and memorabilia from several of the various entertainments, including the classic film, Casablanca. There are also some more modern pieces from movies that were produced recently, but are about that period in history, such as Cate Blanchett’s wardrobe in Oppenheimer.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Some of the highlights are personal items from stars of that time, such as uniforms worn by Jimmy Stewart and Bob Hope, whose Foundation is sponsoring this important exhibit. That’s fitting because I doubt there is anyone in history who traveled the world more to entertain the troops through the decades than Mr. Hope!

It was good to see all of these artifacts in one place like that. I feel that everyone needs to be reminded what war looks like, so we can vote out the people who are trying their best, (or worst,) to get us into yet another one!

On that important note, I’ll wish all veterans a very peaceful Veterans Day tomorrow, and I hope that every one of you will get over to the Hollywood Museum to see this one, and actually all of their wonderful exhibits, very soon.

Hollywood Goes To War exhibit 
The Hollywood Museum
1660 Highland Ave. Hollywood
323-464-7776  www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com

As a kid who watched Roy and Dale in syndication every Saturday morning, (and thought those shows were all new!,) I’m glad that I worked hard on my crazy end-of-November schedule to be there for the opening of the Hollywood Museum’s exhibit celebrating the couple.

Just a part of the new Roy and Dale exhibit. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this page.

I especially love the title of the exhibit because, when I was in the last two years of high school and even the first year of college, my best friend and I spoke on the phone every night, and ended the calls by…singing Happy Trails! Every night for three years!!! (No wonder we finally stopped being friends, after her having to listen to my awful singing for that long!) That song still means a great deal to me. And even seeing the name gives me warm feelings.

Karen Salkin and Roz Wolf in the Western attire. Photo by Karen Salkin.

As to the opening night festivities at the Museum, I was glad to see people dressed-up for it, either in cowboy/cowgirl garb or just shiny attire, in general. I even broke-out some of my late mother’s turquoise jewelry (which is very “western,”) that I had never worn before, along with an interesting pair of southwestern earrings (one of a cactus, the other of a cowboy boot,) that Mr. X had bought me in his beloved Santa Fe. And my friend and I both rocked fringed outerwear.

As usual, the servers were darling, especially the duo of bartenders on their famous elevator. The buffet this time consisted of fabulous appetizers, including hot dogs in blankets, mac & cheese bites, and biscuits and gravy. Even though I’m a total carnivore, I really appreciate, on behalf of my veggie pals, that they always offer options. For example, there was a choice of either beef or bean mini-tacos. That is so thoughtful of their caterers! The desserts, for everybody, were a trio of delicious cookies.

The giant poster on the also-giant elevator. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The mingling began outside the Museum, on the step-and-repeat, and continued into their “party” elevator, which holds about thirty peeps, all the while serving beverages! So by the time we hit the served-buffet upstairs where the exhibit is, we were all pals!

After we ate, my friend and I perused the new Roy Rogers and Dale Evans exhibit. Let’s just say that it was a wonderful blast from my past! There is sooooo much to see in it!

We’re lucky to have it here now; there used to be a full Roy Rogers museum, first in Apple Valley, then in Victorville, and finally in Branson Missouri until the end of 2009. So now we SoCal denizens, and visitors to this area, have this rare opportunity to view all the couple’s iconic memorabilia!

For some reason, (I forgot to ask what it was—I was too busy snacking!,) my friend was especially enamored with Roy’s saddle! She was hoping to see the stuffed Trigger, but he was bought by a TV station in Nebraska over a decade ago, along with Roy’s dog, Bullet. (That’s fine with me—taxidermy is not my thing!) And I just realized that I have no idea what became of the deceased Buttermilk, my favorite equine ever. (But I still can’t drink the beverage he was named after.)

Members of the Rogers family were in attendance at the Hollywood Museum’s Opening Night of their patriarch and matriarch’s exhibit but it was so crowded, that I could never get over to them to say howdy. I wish I had gotten to talk with them—I have sooo many questions.

Another bit of the exhibit. Photo by Karen Salkin.

