Cranberrys pop in Bible cookbook

Cranberrys pop in Bible cookbook

Thank you so much to Darragh Dorion at the Port Arthur News for liking my book!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOELY FISHER

It was a hot night at Red O when Joely celebrated her birthday last week. Red O is now so busy that parking attendants won't let you get out of your car if you don't have a reservation! Our long, high table was in the bar, right in the middle of everything. Course after course came and it was fabulous. Pictured you'll see Joely, her husband, Chris Duddy, her sister Tricia Leigh, mother Connie Stevens, Tricia with husband Byron Thames, Kris and Bruce Jenner, Alisha Minshew with husband Richie, Stephanie and Bruce, and Jill and Ryan plus several "drop-bys."

MARLO THOMAS' NEW BOOK

Beloved Marlo was in LA on one leg of her enormous book tour to promote "Growing Up Laughing." The book is the story of her childhood with all the comics, plus interviews with today's comedians about what makes them really laugh. Marlo, her sister, Terre, plus her nephew Jason and a few other close friends had dinner to celebrate.

BLAKE EDWARDS HONORED AT ACADEMY

I was thrilled when Lesley Ann Warren invited me to accompany her to the Blake Edwards evening at the Academy. I was her manager when she got "Victor, Victoria," and that generates many happy memories. It was fantastic seeing Blake interviewed by Walter Mirisch on stage. What respect they commanded. One was just in awe of the Hollywood history. It was a great night.

Here are Blake and his entire family, Lesley Ann with Frank Gehry, Blake and Julie.

When I met Frank Gehry I was so surprised to meet him that I blurted out, "I like your buildings." Not one of my finer moments, but he was very sweet!

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT--WRONG!!!!!

Michael Grimm is very good, but he's just another Michael Bolton lite. He doesn't deserve $1 million. A talent like Jackie Evancho's comes along once-in-a-lifetime. She'll be better than fine, and her career will last for decades.

THE ADVENTURES OF RUNNING SPRINGS

Leon Schneider and his sister, Susan Fedder, are two of the kindest, most generous people on earth. They hosted Ellen Weston and me at Leon's Running Springs home this weekend. Simply put, Leon's property is like a private national park. It's approximately five acres, and Leon put 70,000 feet (!) of sod on it. He built a gigantic home, a gigantic guest house, a barn, gym and caretaker's building, as well as ponds, a corral, a million bathrooms (very important) and flat screens and fireplaces in every room. Leon is a personal injury attorney in Beverly Hills, who is married to the beautiful Elena, and Susan is a very successful realtor with Coldwell Banker.
Ellen was the former v-p production of CBS Films, is a respected TV writer/producer, and she's written the book for the new Broadway musical "Josephine," based on the life of Josephine Baker.
But we discussed none of those things. This was Kids on Parade (us) with boats, drums, pool tables, a singing deer, pin ball machines, the USC game and BBQs......and multiple meals at the Old Country Diner. What I love about Running Springs is that no one goes there. They're too busy going to Arrowhead and Big Bear. We were totally silly all weekend and in our own world.
What a blessing this respite was. THANK YOU----as for the pictures, they are totally random. It's all at Leon's house or on the lake at Big Bear. Susan Fedder has the long, dark hair. You'll figure out Leon. Ellen is the one who isn't me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE SMITH AND STAMIE K

It was a wild Girls Night Out to celebrate the birthday of two good friends born on the same day. It seems like we've all known each other 100 years....and the six degrees of separation are more like ONE. The intermingling of our lives is indescribable. So here's to Hope and Sally, and Stamie and Tracy, and Joanna and Michelle, and Julie and Shelly and Karen and the Mazzio family and Glory Smith!

NORMAN BROKAW-CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF WME

Norman Brokaw, a true gentleman and one of my favorite people ever, has moved his office out of the William Morris building to one across the street in yet another building that had been owned by WM. Norman was the last WM employee to move out of that building. He started at WM in 1943 when he was 18, and made $25 a week (take home $17.50). He lived with a Murphy bed in a place for $65 a week. He's now chairman emeritus and WM sold three buildings in Bev Hills for $43 million. Congratulations Norman. He also just received the Governors Award from the TV Academy, the first agent to ever do so. Because of Danny Thomas and Bill Cosby, Norman packaged legendary TV shows. He has also represented three US presidents, Barbara Walters, Nancy Pelosi, Susan Hayward, Barbara Stanwyck, Clint Eastwood, Natalie Wood, and his long-time client (46 years) Kim Novak. Note her self-portrait on the wall.

His new office is just gorgeous, with big windows overlooking trees, his own conference room, and plenty of room for his signed photos. Now 83, Norman is still a dapper, brilliant gentleman. For cufflinks, he alternates between the gold William Morris cufflinks he got on his 30th anniversary of being an agent, and the sapphire presidential seal cufflinks that he was given by President Ford.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DANIELLE DEL !!!!!

The private room and bar at Soho House were the site of a sensational Girls' Night Out birthday for our friend Danielle Del. Danielle is a talent manager, and is married to the adorable "Ernie the Attorney" Ernie Del. The martinis and Manolos were flowing freely as we partied into the night. Off the top of my head.......Dagny Dubelko, Dede Binder Goldsmith, Donna Antebi, Julie Araskog, Alexandra Dwek, Lisa Franchot (whose photographs you see here), Anne Kopelson, Carrie Wiatt, Joyce Arad, Tracy Danza.....and the beat goes on. The food was terrific, by the way.

KIM NOVAK HONORED AT AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE

Over 700 people showed up at the Egyptian Theatre for a sold out "Platinum Tribute" to Kim Novak celebrating Sony's release of "The Kim Novak Boxed Collection" DVD set. There was a private reception for Kim earlier at the Essex Public House on Hollywood Blvd., and then we hid in the balcony to watch "Bell, Book & Candle." Kim's husband, Dr. Robert Malloy and Stephen Rebello, the moderator for the night joined us (of course). Poor Cinematheque had to turn away so many people.....

When Kim was introduced she received a two-minute standing ovation, and her Q&A, also moderated by Mary Melton of Los Angeles Magazine, was an emotional, moving, revealing and funny event. It was truly a love fest from both sides. After the event we went to Cut at the Beverly Wilshire, where the martinis flowed along with the lobster, steak, and extra appetizers from Wolfgang. Everyone at CUT was amazing to us. It DOES have the best food in the city. Thanks to Sony, American Cinematheque, Los Angeles Magazine, and mPRm. This event was one for the record books. Finally people got to see the real Kim, the warm, funny, intelligent, luminous legend.

SANDY AND SUE'S 50'S DINNER

If you were born in LA, you remember Chasen's Banana Shortcake, the Brown Derby's Grapefruit Cake, Hillcrest's Coconut Cake, Blum's Crunch Cake, and the Bullock's Wilshire Mile High Coconut Pie. You also remember your parents' parties with their appetizers of spinach-artichoke dip, crab and creamcheese dip, baked brie with fruit and nuts! Well......Sandy Pressman and I recreated it. Our guests were Nancy Sanders, Kris Postil, Terre Thomas, Cathy Siegel, sundry friends, Seanna Biggs, Marisa Levin Frankel and Nathalie Kunin. We cooked all the apps, but the cakes came from:

VALERIE'S CONFECTIONS

213-739-8149 3360 W. First St. Los Angeles 90004

Go on their website to see the cakes of our childhood, that we never thought we'd ever taste again.