This past weekend, the Dwell on Design convention was in town, and consequently I was able to enjoy two of their home tours. Once again, my feelings could be summed up in a word: wow. This event is a fantastic way to discover the endless ways that architects and designers have created living spaces suited to individual lifestyles and all the wonderful variations of the LA environment.
Beitcher Residence, Santa Monica
The Saturday tour focused on the westside communities of Venice and Santa Monica. And while none of the homes were on the beach, they all enjoyed the mild coastal climate and flat lots. In all, we visited 6 homes in 6 hours, taking time for travel and breaks. Dwell is the best organized of the home tours I’ve done in the past year; I especially appreciate that you can visit the homes in any order and stay as much or as little time as you’d like (indeed, I was ready to move in to a couple of them).
Each house had something notable – whether it be the way it defined a space, or the types of materials it employed. Some of them stood out as my favorites, so those are the ones I’ll describe here. Photography rules were clearly posted. Most allowed photos for personal use but not publication (including blogs). A few allowed all photography. Some didn’t allow photography at all, which I think is lame. I’ll respect the wishes of those not allowing photography for publication by just including the photos I took from the street.
Reilly/Biddle Residence
The Beitcher Residence was the first stop on the tour, and one of my favorite residences from both days. As was to be common in many of the structures, the inside merged seamlessly with the outside, with plenty of light and sliding walls of glass. It’s just as easy to live outside as inside and to flow between the two. We saw several homes on the tour that used an “L” shape, with a front that spanned the full width of the lot, and a back living wing that ran along one side. This allowed the home to close in a back area containing pool, small lawn or garden, and patio area. I enjoyed talking with the home’s owner, and this was something we encountered in many of the houses. In fact, many of them were owned by the architect who designed and built them.
The Reilly/Biddle House was another favorite of mine. I was struck in particular by the beautiful wooden “roof” (ceiling doesn’t do it justice) that spanned that whole open great room and even floated above it thanks to the clerestory windows. It also cleverly employed a bookcase wall to showcase treasures and separate the living area from sleeping quarters running alongside it. The very deep lot allowed for both a long house and plenty of pool and garden space in the back.
Skywave House
The Walnut House unfortunately didn’t allow photos, but it was special in the way that it was built to preserve and benefit from a huge stone pine in the backyard. The architect explained how he worked with the corten steel to create the distinctive colors and geometries that characterize the home.
I was impressed that all of these homes showcased building materials and methods characterized as “green”. Most had wood floors that were not only beautiful, but made of reclaimed or sustainably harvested wood. Several had no central HVAC, instead taking advantage of insulation and ventilation for temperature control. Some even harvested rainwater, and all took full advantage of natural light. I was impressed when the owner of one residence shared her electric bill = $9/month, with 2 refrigerators.
Rainbow Living just happened to be featured that day in the LA Times. The construction itself didn’t stand out to me as much as some of the design – rubber sinks and a very creative custom kitchen island, whose stools fit perfectly into the island itself when not in use. The Skywave House was a veritable funhouse, with glass rooms, multiple levels and unusual building materials. But you can only see it from the street because they also wouldn’t allow pictures.
Curbed LA has done a nice job covering several of the homes of the tour. You can find their write-up and pictures here.
Tags: Architecture
It took me 18 years, but last weekend I finally visited the Getty Villa. Now I wonder why it took me so long! It’s probably because I don’t seek out collections of antiquities. But I must admit that I enjoy them every time I see them.
I didn’t realize that the Getty Villa was designed in the style of a particular Roman Villa from the Bay of Naples, the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum. That villa was owned by the father-in-law of Julius Caesar and buried in the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. In many respects, it’s the perfect environment to house these works of art, for it does so in a way that evokes the period in which they were originally created. I even starting feeling that I was more in Italy than California.
I especially enjoyed the architecture and garden tour. I thought it would focus on the construction of the museum and gardens. Instead, it explained how the various rooms in the “house” would have been used back in the day of the Romans, and how the various plants in the garden had both artistic and functional uses.
One of my favorite examples on the tour was the acanthus plant. I had always wondered what the interesting plant growing in front of L’s house was – and so I recognized it immediately. But I never knew that its broad spiny leaves served as the inspiration for the ornamentation on the top of many Corinthian columns. Our guide went on to explain that the plant symbolized eternal life, and so it was a common feature in gardens.
The tour also covered how the Romans invented concrete and came up with the durable terrazzo flooring. We saw how the courtyard skylight allowed rain to fill a pool and served as a water source for the home. We learned that Romans liked the body to be extended when eating, so they either dined standing up or stretched out on a lounge. In the garden we were introduced to various plants, and the ways in which they could be used for healing or for poisoning.
There were some special exhibitions at the museum. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time for The Aztec Pantheon, but I really enjoyed Molten Color: Glassmaking in Antiquity. It was astounding how vivid the colors were in pieces that were thousands of years old.
My main regret is that we didn’t have much time to take in the place. While the museum is free, you need a reservation, and by the time we made one a week in advance, the earliest time that 4 people could get was 2PM. 2 1/2 hours was better than nothing, but next time I’d like to make a whole day out of it, to be able to enjoy the beautiful grounds and explore more of the museum at a leisurely pace.
