Posts Tagged ‘augie duke’
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
me and my mom at our beach house
In our family, life is six degrees of feline separation.
I often tell people I was meant to grow up in Malibu. That is where we lived — right on the beach – but my mom’s cat Jezebel was killed by a car, and that incident turned my life around.
My mother decided it wasn’t safe on the highway (PCH) and we moved to the house on Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills. The year was 1955. The former owners sold it to us with one perfect provision: the cat comes with the house. What are the chances of this? We move because a cat gets killed and instantly we have this new one. Hangover, who came with his name, was a rather large, slightly feral black & white street boy. The name, in the lore of our family (and from what the previous owners told us), came from this big-ass cat’s habit of hanging over the sides of trees that he climbed. He was not a drunk. He was really frisky, almost unsafe for a small child.
Hangover the cat!!!
On days when I was sick at home, Sheriff John would be playing on the TV, but I wouldn’t be watching — because I was too busy forcing Hangover’s paws to crayon pictures with me getting scratched by the real leader of our family. He kept me/us in line. He was also the first creature I would love. (more…)
Tags: Alan Duke, augie duke, cats, Chocolate point Siamese cats, Erica Duke, Eveylyn Duke, feral cats, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, Freddy Duke, Frost point Siamese Cats, growing up in Beverly Hills, living on the beach in Malibu, love of cats, Maurice Duke, rich and creamy tomato basil soup recipe, Sheriff John from the 50's and 60's
Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Saturday, January 14th, 2012
When my first child, Oliver, was in pre-school, there was the perfunctory final meeting with his group of loving teachers. One bit of advice stood out. Maybe when he starts kindergarten, you can encourage him to lose the costume and makeup that he insists on wearing daily.
Who was I to discourage the distinctive fashion choice of my four-and-a-half year old son? I wore costumes to school every single day of my life — in high school, mostly. One day I might wear holsters and fake guns. Next, I might walk my plastic duck on a leash into the classroom, take out a toy tea set and have a pretend tea party. And I miss my matador costume; I would wear that right now if I still had it.
So there was Oliver in “big boy school” and he decided to not wear the face paint, but he did rock his new 1950’s-style greaser jacket. He had just seen the movie “Grease.” (more…)
Tags: augie duke, Barbara Zarider, Barnaby Kupper, best chocolate cake with coconut frosting, Brady Bunching kids, Emma and Max Barrie, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, Freddy Duke, michael barrie, step-kids, teachers from El Rodeo Zarider and Devine
Posted in Recipes | 12 Comments »
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
I was never walked into a temple. Never. Not by my dad, the Jew. I thought being Jewish meant eating lox, bagel & cream cheese in a deli. Because that’s what my dad, the non-religious Jew told me. When we ate at Nate n’ Al’s, he would announce loudly as he seemed to be pointing to the food, “We’re Jews!!!”
I sang with my friend Cindy Lou Carlson in her church for the Christmas pageant. Those rehearsals alone put me in a church more times than I was ever in a temple — at least until my kids and step-kids became B’nai Mitzvah.
I’m assuming my mom was some sort of Christian, but your guess is as good as mine. She never walked us into a church and never spoke of any religion. So, there you go, two parents – one gentile, one Jewish — who offered zero religious guidance. We called ourselves half-and-half. This was pretty commonplace in Beverly Hills, though each family would often choose a side and go to temple or church. Christmas or Chanukah.
We celebrated Christmas, tree and all. Show business was up and down and some years we had big-time gifts. The trees were bigger in those years. At other times we might have skimpy trees with few gifts.
One year, I scored. We all scored. My dad had a friend who had a TV show and he finagled a bunch of freebie popular toys of the day for us. I coveted Patty Play Pal. She’s all I ever wanted. I wonder if there were Chatty Cathy people and Patty Play Pal people. I just dug how big that doll seemed. I was little, so for me she was huge. That year, my mother got her new hi-fi and played it continuously Christmas day. Holiday paper and ribbon were strewn about as Bobby Darin belted “Mack the Knife.” And I got my big-ass doll — a new friend in my wonderful fantasy-filled life. My brother got shit he wanted. We had pogo sticks and stilts. We were a very happy family with a house filled-to-the-brim with every hot toy and gadget.
