Starting a new business

Flowers by Fleurt

More flowers by Fleurt

Though these photos have nothing to do with the new business venture, I just want to get you in the mood for beautiful product.

Details of the business will come later but basically it will be product from the Dordogne, which is the area of France where I have my home, and other beautiful parts of France. Shopping the Brocantes (sort of flea markets) and Vide-Greniers (empty attics) will be so much fun. Though I have done it for the past 13 years, I never thought of building a business around it. Now I think it is a good idea.

To be continued.

A La Prochaine

A trypical LA day

Aunt Ann, age 90, and her boyfriend Dan, age 101 at Barney Greenglass for lunch
Great Hummus and Tsiziki

Family lunch

When I am in Los Angeles, I find myself doing many of the things I don't do anywhere else.

Today the day started with a 6:30AM water exercise class that I was taken to by my daughter-in-law. I loved it. It was an hour of playing in the pool thinking that this was much too much fun to be real exercise until you get out and feel your sore muscles. It is a real workout and a good one.

Afterwards I went to the DRYBAR which is a hair salon that only washes and blow dries your hair. No color, no cuts. It was packed with other women like me who hate to do their own hair.

Following that I went to lunch at the IVY, undoubtedly the most beautiful restaurant in Los Angeles with a real California look. The incredible flowers, the gorgeous cushions placed all over and the great accessories, make this a vision to behold. I enjoyed catching up with an old friend over a delicious lunch of roasted vegetable salad with shrimp.

The day would not be complete without having dinner with family at another great restaurant.

LA to me is all about the bad traffic and the good restaurants. I love every minute of my trip here.

Laguna Beach and Balboa Island

Great Eating

Chef/Owner Jordan Kahn of Red Medicine in Beverly Hills, California

Beautiful dish at Red Medicine

Another gorgeous dish at Red Medicine

This was the chicken dumpling dish with 9 places, 4 dumplings, mint, hoison sauce with dot of hot pepper, fried onion, green onion, pickled cucumber.

This is the lacquered, carmelized pintade decorated with tiny herbs and flowers.

The last two nights in LA, we had some extraordinary meals. First we went to AKASHA in the newly "chic" Culver City area. The food was so good especially the dessert which was a take off of smores. Great chocolate pudding with a homemade square marshmallow on top of it and homemade graham cracker shards stuck in on the sides. Yummy!!!!

Tonight we went to RED MEDICINE, a Vietnamese restaurant unlike any I have ever eaten at before. Lots of little plates, each one amazing. Brussel sprouts with carmelized shallots, basil and shrimp crisps on top, then chicken dumplings, next mushroom green beans, also crab rolls, and last but not least lacquered pintade carmelized, with cinnamon and crispy onion roots served with cut rice. All unusual and all delicious. The dessert was a combination of coconut creme, peanut butter crisps, chicory grains and coffee creme. Unbelievably delicious.

Life is a Beach

Leaving the Luxe Hotel

Coffee on the run

Waiting for his owner, dogs now allowed. So sad.

Our home in the distance off of Pacific Coast Highway

Free as a bird

Malibu surf

Kids, look closely at the address, it's where our home was before it was torn down and rebuilt.

Malibu home on stilts

Malibu beach
Beautiful flowers in the parking lot

Designer clothes in Malibu

First releases at this theatre as many of the film people live in Malibu

Malibu country mart with 3 Ralph Lauren shops

Always a Nobu

This is 1/2 of a chopped salad at Goggies in Malibu.

Today I drove to Malibu and reminisced a bit about the time we had a house there years ago.

I started out with my usual capuccino and finished with lunch at Googies. It was wonderful fun and I loved every minute of that beautiful place a true heaven on earth.

LA LA Land

Well here I am in Los Angeles visiting friends and family. The weather is cool but who cares, it is so beautiful anyway.

I'm staying at the beautiful Hotel Luxe located on Sunset Boulevard and the 405. It's so convenient for me and I love it here. It's a newly renovated hotel by the "hot" LA designer Mary McDonald and its great to the last detail. The staff is kind and accommodating which is so refreshing and makes your stay so enjoyable.

I had lunch with a good friend yesterday in Beverly Hills, yummy and so healthy.

Dinner was with my youngest son and a friend at Ashama, a great restaurant in the newly chic Culver City area.

Tomorrow I am off to Laguna to visit a great friend for a few days.

A la prochaine.

Dallas Film Society

Here I am with Liener and Randy

The honoree being interviewed
Liener's family on the red carpet

Liener and Karla's daughter Lisa

Karla when she saw Randy....he came from LA to surprise them

Hot TV interviewer

Randy with some of his "Monk" fans

This was a night to remember. Out dear friend Liener Temerlin was honored for starting the Dallas Film Festival five years ago. It was held at the beautiful Winspear Opera House in Dallas and the venue was perfect for such an event.