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Tour George Lucas‘s Office at Skywalker Ranch

By Patricia Leigh Brown

Photography by Mary E. Nichols

The compound includes a Victorian-style main house and numerous outbuildings.

Built in 1985 and surrounded by mostly native trees, the 50,000-square-foot house contains Lucas’s office, his research library, a music room, a 35-seat theater and a solarium. Lucas conceptualized the design and passed it to a local firm, TWM Architects, to execute.

“I move around in the era of 1850 to 1910,” Lucas says. For the Lucasfilm Research Library, he asked artisan Eric Christensen to create stained glass “reminiscent of the work of Greene and Greene.” The fully staffed library accommodates more than 27,000 titles.

A side table in Lucas’s office holds a stereopticon, original maquettes for a Star Wars chess set and a Hopi kachina doll.

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Atop his office desk are a Tiffany lamp and toy cars from the 1920s and ’30s. A circa 1920 painting by J. C. Leyendecker is at rear.

Maxfield Parrish’s The Waterfall joins Star Wars prototypes in the writing room. Northern California-based Deborah Brown Michie designed this and other rooms in the house. The quilt was a birthday gift from the children and teachers at Lucasfilm’s child-care facility.

The restaurant serving the BAR Architects-built Technical Building “was modeled after an 1880s winery,” Lucas explains.

Part of the guest complex, a 26-room bed-and-breakfast for clients, the guesthouse has two- and three-bedroom apartments for long stays at Skywalker Ranch. Rooms are dedicated to historical figures Lucas admires, such as Dorothy Parker, John Steinbeck and Ansel Adams.

A Paramount film, Twisted , with Samuel L. Jackson and Ashley Judd, gets the once-over from Skywalker Sound in a sound mix room.

Architect Robert Remiker and designer Lori O’Kane Backen styled an inn for ranch guests. Shown in the stone-and-wood Miner’s Lounge.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Room, one of many theme rooms at The Inn, has a drawing by the architect, left. Stickley furniture.

Aspen, birch and maple trees envelop the guesthouse courtyard, designed by the Bay Area landscape architecture firm Baronian Whisler. “Hanging out here with 10 to 15 people on an autumn or spring night, when it’s vaguely nippy with a fire going, is really nice,” says Lucas

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Skywalker Ranch

Skywalker Ranch, home of Skywalker Sound, is one of the film industry’s most legendary campuses. Located in Marin, the expansive grounds combine the innovative spirit of Lucasfilm with the pastoral California landscape and traditional Victorian architecture. Built with a spirit of sustainability, a majority of the surrounding land is home to domestic farm animals, organic gardens, a 26-acre vineyard, a seven-acre olive tree grove, and bee colonies that produce the Ranch’s honey. There is no other place like it.

The Inn at Skywalker Ranch

Clients of Skywalker Sound stay at the Inn at Skywalker Ranch, a 26-room bed and breakfast. The rooms and suites have surprising monikers, such as “Akira Kurosawa,” “Dorothy Parker,” and “George Gershwin,” among others -- all named in tribute to people that George Lucas, Skywalker Ranch’s founder, admires. Photographs, art, books, and rare artifacts decorate each room in honor of its namesake.

Continental breakfast is provided daily. Lunch is available weekdays at the Main House Dining Room and Fitness Center Salad Bar and Grill. Arrangements can be made for a catered, delivered, or self-cooked dinner, or guests can explore the diverse selection of excellent restaurants in Marin County and San Francisco.

While staying at Skywalker Ranch, guests are welcome to use the Fitness Center and shop at the General Store for souvenirs such as Skywalker Ranch wine, honey, olive oil, and clothing. The Fitness Center offers state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a pristine 75' x 25' heated swimming pool, racquetball/volleyball, half-court basketball, a handball court, and an aerobics room. Bicycles are available for transportation around the Ranch.

Brook House, Carriage House and Gate House

Skywalker Ranch's ancillary buildings -- the Brook House, Carriage House, and Gate House -- provide production offices for filmmakers and producers. Each has its own theater for screenings and reviews. All were built in the 1980s, but crafted in the style of a particular era: Brook House as 1913 Craftsman, Carriage House as 1915 Barn, and Gate House as 1870 Victorian/Craftsman.

Reference Library

The Lucas Research Library is a full-service research department providing reference for film, television, and theater productions. With an extensive collection of books, periodicals, and picture files, it provides historical and contemporary images to production personnel. Costume and set designers, hair stylists, makeup artists, directors, and producers have used the Lucas Research Library's services for decades.

The Main House, a Victorian-style mansion with Art Deco touches, is Skywalker Ranch's warm centerpiece. Completed in 1985, designers used vintage materials whenever possible in the Main House’s construction; the tight-grained redwood paneling in its hallways is first-growth redwood rescued from one of California’s earliest bridges, and the campus' rock walls were made using stones found on the property.

Observatory

An observatory is located on Skywalker Ranch for the serious star gazer.

Skywalker Vineyards

Skywalker Vineyards, which overlooks the Technical Building on Skywalker Ranch, launched in 1991 with its first plantings. The vineyard offers Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, made entirely of estate-grown grapes. Both the 2009 and 2010 Skywalker Pinot Noir have received a 93-point rating from Wine Spectator.

