Jennifer Lines as Mark Antony (Julius Caesar, 2023) | Photo & Image Design: Emily Cooper
Julius Caesar is perhaps the most famous Roman ruler in history. His life was full of conquest, lust and betrayal.
Attending the opening night of Bard on the Beach’s first-rate production of Julius Caesar was ruthless. I mean that in the cold blooded meaning of the word, as it was during that particular era. The actors in this production did a superb job in their respective roles.
Granted this is not one of Shakespeare’s feel-good plays, which is understandable since those Romans were pretty violent. But few can argue that this renowned historical story about the lust for power, sold under the pretext of defending virtuous aspirations, is as relevant today as it was in the days of ancient Rome. Historically, Julius Caesar’s assassination transpired at a time when Rome itself was at a turning point, teetering between its achievements as a Republic and its less constrained nascent imperial ambitions.
Gaining Power and influence is a double-edged sword – quite literally.
Andrew Wheeler as Julius Caesar – Photo by Tim Matheson
Most people have heard the name Julius Caesar but may not know the story behind the man. Shakespeare’s historical rendering is about the military genius who overthrew Rome’s decaying political order and replaced it with a dictatorship. Cut to the chase: He triumphed in the Roman Civil War (nothing civil about it) only to be assassinated (no spoiler alert here) by those who believed he was becoming too powerful. Even his closest ally, Mark Antony (played by a woman here), is unable to stop his murder from those he most trusted.
The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you will ever look – Julius Caesar. Does this have anything to do with the phrase “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer?”
*This timeless story, in a modern-day setting, is about the human drive to get and hold on to power – and how order and good government can turn to chaos when personal ambition is unchecked. Julius Caesar is powerfully connected to our world’s political landscape, with its fractured integrity, and it raises profound questions for us all.
Emma Slipp as Cassius and Andrew McNee as Brutus – Photo by Tim Matheson
A few fun and gruesome facts from the past that remain today, thanks to Caesar:
Caesar created the Julian calendar, which is the basis for the calendar we use today!
The term “Caesarian Section” supposedly comes from Caesar’s family; one of his ancestors was reportedly born via this method, which was probably a really gruesome way to come into the Ancient world.
The handsome Caesar was something of a lothario, and his ravenous appetite once got him into deep trouble. (Okay to be fair, this is regarding Caesar but in today’s landscape infidelity still stands).
Caesar frequently engaged in steamy affairs—and one led to an incredibly dark secret. During his youth, he took the beautiful and well-connected Servilia as his mistress. When she later had a child, Marcus Junius Brutus, Caesar reportedly believed the boy was his illegitimate son. If that’s the case, it may be one of the greatest tragedies in history. As we know now, Brutus was the one who helped lead the assassination against Caesar. That’s right, he may have killed his own father.
When it came to affairs, Caesar didn’t stop at Servilia. His infamous tryst with Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt, has gone down in history as a legendary love affair. They lived together for 14 years, and many believed that if Caesar were ever permitted to marry someone who wasn’t a Roman citizen, he would have chosen her.
There are other dark secrets but think we’ll leave it at this for now.
To purchase tickets to Julius Caesar and other “Bard on the Beach” shows please visit:
I had the unexpected pleasure of visiting the unique and magnificent Mission Inn Hotel and Spa during this holiday season along with a splendid Festival of Lights that light up the hotel and surrounding areas. Located in Riverside, California (about a 90-minute drive from Palm Springs with little traffic) and with only two more days until Christmas, let’s just say that this helped get me into the spirit. These photos barely do it justice.
Photo: d. king
The Cornerstone of Downtown Riverside
“It is the most unique hotel in America. It’s a monastery, a museum, a fine hotel, a home, a boardinghouse, a mission, an art gallery and an aviator’s shrine. It combines the best features of all of the above. If you are ever in any part of California, don’t miss the famous Mission Inn of Riverside.” – Will Rogers
Photo: d. king
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, is a historic landmark hotel in downtown Riverside, California. Many presidents (including President Kennedy) stayed there and Richard Nixon married Pat at this hotel.
Photo: d. king
Photo: d. king
The story of the Mission Innstretches over more than a century and began with the Miller family, migrants to California from Tomah, Wisconsin. In 1874, civil engineer C.C. Miller arrived in Riverside, began work on a water system, and with his family, began a small boarding house in the center of town.
