The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center with its 200,000-square-foot expansion of the California Science Center will open November 13 2026

 The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center with its 200,000-square-foot expansion of the California Science Center will open November 13 2026

   
Los Angeles, CA - WestHollywoodToday.blogspot.
(October 19 2026) By Karen Ostlund.

                             

California Science Center announced  that advance reservations for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour, will be available beginning Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., ahead for the new Air and Space Center’s public opening on Friday, November 13 2026.
California Science Center Members will receive early access to reservations beginning, today October 19, at 9:30 a.m.


"Fourteen years after Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at the California Science Center, following its incredible overland journey across Los Angeles and Inglewood, reservations will soon become available to see it in its permanent home this November,” said Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center.
Rudolph continued, “The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center fulfills a decades-long dream and provides us with our biggest platform yet, to inspire science learning in everyone.”

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is a 200,000-square-foot expansion of the California Science Center that will nearly double the museum’s exhibit space.
                              

The new center features more than 100 artifacts, including rare and historic aerospace objects, along with 100 new hands-on exhibits, featuring interactive experiences focused on science, technology, and engineering.

The 3 multi-level galleries – the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery – represent the third and final phase of a three-decade master plan to develop one of the world’s leading science learning centers.

At the heart of the new center, Space Shuttle Endeavour will be displayed vertically in a launch-ready configuration with authentic solid rocket boosters and the last remaining flight-qualified external tank, ET-94.

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens to the public on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Advance reservations at: 
https://californiasciencecenter.org/visit/get-reservations-tickets or by calling 213-744-2019.


General admission to the California Science Center is free.
Reservations for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center – including Space Shuttle Endeavour, are encouraged, because of high demand. 

A $4 reservation service fee, per person will apply, but the fee will be waived for California Science Center Members.

More information about California Science Center Membership can be found at californiasciencecenter.org/member

EndeavourLA is the California Science Center Foundation’s fundraising campaign. that enabled the acquisition and previous temporary display of the space shuttle..
EndeavourLA supports the work to complete the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and to continue ongoing exhibits, programs, and operations.
The project’s lead donors are the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation and the State of California, joined by principal donors Korean Air and the Kresa Family Foundation, along with numerous individuals and organizations.

The California Science Center and IMAX Theater are located in historic Exposition Park just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway at 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles.
It's open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 https://californiasciencecenter.org

COMPOSER CAROL CONNORS RECEIVED THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE 29TH ANNUAL ARPA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Westhollywoodtoday.blogspot

Hollywood CA
By Karen Ostlund 
September 28 2026


 GRAMMY NOMINATED SONGWRITER CAROL CONNORS RECEIVED THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE 29TH ANNUAL ARPA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

 THE CAROL CONNORS DOCUMENTARY FILM “ELVIS, ROCKY AND ME: THE CAROL CONNORS STORY” SCREENED PRIOR TO HER LIFETIME AWARD  SEPTEMBER 27 AT  TCL CHINESE THEATRE. IN HOLLYWOOD.

                             

Carol Connors with director Alex Rotaru.

 Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy and Grammy Award nominee Carol Connors received the Lifetime Achievement Award September 27, 2026, at the ARPA International Film Festival in Hollywood, CA at the TCL Chinese Theatre in the Multiplex.  The theater is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.

Special Celebrity Lampoon of Carol Connors Legendary Show Biz Antics included:

Barbie Benton (Singer and Playboy Legend), Diane Warren (Oscar Recipient), David Longoria (Grammy winning Musician), Maria Conchita Alonso (Music, Film, TV star), Suzan Hughes (Philanthropist), Kiki Seto (The New Adrain from I Play Rocky) Kate Linder (Young & The Restless), and
Florence LaRue (Fifth Dimension) with special appearances via video from Dionne Warwick, Pat Boone, and Joe Montegna. 

                             

Carol Connors on the red carpet among friends.

