Dinner with the Two Most Interesting Men In the World and Femme Fatale

Last night Femme Fatale and I had dinner with the two most interesting men in the world: Ghassan Sader and Lou Coronado.

Below is a picture of Ghassan.

Below is a photo of Femme Fatale.

 

Ghassan’s (Gus’s) hobby is designing and making custom designed [one of the kind] “bags”, clutches, purses and brief cases out of animal skins — in a unique color chosen by a colorist (or the-owner-to-be) to match whatever outfit a man or woman will to choose to wear.

You will not see someone else carrying your one of a kind bag/clutch/purse or brief case designed by Gus.

Last night Gus brought a beautiful alligator “bag” he had designed for himself in which to carry his keys, money, credit cards and whatever else.  He had a book and video he had brought to dinner to give me.

 

For dinner we shared ideas and dishes of:

olives

corn salad

clams

Snapper

Sea Bass

Pappardelle

Cauliflower

 

and for dessert we enjoyed:

Pot De Crème, and

Choc Torta

and I had a couple of cups of coffee to accompany my portion of dessert.

 

Femme Fatale was thirsty when we arrived — Femme Fatale sipped a glass of Prosecco and chatted with Gus as we waited for Lou to arrive.

Gus chose a bottle of Selene for us to drink with our meal. an excellent choice.

 

Since age eight, Gus knew he wanted to be in the hospitality business.

Once upon a time, when Gus graduated from school in Switzerland, Gus had memorized the smells and details of 75 different wines and could blindly identify each one of them by smell alone.

 

Today, Gus’s day job includes managing hotels and resorts in eleven different countries.

At dinner, Gus told us that 47% of business travelers today are women traveling alone.

 

In hotels that Gus’s Firm (Sader Hospitality International) manages special rooms are set aside for business women traveling alone.

In each of those rooms are such things as a mannequin on which she may put/hang her business suit.

 

While selecting dessert for us, Femme Fatale asked if it would be okay to order a Pot De Crème and a Chocolate Torta for desert.

Femme Fatale asked because of my concern about my sugar intake. 

I replied, “It’s okay,  Cedars Sinai Hospital is across the street.”

 

As the night progressed, I asked the hostess, Why are scientists at JPL (California Institute of Technology Laboratory) trying to land a man on Mars — when they can eat (have a meal)  at A.O.L.?  She agreed.

One of A Kind Custom Designed Crocodile Bags

 

By the way, I am going to post a picture of at least one of Gus’ custom made crocodile bags.

 

Gus can custom make a one of a kind bag/purse/clutch/briefcase within 20 days after matching the color to whatever a person will wear.

Level of Creativity

In my imagination/estimation — my friends can produce one or more products superior to whatever unique gift Neiman Marcus comes up with in the Neiman Marcus annual Christmas gift catalogue.  This morning I challenged five of my friends to do so.

Helping Lou Overcome Shyness

 

During dinner, Lou told Femme Fatale that Lou was glad Lou was born after Femme Fatale because if Lou had been born at the same time as Femme Fatale Lou would have had to kill himself when Femme Fatale denied Lou the privilege of being one of Femme Fatale’s active suitors.

Below is a self-portrait of Femme Fatale, painted by Femme Fatale when Femme Fatale was a young woman.

Lou also told Femme Fatale: Lou is sure there is a special grave yard occupied by men whose advances Femme Fatale has turned down.

 

One of my projects for the rest of this year, is to help Lou become out-going. Below is a photograph of Lou with some of Lou’s friends.

Dudes Guide to Women’s Shoes

Lou and I recently launched a website blog Dudes Guide to Women’s Shoes at http://www.dudesguidetowomensshoes.com. 

Femme Fatale and Gus and Lou and I are the sole members of the Dudes Guide to Women’s Shoes Faculty, Instructors.

The dinner last night was the first formal meeting of the Shoe Faculty of the Dudes Guide to Women’s Shoes Internet based venture Lou and I launched last week at http://www.dudesguidetowomensshoes.com. 

We held our first Dudes Guide to Women’s Shoes’ Shoe Faculty meeting [dined] at A.O.C. located at 8700 W Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048, which is across the street from the world famous Cedars Sinai Hospital and Medical Center.

 

By the way, the hostess at A.O.C. and her assistant were taken aback by the dress Femme Fatale wore; they remarked that the dress Femme Fatale wore was stunning.

Readers Suggest Future Articles for this Blog

See string of email correspondence below.

