And They Partied Themselves into the Ground

"Contrary to the image of high society, it was the fad of the day for lady guests to fling their lingerie to the winds as they passed the gates upon leaving. Local folk still recall seeing chauffeurs ceremoniously retrieving their ladies' undergarments in the wee hours of the morning." - Monica Randall, on the parties that took place in early 20th century Long Island, New York.

Former tennis court adjoining the indoor swimming pool, Harrison Williams Estate, Long Island, NY.

Mosaic gold swimming pool at Pembroke, Long Island New York

W.C. Bird Estate Oval Room, height of its grandeur, Long Island, NY

W.C. Bird Estate Oval Room, after 20 years of neglect. Long Island, NY.

Scans and quotes from The Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast by Monica Randall, 1979.

A fantastic find at the thrift shop turned up these images of dilapidated grandeur, all taken in the once palatial homes of 1920s Long Island, New York (the setting for Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby) before they were demolished in the 60s and 70s. As you can see, many were abandoned and fell carelessly into ruin; there are stories of mansions being bulldozed with tiffany chandeliers still hanging from the ceiling.

That the parties were so overly decadent makes these images that much harder to stomach. Highlights includes the Kahn's yearly easter egg hunt where each egg held $1000.00 and Bradley Martin's "Come in the most expensive costume you can devise" party, given at the height of the depression, of course. And then there were the ducks that one mansion owner had a chauffeur personally deliver south for the winter, rather than have them fly, commenting, "...of course they can fly; thank God they don't have to."

Happy Birthday To Me

Except, super belated, because my birthday was on the 22nd.

Simple outdoor dining, with my FAVORITE hand painted antique green striped Czech plates, an ebay steal from ages back. Somehow, I think greens are well suited for outdoor dining in that they bring out the texture and color of surrounding shrubbery and foliage. And of course, a little metallic and crystal never hurt anyone.

What you DON'T know is that it started monsooning a mere, oh, 4 minutes from when this baby was taken. What a scene. Good thing my guests were quick on their feet. I kid you not, the whole table experienced a god like resurrection that took place as quickly as the rain started coming down. Much thanks to everyone who came!

Dinner Craze, Part 2

I love pre-spring dinner parties. Feeling obsessed inspired by the last dining room I posted, I whipped up my own version. These first two images look so fresh and cheery; it's funny how nighttime, reflective surfaces, candlelight, and a trashy 80s gem-encrusted number can completely change the ambiance. Or maybe that was just the wine I polished off while cooking dinner... cheers!

Inside, Outside-In Dining

I've been thinking a lot about outdoor dining lately. Too bad it's cold enough for me to be wearing two sweaters.

While pondering having guests wear gloves and parkas to dinner, I remembered this gorgeous image and promptly recovered from my delusions:

Interior Design by Robert Kime. Photo by Derry Moore. Scan from Architectural Digest, January 1995.

How lush is that?! Copious potted plants create a fantastic wall of greenery, minus the pesky bugs I'm surely going to be complaining about when I do finally have my dinner outdoors. It also doesn't hurt that the Chinese lanterns and soft light remind me of John Singer Sargent's "Carnation Lily Lily Rose." Actually, that's a pretty great source of inspiration for an elegant springtime dinner; I wonder if Kime had it in mind when he designed his conservatory dining room...

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent, 1885-86. Oil on Canvas.