Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-15
ROMANTICISM OF GOLDEN STATE
WINS EASTS GOLD, WRITER SAYS
CALIFORNIA SETS PACE )
FOR U. S. LITERATURE
Pen of Pasadena Woman Helps
Spread Fame of South
land Wonders

Una Nixon Hopkins of Pasadena is
one of the successful woman writer's
of the west. Her work is always in
demand. She has written not only
many charming articles about the out
door and indoor arrangements which
make California unique to the house
holder and tourist alike, but she has
published and placed upon the market
recently a book called "A Winter Ro-
nance in Poppy Land" which describes
the life of the winter resident in Los
Angeles and Pasadena with a vidid
color and keen realization of the de-
lights which the everyday incidents
Of the country may afford.
Visitors seeking the author out find
her home a picturesque bungalow situ-
ated in Congress street, where the
view from every point is beautiful.
Wide avenues overhung with interlac-
ing branches of the trees give vistas
through which mountains may be seen
on the one side and broad valleys on
the other with the precipitous Arroyo
Seco just within the picture.
for California writing, Mrs. Hopkins"
ventured the interviewer as she greeted
the author. What do the readers like
best? What finds the quickest market
with publishers in the east?'
EAST INTERESTED IN CALIFORNIA
'Easterners are vitality interested in
everything that is Californian" was the
reply. "They want to know about our
climate, about our architecture and
about our historic and legendary past
Publishers who keep a record of the
public pulse know to what extent this
taste has grown and consequently are
not slow in allowing good proportion
of their pages for the printing of such
matter"
ION your recent trip through. the
east did you discover that the influence
of this style has made itself felt in
any degree?"
"Oh. yes. 1t is evident to a large ex-
tent in suburban and summer homes.
City lots in eastern cities are too
cramped to permit of such long, low
lines as those we find most pictur-
esdue in building our homes, but at
the seaside and in mountain resorts
there are many instances. in which this
California style of house has been
used with great success"
Did you find any other instnces in
which our western influence is felt?'
TAKING OUR MEN AND WOMEN
'eWhy, it is most astonishing to
know Of the number of ways in which
the east is now drawing on the west
They take their ideas from us, and their
novelties, and now they are taking
our men and women. Many of the
magazines which I visited pointed with
pride to the large proportion of their
writer's and editors who were Califor-
mans. and more than one publisher
this autumn has two or three books by
California writer's in his latest edi-
tions."
Mrs. Hopkins was asked about her
own work and how she came to adopt
the line she has followed.
"NeH, [ was always interested in
designing rooms and the color schemes
for them. then, too, I had some knowl-
edge of house building, and at one time
took considerable pleasure in design
ing building and furnishing houses
just to sell"
did you find this a remunerative
,occupation?"
"Yes, fairly but I was obliged to
drop it as my writing became more in
sistent. and now I do all my building
in paper houses. I still have the
pleasure of designing the color schemes
and the shape and size of rooms, but
now I do it all on paper instead Of
with the wood and tapestry and furni-
ture."
GETS IDEAS FROM STAGE
do you find that your special work
along architectural lines is more salts
factory than the general stories of the
country, Mrs. Hopkns?"
eyes indeed Of course specializa-
ton always commands higher prices"
HAD you studied architecture at
all when you took up this work?"
mo, nothing but just an ordinary art
course, and sometimes even now
find the little practical details very
tiresome. Putting in closets and leav-
ing enough room for the screen porch
and such incidentals almost spoil the
pleasure that comes with putting the
windows and doors just where they be-
long, and all those delightful inciden-
tails of house planning"
'"Where do you find your most fire.
quent inspiration for new ideas along
these lines?"
"WeI, 1 think I study such things
more at the theater than anywhere
else. It is most interesting to consider
the effect the stage settings and Co.'S
tunes have on the individuality of
the players. Frequently, 1 must con-
fess, 1 feel confident that I could
greatly improve upon the arrange
ment."
STUBBORN KNOTS
She tied ribbon in her hair,