But even without meeting the offspring of Roy and Dale, this was a terrific event. And a heartwarming exhibit. I hope all you western entertainment fans get to see it, with the info below. And you do not even have to sing Happy Trails on the way out. Unless you want to! (The exhibit inspired me to want to sing it all evening, but I decided to spare the rest of the guests my dulcet—to me only—tones.)

Happy Trails Celebrating the Legacy of Roy Rogers & Dale Evans
The Hollywood Museum  1660 Highland Ave. Hollywood
323-464-7776  www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com

If I had not been overbooked on the night of this new exhibit’s Opening Night soiree, I would have been able to tell you about it earlier.

Part of the This Joint Is Jumping’ exhibit at the Hollywood Museum. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one at the top of this article.

But I’m glad I waited to see The Hollywood Museum’s celebration of Black History Month, an exhibit entitled This Joint is Jumpin': A Celebration of Black Entertainers in Film, TV and Song because I got to see it with two of my best pals, Amanda Hazel and teen Marcus Josselyn, who were visiting from Rhode Island. It’s always fun to share this wonderful place with friends.

And I realized something new as we were moseying through every one of the exhibits there. And that is that I have never gone through the entire museum at a leisurely pace and perused it all! I’ve been there only for either opening night parties or work. (That work was hosting a special about Hollywood for the Travel Channel back in the day, and we started with a tour of the Museum, which was my first time ever in the historic Max Factor building.)

Part of the Hollywood Museum’s lobby exhibit. Photo by Karen Salkin.

So to wander through the three floors this time at our own speed, especially with appreciative friends, was a pleasure. And we all loved everything about it! Even the gift shop, which I never even knew was there. Amanda rushed right over to it when we were done with the exhibits, and we even took our time looking around its wares, as though they were another exhibit!

Even taking the Museum’s famous gigantic elevator, which includes seating(!,) to the third floor was a trip and a half for our threesome, even semi-jaded yours truly.

We were fascinated by all the exhibits, (including the superheroes one, the rooms with old school movie make-up, ones with actual Emmys awards, and the scary one in the basement, of horror films, complete with jail cells, one with Hannibal Lector in it.) But what attracted us to go there to begin with is the Hollywood Museum’s celebration of Black History Month, This Joint is Jumpin’. And what a celebration it is!

The fabulous jewelry in the This Joint Is Jumping’ exhibit at the Hollywood Museum. Photo by Karen Salkin.

There are costumes, jewelry, props—you name it. I fully expected Denzel to walk out of the exhibit any second! And to bring it all to life, (even without an on-site Denzel,) is that along with the significant pieces, there are clips of the famous movies and television shows running on screens on the walls behind the items. The museum curators thought of everything!

There are about three dozen entertainers represented in the exhibit, so everyone is sure to know many of them, and their famous works.

Ret Turner and Cher’s part of a Hollywood Museum exhibit. Photo by Karen Salkin.

But the best part of everything in the museum, for me, was seeing photographs or artifacts of people I’ve known personally or have some other personal connection to. Here are just a few examples—Fayard Nicholas of the dancing Nicholas Brothers was my real friend–I even got to tap dance with him when he guested on my TV show!; I’ve met Eartha Kitt’s daughter, and we bonded over the fact that we both lost our mothers on a Christmas Day, which is so sad and sort-of unusual; I knew adorable Nell Carter because when we did a telethon together, she told me that she was a big fan of my show, and asked for a picture together!!!; I met Cher’s costume designer, Ret Turner, at one of her invitation-only garage sales, and he also told me he was a fan of my show, so he talked Cher into giving me a deal on a dress he had designed for her, which I wound-up wearing for my first appearance on The Tonight Show! So, in addition to admiring all this Hollywood history, it was a wonderful trip down memory lane for me!

And here’s some fun news about This Joint is Jumpin’—even though Black History Month is only February, you have two extra months to see this fabulous exhibit!

A visit to the Hollywood Museum is a must for visitors to our fair city, but it’s always wonderful fun for even the most too-cool-for-school locals among us. There’s always something new to discover there!

