As any reader of this cyber-column knows, I recently said goodbye to Sammy, my faithful canine companion of the past fifteen years.  Seeing that I wasn’t coping so well, a good friend suggested I write about the happiness Sammy brought to my life and the lives of others, as a way of celebrating him.  Since happiness was Sammy’s raison d’être, I figured it certainly couldn’t hurt.  So, here are two anecdotes about Sammy that make me happy.

In 2006, I undertook a series of articles for VEGAS entitled “Suite Life.”  The idea had been conceived as a round-up of the best high-roller (aka “whale”) suites in town.  I had other ideas, though; and told my editors that if I was gonna do it, I was gonna do it right.  This meant that in lieu of viewing images of the suites and doing one article; I was going to spend the night in each suite, and dedicate an article to each.  So, in late June, over 16 nights, I stayed in 14 of the most luxe suites on the Strip and in Downtown.  And Sammy joined me in most of them.  He swam in the pool outside of our villa at Green Valley Ranch, and frolicked in the Jacuzzi of the Playboy Villa at Palms.  I even took a photograph of him lounging on a shaggy ottoman in the Viva Suite of Red Rock Resort (a photograph that I later painted and sold at auction, at Phillips de Pury & Co. in New York).

But his favorite was Planet Hollywood.  Ensconced in the Jonathan Adler-designed penthouse, the butler asked me if I’d like for him to take Sammy on a walk.  Sure, I thought.  Fast-forward to 90 minutes later, and I’m wondering if the guy has absconded with my dog.  Just as I was beginning to get antsy, Sammy comes bounding down the hall, his Bottega Veneta leash trailing behind him, to the living room, (where I was sacked-out on the couch), and jumps into my lap; the butler close behind, panting and laughing.  After catching his breath, the butler looked up at me.  “Your dog is awesome!” he proclaimed.  “All of these beautiful women came over to play with him, and three of them gave me their numbers!”  Tell me about it.  My furry little chick-magnet.

A few years later, in 2009, London-based photographer, Lorraine Goddard, was doing the legwork for her upcoming exhibition, Out of Context, an International Anti-Stigma photographic campaign she’d conceived to raise awareness of and support for mental health issues.  The campaign featured people in the public eye (think: Vivienne Westwood, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Temperley, Philip Treacy, Bryan Ferry, Karolina Kurkova, Siobhan Fahey) partaking of an activity that brings them happiness.  Diagnosed with a plethora of mental health issues, myself, I was all too happy to participate; and when Lorraine called to ask what my happiest activity was, I immediately replied “cuddling with Sammy” – so she flew to Las Vegas and photographed Sammy and me, on my bed.

Debuting in 2010, with an exhibition at Getty Images London, the exhibit travelled ‘round the world.  Featured in the campaign were 44 black-and-white portraits by Goddard, of such people as Sir Richard Branson (getting a massage), Dave Stewart (taking photographs), Adam Ant (playing with his daughter), Zac Posen (dancing with a model in his atelier), Amy Sacco (in the octagon at a UFC gym), Minnie Driver (reading in her garden), Dita von Teese (applying make-up), Mark Almond (at the opera), Jack Huston (sketching), Jamie Cullum (watching a DVD, poolside), Mick Rock (napping), Stephen Webster (playing chess), Ozwald Boateng (picking-up his kids at school), Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (swimming at his home in Italy), Roland Mouret (reading on his sofa), and me with Sammy.

That Sammy has been memorialized, as a symbol of happiness, is something that will continue to bring joy not just to me, but to everyone who sees this exhibit.  A thousand thanks to Lorraine for including us.  I’ll never forget it.

Out of Context
Lorraine Goddard
Click HERE for info

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#Sammy