Six for Sixty

We met six years ago and today she turns sixty, so what better way to celebrate Melissa’s (aka “The Colonel”) birthday than to post my six most memorable times with her? It was not an easy choice and I had to leave some events out due to brevity, but here goes. For once, these are in no particular order.

1. You never forget the first time…we met in April 2017 at the Marion Davies Guest House in Santa Monica. All I have is this tiny tiny photo below to prove that we were there together!



From there, the caravan traveled over to the Santa Monica History Museum to celebrate Shirley Temple’s 89th Heavenly Birthday. Melissa (right) is posing with Shirley’s son, Charlie. It was at this event, just as I was leaving (my aversion to crowds had kicked in), that I thought, you know…she might be nuttier than a fruitcake, but she’s a pretty cool gal. BTW: I don’t hang out with people unless they are somewhat nutz. The sane ones just aren’t any fun.



2. The Melissa Roast. In October 2022, I made a whirlwind trip to NYC. Melissa and I took in a Broadway show and managed to squeeze in a dinner at Carmine’s with her incredible daughter. Becca is off the charts, and we had fun roasting her poor mother (who loved every minute of it). Melissa didn’t stand a chance as Becca and I compared notes.



3. Road Kill, December 2018. She’ll do just about anything for Shirley, including playing dead in the road to re-create a famously gruesome scene from “Bright Eyes.” Good sport doesn’t even cover it.



4. Fountain Coffee Room lunch, December 2018. We’d been driving all over Los Angeles this day, and ended up having a quiet lunch at one of my favorite hidden gems: the Fountain Coffee Room in the Beverly Hills Hotel. No selfies during that lunch; I think we were both too pooped to hold up our phones.



5. Visit to Temple’s Temple, April 2022. Melissa is friends with the owner of Shirley Temple’s childhood home (after she struck it big!) and was able to get me inside.



It was one of those things that never even made my bucket list because I would never have dreamed that it was possible.



6. Breakfasts/Dinners at the Chateau Marmont. I believe the first time Melissa dined at the Chateau with me was April 2018. She was done with her events that day and joined me for a quiet Sunday night dinner. Again…no photos exist, but it was a memorable of evening of good food and great conversation.



Happy Birthday, Melissa - and here’s to many more!



See more of my photos at my main website.