Sure Cure for Stir Crazy? - Page 2

"Inside, a few of my favorites are a variegated rubber tree, which does well in the dining area; and a pearlescent pin anthurium, which flowers almost all year round," she related. The rubber plant incidentally graces her list, under the heading 'MCM-friendly plants for bright lighting.' Noting that views from both sides of the glass are important, she adds, "Outdoors I have a tropical garden with palms, plumeria, giant birds of paradise, hibiscus, and philodendrons around the pool."

Biondo, a restoration consultant by trade, is rightfully as proud of her and her husband's Eichler as Margot Gordon is of hers in Los Altos. Mother of the Gordon behind the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company, Margot tells Dave Weinstein an enchanting story in his 'Life on the Line' feature about how she and her husband, Barry, succumbed to an irresistible sales pitch from none other than Joe Eichler himself.

"He kind of seduced us with the idea that all of these [photos] would be in Life magazine," she relates of the Ernie Braun photo shoot they sat for in 1968. "And we bought into it, because we thought that it would be fun, and because everyone across the country, including our relatives, would see them."

Unfortunately, when the world did see them, it wasn't in Life magazine. Braun wound up giving the Gordon family an album of the shoot, and some shots ran in the newspaper and a sales brochure—but not in a national magazine.

Mid-century disappointment is similarly an underlying theme of CA-Modern's 'Unsung Masters' series, which in the new spring issue chronicles underrated jazz pianists of the mid-century. The story actually covers a range of reputations among jazzmen, from the more-often appreciated Horace Silver and Red Garland to near unknowns, including Carl Perkins, also the namesake of a famed '50s rocker.

Other stories in the Spring issue include Biondo's 'Wall of the Wild,' picks for fresh wall art in MCM homes; and Cherry Capri's 'Dear Cherry' advice column, filled with tips for healthy homemaking and mid-mod manners.

Oh, and there's also a feature by yours truly, 'Diamonds of the West,' about how modernist architecture influenced the design of 1960s Major League Baseball parks in California. OK, it ain't real-live baseball, Mac, but it will have to do for the time being.

So…be sure to check out the Spring '20 issue of CA-Modern—with the print edition now en route to mailboxes everywhere. Oh, and you can click here to purchase the print edition (and past and future print issues as well), or click here for our free flip-book edition.