Donna Loren | Donna Loren's BLOG

Donna Loren’s Shindig

Posted on August 29, 2011 by donna loren

I really enjoyed singing on my first online show. Hope you felt the same if you tuned in. So many blessings occurred. It began with my husband, Jered, who found StageIt.com on the internet. One day recently, he invited me to watch and listen to an online live concert starring John Oates of Hall and Oates fame. It was so cool to see a superstar ‘up close and personal’ performing and interacting with fans from the privacy of his home. His other half started a popular internet series, Darryl’s House in much the same way. I was hooked!

“Please schedule me to do a show on Stage It“, I asked Jered, and it evolved from there. A musician of note, Bob Glaub, bassist for Crosby, Stills and Nash, who played on my album Love It Away recommended a pianist who began rehearsing with me. Carl Byron helped me select material and create smooth transitions between each song as well as show off his other attributes on accordian and ukulele. Then I met Al from Germany. He had just moved from Hamburg where he was raised, and has established a successful career via YouTube. Al, Jered and I clicked. Al is proficient with video so he offered to film the show as well as light the room and run the webcam. We then talked about sound which turned into an introduction to his friend Sven, a sound engineer and artist in his own right. All in all I was feeling like I had a professional team to make my first show on Stage It happen. And so, the date was set: August 26th. I later discovered that my daughter Anna’s band, That Dog were reuniting after 10-years and performing at the Troubadour in LA the same night!

I thought about the songs I sang on Shindig, my favorite TV show EVER. I decided to begin my set with You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin, a song the Righteous Bros. premiered on Shindig, catapulting them to stardom. I had never sung this song before so Carl and I created an arrangement that would suit me. Singing it really got me off to a great start. I followed that with the first song I ever sang on Shindig, Wishin’ and Hopin’ and then went on to Shakin’ All Over, which was always one of my favorites and it seems so for others by the show of support on YouTube. When I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Jack White of the Whitestripes, he said he watched me sing it on YouTube! He subsequently recorded it with Wanda Jackson. Gee, maybe he’ll record me one day….I would love it. I also included It Only Hurts When I Cry from Beach Blanket Bingo and essentially encored with a track from my EP, Donna Does Elvis in Hawaii, entitled (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear. Thirty-three minutes of bliss went by and when we wrapped up the show my crew had grins from ear to ear. Jered was my #1 fan telling me,”you really should do this again”. And I will, at least twice before this year ends. I’m planning for October and December. In the future, I’ll invite friends to enjoy cocktails and participate in the music. Stay tuned for some surprises…

Posted in Appearances, Music, Film, TV, My Thoughts | 2 Comments

Green Latkas

Posted on August 3, 2011 by donna loren

These are definitely not your grandma’s potato pancakes. My latkas are light and full of healthy ingredients. To add to the green way of thinking, I include zucchini and parsley. So, here we go:

Makes 24 3″x3″ pancakes

Dust off your blender for these babies; we’re going for light and fluffy.

In a blender:

1 cup coarse chopped white onion
2 cups coarse chopped potatoes (leave skin on when using redskin or yukon gold)
1 cup coarse chopped zucchini (leave skin on)
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
2 eggs
1/2 cup multi-grain pancake mix (dry)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp fresh thyme (optional)

In a large skillet heat olive oil on low/medium. With a large spoon or ladle, add batter to pan. Seven should fit nicely. Watch the edges for browning and flip until done. Should have a dark griddle mark. I just can’t wait until they’re all cooked to try them. The cook gets hers first! Please leave some for your guests.

As a garnish:

Marscapone mixed with fresh smashed cherries (remove pits please) and a splash of cognac. Mix until creamy and serve.
Bon appetite

Posted in Tickles & Papenade | 8 Comments

Finding Sarah-Tabloid Terrorism

Posted on July 25, 2011 by donna loren

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is blazing a trail with her new series Finding Sarah on Oprah’s new network OWN. I was always a huge fan of her best friend, Diana; well, Princess Di. I was living in Hawaii the tragic day she was killed. In my fashion design studio I had researched English roses to paint on silk. One in particular got my attention when I projected a postage stamp size photo onto a wall enlarging it to ‘blouse size’, approximately 18 inches wide. The petals of this rose, I call Diana, showed an image of a woman’s profile remarkably resembling Diana’s! My painter sketched the image onto tracing paper and then onto silk. I designed a little top with the intention of meeting her when she visited Hawaii. Her death came only days before her plans of vacationing in the tropics. I, along with so many had a deep love for this Princess.

Sarah’s descent into tabloid terrorism is all too familiar. Her friends Oprah, Dr. Phil, Suze Orman, and above all, her X-husband and daughters are supporting her in this journey of reclaiming her rightful place in society as well as redeeming herself. How ironic Rupert Murdoch is being exposed simultaneously. Sarah’s story reveals that when she was only a child, her mother left her and tragically was decapitated in an auto accident. The horror of this experience has scarred her. All in all, she has sunk to her lowest and in Finding Sarah, her series on OWN, she is revealing exactly who she is for the world to see and proving she will do almost anything to redeem her social standings and win back the love of her life, Andrew. She speaks of how ‘needing approval’ is her addiction. She is learning find herself-self worth and therefore, her self-esteem.

