Away

We were away for a few days this past week....our school district took away February vacation from us, but Mother Nature gave it back....so anyway, I had planned a little getaway to Hyde Park, New York back in December.  The Culinary Institute of America is there and you can eat at their restaurants...I thought the Hubs would enjoy that...so I called and change the hotel reservations for an earlier date (since they did cancel school for the rest of the week) and off we went...

We arrived late on Thursday...and drove around for a bit...then we visited the Vanderbilt Mansion.  This mansion was built by Frederick William Vanderbilt...he was a third generation Vanderbilt and the only one of his generation to increase his wealth.  This was his weekend and eventual retirement home after the death of his wife.

I took mainly pictures of the ceilings....I liked the ceilings....

This ceiling was actually painted over, they uncovered it.  The ceiling in the main living room also had the paintings removed.  They liked tapestries, but didn't seem to like paintings so much.

Her bedroom was based on Marie Antoinette's bedroom at Versailles.  It was very French.

This was the tapestry hanging above his bed.....quite regal, don't you think?

The hallway outside the two master bedrooms.








We also got to tour a bit of the servant's hall...and I asked and yes, the interest has exploded since Downton Abbey....

I was surprised I was allowed to take pictures, but as long as we didn't use flash...so they are a bit dark.

In the visitor's center, they had this on the wall...it showed what servants were needed to run this house..

It is set in a very beautiful place.  I first went there back in 2010, but did not take the house tour.  It was a great tour and inexpensive as these house tours go...so if you are near Hyde Park, you should stop in...

We walked around the park for a bit...there were trees...the Hubs is drawn to trees as I am drawn to yarn...but because of all the snow, there really weren't a lot of places to walk....