Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Pittock Mansion Christmas

Hello my friends, thanks for visiting.  Would you like to see inside the Pittock Mansion, which we showed you the outside of a while back?  The volunteers decorate it for the holidays and so yesterday my husband and I and my younger sister Denise and her husband Steve met for lunch and then off to tour this wonderful mansion.


We met for lunch at a French bakery, but it was very full so we went to Meriwether's - a really neat old place on NE Vaughn.  I had to show you my Dungeness crab salad with avocado, Greek olives, mixed fresh greens and shaved fennel.  They served fresh baked focaccia bread.  Yum!


After lunch we drove on 25th through old city neighborhoods to Burnside where we headed up the hill to get to the mansion. It was magical as when we were walking up to the entrance under the porte cochere it began to snow!  We figured out that it was actually windblown frozen frost off the trees.. but never mind.. it was still cool.


Here is a portrait of Henry Pittock (click on his name for his history).


Here is Georgiana whom Henry married when she was 15!  Her history is also in the link above.


As you enter the home the first room on the left is the library, which is my favorite of all.  I loved the carved mantel.


I also love the expansive curving marble stairway with carved railings.  



A view of the library from the other side.  :-)



The next room is the music room with a big curving wall and two big crystal chandeliers.  Can you envision relaxing here after a meal prepared and served to you, listening to family members play music for your enjoyment?



How I wanted to sneak around the velvet ropes and see how the piano sounded.  :-)


Between the large rooms were these neat little vestibules with French doors to the beautiful yard and view.  This tree was decorated with natural elements, such a small antler pieces and pine cones.  This one was used as a smoking room, the other one was used as a small office.



Next up.. the wonderful dining room.  I adore the built-in china cabinet and the fireplace.  



I was especially interested in the table setting.. it looks like oysters on the half shell was on the menu for dinner.


I *loved* the butler's pantry.  What I wouldn't give to have a house big enough and old enough to have one of these!


The sink in the butler's is wonderful.



There was a cute little tree in the pantry.


I loved the idea of decorating it with red cocktail umbrellas!


Next up was the kitchen which was decorated with a lot of red.. it was charming!  I loved the marble topped work table, perfect for making pies, cookies, bread and cakes.



Another little work table in a corner.. I could envision a kitchen maid sitting on the stool chopping vegetables and such.


Can you believe this cool big stove!  


Here is the kitchen store room, which I adored and paid special attention to the cast iron pots and pans.


Then we come to the family breakfast room where they could enjoy their meal in the morning light.  While dining they could make their lists for the day.



After making full circle of the main floor, we walked up the curved marble stairway to the second floor.  I loved the leaded glass windows and the lantern. 


I wish I knew who's bedroom this was!


This is a sleeping porch, and they have it set up as an infirmary for someone in the family who had tuberculosis.


In the next area I spied Mt. Hood out the window and zoomed in to show you why they built the house here, atop a hill.  


In Georgiana's sitting room was this wonderful vintage Singer sewing machine.


Can you imagine working on your needlepoint while you sip hot tea and nibble on biscuits/cookies?



I think this was Georgiana's bedroom, there were two children's bedrooms next to her room.  I totally loved the 4 poster bed with beautiful canopy.


One of the children's room filled with dolls.
  

From the third floor lobby I looked down the stairs to the lower level. 


In the lower level there were several posters of the different years of decorating themes.  I shared this one because of the snow.. pretty.



Then we put on our coats, hats and scarves and braved the East Wind to walk out over the grounds to the view point where I snapped this photo of Mt. Hood and downtown Portland, Oregon.  What a view they had!


Heading back towards the mansion.. one last parting shot.  Isn't it beautiful?



I turned to the left and there was this HUGE naked tree.  It's almost winter, for sure!


I must say we were chilled to the bone when we got back into our car and headed home.  The fire felt so good in our little farmhouse.  Today I am determined to finish my decorating so we can get the boxes put away and enjoy the lights and bright sparkling colors.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)  

23 comments:

  1. Wow, what a stunning place, and a truly amazing view. The music room is beautiful, and like you I love the kitchen store room. You're right about the light up decorations, it would be better without them. Maybe they should get you to organise it all next year, I know it would be gorgeous then! Thanks for sharing your trip, your photos are wonderful. CJ xx

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  2. What a beautiful place to visit. I enjoy touring historic homes too. I agree with you, evergreen garland with red bows and maybe even some pine cones would have looked beautiful on the staircase. Enjoy putting up the rest of your decorations. Take care, Heather

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  3. Teresa

    what a great tour. I LOVED the pantry and kitchen most . the umbrella decor on the trees is brilliant I agree

