Author Archives: KathyMac

About KathyMac

~~Kathy Mac is an avid traveler, eagerly exploring the world. This blog is dedicated to travel adventures, food, wine, photography, and culture, but most of all inspiration to just pack a bag. ~The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.

Outer Banks Adventure

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In 2017 we planned a September getaway to visit my son in Durham and thought a beach visit to the Outer Banks with both of our boys would be fun since we were so close to the Atlantic. The Outer Banks is a 200 mile run of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, and a popular family vacation destination with plentiful beaches, state parks and shipwreck diving sites. Sun, sand and seafood. We’re in!

We drove Chicago to Durham as we had a few places to check out along the way, and we have a pretty comfy fun car, so not a problem. Kitty Hawk is almost an additional 4 hours drive from Durham, stopping of course for lunchtime sustenance which makes everyone happier.

Three of my favorite boys

The drive to the Outer Banks was interesting as we drove through the towns on US64E, over the Alligator River and the Croatan Sound. The dashboard display indicated we were under sea level so I expected a wave to overtake us any minute.

Our first stop on the Outer Banks was the Wright Brothers National Memorial US National Park at Kill Devil Hills. It is the location of the Wright Brothers’ aviation experiments from 1900 to 1903. Wilbur and Orville Wright came here from Dayton, Ohio based on information from the U.S. Weather Bureau about the area’s steady winds, which we can attest to.

Memorial Tower on Kill Devil Hill

Walking paths lead up to the Memorial Tower.

The clouds were amazingly fluffy and beautiful on the day we visited and it was welcome to walk around the park after our driving adventure. It was windy and totally flat, and felt like we were walking on an airport lawn, which I guess we were.

The visitors center is under renovation 2016 to Fall 2018 to incorporate interactive exhibits, but there is much to enjoy outdoors exploring the grounds and reproductions of the brothers’ 1903 camp buildings. You can stand at the place where Wilbur and Orville Wright first took to the air in their 1903 flyer and landed, and climb Big Kill Devil Hill to see the nation’s monument commemorating the brothers’ historic achievement. You can also take in an interpretive program on the brothers, examine replicas of the 1902 glider and the 1903 flyer, and see portraits of other famous aviators.

Rail from original flight experiments

We had hotel reservations to overnight at the Hilton Garden Inn Kitty Hawk right on the water and across the street from Duck Donuts.

In the evening, we walked along the soft sand beach…poking in the sand and shells, and cavorting in the waves.

Coffee in hand, early the next morning we watched the sunrise.

After much coffee and a bite of healthy breakfast at the hotel, we wandered across the street to Duck Donuts to see what all the hype was about.

We had purposely saved a little room for a doughy treat. Ordinarily I do not go out of my way for a donut, but I read about Duck Donuts’ maple bacon donuts with real bacon. They make each donut to order right there so they are warm and wonderful and put whatever topping you desire on top. We bought a box of 6 for 4 people and shared. The maple bacon are a must and the chocolate flip flops were a hit too. They are actually light so you could eat a couple…

Our two sons are 30ish and we wanted to plan a unique activity they might enjoy, so we booked a two hour Hummer dunes tour with Wild Horse Adventure Tours. They are located just about a half hour north of Kitty Hawk in Corolla.

Our visit was in September so it was windy and chilly, but Wild Horse provided Native American blankets to keep us warm when the adrenaline wasn’t pumping. The tour guide whirled us onto pristine beaches that are accessible only with a 4×4 off-road vehicle. Our guide was quick witted, funny, and interesting, providing a constant stream of commentary about history and ecology. It was quite an exhilarating adventure with ocean breezes, salty air, up and down beaches, dunes and forest trails.

We all enjoyed the exciting excursion searching for the wild horses and spotted quite a few horses, a coyote, other wildlife, and of course a few humans driving non-4×4 vehicles, stuck in the sand. Just a fun morning.

Since were were at the shore, we did want to enjoy as much seafood as possible, so we stopped for lunch at I Got Your Crabs Shelfish Market and Oyster Bar in Kitty Hawk.

I got your Crabs was #1 on TripAdvisor for seafood, and I always check TripAdvisor for the best recommendations. We were not disappointed. The servers were attentive, friendly and helpful. My son and I both ordered the soft shell crab plate with hush puppies, hubs had the crab cake sandwich with waffle fries, and other son had the chicken sandwich. Everyone was very happy with their food. Pretty large portions, and all fresh. We were checking out the live crabs and the chef took one out to show us and tell us about them. Interesting and delicious.

