Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, a
nonprofit southern California cultural center is thrilled to reveal that its
members were invited by pharmaceutical executive Gavin S. Herbert and
his wife Ninetta Herbert to their San Clemente estate for an exclusive
party in the cultural institution’s honor.
The event at La Casa Pacifica, as the property is called, was an afternoon
cocktail party held poolside, with the 3,000 SF entertainment pavilion and
all of the pathways throughout the estate’s 5.45 acres of pristine
oceanfront property available for guests to explore.
Ticket sales to the highly exclusive event raised $20,000 for Casa
Romantica’s non-profit programs and historic site preservation.
The founder and retired CEO of pharmaceutical giant Allergan purchased
the home with his wife Ninetta from former U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1980. The property, which is currently on the market for
$57.5M, is still known popularly as the “Western White House.” It is considered to be the most significant and the most private
oceanfront property in Southern California.
Gavin S. Herbert is a longtime supporter of Casa Romantica. As a member of the original Capital
Campaign committee that restored the cultural center’s historic property prior to its public
opening, he matched a $200K fundraiser to restore the historic estate’s tiles in 2002. In 2015,
he and Ninetta were the Honorary Chairs of Casa Romantica’s annual Toast to the Casa gala.
Gavin S. Herbert and Ninetta Herbert were
present to host the event. Among the
notable attendees were Peter and Gail Ochs,
Chair of Fieldstone Homes and founders of
the Fieldstone Foundation and the First
Fruits charity, Jerry Harrington, Alex and Pam
Munro and Keets and Frank Burlingham.
Casa Romantica Board Members in attendance were Board President Ruth
DeNault (Founder and Chair, DeNault’s Hardware), Board Vice-President David
Westendorf (Owner, Westendorf Produce), Gordon Olson (retired Partner,
Knobbe Martens Law), and John Wohlfiel (VP of Human Resources, Fluidmaster).
“This was a special moment in time for Casa Romantica and our closest members and supporters,”
says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika D. Palys. “Everyone will remember this afternoon for years to come.”
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens maintain a robust series of year-round programs in arts, music, history, horticulture,
and literature for all ages. Casa Romantica also hosts a variety of free arts education programs for children year-round. The institution’s annual Casa Romantica
Music Festival and Academy has received critical praise for its comprehensive two-week music studies program in cello, piano, viola,
and violin. Casa Romantica also offers a Summer Dance Workshop, a Spring Break Arts Week, various art, literature, and horticulture
events to grades K-12, and welcomes over 6,000 children from the Capistrano Unified School District each year for STEAM-based
field trips that examine the history of San Clemente and the coastal environment.
Mission Statement: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and is the historic home of the founder of the
City of San Clemente. Casa Romantica provides programs for all ages in arts, music, history, and horticulture and is a premiere Southern California
cultural center.
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens is located at 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, CA 92672. Hours: Tuesday—Thursday 11 am—4
pm; Friday—Sunday 10 am—2 pm; closed Mondays and holidays. General admission is $5; Casa Members and children under age 13 visit for FREE.
For more information, call (949) 498-2139 or visit CasaRomantica.org