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(more…)
Tags: Alan Duke, augie duke, Chanukah for gentiles, Christmas in Beverly Hills, Evelyn Duke, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, Freddy Duke, Maurice Duke, Patty Play pal doll, recipe for play dough, Rutenbergs
Posted in Recipes | 5 Comments »
Friday, December 9th, 2011
Xmas in Palm Springs is like an oxymoron. The palm trees sway, the sun shines bright and it’s often hot and balmy. It’s where Beverly Hills families often went. Where some were lucky enough to have vacation/weekend homes.
We were lucky to “know” someone. My dad was always up for a freebie and one winter vacation we borrowed his friend Alan Freed’s house. Alan, the New York disc jockey known as “the father of rock & roll,” had in fact coined the phrase “rock and roll.” Poor Alan Freed. Sometimes when we were there to visit him and not on our own, I would make him sit and listen while I auditioned for him, singing the hit Allan Sherman camp song, “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (Here I am at Camp Granada).” I was convinced I had a great voice, but in truth could not have been more off-key.
Hello Mudder Hello Fadder
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The Fishell family lived a few blocks away because they were one of the lucky ones who owned their own home in the desert. The Fishell girls were very grown up and popular. All the boys gravitated to them. My dad was a friend of their dad Dick, an older father like my own, with a hot, younger wife, also like mine. To be honest, my parents had been divorced for years, but we went everywhere together as a family. Very modern, way ahead of their time. Maybe no one even realized they were divorced.
The twins, Jeannie and Jackie Fishell were a year younger than me, in fifth grade, and Robin was my age and also in sixth. Every day we hung out as a large group of pre-teens. Robin was probably too mature for me so I hung out more with Jeannie and Jackie. At night we had spin the bottle parties with lots of boys who remember our peck of a kiss to this day. Like John Sofro who would later marry one of my BFF’s — Barbara Dudley. (more…)
Tags: Alan Freed, augie duke, Christmas in Palm Springs, Cody Clark, Dick and Mina Fishell, Evelyn Duke, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, Freddy Duke, matzo brei recipe, Maurice Duke, Palm Springs, sex talk, The birds and the bees, the Fishell twins
Posted in Recipes | 15 Comments »
Sunday, November 27th, 2011
Graffiti in my house today!!!!!
I was WAY ahead of my time. I liked graffiti. As a teenager, I invited all my friends to draw or write all over the wall in my bedroom. And I, in turn, often wrote on bathroom walls. I am not condoning it — and should be embarrassed by it — but at the time I even boldly signed my name to the thought or poem or whatever I had written. Sometimes at school, which is just crazy if you think about it. I would write something silly like, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, so FUCK YOU!!!!!! (A regular Emily Dickinson.) And then my signature: “By Fredde Duke.” First and last name. Didn’t want anyone else getting credit. Not that there were many other Fredde’s using the girl’s bathroom.
One day, I get a note sent into the classroom for me. It was from Mrs. Friedman, the dreaded Girls Vice Principal. Uh oh, I thought, better come up with something about why there is so much graffiti around with my name attached. I slowly walked the long halls, head down, trying hard to devise a believable excuse. But somehow I was still cocky and sure-of-myself that I could pull off getting out of trouble. There was no denying the truth. If anyone took a trip to my house on Roxbury, there it would be in big black crayon (not spray paint) — the same raunchy, unoriginal, Roses are Red poem; the one that my mother would not clean off or paint over long after I moved out — and in fact, would leave there for potential buyers to see during the sale of the house.
