Earth Day, Earth Month…the Earth is on our minds, so LA Life Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke’s inviting cover photo Playa Paradise is all the more perfect. Welcome the marvelous Ceramic Artist Maree Cheatham to the Guest Artists Corner! Theatre Maven Laura Foti Cohen treats us to another amazing interview in Theatre Buzz. Is Fashion Stylist, Felicia Arlin, telling us to get waisted in LA Style Stories? Our Tasting Tomato, Molly Cheek, is back on the road with mouthwatering Tastes of LA. What say you this week Lady Penelope? And…there’s a plethora of events for your perusal you lovely LA Tomatoes.

Cover Photo and Story: Playa Paradise

LA Life Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke’s photo Playa Paradise makes my heart sing.  The varieties of green in the photo representing the precious Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve are so plentiful and rich that it boggles the mind. Lorraine’s story details all that resides in the 577 acres and the history of the fight to preserve it.  Be sure to check out Lorraine Devon Wilke’s marvelous photos on her webpage and browse her entire website as it reveals the vast tapestry of Lorraine’s amazing talents.

Cities are saved by green space. Well, maybe not saved – there are lots of elements that preserve a city’s unique brand and identity – but green spaces are certainly some of the most essential. Think Central Park in New York, Lincoln Park in Chicago; Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, to name a few of the most iconic. Los Angeles has many such spaces, including the amazing 4000 acres of Griffith Park, but one of the smaller areas that inspires incredible passion from those in its orbit is the Ballona Wetlands in Playa del Rey, more officially called, “Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.” Filled with 259 species of birds, including herons, egrets, and terns, the fluttering of El Segundo Blue butterflies, gorgeous greenery with pools, creeks, and streams coursing through its 577 acres, it’s a beautiful area that’s had to fight hard to preserve what was once 1400+ acres larger. As early as the 1800s cattle ranchers and ports had an impact; the 1990s brought oil, a railway, factories (that’d be Howard Hughes!) and, of course, developers rolled in… Marina del Rey is guilty of sucking up 900 of those earlier acres. Even Dreamworks eyed the land for a while, but by then activists had organized (Friends of Ballona Wetlands one of the most fervent) and fierce lobbying pushed back against further loss of this unique green space. Ultimately, they succeeded in preserving the 577 acres left, and their efforts are rewarded daily by the thriving wildlife and beautiful, bucolic scenes that remain… like this one captured on one of my walks, “Playa Paradise.”   

Guest Artist Corner: Ceramics by Maree Cheatham

You will most certainly recognize Maree Cheatham from her extensive and prolific body of work as an actress but what you may not know is that she is also an established and wonderfully talented ceramic artist.  I adore her flair for creating beautiful pieces that inspire along with her quirky, sassy, and utterly unique works that reflect a history and a special kind of creativity. Maree’s imagination, technique, perspective and artistic heart are awesome.

Maree grew up making bowls out of clay dug from riverbanks in Oklahoma and Texas. She dried them in the sun for her doll’s dishes. Now, she fires them in a kiln. Today, when Maree holds a bowl she’s made, she feels the same joyous expression of her love of the earth. Maree claims she is still that muddy little girl. Maree says: “I am fortunate to have a 60 + year ongoing career as an actress (IMDB). While working on characters, I live mostly in my head. Putting my hands in clay keeps me grounded. You can’t center a piece of clay if you are off-center emotionally. My mother was Creek and my father, Choctaw/Irish, killed in WWII.  After they passed, I was honored to have been taken into family by the descendants of Quanah Parker.

My Comanche Lady Teapot is a replica of the buckskin regalia they gave me to wear in outdoor pageants playing Quanah’s white mother, Cynthia Ann. I have donated the regalia to the Gene Autry Museum. It’s featured in the Imagined West exhibit. I am thrilled to have my teapots in the Gene Autry Museum Gift Shop.

My work on stage becomes memory once the show closes. Sooner or later all my work in TV and film will disappear into the ether. Pottery shards last thousands of years.”

Theatre Buzz

Michelle Kholos Brook

Wowza! Yep, that was my first reaction to LA Life Theatre Maven Laura Foti Cohen’s in-depth interview with playwright Michelle Kholos Brooks this week. Brooks Hitler’s Tasters at the Rogue Machine, Project Fear (And All the Feels), running at Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Studio Stage, and Room 1214, to be produced in New York in November 2024, are the focus in this compelling column. And be sure to check out all of Laura Foti Cohen’s theatre reviews. READ ON.

 Tastes of LA: Sqirl

You won’t believe what Molly Cheek, our LA Life Tasting Tomato, has in store for you this week.  A tale of the most delish French Toast ever along with more supreme cuisine at her latest find… Sqirl. You gotta love the name and oh my…it sounds yummy beyond words, Tomatoes.  READ ON.

LA Style Stories

LA Life Fashion Stylist Felicia Arlin brings out an oldie to wear but boy is it a goodie. In Get Waisted the pattern and lines in this gorgeous dress distinctly shows off her waist. And Felicia’s ensemble in Folklore is adorbs.  The folklore look is back in a big way and is popping up this spring and will continue to through the summer months. Remember I only highlight a snippet of Felicia’s amazing cur8edme posts so be sure to follow her on Instagram.  And she is the most amazingly insightful guide for helping you to find the right and most flattering style for you.  Just sayin’, Tomatoes. READ ON.

Sonnets from Suburbia

Trouble is Brewing for Lady Penelope in this week’s Sonnet from Suburbia.  Why am I not surprised? And guess who has a brand spanking new book out? Penny Peyser (Lady Penelope) and she has outdone herself with “Sonnets from Suburbia: Romance Dance”. It’s masterful, brilliant and an easy and deliciously entertaining ride that you will adore, Tomatoes.  Remember if you haven’t already, don’t forget to order a copy of Penny Peyser’s first brilliant book, “Sonnets from Suburbia: More Candles Than Cake” to add to your collection. And you can always find out more about Lady Penelope on her website Tomatoes. READ TODAY’S SONNET.