Skywalker Ranch Tour Review [Cost, How-To Visit, and FAQs]

Like many Star Wars fans, I view George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch as a sort of Mecca. So it was a personal goal of mine to take a tour of the famous film ranch where so much of the Star Wars movie magic was made. After sifting through a lot of bad information about how someone off the street could tour the ranch, I finally figured out how to visit Skywalker Ranch, and when I did, I was not disappointed!

The process for touring Skywalker Ranch is actually pretty straightforward, but it’s not advertised and it’s somewhat of a well-kept secret. In this article, I’ll break down how anyone off the street can take a tour of some of the Ranch’s facilities and explain what you can expect to see on your visit.

Full details are below, but if you are short on time, check out the Web Story for a condensed reading experience.

The Skywalker Ranch Story

Skywalker Ranch is not George Lucas ‘ private residence. It was initially conceived by the Star Wars creator as a haven for filmmakers to conceptualize movies rather than physically make them. To that end, the facilities were originally custom-designed to accommodate the creative, technical, and administrative needs of Lucas’s production company.  Lucas purchased the original 28-acre plot located at 5858 Lucas Valley Rd in 1978 which became Skywalker Ranch. Since then, Lucas’ holdings have expanded to include 3838 Lucas Valley Rd and encompasses 624 acres of land. Over the years, the ranch has morphed from George’s original vision. Some of the notable facilities on site are Skywalker Sound, The Summit (home to the General Store and Lucas’ art gallery), Skywalker Vineyards, the observatory, the research library, Skywalker Ranch Fire Brigade, and acres of pasture used to raise Wagyu cattle.

How to Tour Skywalker Ranch [Step-by-Step]

Those wanting to tour Skywalker Ranch can’t just sign up for a tour directly. You have to be invited to the grounds in order to view them. Unfortunately, there are only two ways to get a coveted invitation—pay to stay at the ranch by hosting a corporate event or become a member of the Skywalker Vineyard Wine Club to gain access to the grounds.

Stay for a Corporate Retreat

Skywalker Ranch is home to The Summit, one of three estates owned by George Lucas (the other two being Château Margüi in France and Viandante del Cielo in Italy.) According to Skywalker Retreats, Summit Skywalker Ranch was reimagined in 2018 as a creative retreat for like-minded businesses to stay and experience the Skywalker vision.

Guests will be able to walk the halls and see a gallery of narrative art from George’s private collection or the suites of authentic Japanese samurai armor that adorn the halls.

Typically, visitors are only allowed on the grounds of Lucas’ estates if they are staying there as part of a corporate retreat. To that end, they “invite like-minded businesses to visit for a retreat, to conduct group meetings and team builds in a secure, private and exclusive setting”.

Visitors are treated to a secluded experience in the hills of Marin County. The Ranch boasts a residential feel where “guests are welcomed to stay for business while experiencing discreet Summit-style hospitality integrated seamlessly into their agenda.

Bespoke architecture, comfortable design, and approachable service are complemented by Skywalker Wines, Wagyu, olive oil, honey, and seasonal produce from the organic garden. Customized programs support a client’s purpose during their visit”. Pricing for the Ranch’s corporate retreats is not advertised, but you can send inquiries using their online form . However, you can rest assured that this is not a cheap option and will likely be out of reach even for most business owners. Ultimately, that still leaves joining the wine club as the best option for visiting the ranch.

Visit as a Wine Club Member

Skywalker Vineyards is one of three vineyards located on estates owned by the legendary Star Wars director. Luckily, you don’t need to be famous to get an invitation. In fact, it’s pretty easy to get authorization for a visit—as long as you’re a wine club member that is.

But don’t worry, it’s not prohibitively expensive to join. While I enjoyed the wine, I joined strictly for the benefits that come with membership. Most importantly, that includes on-site wine tastings and access to some of the Ranch’s facilities.

What Comes With Your Membership

Curated Skywalker Vineyards selections of 4 bottles, three times a year: February, May, and November. Membership activates immediately with sign-up confirmation and accepted shipment of your first allocation.

$115 – $225 per shipment (plus applicable tax and shipping)

Confirmation of successful enrollment will come by way of a follow-up email introduction by our wine club manager welcoming you to your Skywalker Vineyards Wine Club membership.

Exclusive Membership Benefits

Members of the Skywalker Ambassador Membership will receive:

• Shipping savings – any additional bottles purchased beyond your shipment to complete the case ship at no additional cost! • Member access to our wine library for exclusive large-format wines and previous-vintage wines • Access to special gift sets & collections, import wines, and limited releases

For a $100 per person tasting fee you can get an invitation to tasting events on Skywalker Ranch.

In addition to the listed benefits, you can arrange a tasting for you and your friends for a $100 per person tasting fee (only one wine club membership holder is required to be present). In addition to private tastings, you will also get invitations to tasting events on Skywalker Ranch, like their Annual Skywalker Rosé Release Party which costs $75 per person and also occurs right on the Ranch. As an added bonus with every shipment, you also get recipe cards for perfect food pairings. On the reverse side of the recipe card, you also get a picturesque photo of a scene from the Ranch.

Skywalker Vineyards Wine Club Unboxing

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Getting to Skywalker Ranch

If you’ve joined the Skywalker Vineyards Wine Club and arranged a tasting with the staff, then you’re ready for your first visit to the Ranch!

