My mommy friend from Babies First Class invited me to the Invitation Only site for Mommies. At first it was, “I’m not one of those moms.” And then a little more here, a little more there, and I was hooked.

I’m Alexandra and I’m a CityMommy addict

I got the call last week – Jim from Turkey is coming! For those of you who may not know him already, Jim and Hiku are partners who come here from Turkey periodically and they bring a wonderful selection of rugs with them – all sorts of orientals from Chinese to Oushak to Caucasion, Old to New, and they have great prices. Jim is taking appointments now for his visit to Los Angeles – if you’d like him to come to your home and show you the rugs he will come! Clients and friends alike have his rugs and it generally goes like this: I tell my circle and they either want to see him again or want their friend to see him. It usually causes a party. Few can resist them once they see them.

Jim’s phone number (now he’s really cute but very married, so don’t call him for anything but rugs, ladies) is:
(678)446-0951

A few of my projects above with rugs from The Rug Man above~also see here for more photos with rugs

One of the things I love about living in Los Angeles is being able to attend movie premieres. Sometimes you come across these invitations by being a fan of someone or something or, after living here awhile, you can’t help but have a friend or two who produce something and you get to see what they’ve been talking about forever! I am a huge fan of jazz – especially old school standard type musicians who start reminiscing of the Brat Pack and such. I also am a constant listener of talk radio and have favorite hosts who bring perspective to all that happens in the world.

Wednesday March fifth was the premiere of “Trying To Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon” – a biopic of the life of Jack Sheldon, one of if not THE most amazing trumpet players alive today. This movie was written, produced, and directed by Penny Peyser and her husband Doug McIntyre, who hosts my favorite morning drive talk show. They are a dynamic duo in my book – she was the “it” girl for a respectable period of time in the seventies and held the hallowed role of Barbara Kornpett, bride to be in The In Laws, one of the funniest movies ever! The premiere was hosted at the Westwood Crest, and was a veritable dream for a jazz afficionados -guys who have walked and talked music for decades, whose music is in our consciousness without us realizing it. I am so glad to know some faces behind some of my favorite old standards and who sang “Conjunction Junction“, and “I’m Just a Bill“. Particularly notable was that a large part of the footage of “telling Jack stories” was Merv Griffin, yet another giant in the Hollywood and jazz lore. Merv knew Jack well and knowing about Jack Sheldon is truly a special thing. Great flick – order the DVD for all your jazz fans.

My in-laws vacation in Palm Springs every year to get away from the beautiful but cold Seattle winter. We took a quick drive out and took in the scenery, a little art, and enjoyed having the grandparents around. Their timeshare was a patio home with a side yard, so I took the opportunity to let the critter creep and frolic in the well manicured grass.

When I was the Director of the Handsel Gallery in New Orleans I represented a group of about forty artists in all sorts of media, and George Alexander’s porcelain majolica is and was what I think is the most beautiful work – he crafts and fires pieces of all different shapes and sizes, from a life size pear to covering the walls of an entire bathroom. The characteristics that make his work stand out are the detailed embossings on the clay, the exhuberant color in high fired glazes, and his mirthful choices of subject.

In my short prowl through a few galleries in Palm Desert on the main drag, at the Hart Gallery I found the work of an artist who could be the lovechild of Alexander and Jean Paul Gaultier. Laura Ann Jacobs’ “Skirting the Issue” and “Night Owwwt on the Town” portray what we all must have experienced in our lives in our fabulous footwear and cinched waists. Her sense of humor and textures were worked into the clay in a way that caused me to stop and take a longer look. I can blow past a lot of art, after having been looking at these things now for over two decades, but I really thought these pieces were worth a moment.

Yet another surprise in the same block – seeing Martha Wolf’s slumped glass pieces at CoDA Gallery. Martha was part of the gallery in New Orleans and she created a terrific show for Mardi Gras – all Mardi Gras memorablilia with glass masks with beads and dubloons. I’ll bet she had an incredible creative experience doing it, as the pieces had a festive spirit. I’m delighted to find her again. Also at the CoDA I really was drawn to the “Raven” series in bronze by Jim Eppler. I’ve got to find out what made him decide to do these! I think Raven, I think the one by Edgar Allen Poe, or the ones from “The Omen” – I’d love to put them in an outdoor living space. I also adore this polychromed dog from Siliva Davis at the CoDA not only because I’m sort of a sucker for dogs; but also because it is a really fine piece of work – all crafted from barn wood. Another piece that would surprise if placed in an unexpected setting.

The desert was on the cusp of the spring bloom – we visited Coachella Valley Mountain Visitors Center and caught up on the succulents. The contrast of the blue sky against the foliage was most impressive.

People move here for the weather – and it hasn’t disappointed us this year. On our daily stroll we noticed all that is already in bloom – even the succulents look, well, succulent! Beverly Hillians tend to stay indoors during the month of January, as most have caught a bug from traveling, partied like a rock star all during the holidays, over spent, overslept, over the rain, you name it – don’t come knockin in January!

I noticed a couple of days before Valentine’s Day that everyone was getting lighter, then yesterday and today the weather has been amazing. I’m starting to see my neighbors out and about again. We’re all very friendly, and most have lived here for quite awhile. Everyone keeps to themselves, but we all are very cordial. Especially now that it’s so wonderful out of doors!

So I woke up yesterday morning and forgot that it was a National Holiday! Seeing as how the mood in the Atelier is lazy today, we opted to continue the mood and mosey over to Santa Monica to stroll in Palisades Park and then grab an early dinner. I always love to go to the beach – it always reminds me that I grew up on the water and need to be near it.

We cruised back to Beverly Hills and had dinner at Roni’s, our favorite neighborhood diner. I’ve been ordered delivery from Roni and his son David since I moved to Beverly Hills in 1999, and they’ve expanded and have a very friendly place – everyone there is so familiar with David that we all tend to shout whatever we need across the dining room. Just as we were leaving Dennis Farina of Law and Order fame and multiple tough guy roles came in. I’ve always liked him and to this day I laugh about his line in the movie “Snatch” – when his character was travelling back and forth from New York to London and he was asked if he had anything to declare. He says “Yeah – don’t go to London”

This top ten has got to be incorrect! I lived in New Orleans for years before I came to Beverly Hills. I managed to get a design degree and run two different businesses during that time. Being on time and reliant is truly not an asset in that place. It’s a way to go crazy if you have an efficient bone in your body.

All I know is people make entire careers of being drunk down there, and can’t imagine more alcohol is consumed anywhere else. I mean for real – the bars never close. Cocktails can cost a dollar all night if you drink the promo drink du jour and no one cared if you didn’t wake up until three in the afternoon. I lived in a really nice section of the city, and had two separate occasions where I had to step over my neighbor who was sleeping in the hall – she had a PhD and was a kindergarten teacher. She could not make it all the way to her own door. Thank God we had a secure building, so she was able to sleep peacefully.

I can’t believe that I didn’t do this before – a place to note all the interesting things that happen when you are Lifestyle Expert in Beverly Hills. I’ll be writing about all things art and design that are constantly filtering into the Atelier – interior designs, paintings, fabulous new products for the home, latest celebrity sightings (LaToya Jackson, Colours Restaurant, Tuesday Night), life and love in a Beverly Hills Atelier.