Happy Birthday, Don!

It was a grand old time as Don Grigware celebrated his 65th birthday with friends at Yang Chow's Restaurant on Topanga Canyon. Guests included: Sandra Cusimono, Bix Barnaba, Sharon Michaels, Audrey Sperling, Renee Gorsey and her new beau Allen, Vicki Pacifico (with Don), Gary Warmee and Stan Mazin. We had fun, fun, fun and the cake pictured is from Porto's Bakery. Yummy, yummy! Guess who took the rest of it home???

First Friend

Did you comprehend love at age 12? You were taught to love your mother and father...I mean... beyond that... When you made a new friend, was there ever something special between you that you couldn't describe? Did those feelings confuse you? My new friend Gerry made me feel that way in grade 7 at John J. Lynch Jr. High School. I couldn't wait to see him every day, to talk to him, to walk home from school with him, and eventually hang around with him on Saturdays, but I knew that my feeling for him ran deeper. I didn't understand it. What to say? What to do other than keep it locked inside of me? If I had been asked to put my feelings into words, I would have been speechless. And what about his feelings? Did he feel the same way about me or was I wanting more than he could ever possibly give me?
Check back soon for this new fact-based story.

FIRST FRIEND

San Diego Safari Park in Escondido

See the gorillas in their habitat! I have always been fascinated by gorillas, monkeys...the entire ape family. May do a story real soon about one man's love for this very special wild beast. As I looked at the gorillas at Safari Park across the ravine, and as they gave me literally their backsides, I realized how comical and engaging they are. Would love to get to know them better. Remember Gorillas in the Mist? It's my favorite Sigourney Weaver film of all time.

And see the giraffes, who, according to the guide, "grow like weeds." Those poor creatures must develop terrible arthritis as they get older. How do they keep their long, long necks and heads so erect? And we complain!!

The Zoological Society of San Diego owns the land for Safari Park, and the animals, many of whom are endangered species, live in natural habitats with truckloads of food delivered daily. Giraffes, rhinos, antelope, deer, flamengos, ostriches, gazelles, Sumarian asses, sheep, elephants, gorillas, meerkats, lions, cheetahs, and other wild beasts are there for the eye to see eating, playing, and reproducing. What natural beauty! There's also a balloon ride and carousel for the kids to ride. No horses, please, but only replicas of wild beasts to ride on this merry-go-round!

Those are Ostrich eggs to the right of the bird, which she keeps safe from mountain predators.

Zebras together. The tram ride offers a 25 minute turn around Safari Park, but you must walk to see the gorillas and other beasts. It's worth it! Take the kids and spend a day in this beautiful sanctuary.

If Only I Looked Like This ...

LOOK

look
around
look
outside
look
within.

look
above                      
look
below
look
ahead.

look
at others
look
at yourself
look
to your heart.
-dg

Shows with Icons

I recently attended a show at the new Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge, a great hi-tech, state-of-the-art building that the San Fernando Valley has been eagerly anticipating for many years. Yes, there's Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, but that's quite a ways out. So bravo to this new venue and its proximity to Valley residents.
I saw An Evening with Shirley MacLaine at this venue on May 6, and as much as I adore MacLaine, I couldn't help but realize that the woman could sit and read the phone book and she would have fans hanging on every word she said. She looks great at 77, still has a wonderful sense of humor and is as down-to-earth as all get out. Nothing has changed about her. Thank God, for we need intelligent spokespeople like her and Jane Fonda, who are first and foremost accessible to us and then go out there and struggle tirelessly to make the world a better place.
There were many slides and film clips of MacLaine's personal as well as movie/television career and a few choice comments about old Hollywood and its legendary stars like Elizabeth Taylor or Bette Davis or Clint Eastwood, and of course some metaphysical talk as well as Democrat/Republican remarks involving the lady's politics. But it didn't matter because Shirley MacLaine is a true icon and is pleasurable to listen to. It's as if we were sitting in her living room, sharing her life with her, and everyone had a good time. The two+ hour show included questions from the crowd which were innumerable and which MacLaine had to put a lid on after about 40 minutes. Otherwise, we would have been there all night. I love how she credits her success to her discipline as a dancer, that it made her go forward and always sustained her. I especially loved her comparison of life to the theatre and how we are the costumers, make-up artists, hairdressers, actors, directors and producers of our daily lives, and how it is our responsibility to give it our all. Brava!

In Honor of Diva Dona

My guest blogger Dona Eduardo Gregorio is receiving much attention these days. Visit her:

The Chronicles of Columnist Diva Dona. Go to latest reviews blog and you will find her link listed to the right.

She's quite the little international flirt!