I’ve yet to come up with a great lie when I head into the Girls Vice Principal’s office. And already seated there is a group of really beautiful girls from my grade. It was like a dream and suddenly you are somewhere else and you’re not sure how or why the dream just changed location or people. I’m still in my head, working out that excuse and not registering what is going on. That’s when Erica Farber’s face comes into focus. We called her Ricky, and she was the faintly elusive, always gorgeous, every-Jewish-boy’s shiksa dream. I also see my friend Janet Rasak, to me the most beautiful girl; exotic, Lebanese, smart, and extra sure of herself, but never stuck-up about any of her assets. And Betty Hakimoglu, so cute, unique, Turkish. I’m in a room with all these beauties when we are told that we are the ones that are up for Princess and Queen, the ultimate prize in popularity and grandness at Beverly Hills High School. Only the greatest of beauties have reigned before. So, I’m thinking, why am I in this group? This must be a prank or some clerical error. But NO, I’m informed that there were SO many votes for me that I will be up for both Princess AND Queen. What the fuck? They say this doesn’t usually happen. I’m scratching my head and mostly relieved that I’m not going to prison for defacing public property. Instead of jailbird, I might be Homecoming Queen. (more…)
Tags: augie duke, Basil Lemonade recipe, Beverly Hills high school Queen and Princess, Erica Farber, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, Freddy Duke, Graffiti in 70's, Graffiti in homes, hippie clothes in the 70's, Homecoming Queen, janet rasak, Like Mother-Like Daughter, Ricky Farber
Posted in Recipes | 5 Comments »
Thursday, August 11th, 2011
I am writing this from the Roosevelt, a landmark hotel in New Orleans. I am waiting to be whisked off in a private, air-conditioned bus to my daughter Augie’s best friend’s wedding.
Cody is one lucky daughter. She has a lot of moms, a lot of step-moms, a lot of love.
We met Cody her first week at our grammar school. Cody’s mom, Dell, had put in long days at the school handpicking Augie to be Cody’s new friend. Augie is extra friendly and warm. So is Cody. It was a perfect match. I won’t even say how adorable they were. Cause, you know, it goes without saying.
Dell had just moved with Cody from Pasadena. That first week, she knocked on my door to introduce herself. We stood there trying to get acquainted. She disarmed me by announcing she was a lesbian. And I don’t shock easily. In fact, I’m usually the one doing the shocking. But this threw me — probably because the Palisades is so white and straight. Big American flags adorn many houses. You get the picture. So I was a touch taken aback. I stammered awkwardly, something like, “Oh my, God, I think I should be a lesbian too…because ….you know…. you guys, I mean gals, stay with your partners…. and my husband left me for another woman when I was pregnant with my baby….” I had a fantasy that lesbians were like birds, mating for life. Cody’s mother set me straight (no pun intended). Dell said lesbians are notorious players, and that her relationship with Cody’s other mother had recently broken up. She was in a new one now, and this is why she moved to our area. Whew, good that this conversation was out of the way. All of it taking place right there at my front door in about five minutes. Until now, my family had been targeted as the neighborhood freaks. Jews, single mother, who knows or cares why. So, Welcome to the hood, lesbians!!! Thank fucking God!!!!! Let’s be in this together. (more…)
Tags: augie duke, beignets, Bourbon House Restaurant, Cafe Du Monde, Cody Clark, Commanders Palace, Coquette Wine bar new orleans, Court of Two Sisters, Dell Pearce, great lesbian mothers, Josh Mannino, Mothers, new orleans, restaurants new orleans, shrimp remoulade, Tena Clark
Posted in Reviews | 16 Comments »
Saturday, May 21st, 2011
I’m famous for much longer than 15 minutes. And, I admit, a bit proud of my fame. What, you might ask am I famous for? For calling the principal a cunt!
Uh huh. It’s a story with legs. Why it was at least fourteen years ago that the incident happened. People are still talking about it today. Gotta love that.
I was taught, by example NOT to fear authority. Taught to stand up for myself. When in life I needed to exercise this skill, I did. When it comes to standing up for my kids? Watch fuckin’ out for me. Seriously, don’t mess with my kids, ever! I will go ghetto on you so fast.
