I would tell you what part of Lotusland this is, but I don't know 'cause I couldn't get a reservation.
I have, for some time, been longing to tour Ganna Walska Lotusland, a private garden in the upscale neighborhood of Monticeto, California.
I had planned to hitch a ride down to Santa Barbara with my friend Paree and meet up with another gardening fanatic friend, Jennifer, to tour Lotusland. The day before I left, I called Lotusland to make a tour reservation. The phone call went something like this:
Unknown Garden Docent or vagrant sleeping next to phone: “Hello, Lotusland.”
Garden Vagrant: “Oh, sorry you can’t.”
Me: “I can’t what?”
Vagrant: “You can’t make reservations.”
Me: “Why can’t I make reservation?”
Vagrant: “Cause we are booked.”
Me: “Well what about for Wednesday?”
Vagrant: “Oh no, not on Wednesday either.”
Me: “Well when can I make reservations?”
Vagrant: “We are booked until the end of the season. We will open again in February.”
Me: “February? I wont be here in February. Is there a waiting list I can get on in case someone cancels?”
Vagrant: “Oh no, we have a limited use license because we are in a residential neighborhood.”
Me: “Why does that stop you from having a waiting list?”
Vagrant: “Well because we have a limited use license.”
Me: “What?”
Vagrant: “You have to call back in February to make a reservation.”
Me: “ So There is nothing you can do to get me in to see Lotusland this week.”
Vagrant: “No”
Me: “So that’s it then”
Vagrant: “Yes.”
I had the strange feeling that I was interrupting her favorite morning show, like “My Strange Addiction,” or “Here Comes Honey BooBoo.” Or maybe she had just pulled a fresh, gooey Cinnabon out of the microwave, and was just getting ready to wash it down with a hot cup of Folgers.
She is probably a docent who has never been paid, who harbors some weird hatred toward tourists. Whatever her story was, she wasn’t the least bit interested in helping me (or anyone) gain entrance to Lotusland.
So I had to put my dream aside, and content myself with making up stories about the creepy, unhelpful woman on the other end of the phone.
My girlfriend had a much healthier attitude about the whole disaster. She said, “Hey, that means is we are going to have to meet again in the next few months.”
That made me feel much better.
There is a way to get into Lotusland without a reservation - become a member. Members get free entrance, don't need a reservation, and don't have to take a tour. We found that out after managing to get a reservation and taking the tour. Well worth a visit.
(hope I didn't send this twice, wifi is acting up here)
Posted by: Michelle | November 01, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Hey Michelle, Thank you for the great info. I never thought of that. Ah, the beauty of having a blog is that people who are smarter than you come and visit. Yay!
Posted by: chigiy | November 01, 2012 at 06:48 PM