I'm One Lucky Girl...Comments on a Beautiful Week

Well for starters, is will be interesting to see in what order the photo's will post.
That said, I'd like to fill you in on the beautiful week I've just had.

My week started on Monday, November 27th, when I had a wonderful visit with my old friend Mark.(see my previous post)

On Tuesday I went to Books and Books at the lovely Bal Harbor Shops for a 2PM slide show presentation and book signing
event by an old acquaintance of mine, Jewel Stern.
I first met Jewel, I bet it was at least 20 years ago and at that time she was a recognized photographer.
Fast forward to the present and low and behold I find out she is a collector of "Modernism in American Silver, 20th Century
Silver Design". This also is the title of her book, published by Yale University Press.
What an amazing woman Jewel is.
She gave the most engaging and informative presentation.
A champagne reception followed.
Jewels' collection has been accquired by The Dallas Museum and is on loan presently to The Wolfsonian, here on South Beach
through March of 2007.
Her book as well as the exhibit at The Wolfsonian have both gotten rave reviews, as well they should.
Interesting to note that this exhibit is up during the upcoming Art Basel week in Miami and Miami Beach, which is an international, world class event.
I find this all too thrilling and exciting as I'm a native of Miami and have witnessed the growth and development
of our beautiful city. Despite the recent reference to us being a "Third World Country".
In spite of the crime, over congestion of our streets and highways, and way to much development going on,
Miami continues to be a thriving, incredible city with the most diversified mix of cultures. I feel extremely lucky to have
been born and raised here.
I look forward to attending this exhibit down the road, with a group of women from The Funding Arts Network, an organization I am involved with.

So that was Tuesday.

On Thursday evening I drove south to the Coral Gables branch of Books and Books for another slide show presentation,book signing, by a woman who was a friend of mine when I had my children's clothing store. Her name is Jane Katcher and her book is titled "Expressions of Innocence and Eloquence: Selections from the Jane Katcher Collection of Americana", published by Yale Universiy Press as well. This book is huge and amazing. It weighs 5 1/2 pounds.
Jane is the woman I aspire to be in my next life. She is a former Pedicatric Radiologist, a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful
daughters and just an amazing woman in my opinion.
She gave a most dynamic presentation, so add gifted public speaker to the list of her accomplishments...
I was sitting in the audience, Jewel Stern was in attendance too, thinking to myself, how amazing is this, that two accomplished women, that I happen to know,
have each published a prestigious, highly regarded book? These books will be used by art historians for years to come as a benchmark in each of their fields of collecting
I am so proud of them.
I am so honored to know them.
They give me such hope as a woman in today's world. They are testimony, that all things are possible.
Kudo's to both Jewel Stern and Jane Katcher for a job well done!
Stand up and take a bow!

Do I still have your attention??? If so thank you and please read on...

Friday night was spent on South Beach with my wonderful buddies Bill and Jose.
We saw "For Your Consideration", the Christopher Guest movie.
It was plenty funny. Not a Hollywood blockbuster, but very entertaining and full
of much needed laughs.
We had a lovely meal at Joe Allen's afterwards.
I always know I'm going to enjoy myself when I'm with Bill and Jose.

And last, but certainly not least, was the culmination of my beautiful
week. I attended a Birthday Party for Miss Ella, herself, who is now 4. Ella and her 2 yr. old
sister Chloe, are the daughters of my cherished friend, Hunter and her husband Peter. Hunter is the
daughter of Mark and Donna. I know Hunter since she was this same age and I was dating her newly divorced Dad.
The party was perfection! They had a clown doing face
painting on the kids and a colorful bounce house, where the kids were jumping and running
themselves ragged. The day was glorious, with a cool breeze going on.
The thing that impressed me the most was how all the young parents were so relaxed, patient
and hands on with their kids in such a healthy, loving way.
It was a beautiful thing to witness and I felt so lucky to be part
of this glorious gathering.

Thanks for staying tunned.
I am one lucky lady.
I am so grateful.

And here's to another beautiful week unfolding, ahead, for us all.

Jose and Bill @Joe Allen"s Friday night.
This is Ella opening presents and sister Chloe showing her face for the camera
Catching the Birthday Girls face, Miss Ella herself...
Madame Chloe having a meltdown!

