Spring: In like a lion, out like a lamb!

Hello friends, here is April's monthly WORD, and for my new friends who are not familiar with my blog, WORD is an acronym for Welch On Rice Diary. 

March was busy and April is proving to be even more so.

L-R: Marvin, Diane, Inge

Personal Rice Home Tour

Marvin and Inge in front of the Bingham home

While I prayed for sunshine on March 24, after a few days of unsettled weather that included a hail storm on my birthday, March 21^st, mother nature did not disappoint with a sunny day as I gave a personal guided tour of Rice homes in Rancho Santa Fe, to Inge Horton (author of “Early Women Architects of the San Francisco Bay Area”) and her husband, Marvin. The day was glorious and we soaked up the architectural ambiance of several Rice cottages, commercial buildings, and two beautiful estate homes. 

We had three interior tours thanks to the generosity of the respective home owners of the former Ralph and Belle Claggett home on Via de Santa Fe; the Chester and Cornelia Bristol home on Via del Alba, and the Hamilton Carpenter Home on La Valle Plateada.

Claggett home interior. Photo by Bertocchini Photography

Exterior Hamilton Carpenter home. Photo by Darren Edwards

Exterior Chester and Cornelia Bristol home. Photo by Gary Conaughton

 

Four days later I presented my DVD documentary, “Lilian J. Rice: Sincerely Yours” to our friends at La Vida Del Mar, in Del Mar. My excitement was piqued by the introduction to a lovely gentleman in the audience, Bob, who was a draftsman for George Chandler Hatch, a famed architect, a graduate of MIT, and friend of architect, Bill Krisel. Hatch worked in Lilian Rice's Rancho Santa Fe office while the San Dieguito Union High School was being designed. I'm looking forward to future conversations with Bob about Hatch and his role in San Diego architecture.

I received word recently that Molly McClain, associate professor at USD, has reviewed my book, “Lilian J. Rice: Architect of Rancho Santa Fe, California [Schiffer] for inclusion in the next volume of the San Diego History Center's, The Journal of San Diego. When we last spoke, Molly had read the book and was appreciative of my efforts and gave me positive feedback. I'll post a link to the journal when it is published.

ZLAC on the bay. Photo by Diane Y. Welch

ZLAC clubhouse and gardens. Photo by Paul Body Photo

By coincidence, Molly is also a member of ZLAC Rowing Club. Thanks to her prompt intervention I am looking forward to a May presentation on Lilian Rice, at the clubhouse in Pacific Beach. Lilian Rice was on Crew IV, was president in 1915 and commodore in 1916, and designed the new boat and clubhouse in 1932.

In the news

Last week in the San Diego Union Tribune, Linda Macintosh published details on the upcoming April 16^th Escondido self-guided Garden Tour to benefit the Escondido History Center. On the tour are two Rice designed homes. One owned by the Hillebrechts and the other by the Lievers. It's not too late to get tickets, only $12.50 if purchased ahead and $15 if  purchased on the day at any one of the tour gardens. Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic in the serene beauty of Escondido's hidden treasures. Click on the link to find out more.

The adobe built Hillebrecht ranch home. Photo by Gary Conaughton

Events

On Monday, April 18, I will present to the Rancho Santa Fe Rotary weekly meeting at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. I am so looking forward to the lecture as I am always so warmly received by Rotarians.

On Friday, April 29, I will attend Schiffer Publishing's author meet and greet in Los Angeles. And the next day Paul and I will go to the famed Los Angeles book Fair.

Giving back

As many of you know the lectures I give around San Diego county are done so with no funding or support and are free to attendees. The reason is that it is my mission to spread the word about Lilian Rice with as many people as I can. I believe that Lilian J. Rice is a national treasure and should be recognized as such.

On April 17, I will take part in a six author panel at La Costa Resort and Spa to benefit Childhelp. I have donated  an autographed book and a percentage of my proceeds to the charity that helps children who are the victims of child abuse. I'm looking forward to the event.

As the price of gas escalates it is making an impact on the pocket book, as such I am always looking for sponsors, who could support my cause in return for visibility for their business. So if you know of any organization or company that wishes to partner with me to facilitate these lectures, please contact me.

What's ahead?