This Joint is Jumpin’ exhibit running through April 28, 2024
The Hollywood Museum  1660 Highland Ave.  Hollywood
323-464-7776  www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com

I’ve been subscribing to Jacquie Lawson’s wonderful online greeting card company for many years now. I’ve always appreciated the beauty and creativity of their offerings, and now I’ve also had a lovely experience with their customer service. As always with something deserving, I figure why keep the praise to myself? It’s so much better to share the story with my readers.

Part of a Jacquie Lawson card.

Jacquie Lawson is an incredible English artist who has been creating the most spectacular e-cards for years now. And the yearly membership fee is beyond reasonable, especially for the quality and prolificness of their designs. When I signed-up almost a decade ago, it was just because I saw one beautiful little card that featured a Christmas tree that twinkled, (which turned-out to be Ms. Lawson’s very first one! Who knew?) In the ensuing years, Jacquie and company have gone soooooo beyond that particular exquisiteness.

They also design a new online Advent Calendar every year. It costs a bit extra, but it’s totally worth every penny. (And you can share the joy with others by giving it as a gift!)

So a few years ago, I received one, and loved it. And then I actually forgot about it for a couple of years because, as you can see by my now-thousands of columns here on INAM, I always have so much else on my mind.

And even though I’m absolutely fine with staying in and having no outside activities during the pandemic, (which is what all but essential workers should be doing, as well,) I was a bit in need of some cheering-up this holiday season.

One scene from the 2020 Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar, as is the big image at the top of this page.

So when I received a notice from Jacquie Lawson that this year they were just giving the Advent Calendar to all their subscribers, (because of this hard year,) I was thrilled to have something so beautiful to look forward to.

I immediately tried to download it, but I ran into a crazy glitch, probably because I haven’t had time (nor figured-out how) to update my browser. (I keep forgetting that Mr. X got me a new computer a little while ago–I don’t like the way my writing pages look on it, and it’s so big, which is really uncomfortable for me to look at, so I keep fighting using it. It sits right behind my old computer that I love, and I turn to it in cases of semi-emergency only.)

So I did something I’ve rarely ever done about anything in life–I went onto the Jacquie Lawson website and wrote to them about my problem with opening their lovely Advent Calendar. That’s how much I wanted to enjoy it!

Within forty-eight hours, I got a detailed note back from them, (someone named Taylor, to be exact,) telling me exactly what to do, with all kinds of suggestions of what the problem could be. I really appreciated all the deets, which I followed, but I still got nowhere with it.

I tried every few days, because I sooo did not want to bother their customer service people again, and I erroneously thought that maybe, by some magic, I could get it going. But, alas, no luck. And then the free link expired!

And a scene from yet another Jacquie Lawson holiday card.

So I finally emailed them again, the day before Thanksgiving. (It’s not that I’m insensitive–they’re in England, so they don’t celebrate our American holiday. That I know of, anyway.) And then the morning after Thanksgiving, without hearing back from them personally yet, (after all, it had not been even forty-eight hours since I contacted them again,) I checked my emails as soon as I woke-up, and saw a generic note from the company, telling everyone that the calendar was about to start the countdown to Christmas. I actually started crying a little bit, because I felt so bad that I was going to be left out of all the fun! And, of course, I kept berating myself for not just writing back to them right away to say I still couldn’t get it to work.

So in a grumbly kind of mood, I got out of bed and sat down at my old formerly-reliable computer to begin my workday. And then, lo and behold, I got another email from a different customer service rep, (Jason this time,) telling me that–get ready for a tear in your eye because I’m actually getting a little choked-up even writing this–I should go to Order History in my account because…they put a second complimentary Advent Calendar link there for me! OMG!

Just a tiny bit of Jacquie Lawson’s stunning holiday artwork from this year’s Advent Calendar.

I rushed right there. And I was royally rewarded with a calendar that is more gorgeous than ever! And there are so many activities you can do on it along the way, like trimming a Christmas tree and doing jigsaw puzzles. You have to see it to believe it! My words do not come close to describing it.

