Maddy's Travels

I visited my friend Teresa in Southern California.  We had somehow lost each other and had not been together since our days working in the costume shop of the Minnesota Opera Company 24 years ago

 

In the ensuing years, she had become a Hollywood producer.  Though she assured me that she had not become a smarmy Hollywood type, I had to see for myself and it turns out, I agree.  She remains brilliant, funny, intense, non-pretentious, sees things visually and can put them together.

 

We spent our days walking on craggy beaches in the early morning fog, taking yoga class, getting massages, shopping for vegetables in the local farmers market (peaches the size of grapefruit) and riding through the wine country of the movie “Sideways”, making sure never to mention “merlot”.  Our yoga teacher was John Patrick, a former Chicago Cub transformed into yogi.  The exercise equipment at the gym was out of doors – only in California!

 

After a few days at T’s house in Santa Barbara, we headed south to Newport Beach where we were guests at the beach house of Louis and Carla Sachar.  Louis is the author of “Holes”, a great young adult story that Teresa turned into an A+ movie starring Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Patricia Arquette.  Patricia Arquette is a doll, Sigourney is nice though aloof and maybe Angelina has a good reason to be angry at her father, Jon.  While we’re talking about stars, Ashton and Demi do seem to be quite in love.  So says Teresa who has been on the set of “The Guardian”, a soon to be released movie with Ashton and Kevin Costner.  Demi has been visiting a lot and they are quite googly.

 

Louis and I sat on the patio doing Sudoku puzzles together, sharing our special techniques.  Here I was, hanging out with a well known author, who after a day said he felt like he’d known me forever.

 

 

I feel a little false writing this, because it doesn’t capture how down to earth the people I was hanging out with were and how modest were their homes.

 

I also wanted to tell T’s Arnold Schwartzenegger story, though it isn’t really mine to tell.  She really likes him, he’s funny and smart, although when he mentioned biting a body part of hers, she told him to back off and he did.  Even she isn’t sure if he’s just a flirt, or an actual womanizer.  They were working together on “Collateral Damage” in 2002 when he called her to his trailer.  “What’s wrong” she wondered.  She arrived to find 50 pair of brand new cowboy boots in her size (think of the poor assistant that was sent on that errand)!  “Your boots” he said, referring to the worn cowboy boots Teresa treasures like a baby’s blanky, “they are too old – you must pick another pair”.  And so she did.

 

T is taking a sabbatical from producing and is writing a book.  Who knows – maybe she will turn it into a movie and I’ll be called to the set to do the hair.  Red carpet, here I come!