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  4. Teresa, I have to say that is one of the most amazing mansions I have ever seen. And you did a wonderful job giving the tour. Thank you dear friend. Loved every moment and every detail. It's cold here too and I'm working on my decorations too! xoRobin Stay warm and cosy❤️

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  5. What a fabulous tour you gave us Teresa, love love it ♥ And how about I send some of the summer warmth in the shape of a hug, from over here in Oz to you and your family xoxo

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  6. That was one fantastic four Teresa. I love touring old houses and especially ones kept as well as this one. It is stunning. I tried to choose my favorite room and couldn't! They're all great. It's cold here too. I ran some errands this morning and it was 16 degrees. Brrrr. See you soon.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  7. When I got to your photo of the view of Portland and Mt. Hood from the mansion, I said, "WOW!" out loud! But the neatest thing you showed me about the mansion, Teresa, is that it was a home...loved and lived in. Although my maternal grandparents lived in a modest two story house in Danvers, MA, I was reminded of their dear home when I saw the Singer treadle sewing machine, and the pantry. Thanks for the tour! xx

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  8. Wow, thank you so much Teresa for sharing this photos, the mansion is magnificent that's for sure. The interiors remind me of a book I had one Christmas when I was very young - it was the "Night Before Christmas" and the illustrations looked a lot like the mansion does today.

    And great minds think alike - I had focaccia with my lunch yesterday too!!

    Helenxx

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  9. Wow, what an impressive tour you gave us, such a great place to visit. The Christmas décor was a real delight, exquisite. Thank you for sharing.

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  10. Thanks for taking us on tour Teresa, it is a most beautiful mansion and has been decorated perfectly for Christmas. What a lovely day you had.Keep warm, it's turned very cold over here too...brrrr xx

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  11. Teresa, your words paint 'almost' as good a picture as your beautiful photographs. What a treat to see this fabulous mansion. Loved every minute of it. Thank you. xox

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  12. What a beautiful place! We have a mansion about an hour away that is beautiful But no one is allowed to take pictures. What a view they had!!!

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  13. What an interesting and wonderful tour .
    Your pictures depicted it beautifully !

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  14. Thank you for sharing! I love all the windows and lighting! I imagined baking, sewing, eating and relaxing next to each beautiful window. Just gorgeous!

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  15. That was fun! What an interesting and beautiful old place! Can you imagine living in something like that? I wonder if it has any ghosts? That shot of the city and mountain is wonderful...so beautiful. I could stare at it all day.

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  16. Oh, wow. What a beautiful mansion! I love visiting places like this, especially at Christmas. You can really imagine the lavish holidays they would have had for their time. Interesting that he married his wife when she was 15, that must have been fairly unusual for people of their class in those days. Sometimes I feel like I've been married since I was 15...or 10. Haha. I was actually 23. Your lunch looks delicious, I would really enjoy eating fresh crab salad - I've only ever had it made with imitation crabmeat!

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  17. Such an interesting post, what a wonderful mansion and fabulous photos of it! The interior is really beautiful and I love how it is decorated for Christmas! Your lunch looks lovely too :) Thank you for sharing these great pictures, Teresa....I will just scroll up now for another look at them!
    Happy (nearly) weekend.
    Helen xox

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  18. Oh I loved seeing all the lovely pictures. Thank you for taking us along on the tour. What a beautiful place. :) You live in such a pretty area! ((hugs)) to you sweet friend. :)

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  19. What an amazing mansion, so beautiful every where you turn.
    Love the photos, thank you for taking us along Teresa.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  20. Beautiful pictures, happy I found your blog. Cheers!

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  21. Hi Teresa. I found you thru Milla's coments and you found Milla thru Alison. lol. Just had to say that that is one of the loveliest gracious houses I've seen in America. Reminds me a bit of some of the grand houses in Oxfordshire where I live for parts of the year. But this year Christmas is in Vancouver for us. (we alternate) I'm off now to have a little peek at some of your other posts. Hope your weekend is off to a lovely start.

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  22. Oh Teresa, I can't tell you how much a enjoyed this post! I love all things vintage, and old!!! What a fabulous old home. And the tour reminded me a little bit of a Christmas tour we took of the Hearst Castle. The docents were "acting" as if the home were filled with people from that era, and at a party. There was music on the old player, and each room was filled with people and going on about their business as if a tour of people were not walking through the house. It was really lovely. The kitchen and butlers pantry were also my favorites of that tour. I am completely entranced with that era of time.
    Your photos were lovely, and I will go check out the history of this couple that lived here now.
    Thank you for your entertaining and always educational posts!!!
    xo Kris

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  23. Teresa!!

    OMG!!!!

    STUNNING!! BREATH TAKING!! GORGEOUS!!

    Thanks so much for sharing it!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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