 

GREAT XX vs XY CHROMOSOME STORY

—–Original Message—–
From: Grahame Elder <grahame.elder@gmail.com>
To: Gary Smolker <GSmolker@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Sep 1, 2016 12:51 pm
Subject: Fwd: Gender geography
Gary – Please consider this as your next category for you intensive investigation…

———- Forwarded message ———-

The Geography of a Woman   Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa. Half discovered, half wild and naturally Beautiful!     Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe. Well developed and open to trade, especially for someone of real value.     Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain, very hot, relaxed and convinced of her own beauty.     Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece, gently aging but still a warm and desirable place to visit.     Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain , with a glorious and all conquering past.     Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel, has been through war, doesn’t make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business.     Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada, self-preserving, but open to meeting new people.     After 70, she becomes Tibet. Wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages. An adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge.     THE GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN     Between about 18 and 90, a man is like North Korea, ruled by a pair of nuts.

 

 

Copyright © 2016 by Gary S. Smolker, All Rights Reserved

Cool on Steroids (Part Two): Life is God’s Gift to You. What You Do with Your Life Is Your Gift to God. — by Gary S. Smolker

Be Your Own Valentine

I particularly admire talented people who are spiritual and full of courage; and who emote love, trust, and imagination.

Yesterday (Wednesday, February 10, 2016) I was thrilled to see the “Be Your Own Valentine” sign pictured below as I was walking by the Rose Temple Salon on Rose Avenue, in Venice, California

The Rose Temple Salon is located at 305 Rose Ave., Venice Beach, California, across the Street from the Rose Cafe & Market.

Check Out The Restrooms at the Rose Cafe & Market

I wrote about the Rose Cafe & Market [located at 230 Rose Ave.] in an article titled “Cool on Steroids” Part One, which I published on my blog [“The Gary S. Smolker Idea Exchange Blog”] on February 6, 2016 at https://garysmolker.wordpress.com/2016/02/06/venice-is-cool-on-steroids-if-you-know-where-to go-by gary-s-smolker/.

A Friendly Woman’s Restroom

Below is a picture of flowers painted on a wall in the women’s rest room at the Rose Cafe & Market.

That picture was taken yesterday (Wednesday, February 10, 2016) by my friend Femme Fatale.

Below is a photograph of a picture of a “Sun Rise” – also painted on a wall in the woman’s restroom.

Below is a photograph of a picture of “Sun Set” painted on a wall in the woman’s restroom.

Below is a picture of Femme Fatale — my friend who took the above pictures.

Regarding my friend Femme Fatale, see my comments below under the heading “In Defense of Good Humor.”

Femme Fatale is a “Good Karman Person.”

I took the picture of Femme Fatale (above) while Femme Fatale, inside the Rose Cafe, before we sat down at the counter to order lunch.

A Friendly Men’s Room

Below are pictures of paintings on walls in the Men’s Room at the Rose Cafe & Marketplace taken by me on February 6, 2016.

These two paintings are what you see in front of you if you are sitting on the toilet.

The painting below is painted above the two urinals.

 

The Rose Temple Salon

The Rose Temple [Beauty] Salon on Rose Avenue, in Venice, is a good karma establishment.

All services, at the Rose Temple Salon, are provided on a [good karma] pay what you think they are worth basis.

Below is a picture of Andrea Noble, Hair Designer at Rose Temple Salon.

Karma Based Prices for Services Rendered

The Rose Temple Salon is a “hair/beauty salon” which provides services [Blow Dry, Men’s Cut, Men’s Color, Women Dry Trim, Women Specialty Cut, Base Color, Full Color, Highlights, Keratin) on Karma based prices. 

Service prices are only suggested.

You pay what you think the service is worth.

“Cool on Steroids Building”

Below are pictures of the building in which the Rose Temple Salon conducts its hair sytling business.

The address of the Rose Temple Salon is 305 Rose Avenue, Venice, California.

I am the man in the photograph (below) holding the potted plant.

The “open door” (in the photograph below) is the front door [entry] into the Rose Temple Salon.

Below is are close-up pictures.

.

The Hood

Below is a painting on that portion of a wall on a building that borders a parking lot behind the salon.

Below is a photograph of the signs above and to the side of the entry door to an eating establishment a few blocks east of the Rose Cafe.

Yum

The first picture below is a picture of the hamburger I had for lunch at the counter at the Rose Cafe & Marketplace yesterday.