So in addition to loving the calendar itself and the artistry and the cleverness, I really want to extend a major Thank You to the Jacquie Lawson customer service personnel for going above and beyond to give me this fun surprise, which is more appreciated in 2020 than ever before!

All other companies should take notice of how they do things over there, and follow suit. No one else in the world may be as fabulous and sensitive an artist as Jacquie Lawson and her team, but they can sure try to be as nice people.

And now I must stop writing about it and get back to my Advent Calendar right this very second. I look forward to every moment of the discoveries on it.

If you would like to share the Jacquie Lawson experience, here’s the link to get started: www.jacquielawson.com. Tell them Karen sent you!

Pennywise from “It.” Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of this page.

I’m always invited to so many more Halloween events in NY than I am here in too-cool-for-school LA, so I was sad that I had to cancel my trip to the East Coast this month.  That is, until I was invited to the VIP Opening Night reception for this fun Hollywood Museum exhibit!

It actually has nothing to with that holiday, per se, but the “monster make-up” aspect made it the perfect kick-off to Halloween month, (which seems to be how I always refer to October these days.)

I have a soft spot for the Hollywood Museum, because, when it was known as the Max Factor Museum, it was the site of my very first segment for a show I used to host for the Travel Channel.  So, just walking into that iconic building brings back wonderful memories for me.

The Alien. Photo by Karen Salkin.

In addition to that edifice giving me the warm and fuzzies over that part of my kooky show business career, I’m also obsessed with make-up, so this event was right up my alley.

Even though I did get to see some of the very old school Max Factor make-up displays on the first floor, the exhibit we were celebrating that night is basically monster make-up.  Since I eschew horror films, I was pretty much at a loss to understand what was going on all night, but everyone seemed to be having a great time.  And my friend, Roz, pointed-out the creepy clown from It, something from Jurassic World, and the Alien aliens.  So those were interesting.

The making of a monster mask. At the top of this page is the sculptor at work. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Also interesting was seeing Batman actress Lee Meriwether there because just two days before, I saw her onscreen alongside…moi!  She and I had just done the same cameo in a new web series. We filmed on different days, so I didn’t know she was in it until the cast and crew screening a couple of days before this exhibit opening. It was fun to see her in person so soon after that. What a still-gorgeous woman she is!

There were make-up artists on-site demonstrating their skills on live models, and one real artist was sculpting a mask (or somehting similar) right in front of us! (I would have loved to see the final result of them all, but I’m terrified of crowds, so I had the leave early. )

Photo by Karen Salkin.

As always with the opening night soirees at this venue, they started feeding us right after we walked in.  There was a bar on the first floor, along with a cheese-and-veggie platter table.  Then there was another bar on the massive elevator up to the exhibit floor, where there was yet a third bar! And there were food stations all over: a shrimp cocktail table, a full hot buffet, and a section for desserts.

For the rest of you, you may not get feted when you visit this monster makeup exhibit, but you will be treated to many fascinating movie magic tidbits.

30 Years of Make-up, Monsters, and Magic running through December 31, 2018
The Hollywood Museum  1660 Highland Ave.  Hollywood   323-464-7776  www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com

Back in the day, I did a special series on the Travel Channel about interesting places in Hollywood.  As a make-up junkie, my favorite was the Max Factor building, of course.  So I always love going back there for events.  It’s now called the Hollywood Museum, with the ground floor intact as make-up rooms, but with ever-changing exhibits on the two floors above.

The orininal Batmobile. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of the page.

And right now they’re featuring the Batman television show exhibit, (entitled Holy Hollywood History! A Batman ‘66 Retrospective,) whose opening party I went to last week.  It was fabulous; I only wish that Adam West was still alive to see this.  He and I shared a wonderful agent for many years, (until a talent coordinator made me leave my beloved agent because she told me that “all his other clients are old men,” a decision I’ve always regretted,) and I always heard lovely stories about Adam from him.

