Prelude Luncheon Kicked Off Annual Holiday Look In Home Tour to Support the Pasadena Symphony, POPS and Youth Orchestra

“This is a tour not to be missed,” Drusie Taylor told 65 members of the Pasadena Symphony Women’s Committee, Symphony Board members and guests at the annual Prelude Luncheon at the Valley Hunt Club Nov. 10. Taylor is the group’s president.

Guests viewed a slide preview of the 2019 docent led Holiday Look In Home Tour which features four distinctive homes in the Pasadena area. Each home is decked out in fancy and innovative floral decorations. To top it off, visitors will be serenaded by professional musicians in each home.

“The Women’s Committee has always been a perfect partner for the local florists, musicians and generous home owners in Pasadena who work together to create the Holiday Look In and in turn support the Pasadena Symphony. Our goals are the same, as is our shared love of music, and the arts, and providing a musical experience to youth,” said Marsha Willhight, who heads the effort this year.

Between courses of glazed salmon or turkey and the fixings, four sets of home owners and four master florists, met and mingled. Florists for this year are Drew Domenghini of Patterson’s Topiaries, Pots and Teas; Margit Holakoui Florist; Lisa Cardelli of Ixoral Floral Studio; and Hank Maarse of Jacob Maarse Floral Design. “It’s like an enchanted garden in every home,” Marsha Wilhite opined, Holiday Look In chairperson, commented.

The home owners mixed with other guests, relaying their experiences in getting ready for the tour. Chief docents, Gail Crotty, Robin Asjes, Cheri Stroble, Mona Neter and Terry Jaurequi, Pat Russell and Ann Beeson-Leal, and Brenda Baity and Kathryn Gillespie will be on hand at each of the four homes, which are all originally designed by architect Roland E. Coate. The four homes, although they share the same architect, differ in style, from Colonial Revival to French Provincial.

The event this year takes place on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8, 2019. Tickets are $40 if purchased in advance. The two day boutique is at the Scottish Rite Temple and offers free entry and parking on both days.

The Women’s Committee of the Pasadena Symphony Association, founded in 1957 as a support group, initiated its first “Holiday Look In” tour in 1968 with decorations provided by the Pasadena Chapter of the American Institute of Decorators. Its success led to the annual event in the 51 years since. In 1970 Pasadena florist Jacob Maarse offered to help with the decorations, creating a tradition joined since then by other prominent local florists. In 2018 the Holiday Look In event provided $150,000 for support of the Pasadena Symphony. “The HLI Committee is working hard to make this year’s event better than ever,” according to Marsha Willhite, Holiday Look In Chairperson.