Rubel Castle, Michael's Room

I almost forgot I promised to tell you more about this triangle shaped, glass bottle wall when I posted a photo of it last week.

The wall forms part of the loft above Michael Rubel's private room, one of the first things he built as Rubel Castle was beginning to form.

Michael's mother Dorothy liked to host lots of parties. Hollywood celebrities came to the Packing House. Dorothy was good friends with the famous fan dancer and actress, Sally Rand. Jack Benny came, and Bob Hope, even Alfred Hitchcock. There was usually dancing and a small orchestra.

Michael was not a party guy.

So he began to build himself a retreat where he could dream of his ambition.

There's something poignant about this little room. The loft above it is reached by a rickety ladder. There's nothing up there now but the bottle wall, some dust and a rug. But Michael's ambition surrounds it, in the form of his Castle.

We'll look at some of the antique Castle vehicles next time.

Rubel Castle, Portcullis

Once you're inside the security door of the Rubel Castle property, you approach Rubel Castle proper. You enter through a portcullis. Yes, you do.

The Wikipedia article mentions that the builder, Michael Rubel, purchased the Glendora property in 1959. It doesn't point out that he was only 19 years old at the time. He and his mother worked out the deal and moved into the existing citrus packing house with their family antiques.

Michael's mother, Dorothy Deuel Rubel, had been a dancer on Broadway in the Greenwich Village Follies and was friends with Sally Rand. (You'll find their memorabilia when you tour the castle.) Dorothy loved to host parties, and many Hollywood glitterers attended.

The castle is another story, to be continued...