The 75 minutes documentary Elvis, Rocky and Me: The Carol Connors Story had its world premiere at the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 3, 2026, and a subsequent Los Angeles screening at the 26th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival on April 13, 2026.

The documentary Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story  (2026), directed by Alex Rotaru, and  produced by Dahlia Heyman (Dia Haymon) and Chip Rosenblum. The film features the unconventional life and career of two-time Academy Award-nominated singer and songwriter Carol Connors.

At just 16 years old, Carol Connors, co-wrote and sang lead on the iconic #1 hit "To Know Him Is To Love Him" with her band The Teddy Bears, alongside bandmate Phil Spector.
She became the first woman to write a chart-topping car song with "Hey, Little Cobra" (written for Carroll Shelby, who gifted her a real Cobra) and the first woman to write a score for Disney (The Rescuers).

Carol also co-wrote the legendary theme song "Gonna Fly Now" for the film Rocky, earning an Academy Award nomination.

The film explores her deep personal relationships and interactions with major cultural figures, most notably her love affair with Elvis Presley, as well as encounters with Phil Spector's darker side, Carroll Shelby, and others.

It features interviews with figures like Talia Shire, Bill Conti, Dionne Warwick, Diane Warren, Mike Tyson, and Irwin Winkler.
Arpa International Film Festival  has been held in Hollywood, California since 1997. Arpa Film Festival is one of the oldest independent film festivals in Hollywood,  highlighting films that explore critical issues such as war, genocide, diaspora, dual identities, exile and multiculturalism. 
http://www.arpafilmfestival.com/

Recap of the 5th Annual Tenderfest at The Wallis in Beverly Hills.

 Recap of the 5th Annual Tenderfest at The Wallis in Beverly Hills.

WestHollywoodToday.blogspot
September 21 2026
By Karen Ostlund

The 5th annual TenderFest.com was held September 19th 2026 at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.
Next city for the Tenderfest will be Chicago,  October 10 2026.
The festival focuses entirely on "all things pounded, breaded, and fried".
                              

Tenderfest 2026: Raising Cane's and Dave's Hot Kitchen at The Wallis in Beverly Hills.

The menu featured different recipes on chicken tenders, split across general tasting vendors and a premier chef competition.
                           

Tenderfest animators on stage.

TenderFest was co-founded by hospitality entrepreneurs John Terzian (co-founder of The h. wood Group) and Lawrence Longo (founder of Off The Menu and restaurateur involved with Prince Street Pizza and Irv's Burgers). They hosted the event together, with sitcom icon Jaleel White.
                            

Jitlada gets 1st prize.

Photo above, The conTENDER champion prize was handed to Chef Jazz Singsanong for Jitlada on stage, by event host Jaleel White alongside TenderFest co-founders Lawrence Longo and John Terzian.
                            

Petit Trois and Jitlada.

The "ConTENDER" Chef Competition was inbetween five LA restaurants on making of the best classic chicken tender:
Jitlada's bold, spicy Southern Thai-style chicken tenders took home the 1st prize, after competing against;

• Miya Miya: Middle Eastern-inspired shawarma-influenced tenders.

• Petit Trois: French-inspired gourmet chicken tenders by Chef Ludo Lefebvre.

• Lucia: Crafted signature crispy chicken tenders by two-time James Beard finalist Chef Cleophus.

• Marvin: Crispy chicken tenders led by Ricky Moreno and Max Marder.
                                

ConTender 2026 Judges.

The celebrity and chef judges (photo above) for the ConTENDER competition at Tender Fest 2026 in Beverly Hills included music artist Lizzo, Los Angeles Rams players Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams, celebrity chef Cat Cora, chef Nancy Silverton, chef Tim Hollingsworth and  chef Cat Cora.

Also attending were food influencer Kevin Noparvar, and real estate executive Jay Luchs.
                                  

Chef Hollingsworth with Lawrence Longo
and John Terzian

                   
Chef Tim Hollingsworth became the first inductee into the Chicken Tender Hall of Fame at Tenderfest 2026 after winning the competition three out of four years.
                                 

