HANDMADE ITEMS? They're treasures, gems to be valued, nifty things to show off to friends and family members when they stop by. It could be a unique necklace, or funky hat, or outlandish piece of furniture, but it is an item that stands alone, the only one of its kind, and it has both gained your admiration and stolen your heart. Of course, extraordinary stand-alone items are not simply relegated to the jewelry box or hat stand; you can find quirky masterpieces of the most colossal variety, if you know where to look. And if you look to Julian, in the chaparral-filled hills near the historic town, you'll find a walk-inside handmade treasure, one of the Golden State's great and most unusual homes. It's the...
HUBBELL HOUSE, home to the Ilan-Lael Foundation, and it is an earthy, curvy, tile-bedecked, light-filled wonder of a cool casa. There have been in-depth, in-person tours to take now and then, giving architecture fans a rare chance to see how Jim and Anne Hubbell created their offbeat and stunning compound over several years. But here's an even rarer treat: On Father's Day Weekend, the tour is going virtual. A ticket is $9.99, which goes to support the arts foundation's programs. Have you always vowed to journey to Julian to see a house that is truly made by hand, one that fulfilled the vision of artist Jim Hubbell? A handsome home that is full of fanciful glasswork and stonework and all of those swooping earthen walls? Visit from your own home, over Father's Day Weekend, via the virtual peek inside.
