Well, Hello October! Wings are Aflame in our majestic Cover Photo and Story from our LA Life Photographer Lorraine Devon Wilke’s site What’s a gal to wear when it gets hot in October? LA Life Fashion Stylist Felicia Arlin shares her creative wardrobe looks in LA Style Stories. McDonalds has a very special place in LA Life Poetess Lady Penelope’s heart in Sonnets from Suburbia. Molly Cheek, our LA Life Tasting Tomato, gives kudos to Fig Santa Monica in Tastes of LA. It’s October and there is no shortage of great LA Events to hit.

Wings Aflame: Cover Photo Story:

The simply radiant Wings Aflame cover photo and story, from our LA Life Photographer, Lorraine Devon Wilke, reflects the wonders of Los Angeles and our unique biodiverse urban environment where more than 10 million people coexist with a staggering abundance of wildlife and plant life. 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.

Los Angeles’s iconic beauty encompasses a spectrum that includes creative, innovative architecture, gorgeous and diverse terrain; our brilliant coastal shoreline, and eye-popping scenery of stunning variety. Another notable element of this eclectic city is the array of wildlife found in its hills and mountains, in the vast, rugged spaces of Griffith Park (one of the U.S.’s largest municipal parks to include urban wilderness areas); even the neighborhoods that weave in and out of urban centers within the boundaries of the city. Coyotes, foxes, bears, mountain lions, and bobcats; opossums, raccoons, and skunks make the list, all have been spotted and heard, sometimes in the most unlikely places (watching a coyote prance down a busy city street is always memorable… hearing a teeming pack in the dead of night will take your hair stand on end!). There is also our bevy of birds, a list of incalculable variety. In this photograph, a large red-tailed hawk is captured taking flight from a point near the San Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro. Finessed with some colorful photo-art, it’s titled, “Wings Aflame.” 

LA Style Stories

 LA Stylist Felicia Arlin’s LA Story Hot and Sunny is the name of the game this week because the weather hasn’t gotten the message that it’s Fall.  Felicia’s solution? Light weight Summer items in a warmer palette. Make It a Look was actually Felicia’s fashionable Mother’s advice that has guided this chic creative casual look that totally works. Gotta love it! 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’. Get the details.

 Sonnets From Suburbia

Our LA Life Poetess Lady Penelope, AKA Penny Peyser, waxes nostalgic for McDonalds. Yes, that McDonalds. I don’t blame her. McDonalds holds very special memories for me in my childhood and adult life.  Perhaps it does for you too. Don’t forget to order a copy of Penny Peyser’s (Lady Penelope) brilliant book, “Sonnets from Suburbia: More Candles Than Cake.”

WATCH THE SONNET

Tastes of LA

I adore dining at a beautiful and classy hotel. It says special occasion to me or maybe I just enjoy feeling like I’m on vacation. Well, our LA Life Tasting Tomato, Molly Cheek, definitely enjoyed her delish dining Crab Benedict at Fig in the magnificent Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica. Fig is going on my “To Do” list, Tomatoes. READ MORE.

Oct 7- 8.  Rare Books LA

Union Station is the perfect location for the Rare Books LA Antiquarian Book Fair …don’t you think, Ladies? And it is a first! Presented by Rare Books LA, this rare book fair is featuring antiquarian books, maps, photography and more!

Angel City Press is also offering a series of presentations and talks by authors of the publisher’s award-winning books. Founded in 1992, Angel City Press publishes richly illustrated and carefully researched books focusing on the cultural and social history of Los Angeles. And Metro riders receive free admission to the book fair. How cool is that!

Oct 8. Chocolate Salon

Attention Chocolate Aficionados and Fanatics!  I have two words for you…Chocolate Salon! The Los Angeles Chocolate Salon is returning for its 15th year so get ready to indulge to your heart’s content with a curated selection of some of the finest artisan, gourmet and premium chocolates that exist in the world of chocolate!  I might embarrass myself by drooling, Tomatoes.

My passion for chocolate is beyond description (can’t get through a day without it) so this epic chocolate event featuring the best of the best in chocolatiers and confectioners is a no brainer.  Your ticket includes free chocolate tastings and you might even find some yummy chocolate gifts to hide away for holiday giving.  Just don’t you eat them first! I know you know what I’m saying, Tomatoes!

October 8. Family Style Food Fest & American Harvest Festival

Celebrate autumn with not one but two Fall festivals happening on Sunday, Tomatoes.  Family Style Food Festival in Television City is known for mixing food and fashion. And The Americana Harvest Festival  in Topanga is chock full of folk and country fun. And there will be an array of music & entertainment to delight at both festivals!

A family-oriented Family Style Food Festival believes in bringing people together through the collective love of food in an exclusive limited one-of-a-kind top-notch food and merchandise collaborative. You are in for an incredibly fun day. Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum is a fab location for The Americana Harvest Festival. There will be Fall special events and festive food and drinks all day long and an artisan marketplace with fall gifts and crafts.  Two events offering enticing food lineups and a great shopping opportunities, Tomatoes.

Through Oct 6-31. Carved

Descanso Gardens is gorgeous this time of year but what is making it super fun for all is Carved a pumpkin-filled extravaganza that will blow your mind…in a very good way. I’ve attended Tomatoes, and I feel it is one of the absolute best ways to celebrate the season.

For three weeks in October, hundreds of carved pumpkins will line a 1-mile walk through the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove. Along with pumpkins, there will be exciting new oversized sculptures made of sticks and other natural materials. The popular Pumpkin House, a hay maze, and themed food and beverage will all help to create a fun harvest festival ambiance. Fab fun for all ages!

Oct 14.  Culver City Art Walk and Roll

Culver City’s Art Walk and Roll Festival rocks! Presented by the Culver City Arts District and Arts District residents, the streets will be open to celebrate the Culver City Creative Arts Community with artists, live music, food trucks and tasty bites from the Arts District’s amazing restaurants. The gorgeous mural pictured is just one of many, gals.

Walk around the area and you will see many beautiful wall murals. There will be live mural-making, and activities for the kiddos. The open street format will also feature a designated test track that allows visitors to try out the latest electric bikes and scooters. Woo Hoo!

Oct 15. Diane Warren

This will knock your socks off, Tomatoes…Join The Braid for an exclusive conversation with songwriting legend Diane Warren who has penned songs for the greatest artists on the planet! Yes, Ladies, here’s your chance to enjoy Diane Warren, up close and personal and discover how she became that songwriting legend.

Let’s not forget that Diane Warren is a recipient of two Golden Globes, a Grammy, an honorary Oscar, and 14 Academy Award nominations! This once-in-a-lifetime event will take place in a beautiful Brentwood home and garden. Monica Piper, Emmy-winner, comedian, and writer-performer of the Off-Broadway hit “Not That Jewish” will perform a hilarious true story.

Broadway star Rena Strober will be performing some of Diane Warren’s songs, and screenwriter Arlene Sarner of “Peggy Sue Got Married” will be moderating! Just Wow!

Through December 31. Made in LA: Acts of Living

© 2023 Sarah M Golonka | smg-photography

After more than 200 studio visits, curators handpicked 39 artists and collectives to represent a snapshot of our city’s extraordinary talent. Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living is now officially open at the Hammer Museum highlighting artists working throughout the greater Los Angeles area and celebrating their vast creativity.

Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living takes its title from a quote by the renowned Los Angeles artist Noah Purifoy, which is inscribed on a plaque at the Watts Towers: “One does not have to be a visual artist to utilize creative potential. Creativity can be an act of living, a way of life, and a formula for doing the right thing.”