In
my opinion, there are two kinds of neighborhoods of single-family, stand-alone
homes.
One
consists of “Twinkie” houses, named after the
late-and-possibly-soon-to-be-revived Hostess cake. Twinkie houses look alike.
They may be tasteful and individual on the inside, but walking in a
neighborhood of Twinkie houses can be a numbing experience (unless you
concentrate on something else, like trees or flowers). Homeowners’
associations (HOAs) do not allow Twinkie house owners to paint their homes in
bright, lively colors (like, ironically, an actual Twinkie would be), nor do
they allow personal touches such as gardens or landscaping in the front yard.
The
other kind of neighborhood is a Gallery of Homes. Each house is different, and
this variety delights the eye. You may see an adobe-style home right next to a
Colonial right next to an Art Deco right next to a bungalow. People love to
walk in Gallery of Homes neighborhoods. People get in their cars and drive to
Gallery of Homes neighborhoods just so they can walk in them.
It’s
exercise, aesthetics, meditation – and sometimes therapy.
This
upcoming weekend, April 27 and 28 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day), you will have
the opportunity to walk – and much more – at the annual Floral Park Home and Garden Tour. Floral Park is within the borders of Santa
Ana, but it is not “like” the stereotypes you might attach to Santa Ana – or,
for that matter, most other Orange County neighborhoods.
Floral
Park started to grow right after World War I, and without a dictatorial HOA on
hand, homeowners were allowed to build in the style that their hearts desired.
Thanks to a dedicated and active Neighborhood Association, Floral Park has been
allowed to stay the way it is – a Gallery of Homes neighborhood.
For
the price of a ticket ($30), you will receive the privilege of actually going
into a select few of the Floral Park homes for docent-led tours. No matter
which homes you go to, I guarantee (and I don’t guarantee often) that you will
see prime examples of good taste in interior and backyard decorating.
In
addition to the Home Tour, there will also be a “Street of Treasures” (i.e.,
arts, crafts, and antiques) and a classic car exhibition.
According
to the 2012 Home Tour brochure,
“We
are proud of our heritage and endeavor to maintain historic correctness
[italics mine] in the process of refurbishing, remodeling and upgrading our
classic homes.”
(If you want to keep the magic going, Tustin will have its own Home Tour one week later on Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
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