As a regular visitor to the Palm Desert area, I often wondered what was behind the big pink walls where Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra Drives intersect in Rancho Mirage. During Modernism Week I found out.
Tours of Sunnylands were among the more than 350 events and activities offered during the 10-day celebration of all things midcentury Modern. I couldn’t resist a visit to the marvelous estate built by media mogul and philanthropist Walter Annenberg and his second wife.
Some History
Conceived as both a family home to escape winters in Wynnewood, PA, where the couple maintained their permanent residence, and an intimate, high-level retreat where leaders of government and industry could meet privately to address national and global concerns, Sunnylands has successfully filled both roles since it was completed in 1966.
The centerpiece of the 200-acre estate is the fabulous glass and Mexican lava rock 25,000- square-foot midcentury home designed by architect A. Quincy Jones. It’s hard not to “ooh and aah” when the front door of the historic main house opens onto the spectacular great room. Pink marble floors, prolific plantings, and an outstanding art collection await visitors. Rodin’s Eve, surrounded by 300 pink bromeliads, will be one of the first things you’ll see in the central atrium. There are exquisite midcentury furnishings and stunning panoramic desert views.
Inside Sunnylands
Visitors on the 90-minute Historic House Tour, which is the only way to visit the home, learn all about the property and the people who designed, built, lived in and stayed at this wonderful estate. You’ll visit all of the rooms in the house including my personal favorite–the Room of Memories. It’s chock full of memorabilia marking momentous occasions, Christmas cards and thank you letters—some from British royalty, photos, portraits, and family mementos.
Yellow, Pink, and Green
The stunning dining room, living room, cozy game room, and the kitchen, where visitors will get a peek at the incredible china collection the Annenbergs used to host dinners large and small, are all on the tour. Don’t miss their breakfast china. They both had their own pattern.
Visitors also have access to the Annenberg’s private quarters. Mrs. Annenberg modified these after her husband’s death in 2002 at the age of 94. The color-themed guest rooms, all in her favorite colors of yellow, pink and green, are also on the house tour.
You’ll also see the Inwood Room, redesigned from its original purpose as a patio, to hold many of the antiques Mrs. Annenberg brought to Sunnylands after closing their Pennsylvania home, Inwood. She wanted a place that reminded her of her home in the East.
Masterpieces
The Annenbergs, known for their support of the arts, filled Sunnylands with masterpieces by artists including Picasso, Degas, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Renoir, Matisse, Rodin, Giacometti and Braque. Some of the paintings now on the walls are high-quality reproductions. Mr. Annenberg donated many of the original works to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where he was a trustee for many years.
Playtime
The grounds include a tennis court, private nine- hole golf course and no less than 11 lakes. Now operated by the Annenberg Foundation Trust, the estate has expanded to include 15 additional acres for the Sunnylands Center and Gardens, which opened in 2012. That’s the same year the property became accessible to the public.
U.S. Presidents
Sunnylands served as the winter home of the Annenbergs. It was also designed to function as a private and intimate retreat for luminaries and world leaders. The guest list is as impressive as the property. Eight U.S. Presidents were among the notable visitors the Annenbergs welcomed to Sunnylands. Dwight Eisenhower, an avid golfer, was the first U.S. President to enjoy a round on the estate’s private course with Walter Annenberg.
Ronald Reagan, a good friend of the Annenbergs, was a frequent guest as President, and earlier, when he served as Governor of California. Along with his wife Nancy, a dear friend of Leonore “Lee” Annenberg, the Reagans were a fixture at the Sunnylands New Year’s Eve party for many years.
Mr. Reagan held cabinet meetings and invited his top advisors to the estate. President Reagan’s treat of choice, JellyBelly® jellybeans are still available in his favorite guest room. No detail that could add to a guest’s pleasure was too small to include at Sunnylands. Fun fact; the jellybeans are color-coordinated to match the bedding and upholstery!
Richard Nixon, was also a long-time friend of the couple and another frequent guest before, during and after his presidency. He spent a number of months in seclusion at the estate after his resignation. His poignant thank you note is on display in the house.
