Los Angeles' Dine En Blanc, Yes, Well-Mannered Frivolities From LA's Cross Section of Angelenos, A Friendly Army of White.

By Laura Medina

Who says the City of Angels lack refinement with a jolly good cheer?

There are Angelenos, scattered about the greater Los Angeles County and among it's numerous neighborhoods are all about well-mannered frivolities and dressing up.  They heard of other white parties slung out and beyond.  They wondered and wished, why can't they have a white party, too?

Then, the international, French Dine En Blanc arrived.  Starting out as a simple, chic late afternoon picnic where a close group of friends wore white to spot each other, has grown and morph to six continents. Where the idea of commonality where the fellowship of fashion and food happily intersects.  For such a wide-spanning membership, despite nationalities and region, Dine En Blanc is an elevated social supper club that only occurs once a year, year-around.  It's high society that anyone who values good manners and good food and sociability, can share from any where.

A fashionista newbie to this elegant dining club was awed by the variety of cross-sections of Angelenos in their swankiest whitest of white, actually making and putting in the effort of bringing and sharing their chicest delectables with fellow liked-minded stylish gourmands.

Since this is an evening dining club that enforces an all-white dress code, it's an impromptu fashion show where people can nibble on steak and ahi tuna while sipping on champagne.

Where they come from Santa Monica or Downtown LA or Pasadena, neighborhood attitudinal differences doesn't matter. As long you love to dress while dining, Dine En Blanc brings everyone together.

LA's Dine En Blanc style is Great Gatsby doing Mardi Gras.

Since Dine En Blanc is all about bringing liked-minded White Party people together, the travel and table logistics and strategy is worthy of a Normandy Invasion, White Party Invasion.

Liked-minded of shared interests, exclusive yet not snotty, Dine En Blanc white-clad members are proud to be out and be front as a fun-loving, well-mannered league marching, in unity, to a top secret location and be loud and proud as an exclusive fellowship representing a variety of people who are shared a like-mindedness of dressing up while dining elegantly.

Yes, there is an art of commingling fashion with fine dining, such performing arts of jugglers and stilt walkers and a French Hot Jazz Hip Hop band.

Since Dine En Blanc, in every city on every continent, occurs only once a year, members make an effort, catering to setting a table or reserving a banquet seat with a catered meal to setting up artworks of table wear and plate ware. Yes, real Angelenos make in creating exquisite table decorations to signal their table.  These table decorations are worthy to make someone to get up, from their seating, to awe then make some new friends while sharing each others delectables.

Towards the end, everyone jump in line and swaying in line-dancing to classic dance hits, community from large swath of populace.

Yes, there are well-mannered, elegant Angelenos reveling in well-mannered frivolities.

Two Dance Movies, "Next Level" and "High Strung" are a Great Time to Catch Rising Stars, Such as Thomas Doherty & Harry Jarvis.

By Laura Medina

The younger dance movie, "Next Level," may be a cradle of talent, a summer arts program that refines and grooms singing and dancing in the Midwest.  But, "High Strung" is all about getting your first big break in the big, bad world, a real young adult movie.

"High Strung" may be executive produced by the legendary Jane Seymour, still smoldering as ever but it never stopped her from portraying a real life but classy dance mom to rebellious but emerging dancer daughter, her character can't helped but groomed for the stage, "Barlow" played by Juliet Doherty.  

For Jane Seymour, it's a mother-daughter relationship where the wise, experienced mom teaches her daughter in "how to deal" with manipulative choreographers, like...

Disney's Descendants 2&3's Thomas Doherty's tempestuous young choreographer, Zander Raines, who'll win at all costs to get his Broadway off the ground.  He may be Svengali but he gives two big breaks to young talent who needs it...

Casting a stunning contemporary dancer, Barlow (Juliet Doherty) and innovative pianist, Charlie (Harry Jarvis) in New York’s most-anticipated new Broadway show: Free Dance. But the move throws off the show’s delicate creative balance when Charlie falls hard for Barlow while Zander embraces her as his muse, creating a love triangle that only mom, Jane Seymour knows all too well.

If you fall under Thomas Doherty's spell, you can catch him playing Peter Zavadovsky in "Catherine The Great" on HBO starting October 21st at 10pm and as 

Sebastian on the CW series "Legacies."

Asked about what's it's like being in two hot projects, "High Strung Movie" while starring with Helen Mirren in HBO's "Catherine the Great" all at the same time, going from contemporary Manhattan to 18th-Century Russian court, Thomas said that's what's great about acting.  You can play anything, anyone, anytime.  He's having a time of his life.

He's not the only rising star to catch.

This scribe asks British actor, Harry Jarvis, what's it's like playing an American to a fellow British actor, such as Thomas Doherty?

Harry, half-jokingly joked, that he's playing the American version of himself and reinforcing what his fellow British co-star, Thomas Doherty, said, "That's what acting is all about."

