Maybelline Cousins Leave Chicago Bound for California to Visit the Villa Valentino in Hollywood in 1940

Excerpt from Maybelline founder, Tom Lyle Williams niece,Jane Allen's, diary during her trip to the Villa Valentino, in Hollywood California with her cousin Annette Williams

On Wednesday June 5, 1940, Annette and I left Chicago on the Grand Canyon Limited bound for California to visit with our uncle, Tom Lyle Williams. Amid much excitement we boarded the train at 11:30 am. Unkie (TL's brother,) and aunt Frances and several of Annette's friends were at the station to see us off and wish us joy.

We had lunch on the train and settled for a long ride. There were very few people in our car, but it wasn't long before a young gentleman invited us to play bridge. Annette didn't care to play, so I made the fourth. I didn't learn the names of but one, Bill Munro from Boston Mass. He was very nice and was with Annette and me most of the train trip.

Our train was scheduled for La Junta, Colorado at 8:30 am. Thursday June 6, so I wired aunt Frank and she and uncle Weldon, Ruth, Little Phillip and Betty all met the train. We enjoyed seeing all the folks.

The train stopped in Albuquerque for about twenty minutes. Uncle Weldon had wired ahead to Anita from Las Vegas to meet the train. We had a nice visit with Anita too.

Friday June 7, 1940, was spent at the Grand Canyon.

 Our tour included breakfast, lunch and dinner at the El Tovar Hotel and two bus rides around the rim of the Canyon. The Grand Canyon is 17 miles long, has an average width of 10 miles and is one mile in depth. We didn't take the ride on mule back down the Canyon to Phantom Ranch, because of lack of time. The two trips by bus gave us an idea of what the Canyon is like. A word picture of this magnificent spectacle would be inadequate. The guide spoke of the Canyon as “The big hole in the ground,” but, it is so large it almost takes your breath away. The day was bright and the colors of the Canyon were lovely. The air was so clear we could get a glimpse of the Painted Desert in the distance.

While riding into Williams, Arizona from the Canyon, I checked the train schedule and discovered the train we were taking arrived in Los Angeles around eleven in the morning, instead of 7:40 pm, as shown on the time table. We wired Tom Lyle and he met us at the Union Station in Los Angeles.

Tom Lyle had workmen busy at the house and the place was upset, so he wouldn't take us home until later. We had lunch at the Pig 'n Whistle, a real cute place and delicious lunch, after which we proceeded to 6776 Wedgewood Place, Hollywood.

First looked over the gardens, saw the Valentino fountain overlooking the swimming pool, badminton court and all the flowers before seeing the Villa Valentino. Then came the house. Everything is lovely. After seeing his movie pictures, we had some idea of the layout of the gardens and the house, but not one part in the pictures were as lovely as the actual gardens and home. The white house is a beautiful contrast to the various vivid colors all around the house.

The swimming pool is grand! And has all colors in lounge chairs, pillows, tile with lots of colors and varieties of colors in flowers.

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