Jan 2, 2013

It has now been nearly a quarter of a century since Syd sold Variety and we moved out of the venerable 46th Street building. And a little over ten years since Roger Watkins and I, during a luncheon in a small London eaterie, decided it would be a good idea to start a web page dedicated to keeping the muggs in touch with each other. I had originally suggested a quarterly newsletter, but Roger was way ahead of me and suggested a web site and assured me that his son Ian would be glad to handle the technical side of the affair.

The result was that the Simesite (so named in honor of Sime Silverman) was launched on Dec. 16, 2003, purposely timed to be 98 years after the first edition of Variety hit the newsstands in Gotham.
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A few replies to requests for the year-end wrap (see Christmas Soundtrack) were received after deadline. Among them were those from Arlene Rosenstein, Samantha Stenzel, Doug Gallowayand Mel Tobias. The photo that Doug sent us of his wife and himself at the Musso & Frank restaurant in L.A. is posted below.

Here are the blurbs received from Sam and Mel:

SAMANTHA STENZEL (Chicago)

Happy New Year, So sorry I missed seeing this until now. I will look at the website soon. I have not been doing tours recently (editing and writing) but am putting together a tour for Cuba in March. I am not online very often since I moved to another apartment in my house. I will be soon.Lots of cheer, health and happiness in 2012!

MEL TOBIAS (Vancouver)

Still happily recovering from a fabulous New York trip. Saw 7 shows in 8 days plus culinary delights and shopping for books at the Strand. I am not much into computer and e-mail.

At the moment I am editor of a lifestyle magazine and columnist to a Manila newspaper and own a collectible store (store is for baby boomers with money and lots of memories). In other words, I am selling nostalgia and enjoying real interaction, not the Facebook variety.

I have fond memories of you (Peter) and of Gene Moskowitz, who “discovered” me in Hong Kong.

end

Doug Galloway just sent us this recent photo of him celebrating his wife’s birthday at the Musso & Frank restaurant in Hollywood. Doug has changed his e-mail address, which is why we couldn’t include him in the year-end roundup.

Madrid, December 22, 2011

Heading into the Yuletide season, we figured it would be nice to touch base with the muggs all over the world. A good many have responded (some only after a bit of nudging) and we here post their replies, in the order that they were received.

We wish one and all Happy Holidays and especially good health in the coming year.

Ian Watkins & Peter Besas
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