Noah Clark of BOX Chicken.

                              
Chef Noah Clark of BOX Chicken won the People's Choice Award featuring his legendary Japanese-American chicken tenders.
                         

Cooking class by French chef Ludo Lefebvre from Petit Trois.

Other chicken tender favorites included, Raising Cane's, TenderCrush and Chris P Kitchen.


• Pizzeria Mozza: Italian-leaning, California-style chicken tenders curated by Chef Nancy Silverton.

• Dave's Hot Chicken: Their signature Nashville-style hot chicken tenders.

• Delilah: Premium, exclusive festival-drop chicken tenders.

• Le Coupé: Crispy fried chicken tenders.

• Chimmelier: Korean-style fried chicken tenders.

                             

Everyone walked home with a bottle of sponsor, HEINZ House Red Tomato Ketchup.

WOW Creations Emmys Lifestyle Suite 2026 held at the Universal Hilton

 WestHollywoodToday.blogspot CA

By Karen Ostlund
September 15 2026

                           

Actor Eric Roberts with wife Eliza and Matt Harris.

WOW Creations Emmys Lifestyle Suite was held at the Universal Hilton on September 11, 2026, included celebrities and media talents as Eric Roberts, Kate Linder, Grace Field, and Teresa Valenza.
                             

Mark and Matt Harris, known from Storage Wars and as "The Harris Brothers," are the Los Angeles-based marketing experts who own and operate WOW! Creations since 2004. They specialize in luxury celebrity gifting suites for major award shows, film festivals, and charity events, and acting as specialists in brand awareness and public relations. 

                            

The food and beverage partners featured, were the Coffee Cocktail by LA Belle Delight, Tacos and Mexican Food, catered by Lovely Taco Catering and Tío Chilo's salsas, providing a fresh, event-style Mexican cuisine.
                            

Actor Vincent de Paul at Marissa's Cakes.

Gourmet Desserts were provided by
MarissasCake.com -  a custom specialty bakery located in Downey, California, that creates custom cakes, Peruvian pastries, and desserts with whipped cream, buttercream, and fondant styles.
                           

TobinJames.com wine-cellars from Paso Robles provided winetasting. Their Zinfandel is known for its dark berry flavors, like raspberry, plum, and blackberry, complemented by pepper and oak.
                               

Art Lewin Bespoke, RogersHood, Triple Level Foods, Sagrada bio skincare and Dr.Monica's Natural Beauty, Dongtrunghaile herbals and Luxury Wicks Soy Candle Co.

ArtLewinBespoke.com is the bespoke tailoring services for awards season, based in Los Angeles, since 1989. They make custom-made suits, shirts, and formal wear for both men and women. Vannucci Couture socks and scarf for Emmys 2026.

Rogershood.com Fulvic/Humic minerals foot/bath soak.

https://triplelevelfoods.com Organic Seasoning.

Dongtrunghaile.com Energy Herbal Supplement.

Facebook: Luxury Wicks Soy Candle Co,

www.sagradabioskincare.com
Day Gold Sagrada Serum is a lightweight, plant-based skincare treatment that offers anti-aging benefits similar to retinol but with a much lower risk of skin irritation.

DrMonicasNaturalBeauty.com offers luxury, plant-based, and botanical fragrances designed by Dr. Monica Riley, a doctor of integrative medicine, to boost mood and wellness for women over 40. Artisanal scents—such as Unapologetic, Moonlight Mahogany, and Egyptian Goddess—are crafted from natural floral essences.

Book launches by life-coaches:

                              

Tracy Doyle. 

TracyDoyle.life
Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky by Tracy Doyle is a transformational self-help guide to breake through fear, redirecting negative thinking, and restoring meaningful connections personally and professionally-starting from the inside out.
Doyle's book is  designed for professional women overcoming emotional burnout, fear, and negative thinking. It introduces the Aurora Method, a eight-practice framework featuring written exercises to foster emotional healing, personal growth, and renewed connections, serving as a guide to navigating personal and professional turmoil. 
The book talks about the "hidden" struggles of high-achieving women who appear successful but feel emotionally overwhelmed.