Tags: Architecture, museum
One of the draws of Topanga Canyon was the excellent hiking it offers. In planning our stay at Topanga Canyon Inn, we knew we’d want to begin it with a hike in the nearby state park. And as always, I turned to Modern Hiker for ideas on which ones to do. We decided to park at Trippet Ranch and take the hike to Eagle Rock.
Though June can be iffy in terms of heat or gloom, we lucked out with a fairly clear, cool, sunny day. As we left the car behind in the parking lot, we ascended on the fire road through a grove of beautiful old oaks. After a while, the path left the woods, and the there wasn’t much shade for the remainder of the climb. But what we lacked in shade we made up for with views — all along the hike, we were presented with views of the ocean, surrounding green hills, and countless wildflowers.
And all those wildflowers sure kept the bees and butterflies busy. In fact, there were so many butterflies around that I felt as if I had walked into the butterfly house at the zoo.
Though uphill, it wasn’t a bad climb up to the peak. The reward at the top was a nice bench from which the contemplate the rock and the ocean beyond. We scrambled over to the rock itself; it was an easy climb. I learned at the Topanga Canyon Inn that the locals don’t call it Eagle Rock; it was originally known as Elephant Rock, and one cartographer apparently confused the rock with nearby Eagle Springs.
For our return, we decided to veer off onto the Musch Trail, as it also promised to return us to Trippet Ranch. Not far into it, we began to question the decision, as it was a much narrower trail and a bit overgrown in places. But that didn’t last very long, and we really enjoyed the constantly changing nature of the trail. At one moment, we were cutting through tall grasses in a meadow; the next, we were descending into a shady glen with a small stream. (I learned from Warren that a guy named Ron hacked out the trail himself, as a form of catharsis after a failed relationship) The route took us past Camp Musch, and I was surprised to see so few people there. We also walked by a group of artists painting the scenery. There were certainly plenty of inspirational subjects.
It is remarkable that such a large open space, seemingly miles from the big city, lies entirely within the Los Angeles City limits. And even our 5 1/2 mile hike covered only a small portion of its expanse. I want to come back – either after a winter rain, when the views are crystal clear, or earlier in the spring, when the wildflowers are at their peak.
Tags: hiking
I enjoy it when my handful of readers – mostly on Facebook – suggest blogworthy activities. This weekend’s adventure was inspired by a Westways article forwarded to me by friend B. The article described a “weekend walk” taken by a pair of friends last December. It started in Redondo Beach and ended in Topanga Canyon.
December weather and crowds are a little different from that of June, so I wasn’t seeking to immediately recreate the journey. But her description of the Topanga Canyon Inn planted a seed that perhaps I could just explore the canyon portion. Turns out that friends M & S and sister L were also up for adventure, so we booked a Saturday night. The plan was to hike Saturday afternoon, enjoy the canyon life Saturday evening, and take in the Getty Villa on Sunday.
Just finding the inn is a bit of an adventure. We started the afternoon with a hike in Topanga state park (see accompanying post on the hike) and our GPS told us we were only 4 miles away. “She” guided us well through a maze of twisty, narrow streets. But just when it appeared we had reached a dead-end the GPS declared “you have arrived st your destination – and sure enough, we had. We found host Elena, who gave us an overview of the property and showed us to our rooms.
I’ve stayed in many B&Bs, and each has its own strengths. This one stands out in terms of the thoughtful touches everywhere. I was as comfortable as in my own home but felt treated as a guest – most every need was anticipated. The inn is comprised of two adjoining homes and you really do have complete run of both. Ea
ch has a kitchen, which the hosts keep stocked with snacks, soda, coffee and tea. One or two of the rooms have their own private balcony, but there are plenty of wonderful common areas scattered throughout. I quickly latched on to a wonderful third floor veranda with a clear view to the surrounding hillsides. It comfortably fit all four of us and was perfect for sunset wine and sunrise coffee.
Rooms were comfortable and nicely appointed. L and I were in the Tracy and Hepburn room. Its private bath was located immediately next door. Reflective of the changing times, there are no TVs, but there is free wireless internet access. There is also a TV in the common area where DVDs can be watched.
In reviewing the available dining options, we settled on Froggy’s Topanga Fish Market, a cantina-style restaurant just down the hill. Everyone was glad we did – from the casual atmosphere, to the shady setting along the creek, to the delicious food, it was a fun place to take in the “canyon vibe”. Literally right next to the road, it’s a place I’ve driven right past on several occasions, but now I know better. Definitely worth a stop.
We also drove by the Theatricum Botanicum, where we learned that a performance of Hamlet was being performed that evening in an open-air setting. Had we known, it might have been worth checking out this unique theater. This might very well warrant a return visit to the canyon.
Evening and morning were both cool and peaceful. I’d even say “quiet”, except I enjoyed the chorus of the birds in all but the darkest hours. Even the peacocks that had escaped from their owners provided a novel sound for my ears. Birds were literally everywhere, from the hummingbirds darting by, to hawks gliding overhead, to the numerous colorful birds at the feeder outside the dining room. This morning I was delighted to open the window and see an oriole’s nest – complete with oriole – hanging right on the screen.
