The Ludmila Confessions

Octavio and I went to the mansion of Jaclyn Smith to apply for jobs, me for the chef cook and Octavio as the Mayordomo. Of course I was not acknowledging her knowing me, because now I was the makeup artist, and I would have to explain everything and it was not the time nor the place.

Ludmila and her great husband Jack Millman ready for the Christmas party in Walt Disney

Now working as a makeup artist I had to meet people in the business. I met the Clairol sub director, for whom I had a proposition about going to Mexico and trying to promote a new make up they just put out.

So we went to Puerto Vallarta where at that time I had some friends. The very next  day we were invited to the ex Mrs. Lavender and it was fantastic! We met some very important people for business and enjoyed ourselves very much. The next day we went to look at the boat that he rented and decided to go fishing for the day after the next.

After relaxing by the beach and having some margaritas, we went to our hotel in the center of Puerto Vallarta, where the Burtons always stayed, before they bought (or I should say he bought) the famous house. It was very romantic, across from the river that empties in the ocean– the house was facing the river and from the balcony they could see the local women washing their laundry on the rocks. That was their way of washing clothes, beating the clothes over the rocks in the river.  But in the meantime they stayed here in front of the old beautiful church with the crown on top and the dolphins statue across the other side, on the malecon (pier) where the tides were breaking and splashing in the foundation of the cement wall.

We arrived at our room, then he went to shave, and I went to the beauty salon to have a massage and bubble jacuzzi. The hairdresser did my hair, then I went up where he was already dressed very elegantly in a tropical white jacket. I put on an aqua color long gown, then we were to stop and pick up our host and his wife. We made our way to go to an opening of another artist at another Gallery and then picked up our friends who also were invited– and then finally go to dinner.

We arrived in a vintage car, I don’t remember the make, as I never really gave any attention to anything like that, some old car. Well, this restaurant was in a place near the old town overlooking the waters of the Pacific. It was the most exquisite restaurant, only known to the very rich, with crystal chandeliers (real not fake), and mirrors for your individual table to see in, very discreet– you could hardly see your neighbors except if you were invited to their table, but you could hear and see the water and white foam against the seawall.

Party in Puerto Vallarta

On our table there was a basket of arrangements at each of the six places. They were not very large but fully open gardenias. On the side of the table in a beautiful basket made to look like real gold, was a red linen napkin wrapped around an excellent vintage Dom Perignon that I did not remember having before!  As we sat down the waiter opened the champagne and after doing so, asked the host if it was okay, as he left, the host said, “Ladies, would you like to smell the camellias or gardenias?” Then I realized why they were so white– they were full of cocaine, the whole center of the flower.

How could I forget this? It was the epitome of getting high, after that event the meal (which was something special) seemed of very little importance, because of this magnificent pure snow powder– if I breathed too hard it would blow away!