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)

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

Although I had to work Sunday as a site rep for another commercial shoot, I allowed myself Saturday to rest. I slept in, delivered a Christmas present, met a friend for coffee, and then saw Los Angeles Ballet's "The Nutcracker." The show was its usual holiday romp, but with the gayest Droselmeyer I've ever seen (which was hilarious). It's amazing that after all these years, I still remember the choreography. That show is - for better or for worse - forever embedded in my brain. And for the first time since I stopped dancing ballet, it made me want to take class again. Go figure. The 7:30am call-time on Sunday morning was brutal, but the shoot finished early and now I'll have some extra play money for New York! As for this week: holidays, holidays, holidays. Holiday parties, holiday dinners, friends coming home for holidays, and...finally...my own holiday trip to the city. In an effort to avoid the usual holiday treats and therefore be prepared for pilot season, I've decided to embark on a "master cleanse" - we will see if the rumors are true and the benefits outweigh the restrictions. Welcome to the working week!