Mother, the word conjures up many images; some good, and some you rather not remember. Actress Mary-Beth Manning gives a little bit of both scenarios in her one-woman show. “Mother, She’s with you wherever you Go…” and isn’t that the prophetic truth. It doesn’t matter if you’re six-years-old or a grown woman with a brood of your own, mother, mom, mama, moms sneaks into your insides, your personality, then, the next thing you know, her voice is coming out your mouth. That’s the power of Mother

Writer, actress and producer Kristin Stone has returned her wonderful and addictive show “Inside Private Lives” to Los Angeles, well, actually in Pasadena. This show, if you haven’t heard about it by now, is where the phrase ‘I see dead people’ originated. Not only do you see famous people from the past, they interact with the audience as they each tell their story. Stone has a rotation of “celebrities” speaking their peace and explaining their faux pas.

It was a given that Hollywood’s new “It Girl” Betty White would be honored at the annual Beastly Ball at the Los Angeles Zoo.  Her tireless work on behalf of animals is legendary, and she has served as a Director of the Zoo for 35 years. As GLAZA President stated, “Her heart and advocacy for the animals that share our earth, help drive us to excellence.”

As the health care crisis continues to escalate, Los Angeles area young professionals are doing their part by organizing the 13th Annual Extravaganza for the Senses to raise vital funds for The Saban Free Clinic (formerly The Los Angeles Free Clinic) which provides free medical care of the uninsured and the working poor.

George Wein is the godfather of the outdoor music festival. Well before Coachella, Lollapalooza or even Woodstock, Wein was gathering the best jazz musicians for a festival in Newport. Over the decades he has produced sterling shows, and he has recently taken the reins of the CareFusion NYC Jazz Festival.  CareFusion has taken an admirable hands off approach, allowing Wein to create an artistically satisfying range of shows. In celebration of Hancock’s 70th birthday, Carnegie Hall was the site of an eclectic concert, covering the range of Hancock’s prodigious output.

Bel Air Magazine hosted a luxurious launch party at a magnificent estate in Bel Air (where else?) and our pal, Charlie Scola, aka Party Charlie, really outdid himself.Greeting the more than 1,000 elegant guests were two gorgeous 15 feet showgirls, and a horde of paparazzi snapping away at the invited guests.

Following the success of 2009’s event headlined by rocker Gavin Rossdale, Walk With Sally announces the lineup for its 4th annual White Light White Night fundraiser, concert, auction and cocktail party. The event has gained a reputation as the summer party not-to-miss in the South Bay, always promising a star-studded night. With rooftop city views and an exclusive performance by Rocco DeLuca, the event will be hosted on Saturday, July 10, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. at the South Bay BMW lot and rooftop in Torrance.

The annual Saturn Awards brought out the top producers and stars for a fantastic night presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. Sci-fi legend Leonard Nimoy was there and won an award for Best Guest Star for his appearance on Fringe.

Wild natives were pounding their drums. Wild animals appeared. A wild ride debuted at Universal Studios Hollywood. And everyone went “ape” over the big event.Celebrities were happy to be going from the red carpet to the tram tour, which featured the new King Kong 360 3-D attraction created by Peter Jackson. It was hailed as the world’s largest and most intense 3-D experience by the stars who were among the first to enjoy it.

Raquel Welch became a legendary sex symbol back in the ’60s, and today at age 69, the beautiful lady can still turn heads and make men go “Wow!” That’s what happened when she breezed into a Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Grove in Hollywood with her entourage. She “performed” like the classic star she is, waving and smiling to the fans who had come to buy her book and get it autographed.

The state of the musical theatre is enjoying a harmonic convergence of factors.  Kids, generally the least relevant portion of the target market, have been weaned on musicals from Disney and TV shows like Glee. There has been a happy spate of ambitious musicals that have tapped into the exploding interest in music.  Although the record business is heading sadly for a cliff, more people are enjoying more music than ever before.

“All for one and one for all” is the motto for the bumbling, yet witty three musketeers , plus one who’s in an unofficial training capacity, Athos (Jim LeFave), Portos (Kelly C. Henton) and Aramis (Melora Marshall). The young man in training is the overly adventuresome d’Artagnan (Jackson McCord Thompson).  All his life, he has longed to be one of the infamous members of the musketeers. He finally gets his chance when he leaves his hometown of Paris and travels on his own to stake his claim.

While the people were cheering next door for basketball and film festival, there were 40,000 people came to Los Angeles Convention Center for E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) from June 15-17, 2010. Though the many people were expecting for the 3D phenomena. The innovation of "3D interface" seems to be the next level of TV gaming.

The fabulous, philanthropic ladies of SHARE did it again. Over 500 people attended their 57th Annual Boomtown event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, and raised almost $1 million for various children’s charities

Pretty Little Liars is a new ABC Family series starring Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario and Shay Mitchell, playing four 16-year-old girls who get into a whole lot of trouble because of all their secrets.

America’s Got Talent has returned for it’s fifth season on NBC. Back again to judge the contestants on the variety-talent show are Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan, along with the newest judge Howie Mandel. And very excited to be returning as host for another summer is the ultra-likable Nick Cannon, who is skilled at easing the sting of rejection for the performers seeking fame and fortune.

I know you will enjoy the natural charm, service, and delicious food at Flavor of India. Most seating is on their festively heated enclosed patio, which twinkles with "itzy‑bitzy" lights. One could think of it as romantic for dating, and along with a big "A" in the window, it's homey and warm with time‑honored paintings and conventional background music. For more intimacy, check out the elevated dining with lots of privacy, also window-curtained cozy room inside.

Okay, sorry. I STILL brake for South Pacific, one of my least favorite terminally sappy Amur-kin musicals by those overrated corny-as-Kansas-in-August guys Dick and Oscar.

I remember as a kid staying up late on Friday and Saturday nights staying up watching old movies with actors I never heard of but the stories were so compelling. My first film noir was the 1944 classic Double Indemnity with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck with Edward G. Robinson. I came in half way through the movie but my 10-year old mind quickly picked up what was going on. A love affair with black and white movies began and still goes strong to this day.

Many years ago I received a letter from Angela Lansbury telling me about this wonderful restaurant in Santa Monica called Positano. By now it's no secret that the chef is her daughter, also named Angela. Enzo and wife Angela always cooked together, and from the moment I met them I was hooked on their terrific Italian cuisine, and captivated by their devotion to each other. My original quotes about their restaurant referred to it as being a gift waiting to be found. And I will always believe that if the Italians didn't invent romance, they elevated it to an art form through eating, and "holy cannoli," it doesn't matter what you order because it's delicious.