50s Hollywood Style Icons Rock!

Westside Story's 5oth Anniversary and those fab 50s Fashion: (see previous post)


Marilyn Monroe is still as hot as ever in the industry as my post on Michele Williams does Marilyn Monroe revealed: (see AFI 2011 post). The upcoming NBC TV show SMASH also is loving on Ms. Monroe. SMASH is produced by Steven Spielberg and it stars former American Idol Katherine McPhee as a young actress fighting for a role as Marilyn in a Broadway stage production. This show also features my favorite actors, Debra Messing and Angelica Huston, so I'll definitely check it out. Monroe's statue, likenesses, live impersonators and her Walk of Fame star are also very popular along Hollywood Blvd.

Elizabeth Taylor Rocks!
Elizabeth Taylor literally rocks as countless pieces of her jewelry collection will be on display at Christie's Auction House in New York City. This collection is legendary and includes costly "rocks" and sparkling "ice" diamonds as large as 8 carats. Can you say "B-L-I-N-G"!

Those Ruby Slippers:
It's all about the shoes, girl! I saw on TV that the original ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz were being shown at Solange jewelers on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills so I raced on down there for a fashionista-grade close-up and a trip down memory lane.

The Wizard of Oz was always shown on TV every Easter/Resurrection Sunday when I was a kid and I've loved Dorothy (iconically played by Judy Garland) and her ruby slippers since. Every time I bought a red shoe of any kind, it had to live up to the quintessential standard of the original and I frequently went shopping looking for a red sparkly shoe. (In fact, even bought a tiny pair for my sister's daughter for Christmas when she was only 2)!

I did some research on the slippers online and found out that there were actually 7 or 8 pairs of the ruby slippers made for the movie but this particular pair is the most famous ones because they are the ones Judy Garland wore in the scene when she clicked her heels to return back home to Kansas (“there's no place like home”). Some believe that they are the ones taken off the flattened witch, too.

I got to the jeweler and saw that the slippers were housed in a glass case with a mock up of the Emerald City but lots of beefy security men were around too, all wearing slick black suits and a hint that they were packing heat. I hesitated a bit 'til a pleasant lady in a black pant suit greeted me and ushered me right up to those slippers. I got about an inch away from the case to make sure I got a good look and I was looking for a few minutes before I realized I was holding my breath-lol.

The shoes are a little scuffed and faded to a pink in areas but I still got a tingle being so close to them. They have “Judy Garland #7” (or 7th pair) hand-written in ink on the insides and I'm told they are a size 6 or 6 and a half like Garland was. The sparkle of the shoe is not from jeweled appliques or glitter like I had thought but from is from rows and rows of sequences carefully sewn on with great skill. IMHO, it's the height of the heel and the delicate bow detail, along with that ruby sparkle, that makes this shoe the show stopper it is.

This is the last time these ruby slippers will be seen by the public because they are soon to be auctioned off with bids starting at 2 million dollars. So save that cash girls, 'cause Christmas is right around the corner.

The Visual Arts In LA

Los Angeles is second only to New York City in its number of artists, art shows and museums spaces dedicated to the arts. There are also lots of artistic enclaves around town with style vibes ranging from the classic fine art greats to “retro-groovy”, to graffiti to “edgy- in your face” to “just way way out there”. Ecclesia Church is not to be left out and so they are having a Visual Arts exhibit the end of November that will be faith-based.

The theme we are to follow is about how Jesus, born into flesh i.e. the Nativity, is intersecting with our lives now or intersections of our faith in our reality in 2011, I guess. I was a bit confused with the concept initially but now I want to take the approach of Ecclesia “the called out ones” as Pastor Joseph discussed in church (listen to the downloadable sermon at www.ChurchInHollywood.com ) and how we live “the Jesus in us” or a broader view of how the Holy Spirit operates and the “This Is Ecclesia” series we are delving into in the book of Acts . Then I guess I'll just let the Holy Spirit direct me from there :) .

Ecclesia supports many churches around the world and they are very dedicated to their support of the church in Kibera, Kenya, one of the African nation's most notable slums. Ecclesia's mission team went there recently to share the gospel with the children and teens of Kibera and I've wanted to do some art about that trip ever since.