In the background (behind my hamburger) you can see a vase with flowers, set on the counter top, and a partial picture of one of the food preparation areas in the kitchen visible from the counter.

There are six food preparation areas in the kitchen visible from the counter where I ate my hamburger.

Below is a picture of the same hamburger taken at a different angle.  You can see more of the food preparation area in the photograph below then in the photograph above.

I had a side order of sliced avocado with my hamburger, which you can see on the counter in the dish behind my hamburger.

Below is a picture of Justin Fulton and Joveleen (spelling ?) Sanchez.

They prepared the lunch served to us.

After lunch, Justin and Femme Fatale had an animated conversation about the kitchen, the six prep areas in the kitchen.

You Can’t Tell A Book By It’s Cover

I sent the photo below to three of my friends who do not know Femme Fatale.

They responded as follows:

1. AWESOME.  This obviously rules me out but women shouldn’t be judged negatively for the common preference for established, high status partners.  (Meanwhile, I can imagine guys like Balocca, Gisler and Fane thumbing their noses at all us beta-level monkeys lower down the food chain. LOL.
2. I noticed the “I” is lower case… she apparently thinks she is not worthy. …
3. Has she checked your inheritance?

In Defense of Good Humor

One of Femme Fatale’s hobbies is “kickboxing,”

Femme Fatale is extremely physically fit, extremely physically active, extremely mentally active, extremely artistically active, extremely professionally active, extremely socially active.

The wealthy men I know “hate” “Gold Diggers.”  They hate being with women that treat them (the men) like ATMs.

Femme Fatale is very smart and very experienced in the ways of the world.

Femme Fatale knows that is how rich men “think”/”feel.”

Femme Fatale has been on the Red Carpet at the Golden Globes.

Femme Fatale has been in places in Africa where the local people had never seen a white women before.

Femme Fatale is looked up to by thousands of people all over the world.

Femme Fatale is the type of woman who wants to pay her own way when she is with a man.

Femme Fatale puts everyone at ease.

She is extremely down to earth and not at all moody, grumpy or “filled up with herself.”

You should have seen Femme Fatale in conversation (in French) with the man (Jerome Caillens) who sold her the bread she purchased at the Rose Cafe & Marketplace yesterday.

You should have seen Femme Fatale in animated conversations with Justin Fulton about food preparation and cooking stations she observed: (a) the Aeutemp plancha heated by steam  – used to cook burgers and buns; (b) the 12 double baskets for pasta preparation; (c) the French top — thick steel top with flame under; (d) the wood fire oven for preparation of pizzas, cauliflower, roasted avocados; (e) the Garde Manger for preparing salads and avocado toast; and (f) the J & R Grill for Rotisserie Chicken, Bronzino,Bone-in-Ribeye, and grilled radicchio.

Femme Fatale “cooks.”

Femme Fatale has confidence.

Femme Fatale has a down to earth sense of humor and is down to earth.

Femme Fatale would have been flattered by Napoleon’s attention even as short as he was.

At 20 years old Femme Fatale would have given Napoleon her heart and life.

Not at 60.

Femme Fatale is looking for a more simple life for the solid 30 or 40 years she has left to enjoy her life on this earth.

Femme Fatale is enchanting.

When I told Femme Fatale, I think of her and she should think of herself as a computer full of information I have never come across.

She replied, I can’t think of myself as a computer.  But, I can think of myself as a killing machine.

Everything we do – including all the decisions we make – sends a message about who we are.

Femme Fatale is subtle, clever, highly intelligent, very physical, down to earth, artistic, spiritual, talented, sophisticated, worldly and enchanting.

Friendliness of Femme Fatale and of All the People We Interacted with at the Rose Cafe & Marketplace Yesterday

Even in Los Angeles, where neighbors do not know the name of the person living next door, community still exists.

Yesterday, all of us – Femme Fatale, me, Justin Fulton and Jerome Caillens – had a great and friendly time together at the Rose Cafe & Marketplace on Rose Avenue in Venice.

Copyright © 2016 by Gary S. Smolker, All Rights Reserved

Where Men Are – by Gary S. Smolker

Where the Men Are

John Carroll reports in his January 14, 2016 article in “FierceBiotech” that the ratio of men to women at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, in January 2016, was 9 to 1, men to women.

John Carroll scooped me.

See John Carroll’s article at http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/biotech-has-problem-women-or-it-other-way-around/2016-01-14.

I am in the process of writing an article on my experiences with Femme Fatale at the conference.