April 27. Celebrate Earth Day at the Only Nature Preserve in LA

Only once a year?! Yep! Just one time a year The Chatsworth Nature Preserve, the only nature preserve in the city of LA, is open to the public.  I highly recommend heading to The Chatsworth Nature Preserve Earth Day Open House  tomorrow for this rare opportunity to explore the gorgeously stunning world of flora and fauna at the Nature Preserve. I go every year and it is breathtaking and fun, Tomatoes.

And it’s free and great for all ages. The event will open with a Native American Blessing followed by guided nature walks (Mr. LA Tomato, I’m proud to say, will be one of the leaders), Native American storytelling, live animal exhibitions, food trucks along with an environmental & community resource fair. So much to enjoy and a chance to learn about the history of the precious nature preserve and the trees, plants and animals that make this special place their home. I promise you will be oh so glad you attended.

April 27 & 28. Jackalope Spring Marketplace

At this outdoor spring marketplace, in Central Park Pasadena, you can celebrate all things handmade. Gosh! I love handmade! This is a shopper’s paradise, and Tomatoes can expect to find trendsetting indie goods from over 200 makers. Wow! Shopping doesn’t get better than this!

It’s free to attend, open for all ages, handicap accessible and leashed pets are welcome. It includes original fashion and jewelry design, paper goods, innovative home decor and housewares, art, photography, body care, food, activities for the whole family and much more. The Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair was co-founded by two fab ladies, Melissa Kohout and Sara Diederich, who shared the passion to create a “community meets artisan event” focused on the experience of meeting the maker and bringing the local community together.   With that vision, they launched the Jackalope: Indie Artisan Fair. The Fair is presented in partnership with Pasadena Unified School District.

April 28. Skirball Puppet Festival

The Skirball’s Puppet Festival: A World of Dreams promises to be pure magic, Tomatoes! Celebrate the art of puppetry with a festive day of performances, art making, and new and classic tales told through marionettes, shadow, and full-body puppets. No matter what your age, excitement and wonder await as you experience the best of the best SoCal premiere puppetry acts.

Adding to the magic are two wildly fun puppet parties, where festival goers and puppeteers all meet up to enjoy live music together. While you’re there, design a puppet with imagination-sparking materials so your newly created pal can join the fun, too! I would love my own puppet!

April 25-28 . Hollyhock House On View

It’s always a good time to visit the unequivocal Frank Lloyd Wright gem, Hollyhock House. This national Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an iconic architectural masterpiece surrounded by the beautiful Barnsdall Art Park. And art masterpieces are also on view adorning this humble abode, so it is the perfect time to tour the Hollyhock House with its new exhibition Flowers for Aline, Ladies.

Hollyhock House will also host a special exhibition of over 40 fresh-flower works by the Sogetsu School of Ikebana Los Angeles. What a treat! The exhibition, curated by Hollyhock House director Abbey Chamberlain Brach and architect and ikebana artist Ravi Gune Wardena, will feature expressive arrangements both inside and out—activating terraces gardens, spilling from cast concrete planter boxes, and responding to Wright’s artful interiors. For the first time since the site’s 2022 reopening, the child’s bedroom will be on view as part of this special exhibition with six ikebana works in this space alone. Wow!

Starting May 4 . Talks and Telescopes

The Mount Wilson Observatory is where you can discover our place in the universe and as part of their 2024 Season the new lecture series, Talks and Telescopes . These fascinating talks make for an inspiring evening on the mountain but let’s not forget that the talks are followed by picnicking and stargazing through both telescopes.  Now that should pique your interest, Tomatoes.

First up will be Speaker Tim Thompson, JPL Science Division and Mount Wilson Science Director.  He’ll kick off the season with a lecture on Edwin Hubble’s work at the Mount Wilson Observatory which I’m sure will be thoroughly engaging.

May 4 . Vinyl Fair

There is fantabulous news for vinyl lovers, Tomatoes! The free uber-cool community event, On the Record Vinyl Fair hosted by the Music Center, returns with art-making, interactive activities, dance performances live DJ’s and an open dance floor on Jerry Moss Plaza. Woo-Hoo!

Head down to DTLA to get down at The Vinyl Fair. The Co- Created by Arts for LA, Dance Resource Center, dublab, LA Commons, LAUSD Arts Education Branch and Dexter Story. There will be records for sale from over a dozen LA vendors curated by Beat Swap Meet and dub lab.

May 5 .  MOTO Day

FREE + 1 day + 6 museums = MOTA Day! That pretty much says it all. Six amazing museums located along the famed Arroyo Seco open their doors for Museums of the Arroyo Day (MOTO) 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, Tomatoes!

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!!

Through May 19  . Pasadena Showcase

Ladies, welcome to the Storybook Potter Daniels Manor, a striking English Tudor Revival estate designed by the Postle Company who also designed the Pasadena Playhouse.  The Pasadena Showcase House of the Arts has made this house the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design  . What I’d give to see inside this luxurious and historic home. Well…I can! And so can You!

The Pasadena Showcase House of Design is one of the nation’s oldest, largest, and most successful home and garden tours. The tour of this elegant estate will include 30 reimagined interior and landscape design spaces highlighting cutting edge trends in high-style living, and you will want to check out their legendary Shops at Showcase.  And it is an important fundraiser to boot! “Pasadena Showcase House of Design” is the fundraiser produced by Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts to fund their music programs, award gifts and grants to other non-profit organizations.