The Rich and the Famous

Last night I attended a reading by author, Allegra Houston (yes, legendary film director John Houston's daughter)on her new book, "Love Child: a memoir of family lost and found" at the well known Taos venue, Mabel Dodge Luhan House. She and her brother live in Taos. I didn't realize it at first but I was sitting in the same row as her brother, Tony Houston, and right behind her husband, Cisco Guerva(with ties to Che Guerva). Alas Angelica was not there.... It seemed so natural, no paparazzi, no fanfare but alot of warm claps and hugs. Allegra is beautiful, in her early 40's, and chronicled her life with John Houston as her father. Throw in the fact that he wasn't really her bio father - a fact she only became aware of at 12 when she was unceremoniously introduced to John Julius Norwich(a Brit aristocrat who was married at the time that he and her mother had an affair)by Houston's fifth wife, Cici. Her mother, Ricki Soma, had died tragically in a car accident when Allegra was only four. John Houston had graciously taken over her upbringing despite the fact that he had long since split from her mother.

Allegra told some of her story and read a few sections of her book (too few - I was hungry for more). She had a slight british accent (which I swoon over)and was very sweet and charming. She ended her reading by calling up her stepson, Pancho, to sing happy birthday(along with the whole audience)to her husband, Cisco. One of my observations is that she married a man who is similiar in energy and physical appearance to Houston. Cisco is a larger than life character (he walked into the room with a huge felt hat on his head), a gifted storyteller and has a raucous laugh. Sounds a little oedipal to me. Someone told me that they're celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary tonite so it must be working. One of my coworkers told me that she has cared for their son, Rafael. I'm rubbing elbows with the rich and famous.