Skywalker Ranch is about half an hour North of San Francisco, on the other side of the bay. Getting there from the city is pretty easy. You just need to take the Lucas Valley Road exit from I-10 North.

While Lucas Valley Road isn’t named for the director himself, it is a happy coincidence and should make remembering the directions easy. As you travel to the ranch up the winding road you will enjoy the picturesque scenery.

• Lucas Valley Road

Once there you will find a gatehouse where a guard will be posted. If you made arrangements for your visit, you can just give them your name. The guard will be able to find you on the Ranch’s approved visitor list and permit you entry. Then simply follow the signs to the winery from there.

On the right-hand side, you’ll see a road leading up a small hill. Follow the road up. You will know that you’ve arrived at the winery when you get to the building with the Skywalker statue in front. The winged figure is a depiction of George Lucas’ original concept for Luke Skywalker which now serves as the symbol of Skywalker Vineyards.

Taking the Tour

Once you’ve made it to the Skywalker Vineyards building, you will be greeted by the staff. The building houses the vineyards, tasting room, wine cellar, and wine processing and bottling facilities. As you enter the building you’ll get your first taste of Skywalker Vineyards’ wine in the foyer.

As you move throughout the building, new bottles will be opened as the building’s history is revealed. You can soak in the intricate stained glass windows, vintage movie posters , and hand-crafted brick walls in the cellar built by the finest craftsman from Italy. You’ll then tour the production facility and see how the wine is bottled and processed.

Finally, you’ll stop by the wine bar for light snacks before heading down to the Ranch’s main building, The Summit.

Visiting The Summit

If you want to tour Skywalker Ranch because you’re a Star Wars fan, then this is probably where you really wanted to visit all along. A short walk from the winery is The Summit. Outside you will find the famous Yoda statue which is available for photo ops. Upon entering the building you will be welcomed by original Star Wars art on the walls, authentic Japanese samurai armor along the halls, and screen-used props on display throughout the premises. The final stop on your tour is the Skywalker Ranch General Store. Come prepared to spend! The majority of the merch located here is only available at the gift shop and items generally are not very cheap. If you want to walk away with some exclusive merchandise then it will cost you, but you will be glad to have the opportunity to acquire this highly sought-after merchandise.

Overlook at Big Rock Trail

If you can’t arrange a tour of Skywalker Ranch or a visit is out of your budget, then consider hiking Big Rock trail to enjoy an overview of the ranch. According to Outdoor Project , The Big Rock Trail is a mild climb toward the second-highest point in Marin County. It opened in 2003 as part of a donation by George Lucas, this path is now part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. There are many routes to the peak, including the much more difficult Novato Hill Climb, which begins on the opposite side.

Skywalker Ranch Attractions Not on the Tour

While you will get to see much of Skywalker Ranch by taking a tour as a member of the Skywalker Vineyards Wine Club, you won’t get to see everything.

Some things like the Skywalker Ranch Fire Brigade, Skywalker Sound, and the Observatory will not be on the agenda. But that’s okay. The experience you do get to have is incredibly memorable and very satisfying. It’s a 10/10 for any Star Wars fan or wine lover!

Skywalker Sound

Skywalker Sound is a post-production audio studio that is part of the ranch. The studio is responsible for the sound design of many Lucasfilm productions, including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. Skywalker Sound was founded in 1975, and its first project was the film THX 1138.

The studio is housed in a purpose-built facility on the Skywalker Ranch property, and it features state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Skywalker Sound has won numerous Academy Awards for its work on Films such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and The Revenant.

Skywalker Ranch Observatory

The Skywalker Ranch observatory is a building on the Skywalker Ranch property owned by George Lucas. The observatory was built in the early 1990s and is used by Lucasfilm employees and guests for stargazing.

The building is equipped with a 12-inch telescope, which is one of the largest telescopes available for use in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Skywalker Ranch Fire Brigade

In addition to being a working ranch, Skywalker Ranch also features the fire brigade. Because the property is home to such high-value real estate, ensuring the Ranch was a nightmare. In fact, purchasing fire insurance was actually more expensive than having the Ranch’s own Fire Brigade. Hence Skywalker Ranch acquired its own private fire department.

The brigade is responsible for responding to fires on the property, as well as providing medical assistance and evacuating guests in the event of an emergency. Given that things stay calm on the ranch, the brigade also helps to support the needs of the surrounding community.

The Skywalker Ranch Fire Brigade is equipped with a number of fire trucks, as well as a rescue boat that can be used to access the property’s private pond (which also serves as a reservoir for filling helicopters that specialize in aerial firefighting. In the event of a fire, the brigade is able to quickly mobilize and extinguish any blaze, ensuring the safety of the property.

Skywalker Ranch Research Library

The Skywalker Ranch Research Library is not your typical library. Yes, it is filled with books, but also much more than that. It houses an impressive collection of research materials curated specifically to assist in the filmmaking process.

In addition to books, the Library contains documents, photographs, props, and other items that have been used in the development of Skywalker Sound projects.

How to Tour Skywalker Ranch [Web Story]

All key points you need to know about touring Skywalker Ranch in an easy-to-read visual experience.

Skywalker Ranch FAQs

Skywalker Ranch is what’s known as a film ranch. It is owned by Star Wars creator George Lucas and is home to a vineyard, executive retreat, fire department, observatory, cattle pasture, and Skywalker Sound. The latter is still used today for sound production for film and television.