In fact, a few Sundays back, various Kenya missions team members took the stage and shared their experiences with us at church and I can say it was life changing for me. I wasn't the only one touched by their words and pictures as there were many teary eyes and open hearts to go around. One member even shared that before going on this missions trip, she had been simply checking things off her “Christian bucket list” and not letting the Lord move her (something I 've been guilty of myself).

So Kibera's kids it is and our artwork is due in less than a month so I needed to start sketching quick. I bugged my friend M.W., a Kenyan missions 2011 team member, for any pictures he had of the mission team in Kenya and he had tons. I think that the final work will be in pencil, charcoal, ink or maybe oil pastel crayons because I am not able to work with paints and brushes as well these days. I may make it a 3D multi-media display or a performance piece but I'm still working on the concepts right now.

I'm a little nervous about submitting my art because most of the people submitting work were gifted artists many working currently in the field while my last official art classes were in high school in the 80s. I was found to have artistic skills at age 6 and I was blessed with wonderful art teacher from elementary school all the way through. I also come from a very artistic family and I watched my older brothers drawing at home up through high school then I frequented the fine arts building exhibits during college. But then I went off to medical school to do the doctor thing and I rarely did art after that.

I returned to art in 2001 as therapy and it works well as a distraction but some of my skills suffered I think. I usually do about 3-4 pieces a year now (body willing), most seen only by me in my small “art studio” at home so if I get this done, it would really be a dream come true.

UPDATE: 11-13-11
I submitted eight 9 x 12 inch matted portraits of the Kenyan kids done in graphite pencil and charcoal on paper today so wish me luck. I did them all in about a week and a half and I really wanted to present something for those young mission team members at my church who go yearly to the slums of Kibera. The faces of these kids and teens from Kenya make you want to do for God and give your all and all I can do for them right now is my art.

All this my art is Holy Spirit inspired work because this is not the technique I had before. I also didn't have much supplies but an artist from church hooked me up (thanks R.R.) and another artist matted them for me at a discount in his frame shop (thanks A.B. and fam).

Seriously, seeing my work properly matted and mounted was heavenly and worth the effort. God is amazing! Oh, and I named my pieces as a group, Ecclesia, the "sent out ones": Lives Touched, Kibera.

UPDATE- 11-16-11
Good news! I just got word that 3 of my pieces made the cut and will be on exhibit at the historic Pacific Theater on Hollywood Blvd during Ecclesia's church hours or exhibit hours throughout the Christmas Advent season. I'll make sure to video tape the opening reception especially since I'm going to wear the authentic Kenyan Masai necklace that I bought at the Alternative Christmas Market at Ecclesia last year.

The Alternative Christmas Market:
Speaking of which the Alternative Christmas Market at Ecclesia will be on Dec 3rd this year in its new locale in the outside garden space so it's going to be bigger and better (weather allowing). This is a lovely and novel shopping event for Christmas gifts and it has many jewelry, scarfs, belts, bracelets, purses and ornaments for sale all made by women from Africa, India and Asia. You can also buy or donate for a cow or chicken for a poor family in a developing country, a perfect gift for that man in your life or your young kids.

I plan to make tons of hand made cards with the other women of the church to send to the kids in Kenya like we did last year. I'm also working on some detailed original artwork for Christmas cards, stationary, gift wrap and Christmas trees with an Kenyan/African safari feel for sale on Dec 3rd. I have the concept But I need to get more card stock and envelopes. I'm also going to make my own stamp and logo the old fashioned way. If I get this done, I hope to sell them as a box set of five with the profits going to help the mission in Kenya. I plan to do my pine cone work, too so I have to get cracking now.

***See video of last year's Alternative Christmas Market on an old blog post.

The International Day of Prayer (IDOP)

The International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the Persecuted Church was this past Sunday and we saw a video about it at church which drove home the fact that every 5 minutes a Christian is matyred and numerous others persecuted, imprisoned or killed.

Our pastor asked us to be bold in support of our faith like Peter and John were when they were pulled in for questioning after healing the man at the Gate Beautiful. In fact, Pastor Joseph and many others have extended observance of IDOP to a week of prayer and fasting because of the seriousness of this growing humanitarian crisis.

I've been praying and fasting too... in the dark with a single candle (which represents "the light of the world" that we Christian are to be), a prayer shawl and a small clock that ticks a loud 5 minute count down. Every time I think I'm hungry (which is often) or my stomach growls, I try to think of a Christian in a North Korean prison on meager food rations... when my body hurts (which is often too)I think about a man sore and bruised in India or Saudi Arabia... beaten only because he believes in Our Lord... When the candle blows out and I'm left in darkness, I mourn those Christians killed in Egypt, Iraq, Somalia... And I think, "tick-tock"...

