As the summer seasonal tradition of baseball moves to center stage this week, Angelenos cry “Go Dodgers!” Gotta love Lorraine Devon Wilke’s photo. Our fab LA stylist, Felicia, has two not-to-be-missed “LA Style Stories”.  Lady Penelope is hitting the stage with her new play “Sonnets from Suburbia.” Jazz is celebrated at LACMA. FREE + 1 day + 6 museums = MOTA Day. There’s terrific art at the “Beverly Hills Art Show”. The “Bug Fair” is where you make friends with bugs. And there’s a plethora of exciting festivals on the horizon in the next two weeks, Tomatoes!

“Go Dodgers” The Story Behind the Cover Photo

As Summer makes its way to our calendars, warming the air and holding sunshine for longer, one seasonal tradition moves to center stage. BASEBALL! That most American of sports, our official “National Pastime,” comes to stadiums around the country, bringing nostalgia and excitement, hope and anticipation, hotdogs, peanuts, and beer. Here in Los Angeles that means the Dodgers, so this week we feature a piece of photo-art called, “GO Dodgers!”… a colorful image of beer vendors, baseball caps, stadium lights, and players on the field. Cheers to our “boys in blue,” and may all you Angelenos find time to take yourself out to the ballgame!

Though I am not a baseball fan myself, I know that many of you Tomatoes are fans, so Lorraine Devon Wilke’s cover photo and story, “Go Dodgers”, is quite fitting as the Dodgers first game of the season was on Monday. Be sure to check out Lorraine Devon Wilke’s marvelous photos on her webpage, Gals.

 LA Style Stories

What’s a girl to wear when the weather is so unpredictable in LA lately? Well, of course, our LA Life Stylist, Felicia Arlin, has super ideas for meeting that challenge in LA Style Story, “Hit the Road”.  Stretching your style sensibilities can be a challenge but you can, own it, when you stay true to yourself. So says Felicia in “Sense and Sensibility”.  Love it all!!!! Remember, I only highlight a snippet of Felicia’s amazing cur8edme posts so be sure to follow her on Instagram. GET THE DETAILS.

June 3, 15 & 23.  Lady Penelope Stage Debut

I’m very happy to announce that Lady Penelope, aka Penny Peyser, will debut her new show, “Sonnets from Suburbia,” at the esteemed Hollywood Fringe Festival.  “Sonnets From Suburbia” is a one act play in which you will discover the why of Lady Penelope.  As in why is she devoted to iambic pentameter and rhyme, why does she wear that costume and why is she still in quarantine?  It will be fabulous, Gals, so get your tickets ASAP!

Got my ticket for June 3 and I am on pins and needles in joyful anticipation of the “Sonnets from Suburbia” play debut. The producers/directors Matt Leavitt and Liza Seneca of The 6th Act Theatre Company have cooked up a wonderful piece of theatre with Penny Peyser as Lady Penelope where you’ll learn new things about this amazing sonneteer. Buy your tickets  right away because there are only 3 performances (June 3rd, June 15th  & June 23rd), Tomatoes.

The 6th Act Theatre Company gives audiences a fresh take on timeless stories.  Their mission is to keep the vitally important tradition of classical theatre alive, while making it accessible and exciting to modern audiences. We strive to create experiences that are equal parts enrichment and entertainment, to produce shows that will appeal equally to die-hard Shakespeareans, and those who claim to hate Shakespeare alike.

Every Friday through June 23. Jazz at LACMA

FREE Friday night performances are back with, “Jazz at LACMA” celebrating L.A.’s finest jazz musicians on LACMA’s Smidt Welcome Plaza. And the Jazz talent performing is definitely out of this world. You definitely might want to fit this into your busy schedule and make your reservations now, Tomatoes.

Tonight, 4-time Grammy Award winner Oscar Hernández will be performing. He has long been considered one of the most gifted and prominent pianists and arrangers on the contemporary Latin jazz scene. All of the Jazz artists performing are stellar. A lovely evening under the beautiful LA sky with great music.

