Adventures in Celebrity Baby Sitting

Julia Morgan is working on a big deadline. She asked Grace Slick to drop over to help Edith Head to care for Sonny Angel. We have some concerns, but so far all seems to be going well.

Sonny Angel Is Ready for His Close-Up

Having won their long battle in court to gain legal custody of their child, Sonny Angel, Julia Morgan and Edith Head prepare for his coronation and baptism. The sperm donor and godfather, Louis Sullivan, managed to time travel in order to be a part of this joyous day.

Julia Morgan Does Some Research

When Julia Morgan accepted the commission to design Hearst Castle, there were many cynics who questioned if "a girl was up for the task". Humpf! She certainly showed them, didn't she.

Before embarking on the actual design, she did extensive research, mostly in New York where she was less well known and could travel inconspicuously. Here we see her outside the New York Public Main Library where she did much of her research.

Seeking the Truth About Mary See

Sometime after the fall of the Third Reich and before the Bay of Pigs invasion, a handsome bearded gentleman and two owlish looking women were having lunch at the Marie Callender's in Pismo Beach, California. Their waiter immediately recognized one woman as famed Hollywood costume designer Edith Head, a woman so clever that she managed to nab an Oscar for the Givenchy dress Audrey Hepburn bought herself in Paris and wore in Sabrina. He wasn't quite sure about the more senior woman but after conferring with his coworkers, he confirmed his hunch and braved his way back to their table.

"Miss Head, I adore all of the lovely costumes you designed," he said.

"I appreciate your limited good taste, although it clearly hasn't helped you when shopping at Montgomery Ward," she disdained, eying him from head to toe.

Oblivious to her comment, he turned to the other woman and blurted out, "And Mrs. See, I think your candies are just the tops. Better even than the Whitman sampler."

Louis Sullivan cleared his throat and blushed as the two women's eyes bulged like giant cracked eggs. Finally, Miss Head peered over her trademark spectacles and said sternly, "G arçon, that is not Mrs. See. In fact, you are in the company of the most important architect of our time. Have you no idea who this is?"

Shaking, he bit his lip, finally offering feebly, "Frank Lloyd Wright...in a dress."
"No, you imbecile. Julia Morgan! The woman who has designed the most important buildings in California. The woman who designed the largest and most elegant private residence on the face of earth from which we are almost sitting in the shadow of."

His hands were shaking now, barely able to get the words out as he realized the stature of the woman seated at his table. Ms. Morgan smiled gently, trying to calm him, "Oh, Edith, it's really not worth making a fuss. Young man, might I bother you to exchange this Cesar dressing with Green Goddess?"

"S-s-s-sure...m'am."

As he departed, Julia sighed with certain trepidation, "Oh, dear, I hope they know how to make Green Goddess properly here and that it's not from a bottle. So often they go overboard with the chervil or leave it out completely."

The conversation then turned to the true origins of Green Goddess Dressing. Though considered to have its roots in Sauce Au Vert which was prepared by the chef to the court of Louis XVI. In 1923, it was credited to being adapted in the U.S. by the chef at San Francisco's Palace Hotel in honor of George Arliss who was starring in a play of the same name which Julia Morgan loved. Things went downhill in the 1970s after the widening popularity of Ranch Dressing and the eventual purchase of Green Goddess by evil Kraft Foods. Trader Joe's has its Goddess Dressing which is actually brown, and Annie's Naturals has its own, but obviously without the anchovy.

"Since it came out the year before I died, I never had much opportunity to eat it," Louis Sullivan said.

"Well, when it's done correctly, it's superb," Miss Morgan said as the waiter arrived with a heaping serving of the dressing in a porcelain bowl on an emerald saucer. "Ah, merci, mon petit."

"Anything else, Miss...Morgan?"

"Yes, another Manhattan!"

Early in its operation, Marie Callender's distinguished itself by being the only family restaurant chain to serve alcohol in what they never called a "bar" but always a "saloon", perhaps acknowledging its wild west origins.

