Monthly Archives: November 2024

………………….It’s that time of year when Franco, my landscaper. puts up wooden stakes which he criss crosses with strong sting. The string must be strong to withstand winter storms and strong winds……I used to have a serious geese problem….to the point where we couldn’t walk on the lawn due to ALL of the geese droppings….Jac was at a plant and tree nursery, and asked the man if there was anything to be done about this problem. He explained to Jac that geese are creatures of habit, and will return over and over to their “feeding grounds”…..He told Jac to put up the stakes and string on the lawn, and this would prevent them from landing….forcing them to go to other areas, and breaking their habit of landing on my lawn….. We took his advise, and started putting up the stakes and sting years ago……..We HAVEN’T had a problem with the geese since!!…..They have found other areas where they habitually go to…..In the spring we remove all of the stakes and string, and the geese haven’t returned!!!!!….So if you are having a geese problem try this method….IT WORKS!…….When we moved here in 1992 there were no deer, but over the past few years they have made there way to where I live, and their population keeps growing!…..They love to munch on my shrubs and plants…Franco put of barriers so they can’t get into my back yard, but everywhere else is open territory!….I have seen them eating the shorter shrubs along the back of the house facing the water. Franco has put up metal poles and mesh to keep them away…..so far so good…..The next major project is to blow out my sprinkler system so it doesn’t freeze over the winter….I really haven’t been using sprinklers for weeks due to the severe drought, and it amazes me that my lawn is as green as it is…..I don’t know how long that will last…..but this is all part of the changing seasons.

…………….SORRY for my late post………but….it’s NEVER TOO LATE to thank ALL OF THE VETERANS…..past and present for their unwavering service to this country……This is the day ALL AMERICANS SHOULD BE PROUD!!!!!!!

…………In keeping with the “Studio 54” story line………In 1977, Donna and I were nominated for our first COTY AWARD…………the OSCARS of the fashion industry………..We, as a duo, were nominated with Charles Suppon….in the picture with Donna and me, Perry Ellis. and Stephen Burrows. Charles, with us decided, win or lose, the three of us would have a blow out party at STUDIO 54……Arrangements were made with Ian Schrager and Steve Rubel, the owners of Studio 54, that we all knew well……The three of us had a  group of photos taken as a trio, making believe we were singing while Charles was making believe he was playing the instrument….Thank goodness real loud music was playing to get us in the mood!……We had all of the pictures blown up on huge boards, and they hung from the ceiling over the dance floor of the Studio. We also had one in the entrance lobby…….photo at the upper right with me in the lobby in front of one of the posters, after many hours on the dance floor….looking a little sweaty!…….We invited everyone….friends, family, editors, photographers, models, store presidents, and our buyers….etc. etc……We packed the place!…… There were two winners announced……Donna and I were lucky enough to win, and Perry Ellis, but unfortunately Charles didn’t….but that didn’t stop him from having a BLAST with all of us, and all of the guests he invited……This was the first Coty Award of the THREE we would win, before we were inducted into the COTY HALL OF FAME………..a night to remember!

…………….Studio was the place to see and be seen…….In the early days it was a scene every night, and there was always wonderful people coming in and out….Everyone had heard about “The Studio”…..Every Designer and whos who from Europe showed up at the palace….Besides the rich and famous there were characters galore!….Many became celebrities themselves!……How many people do you recognize????….I know all of their names….except the GOLDEN GUY at the bottom right…LOL

……………..The “VIP ROOM”……was hardly that…….It was in the basement, and the staircase going down into it was guarded!!!….Only the most SPECIAL celebrities were allowed…It was a DUMP….basically a storage room where it was a “safe place” to take drugs….mostly cocaine……..I had my surprise 30th birthday party there….but…..Donna and our staff, unbeknownst to me, arranged to use it for my party…..Schrager told them it was a mess, and if they wanted to clean it up they could have it. The only thing that was there was a chain link fence…..So the work began….Our assistants cleaned the place out. They made it into a school yard as described at the upper left….Graffiti was spray painted on a white washed wall of all the guests that were coming to my party….the swing set and kiddie pool were brought in as well as real grass, beach balls, and even a sand box…….That was all done by my people, and the Studio 54 people were happy with what we did!….On the night of my party a small group of us, four, went to Raoul’s, a small well know French restaurant in the village where we ATE and had plenty of red wine to drink……Afterwards, about 1am, Donna and Steve, her husband, suggested we go to Studio 54. I was surprised because Donna wasn’t a party girl, and I really didn’t want to go….I was full and had too much to drink. I was tired and not in the best form to be going partying….but EVERYONE wanted to go….so since it WAS MY BIRTHDAY I couldn’t be a party pooper, and we all piled in a cab and went up town….The place was PACKED! we got in immediately and Donna took my hand and led me through the dance floor where I thought we were going to dance…..but no…..we continued on to the back staircase to the “VIP ROOM” entrance. As we were going down the stairs I saw my name on a sign down below, but I never put two and two together…..I was clueless! Once down stairs we went around the corner to the chain link fence and everyone YELLED SURPRISE!!!!!! I sobered up quick! There were 50 of my nearest and dearest…my closest friends….lots of designer friends, and models I was close to…..Needless to say it was the best surprise party I ever had…..The only one missing was JAC!!! She was in Europe doing the COUTURE SHOWS and couldn’t be there. After opening presents in the “playground”, we all went upstairs and danced the night away, and went home when it was broad daylight……I never went into work that next day……The picture at the upper left with the man holding on to the fence was my boss, Frank Mori in the “playground” he was already 10 sheets into the wind!!!!…..I heard he never made it into work the next day either……LOL……I’ll never forget it! We had some very special parties at Studio 54….like when Donna and I won our first Coty awards…..but that’s another story for another time!