May 21. Museums of the Arroyo Day

Six amazing museums located along the famed Arroyo Seco open their doors for “Museums of the Arroyo Day” (MOTA) for a free day of family fun, a diverse mix of art, architectural discoveries, history and a wonderful variety of flora and fauna.  It’s only one day a year.  I’ll say it again… not 1 but 6 museums for free, Tomatoes! Wow!

The “Museums of the Arroyo” include The Gamble House, Heritage Square, the Los Angeles Police Museum, the Lummis Home and Garden, the Pasadena Museum of History, and The Autry’s Historic Southwest Museum Mt. Washington Campus. You can visit one or if you are so inclined you can squeeze them all in without costing a dime. Ta Da!!

May 20-21 Beverly Hills Art Show

The “Beverly Hills Art Show” is a great way to spend an afternoon, walking and looking at amazing works of art across four garden blocks in the center of the city. Celebrating 50 years, The Spring Beverly Hills Art Show features 325 artists from California, the Southwest and around the nation. Yep!  Beautiful art and tons of talent, Tomatoes!

The Beverly Hills Art Show is produced by the City of Beverly Hills. All of the fine arts and crafts are original, ranging from the traditional to the very contemporary, and are represented by the artists themselves. A Wine and Beer Garden, demonstrating artists, children’s activities, gourmet food trucks and several community exhibits can be found as well. And admission is free. Yay!

May 20-21. Bug Fair

I know the thought might drive you a bit buggy, but bugs make the world go-round Tomatoes. The Natural History Museums “Bug Fair” just happens to be the biggest bug festival in North America with over 1 million species exhibited including our local LA bugs. Methinks adults and kiddos alike will love learning about bugs and why they are so vital to our well-being.

The Bug Fair, with a plethora of important exhibitors, one-on-one interactions with museum research and collections staff and a variety of activities, can help you co-exist more easily with bugs. You’ll gain insight you never had before about bugs so you can begin to appreciate them…perhaps. And it should be fun!

May 20. Makers Hive Market at Ivy Station

“The Makers Hive Market” returns to Ivy Station in Culver City with a curated mix of 20 + local makers, food trucks, live music, activities, photo ops and more! The market will feature a variety of local and small business owners that come from all around Southern California. The “Makers Hive Market” prides itself in hosting vendors of all backgrounds who have a passion for creating. It promises to be a great shopping and dining experience, Tomatoes.

May 28.  Long Beach Seafood Fest

Seafood loving Tomatoes will be happy to learn that the “Long Beach Seafood Festival” is back and I have one word for you…YUM! This outdoor event, alongside the Lighthouse with a stunning view of the Queen Mary, celebrates the area’s delicious seafood and unique recipes from local chefs to the finest restaurants throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. And everyone is welcome, Tomatoes.

May 27- 29.  Fiesta Hermosa

Whoop, Whoop, Tomatoes! You can enjoy a festive fiesta filled with art, fine foods and music Memorial Day weekend with “Fiesta Hermosa.” For more than a decade, Fiesta has been known as Southern California’s largest beachside arts and craft festival. Enjoy the treasured tradition in this lovely beach town, Tomatoes!

For 52 years, Fiesta has been filling Hermosa’s streets with art, music, and fun. Fiesta de las Artes, as it was originally named, celebrated artisan culture and welcomed visitors from all around to the beach to shop and enjoy the art. The “Fiesta Hermosa” format has been streamlined with the live music being moved to the beach this year, but the tradition and the mission (to raise funds for the community) are still the same.

May 27- 29 Topanga Days

Yay! It’s time to celebrate Mother Earth with the 48th annual “Topanga Days”!  For those in need of a nostalgic Bohemian feeling “Topanga Days”, nestled in the mountain beauty of Topanga Canyon, definitely meets those needs. This 3-day festival is full of artisans, music, crafts, food, games and fun for the whole family. There’s even a quirky morning parade, Tomatoes.

Topanga Days is an annual fundraiser for the Topanga Community Center.  It’s a great place to go feed your soul with some outdoor live music and Topanga vibes on Memorial Day Weekend.