AMY WAS a STAR at the ROBINSON GARDENS........

…..Annual Garden Tour  that is held once a year for one day only!  Note the hat & umbrella as they may turn up later.

There she is….under Floral Designers….Menuah Flowers!

This is THE Robinson as in Robinson’s Department Store!  Remember them???  Well, our Amy was asked to do the guest bedroom and bath!

Thanks to valet parking (ticket bought in advance) I was able to drive right up to the entrance.  I was greeted by Diane and as we were talking who should walk up but Valerie!  Photo op time!!!

Yes Amy, I made it!

How’s this for exquisite?  You’ll hear more about it later.

These charming pieces were everywhere! Don’t you love Peonies!!!!

Giving you a glimpse of things to come…..

I was borderline delirious when I saw what Amy did over the bed…...

Another view up close…...

Where are the finger sandwiches & cookies?

More beauty…...

Amy created two window boxes each with a delightful little porcelain bird nesting in them!

And overhead, more beautiful flowers …..

 

Lots of hugging went on with Katherine Johnson, Manager of Grande Maison de blanc….Fine Linens on Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills.  They did the bed coverings and linens scattered about.

Amy that’s not a cake….you’re hungry….let’s go eat! (She designed that amazing hat!)

Here it is with beautiful kid gloves that Amy embellished with lace, flowers and jewels.

Must have food…It was sooooo good!

The tented area was beautiful….

I want dessert…..

Almost there…...

This is more like it….We’re actually in the room where I’ve conducted a workshop.  Rather hard to concentrate overlooking the pool and garden expanse.

Truth be told I was very good and just had fruit…..lots of it!

Is the cake for me?  You shouldn’t have…...

That’s right….put some ice cream on it….

Or this yummy looking ‘stuff’….

No, just fruit please!

Another cake for me?

Amy went back to work & I wandered over to the Gift Boutique and Raffle area…...

Where I ran into Virginia Kazanjian…..who told me the funniest thing I had ever heard.

Kazanjian’s  had donated a beautiful necklace and she had second thoughts and spent $400 in raffle tickets in the hopes of getting it back!

On to Amy’s work in the guest bathroom….This hand decorated umbrella got tons of oohs and ahaas! (sp?)

And these shoes….Do you believe?  Each petal individually placed by hand…..her creativity and imagination knows no bound!

Sorry folks, no can use…..

This delightful woman is Christina Baltayian who does beautiful Botanical illustrations.

Here is Juan F. Bastos, portrait artist who confessed to starting the portrait two weeks earlier.

Bye, bye, see you next year!

Exhausted but exhilarated, Amy & I met at Recess on Brand for dinner.  Love the tea presentation.

The Halibut was sensational….

See how good we were….fruit for dessert.

On to my house where Amy presented me with this magnificent creation for my birthday!  Remember I said there would be more about it?

Just so you know….. These flowers for mom on Mother’s Day have lasted ten days!  Amy uses only the finest quality, freshest flowers available.  Call Amy at 818.625.5243

May your week be filled with beauty!

AN AMAZING DAY.......

……began with meeting the brilliant scholar and knower of all things Japanese….Anne Alene at Euro Pane in Old Town Pasadena for a confab over brunch. 

A fun time while we work on the trip to Japan in November.

This Frittata was as yummy as it looks.  Interestingly they used zucchini for the top and bottom.

Then it was off to USC Pacific Asia to catch the 12:30 lecture to the docents by Dr. Kendall Brown, Art History historian specializing in Asian Art. This was for a new exhibit, ’The Tiezudingzhai Collection of Japanese Paintings’.  

’The Arts of Japan' is a small but mighty exhibit of Japanese scrolls in the Chinese manner and Dr. Brown’s talk covered the Literati paintings of the wren wren whose major themes were ‘collective individuality' (think about that for a while). It was like listening to myself over these many years.

This little gem featured Mi dots.  Now where have we heard about that!

Anne wrote the text for this label and several others.

This was quite possibly my favorite.

 

But how can I pass on this work in the manner of Ni Tzan.  After all, he’s the first artist we study in our Landscape classes.

Thank you Anne for a memorable, enriching time!

And thanks for the cookies I became so addicted to in Japan!

Then off to Valerie’s.  The hostess with the mostest!

Valerie never does anything ‘small’ but I asked that my party be intimate with just Carol as that is how I initially met Valerie.

Well O.K., Lady V. and the big guy…..party animals all.

Besides the dogs, cats, fish and birds, Valerie’s tending to bees now.  Whoops, didn’t mention the chickens!

Time for some bubbly…..

Wonderful conversation…..

Oh my. This table got the most likes on Facebook!

When I said I wanted an intimate afternoon, I had no idea it would be so glamorous!

See what I mean?

But first, Carol has a moment with Lady V.

Beautiful presentation for…….

…….delicious corn chowder!

My mom said to be sure to get some eggs from Valerie (remember I mentioned chickens?)  Well, they all went into this exquisite Cheese Souffle created by Josie.  Chef Extraordinaire!

Sauce anyone?

Let’s hear it for the cake.  After all, it’s all about the cake!

Josie with Aaron, her delightful and oh so smart son!

Did you see all the Flora Danica in the last photo?  Oh my.  Each piece, created for the crown heads of Denmark is hand painted, unique and botanically correct.

 

See….lots of presents but only two eggs! How I thank you dear Valerie for this extraordinary, memorable afternoon!

Time for Carol to take Duchess for a walkie as she had patiently waited in the car for so long!

Kita wishes you lots of fun ‘walks’ this week!