                    

(Left) Sonya McDonald with Kathy Kolla.

SonyaMcDonald.com
Sonya McDonald, is a life-coach and nurse, who specializing in burnout recovery. She wrote the book "Unshakable: Unlocking Your Blueprint to Living Well Despite Limitations".
Sonya shares her personal story of overcoming health challenges and burnout, providing science-backed strategies for resilience, and it became a best seller.She target Individuals experiencing chronic pain, anxiety, fatigue, inflammation, and other long-term health issues.

                      

Author Kimberly Meredith with her book "Awakening to the 5th Dimension". 
https://www.thehealingtrilogy.com/

                         

At the booth of Oscars Luxury Gala Viewing Party organizers www.luxurygala.com

Additional vendors,
Amierich.com Speaker and Life-coach.
ART provided by :
Takako Art Group Japanese Group 7 Brands
Aysha Asami - Spiritual Life Coach
Tomi - Portrait Artist
Kanon - Custom Energy Blessing Bracelet from Japan
Naoko - Oracle Healer and Cultural Spiritualist

Ultrasonic Tick Fighter www.ticklessusa.com
www.centralcalicaregivers.com eye-drops.
Media Wall by @wpsevents
Shopping bags provided by www.helenficalora.com
Flowers provided by Il Floral Design.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will open its doors September 22, 2026.

 (Los Angeles, September 2, 2026) —

Westhollywoodtoday.blogspot CA
By Karen Ostlund

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will open its doors to the public on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, showcasing more than 100,000 square feet of gallery space across 30-plus galleries.

                           

10AM, Speakers at preview, Sept.2 2026.
(Left to right)
Mia Lehrer: President of Studio-MLA, who designed the sculpture-filled surrounding gardens and landscape.
Tracey Bates: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) guiding the museum's launch and operations.
George Lucas & Mellody Hobson: Co-founders whose vision and funding brought the $1 billion institution to life.
Ma Yansong: Founder of MAD Architects, who designed the futuristic, cloud-inspired main building.
Ryan Linkof: Senior Curator and Head of Film Programs, overseeing the rich collection of film, art, and storytelling artifacts.

The museum was founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, which traces visual storytelling across cultures and centuries — from prehistoric cave paintings to illustration, comics, cinema, and murals.

Art and popular cultures are presented, side by side, as part of one continuous visual tradition. The museum also features a free Research Library and the new  restaurant Skywalker Grill.
                          

The 2-floor Lucas Museum's Research Library, is sleekly curved, and features research collections, special collections, rare books, and archives - which will be open to all visitors free of charge.

             

Skywalker Grill, the new restaurant atop the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, draws inspiration from the welcoming spirit of George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, designed by Rockwell Group and operated by Rhubarb Hospitality Collection (part of Oak View Group). Skywalker Grill invites guests to enjoy panoramic views of Los Angeles, and will be open to both museum visitors and the general public.

The  300,000-square-foot building, is designed by Ma Yansong of MAD with Stantec, and located in historic Exposition Park.
Architect Ma Yansong is seen as a narrative artist, which includes an installation of drawings, and photographs of his visionary work for MAD, including the Lucas Museum and other projects.
                             

Starwars costumes for C-3PO by John Molla 1981-2005. Star Wars prop by Norman Reynolds.

The museum's collection spans a wide range of eras —from Artemisia Gentileschi and Norman Rockwell to Frida Kahlo, Robert Colescott, Frank Frazetta, and Robert Crumb—alongside film materials that include the complete Lucas Archives (1971–2012).

Included in the 13-acre campus are the new park and gardens, designed by Mia Lehrer of Studio-MLA, which feature sculptures and new public green space.