After this brief seashore interlude, it was time to head back to Durham for more exploration of Bull City….C’est tout!

Bayeux, The Heart of Normandy

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Bayeux is not situated in the south of France, so one does not visit here for blinding sunshine and lounging on the beaches. The average high in June is 64 F, skyrocketing all the way to 69 in August before it starts dipping back down, with a possibility of a grey day or sudden showers. Perhaps it’s global warming?

But yes, we do come for the beaches – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. We visit for remembrance of June 6, 1944, D-Day, and all of the history, reliving and celebrating The Liberation, and the courageous men and women who made it happen.

While our focus is D-Day, tired at the end of the day from exploring all of the magnificent military sites, it’s a good plan to regroup in a welcoming home away from home in a lovely little French town. Bayeux is perfectly situated to provide an excellent home base for touring the nearby historic WWII sites. It is one of the only cities to escape bombing and destruction during WWII and is known as the first major town secured by the Allies during Operation Overlord.

We have stayed in Bayeux for each our visits to Normandy, and can attest to it’s beauty and tranquility, lodging and restaurants.

One of our two recommendations for lodging is historic Hotel Churchill where the halls are decorated with extraordinary black and white photos of WWII, Band of Brothers, and other army material.

One memorable birthday visit at Hotel Churchill, future-hubby had arranged flowers, card and presents. Madame de l’hôtel hid his roses in the back room overnight and then surprised us both with the flowers and a wonderful Joyeux Anniversaire brioche cake at breakfast which we shared with all of the other guests.

Hotel Churchill is situated downtown, steps from the picturesque watermills, just a block or so from the famous tapestry for which Bayeux is best known.

The 11th century tapestry is 230 feet long of embroidered wool on linen, and depicts the scenes of the Norman Conquest in 50 different panels. It currently resides at Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux.

Bayeux Cathedral

The cloth’s original home was the Bayeux Cathedral where you will find beautiful murals and crypts. Both of these sites are worth a visit in your downtime.

As well, Le Mont Saint Michel UNESCO World Heritage Site is approximately 2-1/4 hours drive from Bayeux.

There are many lovely spots downtown to stop for un café. Rain or shine, coffee makes every day better.

We try to plan a visit to include a weekend in Bayeux as every Saturday morning, rain or shine, residents and visitors alike flock to la Place Saint Patrice for the bustling weekly market.

The scents of grilling sausages, meat, and paella will draw you near. Is it time for lunch?

The photo opportunities are endless at the market.

Succulent tomatoes…

…and energetic Jack Russells

Sunday dinner?

Domes of nougat – pistache!

To find the market, just follow the steady stream of housewives meandering down the sidewalk with empty market baskets.

The walk through town reveals beautiful old timbered buildings, doorways, and flowers…

Industrious bees

Le Bon Vie does not live by photos alone. Let there be wine, cheese and pain! or bread…let there be many lovely French baguettes! Cave-Bistrot Le Volet qui Penche is rated one of the top ten restaurants in Bayeux, right in the middle of downtown on the water and one of our very favorites. We would dine here each evening if it was open. Recommended as a wine cave for charcuterie, they have fresh entrées, an extensive wine collection, and friendly knowledgeable sommelier, who also has a wine stall at the Saturday market…how convenient.

Another new favorite Bayeux B&B…Clos de Bellefontaine Guesthouse. It is an enchanting maison with the host family living in one side of the home, and the guest rooms with a separate entrance off a lovely yard and patio. There are two guest suites with modern bathrooms, one on each upper floors, with drawing room and breakfast room on first floor. Breakfasts are generous with many homemade choices. Carole, the hostess, is friendly and accommodating, a great chef, homemaker, and artist in her spare time. Parking is in the enclosed secure gated yard, and Clos is walking distance from shops and restaurants. We had a comfortable weeklong stay in the cosy yet elegant rooms. It was wonderful to relax in the drawing room at end of day with a book and snack or aperitif, and sometimes meet the other guests, and Marcel, the resident Jack Russell.

Everything is better with coffee, wine, and a Jack Russell. Happy travels. C’est tout!

Tranquil Painters’ Paradise in Giverny

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Claude Monet has long been my favorite impressionist artist. We tend to temper each visit to the beaches and museums of Normandy with a relaxing few hours enjoying the tranquil beauty of Claude’s final home in Giverny.

