  The Los Angeles Chapter has a fun time in February at its get-together. (Don Spiro photos)The Dorothy Parker Society's LA Chapter has lots of fun planned for March. Friends of Dottie can come out and support Stuart Y Silverstein, who will be reading and discussing his book Not Much Fun: The Lost Poems of Dorothy Parker on Friday March 5, 2010 at Book Soup at 7 PM. He'd love to see you there. The next meeting of the Dorothy Parker Society LA will take place at Cocktails in Historic Places™ with the LA Art Deco Society Friday, March 26 - 6pm-8pm Musso & Frank Grill 6667 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028 As Hollywood's oldest eatery (open continuously since 1919) Musso & Frank is the paragon of Old Hollywood grillrooms. In its heyday it was a popular destination for Hollywood's elite, including movie stars, film directors and producers and the great writers. F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Raymond Chandler and Ernest Hemingway where all regulars, as was Orson Welles, who held court in his favorite booth. According to Tinseltown lore, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks once raced each other down Hollywood Boulevard on horseback, the loser having to pick up the dinner tab at Musso & Frank's. If you ve never been to Musso s this is one gathering you won t want to miss! Come straight from work or slip into something more Deco either way, plan to join us! Cocktails in Historic Places is open to members and non-members alike and reservations are not required. Musso & Franks is located between Las Palmas and Cherokee, just east of Highland Avenue. There are pay parking lots available at Hollywood & Highland, and south of Hollywood Boulevard on Las Palmas and Cherokee that cost approximately $10. Why not take the metro? Musso & Franks is a very short walk east from the Hollywood & Highland METRO station. Also, I'm heading a walking tour of F. Scott Fitzgerald's West Hollywood as part of the City of West Hollywood's Big Read initiative surrounding The Great Gatsby. I was hoping to encourage Parker fans to come out and then organize a breakfast before hand or drinks after the tour. I'm giving two 1-hour tours on Sunday March 7. Event info: Fitzgerald in West Hollywood: A Walking Tour Adrienne Crew, Los Angeles Liaison of The Dorothy Parker Society, will lead an urban walking tour of places frequented by Fitzgerald during his residency in pre-City West Hollywood. Event Location: 8152 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA, 90069-5020 (formerly the Garden of Allah, where Parker and Fitzgerald once lived) Date: Sun, March 7, 2010 Time: 2:00pm -- 3:30pm and 3:30pm -- 5:00pm Labels: Dorothy Parker Society, Los Angeles, Society Members
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments  
 Los Angeles was where Dorothy Parker lived off and on for more than 30 years. The Dorothy Parker Society Los Angeles Chapter is getting busy this year with activities. Our able West Coast President, Adrienne Crew (adrienne (AT SIGN) dorothyparker (DOT) com) has 2 events coming up that you will not want to miss if you are anywhere close to the City of Angels: Come meet fellow LA Parkerites for a no-host lunch at Greenblatt’s on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 1 PM. Adrienne Crew will be there to chew the fat and talk about the Parker connections in the neighborhood. Come with ideas for planning other Parker events this year, including Parkerfest 2010 in October or more walking tours. Don’t miss this if you are a Parker fan in LA; bring your friends. Greenblatt's Delicatessen 8017 W Sunset Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046 (323) 656-0606 Adrienne writes: I'm heading a walking tour of F. Scott Fitzgerald's West Hollywood as part of the City of West Hollywood's Big Read initiative surrounding The Great Gatsby. I was hoping to encourage Parker fans to come out and then organize a breakfast before hand or drinks after the tour. I'm giving two 1-hour tours on Sunday March 7. Event info: Fitzgerald in West Hollywood: A Walking Tour Adrienne Crew, Los Angeles Liaison of The Dorothy Parker Society, will lead an urban walking tour of places frequented by Fitzgerald during his residency in pre-City West Hollywood. Event Location: 8152 West Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, CA, 90069-5020 (formerly the Garden of Allah, where Parker and Fitzgerald once lived) Date: Sun, March 7, 2010 Time: 2:00pm – 3:30pm and 3:30pm – 5:00pm Also, Scribner recently published a new edition of Not Much Fun: The Lost Poems of Dorothy Parker. This is exciting because it is an updated version of the 1996 book. Editor/Compiler Stuart Y. Silverstein gave the DPS an exclusive new interview about the book, and he will be in Los Angeles in March to talk about it and sign copies: Friday, March 5, 7:00 PM Book Soup8818 Sunset Blvd. W. Hollywood CA 90069 - 310-659-3110 Labels: books, Dorothy Parker Society, Los Angeles, walking tour
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments
