Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 17, 2011

18

HOMES AND PROPERTY

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 17, 2011 

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people whoe create them. Story by Chris Bertrand and Photos Garret Baquet


FOOTHILLS ESTATES TOUR ON SEPT 25 TO BENEFIT RED CROSS

Early this spring, Steve Tobia, publisher 
of THE Pasadena Foothills Magazine, 
and dynamic, civic minded friends, Sandy 
Valentine of Glendora’s Fortune Escrow 
and Doug Sanicola of La Verne’s Outdoor 
Elegance Patio Design Center tossed 
around new ideas on how to give back to 
the community. 

 The trio hit upon a home tour benefitting 
Tobia’s favorite local charity, the Pasadena 
chapter of the American Red Cross. “Home tours have become a part 
of the fundraising fabric of our communities. Residents especially 
love to see the big estates,” commented Justin Kibbe, Managing 
Editor of the publication. Says Tobia, “The local American Red 
Cross is one of my primary charities because it serves all people, 
families and businesses across the Pasadena Foothills Region, as 
well as across the nation and world. The three of us brainstormed 
how we could raise funds with a new, unique event. Our decision: 
THE Estates Tour, featuring local estates’ gardens and kitchens 
from La Canada to Glendora.”

 Both Valentine and Sanicola jumped in to make the event happen, 
in just a few months, which in the timing framework of event 
planning is merely the blink of an eye. Valentine agreed to feature 
Vista Manor, her twelve acre mountain top estate above Glendora. 
As one drives northbound on the 57 approaching the 210, her estate 
is quite visible from the freeway in the foothills above Glendora. 

Valentine then put out her powerful feelers to other local estate 
owners, inviting them to join the fundraising efforts. “Valentine is 
a tremendous donor and philanthropist in the community, and was 
a significant force to help make this event happen,” according to 
Kibbe.

 Sanicola’s company, Outdoor Elegance, is donating time and services 
to help the estate owners prepare their properties, particularly the 
gardens and outdoor living areas for the tour, leading the way for 
the cooperative effort from THE Magazine’s advertisers to sponsor 
this event. “It’s always a challenge,” says Kibbe. “The owners are 
still living in the properties, but they need to be prepared 
for large crowds of visitors.” 

 The Red Cross headquarters, located at the historic 
Craven Estate off Orange Grove in Pasadena, has been 
included in the tour. This historical architectural 
masterpiece was completely updated in 2010 as the 
Pasadena Showcase House of Design. The original 
property extended from Orange Grove Boulevard to 
the Arroyo, and today the outside gardens surrounding 
the estate have been restored to modern elegance for 
entertaining and availability for event rental. The outdoor 
kitchen, added in last year’s project, was designed by Jan 
Ledgard of Yorkshire Kitchens. This is a rare opportunity 
to tour the entire 25,000 square foot mansion if you 
missed the Showcase Tour last year.

 Mike Kobeissi, owner of Kobeissi Properties of La 
Canada, will also open his spectacular hilltop estate 
home in the prestigious La Canada Country Club, where 
unobstructed panoramic views reach from downtown Los 
Angeles to the Westside and the ocean. 
The Mediterranean estate’s back yard 
was meticulously designed with 
extensive tropical plants and designs 
typically found at the world’s most 
luxurious tropical resorts. Outside 
entertaining areas were designed to 
accommodate both intimate family 
gatherings and larger gatherings for 
social and charity events. 

 A custom Italian Tuscany style home 
is located high in the foothills in 
the guard-gated Gordon Highlands 
estate community of Glendora. With 
sweeping views of the San Gabriel 
Valley and foothills, this entire 
community truly evokes the magical 
experience of being in the Tuscany 
area of Italy with magnificent winery 
estates and vineyards. The estate 
owner’s personal vineyard and wine 
tasting cellar which produced two 
award winning wines for this year’s 
LA County Fair will be open for 
viewing, and will include a tasting of 
their local vintage. 

 These four properties are just the beginning, as several 
more will be on the tour. “Initially, we asked that 
the gardens and kitchens of each estate be open for 
viewing by the public,” said Kibbe, “then left it up to the 
homeowner to decide how much more of their estates 
would be open. Most of the homes have decided to open 
more of their homes for the public, for which we’re very 
grateful.”

 Shuttle busses will pick up ticket holders in central 
locations of La Canada, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, San 
Marino and Glendora, then will ferry visitors to and from 
the estates on the day of the tour.