The month of May sees more lectures, a book fair at the Solana Beach Library, and a presentation on my Del Mar Fairgrounds book for the San Dieguito Newcomers Club. Thanks for stopping by friends of LJR.

As always, I welcome your comments and ideas.

Warmly,

Diane

March Madness

This month's happenings

Hello friends, here is March's monthly WORD, and while reflecting on this month's activities, it has been very busy with even more events ahead. On Saturday March 5, Paul and I attended the Congress of History's annual conference in Balboa Park.

We shared a table with Jane Schmauss, executive director of the California Surf Museum. The conversation, needless to say, included local surfing icons,some of whom are included in my book, “Encinitas” an Images of America book that was published to celebrate the city's 20^th anniversary.

On the front cover is Paul Ecke Sr. in a sepia version of what was a crimson sea of field grown poinsettias. Today Paul Ecke III carries on the family business with his chapter of the story, poinsettia cuttings grown offshore in Guatemala, for a global market.

I attended several lectures at the Congress of History event that celebrated some of San Diego County's “unsung heroes” the women who made their historical mark in the county. Molly McClain, associate professor at USD, gave a wonderful informative and entertaining lecture on Ellen Browning Scripps, who gave so selflessly to our region during the 19^th and early 20th century. The other lectures I attended were on Harriet Wimmer, a landscape architect who worked with Rice on some of her residential projects, and Dr. Amorita Treganza, a pediatric optometrist, whose father, Alberto O. Treganza, (1876-1944) was a noted architect who “filled in” for Lilian Rice when she had to travel during her role as a member of Rancho Santa Fe's three-member art jury. More research is needed to discover why or how this came about. If anyone knows please pass it along.

On March 3, I gave a lunchtime presentation to the Del Mar Rotarians. Held in the community hall at St. Peters Episcopalian Church in Del Mar, it brought to my mind that Lilian Rice was one of the architects who submitted a proposal for the building of the church in 1938. The conceptual drawings and floor plans that she submitted are held in the archives at Virginia Tech University. Unfortunately, Rice passed away in December 1938, before enough money was raised to construct the church, so her meticulous plans were not realized. The project went instead to a Los Angeles architect, Carlton Winslow.

On March 24, I have the honor of giving a personal guided tour of Rice homes in Rancho Santa Fe, to Inge Horton, author of “Early Women Architects of the San Francisco Bay Area”[McFarland Press]. Inge was a city planner, before she retired to focus on her passion the research and documentation of lady architects in Northern California. Her book took 20 years to be realized. As Lilian Rice graduated from UC Berkeley, she is included in Inge's book.

On March 28, I will present, “Lilian J. Rice: Sincerely Yours” (a DVD documentary that Paul and I, through Welch Productions, created) to our friends at La Vida Del Mar, in Del Mar. We are excited to help spread the word about my passion, Lilian Rice. And btw, April is just as busy!

Looking at the calendar, it is hard to believe that yesterday, the Ides of March, is my anniversary date of when I set out to immigrate permanently to California from my native England when I left my lovely hometown of Timperley in Cheshire. When the Pan Am jumbo 747 jet was deemed unsafe to fly out of Heathrow, after several embarkings and disembarkings, I was laid up overnight in a hotel room in London. The next day, March 16^th, I set out on my flight to Los Angeles and then on to San Diego's Lindgergh Field. I still vividly recall the beautiful sunset as the plane followed the coastline south to San Diego. So today marks my 27 years of living permanently in the USA.

March 21, is my 53rd birthday. I will celebrate with my loving family, Jenna, James, Juliana and John Paul, and my husband of almost 24 years, Paul.

Life in the US has been a wonderful journey and now Lilian Rice has become part of my adventure. I feel honored to be her official biographer and look forward to unraveling more of the many mysteries that are hidden in her life's story. I feel like I am just scratching the surface, so if any of you have even the smallest facet of information about Rice or her family, please pass it on!

In the news:

Sophy Chaffee wrote eloquently about a Rancho Santa Fe Lilian Rice cottage-- The Fleming residence-- in the San Diego Union Tribune.

Rancho Santa Fe resident, Phyllis Paul, receives top award from History of Congress.