A Day at The Ranch

Yesterday I had a 5PM accupuncture treatment down south and was looking for something to do down that way earlier, so
I would not have to deal with driving there in the rush hour traffic.
It occured to me that my old friend, Mark, could use a visit as he recently had hip replacement surgery.
So I decided to stop in at his Chickee, which he custom designed and built in the early 1970's when we were an item.
I have many fond memories of him and that chickee. It sits to the back of his family's compond, which they call The
Ranch. To further add to the visit, Barry appeared. He and Mark go back forever and have done many a project
together. Barry is renown for his work with the trunks of trees. He's a recognized crafts, artisan and also creates natural
environments. His card says "industrial artist-Land Shaper". Another thing to add...Congratulations go out to Mark
and Ann, his significant other for over 20 years now. They finally got married. So there you have it. And now some of the photo's from
my visit.
This is an outside corner, featuring the bathtubs.
This is Mark in the back and Barry in the front. The Silver Fox Brigade
This is the Totem Pole. Mark carved the alligator, replete with teeth, no less on the top of this single piece of wood, probably a tree trunk.

This is one of many of the artifacts on the grounds surrounding the chickee.
This is an inside shot of the ceiling of the chickee.

Continuation of Girls Get Together, Publishing Ass Backward for a Change...

This is our styling girl Nora and Kay. Nora is
a Florida native and gifted photographer. She makes her living as a "location scout" for photo shoots.
This is Sister Margaret Mary and Kay. Margaret is
a former Nun. She goes by just Margaret, but I always love for people to know that she was a nun. Margaret is a former
journalist and runs the Port Everglades Association, the private, nonprofit organization of businesses at the Broward County seaport.
Here is our lovely Susan with Kay of course. Susan
has recently retired. We go back to 1972 and the McGovern Campaign. Susan was the Chief Operating Officer of the first "Summit
of the American's" held in Coral Gables, several years ago. She then went on to be Director of the not for profit organization, Florida Partnership of the Americas. She also had her own Public Affairs Firm. She's a major player in all things
good in our community.
And with the blue and white wreath, made
especially for me, Myra, because I don't celebrate Christmas, with the creative and talented girl herself, Miss Kay!

Girls Get Together @ Kay's

My dear friend Kay hosted a "girls get together" for 5 of us yesterday @4 o'clock in the afternoon.
It's a special treat when the 5 of us get together as we all live in different parts of South Florida and
everyone is busy, so it was wonderful spending time together in Kay's festively decorated apartment.
We laughed alot and remembered our dearly departed friend Sara, who was a common denominator
in all our lives.
When we finished feasting on the beautiful spread Kay had put out, Kay said "keep the camera's out".
She then proceeded to drag out 4 huge black trash bags from the back bedroom and announced "I am
doing this in alphabetical order".
Ta Da.
Here is our beautiful Kay surrounded
by the inredible wreaths she hand made for each of us.

An Ass Backward Presentation of My Wonderful Saturday.

Matador with bull.
Pablo and Myra, photo op! By the way, I
look much better than this in person...Hope you're laughing.
South Beach @night, where my wonderful day
culminated
Head on shot of the magnificent Bull. Gold
leaf done with cigarette paper.

A morning with Pablo Cano @MOCA, publishing out of order...

That's Pablo Cano, himself, up high in this
photo, manipulating the puppets.
I loved the eye's on this elephant. They are
so compelling. By the way, the silver leaf is done with silver paper from empty packs of cigarettes. Amazing, no???
This is an octopus kind of fellow.
This is a Mr. Fur Face kind of guy.
And this magnificent creature is made out
of plastic bowls and plates from the dollar store. If you click on any of the photos you'll get a larger view. In this case
you'll better see what I mean about the magnificence here.

MOCA.Photo's documenting the 1st stop in what was a most wonderful day!

This is one side of a puppet by Pablo Cano.
Uploading photo's on this Blog is still a mystery to me. They never publish in the order selected. The other side of
this puppet is a few down.
Unfortunately I was so busy taking pictures
that I couldn't take notes too...That being the case, I have no names for these incredible characters. Pablo introduced us
to each one...this guy has flipper feet, which being the great photographer I am, I failed to get in this shot. I forget his
name, but he is the narrator throughout the show, I think.
Ah, here is the front side of "Princess Tula".
This guy greets you as you approach the
front of the Museum of Contemporary Art/MOCA. He is part of several objects set in the outdoor fountain. Kind of "Hello
Kitty'esk", no?
And this is the entrance to Pablo Cano's
space where the performances of Under the Sea will take place.

I'm going to post some more photos...The sequence of which will be up to the Blogging God.