In 1883, Claude began by purchasing a farmhouse surrounded by an orchard, and initiated a vast landscaping project including lily ponds that would become the subjects of his best-known works. Here the Father of French Impressionism adopted a method of painting the same scene many times in order to capture the change of light and the passing of the seasons.

In 1899 he began painting the water lilies, first in vertical views with a Japanese bridge as a central feature, and later in the series of large-scale paintings that was to occupy him continuously for the next 20 years of his life.

This peaceful paradise is much the same as it was when Claude Monet passed in 1826. A visit is easy to include on a Parisian or Normandy itinerary as Giverny is located approximately an hour west of CDG airport and about two hours southeast of Bayeux, which we consider the heart of Normandy.

Each season at Giverny is a unique experience…different flowers,

sometimes sunny, sometimes gray, but always some violet.

A lovely walk around the Water Garden,

and the Lily Pond.

early-June view from Monet’s bedroom

J’ai du bon tabac

la cuisine

After our visit among the gardens, it was time for a little shopping under the watchful eye

of le chat de garde,

Cozy tea time rendezvous

followed by a wood fire grilled lunch at Le Petit Giverny and un bouteille de vin.

À votre santé

J’aime la lumière quand pareille aux bouches sensuelles des modèles de Renoir elle donne au travers de l’olivier à la pelouse mille baisers. -Claude Cambour

I love the light when like the sensual mouths of Renoir’s models she gives through the olive tree to the lawn a thousand kisses.

-Claude Cambour, peintre

C’est tout!

Remembering D-Day in Normandy, WWII Film Festival, and Canadian Sites

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In the small rural towns in northern France, the first two weeks of June each year are a special time for remembrance, celebration of D-Day and liberation, and all things military and WWII. Both of our fathers served in WWII and as you know, my husband loves anything WWII or military related, so we return again and again to Normandy, but then again who does not want to return to France? Allons-y!

In June 2017, we decided to participate in the 1st Normandie-World War II International Film Festival in St-Marie-Du-Mont and Carentan. The festival is organized by the US World War II Foundation. By sponsoring the event, we were invited to the Red Carpet night held at Utah Beach Museum in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.

The 2017 VIP event honored 2nd Ranger Battalion and D-Day Pointe-du-Hoc veteran George Klein. As promised there were Band of Brothers actors, wine and food, tanks, guns and aircraft…it was fabulous.

James Madio (Technician Fourth Grade Frank Perconte Band of Brothers), John MacLennan (husband extraordinaire), and Rick Warden (First Lt. Harry F. Welsh, Band of Brothers)

Kathy schmoozing with James Madio

If Band of Brothers does not ring a bell, it was originally an HBO series, chronicling the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army and based on the book written by Stephen Ambrose, interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers’ journals and letters, and experiences of these young men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear.

We have watched Band of Brothers numerous times. Any male actor who is anyone is probably in it and it is 100% Rotten Tomatoes. Tom Hanks – check. James McAvoy – check. Damian Lewis – check…the list goes on.

The Normandie-WWII International Film Festival is the only film festival in the world featuring the latest on WWII content only, from feature films to shorts. Over 50 films made the cut for the inaugural film festival which were projected in the Carentan Salle du Théâtre. We viewed a few of them over the four day festival and met up with Robin and Jane Brockman at a few events and again for dinner in Bayeux. Robin had submitted a WWII action film entitled Here Again. He is an American & British national and author, editor, playwright, director, and actor. He grew up in Kansas and joined the US Army at 17, serving as a paratrooper in America and as an infantryman in the Vietnam War. There he underwent a profound Near Death Experience. Later he was an observer in conflicts from the Middle East to El Salvador, Ethiopia to Bosnia, and on the Turkish-Iraqi and Syria-Iraqi borders. Rob and Jane reminded us that we meet the nicest, most interesting people all over the world. We wish him well in his future film-making endeavors

Besides the film festival, our trip would begin with a memorable military bang. As John’s birthday treat, I booked a full day personal tour of Canadian D-Day sites with Bayeux Shuttle. Mike, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and thanks to him, we were in for a special treat when we again visited the Juno Beach Centre, which is the Canadian WWII museum.

It’s a Canadian Museum – of course there will be curling.

June Beach serenely beautiful

52,022 Poppies representing the 52,022 Canadian soldiers buried in France.

The day of our visit, David Teacher, M.B.E. was at the museum speaking to a group of school children. He was among the first soldiers to land in Normandy as he drove his three ton truck off a landing craft.