Check out the online story of Phyllis Paul who received a top accolade for her contributions to the documentation of history of Rancho Santa Fe. Phyllis is a dear friend and has been a stalwart supporter of my work on Lilian Rice. It was Phyllis who gave me a lovely guided tour, in her shiny red Mercedes, of Rice homes in the Ranch. I will be forever in her debt. She is most deserving of the honor.

Thank you friends for reading my monthly diary on Lilian J. Rice. Please check in with us next month to learn more. And if you have any interesting stories to tell about related topics, please share!

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!

A year in review

Dear Friends of Lilian J. Rice,
2010 was a fantastic year for getting things accomplished with the Lilian J. Rice project. And it could not have been made possible without the generosity of so many people that I'd like to acknowledge here, right now!

A combined exhibition and book launch was made possible by the City of Solana Beach who provided the venue for the book release party and a six week long exhibition of photos and Rice inspired drawings and plans. The actual party to celebrate the release of "Lilian J. Rice: Architect of Rancho Santa Fe, California" [Schiffer] was on June 12, 2010, the anniversary of LJR's birth, which made the event even more special. For all of you who came, thank you so much! It was one of the best days of my life, only topped by having babies and getting married! (not necessarily in that order...) The exhibition was sponsored by the following individuals and companies whose funding made possible the large display of16 x 20 photos, refreshments, and publicity materials.

The Ecke Ranch http://www.ecke.com/new1/
Dena Gillespie, architectural designer http://www.gillespieresidentialdesign.com/Dena/Designs.html
Carl Calvert and the Motor Transport Museum http://www.motortransportmuseum.org/
Max Wuthrich, and B+W Architects http://www.rsfproperty.com/preferred_services.htm
Positive Energy http://www.shoppositiveenergy.com/
Solana Beach Art Association http://www.solanabeachartassociation.org/
Welch Productions http://www.dianewelch.com/
Dewhurst and Associates http://www.dewhurst.com/

Dena Gillespie included a fabulous framed montage of her Lilian Rice inspired homes which has been gifted for future exhibitions, and Max Wuthrich included a presentation sketch of the Wheeler residence, based on one of Rice's designs that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The photographs came directly from the book and were courtesy of the following:

Paul Body http://www.paulbodyphoto.com/
Bertocchini Photography http://www.bertography.com/index2.php
Darren Edwards http://www.darrenedwards.com/
Gary Conaughton http://www.garyconaughtonphotography.com
Juliana Welch http://julianawelch.weebly.com
Yours truly http://www.dianewelch.com

Plans and sketches were provided by
Sara Motamedi
Vanessa Vanbeusekom
Christopher Real
Monique Parsons
Carol Beth Rodriguez http://www.carolbethart.com/
Yours truly

Big thanks to those who came from far a field, especially the Thomas family who traveled down from Seal Beach and Pasadena. Carol Thomas is the daughter of Bertha Kreuziger, who is second from the left in this 1923 photo. Lilian Rice is far right.



Also big hugs to husband B. Paul for the amazing documentary on Lilian Rice which we have shown innumerable times throughout San Diego County to appreciative audiences.

Check back soon for more information on last year's exhibitions, lectures and book signings, and a look ahead to the coming months. Through Friends of Lilian J. Rice I will be able to fulfill my mission to "educate and inspire".

Sincerely yours,

Diane

Join me in the newly formed Friends of Lilian J. Rice

I am sending out a personalized letter and New Year's card to invite those interested in joining me in the newly formed association, Friends of Lilian J. Rice. Please send me a message on FB if you'd like to be included. The mission of this organization is two-fold:

1: To preserve and protect the work of Lilian J. Rice for future generations

2: To educate the world about the life, work and legacy of Lilian J. Rice so that others may be inspired to achieve and so affect positive change. Please join me in this important endeavor. It's painless, free and zero calories!

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Check out Richard Carrico's review on my book, in today's North County Times.

Album of Rice buildings on Facebook

Visit my Facebook page and browse through the incredible photos that are included in the newly released book, "Lilian J. Rice: Architect of Rancho Santa Fe, California, the world's first monograph written and published about this under-appreciated historic figure.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2058139&id=1123337361&l=e617c49fd9

Copy the above link and paste into your command line.