Around Town - The Los Angeles Garden Tour

Today we had a perfect sunny day for the annual Los Angeles Garden Tour

sponsored by the Friends of Robinson Gardens



Most of the ladies at the event were in floaty flowery frocks and big hats
but I dressed down for the occasion
in a khaki cotton suit by Nine West ($24.99 at Ross!),

and hot pink Escada loafers and Celine bag, both vintage 2001

After seeing my my belted khaki suit...perhaps more appropriate for an African safari...
(yeah...as if I had my own Denys Finch Hatton to take me big game hunting...and then wash my hair alfresco)
my daughter kindly asked me where my bolt action rifle was.
I responded by accessorizing with vintage jewelry rather than buck shot.

like this antique Victorian diamond flower brooch in 18K
appropriate I thought for spending time some of the prettiest gardens in the city

and these adorable diamond earrings in 18K

and in the spirit of keeping it simple
a Cartier watch and a diamond line bracelet in 18K.

I would have posted some images of the amazing gardens that I walked through today
but we were not allowed to take photos on the tour in order to protect the privacy of the homeowners.
Fair enough. 
The last garden on the tour, which I missed because I had to get back to the office,
was at the Playboy Mansion.

I heard that it was amazing with mature redwoods, the famous grotto, peacocks and even a zoo!
Apparently, there were no bunny sightings on the property.

Enjoying The Great Outdoors At Home

Are you loving the trend towards creating outdoor rooms for entertaining as much as I am?

Here in California our economy is a mess
but our weather is awesome
So why not take advantage of the great outdoors
even if is only a small patio

I especially love to see fireplaces incorporated into outdoor spaces.

These images are from the Pottery Barn
but there are many other vendors on the net with wonderful furniture.
Ah...let the summer begin!

Around Town - Afternoon Tea With Nancy Goslee Power At Neimans

Yesterday I took a break from the office and attended a lecture and afternoon tea at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills with LA's most prominent Landscape designer, Nancy Goslee Power. In the warm drought ridden climate of Los Angeles, Nancy Power has created some of the most luscious gardens, with an emphasis not only on beauty, but water conservation and sustainability.

One of her showcase gardens is at the Moraga Vineyards.

I love this photo, not just because it is a beautiful landscape, but because it kind of blows me away that there is a wine producing vineyard in Los Angeles... in beautiful Bel Air no less! I can't think of any other major metropolitan city that has a vineyard.

Here's the detail shot of her work at Moraga.

Here's another beautiful vista that she created with a water feature and a view of the Pacific Ocean.

Her work is well known here at major showcase estates like Greystone in Beverly Hills

And important architectural residences such as Frank Gehry's house in Santa Monica

Yes, that same Frank Gehry who created the famous Bilbao structure

Not only does she do amazing landscapes for large projects, such as the Norton Simon museum in Pasadena, with its Giverny-esque lily pond, she is a master at creating intimate outdoor spaces.

Since not all of us are lucky enough to live in an old rectory in the verdant Welsh countryside, we are lucky to have artists like Nancy Goslee Power who can create green paradise right here in water challenged Los Angeles.

If you want to know more about her work she has a new book and you can buy it here.