Here is a nice photo of my friend Glenn standing in the Den/Library talking on his Cell Phone! (photo by Andy Parks) That funny little figure in the lower left corner is a silly Cactus Person. He moves and sings when you pick him up! As silly as it is, it does make you laugh...I love that he is wearing sun glasses, too...a Hollywood Cactus! (lol). You can see I had some Balloons in this room, too! Here's a photoigraph of Garret Parks and his sister-in-law, Katy Melody Parks, brother Andy's wife....(another Wedding that I officiated at...). People seemed to enjoy the food I'm happy to say...we had Crudites and Dips on the glass table in the living room, plus the already mentioned warm Brie with crackers, and some other little goodies were passed to people as they stood around...Then we had Chicken Cakes, (as apposed to Crab Cakes) with a dollop of some fabulous stuff on top of each, and some lamb skewers that were delicious, some turkey wraps, a beautiful salad, and fruit skewers with Marscapone cheese....YUM! And some Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Parmesan cheese...All lovely and delicious.
Here is another photograph of the dear Carol DeLuise sitting with Jonathan Kanes, one of my S.T.A.G.E. cohorts.
Jonathan is one of the Producing team for S.T.A.G.E. and sells a lot of tickets, too! He is our top seller, as a matter of fact. One of the sweetest men I know. This next photo, though rather dark is kind of historic in it's own way.(This photo was also taken by Andy).
On the left is Carol Deluise talking to Mitzie and Kenny Welch with Lee Meriwether in the background talking to Earl Holliman and Craig Curtis. Thank God for the lovely breeze coming in from the ocean that day....because it was very very hot and also quite humid for Los Angeles....so my deck was a popular place to be as I mentioned before.
And here is the lovely Audrey Franks who we met earlier with her husband Michael---(there were three couples at my party for whom I was the Minister for their weddings...
In the background you can see a few people chatting it up! That's one of the things I just love about my house. There are so many places for people to gather with each other...it is a very generous house in that way and also it can be very very cozy and intimate or in the case of a party like this, be exapansive. And it can handle a huge number of people, too. So it's a perfect party house no matter the size of the party. I've had over a hundred people here and I've had just two...it works either way!
Now it was time to open our 'gift bags'....these bags were filled with silly little toys, fun games, and candy---especially some great little chocolate pieces! Betty, always one who loves to play with toys and stuff, got into her bag with gusto!
Because of the extreme heat that day she had brought this hand-held personal fan with her that makes these spectacular different colorful wheel thingy's as it spins around! That was the most popular thing at the party. Everyone, including me, asked her where she got it and we all wanted one. Here is another picture and you can see there is a different design on the fan....
But then, Betty found one of the many fun things that I had put into the bags and I got a picture of her out on the deck with this amazing disguise.
Of course, each bag had slightly different things and some had the same things, like the 'plastic' lei that Betty has on in the above photo...so when people began finding these goodies, we put them on and pictures were taken! Here is a wonderful photograph of Garret and me, with our "special eyes"...
And then, more "special eyes". Here is a serious loking Andy Parks with those very very "special eyes"....lol.
As Andy said about these serious photo's...The Keene Family revisited...(Do any of you remember the artist Walter Keene? He painted all these pictures with people with these big sad eyes...His work was incredibly popular in a faddish sort of way during the early 60's...and now you can barely find anything by him or about him....) And then...(it's a family thing)...Andy's wife, with those "special eyes" and a kind of wonderful beaver/chipmunk mouth!
One more installment will be forthcoming, my dears....
- had this to say:
LOL to cute Naomi!! hahaha.. Leave it to Betty to start everyone being silly!! Isn't it fun?!!!! oh yeah! hahaha
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 5:07:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
All the names and familiar faces. You hang out with some pretty notable people Ms. Naomi! I love the glasses. I usually give them out on the last day of school because I wear them the first day. LOL I am nuts, I know!
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 6:34:00 AM PDT
-
had this to say:
I love those fun glasses! They add just the right spark to the party. It is so nice to see all these happy folks enjoying themselves.
Maddie, the young girl mentioned in the previous post, she is going to be a heartbreaker isn't she? She is just striking.- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 8:53:00 AM PDT
-
had this to say:
Those pictures make me laugh! What fun :)
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 9:38:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
A super post with great pictures; those eyes look great!
Michele sent me here.- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 10:26:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
It's always so much fun to read your blog and look at the wonderful pictures! Thank you~
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 10:49:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Too funny. Nyssa has one of those dancing cacti. Her Uncle Stephen gave it to her.
Sometime you should see if there is a way to get an outside panoramic picture of your house. It looks very comfortable and that deck/balcony must have fabulous views on a clear day.- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 11:03:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I need one of those fancy glasses to wear in my next trip!
I love anything-mascarpone!!!- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 11:39:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Carol DeLuise? As in Dom's wife? You have the coolest friends. And Earl Holliman too! Awesome.
