LETHARGY

"Lethargy....you're making a mess of me...". There is so much going on in my life right now that I actually feel I am doing nothing and accomplishing nothing. Yes, I voted! I can imagine Meg throwing down a couple of martinis at the conclusion of the results. "Waiter! Make it a double and hurry!" The endless renovation on house in RM is almost finished - moving in on the 18th,("God's ears" as my dear old grey haired mother used to say). The other evening Barry Krost was deservedly honored at an Aids Project Los Angeles cocktail reception held at Nieman Marcus Bev. Hills. Barry has, since the 80's, donated his time as a volunteer producer of many high-powered events and has raised thousands of dollars for the agency. Jackie Collins, Sidney and Joanna Poitier and many other donors warmly acknowledged our friend: the guest of honor. Nieman M generously provided booze, nibbles and eye-candy bartenders and waiters. Last night the Los Angles Symphony was conducted by the energetic Pablo Heras-Casado in an evening of music usually only programmed in a European city. The reason I say that is, for example, Debussy's Jeux is rarely played in this country. The rest of the program had the pianist Peter Serkin dynamically performing with the orchestra the Stravinsky Concerto for Piano and Winds and, a favorite of mine, the Takemitsu piece: Riverrun. The sensational evening ended with the beautiful Stravinsky Suite from Firebird. When I am in Paris I often attend concerts at either the Theatre Champs-Elysee or the Theatre Chatelet where I hear a certain type of musical fare. Last night I reflected on those Paris concerts and realized how fortunate we are to be listening similar music in Disney Hall. I guess after a while it all becomes a blur and the run run run is balanced by the quiet time. Doing nothing and accomplishing nothing isn't so bad, after all.

FRIENDS

The week began on Sunday last with a dinner here at home. JP, a lovely and very vivacious lady I've known for many years and who is always a joy to be around, MC, M's good friend who is a lady that is a true free spirit, B & S, husband and wife who are indirectly responsible for my meeting MM, and are warm and wonderful. Yes, old friends. "What d'ya say old friends?" (Sondheim). The next evening I dined at Etoile with DG, a good and giving friend, followed by an evening spent with MG, whom I hadn't seen in 14 yrs and it was as though it was yesterday. He was visiting here from Kansas City and was funny and spirited as ever. To begin the weekend there was dinner at Trio in Palm Springs with four friends (yes, again, friends) and the following night a Luau given by DG and her partner C. DG was my sister's partner for 8 years. I call her my ex-brother in law. Sunday JR celebrated his 88th birthday and there were four of us for brunch at Spencer's in Palm Springs. Just friends.

EVENTS

This past week was filled with Events. We belong to a Documentary club. A film is shown each month to members at a home that can accomodate 40 or so persons watching it on big screen TV's. The past one was at PK's contemporary house. Buffet dinner, wine and the movie. Next night it was off to the Member's opening of the new Resnik Pavilion at LACMA. Absolutely first rate building designed by I.M. Pei. Three rooms of exhibition. OLMEC, Impressionist paintings and Period Costume. My favorite being the costume exhibit which outshines anything I have seen in Paris, in regards to restoration, placement, mannequins and lighting. As far as I am concerned the French just don't get lighting in museums. Guests were entertained under a huge tent with dinner and drinks. Following evening was dinner at the restaurant EVA with B & D. We were the liveliest table in the place with the food and wine flowing. Sunday afternoon was a benefit for the upcoming Los Angeles Modernist Museum given at an Eames owned and simply designed house - with a killer view of the Pacific ocean. And then, other than my usual gym, dentist, physical therapy, piano lesson, French lessons, DG gave a rainy Wednesday lunch of good soup and sandwiches. You may not believe this but M and I spend the majority of evenings at home. But now and then "we dip".

