Chasing Away the Winter Doldrums
Waking on a gray, rainy day two weeks ago, I found myself yearning for a pick-up. Little did I know that a surprise was awaiting me on my sun porch…a… Read More
Tag Archives: fireplace
A Winter Tale: Imagining a 19th Century Garret
This is a post that I wrote months ago but neither the season nor the opportunity ever presented itself for adding it to the website. Slipping into this New Year,… Read More
Jupiter Island Redux: The Historic Gate House
We love our friends for many reasons, but when their sensibilities incline towards preservation I cherish them even more. Eighteen years ago a childhood friend purchased one of the first… Read More
Afternoon Tea in London
 What a fun post to pen! Next to champagne I adore tea. From the sense of occasion to the last bite of an English scone, tea for me is… Read More
“Rock Star” Architects in Newport: McKim, Mead & White
The architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White have been credited with defining the signature look of Gilded Age America. During the heady period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,… Read More
“Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper,” a Preview Screening at The Breakers
One soon learns, and then takes for granted, that Newport is seemingly at the epicenter, in an understated way, of many newsworthy events. Case in point…Tuesday night, in a filled-to-capacity gilded… Read More
Super Secret Storage: Hidden in Plain Sight
“I have far too much storage space.  ~Said no-one ever.” Truer words were never spoken! In my family, growing up Southern was all about entertaining, so it was imperative early… Read More
Christmas Cookies and Tea
 Tea is one ritual that I try to include in each day. Just the gesture of taking a break, catching your breath and enjoying an occasion that is steeped in… Read More
Designing a Writer’s Lair
Just the name–Washington Irving III–hints of a great tale to tell. Writer, former actor and adjunct professor of English and the Humanities, Rip (referencing the famed character Rip Van Winkle)… Read More
Savor the Season
Christmas is right around the corner, and perhaps you’re thinking that you’d love to gather some friends together for some festive fun, but maybe it’s too late… Wait! We all… Read More