LA Ranch Style

In the 1930's the Will Rogers Ranch in Pacific Palisades, California was the height of LA Ranch Style. Rogers was an American humorist and Hollywood personality.

This is how the outside of the Ranch looked then...

The big room of the Main House -with Texas Longhorn cattle trophies, serape rugs, and Western style art and furniture.

A room in one of the wings - Note the chair in the corner

The Ranch as it looks today.

The Stables, corral and...

Stable Interior

Rogers was an avid horseman and polo player, and the Ranch is home ground for the Will Rogers Polo Club. Many of the greats of Hollywood's Golden Age once played here: Clark Gable, Walt Disney, Spencer Tracy et al.

This day it was Malibu vs. Santa Monica.

Now that's Polo Style!

Meanwhile, back at Hemispheres, a shop at 1210 Montana Avenue (Santa Monica), Ranch Style is alive and well. Their Monterey Furniture range is based on furniture pieces from the Will Rogers Ranch. They also carry Mexican serapes, Native American carpets, and a dazzling array of ikats, Chinese textiles, woodblock printed textiles...

Oriental rugs,

and rare Suzani embroidery from Central Asia.

One little "doggie's" home on the range!

Happy Trails,
Marjorie

Los Angeles - Je t'aime!

"Le Weekend" of Mother's Day found us in Los Angeles, California. One of the highlights was a visit to the Getty Museum.

The current exhibition, "Paris Life & Luxury". documents a day in the life of fashionable 18th century Parisians. Entrez svp.

Pardonez-moi, no cameras allowed in the exhibit. But one of the posters(pictured above) hints at the exquisite tableau's of 18th century treasures such as paintings, drawings, textiles, dress, and books.

Even the Getty's Central Garden had it's Paris face on - with the azalea pool maze, parterres of native California plants and bougainvillea umbrellas.

In the garden, the designer - Robert Irwin has combined stone and water into a natural sound and light show.

The Pièce de Résistance!

Thanks to our pretty tour guide and daughter - Merci
Marjorie

Queen of the May

"But I must gather knots of flowers,

And buds and garlands gay,

For I'm to be Queen o' the May, Mother,

I'm to be Queen o' the May."

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Bouquets to all,
Marjorie