Street of Dreams, circa 1909

This is the side of the Pittock Mansion that faces the city. A stunning view out over the river and what used to be the World's Fair grounds. The lawn is a marvelous place to watch fourth of July fireworks, since they burst pretty much right in front of you.

The side of the house that guests would see as their horse-drawn carriage or their very modern automobile made it's way all the way up the hill. The Pittocks were founders of Society in Portland. He started the state's major newspaper, and she began the Rose Festival.

The entry hall has impressive white marble floors and staircases. I'm so glad I wasn't the girl who had to keep everything scrubbed down. The rooms have gorgeous hardwood parquet floors, and the tower rooms have parquet that is steamed and bent to follow the curve of the walls. Awesome workmanship!


I confess to a shameful fondness for putti - cherubs - little fat winged babies attending and encouraging nymphs and muses and goddesses. These little guys are hanging out in the music room.

The house was built (back in 1907) with a built-in vacuume system. There were two competing phone companies in Portland at the time, and people who were on one system, couldn't call people who were on the other. So the Pittocks had both phone companies install lines into the house. Sleeping porches, a turkish smoking room, a sewing room to die for - all are delightful. But best of all, the master bath has a view of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens, a deep porcelain tub, and a shower with pipes that surrounded you at three levels for an all-over needle spray, a large shower head above you (too low for me to get under) and a special pipe down at the floor so you could test the water temperature on your toe before you brought it up to innundate your body - oh, the master bath was a thing of glory!


Today is our thirteenth anniversary. Yesterday, DH took me to Lush and spent a big chunka money on bubblebaths and indulgences for me. The manager recognized us, and gave me an extra giant fizzie ball as a gift. And the sales clerk said, "We had a special yesterday. You got a goodie bag if you spent $X. There's one left. Here you go! So I am just giddy with bubbly bliss. The Green Day bubble bars are my newest rave fave. What an intoxicating, euphoric scent!


Today, I begin to set up the loom. Pictures tomorrow.