Southport Garden Tour

Hello dear friends.  I hope that you enjoyed your weekend.  The Mister and I met Sista, her Mista, Nef #1 and Nef #2 in Boston for a celebration of Sista's Mista's 60th Birthday.  Try saying that three times after two glasses of vino!

That afternoon, Sista and I got in our cardio via two hours of power shopping.  Let me give you a hint... we weren't shopping for the birthday boy. 

We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Grill 23.  

I highly recommend it if you live or visit Beantown.

*****

Days after I began my Summer Sabbatical, I attended the Southport Garden Tour.  

Southport, Connecticut is a little slice of heaven located along the Long Island Sound and borders on Fairfield and Westport.  Notable celebrities who have lived there are Jeffery and Ina Garten, Jack Welch, and Jason Robards.  If you are under the age of thirty, feel free to google the last two names.

We lucked out with a picture-perfect day.  I parked in front of this gorgeous home.  Don't you love the blue door?

Note to self:  buy the Mister some paint this week.

Pequot Library hosted the tour.  I happen to have a history with this beautiful library. At the tender age of thirteen, I attended ballroom dancing classes here.  And guess who was in my class!  No, not Jason Robards.  None other than my BIL, the birthday boy!  

Sista and I met at registration.  The rose between the thorns is our dear friend, Caroline Crawford who is the head of PR for the library and in charge of the event.  She managed to pull the whole thing together in a matter of six weeks.

I am not just saying this, but this garden tour was the best tour I have ever attended.  It was so well organized, most of the homes were on the water, and the entire route was done on foot.  My favorite combo: cardio with a side of eye candy.

And the fabulous homes and luscious gardens... well, stick with me and you can see for yourself.

Photo Credit:  Sista

Sista and I already used up our oooh and aah quota for the day, and we were still at the first house!

On to the next charming home and garden.

I told Sista that she wasn't the only black sheep around town!

Doesn't this house look like it should be featured in a TV show?

Open Sesame says Sista.

I love the pop of orange!

I took lots of pics of the charming homes along the way.

How 'bout this pool?

I showed this pic to the Mister and told him I wanted him to build me a Blog Cottage just like this adorable pool house.

I'm still waiting for an answer.

Can you imagine sipping your first cup of coffee taking in this view every morning?

I can't imagine what my two hooligans would do to this impeccably-kept garden!

Thanks for joining me on the tour.  

I appreciate your sense of decorum.

I wish that I could say the same about my Sista!

Until next time...

Mom promised to take us next year!


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A Heavenly Hingham Historic House Tour

Hello, dear friends.  How is your week going?  It has been very wet and dreary around here.  Yesterday, I misplaced my house key and spent most of my morning with my head in our garbage and recycle bins searching for it.  Not to worry.  St. Anthony came through, and I found it in a sweatshirt pocket.

I look at the upside - it was nice that I had some one-on-one time with our trash.

Chili is still featuring her headgear and has another very long week to go.  Chowdah still can't figure out why she's wearing that silly thing around her head.  He's always complimentary, though.  Yesterday he told her that it brings out her eyes.

Are you ready for some house porn?  Last Sunday, I attended a Historic House Tour in one of my favorite South Shore towns, Hingham.  My friends Annie and Mary were my partners in crime.  

The good news is that we lucked out with a picture-perfect day for the tour.  The bad news is that photography was prohibited inside the homes.  Take my word for it - each interior was stunning.

The first house that we visited was the Benjamin Lincoln House which was built in 1665.  This is the only home on the tour that did not have a recent renovation.  It was very charming with plenty of built-in bookshelves and memorabilia on display.

Along the way to each house on tour, I took photos of houses that caught my eye.

What can I say?

I'm a sucker for a picket fence.

Did I mention that I am a sucker for awnings, as well?

This is the Cyrus T. Clark House which was built in 1875.

The interior of this home is nothing less than magnificent.

A beautifully appointed mega kitchen, butler's pantry, and state-of-the-art wine cellar make for the ideal home for a fabulous party.  And the pool!  Don't get me started on the pool and patio!

Now all I have to do is figure out a way to get on the guest list. 

Mary and Annie posing in front of the original Talbot's.

This is the Joshua Leavitt House which was built in 1845.  This home is a stunner inside and out and has been featured in House Beautiful.

Did I mention the pool house?

Breathtaking!

This house was so big, I couldn't get it into one shot.  The fabulous home is the George W. Tilden House which was built in 1870.  The original house was a Cape with the gable facing the street.  In the 1960's the owners added an addition.  Then the present owners also added on to the house in 2004.  We uttered many oohs and aahs as we admired the use of color and textures throughout the home.  The kitchen is a chef's dream, and the floorplan flows like a dream. 

This gorgeous home is on the water.  Every bedroom (even the servants' quarters) has the most spectacular water view.  
I wonder if they're hiring.

Frederick A Turner, Vice president of Boston Plate and Window Glass Company had this home built as a summer residence and is responsible for the magnificent glass features.

For a time this house was boarded up and in decline.  It was eventually bought in the 1950's, and the owners added central heat.

The wife and current owner displayed her magnificent hat collection in the living room.  On the third floor, the lucky lady has an entire Christmas village laid out along with a Coca-Cola powder room.

Miss Annie paid homage to the "hat" house in her bonnet.

This is a view from the neighbor's yard.

Even the firehouse is charming!

FYI... this beauty is for sale

This gorgeous home replaced a small Cape in 1910.  This was my favorite house.  Maybe because the owner had an extensive blue and white porcelain collection.  On the left-hand side of the front of the house, there is a darling screened-in porch.

And look at this darling back porch!

This garage was added in the year 2000. 

The second floor is equipped with a pool table, foosball game, an indoor basketball net, and I imagine, a few lucky kids.  

Guess what this is.

Ok, I'll tell you.

It's a nursery school! 

If I went there, I would turn into Peter Pan so I would never have to grow up.

This was our last stop on the tour.  This is known as the Edward Wilder House and was built in 1805.  It was the only home in which we met the owner, a lovely lady who happened to be baking bread in her newly-renovated kitchen.

As we walked out the back door of the home, this darling bike was sitting there.

Now that's what I call a pumpkin patch!

We headed to a waterside lunch at Alma Nove which is owned by the Wahlberg family.  No star sightings which was fine with me because at my age I can only take so much excitement in a day.

For other house tours, you can find Concord here and Wellesley here. 

Until next time...

Photo by Ben Hanson on Unsplash

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