Skywalker Ranch is located 5858 Lucas Valley Rd, Nicasio, CA 94946.

Skywalker Ranch is open to the public only if you are staying at the executive retreat known as The Summit or you are a member of the Skywalker Vineyards wine club and you have arranged for a paid wine tasting.

Anyone is free to visit the exterior of Skywalker Ranch and take a picture in front of the gates, but you need to be invited on to get access to the property. However, there is still a lot to see by observing from the outside.

George Lucas has continuously owned Skywalker Ranch since 1978.

You can access the Skywalker Ranch by staying at the executive retreat. However, this is strictly reserved for business gatherings, so you would have to arrange something with your work center and be prepared to pay top dollar.

While tours of Skywalker Ranch aren’t open to the general public, there is a loophole. If you want to get on the property you can simply join the Skywalker Vineyards wine club for the ability to access the ranch for a nominal wine-tasting fee.

George Lucas sold his rights to the Star Wars franchise in 2012, but he retained complete ownership of Skywalker Ranch.

You can hike to an overlook with a beautiful view of Skywalker Ranch by taking the Big Rock Trail.

Although George Lucas still owns Skywalker Ranch, he does not live on the property.

Skywalker Ranch has taken on somewhat of a mythic status among Star Wars fans. So much so, that many have been left to wonder if the ranch is fake. Rest assured though, Skywalker Ranch is 100% real.

George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch is located in Marin County, California, and it is spread out over 5,000 acres of land. The ranch includes multiple soundstages, editing facilities, offices, a commissary, and a huge home for George Lucas himself. In addition to the main ranch, there are also satellite properties that are used for production purposes. When George Lucas first bought the property in the 1970s, it was valued at $1.5 million. Today, the value of the property is estimated to be around $300 million. That means that George Lucas has seen a return on his investment of 20,000% over the course of 40 years!

Skywalker Sound is the audio production division of Lucasfilm, located at Skywalker Ranch. If you’re looking for a job in the audio industry, Skywalker Sound is an ideal place to start your search. The ranch is located in Marin County, California, just north of San Francisco. To get a job at Skywalker Sound, you’ll need to have a strong knowledge of audio engineering and sound design. You should also be familiar with the film industry and the work of George Lucas. Skywalker Sound offers a variety of internship and entry-level positions, so it’s a great place to start your career in the audio industry. Check for job listings here .

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3 thoughts on “Skywalker Ranch Tour Review [Cost, How-To Visit, and FAQs]”

You can also get four invites to visit by purchasing the $5000 Kaiburr Crystal cocktail aboard the Disney Wish.

I just wanted to extend my condolences on the loss of your wife. I hope the two of you had many happy years together.

Of course, what you do with the sabers is ultimately your decision, but I wanted to add my two cents. If you have any interest, perhaps keep the ones you are most fond of, perhaps gift one or two to any family members or friends enthusiastic about Star Wars, and sell the remainder. That way you can hold on to a part of your wife and also spread some joy.

Wishing you all the very best, J

My late wife worked as a V.P. for Master Replicas when they had the Star Wars licenses. I have more than a dozen Master Replica Light Sabers, all in perfect condition. What should I do with them? Sell? Keep?

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Skywalker Ranch

Skywalker Ranch, located 40 minutes north of San Francisco, is the pastoral home to Lucasfilm’s celebrated sound design, mixing and audio post-production facility, Skywalker Sound.

Skywalker Sound occupies the 153,000-square-foot Technical Building, which features a world-class scoring stage, six feature mix stages, 15 sound design suites, 50 editing suites, an ADR stage, two Foley stages, and the 300-seat Stag Theater. The property also includes the iconic Main House and the beautiful Lake Ewok.

SKYWALKER SOUND PO Box 3000 San Rafael, California 94912 United States 415/662-1000

Skywalker Ranch Tour & Lucasfilm Strange Magic Screening Trip

• Sara @MomEndeavors
• January 16, 2015

This post may contain affiliate links.  Privacy policy .

The Tech Building – Skywalker Sound

The Iconic Main House

 Then, there is the library. Oh the library! It is spectacular!!! The Lucas Research Library is actually a full service research department providing reference for film, television and theater productions. It’s a place where those working in the film/entertainment industry can come to do research, get inspiration, etc. The library acquired the Paramont Studios Research collection in 1987 and the Universal Studios collection in 2000. There’s over 35,000 books (spanning from the 1800s to present day), current subscriptions to over 50 magazine titles, and over 700 file drawers containing photographic files housed in the library. And, clearly from the photo above, it is gorgeous! All the wood work was done on site (there was an old mill originally on property)! And, that stained glass dome is AMAZING!!

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I’m Sara, a mom to three adorable boys living in the Arizona desert. As a former teacher, I love sharing my passions with others. So, have a look around for creative inspiration about cooking, creating, celebrating, traveling with kids, and more everyday mom endeavors!

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5 responses.

OH my gosh, as a big Lucas fan I am totally fan crushing right now! What an AMAZING experience you got to have. I love all the facts you shared, especially about the house! The pictures also look breathtaking. I think I would be hanging out at the Ewok lake quite a bit if I worked there 😉

Love all the photos! What an amazing experience and thank you for walking us through all of it. I love the library and all the movie posters (I’m sure I would have loved the memorabilia too!) I would work there in a heartbeat 😉 We can’t wait to see Strange Magic as soon as it’s out!

