My Retreat Week

It began like any other week...

Dianna and Jackson emailed me a shot from the premiere of "Whip it", she is wearing Pamela Barish:

But when I realized that I couldn't miss my friend's show in New York, in the spur of the moment, I was able to clear three days from my schedule to go.

My single purpose was to be there for producer Hal Wilner’s concert at Carnegie Hall. It was a benefit for “Red”- Bono’s charity to eliminate AIDS in Africa. It was also the 50th birthday of Gavin Friday, childhood friend of the U2 camp and founder of punk band “The Virgin Prunes”. To realize Gavin’s dream of playing Carnegie Hall, Hal presented a remarkable show- U2, Lady Gaga, Lou Reed, Courtney Love, Rufus and Martha Wainwright, Anthony, Scarlett Johansson, Joel Grey, etc. etc.


The after-party was downtown at “The Spotted Pig”. Hal was revered in an awesome toast by Bono while Gavin enjoyed a big birthday bash.





The next day I visited the Guggenheim to see the Kandinsky Retrospective. http://www.guggenheim.org/

I dropped by Bill and Christine’s to visit them + the dogs. I saw the James Turrell Show at the Pace Gallery in Chelsea. http://www.pacewildenstein.com/

Then onto the Frank Stella sculpture show at Paul Kasmin Gallery…GO SEE THIS! http://www.paulkasmingallery.com/

I walked the Highline with Christine and saw a completely different perspective of Frank’s Building, watched a Richard Serra sculpture about to be installed on the street-completely unguarded (of course, it probably weighed 1000 tons!) Then I took a walk through Nolita and had lunch at Balthazar in Soho with Rani.

At the end of the day I went to Hal and Sheila’s and concocted Arlo’s Halloween costume- scary!

Trudi prepared a delicious meal: turkey stew and sweet potatoes. Then we all relaxed as Hal read Arlo a Halloween story.


In the morning I had coffee with Lois at Sant Ambroeus, visited her new digs on 5th Ave...then drank elderberry soda at Café Sabarsky, rambled through the Met...took a walk in my beloved Central Park to Strawberry Fields.

On my last day, I had lunch at Bergdorf’s with Cal, then a brief visit with Peggy and Ethan, off to Virgin America and back to LA.

No fabric, no fashion, no shopping! I know that New York may not be on your list for peaceful retreats, but I came home relaxed, refreshed, enriched and inspired. That’s the point, right?

Talk to you next week.

Be Nice,
Pamela Barish

My Fragrant Week

Riding my bike on an overcast morning the mist and salt water cleared my head. I felt the season changing. It was in the air: the scent of fall. I looked to my right and I saw Casa del Mar. I recalled many childhood summers coming to an end at the old Del Mar Beach Club. Then it became Synanon, Pritikin, and alas, hotel Casa del Mar.

I entered Grauman's Chinese theater, and inhaled the aroma of buttered popcorn. I remembered I had celebrated my 5th birthday there. The movie was My Fair Lady. I turned to Tim, who has the ability of asking the most simple of questions that cause you to think just a little bit harder than you would have before ha asked. "Do you remember where you sat?" A clear memory of the aisle I sat in, who I was with, and what I was wearing came to me. New white kid gloves, opened that morning.

I could see the gold and pink I. Magnin's wrapping. I was with my father, my sister, and two friends.

This weekend I went to see Bright Start. The popcorn quaffed art house

devoured me. I could not wait to see Jane Campions new film about John Keats and his 18th century fashionista Fanny

Brawne--it was so beautiful.

On Sunday morning I awoke to

carnival in the air--cotton candy, lemonade, hot dogs--I recognized immediately the perfume of the Abbott Kinney

festival.

Candra came to visit with her portable trunk of exotic fragrance. As we sniff each vial, I am traveling around the globe revisiting places I've been and some I've only imagined.

At Strange and Invisible on Abbott Kinney they are featuring the new Fall scent, Fire and Cream. I take a whiff and find myself sitting in my family's home eating caramels and almonds, bickering with my little sister.

I can only conclude from all of this smellery: the nose has an amazing memory--nostalgic and precise.

All for now--

We will speak next week.

Be nice,

Pamela Barish

P.S. My personal fragrances from the last five years.

My Event-full Week

On Laddie’s birthday we went to my friend Jenny’s new oyster bar in Santa Monica and Jackson turned 17 with a small family gathering at James Beach.

Cal and I walked the red carpet at The Invention of Lying premier here in Los Angeles. It was great—really smart and funny. We were both in Pamela Barish. Linda went to the Toronto Film Festival to feature The Invention of Lying also wearing a Pamela Barish dress.

Later in the week I was able to sneak a lunch in with Callie at Gjelina and run up to the Getty for the Irving Penn Show. http://www.gjelina.com/

Then there was the last minute invite to the Emmys where I was escorted by my son Jake, wearing...guess what...? It was great to see a few PB dresses walking around.

I worked in the store, had a few meetings, and practically sold out of my new striped t-shirts. But don’t fret! We are having a re-order delivered Wednesday morning.

All in all, it’s been a great week. My highlight was receiving this thank you note from my nephew Colter.

I’ve been able to keep up most of my routine except I haven’t been getting my bike rides in. So I’m going to hop off and hit the bike path for an afternoon ride. I’m wearing Strong Hold jeans and a PB blouse.


Talk to you soon.
Be nice,

Pamela Barish


P.S. Peggy, hurry home!

My Typical Week

In the morning I wake up and take a one hour bike ride along the beach to clear my head and plan the day. I get an açaí shake at One Life and then head off to the shop. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I work out at Gold’s Gym.



In between working downtown and in the store, I grab lunch at Gjillina or Axe.

Once in a while I venture to a yoga class with my closest friend Peggy.

I like to sneak in a matinee during the week. There are two films I want to see, September Issue and Coco avant Chanel. The first is a documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2008 fall fashion issue and the second is the story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world.

Stylist Danielle King and I plan to ditch our responsibilities Monday morning and run off to see September Issue, before we hit our day hard.

I rarely shop but when I do, I arm myself with Danielle or Peggy. I don’t shop for clothes because I wear my own pieces. This season I'll shop for boots at Mona Moore on Abbott Kinney http://www.monamoore.com/. And jewelry from L. Frank. My friend Liseanne is the most elegant jewelry designer. Check out her stuff at http://www.lfrankjewelry.com/. Her store is also on Abbott Kinney.

I'm going to jump off now and prepare for this evening. I think I'll wear this season's black dress.Tonight, I'm on my way to Honore Fraser's Gallery to see the Kenny Scharf show. Afterwards I will head to the Barrett Gallery in Santa Monica for a Gwynn Muirell show follwed by a private dinner for the artist. Hopefully, there will be time to make two birthday parties, my friend Jennifer and my friend Tierney. Write to you all soon.

Be Nice,

Pamela Barish