The Mission Inn’s rise to greatness began in the late 1800’s when wealthy Easterners and Europeans flocked to Riverside in search of both a warmer winter climate and also a way to invest in the area’s profitable citrus industry. By the 1890’s, Riverside was the richest city per capita in the United States. The consistent influx of tourists to Riverside made Frank Miller, the Master of the Inn, recognize the dire need for a grand resort hotel.
It was in that moment that the evolution of The Mission Inn began. Frank Miller opened the first wing, The Mission, of his new hotel in 1903, which was built in Mission-Revival style architecture and incorporated different structural elements of the 21 California Missions. Mr. Miller went on to add three more wings to his hotel: the Cloister, the Spanish and the final addition, the Rotunda wing, in 1931.
Photo: d. king
Photo: d. king
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, a member of Historic Hotels of America since 1996, dates back to 1876.
Horse drawn carriages for a fairytale ride. Where’s my Prince? Photo: d. king
OPENING NIGHT – Palm Springs International Film Festival 2018 (PSIFF)
Clip from the film
There is a saying about relationships in Washington: If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. – Katharine Graham
The feature film began with a panel discussion with the key players on the stage of Palm Springs High School.
Streep, Hanks & Spielberg
Katharine Graham for those of you unfamiliar, was America’s first female Fortune 500 CEO. As the renowned publisher of ‘The Washington Post,’ she guided the newspaper to national prominence, most notably when it published The Pentagon Papers and reported on the Watergate scandal.
Meryl Streep stars as Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham and Tom Hanks as editor Ben Bradlee in Steven Spielberg’s gripping true life drama behind the publication of the Pentagon Papers in Nixon’s White House. This history making movie at the time of an incensed, vindictive president meant risking careers and the future of the newspaper.
A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.
Decades of government lies which led the U.S. into the mire of the Vietnam War were lifted from top secret files. The risk of publishing them was greater than great.
Spielberg, Streep, Hanks
Words to live by:
It’s hard to remake decisions and even harder to rethink nondecisions. Sometimes you don’t really decide, you just move forward, and that is what I did—moved forward blindly and mindlessly into a new and unknown life.
A long time ago I had to decide whether to be a lady who lunched or a women who worked. – Katharine Graham, Personal History
The festival runs until January 15th. Check out the film and events lineup here:
Last night I attended the Vancouver International Film Festival’s (VIFF) premiere of “The Birth of a Nation.”
Nate Parker, the films handsome lead actor who is also responsible for writing, producing and directing the cinematic drama about slave rebellion in the deep south was in attendance. He started off the evening by introducing the movie and saying that getting the script off the ground took several years and several dollars to complete but he’s very proud of the final outcome. As so he should be. This is an important historical film about a man who virtually got lost in the shuffle, his story being told for the very first time. It is a disturbing masterpiece!
The movie was filmed in Savannah, Georgia where a lot of the Atlantic slave trade originated. I visited a friend living in Savannah and was charmed by the beauty of the city but not by stories about the past. The movie struck a chord.
In short, Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher orchestrates an uprising as he witnesses countless cruelties against himself and his fellow slaves. This strong willed man decides enough is enough when he resolves to help lead his people to freedom.
Many of the scenes are not easy to witness and as a result there were not many dry eyes in the audience. Damn, I didn’t bring any tissues!
When I first heard about the subject matter I was not too interested especially after having seen twelve years a slave, the colour purple and many other slave related films. While the film is not without the expected appalling brutality and violence, this true story is different from the others. It is well worth seeing. And it makes you question how far we’ve really come in light of current issues evidenced with many recent black shootings. So maybe it has to be told time and time again….to get the point across…people are people and should be treated equally.
The film will be theatrically released in the United States on October 7, 2016 by Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Whether it be scarves, handbags, watches, saddles, porcelain or clothing the world of Hermès is made up of style, art, history and luxury at its finest.
My favourite colour – The Trademark Orange Thread
The SADDLE that brings out the equestrian side in all of us
The Saddler, a designer in his own right
The quest for excellence best describes any Hermès objet désirable…and they come in many fabrications or manières, as the French call it. The incomparable workmanship requires skillful hands with intelligent minds. It takes time, material, tools, talent and attention to the tiniest detail to produce anything from this famous French house.
The silk roller meticulously adds the finishing touches with silk thread to every scarf
A Silk Print for a scarf
It comes with a price of course, but anything worthwhile does.