We received word from Adrienne, our West Coast major domo, that there are many things to look forward to this summer there. Take it away Adrienne (who can be reached at Adrienne (AT SIGN) dorothyparker (DOT) com. The Dorothy Parker Society Los Angeles chapter is back from the dead this summer. Here are some activities to enjoy: 1. Cocktails in Historic Places™ Friday, June 19, 2009 at 6:30--6:45 p.m., event starts at 6 but I don't get off of work til 6 PM La Grande Orange Cafe260 S. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105 626-356-4444 La Grande Orange Cafe is housed in Pasadena's historic 1935 Del Mar Station, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Dorothy Parker frequently disembarked from the Pasadena station when taking the train in from the East during the 30s and 40s. Legend has it that a car from the Garden of Allah, DP's favorite Hollywood hotel, would collect guests from this station. Who knows... Let's join the Art Deco Society of LA for no-host cocktails on June 19th for an evening with like-minded people at their Cocktails in Historic Places™ event for June. The event is open to members and non-members alike and reservations are not required. Located near the Gold Line, why not take the train? 2. If Pasadena is too far for you westsiders, let's reconvene on Saturday, June 20 at 4 PM at the charming La Senora Research Institute in Boca Santa Monica Canyon. The Institute is housed in a home once owned by Anita Loos and her brother. Peter Graves will be the featured speaker at a screening of Airplane in the Institute's Teatro del Canyon. Cost $20.75. You must pre-purchase tickets online. Hurry, seats fill up fast. La Senora (565 Dryad Road, Santa Monica) is located in the serene Santa Monica Canyon where lies the creek from which the City of Santa Monica took its name. Legend tells that a Spanish Solider with the first exploration party drank from the meandering creek running through our Canyon and exclaimed that: "The water is as sweet as the tears of St. Monica." From the Coast Highway drive up the Canyon along Entrada to San Lorenzo. From Santa Monica take 7th Street across San Vicente. Start down the hill and, while on the big curve, turn right onto San Lorenzo. 3. Finally, let's have a picnic!I'm soliciting dates for a fun picnic in July or August at the Coldwater Canyon Park, just a few miles from where Mrs. Parker lived off Coldwater Canyon Blvd around 1938. Let me know which month works and what dates work and we'll schedule it. Also taking suggestions for ways to celebrate Parkerfest West in October. Labels: Dorothy Parker Society, events, Los Angeles
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 8:01 PM | Permalink | Comments
 The Dorothy Parker Society chapter in the City of Angels hosted its first holiday event. As chapter prez Adrienne Crew reports: "Here's a picture of the gang at the Beverly Wilshire as we celebrated the end of the year with a few drinks. Kenneth Branagh stalked us through the night--he followed us into both of the hotel's bars. who knew he was such a fan of Mrs. Parker!" There are more Los Angeles events coming up: 1/21/09 around 7:30 pm for drinks at Lucy's El Adobe on Melrose to play word games 2/18/09 possible jaunt to the Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax for movie and dinner at Canters Contact Adrienne for details or reservations or ideas for future outings: adrienne (AT) dorothyparker (DOT) com Labels: Dorothy Parker Society, events, Los Angeles
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Sunday, December 21, 2008 at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments
 The Dorothy Parker Society Los Angeles Chapter will meet Wednesday, December 17 at 7:30 pm, for a drink at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Boulevard, in Beverly Hills. Mere minutes from Dorothy's many houses off Canon Drive, where John O'Hara would often entertain her with his buddies who met there weekly for drinks and mayhem. His regular group included James Cagney, Sidney Skolsky, Robert Benchley, Clifford Odets, Gilbert Roland, Cedric Hardwicke, and Peter Lorre. After a quick drink, we will walk down Wilshire Blvd to admire the holiday windows of Saks and Barneys. The closest LA gets to Manhattan at holiday time, especially if the weather is cold enough for coats. Contact Adrienne Crew for details or reservations: adrienne (AT) dorothyparker (DOT) com Labels: Dorothy Parker Society, events, Los Angeles
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Monday, December 08, 2008 at 5:22 PM | Permalink | Comments