 Tickets to THE Estates Tour on Sunday, September 25 from 11-4 
are $50 online at www.THEMagazine.biz by clicking on events, 
then THE Estates Tour. $40 tickets can be purchased in person 
at Pasadena European Kitchen Design Center in Sierra Madre, 
Custom Comfort, George’s Plumbing as well as Art &Antiques in 
Pasadena, Kobeissi Properties in La Canada and Pacific Outdoor 
Living in La Crescenta and Outdoor Elegance Patio Design Center 
in La Verne. 100% of the value of these nonrefundable tickets will 
be donated to the Red Cross, as all of the event’s expenses have been 
donated.


Doug Sanicola and Sandy Valentine toast THE Estates tour at 
Valentine’s home which will be on the tour September 25.


New outdoor kitchen at the historic, 25,000 s.f. Craven Estate, Red Cross 
Headquarters in Pasadena

Gordon Highland estate with vineyard in the foothills above Glendora


START AT THE BEGINNING

What’s the first question you ask yourself 
when you’re ready to buy a home? It should 
be, “How much can I afford?” Without that 
crucial piece of information, you can’t even 
begin your search. Figure your monthly 
income and debt payments, order your 
credit reports, and determine how much you 
can put down.

Now, apply for pre-approval from a 
number of lenders, to shop for the best 
interest rate and terms. You can choose 
fixed or adjustable rate, and a conventional 
or government or jumbo loan, among the 
most common types of mortgages.

Now, what do you want out of your new 
home? Want a location within the city, right 
downtown, in the suburbs, or a rural setting? 
How many bedrooms and bathrooms, in a 
single family home or townhouse or condo?

Now that you’ve figured out what you’re 
looking for and what you can afford, 
locate the neighborhoods that satisfy your 
requirements. An area real estate agent can 
give you information about schools, your 
work commute, and proximity to shopping 
and recreation. Find your agent through 
referrals and interviews to get the right 
“chemistry.”

You can browse listings online, but 
the agent should be able to provide a list 
of suitable properties right away. Make 
appointments for tours and attend open 
houses if available. My upcoming column 
will guide you through the next steps!

LATE SEASON GARDENING

SIX THINGS TO DO NOW FOR A 
BETTER GARDEN

Next Yearby Melinda Myers, gardening expert, 
TV & radio host, author and columnistAs the 
summer garden season nears an end, don’t let 
your guard down. Keeping up with a few basic 
chores can improve your landscape’s beauty and 
reduce your workload next season.

Continue weeding. Removing weeds now 
before they go to seed will eliminate hundreds 
of weeds next season. Destroy invasive weeds, 
those that have gone to seed and perennials that 
may root in the compost pile. And mulch the soil 
if you haven’t already done so.

Keep watering new plantings, stressed and 
young plants, evergreens, and moisture loving 
plants as needed throughout the fall. Water 
thoroughly and whenever the top few inches 
are crumbly and slightly moist. Check my plant 
guide for more specifics on your plants watering 
needs. Properly watered plants are better able to 
survive the rigors of winter.

Reduce future workloads and improve your 
garden’s health and beauty. A layer of shredded 
leaves, evergreen needles or woodchips will help 
suppress weeds, conserve moisture, moderate 
soil temperatures, and improve the soil as they 
decompose.

Replace faded annuals with cool season 
annuals, mums, and other fall plants, decorative 
squash and pumpkins. And add a few fall 
containers to your front entrance, patio or deck. 
It adds color and a feeling of freshness to the 
garden.

Monitor and manage pests as needed. Keeping 
plants healthy throughout the growing season 
increases your overwintering success. Hand pick 
small populations of insects, rake and destroy 
disease infested leaves, and always use the most 
eco-friendly products when greater intervention 
is needed.

Keep applying animal repellents. Use a long 
lasting all natural product like Bobbex. Keeping 
hungry animals away from your landscape will 
help reduce the future risk of critters moving in 
and dining on your landscape.

Nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio 
host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has 30 
years of horticulture experience and has written 
over 20 gardening books, including Can’t Miss 
Small Space Gardening and The Garden Book for 
Wisconsin. She hosts the nationally syndicated 
Melinda’s Garden Moment segments which air on 
89 TV and radio stations throughout the U.S. She 
is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds 
& Blooms magazine, hosted “The Plant Doctor” 
radio program for over 20 years as well as Great 
Lakes Gardener on PBS. Melinda has a master’s 
degree in horticulture, is a certified arborist and 
was a horticulture instructor with tenure. Myers’ 
web site is www.melindamyers.com.


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CALL PATRICIA 626-818-2698

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com