At breakfast today, we had a chance to meet Elena’s husband, Warren, and we had plenty of time to chat with them over breakfast. They are very interesting people – Elena is an artist from Lithuania; Warren is a musician who also built the houses of the inn himself. Both home-schooled their 5 children, who are involved in the operation of the inn. Breakfast was substantial – we enjoyed coffee, tea, juice, freshly-baked muffins, mango, eggs, potatoes and sausage. It was served family-style, so seconds were even an option.
Two nights would have been perfect, but I’ll be content with the one we spent. It at least managed to lure us to this special canyon and gave us a great intro to it.
The LA Sampler of June 18, 2010 continued with a visit to Galco’s Soda Pop Stop. As with the Schindler House and Museum of Jurassic Technology, A from Rochester inspired me to visit (how funny that someone clear on the other side of the country is more up on cool places to visit in LA than we are!)
I checked out Galco’s website in advance, and it gave me a preview of what I’d encounter. Still, the website doesn’t fully prepare you for what you see when you enter the store. At first glance, it’s like an old grocery store from the 50s or 60s. But then you realize that the place is missing your typical grocery sections like produce, dairy or canned goods. Sure, there’s a deli, but otherwise, rows upon rows of shelves are filled with soda, beer and candy. It’s a dream world for kids of all ages (and some of those kids had their own kids in tow!)
I’ve weaned myself from soda over the years, but still had to buy a few to sample. Mine were flavored with mint, huckleberry and cherry-lime, but there were also dozens of colas and root beers, not to mention the cucumber and elderberry sodas. And in this world of high fructose corn syrup, it was refreshing to find so many flavored with real old-fashioned cane sugar.
As for the candy, I couldn’t believe some of these old brands were still made. As a kid, I was fascinated by Zagnut for some reason. Having now resampled one after 30 years, I wonder what that was all about…
This guy clearly knows his pop and his passion for it is obvious. Check it out:
Tags: yum
Charles Fletcher Lummis was quite a character. Wikipedia gives you a good idea of just how much in their first paragraph:
Lummis lost his mother at age 2 and was homeschooled by his father, who was a schoolmaster. Lummis enrolled in Harvard and was a classmate of Theodore Roosevelt, but dropped out during his senior year. While at Harvard he worked during the summer as a printer and published his first work, Birch Bark Poems, a small volume of his works printed on paper thin sheets of birch bark, winning him acclaim from Life magazine and recognition from some of the day’s leading poets. He sold the books by subscription and used the money to pay for school. His best poem from the work, “My Cigarette,” highlighted one of his life’s obsessions, tobacco, the other being women. Lummis married Dorothea Rhodes of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1880.
Floyd Bariscale of Big Orange Landmarks (which I miss very much) is even more succinct:
Charles Fletcher Lummis loved all things Native American and of the U.S. Southwest. He also loved smoking, drinking, and screwing around. A lot.
Fate brought up out to Los Angeles, where he eventually built El Alisal, the house of stone and timbers also known as the Lummis House. I’d seen the signs for this place by exits on the 110 Freeway, and today I decided it was time to check it out. Though it is a stone’s throw from the freeway, it is still surrounded by some land, enough to give you a feeling that you’re back in the days when the Arroyo Seco wasn’t a concrete channel, and when today’s Highland Park was out in the country.
Though only about 3 rooms are available to the public, they evoke a great feeling of early 20th century life in Los Angeles through the authentic decor and photographs from the time. Things are very well preserved – I was struck by the way this picture from 1910 looked remarkably similar to one I took 100 years later.
The house pays tribute to the interesting life of Lummis through pictures that he took on his travels (attractively presented as transparencies in the windows) and with original documents from his life. Some of the more fascinating ones tell of the parties that he held in El Alisal. As I stood in the main room, I could imagine the guests arriving in the front courtyard, and the entertainment that took place in that room. The outside is impressive in its stone construction. It is reminiscent of Glendora’s Rubel Castle, which I’m still planning to see one day.
On this day, the curator was juggling various activities. Though he promised to be with us in 5 minutes, that eventually turned into 20 as we explored the downstairs area on our own. We decided that we’d move on to the day’s next event, and I’m sure we just scratched the surface of the Lummis House treasures. I’d be very interested in going back 
for a real tour or in-depth program to dig deeper into life in the early days of Los Angeles. And indeed, I see I just missed an event last weekend, Lummis Day. It appears to be a way to bridge today’s community and the one of yesterday through poetry and the arts.
El Alisal is part of Museums of the Arroyo, and with the Southwest Museum and Heritage Park almost in walking distance, it’s in an area rich in history and historic preservation. I didn’t realize how lucky we were to have so many of these places concentrated in one location, but on consideration it makes sense, given the Arroyo Seco’s important role in the development of LA. Once again, I just apparently missed their Museums of the Arroyo Day so I’ve just added it to the list of things to do.
Tags: Architecture, history
