The Mansion on O Street
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thanks to eveyone who participated.
your heartfelt memories are spectacular!
On any day you can make an impromptu detour to the O mansion and visit a bunch of old friends you haven’t met yet. Most of my visits have been unplanned outings — I went out to buy stamps and ended up at the mansion on O street. No matter how I got there, one tradition I indulge in each time I visit is to flip to a random page of a random book off a random shelf in a random room. Its the same trick they teach when you as a child — letting a verse in the bible or quote instinctively find you. On a recent visit my page flip landed on the poem “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” by Wallace Stevens. This wasn’t my first time reading this poem-I’d come across it before through friends, school and even in song. However, at that moment it completely embodied the spirit of the place I was standing. Every verse describing a different way to look at a bird in much the same way 100 rooms, 32 secret doors each unlock different perspectives from which to look at ourselves a!
nd each other. The O mansion reminds me that there are so many ways of looking at everything and as a result there will always be more in life to explore, discover and dream.
This magical trajectory the O mansion’s philosophy very much inspires has lead me here. Since the first time I visited the mansion, I’ve had a strong desire to share this unique place with my whole family. Before learning about this contest I made a short documentary of a friend taking their first journey through the mansion. I showed the film to my family and it was suggested that I send a copy to a staff member. While searching the website for contact information to do so I serendipitously stumbled upon this contest, which potentially may allow me to actually bring my entire family to the mansion. Either way I am happy to have a conduit for sharing my thoughts and feelings about the O mansion with the people that make it special.
(please wait for video to load – it is amazing!)
O Journey from Jennifer Stratton on Vimeo.
Je t’embrasse,
Jennifer
A boy swimming grabs the edge of the pool;
Ooops…Carefully, I traverse the edge–almost falling–
Into the well-stocked wine cellar.
Then, transported, quickly, I glide through a universe of kitch
To catch hold of a balloon ride with promises of knowledge gained.
I stare into real art and ponder its deeper meaning
Until I laugh back at a rabbit, bunny, or gathering of Victorian ladies
and wonder what they are contemplating.
Over-stimulated by all I’m taking in, I still savour what has been received and
leave wanting more….O Mansion!
Spending time at the Mansion on O street means having time to turn off the pressures of life and to get drawn into a place that allows one to dream, relax and feel the creative vibe of the Mansion. This hidden treasure near DuPont Circle has even more surprises and treasure inside. It just takes one away to enjoy time with loved ones. I wish I were creative and catchy to write a song, poem or piece of art…All I can offer is my praise and my thanks for having a place to get away with friends and family.
Behind Secret Door #1
A Bachorette’s Delight: A Story Told in Pictures. read below for full story
(click to enlarge)
Saucers, tea, I dance with thee.
I wonder what we’ll find in there.
Scones, cream, a hidden door?
We’ll open it up, happy we’ll be.
A rainy sunday, you and me.
Tea for two in The Mansion.
A wide-eyed expression of pure joy
Radiating from the face of my darling boy
Experiencing the thrill of discovery first-hand
As each secret door leads us to a new land
The house’s magic keeps worries of the outside world at bay
At the mansion we are children together, if only for a day.
M-Many diffrent rooms!
A- A lot to choose from!
N- Not Boring!
S- Suprises in every room!
I- It’s sad to leave!
O- Outstanding Employees!
N- Never Ending FUN!
About a month ago I took my daughter Rachel and her friends Joyce, Jane, Caitlin, and Noor to visit O Street Mansion. They are all forth-graders at Churchill Road elementary school in McLean, VA. O Mansion is such an inspiration for what’s possible if you ignore the fear, do what your inner voice tells you, do what you enjoy, do it well, and have fun. I’ve been there a number of times, and thought it would be a great place ot bring the kids.
The had SO MUCH fun, that on the way back they wrote a song! They’ve also put together a power point (click link to download) with pictures from their trip, where they each say what the O Mansion means to them.
I lived through this accident 4 years ago. The car was flipped end over end twice and rolled twice down a hill. I was belted into the passenger seat, the driver was unbuckled. He was thrown from the car before it flipped and landed unharmed beside the highway, I was in the only area of the car that was undamaged, in fact it looked as if an energy halo had kept that part solid. The tow-guy said it was a top ten wreck for him, and the worst injury I sustained was a broken big toe.
I was 38 and had one son who was due to graduate High School. 2 months after this crash, I fell pregnant! The man who was driving was my husband and our marriage didn’t survive to the end of the pregnancy, but for whatever higher purpose God has in mind for me, He has a greater one in store for my son.
I can’t afford to do much “extra” these days, but am passionate and curious and excited by life. I’d love to be able to share your work with my family. there are many days when I think that I actually DID die in that accident, and that all of THIS life that I am percieving is actually a dream. In that vein, I take nothing for granted, and revel in the gift that is “being”.
I have alot of arty things, (went to art school as a matter of fact) but Im going to send you a few things, 1 is an essay I wrote after last years snowstorm, the other is a photo of the accident, and third is a picture of me and that baby.
