Our dear friend, Toby Salk, reminded me that even the most famous people find time to play Mah Jongg! Scroll down to see Julia Roberts’ quote about our favorite game. BTW, my “sister” Johni Levene (the founder of Mah Jongg That’s It on Facebook) was Julia’s teacher so we know for sure that Julia is a top player!
…Toby Salk’s fabulous Mah Jongg pictures! Well, I’m not actually going to post each day for twelve days but I do want to show you some of the fabulous photos that the wonderful Toby Salk posts on her emailed announcements. I look forward to receiving her emails and seeing what terrific and unusual photos she has found. Do you ever find unusual or fun photos with a Mah Jongg theme? If so, send them on to me and I will put them up in a future posting.
Much thanks to Toby for sending these great photos! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!
This photo was from Toby’s most recent email and I agree with her when she told me, “I think if I could have any set in the world…this just might be it! They make me so happy and I need all the help I can get!”
Look at this gorgeous tile!
I think Toby must like kitties…especially those that play Mah Jongg!
Here is one of my favorites with two of my favorite people – “Look at what Lori gave Johni Levene! These GIANT tiles are from a Christian Louboutin Mah Jongg themed window. So jealous!!!” Love these ladies with their wonderful Mah Jongg spirit!
Love these ladies with their wonderful Mah Jongg spirit!
A couple of weeks ago our dear friend, Toby Salk, (who is holding Mah Jongg classes at Rancho La Puerta right now in Tecate, Baja California), and I had a fun conversation where we talked about everything under the sun, including an idea about teaching Mah Jongg on television. As it turns out, this isn’t such a revolutionary idea…the next day I received an email from Toby with a photo of the great Mah Jongg maven, Dorothy S. Meyerson, teaching Mah Jongg on television in 1951. For those of you who might not know Dorothy’s name, she is considered to be a pioneer of Mah Jongg within the Jewish community and the author of how-to-play books (starting with “That’s It – National Mah Jongg League Rules” first published in 1937). If you ever wondered where Johni Levene (Mah Jongg teacher extraordinaire!) came up with the name for her fabulous Facebook site, “Mah Jongg – That’s It“, now you know!
Dorothy S. Meyerson teaching Mah Jongg on television, 1951 (photo courtesy of Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage).
Linda H, one of my ace Mah Jongg students, invited me to join her and her friends up on her beautiful rooftop terrace to celebrate the 4th of July. We enjoyed a delicious and wonderful dinner and a fabulous view of the amazing Macy’s fireworks display. And, to add to the perfection of the evening, guess who was visiting and joined us in the festivities…Johni Levene, Mah Jongg teacher extraordinaire from Los Angeles! A great time was had by all!!!
Before we went over to Linda’s, Johni had a few moments of bonding with Lizzie!
Johni and I made a new group of friends that night and I hope to see them again soon – and ! think I will since they all said they wanted me to teach them how to play Mah Jongg! There were seven of us altogether – here’s a brief glimpse of that gorgeous rooftop and Johni with a big smile (as always!!). 
And here’s Linda – definitely the hostess with the mostest – as she cuts into her very patriotic – and DELICIOUS – dessert!
I love my “sista” Johni…
I am trying and trying to play the SINGLES AND PAIRS hands on this year’s card but all I ever get is close and, as we all know, there is no second place in Mah Jongg. When I think of all the times that I pray for a Joker…but, wouldn’t you know it, I get one just when I don’t need it! This isn’t the first time that I have tried to win with this hand of FF 11 33 55 77 99 DD – but those Soaps just kept getting discarded and I didn’t have that second 9 Dot yet and so couldn’t pick up any of them. You can see them on the table – so frustrating and, as Johni Levene (Los Angeles’ Mah Jongg teacher extraordinaire!) would say, TRAGIC!
This should be every Mah Jongg player’s mantra:
Thanks to Johni Levene…the woman I call the “Mah Jongg teacher extraordinaire”…and she is. Not only is she one of the top Mah Jongg teachers in the country – BTW, she is based in Los Angeles – she is also extremely generous and giving with her thoughts and this one is from her.
Mah Jongg and Me 