Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day


It's still February 14th, just, but I can still send you my love for Valentine's Day. As this project continues to be a labor of love, it's appropriate that I do February's post on this special day. I do hope that most of you have spent some quality time with your loved ones. No romantic dinners for me, or champagne, or roses, it's nose to the grindstone and a couple more hours of work until I call it a day.

What some of you may not know is that I as well as being an author, feature journalist and biographer, I am also a seasoned and sought after public speaker. Over the past few years I have had the privilege to present several programs to many organizations in San Diego County. Here is a list of some of my past public speaking engagements:

San Diego Archaeological Center

Ladies Golf Tournament, RSF

City of Solana Beach

Art Forum, RSF

Independent Women In Architecture

Torrey Pines Rotary Club

RSF Book Club

OSHA, UCSD Extension

La Jolla Riford Library

Solana Beach Library

The Westerners

San Dieguito Heritage Museum

Museum of San Diego History

Casa de Manana, La Jolla

RSF Senior Center

RSF Association Retreat

RSF History in the Garden

Colonial Dames of America

Friends of Lilian Rice

La Jolla Historical Society

RSF Business & Professional Women's Network

Save Our Heritage Foundation

San Dieguito Women’s Group

Del Mar Fairgrounds

Solana Beach Optimist Club

Ladies USGA luncheon, RSF

If you know of an organization that would like a presentation, contact me through this blog. I book ahead and have dates set for 2012 already, and have about two engagements scheduled each month this year. As they come up I'll be sure to let you know. But if you have an interest come down to Balboa Park, in the Balboa Park Club Ballroom, across from the Aerospace Museum, on March 5th where I'll have a table set up of books, and photos, and other bits and bobs as part of the celebration of the history of women in San Diego, organized by the Congress of History. It's an exciting weekend of lectures and walking tours, devoted to our local unsung female historic figures. I'll be there with Paul as a representative of Friends of Lilian J. Rice. Anyone may register for the weekend of lectures, although we will be there on Saturday, only. Visit the link above to find out more.

Hazel Waterman will be one of the women recognized over the weekend. She was San Diego's first female architect, and as was commissioned to do a major restoration of the Casa De Estudillo in Old Town San Diego, known and marketed in its day, 1910, as the marriage place of Ramona the heroine in Helen Hunt Jackson 's novel of the same name. Lilian Rice worked with Waterman as a draftswoman, and would have been a senior at UC Berkeley when Waterman was working on the restoration. It is very possible that Lilian observed and had an interest in this project, although there is no written documentation to prove it. Hazel had a daughter, Helen, who was two years Lilian's junior. Helen also attended UC Berkeley studying art and architecture. The two joined the ZLAC Rowing Club in 1910, and were both on Crew IV. So as such a close friend of Helen's it is hard to imagine that Lilian would not have been informed, aware and even involved with Hazel's project. Harriet Wimmer, a landscape architect is also the subject of a lecture during the weekend. She worked on several of Lilian Rice's project most notable being the Wohlford House in Eureka Ranch in Escondido. This home, which won Rice an award in House Beautiful in 1932, was demolished in 2005 for a housing development.

With more awareness and care, perhaps Lilian Rice's homes may be saved from the wrecking ball in the future.

More coming next month, friends. Thanks for stopping by!