As we arrived at the fete, the original Batmobile was on full display on the sidewalk, creating a crowd of admiring passers-by.  I’ve seen it in person before, but it’s always entertaining.  And I was thrilled for all the fans who had this wonderful opportunity.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

On the first floor was a bar and a table of cheese and crackers and fruit. What a perfect way to begin the celebration!

Part of the fun of the Hollywood Museum is taking the humongous elevator (which is reminiscent of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion) up to the second floor for the exhibits.  Inside the lift were fabulous old movie posters, and for this occasion, some Batman visuals.  And on the sort-of lengthy (for an elevator ride) ride up to the top, the famous Batman TV theme music played, which got us all in the mood for what we were about to see.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

There were very many artifacts from that now-cult-status TV show.  I cannot even imagine from whence it all came! It dates back over half a century, for goodness sake!  We saw the Batphone, along with various costumes and memorabilia. And there were also photo exhibits, reminding us of the many actors who appeared on the show, and what characters they played.

And along the way was a trio of food areas, one featuring shrimp cocktail and guacamole, one serving hot tidbits, and the most important one, of course—desserts, along with another bar. We were well taken care of in the refreshment department!

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Once satiated, my friend and I really enjoyed perusing the giant display cases. The memorabilia was fascinating! I’ve only seen a few episodes of the TV series over the years, so I was not familiar with most of the items, but I still loved them. And, as a trivia fan, I knew who a lot of the actors from the iconic show are. I even worked with Frank Gorshin (aka “The Riddler”) on a television show when I was first starting-out in the biz! I was so excited that my name was up front in the credits the same size as his! (And Frank and Mr. X shared voiceover duties as the voice of Dr. Strange on the Batman animated series! And Mr. X also starred in the TV movie Return to the Batcave, so our connections to this exhibit abound, as you’ll see as you continue reading.)

Lee Meriwether on the right, next to her own likeness. Photo by Karen Salkin.

A point of interest for the original costume section of this exhibit is one worn by movie star Ida Lupino when she played Dr. Cassandra on the show. Her wardrobe has never before been seen by the public, so that’s pretty special. I was friendly with Ida when I first came to LA as a teen-ager, (I know—strange duo, right?,) but I never even knew that she had done this TV show! So I really enjoyed learning about that.

The most heartwarming part of the evening was seeing still-gorgeous former Miss America, Lee Meriwether, who played Catwoman in the movie off-shoot of the Batman series, standing next to the life-size rendition of her character in the Gallery of Guest Villains! I’ve seen her around town many times over the years because she’s a member of a theatre company I often review, and I’ve even met her on occasion, but I so did not want to take even one second of her time away from her adoring fans that night, so I left chitchatting with her for another time.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Speaking of someone I’ve run into before, Burt Ward, (the only Robin to soooo many Batman fans,) was in all his glory that night. I also didn’t get to talk to him at this soiree, but I had met him at an event a few years ago because he owns Gentle Giants Dog Food, a non-profit organization that helps feed dogs, which you know I’m all for. So big props to him for that.

You can see the Batman exhibit, (which opened on January 12, the same date that the campy TV show had its television premiere way back in 1966!,) for yourself because it runs until the end of April. So, everybody—to the Batcave!

Sometimes, when I’m going to an event, I have no idea what it is I’m getting into. So, you’re wondering why I accept those invitations to begin with? It’s either because the invite itself made the event look alluring, or I like the PR person or the host, or most likely, because I think one of my pals would enjoy it.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

And that’s what happened in the case of artist Wrdsmith’s exhibition, I’d Like To Have a Wrd With You. I didn’t understand the invitation, and I could not figure out what it was exactly, but I liked the people involved and it was sort-of on the way to where I was going later that night. And when I asked around to see if any of my friends would be interested in going to it with me, my friend Diane jumped out of her skin with excitement!