President George H.W. Bush held the only State dinner ever hosted outside the White House at Sunnylands for Prime Minister Kaifu of Japan in 1990. They were able to negotiate some difficult trade issues in the relaxed setting Sunnylands provided. President Bush also enjoyed fishing at the estate. He preferred the Green Room for its proximity to the lake for early morning angling.
Presidents Gerald Ford, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton all enjoyed the Annenberg’s hospitality at Sunnylands. President Obama was a three-time visitor. He met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on one occasion and Jordan’s King Abdullah II on another. He also held a summit with 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders at the estate. The “Sunnylands Declaration” resulted from the meeting.
Welcoming World Leaders
Appointed by President Reagan, Walter Annenberg served as U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James and was awarded an Honorary Knightship (KBE). It’s no surprise that Queen Elizabeth IIPrince Philip, Prince Charles, and other members of the British Royal Family were visitors to Sunnylands.
U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony Kennedy, Secretary of State George Shultz, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Henry Kissinger, Barbara Walters, Colin Powell, Steve Forbes and other highly influential people from government, industry, media and the arts have all been feted at Sunnylands.
Weddings and Celebrations
It hasn’t been all problem solving and high- level meetings at the estate though. Frank Sinatra wed his wife Barbara at Sunnylands and the couple were frequent guests at festivities there, including the social event of the year—the Annenberg’s annual New Year’s Eve party. Hollywood icons like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck and Ginger Rogers have all been on the guest list. Photos capturing the Annenbergs and their famous friends at play are on display throughout the home.
The historic main house can be visited only by guided tour. Tours must be booked online, typically one month in advance. The Historic House Tour slots fill quickly because access is limited. Plan ahead! This is the only tour that provides access to the home.
Groups of seven are shuttled from the Visitor Center to the house for the 90-minute tour, which includes standing and walking—there is no sitting down and children under 10 are not permitted. Knowledgeable guides, many from local colleges, accompany visitors through the home and around the lushly landscaped exterior areas adjacent to the house.
Sunnyland’s Open Air Experience
There is a separate tour available for the grounds without prior reservations. The Open Air Experience is a 45-minute trip aboard an electric shuttle around the exquisite estate with visits to various outdoor locations such as the private golf course where visitors can see a Kwakiutl totem pole built especially for the Annenbergs, the Chinese Pavilion where Mrs. Annenberg entertained lunch guests, the Annenbergs’ final resting place, sculpture including Birds of Welcome by Art Price, and much more.
Sustainability
The Sunnylands Foundation is committed to sustainability. Steps being taken to preserve and protect plant and wildlife species on the grounds are discussed during the visit. The Open Air Experience can be booked on a first come-first served basis during a visit to the Sunnylands Center and Gardens. Unlike the other tours, it does not require prior reservations.
Birding tours on the Estate are also available and must be booked online, in advance. An experienced birder leads the 90-minute excursion and all levels are welcome to participate.
Visit the Gardens for Free
There is no admission fee for the Sunnylands Center and Gardens, which opened in 2012 and is family-friendly. Inside the glass-walled building guests can enjoy a short film that tells the history of the estate and the Annenbergs. This is well worth viewing before visiting the house or in lieu of, if you haven’t been fortunate enough to reserve space on a tour. There are art and photo exhibitions, historic photos, and memorabilia on display.
There’s also a gift shop and a small café for a casual lunch or snack, which can be enjoyed indoors or outside at the tables overlooking the garden. On a recent visit, families were playing games and picnicking on the garden’s central grassy grounds.
The expansive gardens include a labyrinth for peaceful mediation, meandering paths, reflection pools and more than 70 species of native plant life. The native and drought-resistant plants used in the landscape are clearly marked. Surely, this adds to the enjoyment of amateur botanists.
If You Go
Tours are not conducted while retreats and meetings are taking place on the property. No photos are allowed inside the house due to security concerns. The Annenberg Foundation graciously provided the interior photos I’ve included here. Sunnylands is not open during summer months. Please visit their website for current tour dates and ticket information.
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