Below is a working draft of the article.

When you are done reading the partial first draft of the article I am working on (copy below) you ought to have a hankering for a churro, thanks to me.

Stay tuned: I ought to be done writing and to have posted my article on my experiences at the recent J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (on my blog “The Gary S. Smolker Idea Exchange Blog” at http://www.garysmolker.wordpress.com) on or before January 26, 2016.

Femme Fatale and I both noticed a huge ratio of men to women at the Mintz Levin cocktail reception.

Femme Fatale’s immediate reaction was: There are so few women to compete with here!

It was astounding, to both of us, how few women were there.

The men and women who were at the Mintz Levin cocktail party reception gave us the impression that we were at the biotech industry’s equivalent of a Vanity Fair after party in the entertainment industry.

Vanity Fair has an annual party that takes place immediately after the Academy Awards.

 

——————————

Below is a partial first working draft of the article I am currently writing, which was scooped by John Carrol’s January 14, 2016 article in FierceBiotech.

Big Idea: Bottle and Sell Happiness, Cheerfulness and Delight

If happiness, cheerfulness and delight could be put in a bottle and sold we would make a fortune.

Below are some pictures taken in the lounge of the Casa del Mar Hotel by the Sea in Santa Monica, California, on Thursday night, January 14, 2016, of two cheerful guys (Ed and Dan) from Pennsylvania with painter-poet-hypnotherapist Femme Fatale at an after party.

Femme Fatale and I met Dan and Ed at a cocktail party on Tuesday night, January 12, 2016, in San Francisco at a cocktail reception hosted by Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.,  an international law firm, during J. P. Morgan’s 34th Annual Healthcare Conference and reconnected with them on Thursday night, January 14, 2016, at an after party they threw for the four of us in Santa Monica, California at the Casa del Mar Hotel by the Sea in Santa Monica, California.

The Casa del Mar Hotel by the Sea is a five star hotel.

Below is a picture of Ed and Femme Fatale in the lounge of Casa del Mar Hotel by the Sea, on Thursday night, January 14.

Dan and Ed have a cheerful temperament and convey likability big time.

Below is a picture of Dan and Femme Fatale on the same couch in the lounge at the Casa del Mar Hotel by the Sea in Santa Monica, on Thursday night, January 14, 2016.

If you ever find yourself in L.A. in desperate need for hot chocolate, I recommend you migrate over to “Churros Calientes” at 11521 Santa Monica Blvd. (telephone: 424-248-3890).  There you will find great Hot Chocolate and Churros.

Sunday night, January 17, 2016 I treated my self to a Hot Chocolate Caliente.

Below is a photograph of my Hot Chocolate Caliente.  I took that photo before drinking my Hot Chocolate.

My Hot Chocolate Caliente was so delicious that after drinking it, I then treated myself to an iced mocha.

Below is a photograph I took of the iced mocha I ordered, before indulging myself in the delight of consuming it.

The ladies sitting next to me at Churros Calientes enjoyed churros with ice cream.

They assured me their dish of churros with ice cream was delicious, as were their hot chocolate drinks.

Our server, Jacobo was wonderful.

Below is a photograph I took of Jacobo.

Yum — below is a partial list of hot chocolate drinks at Churros Calientes.

Si Non e Vero, e Ben Trovato

I love the cheerfulness of the philosophy expressed in the Italian saying si non e vero, e ben trovato (“even if it’s not true, it’s a good one”).

Purpose

The purpose of this post is to tell you about a trip I took with Femme Fatale to San Francisco to attend a Mintz Levin reception/cocktail party in downtown San Francisco at Rickhouse on Tuesday, January 12, 2026 during J.P. Morgan’s 34th Annual Healthcare Conference and the after-party celebration we enjoyed with two Cheerful Guys we met there.

By the way, the people Femme Fatale and I met at the cocktail party were movers and shakers in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Henry Ford’s statement, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” best describes the type of people we met at that cocktail party.

That certainly sums up what Dan and Ed and their company are all about.

The Trip Up to San Francisco

*** I am still writing this post.

Check out my blog in about two weeks to see my entire article about my 24 hour trip with Femme Fatale to San Francisco on January 12 and our after party with Dan and Ed and my commentary on chocolate.

I am on a quest to find the best hot chocolate drink, the best chocolate pastry, the best chocolate cake and the best chocolate in the world.

To be continued.

Copyright © 2016 Gary S. Smolker, All Rights Reserved