George Lucas said, “The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art was created to honor humanity’s stories and the artists who illustrate them. The artists in this collection didn’t just create images, they connected our modern imaginations with our ancient emotions."

Mellody Hobson said, "We wanted a museum unlike any other, that brings people from every walk of life, through the same doors. That's why this collection holds so many different kinds of stories: so people can walk in and, somewhere in these galleries, see themselves — and reflect back."

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art CEO Tracey Bates said, “George Lucas and Mellody Hobson have an unshakeable faith in the power of visual storytelling to inspire not just individuals, but entire societies, bringing people together around  beliefs, and values. It's incredibly rewarding to finally welcome the public through our doors."

Ma Yansong said, “I am deeply grateful to George Lucas and Mellody Hobson for giving me the opportunity to create a building that will  serve the visitors and the art. Designed with architecture spaces, that merged into the landscape into Exposition Park."
                            

3-D SCANS, 

The Creation of Adam is a famous fresco by Michelangelo painted 1511 on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.

The Lucas Museum’s inaugural exhibitions tells the history of narrative art through more than 1,300 works.
The story begins on the 1st floor in The History of Narrative Art: Heroes • Myths • The Sacred, an introduction exploring how visual storytelling has produced mythologies that inspired devotion, forged communities, and shaped societies.  

Examples include the Vatican Museums for the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the Louvre for the Winged Human-Headed Bulls from the Palace of Sargon II, the National Museum and Research Center of Altamira in Spain for ancient cave paintings, and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia for the Aztec Sun Stone.

  
High-resolution images and 3-D scans of the original objects have been captured for the museum, that visitors could otherwise only see by traveling around the world.

                            

3-D SCANS, 

The Oath of the Horatii is a monumental 1784 oil painting by French artist Jacques-Louis David, on display at Louvre in Paris.

Galleries on the museum’s 4th and 5th floors present works from the collection in installations dedicated to themes, artistic mediums and the achievements of individual artists.
Artists represented in these galleries range from Vincent van Gogh, George Bellows, and Jacob Lawrence to Beatrix Potter, Charles White, and Ernie Barnes.
                                  

Adrian Adolph Greenburg was the legendary chief costume designer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) who created the iconic ruby red slippers and the lion-costume for The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Exhibitions devoted to specific genres of storytelling—fantasy, romance, adventure—feature works by artists including George Méliès, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, and Ken Kelly. Exhibitions that showcase artistic mediums—comic books, manga, graphic novels, photography, and murals—include artists as George Herriman, Charles Schulz, Jim Lee, Frank Miller, Takashi Murakami, Robert Capa, Gordon Parks, Diego Rivera, JR, and Judith F. Baca.

American artists honored in the inaugural exhibition with individual galleries. include Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Jessie Willcox Smith, Maxfield Parrish, Frank Frazetta, and Thomas Hart Benton.

                           

Luke Skywalker's Tatooine  farmer outfit from Star Wars: A New Hope  is designed by costume designer John Mollo, and Tom Spina Designs.

                             

General Grevious’s Wheel Bike in Revenge of the Sith (2005). Ryan Church and Legacy Effects.

Drawing on the works in the Lucas Archives, the inaugural Cinema gallery installation will present a special exhibition titled Star Wars in Motion, focusing on the land vehicles seen in the first six films of George Lucas’s saga and costume-design. 

On view will be concept designs, props, and costumes associated with the films’ high-speed racers, hulking transports, and flying vessels, from Luke’s Landspeeder in A New Hope (1977) to the first physical build of General Grevious’s Wheel Bike in Revenge of the Sith (2005).
                               

Mexican muralist Diego Rivera 1934,
Controller of the Universe. 

The gallery on the 5th floor is dedicated to highlight  works from the extensive archive of Chicana muralist Judith F. Baca's famous half-mile-long mural, The History of California (commonly known as The Great Wall of Los Angeles). 

Additional highlights include large-scale works and studies by renowned muralists such as Mexican modernist Diego Rivera and French contemporary street artist JR, as well as iconic pieces alongside never before seen acquisitions direct from the studio of renowned street artist Banksy.
                            

