Ms. Toody Goo Shoes: August 2014

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Mega Mansion Tour: Part 2

This is Part 2 of a multi-part series.

Are you ready to see a few more rooms
of this incredible mansion?

In case you missed Part 1,
I'm taking you on the mother of all house tours...
at Blairsden Mansion, in Peapack-Gladstone NJ.
which was the site of a
Designer Showhouse fundraiser, back in May.

Believe it or not, we barely made it

past the front door in Part 1.
Today's tour continues along the main floor.

Want to follow along with the floor plan? Click here.

The rooms are numbered,
and I'll reference them as we go along.

Let's roll.

Main Hall

Gacek Design Group

Map Location 9

52-Room Mansion Tour: You've got to see this house to believe it! Ms.Toody Goo Shoes

This hallway is so long,

it could use one of those moving sidewalks

like they have in airports.

OK, I jest, but it is huge.

Look at that magnificent architecture...

and the limestone walls.

I'd love that floor in my front hall.

So elegant...

I couldn't help thinking that if it were my house,

those high ceilings would really lend themselves

to a basketball hoop...

And I could see half a dozen boys
skateboarding from one end of the hall to the other.

This looks like a nice space to open the mail...

Or rest, if you get tired along the way.

Anyone need a potty break?

There's a powder room down at the other end of the hall.

Powder Room

Susan Obercian Design

Map Location 2

We'll make a quick pit stop, to powder our noses.

Isn't this the most fabulous floor?

Now that we're all freshened up and presentable,

we're ready to go to the Grand Salon.

The Grand Salon

James Rixner Inc.

Map Location 43

The photo above isn't the greatest,
but it's the only one I have that shows how long the room is.
Both sides of the room are mirror images of each other.

Here's one side...
(you can see the Drawing Room that I showed you last time, through the doors .)

And here is the other side.

(The doors lead to the library, which we'll get to soon).

I'm not usually a "gray" person,
but how fab are those teal accents?

Mr. Goo Shoes could be entertaining

Mr. (or Mrs.) President on one side...

While I engage in witty banter with foreign dignitaries
on the other side.

"That noise? Oh, it's just my son and his friends

shooting hoops in the hallway."

By the way, what are you doing New Year's Eve?

I'm having a party right here in this room,

and I'm inviting every one of you!

It's black tie, of course.

Not to worry, it won't be "stuffy."

We'll be swinging from those magnificent
Baccarat chandeliers by midnight.

(I do pity the person whose job it is to clean them).

Well, looky, looky!

Even in a mansion,

they throw in a little animal print.

I'm telling you, it works everywhere!

It's time for something a little more zen-like.

Fortunately, there's a room for that

just down the hallway.

The Balcony

Melone Cloughen Interiors, Inc.

Map Location 8

This will do very nicely as my morning coffee room.

The water feature would be the perfect

"background" music for reading the paper.

The gauzy drapes would blow in the breeze...

While I squeeze in a little meditation.

Oh, look! There's champagne for our mimosas!

I'm claiming this spot as my own little haven.
Mr. Goo Shoes would probably choose
the next room on our tour.

The Library

Jennifer Connell, Jane Connell

Map Location 44

This would be quite the man cave, no?

Oh, wait, where's the TV?

Mr. Goo Shoes would "retire" here after dinner,

with his high school pals from Brooklyn.

The butler would bring them port and grappa,

and place it on the white ottoman.

I hope they won't spill their drinks on the white upholstery.

But they will.

I'm having second thoughts about this being a man cave.

It's so cozy.

Maybe no one will notice me

if I hang out in the corner over here,

sipping hot chocolate.

That's all for this time.

What were some of your favorite things on today's tour?

Next time, we'll finish up the first floor,

with the kitchen, lounge, another balcony and dining room.

Here's a little preview.

Until next time...

You may also like:

52 Room Mansion Tour -- Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

Mansion Tour Part 1

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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Corn and Peach Salad...and I'm Frazzled!

You know how sometimes, you have everything under control?

Whatever comes your way, you say...

"I Got This!"

I don't know exactly what happened,

but suddenly, I Don't Got Anything.

I've come undone.

I think it is the it's-getting-dark-at-7:36pm-holy-crap-school-is-next-week-I-haven't-started-my-summer-projects-yet-please-don't-snow-every-other-day-this-winter blues.

That, and I was just asked to be the chairperson of the Fundraising Committee at my synogogue.

You know, the one responsible for raising all the money
so they can pay the staff, buy supplies, and keep the heat on.

Stuff like that.

Yeah, no sweat.

Don't get me wrong...
I am honored to have been asked...
it is a "mitzvah" to help my temple,
and I really want to do this!

But, have I mentioned that I have NO fundraising experience whatsoever?

Actually, I was asked to be the co-chair,

but they couldn't find anyone else to partner with me,

so now I am not a co-chair, I'm the whole darn sofa.

And I'm having a little confidence crisis.

It's days like these that

I need Aibileen Clark to come over for some tea,

look me in the eyes, and say,

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

I wouldn't mind a hug from her, either.

That would be just peachy.

Speaking of peaches,

(go easy on me on that segue...

remember, my confidence level is on thin ice),

this is a great recipe for late-summer peaches
and end-of-season corn...
and perfect for Labor Day Weekend.

I'm well aware that everyone else has moved on to
pumpkin recipes, but hear me out.

Junior Goo Shoes asked me yesterday if he could have 50...
FIFTY...
camp friends sleep over on Friday night for his birthday including girls...

so I hope you can understand why I am a little too frazzled
to be thinking up pumpkin recipes.

Not that we said yes.
Fifty kids???
So. Not. Happening.

I mean, 50 kids don't look like much out here
in the wild, wild west...

Photo courtesy of camp counselor

But can you imagine them all in my basement?
(I'll be right back. I need some ~~valium~~ Advil).

We agreed that he could ask just the boys,

hoping that because it's Labor Day weekend,

it will keep the response rate to a reasonable number.

And if they misbehave,

I'm going to serve corn and peach salad,
until it is coming out of their little teenage ears...

and make them each give me a donation to the
Fundraising Committee.

OK, where was I?
The recipe...yes.
(which is from Better Homes & Gardens, by the way).

Because I was lazy,
I used frozen corn kernels and steamed them.
It would definitely be better with fresh corn.
The original recipe called for radishes,
but I used tomatoes, since that's what I had on hand.
The next day,
I decided to toss in some blackberries,
and not only did it look pretty,
it tasted amazing.
I highly recommend that you add them,
or some blueberries.