PS 3: Gardens & Grooviness...

We began our final day at Moorten Botanical Garden.

I did a thorough blog post about it last year here if you'd like to know its history.
For over 80 years, this Desertland oasis has been a showcase for thousands of specimens, sourced from all over the world. The one-acre garden retains a homey intimacy, and it is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the 'big city'.
What an interesting and beautiful place to begin our end.







I try never to pass up the opportunity to hug a tree. Idyllic!
Next stop was a must for me... the Modernism Museum. Designed to be a totally interactive and immersive experience, the Modernism Museum is a passion project that Jerry and Tracy Turco have created.
The minute we walked up to the door, we knew we were in for something magical!
Showcasing the best of the mid-century modernism era from the late 50s to the early 70s, the aim of the Museum is to create a cultural institution inspiring the local community and visitors alike through the exploration and celebration of the history of all things mid-century modern. We both agree that they were right on the mark!
Pictured here poolside is the famous GABOR ESTATE formerly the home of Magda Gabor and her husband Tony Gallucci who built the home in Hollywood Regency style.
We both swooned over the Mellow Yellow Room, the stereotypical early 70's living room with contents that scream retro. Orange, Yellow, and Brown accents coexist to capture the earthy tones of the room, while the mushroom wallpaper reveals a Psychedelic eclectic environment, which was extremely favored in the time period.
Oh man, and what about this wall? Macramé hangs from the walls, which was very popular with hippies and the Counterculture generation, so it is no secret why it is incorporated in this room, as well as the iconic circle looped shag carpet, 70's harvest gold TV, and mid-Century glassware. This room prompted a discussion about my childhood chore of raking the shag! What a memory evoker. Wow.
This was Cindy's favorite room, the 1950's Kitchen From a Designer's Perspective.
Kitchens were colored in sunny yellow, turquoise, pink flamingo, mint green, red, black and white, and many others. Materials like fiberglass, stainless steel and aluminum were common in the kitchen and Formica table tops were everywhere.
While not a big fan of pink, I did enjoy the grooviness of the Pink Powder Puff Room, created as a love letter to the 60s, or more respectfully, Playboy Bunny Jayne Mansfield. The Hollywood bombshell's iconic home was known for its heart shaped bathtub, extensive appreciation of pink, drowning the bathrooms in pink faux fur and spurting pink champagne.

And what bedroom would be complete without a flowing pink ostrich caftan? This one happens to be from the Eva Gabor Estate Collection.





There was even a roller rink with a disco ball. In the early 70s, I spent hours skating at a rink. Oh man, what a flood of memories. The Turcos did it right!

Our final stop on this amazing tour was at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage. Again, a more thorough blog, sharing its history can be found here. Walter and Leonore (Lee) were extraordinary philanthropists, designating more than $3 billion in grants and gifts to major research universities, hospitals, medical centers, public schools, and cultural and civic organizations.

The property, itself, emerged onto the world stage when the historic estate was completed in 1966. It has since welcomed eight U.S. presidents and world leaders, public intellectuals, celebrities, and friends and family. On many occasions, guests have engaged in dialogue that led to efforts to enhance international understanding and civil discourse.
Lunch was on the patio of the Center & Gardens Café.
Paloma Contreras Lomas' Amar A Dios En Tierra De Indios, Es Oficio Maternal was an interesting discovery and part of the temporary exhibit, located throughout the Coachella Valley, called Desert X. According to the info provided, "By employing drawing, sculpture, performance, writing and multimedia installation, the artist addresses topics such as patriarchy, violence, class segregation, colonial guilt and constructed middle-class identity with a cinematic sense of humor." It would take a longer study than we had time for, for me to see all that!



After getting our bearings from watching the 20-minute introductory film, A Place Called Sunnylands, we strolled through the exhibition, A Place at the Table: Dining at Sunnylands.
What a visual celebration of the Annenbergs' remarkable history of gatherings through an exploration of the variety of dining experiences they provided their guests (by the way Lee saved everything, what a treasure trove of history). Each display had the dishes used, a photo of who was served, and, in more fancy occasions, the name card of the guest (what a truly astounding Who's Who).

Guests ranged from U.S. presidents, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton, to British royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. Entertainment icons Bob Hope, Gregory Peck, and Frank Sinatra dined here, as did world leaders, such as Margaret Thatcher and Toshiki Kaifu, the prime ministers of Britain and Japan, respectively.
This Derby Panel Green, by Royal Crown Derby, is the most frequently used pattern during retreats, such as the 2013 summit between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The evidence of the Annenbergs’ passion for entertaining and connecting with others is abundant in the photographs and tableware collections stored in the Sunnylands archives.
Queen Elizabeth was served her mousselines of Salmon on Royal Copenhagen's Flora Danica. This pattern is the largest in the collection with 437 pieces. Just because I'm curious and after a very brief search, to replace a Rim Soup Bowl (8¼" diameter) would cost $4,405.00 today. WOW.

"The greatest happiness comes from being vitally interested
in something that excites all your energies."
-Walter Anneberg
What a gift these three days have been. It has been ages since Cindy and I spent any real girl time together. I absolutely loved it all and appreciate it so much. I have fabulous taste in friends! Lucky me.

"Say what you want about aging,
it's still the only way to have old friends."
~Robert Brault

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