30th Annual Garden Tour: “Here’s to You Mrs. Robinson: The Art of Living”
On Saturday, May 19, 2018, the Friends of Robinson Gardens will honor Virginia Robinson’s legacy by hosting the 30th Annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate. The theme of the Tour is “Here’s to You Mrs. Robinson: The Art of Living.” We are very grateful and honored that Sunset Magazine will be our partner and premier sponsor. Irene Edwards, Editor-in-Chief of Sunset, loves Robinson Gardens; she will attend the event and greet guests. This glorious garden party will reflect Virginia’s extraordinary hospitality and glamorous lifestyle. Entertaining guests from the Who’s Who of the Golden Age of Hollywood, international dignitaries, and many of Los Angeles’ philanthropic families, Virginia gave legendary parties that were chronicled in the society columns of the newspapers of the day. She not only loved her family, friends, and pets; she also focused on advancing community through philanthropic endeavors. Children’s charities were dear to her heart, and Virginia’s vision for…
Los Angeles Times: Dozens of Gorgeous SoCal Landscapes Are On Display
IT’S SPRING: DOZENS OF GORGEOUS SOCAL LANDSCAPES ARE ON DISPLAY By Lisa Boone, March 14, 2018 Spring is almost here, and so is Southern California’s rich tradition of spring garden tours. Given that record heat and dry conditions have climatologists wondering if 2018 will mark the return of drought conditions, it’s not surprising that many of this year’s garden tours are focused on sustainability. Curious about rain gardens, hugelkulturs and fire-resistant plants? All will be represented this year. Advance warning: Most tours are rain or shine, many sell out in advance and not all are handicap-accessible. May 19: Friends of Robinson Gardens presents its 30th Garden Tour and Showcase featuring four private gardens in Beverly Hills and tours of the Virginia Robinson estate in Beverly Hills. Includes a designer fashion show and lunch. 1008 Elden Way, Beverly Hills. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets start at $250. Click…
George Geary: L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants
George Geary gave a highly entertaining and sold-out lecture based on his book, L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants: Celebrating the Famous Places Where Hollywood Ate, Drank, and Played, at Virginia Robinson Gardens on Valentine’s Day, 2018. His presentation elicited much laughter and merriment from the attendees as well as many nostalgic memories of the restaurants featured in his book. Originally a pastry chef for the Walt Disney Company, George became a culinary instructor, giving lessons all over the country. He then started a tour company, taking people on food adventures in Europe. In 2012, he was honored with a Frommer’s Domestic and International Tour Guide Award for best culinary tours. He is also a historian and TV/Radio culinary host with 11 books to his credit, two of them on cheesecake, and a third on cheesecake coming soon! George’s book is an absolute treasure trove of fascinating stories, excellent recipes, beautiful vintage illustrations,…
Spotlight on Patti Reinstein
Each month we will spotlight a volunteer, staff member, donor or sponsor of Virginia Robinson Gardens (VRG)—those that have made an impact on the organization. We want to let you, the reader, know a little bit about these wonderful people and corporations that give so much to the Virginia Robinson Gardens and community, and what they do that is so impactful. This month, we spotlight Patti Reinstein, a dedicated Friend of Robinson Gardens and Board Member. This year, Patti was one of three recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award, given by the Friends of Robinson Gardens. We asked her these three questions: How did you first learn about VRG and what inspired you to become a Friend? It was serendipity! When we bought the house that we are currently living in, we had no idea of its wonderful history. We were still in the process of moving in,…
Benefactors and Patrons visit Suzanne Reinstein for a Private Home Tour
Suzanne Rheinstein, renowned interior designer, and former Grand Marshal welcomed the Patrons and Benefactors of Robinson Gardens to a personal tour of her Georgian style home and stunning garden in Hancock Park It’s a perennial pleasure to come into her kingdom… it does, in fact, feel like its own beautifully harmonious and intricately integrated world…and it was looking particularly wonderful this morning as we got a chance to examine things close-up, and to have Suzanne’s explanation of their provenance, as well as her truly illuminating narrative thoughts and reasoning about their placement and combinations. It’s remarkable how innovative and individual it all still looks, despite the effect of her influence on others: The stripes on the dining room wall and the way they interact with the watercolors, and the watercolors’ abundance and the artfulness of their massing… and the detail about the rolled glass in their frames, which once she…