MEANDERINGS

Life has always surprised me, and here we are in 2025—it’s still full of the unexpected.

A NIGHT AT THE BALLET

Recently, the Boston Ballet performed Swan Lake at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion here in Los Angeles. I’ll admit, I’m not exactly a follower of “le dance,” and I had never even heard of this company before. But now I wish I had. The performance was accompanied by a live orchestra playing Tchaikovsky’s haunting score, and the combination of graceful choreography, stunning costumes, and sheer precision of the dancers was a joy to witness.

QUICKIE BOOK REVIEWS

Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre

You may have seen the movie or heard the story of this remarkable World War II deception, but Macintyre’s 2010 book dives deeper, telling it with vivid detail and suspense. I recognized many of the names from other espionage books I’ve read, and even though I knew how it ended, the story still thrilled me. It brought back the wonder I felt when I first learned of the operation years ago.

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

This is the unbelievable true story of Stéphane Breitwieser, who managed to steal hundreds of artworks from museums across Europe—often with the help of his equally daring girlfriend. Finkel tells much of the tale through Breitwieser’s own words, giving us a fascinating peek into the mind of someone completely obsessed with beauty. It’s a heart-pounding, almost cinematic read that had me anxiously waiting for the inevitable arrest.

I’M A WINNAH!

Well, not quite. But close enough! A heavy silver medallion showed up in the mail recently—an Indie Book Award Finalist medal for my memoir, Scattershot: My Journey from the Projects to Paris to Rodeo Drive. Yes, I know… it’s a shameless plug for the book.