Gardens and More Gardens

Here's Justin and his about to be Mother-In-Law in the driveway garden before the bride makes her entrance. In the 3rd picture, notice the giant pepper tree, so big they had big metal supports for it.

Speaking of beautiful trees, check out the last picture of the bent palm tree in Dan's yard by the outdoor room. Notice the colored light strung across. At night during a party, the lights make me look about 5'10" tall with big blond hair, bold makeup and giant jewels. Seriously.

The window looking into the outdoor room shows the three square pot plants sitting on the sill. Inside the outdoor room is the Raiders Of The Lost Ark fireplace. Sitting in that room in the morning looking out at the pool and pot plants all over the back patio is one of my favorite places. Dan says it's too cold in the mornings for that room, so he turns on the fireplace for me. Instead of logs this fireplace like all his fireplaces have the broken glass instead of logs. Each fireplace has different colored glass. Very hard for me to get up off the red sofa he's had in every house in the 35 years we've known him. But I tell myself, "Get up - ocean view on other side of house." That does it.

Artscape at the Arboretum last weekend

Here's artists at the Arboretum's Artscape this weekend. Great weather, great artists with wonderful pieces. I hope they sold out.

I'm a big fan of Vet in the red shirt in the first picture. Met her lovely friend, who's name I can't remember. Vet is already thinking about her State Fair piece. Got an email from Virginia and she's doing the same. Had to put in a plug for my "Friends of Lottie" show coming up in September at the State Fair of Texas. Amazing how many artists are already contemplating their piece. Not me, I'll wait until the last minute and drive me crazier than I already am.

Marty asked if I was putting his picture on the blog. Of course, Marty. You make my blog shine!

Gardens and Weddings

Evil spirits are captured in this empty wine bottle holder. Only in California would a bottle tree be a wine bottle holder. I'm not sure I explained to Dan the reason he has no evil spirits in his house is because they are all living in the bottles. May we all have bottle trees of any fashion. And this little pot of succulents, like a little family living together, well, a family that gets along in small spaces. Really a little garden in a pot.

Is this little metal stand with a piece of granite on top perfect for this plant in the house? Who'd have thought?


Ronnie, Justin and you can barely see Pam, at the alter. I wish I had a really good picture of Pam in this fabulous outfit looking fabulous. The material, color, jewelry, shoes, makeup hair - she had it all, my little butterfly.

Dan's Garden and Chagalls

Here you see Dan's garden "artscapes" again. I love this little falling succulent, then the sharp thorns on the other plant along with one pink bloom. The Malibu climate helps, but it took some talent to put these "artscapes" together. The big blue vase with the branches remind me of the Walking Stick plant.

Speaking of art, how about the wonderful Chagalls at the wedding party house? I'll be honest, they're lovely, but I prefer the Dan Artscapes, indoor and outdoor, smiling back at me.

CA continued

The spread on the dining room table was for guests between the wedding and dinner under the tent (with 4 chandeliers). Some of the dancer's feet never touch the floor of the tennis court tent.

Here's more of Dan's garden. See how each grouping is an entire thought out space? When Chio waters in the morning the water drops sparkle on the plants in the gardens. All the plants are in great shape, you never see black spot, spider mites or plant diseases. Lots of succulents grouped with other interesting succulents and plants. If these plants could talk, oh my.

A little Malibu, a little Santa Monica

A little Malibu foliage mixes with Santa Monica rehearsal dinner at Valentinos. Each of the pots at Dan's house, inside and out are little artscapes in themselves. Each group of guests at the rehearsal dinner were little pockets of "so glad to be with you again".

The orange and yellow flowers on the ground in the first photo didn't just rebloom every morning - they came on stage. Their colors are so vibrant in real life. I'd love to bring the Forest Hills Garden Club to Dan's for an afternoon tea. This would be better than our field trip to Robert Bellamy's. We'd bring Robert's Staci as our personal guest. Even though Dan's sold his restaurant - imagine him catering our tea with his house, mountain and ocean setting. Oh, my, a perfect afternoon for the garden girls.

And a perfect evening, thank you, perfect rehearsal dinner hosts, Pam and Ronnie. Did I mention the appetizers and drinks while we were in the private room before dinner were enough for dinner for me? Some kind of shrimp on a kabob I could eat every day forever. Visited with Kim (blue dress) a while. She's delightful, lucky Brian.

Beginning of Justin's Wedding Pictures

Here we go with Justin's wedding pictures. Of course, there will be pictures of the bride and groom soon. The last picture of Kato by herself dancing is an absolute favorite. Kato had the most wonderful time on the dance floor tennis court dance floor. So many wonderful important occasions in Santa Monica, CA. This one was right up there. Harold Kleinman was there.