Friday, November 12, 2010

Letters From My Grandparents



When I was about eleven years old, I used to look forward to visiting my grandparents in Berkley California. My Grandmother was a wonderful person, who was an incredible cook, played piano, and was the sweetest thing ever. My Grandfather was also wonderful and was the Dean of Engineering at UC Cal Berkley. And I used to enjoy going up there and talking about the aircraft, computer science, and kinds of things he was designing. I would also talk about their garden with my Grandmother and work on it with my Grandfather.
I recently found in a box some letters from my grandmother, to me when I was eleven years old. I wanted to share them because I had given her garden advice about her azaleas, about the blackberries, about her fruit trees... um from where... I have no idea. I think I may have seen something on a T.V. show or... I don't know. My Dad may have shown me things in our garden and I shared them with her. So she wrote me some letters about how it had effected positively their garden in Berkley.
Anyway it was kind of neat to think that some how maybe her support and encouraging words made me feel like I could have a business in landscape; as strange as that may sound. So here are these letters from my Grandmother and Grandfather.
Today is a special day for me because the California Landscape Contractors Association Awards dinner is this evening. It's in Anaheim at the Disneyland Hotel and I submitted The Smith garden and The Schwartz Garden. I'm excited to go with my son and on-site team. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

Thanks again and we'll keep you posted

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

KCAL/CBS Channel 9 Surviving the Heat Wave Segment






I was very happy to have a chance to go on our KCAL channel 9 news yesterday, at 12:30 to discuss how to help your garden survive the heat wave. To distill it all down to a simple message.. WATER! No seriously, there is more to it than that or I would not have a job! I talked with the Anchors Sandra Mitchell and David Gonzales who made me feel so welcome. It was easy because they really asked good questions and were very kind. I could tell that they both loved gardens so I liked them already. My roses really did burn.. so I'm not fibbing!
The weather was done by Josh Rubenstein who had hosted the Green Expo for the CLCA at Greystone Mansion. Here is the link to the segment http://cbs2.com/tv/garden.heat.wave.2.1809776.html

Monday, April 12, 2010

Video Landscape tips w Bryan Cranston, Robin Cranston

I thought I should post this clip reel that was shot the day of the photo shoot for Garden Design's story on the Bryan Cranston Garden. My friend and film maker Dorinda Angelucci shot this clip and had me talk on camera for the first time, which made me very nervous... But was good practice for me!
I cooked for Bryan and Robin after the shoot and it was very nice to be very able eat with them and enjoy the garden after a very long busy day.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcdIlMkzn4g&NR=1 Hope that you enjoy it.... Bryan and Robin and incredibly kind and fun to work with.
The clip also has our public service announcements for the California Landscape Contractor Associations Green Expo which we put on last year. The CLCA is a great organization which helps raise the professionalism level among landscape contractors and I have been a proud member for many years. Tiffani Theissen, and Sheryl Crow also speak on our behalf as we get out the word on conservation!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Garden Design Hollywood issue





Last night was the party at Rolling Greens for the Hollywood Issue. It was a really a beautiful and fun party and I was so happy that my family, friends, and clients were there. Here are some pictures of the event and I was especially touched that my clients, Jon Voight, Bryan Cranston, and Kyle Maclachlan came out to lend their smiling faces to our launch event . I am very blessed to have such kind, generous, creative and talented clients to work for. Hopefully, next year will be even better.. someone give Beyonce my number please!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Garden Design Hollywood issue

I am so pleased that Garden Design Magazine has include two gardens that I designed and built in the first Hollywood issue they have ever done. I hope that you enjoy it....
I will be on KTLA Channel 5 on Monday morning 2/29 on live with Allie Mackay broadcasting from Bryan Cranston's Garden... see you at 5:45, 6:45, and 7:20 am
Good night

Cindy Dole's Home Wizards Show 2/28/10


I had the unique pleasure of appearing on Cindy Dole's Radio show, Home Wizards on Saturday morning. She was so kind to me and her introduction was so lovely that I started to blush and told her that I was afraid someone was going to walk up, tap me on the shoulder and ask me to get up so that the guy she just introduced could sit down... I am so honored to be a part of her program and she wrote this lovely blog about it on her website so here it is...