Playing tourist in your own hometown

Los Angeles is a very large city and it has a ton of things to do.  I would be the first to admit that I have seen only a tiny percentage of its many touristy attractions.  But yesterday I got the chance to see one I've never even heard of before.

Apparently the Gamble house is one of the premier examples of a Craftsman house designed by Greene and Greene, brother architects.  And I gotta say, it was pretty cool!

I learned all about this amazing historic site.  It was built from 1908 - 1909. It's called the Gamble house because the man who had it built was one of the Gambles from Proctor and Gamble.  It cost less than $100,000 to build. It is owned by the city of Pasadena, run by USC, and the money to maintain it comes from the Friends of the Gamble House.  But facts are just facts, and this house is a thing of beauty.

The house is gorgeous, all soft curves and many different kinds of warm wood, teak, oak, mahogany, cedar and maple.  All of the fixtures and furniture are beautiful, many of them designed by the two brothers.  There are also several Tiffany pieces and a couple of rooms furnished by Stickley. It had all of the time's most modern features, indoor plumbing, electricity, central heating, and a garage complete with gas tank and pump.

But my favorite feature of the house is its three, count them, three! sleeping porches.  I want a sleeping porch at my house . . .

So the next time you are at loose ends, go be a tourist where you live, you might be surprised by what you find!