The Greystone Estate!

Extra! Extra! Come One, Come All To The Annual Beverly Hills Garden and Design Showcase! 

By:  Aron Neelie

Greyston Castle. A star among homes in Beverly Hills. The goings-on of this lavish estate are not secret, but neither are they well-known. Such as, the owner of the land was Edward Doheny. He was gunslingin’ westerner who knew crude from gold and when he found crude in them thar hills, he swooped and profited. He saw opportunity with the oil in Beverly Hills, and story has it, he and his prospectin’ bud’ Mr. Canfield sharpened the end of eucalyptus tree and began a drilln’! 

Then Mr. Doheny bought 425 acres and gave a bit to his son, from his first wife, who oddly, disappeared, and then of course like a great 'who-done'it', his son was shot to death by his chauffeur, and of course the lovely Lucy continued on with their five children and new husband until the 1950’s.  As time marched on, of course the land value became slightly more affordable and the housing market was bounding in strides with all of the post-war building. So Trousdale, yes, as in the Trousdale Estates, bargained for lots of land, and the Doheny’s kept a very, very little land. Then the estate went to another and then to AFI and then to Beverly Hills, and well, now, a little more history is being made.

Only recently, historically speaking, has the great town of Beverly Hills taken the old girl under its wings and most recently come to aid for love and grandeur. And in November, we aeill all be able to glimpse and experience this magnificent estate in its glory.

Some locals recall the old place, but only as a forbidden, dust ridden, window laiden, hands-off, mysterious, old castle. It was not part of the natural landscape, nor replicated around in any of the local architectural monsters. 

It stands on its own and stands out behind its park and park-like grounds. But as of late, the locals are thrilled to their goose feathers and frou-frou because the thoughtful town of Beverly Hills has brought forth the home’s majesty in full regalia, as only Beverly Hills can.

There is no town like Beverly Hills. Not even it’s sister city, Cannes. Beverly Hills, is an experience. A town filled with compassion, granduer, grace, and of course, money. But it’s not just money, it success. And the current City Council and Commissions have a clear understanding of their town and its responsibility to themselves and to the world around it which emulates it on a daily basis. 

And now, this month the Annual Beverly Hills Garden & Design Showcase Festival takes place November 1 - 16 at the Historic Greystone Estate, 905 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills 90210. Tickets are $30.00.  Tickets are sold through advanced ticket sales.

During the Festival, the gardens will be meticulously designed by Landscape Architects; shoppers will peruse a large outdoor Garden Marketplace with Live Entertainment and Outdoor Gourmet Dining; vendors at the Plant Market will offer a wide assortment of unique, one-of-a-kind plants; a Wedding Showcase will be held in the formal Gardens. Children will enjoy a “Garden Crafts Corner” and Artist Demonstrations will take place throughout the gardens.

New this year, members of the ASID/LA will be dressing the Historic Greystone Mansion. Normally closed to the public, the recreation wing includes the Doheny billiards room, an original residential Brunswick Bowling Alley from the 1920’s and a prohibition-era wet bar.

Inside the Mansion, professional members of the American Society of Interior Design/LA (ASID Los Angeles Chapter) and other invited celebrity designers will decorate the Greystone Mansion in its entirety, transforming the estate back to the grandeur and style it once knew, and filling empty spaces with the use of color, furnishings, drapery treatments, art and accessories.

The Garden & Design Showcase, as well as the Design House tours, provides a rare opportunity for the public to view one of Beverly Hills’ most cherished properties, from one of Beverly Hills' first entrepreneurs.

For information on the event, please call 310.550.4796, or visit www.beverlyhillsgardenshowcase.org.

There is also a Greystone Gala Reception, preview benefiting the restoration of the Greystone Estate, to be held on the gorgeous grounds of the estate. You may preview the Garden & Design Showcase prior to Festival Weekend, enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres, champagne cocktails, wine and musical accompaniment; Silent Auction with proceeds benefiting restoration of Greystone www.beverlyhillsgardenshowcase.org. Call 310.550.4753 for tickets

The anticipation of what can and has been done to this Beverly Hills, local architectural wonderment, is staggering. There are many “design” homes, but this "designer" mansion is not like any other. The atmosphere alone at Greystone creates images only preceded by imagination.

Hope to see you all there for this very delightful and historic glimpse into an era gone-by, transformed by our modern day artistic and masterful designers.

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