Fascinating Talk on Architect Julia Morgan at VRG by Victoria Kastner

What a joy it was to hear the eloquent and vivacious author and noted historian Victoria Kastner speak about her latest book, Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect on October 1, 2024, at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. Victoria highlighted the interesting similarities between Julia Morgan’s garden designs for San Simeon and the garden themes and plantings at Robinson Gardens: two elaborate Mediterranean gardens, created only eight years apart. 

Architectural Historian Steven Keylon Enchants Guests at FRG Membership Event

President of the Friends Lynn Whitaker and Archive Chair Patty Elias organized a magical and brilliant membership celebration at The Virginia Robinson Gardens on October 17, 2024. Spectacular autumnal arrangements by florist extraordinaire George Martinez of George’s Garden greeted the distinguished guests as they entered the Robinson estate in the late afternoon. The fall-themed arrangements decorated the cocktail tables and other areas on the Great Lawn, enhancing the Gardens’ beauty everywhere you looked.

Our Garden Tour Star Yana Polshina Of Vespera Florals

From time to time, we highlight “Our Garden Tour Stars” -- landscape architects, florists, and interior designers who have participated at our annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. We want to let you know about these very talented designers, their inspirations, and their creations. This month, we are featuring florist Yana Polshina of Vespera Florals. At the 2024 Garden Tour, she decorated the Morning Room, which was a veritable delight with multiple bouquets, one more beautiful than the next! Yana chose a particular pink orchid in an arrangement to complement the painting of Virginia in the room as she knew that Virginia’s favorite color was pink. We asked Yana these five questions:

Mary Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks and the Tea, Scones & Gardens Book Club

On September 21, 2024, the Tea, Scones & Gardens Book Club met again at The Virginia Robinson Gardens, this time to enjoy a dissection of the lives of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford as described in great detail in the book, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks: The Most Popular Couple the World Has Ever Known by Booton Herndon. We discussed how the loss of their fathers early in life may have had a profound influence on their personalities and indeed the roles they played on screen and stage. 

Our Garden Tour Star Xoxo Pattisue

From time to time, we highlight “Our Garden Tour Stars” -- landscape architects, florists, and interior designers who have participated at our annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. We want to let you know about these very talented designers, their inspirations, and their creations. This month, we are featuring florist PattiSue of Xoxo PattiSue. At the 2024 Garden Tour, she decorated the Master Bedroom beautifully with stunning arrangements of soft-hued romantic roses. Her floral designs enhanced the feminine ambience in the room while in a corner, a mannequin, “dressed” with roses, foliage, and shawls added a whimsical touch.   We asked PattiSue these five questions:

A Perfect Night at the “Moonlight Serenade” 2024 Patron Gala

The Friends of Robinson Gardens’ annual Patron Gala, “Moonlight Serenade,” returned victoriously to The Virginia Robinson Gardens on September 14th after a five-year hiatus, co-chaired by Lori Greene Gordon and Natalie Gordon Beiser. The ladies dressed in their evening finery looked beautiful, and the men looked handsome, many even decked out in tuxedoes, as they entered the Great Lawn through the Estate. The moon was smiling down approvingly at our honorees Laura and Harvey Alpert and Kerstin Royce and Patti Reinstein.

A Walk in the Garden with Superintendent Diane Sipos

I’m pleased The Virginia Robinson Gardens will be hosting a special art installation in October featuring the work of Max Hooper Schneider. This installation is part of Southern California's landmark arts event, the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time initiative, which brings together more than sixty cultural institutions to stage installations throughout the region exploring the intersection of art and science. Mr. Hooper Schneider’s artwork is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the Hammer Museum, and many other institutions throughout the world.

The Popular Fellows Thank You Dinner

Left to right: Laura Alpert, Kerstin Royce, Betty Goldstein, Natalie Gordon Beiser, Lynn Whitaker, Joan Selwyn, and Lori Greene Gordon

The Fellows eagerly await the annual Thank You Dinner organized by our amazing chair, Jeanne Anderson, and the celebration on August 17, 2024, did not disappoint! The beautiful Virginia Robinson Gardens embraced all with its golden late afternoon setting. With a special Tom Collins cocktail in hand, the festively attired guests mingled happily and caught up on all the summer news. On the Great Lawn, our talented Jeanne arranged romantic rose centerpieces in soft hues on striped tablecloths accented with … Read More

A Night to Remember: A Visit to Bruce Meyer’s Car Garage and the Patron Party “Lobstah Fest”

Bruce Meyers

On July 13, 2024, Bruce Meyers had the Friends of Robinson Gardens Patrons and Benefactors spellbound with his stories from selling candles to loving hot rods. His current car garage was once the mail order section of his candle and incense business on Beverly Drive in the Beverly Hills triangle. There is a fascinating story behind each of his cars. “I just buy cars that are attractive to me and did not think of them as collectible.” Bruce believes in only buying what you love and paying top dollar to restore it.

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Our Garden Tour Star Hope Sword

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From time to time, we highlight “Our Garden Tour Stars” — landscape architects, florists, and interior designers who have participated at our annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. We want to let you know about these very talented designers, their inspirations, and their creations.

This month, we are featuring florist Hope Sword of Pigsty Studio. At the 2024 Garden Tour, on a long table in the Loggia, Hope arranged … Read More

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