Richard Christiansen on Pamela Anderson’s Pickles, Julianne Moore’s Honey and the Dolly Parton Coffee That ‘Got Away’

Richard Christiansen, the force behind Flamingo Estate—a farm and lifestyle brand based in Los Angeles’s Highland Park neighborhood—found himself at the center of a surprise collaboration when Brandon Lee contacted him. The actor reached out to see if Christiansen would be interested in partnering with his mother, noting that she was an avid gardener. Christiansen initially asked for clarification on the identity of Lee’s mother, admitting that because they shared no surname, he was unsure who he was addressing. Upon learning it was Pamela Anderson, he expressed his shock.

At the time of the outreach, Flamingo Estate was already gaining recognition for its celebrity honey partnerships, having previously teamed up with Julianne Moore and LeBron James to produce limited-edition honey lines. These collaborations are designed to support charitable causes; none of the celebrities involved receive payment for their contributions. For Anderson, however, the project took a different direction. While Christiansen typically proposes honey production—sourcing from locations such as Moore’s Montauk garden or by placing hives on musicians’ rooftops—Anderson insisted on making pickles using a family recipe from her aunt. The resulting $38 jars generated $500,000 for the California Wildlife Center.

Christiansen discussed these experiences during a Zoom interview ahead of the release of his new book, “Pleasure Principles: An Almanac from the Garden.” The 408-page volume is richly illustrated and contains recipes, do-it-yourself projects, and reflections on topics ranging from the cinematic history of the moon to popular dining spots in Los Angeles. He explained that he does not own a car and relies on his bicycle for transportation, dictating the short-form stories in the book into his phone while riding.

Beyond publishing, Christiansen is expanding his creative footprint with a tie-in for the upcoming film “Practical Magic 2.” The project marks a first for his brand, featuring Flamingo Estate products such as olive oil and Green Goddess candles within the movie, alongside a curated gift box inspired by the Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock starring sequel.

Reflecting on future possibilities, Christiansen revealed a missed opportunity with country music icon Dolly Parton. In August, he disclosed plans for a coffee collaboration titled “8 to 6,” a play on her famous song “9 to 5.” Although discussions were productive, the partnership ultimately did not materialize because Christiansen felt his distribution network was not yet large enough to manage the scale of Parton’s reach. He described the potential partnership as the one that got away.