The Mansion on O Street

Today Paul and I went for afternoon tea at the Mansion on O Street here in DC. The best I can describe the place and experience as a kooky, amazing, mad hatter tea party + Miss Havisham house all rolled into one.

The Mansion is made up of 4 or 5 row houses combined together to create 100 rooms (some are hotel guest rooms), and 32 secret doors behind bookcases and mirrors (we only found one!). Each room is over the top decorated and everything that doesn't move is for sale.

A must see for anyone coming to DC! I would recommend the guided tour or self guided tours, rather than tea time. The food while lavishly displayed wasn't authentic English Tea like we expected but it made our visit even more eclectic and fun!

Here are a few camera phone photos from our visit!

Chandelier in main tea room


We had our tea in this room


Everything is for sale, including that angel!


Lots of odd juxtapositions: Santa with Vietnam Vets, travel mugs + a teddy bear? Of course!


Purple, green and yellow cauliflower!


Tables piled high with cakes!


Traditional English tea food? I don't think so ... (P.S. the bowl NOT the Twizzlers is $12)


Semi-creepy doll watching over the cakes


Fun 80's game. I bought it! only $3!


Wine Cellar room accessed by secret door through the kitchen


Betty Boop Statue? Don't mind if I do!


Trompe l'oeil painting on kitchen floor. Amazing!

If you are anywhere near DC or come here for a visit you MUST go to the O street Mansion. It's even a hotel and you can stay there if you like. The guest rooms are completely over the top!

Today was an amazing and fun day and not one I'll forget anytime soon!

ice skating at the National Gallery Sculpture Garden

Saturday Paul and I treated ourselves to a day of ice skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. In the winter they turn the large fountain in the middle into an ice rink. We missed it last year so this year we were determined to go.

When we got there, we discovered everyone else must have had the same idea. There was a long line with about a 30 to 45 minute wait to get your skates and get on the ice. A guy with his date saw the length of the line then promptly went to the front, gave the guy a tip and got right in. I'm sure his date was impressed but we were not.

The staff at the ice rink are hilariously grumpy, sternly shouting out rules and orders over the loudspeaker every 5 minutes, exasperated if you needed to change your skate size or ask any additional questions. You got the feeling they really didn't like their jobs, or maybe they weren't getting enough tips.

Still it was super fun and we skated around for about 2 hours, we didn't even fall once! It was a beautiful setting to skate in amongst the sculpture garden artworks and we got hot chocolate to warm up at the pavilion. Already looking forward to going back again!

great falls!

Saturday Paul and I went with our friend Kim to Great Falls out in VA. It's hard to believe that this place is so close to where we live here in DC. It feels as if you are hundreds of miles away!

We did a little guided tour with a Park Ranger and it was really a treat! She suggested coming back at each season to see how it changes. I imagine it's beautiful in the fall season with the leaves changing. We plan to go back and bring a little picnic!

quick post

Had a fun weekend! Did some window shopping on Saturday and errands. Today we went to the Botanical Gardens and then saw the Jim Henson exhibit at the Smithsonian. So inspiring!!!! Now getting some work done, lots and lots on my to-do list this week.

weekend roundup!

A few pics from our weekend! Saturday morning we walked to Adams Morgan and went to the bank, then walked back and stopped at Greater Goods which as a natural home type store. We picked up a shopping wheely cart so I don't have to keep using Toby's stroller as a shopping cart for groceries.

Then we went to Green Pets to pick up pet food and then to the U Street Farmer's Market which is just 2 blocks from where we live. We got yummy peaches and tomatoes and french bread ( I already ate almost an entire loaf!)





I had a huge nap, while Paul went to try out the local soccer league.

Today we went to the Eastern Market. I think the better day to go to that is on a Saturday when they have more artists there, but we did pick up some home made salsa and hummus. Yum yum! It was too hot for me to walk around the flea market part and Paul was interested in it at all. So we saved our energy for the Barracks Row stores and went to Ispo Crafto a cute little art supply store in SE DC.



We also stopped at Pawticulars and got some snacks for Toby. I asked them about their pet sitting service for Stanley and Mabel but it sounds like they don't work much in NorthWest DC which is where we are living. I will have to hunt for a good cat sitter so when we visit Florida we can leave with confidence!

After the Eastern market we came back to our end of town and stopped at Love Cafe to have a cupcake from cake love. Hmmm!A super yummy - VERY good cupcake!!



Now we're going to settle in for the night and watch a new movie from NetFlix. See you tomorrow!