YOU NEVER KNOW

This past week was filled with unexpected events. A car crashed into the rear of the new BMW loaner car I was driving. Full moon = crazy drivers. Also due to circumstances beyond my control I missed the dress rehearsals of two operas: Il Postino and The Marriage of Figaro. But! Things took a turn for the better with a delightful dinner at T & L's penthouse apartment in West Hollywood where the food was great and conversation lively and controversial. (My big mouth, as usual). Then the topper of the week was the opportunity to spend an evening, at dinner, with M's friends who were indirectly responsible for his and my meeting and whom I had never met. B and S are a warm and inviting couple who were married in France with M tagging along to Monaco for their honeymoon. Being with them in France piqued M's curiosity about the country and contributed to our meeting. Long story. M chose a restaurant midway Camarillo (where B and S live) and Benedict. The Italian restaurant, Adagio, was warm and confortable and a perfect place for us to have experienced "getting to know you". In fact, we got to know one another so well, time went by too quickly and we closed the place. It was not about the food it was about us. "Us" loved spending an enjoyable time with one another. Expect the unexpected. (Confucius).

SIR

When I was 16 years old a younger boy selling newspapers in downtown Minneapolis addressed me as "Thank you sir". At that moment I was shocked to be called, what I imagined to be, and older person's title of respect. For some strange reason I have always bristled at being called Sir. Last evening upon leaving a restaurant with persons much younger than myself one of them said he was "Happy to meet you, Sir". My retort was "only older persons are called "Sir" and I Am Not That Old!" Of course, I am an older person and later on I realized how ridiculous my comment must have sounded to a person being polite. I do find it rather silly for a clothing designer to have the title of Sir Paul Smith. However, in Britain that is a given name bestowed by the Queen of a person who has extraordinarily contributed talents to the country. Letters are written beginning with Dear Sir. An employee will address the boss as "Sir, may I have a raise in salary"? And on and on. In France my name, Laurence, is considered to be only a woman's name. Often my mail was addressed to Cher Madame. Perhaps being called Sir stirs in me something only the French know, and that is that I am really not a Sir at all. Just joking.......

ON THE ROAD - AGAIN

This is not the Jack Kerouac version. It is a life on the road - well led. This past week M and I took a two hour driving trip to Rancho M., spending a couple of days in a glamorous complex named Morningside as guests of R & J. After perusing the work done on the renovation of our house, M met with the Landscape Contractor and went rock shopping while I lunched and furniture shopped. After spending our days and nights in desert splendor we drove back to Benedict Canyon for the night and the following morning drove up to Carmel, stopping in Montecito for lunch at Via Vai, a great little Italian restaurant. We arrived at the Pine Inn in Carmel a few hours later, wandered around town, had a drink at Doris Day's (yes, THE Doris Day) Cypress Hotel and an easy dinner at La Bicyclette restaurant: drinking good French red wine and hitting the sack (passing out is more like it) at a very early hour. The following bright and sunny morning we motored up to San Francisco. The new California Academy of Science museum in Golden Gate park was our first stop upon arriving. This is definitely a "Do Not Miss" museum. The nature exhibitions are beyond compare. A Green rooftop, a rain forest, an Aquarium. Our afternoon visit ended with a spectacular Planetarium show. Checked into the hotel Ritz Carleton Nob Hill and later joined CK for dinner at the lively Wayfarer Tavern. The next morning, luckily, we caught one of the final days of the sensational exhibition of the Fisher Collection at the Modern Museum. Many big name American artist were shown on two floors comprising of only a segment of the 1100 pieces left to the museum by the founder of the Gap - Donald Fisher. After, we rested our feet in the bar of the Sir Francis Drake hotel where I had a very San Francisco drink - an Old Fashioned. Dinner that evening was at Boulevard, hit a couple of bars with CK,and ended our jam-packed SF weekend. Saturday we drove down Highway 101 stopping in Montecito to dine again at Via Vai for pizza and antipasto della casa accompanied by Chianti Classico. Exhausted, we arrived safe and sound in BH. No more road trips 'till the next saunter down to the desert. Enough is enough!

SUMMER'S END

Yes, I know it is not the 21st but for me and countless others the summer ends on Labor Day. Remember the adage "No white shoes after Labor Day"? The French call the end (after a month) of summer holidays, "Le Rentree". The Return or Re-enter into the real world. School, work and waiting until the next round of holidays. Yesterday was a beautiful day and a beautiful way to end the sumnmer and today the warm weather came to a crashing halt with drizzle, fog and 64 degrees. M and I had hosted a Potluck Labor Day party for 18 good friends. Each person was given a category of food or wine to bring to the festivity. Festive it was with lots to drink, and believe me this group drinks, and good things to eat. Today, M is back at his Landscape Architecture school project and I am looking forward to another holiday. After all, every night can be New Years Eve.....can't it?