Dear Diary, Gussie (Gussy) Moran it was fun knowing you.

A few days ago the world lost a Tennis great, fashion dare devil and someone who I would call an eccentric with a heart of gold.  Steve and I, were lucky enough to meet her and have her visit us once a week at our shop in Hollywood.  She was a treasure to us and we were to her.  We brought a little sunshine to her block.  A block that was a far cry from where she grew up in Santa Monica with an ocean view.

When we met her she was so full of color and personality that it was obvious that she must “have been someone” – I know that sounds silly, but when you live in Los Angeles you can’t help but think, “I wonder who she is”, when you see some of the older ladies around town.  They just stand out!  I never would have dreamed she was a tennis sensation and tabloid target who partied with Joan Crawford and all the leading fellas.

She wore bold pants, hip shoes, orange Jacki-O glasses, lipstick and straightened hair the day she walked into our little shop across from Paramount Studios.  We were intrigued and she was smitten that we were offering smiles, pretty baubles, art shows, books, handmade greeting cards and specialty lotions.  She was a giver, a letter writer and someone who had pride in herself.  She mailed a stack of letters to friends and fans every week.

Perhaps it was her pride, that kept her living in a sad tiny little apartment in Hollywood – she never wanted to accept a handout and I’m sure the tennis community was more than willing to help. 

She really didn’t want to talk about Tennis….she loved to chat about fashion and she would spill the details of her Hollywood pals (and it was juicy!)  Around 2002, she was featured in People Magazine.  Steve and I showed her the copy and she laughed and said….”They are still getting it all wrong!  Even the dates are wrong!”  We all giggled together as she began to tell us another story.