Piercing through the blanket of smog ascending into the Inland Empire a couple of weeks ago on my way home from Palm Springs something occurred to me: my visit to Palm Springs allowed me to breathe some rare air.

I attended the premiere of the documentary, Quiet Elegance, The Architecture of Hugh M. Kaptur, in which I am privileged to say I appeared – on the big screen no less. My name rolled in the credits and everything. Let the girlish enthusiasm ROAR! What a full circle moment it was.

I’m a sucker for a good story and each film project has one. This project started for me with a question posed by the writer/producer of the documentary to my brother-in-law as he was planting a cactus in his front yard in 110 degree weather: “Excuse me – are you the owner of this house?”

Funny how things work. I was not supposed to be a part of the film. However, my unbridled interest in all things film got me an invite to the set. My sister, Lisa and brother-in-law, Steve, have worked diligently on restoring two mid-century homes in Palm Springs. They were asked to be interviewed on film which would be included in the documentary.

It was a great experience and we had a lot of fun. Burt Simonis and John Brown of This n’ That Productions arrived, set up, got the “money shots” and settled in to interview Lisa and Steve. The nervousness of being on camera created some squeamishness for both of them.

The following day a text came in to Lisa from Burt asking if I would be interested in adding my female presence to the documentary. I thought, “Mr. Simonis I’m ready for my close up.” Who cares if I’d never been on film before let alone acting like I owned my sister’s other house.

I drove back out to Palm Springs later that week and shared my thoughts on “owning” part of a mid-century home built by the famous architect, Hugh M. Kaptur. I will tell you that the part I own is very small, like that crumb the Grinch who stole Christmas snatched off the floor from that very small mouse. Confession: it’s a spatula in the kitchen drawer.

I was coached on what to say and when the camera turned on I felt my well-dosed caffeinated body kick in to actress mode. That mode really doesn’t exist. However, I simply said what I thought about Lisa and Steve’s journey in taking these rundown and ruined desert gems and turning them back into pieces of art. It’s been a labor of love and a very special thing to watch. Additionally, to see Hugh Kaptur visit each of them and be pleased with their renaissance was nothing short of spectacular.

Waiting for the final cut of the movie was racked with feelings that vacillated between, “I think I did pretty well,” all the way to, “OMG, I’m going to embarrass my entire family.”

Self-doubt comes naturally to us all. Sometimes uncertainty dumps a load of it and you just hope it’s not going to be on film for the world to see. In the end we all knew John would be editing the film and would make up for any not-so-ideal phrases, looks or overall oddness. Let’s just say the end product showed everyone in their best light. Thank you, John.

When the final cut came and it premiered at The Hilton in Palm Springs as part of Modernism Week it was a relief to see that all of us had nothing but pride to feel for such a beautiful film written, produced and directed by two great guys, Burt Simonis and John Brown, who I now consider my friends.

The air you breathe is rare sometimes and for a weekend in February, 2014 my lungs were full and it was fantastic.