My older son had a run in with the principal from our local grammar school that I barely remember. But he might have been in the wrong. He was pretty out there and I didn’t come to his defense.
My daughter Augie was a different story. The principal was totally in the wrong. There had been these elaborate and sexually explicit drawings on a note to some boy. He was Augie’s “boyfriend” at the time. Augie’s name was signed to the note. But, it was NOT penned by Augie. She is incapable to this day (twenty-five years old) of drawing even a stick figure. I too, cannot draw a thing. The family of the boy were alarmed enough to turn this note into the principal. The principal called Augie in to her office to ask her about it. Augie said she didn’t write it, but the principal insisted she did. So I showed up in the principal’s office when I heard about it to confront her. I yelled at her but not in some ghetto way. I was just forthcoming and standing up for my daughter. Augie was being held accountable for something she didn’t do. Augie didn’t have a big enough voice to fully express how wronged she was, but I do. When I went into the principal’s office that day, she put up her hand in my face and snarled through those braces on her teeth “NOT NOW FREDDE!” then she walked away. Very provocative response. Of course it achieved what she wanted. It silenced me. (more…)
Tags: AKA, augie duke, Barnaby, bb the jerk, butterscotch brownie recipe from Clementines, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, fredrica duke, grammar school, growing up, not nice principals, the c-word, the Palisades
Posted in Recipes | 8 Comments »
Sunday, May 1st, 2011
me and Dina, on our way to Catalina Island
She read Kierkegaard and Proust while I read People magazine. I realize opposites attract, but we really weren’t all that opposite … although she was definitely more sophisticated than me. Dina Mendosa, who I have now known for 25 years, is from a third world country, Mexico. I am not.
Here is where our relationship started. I received a thousand dollars as a gift from my ex-husband’s rich aunt and was instructed to use it for “help” after giving birth to my second child. I made it last a very long time and ended up moving Dina in to live with us for a few years, but I’m getting ahead of the story.
When I interviewed people for the live-in nanny/housekeeper job, she was not the one I hired first. Dina was far too beautiful and it appeared that there might even be a hickey on her neck. So, I nixed her and hired another person. That person was a no-show and so I called Hickey Girl back and told her the truth. We hired someone else, they flaked — do you still want the job? She did. She came that very day. Good sign. Good start. And the “hickey” turned out to be a birthmark. She wasn’t the slut that I had judged her to be. Not in the least. (more…)
Tags: augie duke, Dante DiPaulo, Dina Mendosa, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, fredrica duke, Hermosa Beach, Ira Gershwin, Julio Ruiz, Lee Gershwin, Madeo's, Maurice Duke, rosemary clooney, swimming pools, The Ivy, The Ivy at the Shore
Posted in Reviews | 10 Comments »
Friday, February 4th, 2011
my stunning daughter, Augie
Dear Augie,
It was 25 years ago today that we, all my best friends and I, stood around you at the hospital fighting over just the right name. There was Cordelia or Cornelia, but I had thrown them out of the mix long ago. Theodora, Willemina and variations of Willy remained. But now, it was down to the big ones. Would you be called Phillipa, my favorite British name? Or possibly Paloma? Spanish origin, but maybe too affected. Truly, I was leaning towards Augustine, not Augustina, didn’t want the A at the end. Just the simple Augustine and for short, I knew I would call you Augie. I grew up loving my name and my nickname so much, that I wanted the same for you. For a brief moment, I even entertained the idea of just naming you Fredrica! It makes me happy to know how much you do love your name.
Carrying you around became a huge draw, much better than a puppy; it was like I was carrying baby Jesus. People would come from across stores and streets just to look at you. And of course, you at them. Staring at people became a pastime. You became a great studier of people. As a kid, when movies or stage plays were going on, you would often rush to the front of the first row, turn around and stare back at the audience watching the performance. Your magnetic personality kept building and now often, when you walk into a room, you light it up with your presence. People often ask, “Who is she? Is she famous?”