By any chance do you know if they ever have public tours?

Unfortunately, Frankie – I don’t think so.

From 1982-1985 as a carpenter at Skywalker Ranch I worked on the Main House as well as the Carriage. Stable and Gate House. It was to say the least memorable. There is plaque placed in a wall in the Main House with a hammer attached with the names of some of carpenters listed, I did not get a chance to sign the plaque. A lot of good memories. One bad one that no one talks about to this day .

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Tour George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch

Photo: George Burns

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Inside Château Margüi, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson's Provence Vineyard

The couple restored a vineyard in the south of France with the designer Michael S. Smith. Then they opened their doors to their hidden cinema paradiso .

Château Margüi sits about an hour north of Toulon, nestled in the hills of Provence on the outskirts of a sleepy town called Châteauvert. At first glance it looks like yet another picturesque stage set for “French country,” another sleepy postcard from la France profonde.

But in a country—and a region—that prides itself on its history, here is a hidden manor that is truly ancient, improbably cantilevered at the intersection of soil and civilization. Archaeological traces show that 2,600 years ago the Romans tended this soil for wheat, olive oil, and—most of all—wine, attracted by the unique and rare combination of the pure springs on the property and the special clay underground. To this day, a statue of Ondine, the mythological water nymph, watches over the springs here; they have never run dry.

With the help of the interior designer Michael S. Smith , they have lovingly restored the property, maintaining it as a working vineyard and farm with facilities that can be rented for business conferences and special events, or just for leisure by those who want to reconnect with the land and themselves.

“When we found the house, it was a real fixer-upper,” Hobson says. “But we saw an amazing potential.”

This Provençal project is an extension of the couple’s passions. In 1991 Lucas founded Skywalker Vineyards on four acres in Marin County. The vineyard, now 35 acres, is nestled on Lucas’s vast Skywalker Ranch, which has become a sort of creative sanctuary, especially for filmmakers.

The same is true of Skywalker’s Italian estate, Convento Viandante del Cielo , a 16th-century monastery in the part of Umbria that was home to St. Francis of Assisi. Margüi too is a place with deep roots, devoted to the solid fundamentals of the art of winemaking, and to the terroir , a term that refers to the sum of environmental factors that affect the crops in a particular place.

The vintages made here exalt all the classic flavors of the region. The red is an earthy blend of the syrah, cabernet, and grenache varietals, which together give something of the taste of black currants. The white is a bit sharper, and the rosé… Well, the rosé is the color of sunset in a glass. This is Provence, after all.

To restore the bastide , or main house, Hobson and Lucas relied on Smith , who translated the couple’s sweeping imagination into a subtle but evocative design. Throughout, a significant collection of vintage movie posters gestures to their Hollywood pedigree, as does a library that showcases hundreds of titles with a focus on cinema and the arts.

“George is one of the most famous storytellers in the world, and Mellody is interested not just in stories but in narrative. She has a really romantic vision of aesthetics,” Smith says. “They wanted something that had a sense of place and perspective, so my goal was to layer as much character and pattern and charm onto it as I could, but onto something that was still a working entity.”

In practice that meant celebrating both the integrity and the history of the house, which dates from 1784. For many of its more than nine suites, Smith chose natural tones that reflect the striking Provençal fields just outside the windows. A good example is theso-called Yellow Room, decorated with various golden fabrics by Pierre Frey and Carolina Irving that look like sunflowers that never fade. Then there is the dining room, where the wallpaper captures the flora of the region with delicate trees in faint olive greens. In the same way that Lucas’s wine mission is meant to respect the local terroir, the home now nods to it too. (The estate features four buildings with some 18 suites.)

“All of the surrounding natural elements create a magical environment that sustains both plant and human life,” Hobson says. “It is a magical place and a region that must be cared for and preserved.”

Whether you come for an offsite or to relish a few days of solitude brainstorming a future blockbuster, to stay at Château Margüi is to encounter the Provence of yore: the sights and scents of M.F.K. Fisher, the dreamscapes of Peter Mayle, the rustic simplicity of Marcel Pagnol. It was Pagnol, in fact, who once wrote that “our days are only beautiful through their tomorrow.”

Here at Margüi, with its 2,600 years of tradition, the beauty lies in appreciating precisely that: the endless march of history, yes, but also the promise of the future.

Lead image: A cornucopia at Château Margüi, brimming with ingredients from its farm, which dates from Roman times. Today it is operated as a working winery and rentable estate by Skywalker Vineyards.

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George Lucas Is Still The Proud Owner Of Skywalker Ranch

The director has spent around $100 million developing the impressive property north of San Francisco since 1978. Although he doesn't live there (at least as of 2002) , Lucas uses the land as a retreat, as well as work and studio space.

Now with his  $4 billion windfall from selling Lucasfilm, perhaps Lucas will spend more money building his dreamland.

Hot off his 1977 hit Star Wars, director George Lucas began acquiring land north of San Francisco in 1979.

Now-47,000 acres, his ranch is located in the coincidentally named Lucas Valley.

