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

Antique Wedding Keepsakes

French Bisque Clasped Hands

19th c. Belgian Marriage Announcement 

For William and Kate - Love Unites!
Marjorie

On Rabbit Time

This may look like the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, or a dandified Easter Bunny. But it reminds me of my grandfather. Born in England, but raised on the prairies of Kansas, he never lost his gentlemanly ways. He wore a vest, (even when gardening), with a special pocket for his big gold watch on a chain. And he had a reputation for being very prompt. It all began when he was invited to a dinner party, and arrived so far ahead of time that he caught the host and hostess in their dressing gowns. Thereafter, he would receive invitations specifying the start time a half an hour later than the actual start time, that way he would arrive just in time.

I inherited this trait. I arrive über-early for movies, to appointments and at the airport. So in keeping with family tradition, I would like to wish all you blog bunnies “Happy Easter” – before “I’m late for a very important date!”

P.J.’s granddaughter,

Marjorie

Before e-Books There Were...

New Books from Larousse - 1910/11.

Today in 2011, we not only have the traditional books printed on paper, but also e-Books. One hundred years from now - what will they be reading?

It's a real page-turner, Marjorie

Milady, Your Figure!

Milady looked at her figure in the mirror, and was not amused. Time to get in shape for the summer swimsuit reveal. So when she pulled this vintage album out of the record bin at The Last Chance Mercantile, it seemed just the trick. Long before there was Jane Fonda, Susan Carroll was the reigning authority on figure reduction and control.

So she'll get a leg up on Le Can-Can...

and waddle like a duck!

In the hope that Ms. Carroll is true to her promise that "a few minutes a day will help any woman keep slim, fit and alluring!"

Making it burn,

Marjorie, a.k.a. Milady