Preservation Mirage (PM) kicked off the season with an event at the historic Tamarisk Country Club on Nov. 13. Event committee chair Carol LeFlufy welcomed more than 100 “country club chic attired” guests to the inaugural scholarship fundraiser and gala to support two outstanding local architecture students from College of the Desert (COD).
Nathan Jacroux, president of Preservation Mirage, introduced last year’s scholarship recipient, Eduardo Ortiz, who wowed with his birdhouse inspired by Gin Wong’s famed Beverly Hills gas station, which also referenced the Provident Bank in Rancho Mirage. Each scholarship covers full tuition and books for the two-year COD architecture program.
COD architecture department head Bert Bitanga introduced the 2024 scholarship awardee Anabella Lira, who plans to continue her architectural studies in San Diego.
Next, guests got a sneak peek at the upcoming documentary short “Preservation Mirage Presents Richard Neutra’s Maslon House,” which will premiere Feb. 19 during Modernism Week. The film chronicles the life of the Maslon House, Richard Neutra’s residential masterpiece built in 1962.
Director and Producer Scott Goldstein, who also serves as vice president of Preservation Mirage, explained that he took his first steps at his grandparents’ home in Tamarisk Country Club, and the Maslon House was a constant presence across the fairway.
“Seeing the home movie footage provided by the Maslon’s granddaughter, Hilary Maslon, was a catalyst for making the film — the Maslon House was a modern masterpiece, filled with important art and set in a magical location,” Goldstein said.
Commissioned by Sam and Nuella Maslon, Neutra designed a quintessential modern home with long overhangs, floor-to-ceiling windows and long gallery walls to house their significant collection of modern art. It was one of only three Neutra-designed homes in the Coachella Valley.
In 2002, the house was razed, sparking international outrage and transforming the ethos of preservation in Rancho Mirage and the Coachella Valley forever.
Through archival footage, new footage and firsthand accounts, the film explores the architect, the client, the art collection and the home, allowing the audience to connect to this lost architectural treasure. The film interviews a wide array of subjects, including author Adele Cygelman, designer and curator Brad Dunning, photographer David Glomb, Neutra scholar Barbara Lamprecht, family member Hilary Maslon, preservationist Peter Moruzzi and PM President Emeritus Melissa Riche.
At the gala, guest Jeff Kohl became the first Maslon film patron to underwrite final film production. Patrons will receive credit in the film, a framed artist’s proof of the Maslon House signed by midcentury modernist artist/designer John Pirman and two VIP tickets to the Feb. 19 premiere at the Annenberg Theatre followed by a VIP reception.
Jacroux also thanked members of the Rancho Mirage City Council — Mayor Steve Downs, Mayor Pro Tem Ted Weill, Council Member Lynn Mallatto and Council Member Micheal O’Keefe — for attending the gala and securing funds in the city’s budget for a much-needed update of the historic resources survey, which will expand the protection of our architecturally significant homes and buildings.
To become a Maslon film patron or become a member, visit preservationmirage.org. To buy a ticket to the Maslon film premiere, visit go.modtix.com/f/2025/maslon-house.
Retired from the fashion industry, Suzanne Fromkin serves on the Tools for Tomorrow board and is an avid art and theater lover.