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 12:09:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Oh how much fun your party was---you do know how to enjoy life and I am taking lessons from you. Yes you are my mentor, dear Lady. I have decided I want live my life and enjoy it as you seem to.
The glasses are soooooo cute, I love them---what a hite they must have been. I love the pictures.- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 12:19:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Naomi, this lower photos are hilarious, with the glasses/eyes. I used to have a pair that were sold to look like Harry Potter glasses, with tape on the nose, but I gave them to my grandson who is a big Potter fan.
What nice & fun gift bags you put together. It is especially nice that they were not all alike.
I have just come in from 2 hrs. working in the flower beds, pulling weeds and finding poison ivy.ICK! I had gloves on, but I am going to go and take a hot shower so I don't catch anything. Whenever I see poison ivy, it makes my skin itch and crawl anyway....LOL- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 1:16:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
What a wonderful party you had! Three quarters of a century is quite an achievement, and you had lots of dear friends to celebrate with. Thanks for stopping by.
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 1:24:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Hello! I'm back from my directing gig in Portland & Maui.
The party looks like it was a real hoot!
And, yes, I remember the Keane paintings-- we had one in the house when I was growing-up. Here's a fun fact: it was actually his WIFE that did those paintings. She signed HIS name so she would be taken as a serious artist.
Wild, huh???- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 2:23:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Just when we thought no more fun was to be had at the party... funny glasses! A great trick I'll have to remember.
~S- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 2:53:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I'd LOVE to have some of those eyes! Happy ( late ) birthday, btw.
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 3:19:00 PM PDT
-
had this to say:
What a fun idea to include the novelty gift bags. Looks like people loved them. :-)
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 3:29:00 PM PDT
-
had this to say:
Funny and cute shots. :-) It certainly looks as if you all had a great party.
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 3:54:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Hee hee! Love the "special eyes" shots!
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 4:57:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
heh heh. WOW! WHAT FUN!!!!
always enjoy visiting!- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 5:18:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
HAH love the special eyes pics they are great. The food sounds divine, I assume you had it catered , far too much work to make all that food yourself :)
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 5:21:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Awesome pictures.
Do you want to be the minister at my next wedding? (hahaha it will be my second and last marriage. I've already warned him.)
Here from Michele's.- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 6:28:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I am struck by how happy everyone looks in these pictures. In Yiddish, I'd be calling it a "haimish" evening, a time where the mood was just right and everyone felt right at home.
I can easily see why everyone would feel that way in your home. It's not the structure, but the person who makes all feel welcome.- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 6:33:00 PM PDT
-
had this to say:
That was fun!! I love the disguises and toys. Once I wind down from my son's wedding I have some similiar fun photos to post. A hoola hoop contest for one thing!
- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 7:05:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Great party Naomi! I sure am enjoying seeing the photos and hearing all about it!
Great post as usual!!- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 7:43:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Those glasses look like so much fun. You really had an awesome party. I look forward to more....
Have a wonderful day!
*^_^
(=':'=) meow hugs
(")_ (")Š from da Raggedy one- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 7:54:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Those little fan things are very cool-my daughter has one and she will just play with it for hours if you let her.
The glasses pictures are priceless!- Sunday, July 9, 2006 at 10:24:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I love those glasses! I have a pair kind of like them
I like the goodie bags! Its a great idea
What a wonderful birthday you had
Next year I am throwing myself a party instead of waiting and nothing happening and then being disappointed!- Monday, July 10, 2006 at 3:48:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Love the pictures from the party, looks like a wonderful time! Your house is beautiful!
- Monday, July 10, 2006 at 7:40:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
wow, naomi! you've got really cool friends! and it looks like everyone definitely had a great time at your party! i want one of them specs with the outrageously big eyes! lol! ;)
- Monday, July 10, 2006 at 7:50:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Great post, Naomi! Love all photos, principally the photograph of Garret and you, with your "special eyes". Very funny! Love the idea of 'gift bags'.
What a memorable Party!- Monday, July 10, 2006 at 8:40:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Naomi....Wow, what fun. Love the gift bags! You've got Betty Davis Eyes! great pictues as always.
- Monday, July 10, 2006 at 9:49:00 AM PDT
-
had this to say:
Gosh, what great photos, Naomi. It sure does feel like I was there, getting to share so much of it here.
I can't get over how much Garrett looks like his dad from the photos in Betty's book. Amazing!
It's so much fun to get to put faces to so many of the names Betty mentions in her book.
I'm almost finished with it and I hate to see it end!- Monday, July 10, 2006 at 2:39:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I'm catching up again, starting where I left off last visit. I like to read them in the order that you posted, so I'm going to make my way up the posting ladder.
I'll comment again when I get up there!!- Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 3:10:00 PM PDT
x4