The Los Angeles chapter of the Dorothy Parker Society presents an evening of frolic and LA history in the 20s on Thursday, July 31, at 6:30-10 pm at Casa Del Mar, 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Phone: (310) 581-5533. We will have time to get to know each other during cocktail hour between 6:30-7:30 in the Casa Del Mar bar. Around 7:30 pm, historian Alison Jefferson will give a brief slide show about the special history of the beach area, nicknamed "The Inkwell," in front of the Casa Del Mar, the site of a beach club popular with Dorothy Parker's crowd in the 20s and 30s. Alison Jefferson works for Historic Resources Group as a historian. She has a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from Pomona College in Claremont, California and her Master's in Historic Preservation from the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on Southern California vacation spots frequented by African Americans during the segregation in the 20s and 30s. The meeting is open to the public. Invite your friends. Labels: events, Los Angeles, Society Members
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Wednesday, July 02, 2008 at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments
 The new chapter of the Dorothy Parker Society is up and rolling in Los Angeles. An officer's meeting was held at the venerable and famous Chateau Marmont recently. With a "no photos, please" policy we do not get any cocktail action inside. But from all accounts, Adrienne and Brian of L.A. and visitors Kate and Rob from out East had a swell time. And do not forget the first big DPS in L.A. gathering is Thursday, April 24, at 9:30 PM at Smutzig, a 20s themed burlesque cabaret that occurs on the last Thursday of each month at El Cid, 4212 Sunset Blvd. in Silverlake. Just scroll a little down to see the info from Adrienne, the indefatigable organizer. This is so exciting to have a real chapter on the Left Coast to balance us out! Photo from Kate's Flickr Gallery.Labels: Los Angeles, news
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 8:24 AM | Permalink | Comments
 It is fitting that a chapter of the Dorothy Parker Society launches in Los Angeles this month. Mrs. Parker spent about 30 years going back and forth from New York to Hollywood when she was a screenwriter. Her houses there were not small, and neither were her paychecks. The highlight of her career was the Academy Award nomination for co-writing A Star Is Born (the original Janet Gaynor-Fredric March version). Now we have word that at DPS chapter is being born this month! It is kicking off in high style, with a gin-fueled evening of music and burlesque. Thanks to the new chapter president, Adrienne, it is launching at a monthly Twenties theme party. She writes:  "Welcome to the LA Chapter of the Dorothy Parker Society. We're just getting started. The first meeting will take place on Thursday, April 24, at 9:30 PM at Smutzig, a 20s themed burlesque cabaret that occurs on the last Thursday of each month at El Cid, 4212 Sunset Blvd. in Silverlake. The doors open at 9:30 and show happens around 10 PM. There's some nudity but all breasts are covered with pasties. Can you handle that? Let's meet at 9:30 and we can stay after the show. There's an outdoor patio for the smokers. There's a full bar and tapas menu. I will try to reserve a table but it's pretty easy to get a table if we are there early." El Cid4212 Sunset Blvd. Between Fountain and Santa Monica Blvd in Silverlake, just west of Sunset Junction $12 door cover; $9 if you come in 20s attire. Good luck to the LA Chapter. The New Yorkers will be there in spirit. Please send us pix!
[photos from LAist and Itsachick]Labels: Los Angeles
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Thursday, April 03, 2008 at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments
The first annual Algonquin West Hollywood Literary Award Soiree event will be held on Saturday, September 29 at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069, at 7:00 p.m. The event will honor the literary achievements of acclaimed author Mark Salzman and will be a benefit for PEN in the Classroom, a writing program that focuses on under-served high school students in Southern California. Tickets are $20. The benefit will include a performance of Gertrude Stein's "Miss Furr and Miss Skeene" and a staged reading, "Celebrating Dorothy and Her Friends", created by local theatre artist Michael Kearns and featuring a host of celebrated actors (including Bruce Davison, Mary Jo Catlett, John Glover, Tonya Pinkins, Gordon Thomson and Chloe Webb with Wayne Moore on piano). Material will be culled largely from the writings of Dorothy Parker and other members of the legendary Algonquin Round Table (a group of writers, critics, actors and wits who met for lunch every day at New York's Algonquin Hotel in the wake of World War I). If you are interested in attending, please contact Corey Roskin at croskin@weho.org with your name, phone number and number of people in your party. Please also send your check made out to PEN USA to the following address. No actual tickets will be issued, but you will receive a receipt of payment after we receive your check -- and your name will be on a guest list at the door. Send checks to: City of West Hollywood 8300 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069 Attn: Corey Roskin Labels: events, Los Angeles
Posted by Kevin Fitzpatrick on Monday, August 27, 2007 at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments
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