Crowdfunding had enabled David, who is in a wheelchair, to come back to the 2017 D-Day events to drive a Bedford QL WW2 truck on Juno Beach just as he did on D-Day. Can you imagine the hoops and hurdles to make this happen? Insurance requirements, government permits allowing one of these trucks on June beachhead, fabricating a special lift to raise David up into the truck and therefore additional liability insurance, getting the truck from the London military enthusiast collector to Juno Beach, film crews, weather concerns…mind boggling. Our tour guide was involved in making it happen, so we were able to meet David Teacher and see the awe and enthusiasm of the school children crowding around him. He signed a copy of his book for us: Beyond My Wildest Dreams.

We read there is a plan afoot to take David to Belgium as he is a Battle of the Bulge veteran and to the Netherlands where he also served. He gives his time freely to charities and volunteers speaking to school parties about his war time service. We were honored and touched to meet this wonderful man.

Boys and their toys

Canada House: Thought to be the first house liberated by troops who landed on Juno beach. These troops were from the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. Around the house, more than 100 Canadian soldiers were killed or wounded in the first minutes of the invasion.

On the House are three plaques: one to the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, one to The Fort Garry Horse and one to the Régiment de la Chaudière

We visited the somber garden at L’Abbaye d’Ardenne where the memorial reads: “In memoriam: on the night of 7-8 June 1944, eighteen Canadian soldiers were murdered in this garden while being held here as prisoners of war. Two more prisoners died here, or nearby, on 17 June 1944. Lest we forget.”

L’Abbaye d’Ardenne

Another day found us attending an all day parachute jump from WWII planes in farmers’ fields with thousands of our closest friends. Like many multi-tasking Americans, we planned to arrive on schedule, see a few jumps, then drive out and go on to our next activity, stopping somewhere for a wonderful lunch and a coffee…not the French way. Should have packed a picnic and lawn chairs, planning to relax, celebrate, and enjoy the festivities. The police planned a one-time controlled entrance for everyone thru the one-lane hedgerows into the fields set for parking. In the evening, the traffic flow would turn around when the event is over. Luckily there were booths selling beer and grilling sausages, so it was not a problem to slow down and enjoy the moment.

The D-Day Experience is another must see at Dead Man’s Corner in Saint-Côme-du-Mont, featuring a 3D immersive exhibit, a flight simulator, two museums, two shops, and a memorial dedicated to airborne troops.

What would a celebration be without a parade? We spent another fine day at Isigny-Sur-Mer enjoying their annual D-Day military parade which is similar to 4th of July only probably a lot more military vehicles and tanks. Everyone dresses up like it’s the 1940’s and re-enactors come from all over including Belgium and the Netherlands to dress up like Canadians, British, and Americans.

As we drove out of Isigny at the end of the day, we came face to face with a Sherman tank blocking the entire roadway. The drivers had no intention of moving unless perhaps it was to flatten all of us in our tiny Peugeots and Renaults, so we managed to back up quickly along with everyone else and find alternate routes out of town. Makes for a great story and memory….

We will be back again and again, and most certainly in 2019 for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.

C’est Tout!

History Matters at Oak Park River Forest Museum

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I recently found a newspaper clipping indicating my grandmother had donated to Oak Park a ceremonial Camp Fire Leader gown worn by my great-grandmother in the 1920s. After contacting the Oak Park River Forest Museum, I was excited to learn they still have the gown in storage and there was a possibility of someday seeing and touching this family treasure.

At that time in 2017, the museum was preparing to move into their newly renovated space created inside Oak Park’s oldest municipal building at the southeast corner of Lake and Lombard.

Originally built in 1898 as a firehouse by Cicero Township, the Historical Society invested private funds to transform this vacant building into a LEED accredited eco-friendly facility.

The front facade still resembles a firehouse from the street with beautiful decorative arching brickwork around the upper windows.

Inside, a knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic curator/board member filled our heads with every detail of the building renovation, exhibits, events, and resources.

The original two fire house pole chutes were discovered in renovation and can be safely viewed from above and below. There are plans in 2018 to install a real brass fire pole, which children will enjoy.

Upstairs, an area is dedicated to children’s interests with old games and dollhouses and toys…

and a space dedicated to special exhibits. WWI was on display during our visit which my husband and I both enjoyed immensely.

The Hometown Legends display wall offers brief biographies of many Oak Park River Forest citizens who have contributed to society: architects, artists, and writers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and social activists. We all know about Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway, but we were surprised at the number of amazing people that lived in Oak Park. Who knew the inventor of Twinkies was from Oak Park, or the author of Tarzan?