So, that sealed the deal for me. And off we went to the opening night reception for Wrdsmth’s first solo show. [Note: I think his title is really written “wrdsmth,” in either all caps or all small letters, but not both, and spelled the way I have it. But I’m occasionally adding a capital “W” at the beginning here, to make it easier for you guys to see that I’m writing about the artist, and it’s not just a jumbled-up word in there.]

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Before we went to the fete last week-end, I had planned on just adding a few words about it to this past Monday’s column, which was about another art event hosted by Street Art House. My exact note to myself was: “Maybe add wrdsmith to Monday’s, if it’s not good enough on its own.” (Nice, I know.) So, boy was I in for a shock!!! The line waiting to get in was around the block! And that was even right before it began! The hipsters were chomping at the bit to see this artwork and meet the artist!

The opening reception took place at the very interesting club/party venue Fais Do-Do in West Adams. This place has been around longer than I have, yet this was only my second time there. I hope for many more visits.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

And this time, I discovered something new to me—an outdoor space! For this art show, it was set-up with picnic tables for us to enjoy our Taco Daddy goodies on. That area was hopping! We all had a choice of any two open-faced soft tacos, and since I had discovered them elsewhere recently, I couldn’t wait for my delicious pork ones. Vegetarian Diane went with the El Gringos which were, of course, all veggies. There were two open bars for the VIPs, as well, which ensured a good time was had by all.

Fais Do-Do’s outdoor picnic space. Photo by Karen Salkin.

But back to wrdsmth’s art. As some of you may know, I’m far from an art expert, (except to be able to name all the original colors in Crayola’s big box of sixty-four crayons!,) but I really enjoyed Wrdsmth’s work. Perhaps not as much as the masses lining-up to purchase his colorful prints, but close. It appears that his signature design is that of an old-fashioned typewriter, which I love for two reasons: 1) Because I’m a writer! (Duh.) And 2) Because I actually own a gorgeous very old-fashioned one that belonged to my parents! (So you think that I’d be able to type with both full hands rather than the only-two-fingers I use to create this entire e-zine!!!)

I turned to worldly Diane to help me figure-out exactly why everyone was going extra ga-ga over the display. I don’t remember her answers word-for-word, but she mentioned something about this exhibit making art accessible to the public, and also the “power of art over rhetoric.” (For those of you as nescient about these things as I am, Wikipedia describes “rhetoric” thusly: “Rhetoric is the art of discourse, wherein a writer or speaker strives to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations.” I can see where it can be applied in this situation because wrdsmth’s art all comes with words on the pictures.)

Wrdsmth himself, talking to an admirer, with the sticker work I love! Photo by Karen Salkin.

When I was lucky enough to spend a few minutes with Wrdsmth himself, I found-out that his work began as street art. But for me, it’s so much more than that. As a writer, (and talker!,) I really love that words accompany each piece. Actually, they don’t really accompany them—the sentences are equal portions to the drawings (or other mediums) themselves! My favorite is a work of all stickers; I would do one like that myself, if only I could part with my stickers on their sheets!

I’m also a fan of the many romantic sayings on display. They’re sentences I feel that Mr. X would say to me, if he said that kind of thing. Here’s my fave: “The only lie I ever told you is that I liked you when I already knew I loved you.” Mr. X would never cop to that, but we all know he feels that way. (I think.) So Wrdsmth must be a romantic guy, which is always good in an artist. (And he’s cute, too!)

The wall of prints. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The wall of prints (which was perfectly displayed on the stage of the big, open room,) was especially compelling, both visually and in what was to become of it. The individual pieces were all available for purchase, but not until the appointed time. And, once a buyer had agreed to the purchase, he or she would then find-out if theirs was one of the ennead that was totally free!!! From what I understand, the artist does that to “pay it forward,” a concept I’ve been embracing ever since I was a naïve teen-ager, arriving in Los Angeles on my own, and relying on the true kindness of strangers. (Though, let’s face it, they weren’t all being kind; what male wouldn’t want to help-out a hot young thing?!)

My favorite romantic piece! Photo by Karen Salkin.

