A Guessing Game! Do you know what these are?

This is my prizes acquisition from the Miami Beach Antiques Show last weekend...do you know what they are?

Back after a Hiatus--Happy New Year!

Dear Friends and Followers, After a month-long hiatus between holidays and transitions, I'm back to share some of the exciting things going on in my life with all of you. Some of you know that in my "former life" I was an aspiring dancer and while my artistic qualities have been detoured towards the visual arts, I am a huge fan of all of the performing arts. Luckily, I live in a city where I get lots of opportunities to see superb quality performances. One of these opportunities happens once a year during "Young Arts" week. The National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts, or NFAA, is based here in Miami and so they host the finalists for their awards for a week of master classes, lectures, etc here every year. The finalists (high school seniors) also get a chance to perform and all of the performances are free to the public. I went to the dance and cinema performance last week and it was simply amazing. Some of the best performers I have seen in a long time. These pictures are of a few who I found astounding.

The week culminates with a fundraising Gala to benefit Young Arts. For this magical event, alumni who have won in years past are brought together for a performance. One of my favorite performers this year was Kate Davis, a jazz musician now studying at the Manhattan School of Music. Desmond Richardson, one of today's most incredible male dancers and a 1986 winner, performed a solo and was honored with the Alumni Award. The Arison Award, in honor of Ted Arison, founder of the NFAA and Carnival Cruise Lines, was awarded to actress Liv Ullman. Here is a photo of Kate with Mikhail Baryshnikov (previously an Arison Award winner) and Desmond.

Guests seated for dinner at the historic Alfred I. Dupont building in downtown Miami:

My dear friends Adrienne bon Haes and Marvin Friedman with the stars at dinner:

Adrienne and Marvin, this time with Liv Ullman, Desmond, Christina de Paul (president of Young Arts), and Linn Arison (founder of NFAA):

Can't wait till next year...