WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR!

I usually start the new year by reflecting on the last and making wishes for the months in front of me. Here are some of my favorite things in 2011:

Favorite...

...book: The History of Love, written by Nicole Krauss.

...movie: The Skin I Live In, dir. Pedro Almodovar.

...exhibit: De Kooning retrospective, Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan, New York.

...concert: The Raconteurs, live at Voodoo Fest.

...photoshoot: Mark Veltman, Brooklyn, New York.

...trip: New Orleans with my favorite ladies.

...performance I saw: The Merchant of Venice, Broad Stage, Santa Monica.

...movement show: Fuerza Bruta, New York, New York.

...job: working with the Bilingual Actors Repertory Theater Company.

...new addition: mi amor.

It's incredible how much can change in a year. This new January is full of expectation. There are so many exciting things to look forward to in the coming year. I'm ready to celebrate the changes and tackle the challenges. In my opinion, resolutions are not only for January 1st - they should be reviewed, modified, and added to year-round, but it's always a good idea to start the year with some specific goals. This year I hope for heath and happiness - and the ability to make a living doing what I love. Welcome to the new year!!

BIRTHDAY SUIT

Photo by Irving Penn.

 Marilyn Monroe.

Photo by Edward Weston.

Marilyn, again.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

Please excuse the long weekend - anyone who celebrates knows what must take precedence during those few holidays of hysteria. I hope your Christmas/Hannukah/solstice was happy and warm. I'm now content to be in New York (presently I am in New Jersey at the Telemundo studios) seeing people I love. The week will be lazy, as an end-of-year vacation should be, and the weekend will be full of nye madness, I'm sure. I did receive some good news from LA - I booked another play that starts rehearsals early next year. One of the things I look forward to most about new years eve is making "dream boards" - a tradition my father started after his best friend passed away. This year I've got plenty to put on my board and I'm looking forward to seeing resolutions to their completion...ideally. Welcome to the working week!

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

 Aretha Franklin, singer.

Jean-Luc Godard, film director.

Andy Warhol, visual pop artist, filmmaker.

 Alain Delon, actor.

 Humphrey Bogart, Actor.

 Frank Sinatra, singer.

 Chet Baker, musician.

Richard Avedon, photographer.

Salvador Dali, visual artist, set designer, filmmaker.

Brigitte Bardot, actress.

Georges Braque, painter, sculptor.

WINTER IS FOR LOVERS

 Spencer Tracey & Katherine Hepburn

These days aren't only for lighting the menorah, decorating the tree, and getting drunk on eggnog - they are for sharing with the people you love most; friends, family, and that special someone.

Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin.

Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, and Gene Kelly.

Yves Saint Laurent and Carl Lagerfeld.

Akira Kurosawa, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas.

 Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando.

Catherine Deneuve and Marcelo Mastroianni.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Liza Minnelli and Judi Garland.

HOLIDAY (PART 1)

With Christmas Eve quickly approaching, I find myself hugely unprepared and inundated with holiday parties, the first of which happened last night:

Warmness and festivity are easily achieved by a wood-burning fireplace, lots of votives, and a tree.

Outside wasn't the typical winter wonderland, but a tropical Christmas is just as romantic, if you ask me.

My father manning the bar.

Endless cooking.

With holiday parties on the calendar, the next question inevitably becomes; what to wear? Here's how some favorites did it:

 Rita Hayworth in ruffles.

Patrice Wymore: turtleneck sweater and sled.

Anita Ekberg: sexy santa bodysuit.

...and of course there's always the LBD (worn by Sophia Loren)