Throughout my art and architectural history education, I've always heard of the most beautiful room in the world. The pictures are famous, we've all surely seen them: the Roman Pool at San Simeon.
Hearst had the indoor pool created between 1927 and 1934 for guests who didn't want to use the now equally famous Neptune Pool which was outdoors. Sadly, most guests chose not to use the indoor pool as its' location was a bit out of the way, located far underneath the tennis courts which were already much lower than the rest of the hilltop estate.
The pool still went to good use though, the servants were granted permission to have the pool at their disposal. Some perk! Above is the diving platform. Light streams into the space from a skylight above.
The room and pool were styled on the
Baths of Caracalla in Rome while the blue and gold mosaics were based on the 5th Century
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy. Windows line the room on 3 sides with shaded views of the surrounding mountains while the 4th side (seen in most of these photos) leads to different exercise rooms.
Eight copies of ancient Greek and Roman statues were started in 1930 by Carlo Freter in Pietrasanta, Italy in white marble to match the white marble lamps that line the room and estate.
The pool itself has a deep flat bottom, perfect for diving, while the area underneath the diving platform becomes more shallow. Not a pool for beginners!
The Venetian glass tiles are arranged in a mosaic pattern of marine sea monsters, a popular theme for baths in Roman times. Yes, the gold tiles are actually lined with REAL gold!
I loved these white marble pool ladders -identical to the ones up at the Neptune pool. They're a bit more stylish than the stainless steel variety one finds now! Last but not least, the enormous tennis courts which fill the roof of the pool. I hope you enjoyed this opulent peak at the most beautiful pool I've ever seen!
Written permission was kindly granted to post my interior photos of San Simeon on this blog. Please respect that and do not copy without permission. Thanks!
Where do you stand on playing with architecture; Akin to playing with fire? I don't mean quite the level of playfulness of Disney, but more like this little townhouse I came across in San Francisco.
A plain white stucco house but with some amazingly FUN grillwork; I love the use of color and playful shapes here. You know whoever lives here is definitely a character (in a good way!). Even these little dormers above the door, which I doubt are functional as they're so small, bring a lot of personality to the house. 
Playing with architecture has a fruitful history. Across the street from this very house is an example: Egyptian Revival, probably from the early 1920s. Don't tell me they weren't being playful! If you can't be playful with your own house, where can you?
It's right out of an old movie: a glamorous place to have a drink or meet friends.
Near the ballroom on one of the lower levels is the famous 
It was sadly closed on the days we stayed in the hotel, but I managed to sneak in for a peak!
How I would have loved to eat here!
The floors above are also nicely decorated with some interesting chinoiserie art, this piece faced the door to our room.
Also loved these fabulous mirrors at the end of the hallways. The hotel is really immense, it was a bit of a hike from the elevator.
The room was basic but comfortable; light filled and cheerful.
None of the furniture was quite standard issue.
And just to part, the closet was immense - probably the size of my apartment here in DC! Seriously, you could have fit a double bed in here with room to spare, the picture doesn't quite capture that. My 3 shirts hanging there sure do look lonely though!
I'm off on a jet plane to somewhere cool and wet for a much needed break. I'll leave you with some of my pictures of the beaches in California I saw last month - aren't they breathtaking? 
The above photos are from route 1 through the Big Sur, a trip I would recommend to anyone. Remember to rent a convertible, it's worth it! Just DRIVE SLOWLY!
Applegarth was, for a time, partner with another graduate of the Ecole, Kenneth MacDonald, in the firm McDonald and Applegarth. They were young architects directly after the devastating 1906 earthquake which definitely helped their careers along! The partners split in 1912 during the construction of the Spreckels Mansion. Applegarth went on to a very long and prosperous career in the Bay Area, most famously the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park for the Spreckels (which I briefly mention in an older post 
Alma lived in the house until her death in 1968. At one point she had the original front door, seen above, moved to the side where it currently is beneath a porte cochere. After her death, the house was divided into 4 full floor apartments until being sold by the family to Danielle Steele, who returned it to a single family residence.
Apparently Steele is chastized for not taking better care of the exterior of the house (despite numerous remodels of the interior over the years) and shrouding the house in TALL bushes, hiding it from Lafayette Park across the street. She likes her privacy I guess! However in the days of the Spreckels, the house was painfully lacking in landscaping, allowing the public to enjoy the beautiful home. Also, despite having an indoor garage and large outdoor parking court, Steele apparently is hogging parking permits for 24 street spots in a very congested area. Tsk, tsk Danielle!
Thanks to everyone who helped fill me in on this magnificent estate. If anyone knows of any interior photos, please send them my way! 
Along the way I came across this beautiful old house with a lovely worn 