Lucas called it Skywalker Ranch, after the movie protagonist. The property also contains a Lake Ewok, along with other Star Wars themed places and things.

But no real Ewoks here ...

The 50,000-square foot main home is designed to look like an 1869 Victorian home of a cattle rancher.

Source:  LA Times 

Lucas spent more than $100 million on the land, and has only built on 15 of those acres.

Source:  Curbed

The estate includes this fitness center, with racquetball courts and swimming pool. Elsewhere there's a movie theater, several screening rooms, and mostly underground parking.

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

On the property is a 150,000-square foot technical building that was home to Skywalker Sound — until yesterday.

Source: LA Times

Skywalker ranch even has its own fire brigade to protect the estate. The brigade is an active part of the Marin County Fire Mutual Aid program.

Source: LA Times 

More than 100 firefighters work on the ranch. They also assist overnight guest services at the inn, and they often transport guests up to the Main House or Technical Building in one of the smaller trucks.

Source: Marinwood Fire

This rendering shows a giant Mission-style building that Lucas tried to build to house his employees—an expansion that Marin County blocked.

Source: Curbed

Somewhere on the property ... hey look, a Yoda statue!

So what's next with Star Wars?

George Lucas Explains What Disney Is Planning >

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Desert Chica

Southern Arizona Blogger

Skywalker Ranch Visit and Lucasfilm Tour

November 8, 2022 · Karen · 9 Comments

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I just returned home from a whirlwind adventure to San Francisco for the Rogue One press event. Check out my visit to Skywalker Ranch and Lucasfilm tour.

The trip featured a visit to Skywalker Ranch to screen extended scenes from Rogue One and an evening reception, plus interviews with the cast and a fun tour of Lucasfilm headquarters in San Francisco.

Skywalker Ranch Visit

The purpose of our visit to Skywalker Ranch was to screen extended footage from Rogue One. We weren’t allowed to watch the whole movie but everyone was dying to after seeing 28 minutes of it!

The movie is going to be awesome! Here’s one of the longer trailers, to help hold you over until December 16th!

We watched the clips in George Lucas’s Stag Theater located in the Technology Building. Obviously, security was tight and there were no cameras or phones allowed in the theater.

The director of Rogue One, Gareth Edwards spoke briefly before our preview, he even had a few goofy jokes ready for us. He came across as very excited about the film and also very nice. My opinion was confirmed when we interviewed him the next day at Lucasfilm Headquarters.

After watching the 28 minutes of footage, we headed out to the Rogue One reception in the lobby. The coolest part of the reception was the Rogue One costumes on display.

A photo opp with Stormtroopers is always pretty cool too. 😉 Because our event was after dark, there was no tour of the main house or the rest of the property. Head over to my first visit for pictures of my Skywalker Ranch Tour .  And check out my short video below for more of our experience at Skywalker ranch this time.

Lucasfilm Tour

The following morning we headed out to Lucasfilm Headquarters located at the Letterman Digital and New Media Arts Center in San Francisco’s Historic Presidio National Park. The most recognizable symbol from the outside is the famous Yoda fountain statute!

Although the Nissan Rogue One concept cars in the parking lot were hard to miss.

There was lots of fun Star Wars artifacts inside the lobby to see! Including this Ashley Eckstein LEGO dress inspired by Ahsoka Tano.

By the way, the public is welcome to visit the Yoda fountain and head into the lobby of Lucasfilm to check out the Star Wars artifacts.

Getting beyond the lobby requires a business or personal connection with Lucasfilm. So if you have an old friend from high school or 2nd cousin once removed that works at Lucasfilm, hit them up and ask for a full tour. 😉

And of course, we previewed lots of awesome new Rogue One merchandise. Including LEGO set and adorable costumes – my two favorites from the holiday collection!

After multiple interviews with the cast and director of Rogue One, we had time to tour Lucasfilm! Check back starting tomorrow for the interview posts!

LucasFilm Movie Memorabilia

There was so much amazing movie memorabilia and artifacts at Lucasfilm Headquarters. It was hard to pick which images to share but here are a few of my favorites!

Is it silly that Vigo is my favorite picture from the tour? I was so happy to find this picture, I couldn’t quite mimic his mean scowl.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY arrives in theaters on December 16th. Have you bought your tickets yet?

Rogue One Interviews

• Gareth Edwards director of Rogue One interview
• Diego Luna interview
• Felicity Jones interview
• Riz Ahmed Rogue One interview
• Ben Mendelsohn Rogue One interview
• Donnie Yen Star Wars interview
• Alan Tudyk & Mads Mikkelsen Rogue One interviews

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Brittany says

December 8, 2016 at 10:30 am

Ahh looks so much fun! 🙂

Hi, I’m Karen!

I’m a mom to two boys, Arizona native, and travel lover. Desert Chica is my place to share a peek into our life and the easy and inexpensive costumes, crafts and desserts I like to make. “If I can do it, anyone can!” Learn more about me here

Amazon Disclosure:  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Real Estate | ‘Star Wars’ creator George Lucas and Mellody…

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Real Estate | ‘Star Wars’ creator George Lucas and Mellody Hobson plan $33.5M condo that will be the highest priced in Chicago history

“Star Wars” creator George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, were the buyers who paid $11.2 million last year for Citadel founder Ken Griffin’s 66th-floor penthouse in Streeterville’s Park Tower building.