"Speaking of food legions," Edith said, "I've always been suspicious of whether or note there really was a real Mary See. Wasn't she one of those inventions like Betty Crocker."

"Wasn't she the wife of Mr. Crocker as in the Crocker Galleria?" Mr. Sullivan asked.

"Poppycock!" Julia exclaimed, dipping a radish in her Green Goddess. "She was a complete fiction."



















Julia Morgan (right) is NOT the same as Mary See!

"Well, I think the whole Mary See story was the same," Edith said, lifting her whiskey sour. "Julia that isn't you in those photos as a gag at some Hearst Castle costume party?"

Miss Morgan shivered and said, "Oh, surely you don't think I look like that old battle axe?"

"And what about Marie Callender herself?" asked Mr. Sullivan. "Isn't she an invention too?"

Suddenly a hunched over, petite elderly woman emerged from the kitchen. "I am for real!"

"Why, Mrs. Callender, are you the one that cooked up this flawless Green Goddess dressing?"

"Naw," Marie shrugged. "I haven't done that shit in years. I'm on my way up to San Simeon for a mah-johng tournament that Marion Davies is holding. "Why don't you three join us?"

Just then, Nancy Kulp and Odetta entered, wearing headscarves and dark glasses. They asked for a table in the back where they ordered Irish coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Years later, this unlikely meeting resulted in Edith Head inviting Marie Callender to attend the 1967 Academy Awards in her . Edith's costume design was the single nomination for the much maligned film The Oscar which featured lines such as "If you lie down with dogs, you'll smell like fleas." Edith also had a cameo playing herself.

When Bob Hope read the nominees and then announced the winner, he said. "And the Oscar for best costume design goes to The Oscar and Edith Head. Miss Head is unable to accept tonight because she has...a Head cold!" As the audience roared with laughter, someone slipped Bob a surprise last minute change of plans for the betowing the best costume design award. Not missing a beat, he glanced up from the note and said, "Accepting the Oscar on Miss Head's behalf are ...Dino, Desi and Billy!"

A Jewel Is Discovered

Suddenly Mr. Sullivan became very excited as ahead he saw a building of the perfect proportions and provenance.
Ah, the Sutter Club, California's second oldest private club.
Here stood a gentlemen's club worthy of true gentlemen.
The proportions, the ornamentation.
All was perfect.
Fey and formidable all at once.
The corbels delighted Mr. Sullivan.
The covered walkway echoed some of his Chicago buildings.
At first Junk Thief and Mr. Sullivan thought this must be a Julia Morgan design, but then they learned it was the work of Charles Dean.

Maybeck Masterpieces

There is much to be said for adult education. Today I took a course on the works of Californian architectural pioneer Bernard Maybeck. Like Louis Sullivan who was overshadowed by his apprentice Frank Lloyd Wright, Maybeck is often overshadowed by Julia Morgan, best known for her designs for Hearst Castle. Maybeck's most iconic building may be San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, but some of his truly greatest achievements are in Berkeley, and I was lucky to tour five of them.

The course was taught by Mark Wilson who has already written a book about Morgan and has a new volume on Maybeck scheduled for 2011. He was a deft, knowledgeable instructor, and a great lecture was followed by a walking tour that made a circular route of five masterpieces around and on the UC Berkeley campus.

We started with the Men's Faculty Club on the UC Berkeley Campus.

Next up was the Hillside Club on Cedar, a place I've passed many times. From the street it looks like an unassuming bungalow, but inside is a theater with echoes of Tudor era London and the Globe Theatre.

Then it was a short hop over to the Flagg House, close to several other Maybeck homes, whose owners have preserved the integrity of the master's initial vision.

Up on Maybeck Twin Drive (named after his grand daughters who still live in the area), we got to glimpse at several important homes by Maybeck and his students, including a garage door with ornamentation painted by the master himself.

The grand finale was what many consider to be his greatest achievement, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, where at least five styles converge seamlessly.