I’ve always been curious about the unrivaled craftmanship behind the name, so it was totally amazing to rendez-vous with some of the experts who help produce the famous scarves, handbags, watches, saddles, gloves and porcelain.
The pop-up traveling exhibition was in Vancouver at the Jack Poole Plaza by the Olympic Cauldron with the beautiful mountain backdrop for only five days, September 21-25th. Whoever was lucky enough to step inside got a little glimpse into a unique world with live on site demonstrations by authentic craftspeople all of whom are of French descent with cute French accents.
Steps for Porcelain Plates on their way to completion
The Porcelain Painter. They are decorated near Limoges in France.
The Watchmaker keeps time ticking with hundreds of miniscule components.
**And, if that wasn’t enough I got a smile from both Will & Kate and a wave from Kate (a royal bonus) from the car they were in (their window was completely rolled down) when their motorcade passed by on the way to visit Vancouver Coastguard. I was out walking my dog in the direction of the Coastguard at the exact time they passed by. I was not with the tons of people waiting by the sign that said “viewing area”. My dog was sitting down where the cars were passing by wearing his bright red bandana. I was all in leather. I think we attracted their attention (I like to think of it that way). A couple was standing beside us and they couldn’t believe it. A little bit of magic for our Sunday. So I bought a lottery ticket right after. If you don’t see any more posts I’ll be in the Bahamas! I heard it’s better there.
For those few who are completely oblivious to the popular series Downton Abbey®….and who are these pour souls?Downton has nothing to do with Downtown.This is one series that I admit to have binge watched. Aside from the exquisite costumes (imagine getting dressed up like that everyday?), I wasn’t even expecting to like it all that much. I’m pretty particular about what I watch in general, but the quality of the overall show, scenery, characters and let’s face it the clothinghad me hooked. And Maggie Smith alone is mesmerizing. I also loved Shirley Maclaine’s cameo.
Guess I have an addictive personality when it comes to drama, intrigue, history, fashion, romance, power and politics. And everything sounds much more enticing with a British accent. So I joined the masses and ended up binge-watching season six on Netflix. Apparently it was one of the most widely watched television dramas in the world. At least I wasn’t alone.
Which brings me to the very point of this blog post – Dressing Downton; a traveling exhibit that showcases nearly 40 period costumes and jewelry from the hit series!
Changing Fashion for Changing Times
Set in the early twentieth century, Dressing Downton traces the events that uprooted British society on the eve of World War I and ushered in the Roaring Twenties, the Jazz Age and a new way of life.
“Dressing Downton highlights a time in British history when industry, fashion, and politics were changing drastically,” expressed Amy Noble Seitz, Founder & CEO of EDG. “This exhibition quickly filled its three-year tour which says something about our obsession with all things British and our thirst for Fashion.”
About the Exhibit:
This exhibit started off appropriately at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and will go on to tour other North American cities including Chicago, Cincinnati, Nashville & various cities in California and Florida through 2017.
The exhibition is designed and produced by *Exhibits Development Group (EDG – see below) in collaboration with award winning costumier, Cosprop Ltd; London, Museum of London, NBCUniversal International Television Production and Carnival Films, PBS Masterpieces.
Never a voice like this. Watch this fascinating documentary on the life and career of super singer-songwriter Janis Joplin. See archival footage and interviews with Janis, her family, friends and fellow musicians that highlight her rise to fame in the 60’s. Aside from her unfortunate battle with alcohol and heroin addiction I found a whole new appreciation for Janis Joplin.
*Exhibits Development Group (EDG) is dedicated to the development, production, marketing and distribution of traveling museum exhibitions and cultural projects. EDG also serves as a partner to other exhibition organizers, museums, foundations and collection owners in the U.S. and abroad, in the care and stewardship of their exhibitions and collections. EDG’s mission is to initiate and promote international cultural and intellectual exchange by bringing high-quality traveling exhibitions of art, science and history to broad and diverse audiences. For more information, please visit www.exhibitsdevelopment.com.
The Newly Opened Trevi Fountain, Rome. photo: Colleen Kohse
Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday (taken from google images)
I’ve been meaning to do a travel post since my last holiday but it’s been so crazy lately that I ended up having to hire a friend to go around Italy to capture some nice shots for this post.
Well that’s not exactly true. It’s just that a friend got to go to places in Italy that I’ve not yet been to and took some remarkable photos and of course she had the most amazing time. Because as she puts it “when you need a ‘spiritual’ lift, there’s no better place than the sights and delights of Italy!”So much history, so much art, so much fashion, so much food, so much style, so much…….everything.