Rita Moreno & Westside Story's 50th Anniversary

God is amazing! I spent he day yesterday strolling Hollywood's Walk Of Stars and chatting with talented Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy award winner, Rita Moreno for over 20 minutes as we searched for her star then took pictures.

Moreno was in for the 50th Anniversary ceremony for Westside Story and had her hand/feet prints immortalized in cement. I had planned to go to this event but I ended up getting there late and missing most of the event. I could barely see anything when I got there because the crowd was barricaded on the other side of the street across from Grauman's Chinese and across 2 lanes of traffic. I waited to see if one of the stars would came to greet the crowd but most of the crowd was leaving. Then I spied Ms. Moreno, her daughter and grandson and a small entourage making their way up Hollywood Blvd and I waved to her and ask if I could join them. Moreno said, "sure, just keep up the pace" and I did (barely)- lol.

Ms. Moreno is so tiny and beautiful and she wore a stone washed fitted jeans jacket, a floral dress with ruffles and sparkly blue low-heeled shoes. Moreno is also still very spry and light on her feet from years of training as a dancer. In fact, she was walking so fast that I struggled to keep up with her as we walked the last 2 blocks.

She was also very sweet to put up with me gushing about her role of Anita in Westside story (both on film and on stage), her roles on Electric Company (Millie, the little girl in pink, the director, Otto), her role on Oz, and her most recent role as Vincent D'Onofrio's mother on Law & Order Criminal Intent... (read yada yada) as we walked to her star. I even got to tell her how only God could have allowed us to meet in the way we did.

I have to work harder on suppressing my natural campiness because I so wanted to sing and dance to the song "In America" as Moreno posed on her star but I had it all recorded on my iphone but my phone died on me. I also resisted asking Moreno to yell her signature "hey, you guys!" like she did in the opening of each Electric Company episode but it took me literally biting my tongue to do it.

Ms. Moreno signed my drawing depicting her on the LIFE magazine cover in 1954 and she gave me a 1,000 watt smile, too. Moreno's manager, John, also took a pic of Ms. Moreno and I and some other picture for me as my hands were just shaking. Then Moreno's family, friends and her grandson gathered around her and we all gave a shout out to Puerto Rico where Moreno was born. Boriqua!

Just Seen October 2011

Here are some more tasteful (hopefully) star sightings:

Matthew Gray Gubler, who plays BAU's resident cute and nerdy genius, Spencer Reid, on the hit CBS TV show Criminal Minds (along with my TV favs Thomas Gibson, Joe Mangtena, and Shemar Moore) seen crossing the street sipping soda from a straw and cup on the corner of Vermont and Prospect near the Mexican take out place in Los Feliz Village.

Gubler is also one of my TV favs so I tapped him on the arm as we crossed the street and told him, "I love you". He looked at me apologetically but genuinely confused like he wanted to love me back too but couldn't remember ever meeting me and he was quickly running a whole lot of scenarios through his mind as to why a strange woman he just passed walking on the street loved him.

Finally, he realized I meant I loved his work on the show. He then smiled back politely and a bit sheepishly and said "Oh, yeah. Thanks." like he forgot that he's on TV nation wide once a week (twice if you count ION). His attitude was so refreshing and very un-Hollywood as he was totally unaffected by fame and very down to earth. I tell you, I love this guy-lol!

I did feel a little bad about confusing Gubler though so I smiled an apology and I resisted the urge to hand him my script (seriously, I have written a role for him in my feature- only in LA. :) I waved Gubler on his way and he nodded back, raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement and waved good-bye to me with his cup then we both headed off in our respective directions.

I looked back minutes later and saw that he'd crossed the second cross walk and then had strolled over to the area near the Rite Aid store. I guess he was in need of some mundane items like a new tooth brush, after shave or Motrin. I would have guessed he was heading to Rite Aid to get chips to soothe his cravings for munchies, too but that's very unlikely as Gubler is a very slim, lean and lanky guy and, at about 6 feet tall, weighs only about 155 pounds tops. So I doubt he does late night snacking-lol.

