I have some good information for you today regarding appetizers. It's some shortcut advice to artful presentations of beautiful foods that perhaps you did not make yourself. But I have to lead up to that. I can't just give you the info, I need to push my "social agenda" a bit. It's been a while since I have been accused of that and I'd like to muck up the waters in that regard!

You see, I live in the big city. Smack dab in the middle of the big city. Hollywood. No burbs or beaches for me! Too slow…

There are advantages to living in the big city. Now, before you yell at me let me say– I am sure that small towns have their charms too. But I live in the big city so I can only speak of the big city kinds of things that the big city has to offer.

And the big city has a lot to offer. It’s the primary advantage of living here. Well, of course I like the astronomical prices, maniacal crowds, the traffic and (oh yeah) the crime too. But today I am here to talk art!

I am lucky to have a friend with an art gallery in the prestigious Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. His gallery has recently relocated there and to celebrate its arrival in the big city he recently had a group show with some of his most interesting artists.