I left there feeling so in the know in the world of art. And to cement that new status for me, I was thrilled on every level when, just four nights later, I saw Wrdsmth’s art on a wall of a Beverly Hills restaurant during its re-opening soiree! I happily pointed it out to just about the entire assemblage, not just to show-off my newfound art knowledge, but because I really admire the work. So, I too, paid it forward! We wordsmiths have got to stick together!

And now you, too, will have the chance to see of what I speak because the show is open to the public this week-end, too. For details, just go to the website of the company that is producing the show: www.streetarthouse.com.

And maybe I’ll even see you there. Hope so!

This event was actually a three-in-one.  We got to see fabulous art, while eating delicious food, and it was all for a very charitable cause.

Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of the page.

The Nomenclature Art +Design Show was presented by Street Art House and held at a venue I had never even heard of before, Cisco Brothers’ LA headquarters on Western.  I love discovering new places.  That space is humongous!  And that’s exactly what this event needed because the art work was mainly…furniture!  The pieces were all one-of-a-kind and designed just for this Nomenclature show.

Photo by Karen Salkin.

It was held over two days, and I was there for the VIP Opening Reception, which was lovely.  My friend, who’s an artist herself, and I were very impressed with all the work we saw.  Of course, I, a color fanatic who has a room in my house dedicated to crayons(!—don’t ask,) was most happy with the many very colorful pieces.

After we perused the whole room, we realized that we were hungry.  It might have had something to do with the mouth-watering aromas that were emanating from in front of the open-air entrance.  That’s where Taco Daddy was set-up, serving three different varieties of open-face soft tacos.  (I love their banner that declared, “Not yo mama’s tacos!”  Very clever.)

Photo by Karen Salkin.

My friend and I both chose pork tacos, hers with the toppings, mine plain save for salsa, and they were all absolutely delicious.  We were actually on our way to a fancy gala, where there would be a lot more food, but these tacos were so heavenly that we couldn’t help but finish them, leaving no stomach room for the next place.

We washed it all down with a beverage that was new to even this jaded foodie–pumpkin spice horchata!!!  I’ve had the regular horchata before, of course, but this Autumn flavor was out of this world!  I think we know who my new daddy is! (Taco Daddy, in case you didn’t get my clever bon mots.)

The trio of tacos. Photo by Karen Salkin.

The more important part of the evening was that a portion of art and event ticket sales benefited the ReFoundry Foundation, a non-profit whose purpose is to rehabilitate the lives of people who have been incarcerated. They train and assist them in starting their own furniture businesses, which is pretty impressive.  Ever since I saw the eye-opening documentary, 13th, last year, which exposed the insane incarceration rate in this country, I’ve been interested in that topic.

One interesting note: The next day, a friend and I were at the twice-a-year Beverly Hills outdoor art show, and I recognized the work of Karlos Marquez from the Nomenclature show! I was so excited about it, and he was too, when I told him about my experience at the Art + Design Show the night before. I found-out later that he’s considered to be one of LA’s premiere Mexican-American street-turned-fine-art artists, which made the meeting even more special. I felt like I was in the know in the art world for a minute there.

If you want to know more about any of this, go to www.streetarthouse.com.

They may as well have billed this soiree “Two Things That Karen Loves” because it married attractive watches with a sports team!  Tag Heuer threw this celebration at Galerie Montaigne on Melrose to trumpet that they are sponsoring the upcoming bike race, the Amgen Tour of California.

The buzzing crowd, featuring Karen Salkin, (down front, on the left, in the blue sweater,) and Michael Roth (in the front middle, with the fabulous thick hair!) Photo by Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images, as is the big one at the top of the page.

They also unveiled their new colorful jerseys, which were designed by a young artist named Alec Monopoly.  There were four models on stage during the official announcement, and Alec went along and sprayed-painted one letter from his first name on each shirt, coming up with A-L-E-C.  (I wonder if that’s why Tag Heuer chose him for the job—because he’s a tagger! I’m not even sure that I’m joking.)