This is the second sighting I've had of Mr. Gubler, the first being after the Fantastic Mr. Fox premiere in 2009 when he was right next to me.

Film Bio:
Gubler also played one of the best friends of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character in 500 Days of Summer and he is the voice of Simon (my fav) in the animated movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks. As well as acting, Gubler was a model and he studied film at NYU's Tisch School. He's also a director of TV and film and he does art sketches, too. Gubler is apparently a big fan of Twitter and Tumblir and he maintains many online accounts that I enjoyed visiting.


Faith Encounters:
On the serious side, I have indeed written a role for Gubler in my first feature film script. I usually carry my script (read, "my baby") around with me but I had left it at home in favor of a book of Bible readings as I was heading to church. I had a beautiful day at church then I stopped to pick up some groceries and stuff at that same Rite Aid then I crossed the first intersection.

I was in pain as I walked and my head was bowed, looking up just enough to keep an eye on the crazy LA drivers. I was also truly agonizing over the likeliness of my script ever getting to the big screen and I wondered whether or not my time in Hollywood was just a wasted dream and a big financial drain on my meager budget.

In desperation, I started to pray as I finished crossing the first street and stood on the landing before I started crossing that second street and God just calmed my spirit enough for me to exhale, then for me to smile. The crossing sign flashed walk and I looked up and stepped out and crossed and then Gubler appeared. If I had had my head down with worry I would have totally missed him and the instant encouragement that the encounter with him gave me. Amazing God!

Psalm 3:3
But you, O LORD, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head.

Gospel Greats BeBe & CeCe Winans Get Their Star!

Gospel greats, BeBe and CeCe Winans get their star on Hollywood Blvd

Benjamon and Priscilla Winans the award-winning brother-sister gospel singing duo known as BeBe and CeCe Winans received their star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood on Thur 10/20 at 11:30 a.m. and I was blessed enough to be there!

This duo has been in the industry for over 20 years and have won many Grammy, Dove and Stellar awards. Their star was the 2,452nd to be placed on the Walk of Fame and Bebe and CeCe join Mahalia Jackson and Andre Crouch as the only other gospel artists honored in this way. The ceremony was held at 6125 Hollywood Blvd in front of the Music Box at the corner of El Centro and it was a full red carpet event. As an added touch, Bebe and Cece's names were on the Music Box's marquee sign above.

I arrived late so I missed the actual ceremony which I was told involved the pair signing a couple of praise songs from their various albums and then comments from them and their industry friends. I was told that Bebe and Cece gave God full credit for their longevity and success in the business and thanked God for the respective gifting in each other and the entire Winan family. Speaking of family, Bebe and CeCe's mother was there front and center as well as their respective kids and some of their Winan siblings including their brother Pastor Marvin Winans and I think I saw Vicki Winans.

I got to meet, hug and take pictures with both Bebe and CeCe after the ceremony and they signed my “Heaven” CD that I'd been traveling with for over 20 years. The songs on that CD helped me through a lot of tough times in the past and it still does today so I was glad I got to tell BeBe and CeCe that and to love on them a bit. Other fans had their self-titled first album which they gladly signed also. That album was released in 1987 around the time that Bebe and CeCe where singing with the Praise The Lord/PTL singers but it is now a near impossible album to find.

Bebe and Cece were very generous with the fans even though they had to be exhausted from all the photographers pics and interviews. CeCe was a true fashionista but very down-to-earth. In fact, she even jokingly mentioned that she'll have to go so because her "feet hurt". I told her that I could could sympathise as she was wearing a pair of beautiful but punishing 6 inch black stiletto leather and suede boots to match her leather skirt and jacket suit, She wore the leather suit with a belted ruffle blouse that was very cute. BeBe was dressed sharp too, wearing a dapper dark jacket top, open necked shirt and jeans.

I got to see many of the other celebrities who were in attendance, too including Tina from the gospel singing sister duo Mary, Mary, Yvette Nicole Brown form NBC's Community and jazz musician David Koz. Last but not least, I met Mr. Quincy “Q” Jones! Jones wore the coolest purple overcoat and he smiled, waved and shook my hand, too. Wow, God is amazing!

Update:

Bebe and CeCe did a series of free concert performances at the in West Covina last week at Faith Community Church. Faith Community Church has a membership of about 10,000 people and it is pastored by Dr. Jim Reeves, who was also a guest of the Winans at the star ceremony.