Attack of the Clones costumes by Trisha Biggar,
1999-2002.

The Lucas Museum will celebrate its opening September 22 with a series of events, including member's preview days, from September 5 through September 11 2026.
A Neighborhood Preview Day hosted on September 13, will welcome community partners, local business owners, students, and residents of the museum’s 90037 zip code. More information and tickets, visit lucasmuseum.org/plan-your-visit

The José Iturbi Foundation Celebrated “RACHMANINOFF" at the Hollywood Bowl.

 The José Iturbi Foundation Celebrated

“RACHMANINOFF" at the Hollywood Bowl.

By Karen Ostlund
Westhollywoodtoday.blogspot  CA
(August 29 2026)

 The José Iturbi Foundation (JIF) was the proud sponsor of "Jose Iturbi Night”,  with the LA Philharmonic, at the Hollywood Bowl, August 27 2026.
                       

Pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason.

It was special concert led by conductor Gemma New, featuring pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason in her 

LA Phil debut.
Conductor Gemma featured The World Premiere of Adam’s Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 and Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances Op.45, which was completed in October 1940 

as his final major composition.

                      

Supporters of The José Iturbi Foundation attended as special guests of co-founder and president, Donelle Dadigan, including: Rex Smith (Broadway, TV, Film, Music star), Joel Diamond (Grammy nominated/Platinum Music Producer), Carol Connors (Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe nominee/ Elvis, Rocky and Me: The Carol Connors Story), Carolyn Hennesy (Emmy winner), Lee Purcell (2 x Emmy nominee), Ilene Graff (Grammy Nominee/ Mr. Belvedere), Darby Hinton (Daniel Boone),Kathy Garver (Family Affair), Charles Fox (Grammy, 2x Emmy winner/ Oscar nominated songwriter), Bruce Vilanch (Award winning writer for Emmys, Oscars, Tony Award shows), Meredith Thomas (Premarital), Nancy Harding (Cheaper by the Dozen), Michael Learned (4xEmmy Winner/Waltons), Kate Linder (Young & Restless), Michele Lee (Knots Landing) and Ruta Lee (Funny Face/Witness for the Prosecution). 

                            

Donelle Dadigan, president and co-founder of the Jose` Iturbi Foundation said “The Jose` Iturbi Foundation’s mission is to popularize classical music to all generations, especially young people - one note at a time."
"The Foundation enjoys presenting blockbuster concerts with international superstars of classical music, and forums for young artists in the making to audiences around the world, including children at-risk and underserved communities.”

                             

In 2023, The Jose` Iturbi Foundation  launched a book and 16 CD Collectors Set titled “From Hollywood To The World The Rediscovered Recordings by Pianist & Conductor Jose`Iturbi”.

The CD collection was released on Sony Classical and produced by Donelle Dadigan and Michael Feinstein, as a special project, which was up for Grammy Nominations in the  categories: Best Historical Album, Best Album Notes, Recording Package, and Box/Special/Limited Edition Package. 

Donelle Dadigan, continued “José Iturbi was one of the greatest concert pianists and conductors of the 20th century. The proof is contained in this special collection of the complete RCA Victor recordings made by José himself and by his sister, concert pianist Amparo Iturbi.
It is an important contribution toward the preservation and restoration of their original masters, bringing them to listeners worldwide, and for generations to come.
The CD set captures José Iturbi’s historic and compelling performances in state-of-the-art remastering, and includes a one-of-a-kind picture book packed with information, nostalgic photographs highlighting José and Amparo Iturbi’s lives and careers, including their sold-out concerts and MGM musicals. 

The José Iturbi Foundation's mission is to promote classical music in Los Angeles, which performances started in the 1930’s  at the Hollywood Bowl. 
José Iturbi Báguena 
(28 November 1895 – 28 June 1980) was a Spanish conductor, pianist, harpsichordist and actor. He also appeared in several Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical films including Thousands Cheer (1943), Music for Millions (1944), Anchors Aweigh (1945), That Midnight Kiss (1949), and Three Daring Daughters (1948), his only leading role.