I’d love to get more involved.
Deborah
(oh and the treasure hunt on line is making me cookoo!)
(Click to Enlarge Pictures)
Who loves The Mansion
And loves her tea,
And who looks on life with silent wonder,
Always The Masnion beckons to us,
Brave the storm and the sadness,
Come by the warm hearth and have a cuppa tea……
Who loves The Mansion
And loves her tea!
(click on photo to enlarge)
What is the O Street Mansion to me?
In chaos, it is tranquility.
When trouble manages to find me
The Mansion can always remind me
Of what is important, what is dear,
What to push away, what to hold near.
In all that clutter, a master plan;
Those mirrors reflect the life of man.
I enter worn down, exit renewed
Restored by friends, family and food.
As I leave, my angst withers and dies
Again I see life through children’s eyes.
The Mansion on O Street was the first weekend away with my boyfriend, it was the first trip to our nation’s capital, and it was our first Christmas together. Like the many monuments it is bordered by, the Mansion on O Street commemorates an event that has become important to me.
I first learned of the Mansion in August 2009 during a weekend visit to DC. We were having a great weekend of touring and enjoying our surroundings, yet he kept reminding me that the best was yet to come.
On our last morning in DC we walked to the Mansion in temperatures that must have reached 100 degrees. The Mansion served as a refreshing retreat as we were greeted by friendly faces and served a delicious brunch. After brunch we explored and ventured through secret doors and imaginative spaces. We picked our favorite rooms and learned of the Mansion’s secrets.
During our exploration of the Mansion my boyfriend came across a George Washington doll. As a George Washington University graduate, he not only has a special place in his heart for DC, but also for George Washington himself. He went back and forth about purchasing it, but ultimately we both left with different items. When we returned home I emailed the museum and had the doll shipped to Rhode Island. As hard as it was, I kept Mr. Washington a secret.
On Christmas we exchanged gifts, and he was both surprised and delighted to see our first President in the gift box. It could not have been a better way to commemorate our first Christmas.
The Mansion on O Street truly holds a special place in my heart. The magic and wonder of the Mansion itself are what made it the centerpiece of our trip to Washington. But the helpfulness, attentiveness, and caring of the staff are what helped to make it a centerpiece of our relationship. While I don’t know when we’ll have the opportunity to return to the O Mansion, I am confident that all of our return trips will be just as magical as our first.
(click to enlarge)
My Favorite Christmas Gift
Children grow up and leave the nest. They marry and start families of their own. After that, time accelerates for their parents. December pops up faster each year. This December finds me grappling with some especially challenging Christmas shopping. One particularly dear person on my list has me stymied.
As I reflect on special Christmas gifts that I have received, one stands out above all the rest. Two years ago I was beginning to feel a little old for the first time. Both our daughters were grown and married. We had one grandson and another on the way. Life was good, but different now.
In early December the girls announced that for our Christmas gift they wanted to take us to brunch at the O Street Mansion. My husband and I had never been there. A date and time were agreed on and the four of us set out together alone for the first time in years. We are blessed with terrific sons-in-law and awesome grandsons. We have great times together, but they are often busy making their own individual family memories.
The Mansion at Christmas is a glorious place and we were soon caught up in the excitement of good cheer, excellent food and beautiful surroundings. The sisters talked and giggled more than they ate, just like they did as children. We reminisced and laughed at old family stories. Then we explored the mansion and admired the art and decorations. For a couple of hours that afternoon I was transported back in time to the days when the four of us went on adventures together. Our little girls were sharing an outing with their parents and showing them secret passages and fun. For a shining afternoon I was just the mother of those little girls again. It was magical.
The most special gifts are inspired. They come from the heart. As I struggle to think of a special gift for my sister, I remember the special afternoon my daughters gave me and I’m getting an idea.
I want to be a winner! I am a winner!
(click to enlarge)
The Mansion means adventures in a time in my life that isn’t as adventurous as it used to be now that I’m an “adult”. It means martinis on the treadmill with my girlfriends, celebrity sightings (even if we’re not sure exactly who they are), having to face the priest the next morning after he’d walked in on me and my husband after a wedding (we’d forgotten to lock the door to our room!)…
So many fun memories with friends at the Mansion. From martinis on the treadmill to celebrity sightings, to an overnight stay after a friend’s wedding where the priest walked in on me and hubby making love in our room (I won’t tell you which room)… I hope to have many more memories and stories from the Mansion.
A trip to the Mansion always means new memories and new stories for me and my friends and family to talk about for years to come. It means magic.
Secret Room Haiku
Books overflowing
A gentle push and a creak
A room just for me
Oh, Oh, Oh and Ho Ho Ho: The Mansion on O
By Teri-E Belf
The Mansion on O Street is attached buildings,
windows, walls, stairs and lights.
A tucked away place of transformation
With unique creations and delights.