I love that Oprah has gone beyond the overt addictions; drugs and alcohol, sex and violence. We have become all too familiar with these addictions. The insidiousness of these ‘second tier’ addictions, such as the need for approval, are also very destructive and now are finally are being addressed.

I hope Sarah’s courage is rewarded and she gets her Prince!

Posted in My Thoughts | 5 Comments

Tickle My Fancy with Potato Salad for Two

Posted on July 19, 2011 by donna loren

These hot summer days in California make me hungry for an old favorite, potato salad. I’ve learned some healthy ways to make it and still enjoy the deliciousness.

Boil 2 medium white or Yukon gold potatoes in salted water, skin on and cut up into bite size pieces. Should take 15-20 minutes
Add a branch of rosemary while cooking for a more savory flavor
In a bowl grate half an onion (medium size)
Add 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 tblsp. Vegenaise®
My turmeric blend to taste (for every teaspoon of turmeric, add 1/4 tsp Himalayan Seasalt and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper)
1 tsp fresh rosemary and a generous amount of parsely and cilantro chopped fine
Mix and stir in warm potatoes until well coated with dressing. The warmth helps absorb more flavor.
Bon appetite

Posted in Tickles & Papenade | 3 Comments

Celebrating Venice High’s Centennial in L.A.

Posted on June 27, 2011 by donna loren

My classmates at Venice High (Chiron, Winter ’65) continue to embrace me even though I dropped out to be the Dr Pepper Girl. My fellow celebs are Myrna Loy and Gogi Grant, among others. A statue of Myrna Loy graces the front lawn of the campus. Grease (1978) was filmed at Venice.

Venice High Centennial Parade, Sunday, June 26th

Riding in this 1965 Mustang was fun!

Alumni Rob Conove and his son Chase of "Playback".

Posted in Appearances | 11 Comments

Out Of My Closet… 60’s Top

Posted on June 21, 2011 by donna loren

Look What I Found In My Closet!

During my designing days in Hawaii I paid homage to a pleated top that I originally wore in the Sixties (below).

The original blouse was made in cotton and buttoned up the back.

Modeled below by a young Australian teen, my new interpretation eliminated the collar. Instead of cotton I used a silk chiffon for a tropical climate. Warm breezes blow this light and luxurious top with what I called a ‘slinky’ skirt made from an exclusive French textile, also my design. Both were featured in my boutique at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu. BTW, the blouses sold like hotcakes at $199.

Posted in Out Of My Closet | 6 Comments

3 Degrees of Separation

Posted on June 14, 2011 by donna loren

After decades of retreat and introspection, Donna is re-uniting with herself

Beach Blanket Bingo 1965

At The Federal in NoHo 6-13-11

Posted in Appearances, My Thoughts | 4 Comments

Donna Sings Monday, June 13th at “The Dressing Room”

Posted on June 12, 2011 by donna loren

An Invitation to a Special Event

Sheena Metal Productions hosts

“The Dressing Room”

at The Federal in the NoHo Arts District

Event is Monday, June 13th, 2011 from 8pm-1am

Donna is headlining and will open the show at 8pm

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Where: The Federal

5303 Lankershim Blvd

North Hollywood, CA 91601

The Federal is the newest creation of The Knitting Factory organization and the venue is state-of-the-art.

Tickets: $10 advance. Entitles admission to full roster of artists for the entire evening, including Van Nuys Music Corporation, ComaStation, Robby J and Lady Smoov

The public is invited to mingle with invited members of the media at the event.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a music-related charity.

Read Press Release

BUY TICKETS

Posted in Appearances | 3 Comments

Sunset Sessions Rock! – Some Fun, Some Work

Posted on June 7, 2011 by donna loren

Performing at Sunset Sessions Rock! on June 3rd provided me with an opportunity to meet a wide variety of people. Everyone from company CEO’s to artists and even those who do their grunt work. And, we were all there because we love music with a capital L! Meeting artist-songwriter Linda Perry was a highlight. She lives only10-minutes from my home. Maybe there’s an Linda Perry song in my future; fingers crossed! My comfort zone was with executives Danny Goldberg and Daniel Glass. Living with my first husband, Lenny Waronker, shaped my ease with company CEO’s. Remarkably, working as the Dr Pepper Girl also gave me an insider’s view of corporate leaders; they were extremely accessible to me. After my set, Danny Goldberg said, “that was great”. Coming from the man who took over as CEO for Warner Bros Records when Lenny waronker moved to Dreamworks, it means a lot! Daniel Glass started Glassnote Entertainment Group and is perpetuating an old school approach by being hands-on with his acts. Very refreshing to hear him display passion for his new group Givers.

Another highlight for me was being interviewed by The Recording Academy, better known as The Grammys. The interviewer, Daniel Mendoza (the third ‘Daniel’ of the day), asked all the right questions. When I know more about access to that interview, it will be posted.

As a side note, some of the bands at Sunset Sessions that I especially enjoyed were: Givers, Deep Dark Robot, Kopek, Larisa Stow and Shakti Tribe and Barcelona.

OMG… everyone received a “goodie bag” with each artist providing CD’s plus a cool gift. I included my Love It Away album and the 36″x12″ Love It Away poster that I personally rolled and fastened with an organic fruit/no sugar lollipop. It was ‘out-cooled’ by Linda Perry who celebrated sexual emancipation with a small plastic package with her logo. Inside… a condom!

Thanks to Michele Clark and everyone affiliated with Sunset Sessions for a great experience!