Lucas and Hobson plan to combine the penthouse with their existing full-floor condo on the 65th floor of the same building — which they purchased for $18.75 million in 2015 — to create a 16,000-square-foot duplex penthouse, according to a building permit application recently filed with Chicago building officials. The combined condo will cost $33.5 million to assemble, including construction costs and the purchase prices of the two units, making it the highest-priced finished condo in Chicago history.

The next-highest price paid for a condo in Chicago is the $20.56 million that Mexican billionaire German Larrea spent in 2022 for a four-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot duplex condominium on the 71st floor of the Residences at the St. Regis Tower.

According to a permit application that Lucas and Hobson filed with building officials on Feb. 22, the couple plan a full buildout of the 66th-floor unit, including the addition of two new interior staircases and some new electrical and mechanical work on the 65th floor. The couple hired architect Scott Fortman of the firm Gibbons, Fortman & Associates for the design work.

Angelo Garcia, who oversees real estate holdings for Lucas, referred an inquiry to a spokesman, Matt Yale, who did not immediately respond to an email seeking a comment. Real estate agent Katherine Malkin of Compass, who represented Lucas and Hobson in buying the 66th-floor unit, declined to comment on any aspect of the deal or even confirm her clients’ identities, as did real estate agent Susan Miner of Premier Relocation, who represented Griffin in selling the 66th-floor unit. Griffin relocated to Miami.

Lucas, who turns 80 on May 14, has a net worth of $5.5 billion, according to Forbes’ 2024 list. He and Hobson, who turns 55 in May, made their 2023 purchase of the 66th-floor Park Tower unit using an opaque Delaware limited liability company, and their identities as its buyers had not been reported until now. They used a differently named Delaware limited liability company to buy the 65th-floor unit in 2015.

The couple have shown a great affinity for the Park Tower over the years. Before marrying Lucas, Hobson, who also is the non-executive chair of Starbucks and the co-CEO of Ariel Investments, paid $1.7 million in 2007 for a 48th-floor unit in the building. The couple also paid $4.9 million in 2012 for a condo on the Park Tower’s 26th floor.

Not only will the couple’s new combined duplex in the Park Tower set a Chicago price record for a completed Chicago condo, it also consists of units that previously had set record-setting purchase prices themselves. When Griffin bought the 66th floor in 2012, he paid $15 million for it, which was at that time a city record. And Lucas and Hobson’s $18.75 million purchase of the 65th floor three years later also set a Chicago record.

The new combined duplex would have had a combined $328,477 property tax bill in the 2022 tax year.

Lucas and Hobson own plenty of other real estate around the globe. Among their properties are Lucas’ longtime, six-bedroom, 15,159-square-foot house in San Anselmo, Calif.; a nine-bedroom, 8,932-square-foot mansion in Los Angeles’ Bel-Air area that they bought from Ross Perot in 2017 for $33.9 million; two homes in Carpinteria, Calif., near Santa Barbara, that they purchased for $28 million and $19.5 million; a condo in New York City that Hobson bought in 2006 for $3.3 million; a restored convent in Passignano, Italy; a chateau in Chateauvert, France; and the 4,700-acre Skywalker Ranch near Nicasio, Calif. that Lucas began assembling in 1978.

Meanwhile, Griffin continues to own the full-floor penthouse condo on the 67th floor of the Park Tower, which is the building’s top floor. It’s for sale for $15.75 million, which is tied for the second highestasking price for any home in the city right now.

Across the Chicago area, the most expensive residence in history is billionaire Justin Ishbia’s mansion under construction on Lake Michigan in Winnetka, which as Elite Street first reported last year has a $77.7 million cost, including land and construction costs as detailed in its building permit.

Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.

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George lucas, mellody hobson double their park tower penthouse.

Dennis Rodkin is a senior reporter covering residential real estate for Crain’s Chicago Business. He joined Crain’s in 2014 and has been covering real estate in Chicago since 1991.

“Star Wars” filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, the president and co-CEO of Ariel Investments, want to combine their Michigan Avenue penthouse with one they bought from Ken Griffin, according to a Chicago Tribune report today.

The couple, who paid $18.75 million for the 65th floor at the Park Tower in the second-priciest home sale of 2015, have now emerged as the buyers who paid Griffin $11.2 million for the 66th floor in January 2023, according to the Tribune.

The connection became clear through a February application the property owners filed with Chicago building officials to get approval for construction work that will combine the two units into a single 16,000-square-foot residence.

The work, valued at a little more than $3.5 million, would bring Lucas and Hobson’s total investment in the property to $33.5 million.

That ranks it among a handful of properties at the extreme upper end of Chicago-area homes.

Only Griffin, the billionaire Citadel chief, has ever spent more on a Chicago residential property. In late 2017, he spent about $58.5 million for the top four floors of a Gold Coast building. He bought the space unfinished.

In mid-2022, when Griffin announced he would move both his company and his family to Florida and put several condominiums here on the market, it turned out he had never finished the $58.5 million space.

Although Griffin’s wasn’t a purchase of livable space, the comparison to the Lucas and Hobson package holds, because they, too, plan to make considerable change to the space.  

The highest-priced Chicago home purchased as livable space was the two-story St. Regis penthouse that Mexican mining billionaire German Larrea bought for $20.56 million in 2022.