If "High Strung" is about getting your big break then try to maintain that momentum into a career, then "Next Level" is a tween-friendly, Midwestern version of "Fame."

It focuses on a Summer Camp performance art school focusing on turning raw, natural talent then refining and polishing to a professional level that's ready for a singing and dancing career, such as "High Strung."

"Next Level" is that prep before the "High Strung" opportunity arrives.

Getting to Know Native Los Angeleno & UCLA Bruin, George Takei.

By Laura Medina

"Star Trek's" Hikaru Sulu a.k.a. George Takei was one of the three headliners at UCLA's Human Library conference.

The Human Library is basically getting to know real people, behind the derogatory stereotype images, during these diverse times.

Through-out the day, there are one-to-one pods where you can talk to a sexual crime victim, a real American of Latin background proving they're not illegal immigrant gang-bangers, and what a real homeless person looks and what actually got them there.

But let's face it, the star of the conference is the legendary "Star Trek" alumni Hikaru Sulu, George Takei.

He stressed the importance of marginalized people to be in film and tv, in greater variety of roles, proving to the greater world that they do exist in many roles in society.

Despite being intern in a concentration camp then having his family start over in Skid Row (the crazy people are still there in Skin Row), as his father had to start over buying real estate in Mid-Wilshire (George said the Koreans didn't migrate there until the Seventies), George know that he and other minorities need to be in media to expose to other people that he and other minorities do exist.

Remember, this was the forties and fifties and he wanted to move to the Actor's Studio Conservatory in New York; and they didn't offer degrees.

His dad made a deal with George.  He'll stay home in LA, go to UCLA for acting then you'll get a Bachelor degree in Acting from UCLA.  Deal.

His first movie was with Richard Burton.

When he got hired by Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek, Gene explained that the starship, U.S.S. Enterprise is a microcosm of the planet Earth and he wanted actors from all sorts of ethnicities and background in his show.  Basically, it's Earth hurling through space and real human beings interacting and adjusting to all sorts of living beings in their planet and cultures.

George stressed, even in this day and age, we still more minorities and marginalized people in film and tv and social media to expose people to other people.

As for his marriage and sexual preference, this is more of an history lesson for younger people who have it easier.

When he was a rising young actor in the fifties and sixties, George used to real the tabloids on the All-American heart-throb, Tab Hunter.  When those tabloids leaked rumors about Tab being gay, George watched Tab's acting career disappear.  This forced George to be discreet about his preference until much later.  Once gay marriage has been legalized, George and Brad are happy.

Onward and forward, George Takei.

Artists need shoes & food, Dr. Martens Music & Film Series Kicks-Off with R&B Artist PJ Sunday, Sept. 22 At Delicious Pizza in Hollywood, 7:00pm & adidasLA Celebrates Illustrator Iliana Galvez.

By Laura Medina

Young emerging artists need shoes and food.  This is where Dr. Martens step in and sponsor R&B Artist PJ at Delicious Pizza in Hollywood.  This Brooklyn pizza joint was transplanted here by music industry vets Delicious Vinyl founder Mike Ross and brother Rick Ross,  high-quality pies and golden-era hip-hop memorabilia has made it a destination for unique experience of music and food. 

Delicious Pizza uses an all-organic grain mix fermented with a home-grown natural yeast starter for its dough and offers unconventional toppings (like soppressata, ricotta and fontina cheeses, and house-made sausage) for its hip-hop-themed pies (think: Cheeba Cheeba and The Slaughtahouse). Delicious also offers pizza by the slice. Memorabilia from the golden era of hip-hop lines the walls and the speakers are always blasting something cool from the old school. Also, check out the events page to see whats going on and engage with the community. 

Delicious Pizza is an home-away-from-home for New York musicians.

Perfect place for PJ is launch where people had a free 2 pizza slices and a soda dinner and plenty waiting for her, once her set is done.

Folks bought limited edition tee-shirts as souvenirs.

Long associated with mavericks and rebels in the music world, iconic footwear brand Dr. Martens is proud to celebrate the tenacious musicians living in the L.A. and NYC music scenes through a handful of rare concert events and mini documentary films around these artists.

For the Dr. Martens Music & Film Series , L.A.-based filmmaker Erik Rojas and NYC-based filmmaker Vincent Martell have curated a lineup of 11 musicians that will share their stories of resilience and determination. They will explore what it takes to succeed as performers realizing their own artistic vision in the music industry. Each L.A. and NYC concert event as well as the short documentary films created will provide an intimate look at the daily lives of working musicians and share a unique point of view as told by our filmmakers who have their own stories of resilience to tell.

Adidas, wisely collaborate and sponsor fresh talent among their desired demographics, tweens, teens, and twenties.  They sponsor Iliana Galvez, who went ahead and become an illustrator since her sister complained that there are no artwork that looks like her.

For that,  Adidas opened up their Melrose as her pop-up art gallery and made her the celebrity of the night, where she autographed her totes and people can purchase their illustrated Adidas merchandise then get even more customization.

Fresh stuff.