My new favourite scooter. photo: Colleen Kohse
I agree. Twice I’ve been to Italy but never made it to Rome. Crazy, right? I’ve seen Milan, Venice and almost every quaint little corner of Tuscany including Florence. On my second visit I had to make a choice for a little side trip either to Rome or to Florence. Because of my timing situation I chose Florence.
Sunset in Florence. photo: Colleen Kohse
Florence is smaller, there’s lots of fabulous famous art everywhere and it’s such a beautiful, walkable city. I need to make a separate trip to Rome. And then I need to go to Lake Como and Capri. Sooooooon!
These pictures will whet your appetite for your next viaggio molto bella.
Villa Carlotta, Tremezzo, on Lake Como. photo: Colleen Kohse
photo: Colleen Kohse
Outside a perfumery in Montipulsiano. photo: Colleen Kohse
Sorrento. photo: Colleen Kohse
Mini mannequins (taken thru window) Rome. photo: Colleen Kohse
photo: Colleen Kohse
Funky Hotel Furniture. photo: Colleen Kohse
Colleen’s impression: It’s all about colour in Italy. From pastels to brights, the shops are springing up in splendid colours.
Vancouver Opera’s Company Premiere of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award winning smash hit EVITA will open at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 30th.
Few women in history have had the allure of Eva Perón, She once said “My biggest fear in life is to be forgotten.” Her legend lives on….
A very brief bio because the musical will explain everything in about 2 hours and 45 minutes including a short intermission:
*Don’t cry for me Argentina
Maria Eva Duarte de Perón was born out of wedlock on May 7, 1919, in Los Toldos, Argentina. Eva (commonly known as Evita), left school when she was 16 and went to Buenos Aires in the 1930s to pursue her dream of becoming a star. She had reasonable success as an actress before marrying Juan Perón in 1945, who became president of Argentina the following year. Eva Perón used her position as first lady to fight for women’s suffrage and improving the lives of the poor, and became a legendary figure in Argentine politics. She died in 1952.
I’m really looking forward to this musical especially having been to Buenos Aires and since visiting the mausoleum of Evita in La Recoleta Cemetary. It is most definitely one of the most amazing cemeteries I’ve ever seen.
Tickets are selling out for the VO’s brand new full-scale production taking place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre with only 6 performances, from April 30th – May 8, 2016. It has won 7 Tony Awards.
La Recoleta Cemetary – CNN listed it as one of the 10 most beautiful cemeteries in the world.
VO’s Evita will star three seasoned Broadway stars with international followings.
Ramin Karimloo will star as Che. Mr. Karimloo has played both Jean Valjean (Les Misérables) on Broadway and The Phantom (Phantom of the Opera) in London’s West End. He was personally selected by Andrew Lloyd Webber to star in the London World Premiere of the Phantom sequel, Love Never Dies. This will be his first appearance as Che.
Caroline Bowman will play Evita, a role she has also played in the Broadway revival and on tour in the United States. She also starred in the Broadway productions of Wicked (as Elphaba) and in Kinky Boots.
John Cudia will play Perón. Mr. Cudia is the first and only performer to have played the roles of The Phantom and Jean Valjean on Broadway. Equally at home on opera, theatre and concert stages, Mr.Cudia is a lyric tenor who has also sung Alfredo in La traviata with Lyric Opera of the North.
“I have one thing that counts, and that is my heart;it burns in my soul, it aches in my flesh, and it ignites my nerves: that is my love for the people and Peron.” – Evita
She will not be forgotten
*Don’t Cry for me Argentina is a song composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Tim Rice. It was first recorded by Julie Covington on the 1976 concept album Evita, and was later included in the 1978 stage musical of the same name. It appeared at the opening and near the end of the show, initially as the spirit of the dead Eva exhorting the people of Argentina not to mourn her, and finally during Eva’s speech from the balcony of Casa Rosada.
Nate Parker, the films handsome lead actor who is also responsible for writing, producing and directing the cinematic drama about slave rebellion in the deep south was in attendance. He started off the evening by introducing the movie and saying that getting the script off the ground took several years and several dollars to complete but he’s very proud of the final outcome. As so he should be. This is an important historical film about a man who virtually got lost in the shuffle, his story being told for the very first time. It is a disturbing masterpiece!
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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