Augie, eternally smiling and laughing
I should probably mention here how beautiful you are. I can honestly say, I’ve never seen anyone quite as beautiful as you. Truly. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say you are the most exquisite person. You have all (and then much more) of my mother’s drop-dead looks, mixed with my father’s magnetic personality. What a combination! The most important aspect of your beauty, however, is the inner one. Augie, you have zero malice. You don’t even have negative thoughts towards those who might have hurt you. Not a vindictive or mean bone in your body. I’m so impressed with your generosity of spirit. (more…)
Tags: augie duke, Baby Jesus, Chasen's Chili recipe, fredde duke, Freddy Duke, Leilani Sarelle, mother/daughter relationship, romantic dinners, rosemary clooney, St. Johns Hospital
Posted in Recipes | 12 Comments »
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010
Tory, the bride, Augie the bridesmaid
In August, I attended my daughter Augie’s best friend’s wedding. In fact, I call Tory my surrogate daughter. When I travel with Augie and Tory, I refer to them both as my daughters.
We met Tory, or rather I spotted Tory, one day when Augie was in first or second grade. She was a tiny thing, a lot like Aug, but she also looked a little lost and in need of a friend. I insisted Augie invite her home that first day. When we called, her mother said yes, provided we also bring home Tory’s brother Jeremy. After this, Tory spent most of her time at our house, on weekends and on plenty of school nights. We “adopted” her as our own.
my daughters, Augie is the birth daughter
Her mother moved to Hawaii with all three of Tory’s brothers and during those years she would spend most of the summer with us. Then her mom moved all of her kids to northern California. But whenever Tory got the feeling that she wanted to be with us, she would hop on a bus and a plane, all alone at 13, leaving a note behind for her mother.
Tory was always the most independent and capable thing; she emancipated herself at 16 years old, graduated college at 19, and just bought her first home at 24. No help from anyone, not ever.
I feel I have to be discreet with Tory’s life in the way that I am not at all with my own life, which is a big open book. The book, “Glass Castle” comes to mind. Should she read it, I know it would resonate with her. Suffice it to say that the family she might not have had then, she has now created in her adoring husband Brian and all of their mutual close friends.
Though Augie had cancelled her wedding this summer (refer to earlier blog piece, “No More Trouble in Paradise or to Marry or Not to Marry,” June, 2010) and was still faintly stunned from her breakup, we rooted and cheered (crying a lot) our Tory along as she put on the most incredible wedding; everything orchestrated perfectly by—who else?–Tory.
The wedding was held at her uncle’s big-ass lakefront home in Tahoe. What a setting! But what a hellacious drive from Reno. Screaming from frustration in hours of senseless traffic while searching for bathrooms…. we finally arrived at our oh-so-groovy hotel in Truckee and were happy campers. On the drive there, we spotted what would become our local spot — and we went there every day for a well deserved meal. It’s the really cool, retro Jax Truckee Diner. It is housed in an original 1940’s diner in downtown Truckee next to the railroad tracks. It appears to have been either updated or really well kept up. Every night after the long day of wedding festivities ( Augie was a bridesmaid, and I was introduced as “the second mother of the bride” ) we would end up at Jax, hungry and fatigued. I would always order the same thing because it was so friggin good — sliders. The menu has all kinds of gourmet choices as well as your typical diner comfort food. I wondered why they would be filled to capacity at 9:30 every night while my own hometown of Pacific Palisades is dead by 9:00, and is starting to resemble a ghost town with all the restaurant & retail store closings. I discovered that Jax was featured on the Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” hence its immense popularity. The day we left Truckee we ate elsewhere — and speaking of ghosts, we met a real one — but that story will have to wait for another blog.
in Hawaii with my daughters, Augie and Tory
with the girls in Hawaii
Tags: augie duke, fredde duke, great diners, Jax Truckee diner, perfect wedding, weddings
Posted in Reviews | 4 Comments »
