Sunday, June 3, 2012

Strawberry Festival at Vaile Mansion

Hello my blogger friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
Here, in Mid Missouri, it was a beautiful day for a festival. A festival at a Victorian mansion!!! For a Victorian wanna be, like myself, going to Victorian mansions/museums make me very happy! So, here we go, off to Independence, Missouri!



Here it is! Is it gorgeous or what?! It has 31 rooms! Following Mr. Vailes's death in 1894, the home was used as a women's college, an inn, a private asylum and sanitarium, a mineral water company and a nursing home. It is now beautifully restored and decorated with antique furnishings of the period.


Here I am, the Victorian Wanna Be, wishing this was my house!


This is the south side of the mansion.


There were many booths here to look at. Mostly hand crafted items but there were some flea market and antique booths as well. I didn't want to buy any of the stuff outside, I wanted to buy the stuff inside! But of course, it wasn't for sale! Shucks!


I had to bribe my daughter with an end of the day trip to the shopping mall to get her to come along with me! So luckily she went for it. And here she is, trying to act like she is having a good time.


This booth had a lot of glassware, some pieces older then others. Below is some Fenton glass. I thought it looked pretty with the mansion as the background.


Up for sale were these pedestal cake plates that these sisters created by attaching candlesticks to plates.
I thought they were cute.


On the grounds of the mansion were many flower gardens. Here is a metal statue gracing this shrub garden.


And this beautiful fountain. Underneath the bottom bowl sits two crane type birds that aren't very clear in the photo but are pretty.


Below is the north side entrance to the mansion. It takes you in by the kitchen and dining room. The upstairs is where they have their gift shop. With no antiques! Shuck again!


Old Glory blowing in the breeze.


By the time we got to this side of the mansion we were hungry. They didn't have too many choices. This turkey and cheese croissant with fruit was my pick while my daughter picked the other choice...hotdog and chips! But! We knew what was coming after lunch! Dessert! Strawberry desserts!!


Here is the dessert stand, they had lots of choices. Lydia got shortcake with ice cream and strawberries and I just got a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.


But this is really what I wanted! This whole huge bowl of sweetened fresh strawberries!! Yum! Yum!


After eating our wonderful dessert it was time to head back to the front of the house for a tour. I have toured this mansion two other times, both at Christmas time, so was excited to see it at a different time of year this time.


I liked all the patriotic decorations. I imagine they were put up for Memorial Day and will stay up through Independence Day. The flowers in this urn add such a nice colorful touch to this bed.


And now the front entrance...the red is so welcoming, isn't it? Are you ready to go inside?!
Well my friends, you'll have to come back next time for that! Aren't I nice? So I'll see you then! Have a great week!


9 comments:

  1. Hi Gina: What a beauty!!Oh, I can only imagine what it must look like at Christmas! Were you really able to take pics inside? They never let us do that in this part of the country. I can't wait to see them, we don't have anything this grand in California that I've seen. But, probably, only you and I are nuts over it..Happy Sunday..Judy

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  2. Hi Gina,
    I'm about ready to go to bed after a really LONG day -- but I had to comment on your post -- because HOLY SMOKES that is one gorgeous big ol' Second Empire house! I need to show it to MY daughter tomorrow, as she's fascinated by this style -- it's so elegant and yet also makes the perfect "haunted house" silhouette.

    What a great day - I used to bring both my girls to things like this all the time, and with one it "stuck" -- she volunteered to help out at the antiques mall where my booth is today, and she's a costume designer, so all the arts & crafts stuff paid off. She loves antiques, old houses, all those wonderful things.

    My other daughter? She nods politely and says "Oh, nice," but doesn't have the lust for dust that we have! :-)

    And ... I'm your newest follower!
    Hope your week gets off to a brilliant start!
    All best wishes ... Cass
    PS Don't get discouraged -- that Victorian may be in your future. I was married 30 years before we got That Old House!

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  3. Love the pictures and will be back for a look inside. So glad you were able to take pictures inside so you can share with us. I too love Victorians. My grandmother lived in one in downtown Richmond, Va. I loved sliding down the bannister , got in trouble but it was worth it. Will be back
    Betsy

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  4. Hi Gina,
    Thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures! It seemed like you had a great time!
    jw

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  5. I am so glad you sent me a note letting me know who you are, I have met 2 gals from my home town now through blogging, Peggy came to my yard sale that was last Saturday.
    I have wanted to go to the mansion for a tour and thought I had it marked down somewhere when the date was, however I did miss it
    I feel like I was there with your great pictures.
    my sister lives not far from there , she should have reminded me .
    your daughter looked like she was enjoying herself

    Janice

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  6. looks wonderful. To visit that home is on my bucket list. I never seem to get to do things as thew shop and house keep me so tied up. At least I got to see it through your camera. Come see me soon. Richard from My Old Historic House.

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  7. hello gina,
    wonderful pictures from a really nice place.thanks for sharing.
    blessings regina
    www.reginassimplelife.blogspot.com

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  8. What an amazing mansion. It looks like something out of a storybook! I'm so glad you let us come along! Your photos are wonderful as always.

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