There is so much more to see at this lovely museum. As well, the Historical Society of Oak Park & River Forest plans many museum exhibits, events, tours, house and cemetery walks. Be sure to check their website calendar here.

C’est tout!

Oak Park Conservatory, A Hidden Gem

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Historic Oak Park, just 9 miles or so from Chicago, is filled with so many architectural treasures, a lovely downtown with lots of shops, restaurants, festivals, music, and things to do. However in the seemingly never-ending Chicago winter…we cannot help but count the days to warm vacations far, far away.

Determined to enjoy a little warmth and a taste of Oak Park’s hidden beauty on a recent Sunday afternoon, we set off to visit one of the top 3 historical sites, the Oak Park Conservatory. Admission to this greenhouse gem is free, but of course donations are welcome.

April might be a little early in the season for the flowers to come, but there were some lovely blooms on display along with ferns, cacti, lemon trees, Koi fish pond, goldfish, turtles and 3 talking parrots.

George the African parrot was having a grand time saying Hallo over and over to a toddler who was parroting him back. George’s mate, Sara will also sing if you sing to her first.

The Conservatory was built in 1929, designated an Oak Park Landmark in 2004, and consists of three indoor showrooms along with outdoor urban gardens.

Check out their website and you find their popular events list for children, KidsFest, Fall Fest, camps, the annual spring plant sale, gardening and nature classes, and the Uncorked Wine Nights where perhaps we’ll run into you while celebrating summer.

C’est tout!

Thankful…All the time. Let’s Pay It Forward

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If you know me, you know I’m all about travel and exploring the world. That’s what this blog is about. Hubby and I love to travel as much as budget, time, and responsibilities allow. We have so much fun, that much of the time, I don’t even have time to blog about it.

Over the past 13 years since I started keeping track, we have taken around 60 trips, whether long weekends or months long journeys. Someday I will calculate the mileage and I’m sure it will be amazing. We have another dozen trips in the planning stages and a seemingly endless list of cities and countries we want to explore and then go back again and again because we meet such wonderful people and make great memories.

Having just changed homes (yet again), we are home for a few months before the next adventure. One of our grandsons recently asked, “Grandma and grandpa, why do you keep moving?” Hmmm…probably terminal wanderlust. In his 8 years of life we have been in 5 different homes. He and his brother especially enjoyed our big forever home with the huge dodge ball friendly basement and yard that was really too much for us to worry about. Now we are in a condo that Goldilocks & big Bear says is “just right”. Finally we have a home that can sit unattended when we travel the world.

What is the segue way to Thankful? This is the time of year when Being Thankful is always playing on my mind. I am so thankful for where I am in my life. I have an amazing husband who enjoys the same things I do (24/7…but that is another story). We are retired and can do what we enjoy – particularly travel. We enjoy good health for the most part. We have lovely friends, and most importantly, we have healthy, happy children and grandchildren, most of them close by. What more could you ask for?

We also have a brand new cozy home to come back to when our wanderlust is temporarily satisfied.

Not everyone is so lucky. Living close to the city, we daily encounter people in need on the street. Every year we typically donate to our favorite organizations, but these everyday reminders of humans in need make me more thankful that I can help a little, particularly at this time of year when we encounter so much overindulgence.

Giving Tuesday is the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving . Many organizations that you donate to have matching donations on that day so make sure to put Giving Tuesday on your calendar and remember your favorite charities this holiday season (November 28, 2017).

Besides monetary donations, the MacLennan’s like to give back on a personal level whether it’s volunteering or sometimes adopting an elderly person or children off a gift tree. This year we are collecting scarves, hats, and gloves to keep in the car (because it gets pretty darn cold here in Chicago). When we come across those less fortunate, we will hand out something warm to wear with our donation, as well as some days a bag of something to eat like Subway and fruit. This requires planning ahead, so I’ve marked a few days on the calendar when I think we will be out and about in the car, so we can pick up food in advance. Another day we plan to bring a holiday meal and some wish list items to a local homeless veterans shelter.

We have a great deal to be thankful for, and have a wide variety of favorite organizations. This is not a shameless plug for our favorites – I just wanted to share our list so it might jog your memory for ways that you might give back or pay-it-forward.