José Iturbi continued his public performances until March, 1980 when he was ordered by his doctors to take a sabbatical for health reasons. Five days after being admitted to Cedars-Sinai Hospital for heart problems, he died on June 28, 1980, aged 84, five months shy of his 85th birthday.

The foundation sponsors forums for "young artists in the making," who are classically trained pianists and singers - to debut their talent, to launch their careers and bring to the public's attention. 
The José Iturbi Foundation was  founded 1985 and has awarded more than $1Million Dollars to gifted pianists and singers from around the world, through the José Iturbi International Music Competition.
http://www.joseiturbifoundation.org

THE HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM PRESENTS ERICA GERARD DI BONA’S NEW BOOK “A LETTER IS BETTER! THE ART OF THANK YOU”.

 THE HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM PRESENTS AUTHOR ERICA GERARD DI BONA’S NEW BOOK“A LETTER IS BETTER! THE ART OF THANK YOU”.

 (WestHollywoodToday.blogspot CA June 19 2026)

By Karen Ostlund                

                                                           

(Left) Erica Gerard Di Bona, Vin Di Bona and Donelle Dadigan.

Donelle Dadigan (Founder/President of The Hollywood Museum) and some of Hollywood’s favorite stars from TV, film, music, came together to celebrate the new book “A LETTER IS BETTER! The Art of Thank You” by author Erica Gerard Di Bona (wife of TV Producer Vin Di Bona, who created America’s Funniest Home Videos). She has been on the air over 36 years. Dadigan, said “Erica’s new book is a great read and shows a new generation that the art of writing a “Letter is Better To Say Thank You". In a world that moves so fast in this digital age, a letter is still a cherished form of saying thank you. This means so much to know that someone took the time to write a letter - to express a very special sentiment.”

This event was part of the National Typewriter Day. Among the stars that Erica created relationships with thru her letter writing included: Robert Guillaume, Tom Hanks, Connie Chung, Norman Lear and Leonard Maltin.
                                                          

Erica Gerard Di Bona signs copies of "A Letter Is Better! The Art of Thank You" at the Hollywood Museum, joined by, from left, Dean Butler, Dee Wallace, Donelle Dadigan, Carolyn Hennesy, and seated beside her, Vin Di Bona.

Speakers included: Vin Di Bona (Creator/America’s Funniest Home Video/ABC Network/ 800th episode), Kevin Beggs (Chairman of Lionsgate Television Group/Lionsgate Chief Content Integration Officer), Shephard Fairley (Artist for the book), Donna Guillaume (Wife of Robert Guillaume), Kevin Bright (Co-Creator of the TV series Friends) and Marissa Murrow (American Landscape Artist).

The book "A Letter Is Better!: The Art of Thank You" by Erica Gerard Di Bona is a guide that champions the power of physical notes and letters in a digital world. It explains, by taking the time to send a thoughtful note, can build meaningful relationships, open doors, and help you stand out. 

Through personal stories and her simple "Me, You, & Us" formula, you'll learn how to craft notes that feel genuine-not generic. Whether you're job hunting, networking, or simply want to be remembered for all the right reasons, this book will help you stand out with style and sincerity.

The Concepts of the Book www.ArtofThankyou.com

• The Power of Snail Mail: Di Bona writes over 1,000 typed letters a year on vintage typewriter explains how a genuine, physical letter has a permanence that texts and emails lack. People tend to keep and frame them.

• The "Me, You, & Us" Formula: The book provides a simple framework to help you craft thank-you notes that feel genuine rather than generic.

• Building Connections: Whether you are networking, job hunting, or trying to attract donors, the book explains how a personalized letter can cut through the noise and get noticed.

• Practical Tips: The second part of the book covers the analog side of writing, offering tips on how to pick your own typewriter.

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