In Winnetka, billionaire Justin Ishbia is spending a total of about $77.6 million developing an estate including a behemoth mansion on three lakefront parcels he bought from separate owners.  

George Lucas, whose net worth F orbes estimates at $5.5 billion, has made a string of major hit movies, from “American Graffiti” in 1973 through the “Star Wars” franchise that began in 1977 and the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” franchise that began in 1981.

Mellody Hobson, the Chicagoan who married Lucas in 2013, chairs the corporate board of Starbucks, is part owner of the Denver Broncos and formerly chaired the board of Dreamworks Animation, a company descended from the studio of another moviemaking great, Steven Spielberg.

The pair have other homes in California and elsewhere. 

Griffin, who sold the 66th floor to the couple, still owns the 67th floor, which he has on the market for $15.75 million along with four other multimillion-dollar condominiums he owns at No. 9 Walton Street.  

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Boris Pasternak's museum house

Pasternak’s “important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of the great Russian epic tradition" was honored with a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958. For many readers outside Russia, Pasternak is known mainly as the author of the touching historical novel Doctor Zhivago written in 1957. The novel as a whole communicates the haphazard, uncertain and chaotic quality of life caused by the Russian Revolution and the heroic case of quiet humanism demonstrated by a single person.

Pasternak’s translations of Georgian poets favored by Joseph Stalin probably saved his life during the purges of the 1930’s. However, the individualistic Pasternak was not suited to the Soviet artistic climate when art was required to have a clear socialism-inspired agenda and so Russian publishers were unwilling to print Pasternak’s novel. In fact, Doctor Zhivago first appeared in Italy in 1957.

Pasternak won his Nobel Prize the following year. Despite Pasternak politely declining his Nobel Prize quoting: “because of the significance given to this award in the society to which I belong”, the award nevertheless spread his fame well beyond Russia. He ended his life in virtual exile in an artist's community in Peredelkino village. His last poems are devoted to love, to freedom and to reconciliation with God.

Pasternak was rehabilitated posthumously in 1987. In 1988, after being banned for three decades, "Doctor Zhivago" was published in the USSR. In 1989 Pasternak's son accepted his father's Nobel medal in Stockholm.

Pastenak loved his house in Peredelkino, the house and surrounding nature featuring in his poetry. The poet considered the cycle of poems "Peredelkino", which he completed in the spring of 1941, to be his best work. The poet spent the first difficult months of the war in Peredelkino; he completed the novel "Doctor Zhivago" here, wrote the Lara poems and translated Shakespeare and Goethe. It was in this house that he learned he was to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature on October 23rd 1958. He died here on May 30 1960.

The house in Peredelkino only acquired the status of a museum in 1990, thirty years after the poet's death and a century after his birth. The museum has fully preserved the environment and atmosphere of the house where Boris Pasternak lived and worked. The director of the museum is Elena Pasternak, grandaughter of Boris Pasternak.

Pasternak’s grave can be found in Peredelkino cemetery which is situated 20 minutes walk from the poet’s house.

Tour duration: 6-7 hours

Tour cost: English -  150 USD, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese - 180 USD

Additional expenses: car - 150 USD, or train - 10 USD

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Explore Russian Summer Life: Visit Russian Dacha!

People from Northern countries soak up every bit of pleasure out of summertime. Its days are numbered, and we do our best to store up the sunshine for the long, cold months that make up the rest of the year. Russians are among those who take full advantage of the brief, hot weather.

At summer’s peak, many Russians don’t venture far. The reason is dachas , our country houses. August brings the harvest for our small garden plots, but a dacha is much more than just an economic benefit: it embodies a culture dating back to Communist times.

The dachas is a unique phenomenon in the life of anyone who lives in the boundless expanses of the Russian Federation. A small plot – just 0.15 acres – with a few currant bushes, apple trees and a vegetable patch, a little wooden house with no telephone or running water and a discreetly located outhouse. I’d love to how you mine.

How we’ll get there:

I believe that it’ll be fun to experience the Russian suburban train (electrichka), which is very popular in our country. Electrichka is inexpensive and it might even be faster than a car as it doesn’t depend on the traffic. Travelling by commuter train you’ll be able to see ordinary people and possibly talk with them. Sometimes trains offer you such “free entertainment” as listening to numerous vendors and musicians. But local trains might be crowded at certain times of the day so in some cases we’d recommend you to go with us by car.

What we’ll do:

We start the trip with the tour of Dmitrov , an ancient Russian town, founded in 1147 and called Moscow younger brother. It is located 1 hour drive out of Moscow.

Learning how to prepare a Russianlunch:

First you choose the right meat, then the right recipe for the marinade.The fire has to be started and allowed to burn down until it’s almost out, but still smouldering. If you catch it at that moment, then the meat will roast evenly and not burn.

Meanwhile, the fire keeps threatening to go out, compelling family and guests to furiously fan it with pieces of cardboard. We serve sashlik with baked potatoes, pickled vegetables and of course Russian vodka. Lunch is followed by traditional Russian tea drinking .

You’ll be so involved, you won’t even notice when it’s time to go back to the city.

The tour cost is 200 USD.

Tour price is for 2 people but I can accommodate up to 6 people in this tour, however the price will change.

Transportationis extra.

Tour duration: 8 hours

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