Update:
Found out today that one of the guests I saw at the star ceremony (an understated gray and bearded guy in plaid and a cap) was Jim Bakker, the once scandal plagued pastor formerly of PTL. He actually looked quite happy and at peace spiritually (Thank God!) but he was totally unrecognizable.


Sources:
www.walkoffame.com www.dagospeltruth.com www.gospelpundit.com


links:

Angelus Film Festival & Awards

More Favor!
Last Saturday, I got FREE tickets to go to the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Bld at 7920 Sunset Blvd to see the Angelus Student Film Festival and Awards. I'd never been to the DGA before but I was praying that God would be present and evident at this event. Turns out that the Angelus is an organization formed by Holy Cross Catholic church and the Family Theater Productions so most of the films had a love, faith, family or humanity angle and God, love or faith was mentioned often and to much applause by the crowd.

The Event:
Student films from around the world were judged and the honorable mentions shown earlier in the afternoon in the lush DGA theater. Then the winning films were shown at the evening screening ceremony hosted by the Film Freak aka Leo Quinones and Fr. Willy Raymond. The films were all introduced by past Angelus winners and the awards were presented to the winners at that time.

The students took the stage after their respective films screened and were lead onstage by a hostess in a red satin dress plus there was musical accompaniment by a stellar 3 piece band playing music from the respective student films just as the Oscars do (goose bumps). Then each student accepted their awards, made short acceptance speeches, had their pictures taken then were played off to a reception backstage.

Here are the winners:

Angelus Director’s Choice Award3:25 SHOOT THE MOON (Alexander Gaeta, Chapman University) 24 mins
Angelus Outstanding Animation Award
THE LIGHTHOUSE (Po Chou Chi, University of California, Los Angeles) 8 mins
Angelus Director’s Choice Award
TEAMWORK (Seo Yun Hong, New York University) 12 mins
The Priddy Brothers Outstanding Documentary Award
LOVE HACKING (Jenni Nelson, Stanford University) 22 mins
The Fujifilm Audience Impact Award
THE LOVE SONG OF ISKRA PRUFROCK (Lucy Gaffy, Australian Film Television and Radio School) 16 mins
The Mole-Richardson Production Excellence Award
BE STILL (Karrie Crouse and Will Joines, Columbia University) 17 mins
The Peter Glenville Foundation “Triumph” Award
THIEF (Julian Higgins, American Film Institute) 25 mins
Grand Prize Winner - Excellence in Filmmaking Award
RAJU (Max Zahle, Hamburg Media School, Germany) 24 mins

My IMHO Reviews:
First off, I must say I loved the awesome body art segments that introduced each of the categories. The specifics of each award was tattooed on various body parts of different people and then presented to the camera as a close-up shot. I'm not a fan of tattoos and this may have been simulated tattoos or temporary tats but I think it was a novel idea.

Concerning the films, I was late so I missed the two Director's Choice and the animated category but I enjoyed viewing all the others. My favs were Love Hacking, a short documentary about inter-racial, inter-faith love among a computer geek and a Nepalese woman, The Thief, the story about Iraq with the Saddam Hussein look-a-like, and the heart wrenching, Raju, about child abduction in India. Be Still was touchingly sad also as was the 2 live singers on stage singing the lyrics "Mother Ado, I'm so sorry for you" from a country gospel song about heaven that was featured in the film. Look to see one of these films to nab an Oscar nom in a few months.

Summary:
Angelus screens some of the best humanity inspired live, animated and documentary short films world wide, many of which are sure to get Oscar nominations in 2012.

Speaking of Oscar, Luke Matheny, the tall, exuberant, pencil-thin, curly headed writer, director, actor and 2010 Oscar award-winner was at this event. In fact, Matheny was one of last years Angelus student winners also and he went on to win an Oscar for his short film "god of Love". He came back to introduce one of this year's student winners and he mentioned that he didn't have much experience with God but that the Angelus film committee had shown him about God by supporting him and being like family during last years Oscars.

After the screening, I got to speak to Luke about how good God is and I encouraged him to believe God! I also spoke to him about his film, his peculiar journey to film making and his amazing Oscar speech. And, as a bonus, I got to run my hand through his vibrant curly 'do. :D

Wow!
I am continually amazed at how much access God is giving me here in Hollywood, all to His glory! More adventures to come so stay tuned!