Special Needs:

Chicago Blackhawks Special Hockey

WDSRA

We Grow Dreams

Cancer:

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

Military/Veterans:

Operation Support our Troops

Midwest Homeless Shelter for Veterans

Children:

Toys for Tots (it’s a great tradition to get your children involved in choosing toys for the less fortunate & bringing to a donation center as a family)

Elderly:

Chicago Scots Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care

DuPage County Convalescent Center (Adopt-a-Resident)

Animals:

DuPage County Animal Control Foundation

Public Television:

WTTW (When we are not traveling, I love to watch Masterpiece, Doc Martin and a ton of their shows. Outlander & Game of Thrones are a given but we need Public Television!)

Church: of course that’s your choice and it’s personal to us all

I hope that you, your loved ones, family and friends, are warm and safe, healthy and happy this Thanksgiving and Holiday season. If you are as blessed and lucky as we are, consider paying it forward on Giving Tuesday to your own favorite organizations or finding a way to make contact with those less fortunate and pay it forward.

We continued to be very blessed, very lucky, and very thankful! Sending good wishes from our home to yours, Happiest Thanksgiving to you xo

C’est tout.

Normandie-WWII International Film Festival June 2017

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Our 2017 significant vacation adventure is just about upon us as we prepare to travel next week. Our first destination is Normandy for the inaugural WWII International Film Festival to be held June 2 through 5, 2017 at Musee Du Debarquement Utah Beach in Saints-Marie-Du-Mont and Cinema Le Cotentin in Carentan.

Do not fear my little friends…there will be plenty of other Le Bon Vie fun to report on this holiday. Stay tuned for updates from some lovely European towns and cities.

C’est tout!

Countdown to 5 Glorious Days in Berlin

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We are in the last week countdown before jetting off to Germany and are looking forward to visiting the cultural and historical hub that is Berlin. So far for us, Germany has been explored via a series of plane changes in Frankfurt and Munich on our way to sunnier climates in France, Spain and Italy. September 2016 we will finally visit Berlin, Munich, and Ingolstadt (yes home to Audi!) before moving on to Italy. Stay tuned for some exciting travel stories and hopefully gorgeous photos.

Downton Abbey Fashions at Driehaus Museum

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Being a Downton Abbey lover, I was excited to find the Driehaus Museum in Chicago is presenting Dressing Downton – Changing Fashions for Changing Times February 9 through May 29, 2016. As the sixth and final season of Downton Abbey has concluded, PBS stations WTTW & WMFT have sponsored an exhibit of over 35 period costumes from the award winning show.

This exhibition explores fashions in Britain between 1912 (the year the Titanic sank) and the early 1920’s, the dawn of the Jazz Age. The impact of World War I greatly affected people’s lives and the way that they dressed. These changes are particularly highlighted.

The culturally and historically significant Driehaus Museum is located steps from the Magnificent Mile and the perfect setting for the Fashions of Downton. This grand and palatial mansion was the residence of Samuel M. Nickerson and is one of the few remaining examples of the 19th century Gilded Age-era in both design and architecture.

My first visit to this glorious mansion left me dreaming of years gone by, experienced only in old movies or British television series. After tickets and coatroom, obtaining a colored brochure of each exhibit and an audio presentation, I ascended one of the grand carpeted marble staircases to the first floor. There I joined the crowd of ladies who lunch in watching a short introductory film on the made for television show. The visitors on a Tuesday morning were 99% women with some serious Red Hat Society ladies. Today however, they were wearing white gloves and adorned with straw hats, feathers and such finery as to fit in at a proper tea party.

Promptly at 10am, the ticket taker appeared and we glided into the grand reception room from where the staircase ascended to upper floors and from which all the first floor rooms connected.

Tickets are purchased for every half hour admittance times. Quite well thought out. There never seemed to be people crowding in if you wanted to take a photo or in your way while you examined an exhibit. There is plenty of room to envision yourself a distant Crawley cousin, belonging in the priceless surroundings.

The library is furnished around an artistically significant fireplace and statuary which leads the gaze up to a stained glass ceiling. The ceiling is beyond words.

Each of the rooms on the three exhibit floors hold multiple costumes, informational directories, and photos from the television show.

The rooms themselves have directories as well that are part of the regular Driehaus Museum exhibition. There are no words I can use to describe the beauty and opulence of the mansion. It just requires a visit to absorb it all.

Traditional English tea is available by reservation in the Murphy Auditorium, served by properly costumed servants .

There must be a gift shop! Oh yes there is, just next to the tea. Many treasures abound.

Life after Downton…what will we see next? Luckily the Driehaus Museum is a must see on it’s own, holding many interesting programs and exhibitions. The Museum entrance is located at 40 East Erie Street, Chicago, IL, 60611.

C’est tout!

About KathyMac

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