In the actual race, these shirts will serve as the “Best Young Rider” jerseys, one of which is awarded at the end of each day to the—guess what?—best young rider!  (In this case, “young” translates to “under 25.”)  What a carrot to make you ride faster!  I can’t even ride a bike, but I’d try really hard, if I knew one of these artistic tops was my prize at the finish!

Kilian Muller, Alec Monopoly, and Kristin Klein. (With a special guest appearance by moi, in the background.) Photo by Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images.

Kilian Muller, (President of TAG Heuer North America,) welcomed the crowd, and then Kristin Klein, (so many “K”s—I love it!,) (who is both the President of Amgen Tour of California and Executive Vice President of AEG Sports,) explained the new partnership to the assemblage, (of which I was front and center—I wanted to get as close-up a look as possible at everyone’s timepieces—I’m a nut for good watches!)

After the brief speeches, the attractive crowd partied on either the back patio or inside the art gallery.  Or, as my friend and I, in both areas!  (And I’m happy to report that in the entire time I spent outside, there were only a handful of smokers!  Los Angeles has finally gotten hip to how disgusting that habit is.  Good for those revelers!)

The DJ. Photo by Alice Farinas.

I’m sure you all know that my favorite component of the party was the delicious, creative hor d’oeuvres from Vucacious Catering.  The tiny tidbits were so unusual that I can’t even describe most of them for you, actually.  (I do know that one was a crispy potato cake topped with salmon, crème fraiche, and caviar.) And they kept them coming all night long!

Speaking of all night, the DJ was so good that no one seemed to be anxious to leave, even when the festivities had been over for awhile.  That’s the sign of a successful event!

The only thing that would have made it better is if we had each left with a mock-up of the feted jersey of our own, so I can make believe I’m an athlete myself! And a young one, at that!!!

Photo by Karen Salkin.

Mr. X and I had a really nice time recently at a party for artist Mario AC Della Casa. It was held at the interesting Beverly Hills Women’s Club in—where else?–Beverly Hills. That venue has so much space! It was a pleasure to not be crunched-in with the rest of the guests at a party for once.

The interior was fabulously enhanced by many of Mario’s celebrity paintings. I’ve seen his “genie bottles” at events before, and even talked to him about his work on the phone earlier this year, but I had no idea he was also a portrait artist! His likenesses of show biz icons, like Elizabeth Taylor and Lucille Ball, are stunning.

The buffet. Photo by Karen Salkin.

His work was on sale at the event, and a portion of the proceeds went to the John Ritter Foundation. As you may know, John was a pal of Mr. X and myself, so this is a charity I care about.

Mario also unveiled a few personal portraits he had been commissioned to do prior to the fete. The subjects stood on stage with him, and let me tell you—Mr. X and I were pretty impressed with the results. I’ve rarely seen an artist capture a person so closely before! (Therefore, I can’t use him—I like people to paint and draw me much better-looking than I really am!)

We guests feasted all night on a gigantic spread of all kinds of sandwiches, salads, and desserts, and there was also a beautifully-decorated, and generous, bar.

Rhoda stars Ray Buktenica and Valerie Harper. Photo by William A. Kidston.

But the most wonderful part of the evening was witnessing a mini-Rhoda reunion! The genuine affection that co-stars Valerie Harper and Ray Buktenica have for each other was so apparent that it gave everyone around them a great feeling. Everyone had big smiles on their face while they were admiring the pair. I’m actually pals with both of them, so I had the best time of everybody in attendance! I hung-out with them all night, along with Val’s husband Tony Cacciotti, whom I’ve also known for years. (And let me tell you—that man is a solid muscle! I almost broke my shoulder hugging him good-bye!)

For everyone who asks me about this all the time, I’m happy to report that Valerie is doing pretty well. She still looks gorgeous, and is as fun and appreciative as ever. And she told me a wonderful backstage story about her and Ray. She said that when Ray was hired for Rhoda, she thought that he was “too good-looking to be funny,” so she was was very pleasantly surprised that he was a riot! She spent the rest of this party laughing at everything he said. (And so did I!)

So, this was a very successful event, in every aspect. A good time was had by all, especially me!