A Big Thank You to Our Generous Donors at the Fellows Thank You Dinner

At the Fellows Thank You Dinner on August 9, 2025, Ann Petersen acknowledged our most generous donors who have moved up to new levels on our Donor Tree. Ann Petersen explained that as an active member of the philanthropic world her entire adult life, she is extremely interested and believes that it is essential that we honor the donors who contribute to charity. Ann felt that these “angels” need to be recognized in a permanent way. In 2013, Superintendent Emeritus Timothy Lindsay suggested that Virginia Robinson’s wrought iron ornament on the Back Terrace be used to create a Donor Tree in its image. Ann generously underwrote the commission for an artist to create the tree.

The Friends Dinner…and All That Jazz!

On Saturday evening, August 9, 2025, guests for our annual Fellows dinner were welcomed to our Great Lawn at The Virginia Robinson Gardens by the velvety and breezy sounds of a talented jazz quartet from the Colburn Community School in Los Angeles. Colburn, called the Julliard of the West, is considered the pre-eminent music academy on the West Coast.  These young prodigies entertained us throughout the evening with their improvisational and textural melodies that were greatly appreciated by our jazz aficionados.

The FRG Fellows Trip to Santa Barbara

On April 8, 9 and 10, 2025, the Fellows of the Friends of Robinson Gardens visited Santa Barbara, the American Riviera. On our first day, member Mary Hampson hosted us for coffee and pastries at her gorgeous home and garden with ocean views and a rose garden in full bloom. We then visited Ganna Walska’s Lotusland for a docent-led tour by Jill Taylor, followed by lunch under the Chinese elm with some of our garden hosts and CEO of Lotusland Rebecca Anderson. Ganna wanted the best, the biggest, and the most unusual plants available. In the 1970’s, she auctioned off some of her Cartier jewelry to help fund her vision of the garden.

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

The Friends of Robinson Gardens Fellows’ Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Los Angeles

“Pocket Gardens and Historic Spaces” was the theme for the recent Fellows walking tour of downtown Los Angeles on April 25 and 26, 2024. The former neoclassical-style Bank of Italy built in 1922, through “adaptive reuse,” opened its doors in 2020 and was transformed into a fabulous hotel called Hotel Per La. The hotel was the Fellows’ base to launch an immersive learned journey through seven distinct historic spaces, spanning the city’s earliest commercial building, the opulent Bradbury Building, circa 1860, to the modernism of the Frank Gehry designed Conrad Los Angeles hotel which opened in 2022. A veteran docent of 40 years, Mr. Gordon Johnson spent the day interpreting the history of each stop along the way. He shared fascinating stories that helped weave together the historic fabric of our wonderful city that has enjoyed a renaissance of art and culture.

The Fellows Visit Shoya House at the Huntington Library

On February 13, 2024, the Fellows of VRG stepped back in time to 18th-century Japan where they enjoyed a marvelous tour led by Robert Hori, Associate Director of Cultural Programs of the Huntington Library’s recent acquisition: The Japanese Heritage Shoya House. Built around 1700, this 3,000-square-foot residence served as the center of village life in Marugame, Japan.

Picturesque VRG Fellows Garden Tour in Rancho Santa Fe

A Birds Eye view into nine magnificent and unique gardens. Join our journey as you discover what makes Rancho Santa Fe so unique. Rancho Santa Fe is only two hours from Los Angeles; however, its natural beauty and rural feel make you feel far more distant. Day one- Three gardens: two influenced by Italy, one straight out of France Day two- Four gardens: whimsical, working, fruitful and traditional Day three- Two gardens: Night and Day juxtaposition

Janice Jerde and Peter Del Rosso Host a Beautiful Evening for Angel, Benefactor & Patron Members of the Friends of Robinson Gardens

une 24th, 2023, was a lovely Saturday evening, and my husband Peter Del Rosso and I were delighted to host an Angel, Benefactor & Patron Members Dinner in our home in Brentwood. The evening began with music in our Living Room. Lynn Hutchinson, a composer & pianist, played piano, accompanied by her very talented 14-year-old daughter Sadie who played the violin. This was a very special moment that we were excited to be a part of

The Fabulous Fellows Thank You Dinner

“It was a night of happiness and friendship,” in the words of Bernice Balson as the Fellows gathered at the very well attended Annual Appreciation Dinner on August 12, 2023, at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. The evening was a spectacular success and is held each year in appreciation of the Fellows’ generous support of the restoration and preservation of Robinson Gardens and the very popular Childrens Science Program. It is also an occasion to honor our most generous donors, including the Santa Monica Westside Legacy Fund for Women and Girls, represented by Carol Bennett and Anne-Marie Spataru, who gave an extremely generous donation to the Childrens Science Program this year

Fabulous Fellows Visit to Suzanne Rheinstein’s Home

On June 2, 2023, thanks to our incomparable Fellows Chair Jeanne Anderson who imbues each event with her special brand of magic, the Fellows were treated to a very special tour of world renowned interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein‘s residence in Hancock Park. Suzanne recently passed away on March 20, 2023, and was a great supporter of The Virginia Robinson Gardens. Over the years, she designed several exquisite rooms at our annual Garden Tour. The Friends were thrilled to honor her as our Grand Marshal in 2016, and she gave lectures and book signings at VRG
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