Click to read the rest of the poem with photos
Everyday I get up and turn on my computer. Unable to work anymore, I search through Facebook for my daily family and friend updates. I then look for my Mansion quote, riddle or thought. I usually am the first or second to reply. I spoke once of my potato chip cookies, instantly I received a response from a real person on this site. Ever since, I have been friends with the Mansion and even a sister of someone who works there through facebook. How wonderful to know there isn’t a machine or teenager controlling the site.
I have read everything about the Mansion and dream of having my first and only honeymoon there someday. We have been married 33 years and have never been able to take one or even have a vacation.
The idea of being in a room filled with memorabilia from Jackie O or John Lennon, and eat those delish pastries and dinners- oh, my head is swimming. I am drawn into the history of the building and how the owners acquired and changed the place. It sends my mind into a Disneyland for adults mode.
Even if you do not pick me, the winner will be granted a special opportunity, and I send them love. Oh, and I hope they enjoy some sweets for me!
(Little Hatmaker – Click to enlarge)
To me, a trip to the Mansion on O Street means never having to say you’re sorry.
Whether you’re downing champagne at 2pm at Sunday brunch, or sneaking upstairs to ogle the Log Cabin room, or running into mirrored walls in an effort to relieve yourself, or hamming it up with the chefs in the basement, or trying on antique jewelry and extravagant headwear, or channeling rock legends by delicately running your fingers down the frets of a Gibson, or showing off to friends by plucking open secret doors, or escaping reality for just a few hours, or saying hello to everyone you meet, anything goes at the Mansion.
Its obscure vagueness, its sheer inscrutability, and moreover, its tolerance, keeps one coming back and leaving yet again with a completely justified and memorable experience.
The picture speaks for itself!
We had such a fun time at the Mansion!
(click picture to enlarge)
I’m not really a poet, songwriter, or someone who would make a decent video, but I have found the Mansion to be an oasis in a town that all too often doesn’t take time to look at the people around us except from the standpoint of their standing (i.e. powerful politician or administration official, rich businessman, etc. — i.e. what can they do for me). I’m from Thorntown, Indiana, and came here many years ago to work for my Congressman, John Myers. I’ve always found the Mansion a treat and adventure, but as I learned more about the reason the Mansion came to be and a small bit about those who have a membership, the more I’m impressed and intrigued — for example the dinners the Mansion occasionally quietly holds with people from all walks of life — from powerful people to street people, none of whom know the names/satus of the others — made it even more a place of which I’d like to be a part. Washington has much to offer, but it’s a place that all too often ignores the diversity of this place which houses people once powerful people (but no longer), but still valuable and viable people, veterans who have their own stories to tell. I could go on and on, but I came to DC to learn more about government, but once I was here (and grew a bit older and, I hope wiser), I realized the wealth that is truly here in DC and mostly hidden.
The Mansion discretely houses celebrities and those of us who are just regular people. Its diversity is something which, again the longer I’m here, I’ve come to value not only at the Mansion (we’ve not been active participants in the events, but have been there frequently — bringing friends and relatives both from here and Indiana). It’s a place which lets your mind go free — sounds corny, but hope you will understand.
My husband and I are at a point in our lives where we’re facing the loss of our house and many other problems (insignificant compared to some), but this has also brought me to a point where I realize how much I’ve let “work” absorb me and not living my life to the fullest. Meeting new and diverse people, and hopefully having something to contribute as well, is something my husband and I would truly value and do our best to be members of your group who can contribute to the diversity and intrinsic value of what I’ve come to learn is the true meaning of the Mansion — it’s not just a neat place to have brunch. When you go below the surface, it’s much, much more. As an aside, my husband and I are on our second marriage — I’ve been here for many years, but he did a mid-life career change from building contractor to RN, working at the VA Hospital in DC. I met him while he was going to nursing school and working part-time at the nursing home where my mother resided for about about 4 years. We took a chance and married and he really took a leap of faith and came here to be with me. Contrary to questions from some of my friends as to how rich and old WAS he, as an RN he will never be rich, and he’s my age — since I’ve been here since ’72, that will give you some clue.
In short, we’ve often talked about a Membership to the Mansion, but had other financial priorities. This would be absolutely great for us and I assure you we’d do our best to add diversity to the “mix.” House problems aside, we hope to remain here for some time, and are making adjustments as I work to establish a non-profit doing international development work.
By the way, I should also mention (unrelated to our application) that we took my stepdaughter to the Mansion for brunch. She is a manager at Starbucks in Indiana. Just by chance one of her customers mentioned coming to DC. My stepdaughter asked if she’d heard of the Mansion — the person had actually been there as a part of her meeting and was absolutely overwhelmed that Jama had been there with us.
Sadly, it’s taken me getting older to fully appreciate the fact that life is too short to just work — we’re both trying very hard to make that a priority. This would be a perfect opportunity — I guess the longer you live the more you learn, and we hope to keep learning and learning. In fact, my husband has just gone back to school to obtain the equivalent in the nursing world of his MBA at 50+. So you can see, we’re determined to regroup, while having fun and do interesting things at the same time.
Thank you for your consideration — and will keep fingers crossed.