Enchanted Visit to Huguette Clark’s Bellosguardo
For so long, in fact, long after childhood for many, 1407 East Cabrillo Blvd was secretive. A sedately designed entrance gate – not redolent of the overly ornate wrought iron gate of the period announcing wealth – blocked public access to a driveway carved into a fast rising edge of the cliff of a Continent, where 3 Elements meet: Land, Air and Water. This magical point overlooks the wide Santa Barbara sandy beach, yet bore mystery in quiet elegance. Was it a home? An Institution? What was up there? Whatever and whomever, it was beautifully sited, and Lucky were those who wandered within. Yes, the gate held a small sign proclaiming no trespassers…but now those very gates opened for us. The graceful winding drive rose up, and to our right was the sparkling Pacific Ocean and the Monet colored fog-infused silhouettes of The Channel Islands beyond. Twisting around a bend,…
Daria de Koning, her Jewelry and the Value of Beauty
On February 1, 2019, Robinson Gardens member Daria de Koning presented a wonderful lecture on gems and an exhibition of her jewelry creations to a packed group of attendees at the Virginia Robinson Gardens. Daria grew up in New York. Her father is Dutch, and her mother, a fifth generation American. Influenced by her very elegant grandmother, Daria said that her grandmother “did her utmost to instill in me how to be a lady.” The colorful and spirited jewelry that De Koning creates reflects this sophisticated polish as well as a youthful exuberance. At a very young age, Daria started making jewelry with shells and plastic beads. After her freshman year in college, she took a metalsmithing course, and was so fascinated that she knew that this is what she wanted to do with her life. A graduate degree in gemology followed, and a job with an Italian designer allowed…
SPOTLIGHT ON ADRIENNE HORWITCH
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 Adrienne Horwitch, a dedicated Friend of Robinson Gardens and Board Member. We asked her these three questions… Read More